Cosco Metallic Prints???

JayClark79JayClark79 Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
edited March 26, 2016 in Mind Your Own Business
Has anyone ever used cosco to do metallic prints? My partner wants to have smaller prints done here because they are 1/3 of the price of Mpix and Bay Photo.... We have not done an apples to apples comparison yet I just wanted to see if anyone else has ever done it.... My partner said a friend that he has helped do weddings with gets her prints done there....

I know I know... its Cosco... im just asking im not condoning it lol

My Site http://www.jayclarkphotography.com


Canon Rebel T1i | Canon 50mm 1.8 | Tamron 28-75mm 2.8 | Canon 75-300mm EF f 4.5 III | Opteka Grip | Canon 580exII | 2 Vivitar 383 Flash's and a home studio setup.

Comments

  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2010
    I think that's it's Costco - and you'll get something that might be good. But if you went with Bay Photo, our Pro lab, you get something that is guaranteed to be good, and your partner (us) stands behind every single print.
  • mercphotomercphoto Registered Users Posts: 4,550 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2010
    Andy wrote:
    I think that's it's Costco - and you'll get something that might be good. But if you went with Bay Photo, our Pro lab, you get something that is guaranteed to be good, and your partner (us) stands behind every single print.
    I'm usually very happy with CostCo prints, but I make sure to have them turn auto-corrections off. They also now do on-site 16x20 and 20x30 poster prints at very low prices. I have two problems with them though -- they are not full-bleed (you have to trim them a bit to get them to fit a frame), and there is some banding (not horrible, you have to get close, but is probably why they're so cheap).

    But, for 12x18 and lower they are great. And how many places will actually sell you an 8x12 print anymore.
    Bill Jurasz - Mercury Photography - Cedar Park, TX
    A former sports shooter
    Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
    My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
  • JohnCJohnC Registered Users Posts: 222 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2010
    I've got up to 24x36 on Metallic from www.AdoramaPix.com and they're awesome. thumb.gif
    Nikon D300 l Nikon SB-600 l Nikon MC-30 Remote l Nikon AF-S 24-85mm 1:3.5-4.5G IF-ED l Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF-D l Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM l Quantaray Pro U-100 backpack by Naneu Pro l Quantaray QSX 9500 Tripod by Sunpak
    Canon AE-1 Program l FD 28mm 1:2.8 l FD 50mm 1:1.8 l Sunpak Auto 821 Dedicated
  • TangoTango Registered Users Posts: 4,592 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2010
    I guarantee you will like Costco metallic prints.


    ***(so long as you never ever ever ever do a apples for apples comparision with Bay photo)
    Aaron Nelson
  • 509 Graphics509 Graphics Registered Users Posts: 7 Beginner grinner
    edited March 24, 2010
    I've used Costco for various prints in the past and have almost always uploaded my work and ordered via their website (costcophotocenter.com). I can't find any metallic print options through their site, have those who have printed metallics from them done so in their store?

    Thanks,
    Kevin
  • ARKreationsARKreations Registered Users Posts: 265 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2010
    I just inquired about metallics last week and was told they don't do them.
    (At least at my local Costco anyway...)
    Ross - ARKreations Photography
    http://www.arkreations.com
    Nikon D700 | D300 | D80 | SB-800(x2) | SB-600(x2)
    Nikkor Lenses: 14-24 f/2.8 | 24-70 f/2.8 | 50 f/1.8 | 85 f/1.4 | 70-200 f/2.8 VR II | 70-300 VR
  • mbellotmbellot Registered Users Posts: 465 Major grins
    edited March 25, 2010
    Andy wrote:
    I think that's it's Costco - and you'll get something that might be good. But if you went with Bay Photo, our Pro lab, you get something that is guaranteed to be good, and your partner (us) stands behind every single print.

    That guarantee is one of the things I love about SmugMug. But to be fair, Costco has it too. mwink.gif

    I've never heard/seen metallic prints offered at CostCo, might be time to look again.
  • mercphotomercphoto Registered Users Posts: 4,550 Major grins
    edited March 26, 2010
    mbellot wrote:
    I've never heard/seen metallic prints offered at CostCo, might be time to look again.
    I didn't see it offered online this morning.
    Bill Jurasz - Mercury Photography - Cedar Park, TX
    A former sports shooter
    Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
    My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
  • JayClark79JayClark79 Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
    edited March 28, 2010
    It seems like my partner made a mistake they are not Metallic Prints... And it sounds like the pictures he is getting done here are just the top 400 4x6's

    My Site http://www.jayclarkphotography.com


    Canon Rebel T1i | Canon 50mm 1.8 | Tamron 28-75mm 2.8 | Canon 75-300mm EF f 4.5 III | Opteka Grip | Canon 580exII | 2 Vivitar 383 Flash's and a home studio setup.
  • BradfordBennBradfordBenn Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2010
    Andy wrote:
    But if you went with Bay Photo, our Pro lab, you get something that is guaranteed to be good, and your partner (us) stands behind every single print.

    +1thumb.gif

    And what was great is that before I sent in my images for printing I was able to get some more experienced eyes on the image and some help from the Support Heroes and the prints turned out great. Biggest problem I have with it, my wife hung it up in her office and wants more and more metal prints.
    -=Bradford

    Pictures | Website | Blog | Twitter | Contact
  • msfmsf Registered Users Posts: 229 Major grins
    edited April 5, 2010
    Ive been meaning to ask this for a while but kept forgetting, and I figure this thread is a good spot to ask. : )

    What subjects are best for metallic? Ive seen some great black and white prints in metallic, and color fireworks. But is it good for portraits, and if so, what kind of portraits, color or black and white?
  • SparkySparky Registered Users Posts: 104 Major grins
    edited April 5, 2010
    What subjects are best for metallic? Ive seen some great black and white prints in metallic, and color fireworks. But is it good for portraits, and if so, what kind of portraits, color or black and white?
    I'm by far not an expert, but I ordered this photo in metallic. I was extremely pleased with the results! It added a 3 dimensional quality to the shot. Definitely worth trying for any photos, you always have Smugmug's guarantee to fall back on.
    321976726_iCuT5-M.jpg



  • atmtxphotoatmtxphoto Registered Users Posts: 2 Beginner grinner
    edited September 3, 2010
    I did my first set of prints at Bay Photos including 2 metallics. They look awesome. I'm very happy.
    I just posted a blog entry that compares the quality I got at Costco vs Bay Photo.

    http://blog.atmtxphoto.com/2010/09/02/printing-photographs-costco-vs-bay-photo/
  • indiegirlindiegirl Registered Users Posts: 930 Major grins
    edited September 3, 2010
    atmtxphoto wrote: »
    I did my first set of prints at Bay Photos including 2 metallics. They look awesome. I'm very happy.
    I just posted a blog entry that compares the quality I got at Costco vs Bay Photo.

    http://blog.atmtxphoto.com/2010/09/02/printing-photographs-costco-vs-bay-photo/

    boy, in that image you've posted, I can really see the difference! Did you accent the colors or is that pretty accurate?
  • atmtxphotoatmtxphoto Registered Users Posts: 2 Beginner grinner
    edited September 4, 2010
    indiegirl wrote: »
    boy, in that image you've posted, I can really see the difference! Did you accent the colors or is that pretty accurate?

    I sharped the photograph and did a minor levels adjustment but I did not change the color or do any manipulation to make any particular photo look better. The changes I mentioned were done to the entire photograph. It was taken with the Sony TX5 point and shoot.

    I would say the photo captures the feel of the color differences in general but the difference seems more exaggerated. This might be because the Costco prints are slightly curled instead of flat like the Bay Photo prints. The curled paper may make the photos look a bit less saturated (because of the way the light bounces off the prints). The differences in the Broken Spoke image looks more exaggerated than in reality however the photos of the light trails on the bridge look pretty close. You can tell the blues on the image on the right are more saturated, which was the Bay Photo images.

    On the large church photos, you can tell the one of the top (Costco) is a bit more pinkish.

    I wasn't intending for the picture to necessarily be an accurate portrayal, it was more to illustrate how I looked at the prints for my blog. I tried to be as accurate as I could in the text of the blog. I hope it helps.
  • Andrew HallAndrew Hall Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
    edited March 26, 2016
    JayClark79 wrote: »
    Has anyone ever used cosco to do metallic prints? My partner wants to have smaller prints done here because they are 1/3 of the price of Mpix and Bay Photo.... We have not done an apples to apples comparison yet I just wanted to see if anyone else has ever done it.... My partner said a friend that he has helped do weddings with gets her prints done there....

    I know I know... its Cosco... im just asking im not condoning it lol

    I am somewhat biased, as I am a former fulltime photographer who is now employed in a Costco photo lab. Most of the labs now have samples of professional metal prints done from stock photos owned by Costco. The metal prints look remarkable and IMHO, of equal quality to what I have seen from Bay Photo, my former lab. I can't tell you yet how to best prepare your images prior to sending them, i.e. color calibration, but again, it's Costco, you don't like it, you don't pay for it, and you don't pay for metal prints until you pick them up. Win Win.
    Stop by your local Costco and have a close look at their samples, I think you will be impressed.
  • Andrew HallAndrew Hall Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
    edited March 26, 2016
    RE: Banding on poster prints and boards
    mercphoto wrote: »
    I'm usually very happy with CostCo prints, but I make sure to have them turn auto-corrections off. They also now do on-site 16x20 and 20x30 poster prints at very low prices. I have two problems with them though -- they are not full-bleed (you have to trim them a bit to get them to fit a frame), and there is some banding (not horrible, you have to get close, but is probably why they're so cheap).

    But, for 12x18 and lower they are great. And how many places will actually sell you an 8x12 print anymore.

    RE: Banding issues
    Hi, I work in a Costco photo lab and daily use the big Epson printer for 16x20 and 20x30 (and sometimes larger) posters and poster boards. We run a cleaning on our printer almost every day, and more often if we see issues. If you are seeing banding very often, then you need to immediately bring it to the attention of your Costco Photo Center employees. If you see banding, they aren't running a cleaning often enough. If you HAVE banding on a print, ask them kindly to reprint it, and again kindly - point out the reason for the request. At our lab, we love it when people actually CARE about the quality of our product. If you don't get reasonable results, maybe try another nearby Costco if there is one.
  • Andrew HallAndrew Hall Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
    edited March 26, 2016
    mercphoto wrote: »
    I didn't see it offered online this morning.

    Costco photo centers nationwide just began offering Metal Prints online. Not a lot of sizes available yet, but I think that will come....and the prices are very reasonable. Find them online under "Metal Wall Decor". Most of the labs are just now getting samples put on display. If you don't see one at yours, then ask them to get some.
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