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Just had my first photobook returned today. Happy with the process of setting it up etc and having read reviews of various producers of these products went with a Jessops offering. (have also seen something from Photobox). However, the quality of prints/pages are not acceptable as far as I am concerned if this was meant for a client of mine (luckily not and just only an experiment to test the product). Have others got similar complaints about these products?
I wondered if the image quality problems are because the image files are being so compressed that quality suffers? Is this correct - are they produced in a different way to a normal photographic print? Is there a manufacturer out there that does produce A class grade photobooks?
Lots of questions, sorry!
Rob
Don't know but I doubt that the Jessops or Photobox process is 'real' printing. I have looked at some leading brand but cheap books on photography and see they are very poor in quality of print.
I have had a couple of run of prints recently where my home printing would have been better but far more expensive.
It seem slike people are having difficulty getting prints printed properly, we all take so much time and care getting the best pics and time editing them that some labs just want to turn them round quickly without any care or attention to detail. The Missus had a photobook done on Kodak site she was happy with the result but i wasnt as they were my pics i wanted them to be seen at there best.
Steve
I took my advice from one of the leading photo mags who gave Jessops and Tescos 4/5 for their photobooks. If this is how good the product can be, not sure I want to offer clients this as an option. At the end of the day it does not reflect that well on me/us as photographers as any unknowing viewer will just think the original photo was off poor quality etc.
Rob
Quote: Don't know but I doubt that the Jessops or Photobox process is 'real' printing. I have looked at some leading brand but cheap books on photography and see they are very poor in quality of print.
I have had a couple of run of prints recently where my home printing would have been better but far more expensive.
I have had some done by pixum and they are nothing like the originals and it doesnt look like im going to get them in time for Christmas to mount and frame for presents.
Steve
I can vouch for the quality of the Photobox books. I have had one done and seen one of Angie's (arwensgrace), they were both excellent.
Ian
I have used "myphotobook" and it was very good - quite expensive though.
Asukabook are superb with prices to match. Most of the low cost books seem to have no regard for colour management and when I looked wasn't convinced by the feedback on any of the services. Depends of course on the intended use of the book.
Quote: I wondered if the image quality problems are because the image files are being so compressed that quality suffers? Is this correct
Is it not you that compresses the file?
I've used Photobox for a number of years and always found them to be of good quality and as far as I'm aware there is no limit on file size, most of the jpg files I upload to their site are between 6 and 10 mb
Quote: I've used Photobox for a number of years and always found them to be of good quality and as far as I'm aware there is no limit on file size, most of the jpg files I upload to their site are between 6 and 10 mb
No, you upload a high res file as normal and they (Jessops) I presume are compressing them to fit the predetermined template sizes. Well at least that is what I think is happening because the image quality is ever so grainy and unclear. The originals are not. I know because I just had an 18x12 print done and they are fine.
I've seen one of these Hofmann Photobook @ www.digitalalbum.com it was stunning and very professional looking
There's a big difference in print quality between Photobox's Photobooks and Stylebooks. The style books (soft-back 8" square) are loads better than the hard-back A4 books. The style books are outsourced to a french company.
My experience is that they are of poor quality. I have a Style book being printed now so hopefully these will be better.
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