Gear

Choosing A Lab

Discover The Benefits Of Using A Photo Lab For Printing Photographs

Today’s photo labs have kept up with the digital age and have made it easy for us to get 4x6, 8x10 or larger prints. Whether you walk in with your media card in hand or upload your images using the Internet, a good photo lab can make quite a difference when you need lots of prints, big enlargements and more.

Looking For Quality

While almost all labs use automated equipment to produce prints, they’re still controlled and maintained by people. As a result, the same image file can deliver a different-looking print, depending on the lab used, so it pays to shop around and try labs to see which one produces the quality of print that you prefer. With 4x6 prints costing between 12 and 35 cents each, it’s a minor investment that can make a big difference in the long term.

Here’s a test to try. Take a dozen well-exposed image files, some of which you’ve enhanced on your computer, and submit the whole group to several labs. Choose images that have a range of color and tones, especially some high-contrast images. By comparing the prints you receive from the labs, you should be able to quickly determine which one provides you with the best results.

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