Print prices

3rdPlanetPhotography

Has anyone used MeridianPro labs for their printing? They offer the Endura paper (color corrected) prints MUCH cheaper than I've found anywhere else. I've been using Collages.Net for my online wedding albums but their prices are quite high. Collages 10x20 prints is $14.76 and MeridianPro is $4.99.

This makes a huge difference when building a 40 page album for my customer. In fact the prints through Collages.Net cost $280.37 and the same prints through MeridianPro cost $107.75. Both prices include shipping and the MeridianPro shipping is $12.95 versus $6.97 for Collages.

With the cost difference so high it's a no-brainer by the numbers. I'm just curious if anyone else has used them. I ordered my prints through them tonight and I guess we'll see what I get.

3rdPlanetPhotography

gosh everyone is full of words!

3rdPlanetPhotography wrote:

Has anyone used MeridianPro labs for their printing? They offer the Endura paper (color corrected) prints MUCH cheaper than I've found anywhere else. I've been using Collages.Net for my online wedding albums but their prices are quite high. Collages 10x20 prints is $14.76 and MeridianPro is $4.99.

This makes a huge difference when building a 40 page album for my customer. In fact the prints through Collages.Net cost $280.37 and the same prints through MeridianPro cost $107.75. Both prices include shipping and the MeridianPro shipping is $12.95 versus $6.97 for Collages.

With the cost difference so high it's a no-brainer by the numbers. I'm just curious if anyone else has used them. I ordered my prints through them tonight and I guess we'll see what I get.

bham

Your mentioning them here is the first I have ever even heard of the company.

dangin

sorry, i can't comment on them either. have you considered miller's? i've heard good things about them from one of the studios i've worked with.

3rdPlanetPhotography

I found them in the Rangefinder Magazine. I ordered a full set of prints from Meridian Pro for an album (first order) and I must say they were excellent!

They'll get my business.


Millers? I'll have to look at Millers again. I thought someone told me that you had to have 25k plus in orders each year to have an account with Millers but come to think of it that's silly. I'll check it out again.

Scott

dangin

oye! 25k?
let us know how your order from meridian goes!

3rdPlanetPhotography wrote:

I found them in the Rangefinder Magazine. I ordered a full set of prints from Meridian Pro for an album (first order) and I must say they were excellent!

They'll get my business.


Millers? I'll have to look at Millers again. I thought someone told me that you had to have 25k plus in orders each year to have an account with Millers but come to think of it that's silly. I'll check it out again.

Scott

3rdPlanetPhotography

Update
I have gotten 3 orders in the mail from Meridian Pro in the past 2 weeks. Several 16x20's and a complete set of album prints 10x20's.

I must say they are FANTASTIC!!!!

The colors are great. The paper is Endura (my favorite) and the price is untouchable.

I will order ALL of my own prints from Meridian Pro and I will also order ALL of my album prints from them!

Try them out and give your opinion! thumbthumb

Angelo

I'm curious why you don't order your prints from Smugmug?

3rdPlanetPhotography

Hey Angelo,

The only reason is because smugmug contracts with ezprints. IMO, ezprints is just like a walmart lab. I personally find it hard to believe they are a professional lab. Maybe they are, everything is just so hush hush around here.

I prefer the Kodak Endura paper. It's the most professional looking paper that I've found and ezprints doesn't offer it or the metallic prints, both of which my customers like.

With that said, I maintain my smugmug account. I like the features it offeres me, mainly the ability to use links to view images and put into forums, blogs, etc. It's a nice place to dump all my images for family albums and also to put images where I'm allowing the client or family member to download my images. I will continue to maintain that account, however, I'll probably downgrade it to a non-professional account since I won't be selling professional work from it. All of my professional work is being hosted at Pictage. I tried collages.net, they stunk! I've been with Picatage for only a month or so but the things they offer are untouchable from any other place on the web based on my experience and research.

Now also with that said, Smugmug is still a wonderful place to be. I'm not downing it, it's just not for my professional work. I'd just like to see smugmug's horizons expanded and either have their own lab or contract with professional labs around the country.

My apologies if I have offended anyone!

Scott

Angelo wrote:

I'm curious why you don't order your prints from Smugmug?

jonh68

To each his/her own. I like the Fuji paper EZprints uses and the prints I see are above Walleyworld, IMHO. Endura paper doesn't show colors as vivid as Fuji.

3rdPlanetPhotography

, ok we can agree to disagree. That's what I love about this place

jonh68 wrote:

To each his/her own. I like the Fuji paper EZprints uses and the prints I see are above Walleyworld, IMHO. Endura paper doesn't show colors as vivid as Fuji.

3rdPlanetPhotography

oop I duplicated the reply...

Angelo

3rdPlanetPhotography wrote:

Hey Angelo,

The only reason is because smugmug contracts with ezprints. IMO, ezprints is just like a walmart lab. I personally find it hard to believe they are a professional lab. Maybe they are, everything is just so hush hush around here.

I prefer the Kodak Endura paper. It's the most professional looking paper that I've found and ezprints doesn't offer it or the metallic prints, both of which my customers like.

With that said, I maintain my smugmug account. I like the features it offeres me, mainly the ability to use links to view images and put into forums, blogs, etc. It's a nice place to dump all my images for family albums and also to put images where I'm allowing the client or family member to download my images. I will continue to maintain that account, however, I'll probably downgrade it to a non-professional account since I won't be selling professional work from it. All of my professional work is being hosted at Pictage. I tried collages.net, they stunk! I've been with Picatage for only a month or so but the things they offer are untouchable from any other place on the web based on my experience and research.

Now also with that said, Smugmug is still a wonderful place to be. I'm not downing it, it's just not for my professional work. I'd just like to see smugmug's horizons expanded and either have their own lab or contract with professional labs around the country.

My apologies if I have offended anyone!

Scott

well you're entitled to your opinion. I don't happen to agree regarding the quality of SM prints. I've never been dissatisfied.

What I do find offensive is your "hush-hush" comment. What the hell does that mean?

No one plays any games here especially relative to service or product. And this forum, dGrin, in its entirety is staffed by volunteer moderators, like me.

I have no links, financial or otherwise to SM, (except my own paid account just like yours) so why on earth would I or anyone be hush hush about anything?

Andy

3rdPlanetPhotography wrote:

Maybe they are, everything is just so hush hush around here.

Really?

If you'd like, I can point to loads of threads where peeps talk about EZP print quality

I have a lot of respect for Miller's Labs by the way.

~Jan~

I have another print company that I use, in addition to Smugmug, because SM doesn't offer proof books and different finishes on their photos. If a client wants just a basic order, I always use Smugmug. I've compared 8x10's from both Smugmug and the other place (which is a pro lab used by a TON of pro photogs, trust me) and they are identical in quality. However, the hugest gripe I have about SM is they are SLOW. I get my prints from the other company in 2 days for free.

3rdPlanetPhotography

Maybe I shouldn't have replied. Everyone got pissy because I had my own opinion.

My opinion was just that. I didn't say I wouldn't be ordering from smugmug! There are times when I will order from smugmug. I have yet to find a place that "has it all". Smugmug has other products that I can't get in other places. If there was one perfect solution then we wouldn't be having this conversation so with several places to choose from we'll all have likes and dislikes about each.

For the slow comment.... I've never found SM to be slow. In fact they were probably the best at getting my orders completed, however, shipping from Georgia to Missouri seems to go by way of Iceland. That has nothing to do with Smugmug but if you choose the affordabe shipping it a can take up to 3 weeks to arrive.

So going back to my original point, I prefer the Endura paper.

Angelo, my hush hush comment was taken wrongly. I should have titled it better and I apologize for that.

~Jan~

3rdPlanetPhotography wrote:

I have yet to find a place that "has it all". Smugmug has other products that I can't get in other places.

Exactly! I think it's perfectly normal to have more than one lab that you use. Like I said, I do use Smugmug for most of my prints.

And by slow--I didn't mean that SMUGMUG is slow, but rather than the shipping is slow, and the express shipping is just pricey!

jonh68

Maybe I shouldn't have replied. Everyone got pissy because I had my own opinion.

Actually, no one was pissy because of your opinion. Your original post came across AS pissy, regardless of the opinion.

wxwax

3rdPlanetPhotography wrote:

Maybe they are, everything is just so hush hush around here.

Thanks for telling us about your good experience with a printer.

I didn't understand the above comment tho. I found this under the FAQ for Pros.