Best quality vs. price digital photo printing services

[Thunder_Mountai]

This may be a bit off topic for this site, but I know there are lots of professional and semi professional photographers here.

A number of years ago I was given access to a large number of 100+ year old 4 x 6 glass plate negatives, prints made from glass plate negatives and autochromes. They are historical in nature and haven't been seen in 75+ years.

I scanned the negatives on a professional scanner at 600 dpi and the autochromes at 1200 dpi. I would like try selling prints on eBay.

I don't want to invest the money for a professional printer. Suggestions on a professional quality printing service where I could get the best quality at the best price for 5 to 10 prints per image would be appreciated.

[patperry2766]

I have always had good luck with yorkphoto.com for pictures that I framed, but I have also had good luck with Mpix.com as well. Based on what you're trying to do, I think the second recommendation would be better suited to what you're trying to accomplish.

[wintersun]

The approach I would recommend is setting up a pro account with White House Custom Color lab. They have very good rates and they will mount and or frame the prints and drop ship them for you to a customer of yours. Go to WHCC.com.

A big advantage is that your customers can pay extra for a coating or gallery wrap or special mounting or framing and WHCC takes care of it for you.

They will let you send in 3 images and send you back 3 prints at no charge so you can verify your computer's settings are correct. Even with B&W prints there are color tones. With WHCC you have the option of going to paper using a special laserjet process that is close to darkroom and provides the most durable prints or they can generate inkjet prints (which require more protection of the surface).

For pro's they provide special services and if you need information or assistance you can talk to a real person and get help fast.

Files I upload on a Sunday are shipped out on Monday to customers who have them by Wednesday.

[Campfire_Time]

Thunder Mountain wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
I wonder about legality of this, who owns the copywrite, etc.?
bumpy

Copywrite is expired

That's a good thing. Since you are working with digital files try an online service like MPix or Bay Photo. They cater to serious amateurs and professionals alike. I use MPix and the print quality is stunning and reasonably priced.

Another option is to use a POD (print on demand) service like Fine Art America. Free for up to 25 images, $30 a year for unlimited. You don't have to print and frame the work yourself, they do it for you. You set your own prices and you collect your markup. There really isn't any risk to this either. You either sell or you don't. You'll make more than you would from E-bay, but you do have to do your own marketing.

[Thunder_Mountai]

Bumpyroad wrote:
I wonder about legality of this, who owns the copywrite, etc.?
bumpy

Copywrite is expired

[Chris_Bryant]

Not an answer to your question, but I do not believe that 1200dpi is high enough resolution for a print larger than small photo sized- for a larger print, higher resolution is needed.
Regardless of that, I would check local printers first. You might also be interested in http://www.shorpy.com/- I've posted some old photos of mine there, and they always have interesting stuff.

[WyoTraveler]

Almost every town has a photo shop that does professional printing of photos. They will also refuse to do it if there is a copy write problem. We live in a very small town, about 8,000, they copied our personal 70 year old photos and enlarged them and did a great job. I guess the question though was the cheapest place. I would just google photo shops and I am sure you would find some inexpensive ones. Most though will not do copy write material.

[Campfire_Time]

Bumpyroad wrote:
I wonder about legality of this, who owns the copywrite, etc.?
bumpy

X2. Even if you bought these negatives you may not have rights to sell prints unless the copyright was transferred to you in writing.

[Bumpyroad]

I wonder about legality of this, who owns the copywrite, etc.?
bumpy