Reading mode: Light Dark

OnLine BoOK Publishers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Go to last post
I have tried some services in Europe.

2004: http://www.hema.be (Dutch or French) but this was too limited in possibilities. However it started me off, since people saw that book, they wanted me to make one for them as well. In the mean time they have improved but still not flexible enough for me.

Then tried also in 2004:

http://www.pixum.com (available in a lot of languages) but hated the look of that one. They printed in layers which you could see (relief on the surface). And the plastic cover was plain ugly. Also they moved and they are looking better now.

Then in 2004 I tried:

http://www.fotobuch.de (German) and stikcked to that service. I have printed over 30 books with them. You can install the program in English, but their server and ordering eMails are still in German. I have never seen any service that can match theirs. Maybe the more profressional one give better printouts, but the flexibility of this program is enourmous. A book of 100 pages will cost about 100 Euro.

Becasue fotobuch is not cheap I started looking now in 2007 for a second alternative. Fotobuch for weddings or high profile albums. And a cheap one for events (like dance-performance of the kids, birthday celebration...). It had to be cheaper because this allows you to print books for friends.

So I tried:

http://www.happyalbum.nl (all in Dutch). This is cheap but the quality is not good enough for me. Also they don't offer any printing on the front cover.

Then I tried:

http://www.blurb.com (English) and liked it. Not flexible in layout via the program but of course you can do that yourself with photoshop. But very flexible in number of pages. And cheap. I just ordered a photobook of 156 pages for 37 Euro.
Blurb ships from US and Europe now, so also very fast in the continent.
 
Victor Engel said:
American Color Imaging ( http://www.acilab.com/memorybooks.html )
WHCC ( http://www.whcc.com/pricing/WHCC_2007_PressPrintedBooks.pdf )
Miller's Professional Imaging (
http://www.millerslab.com/services/millerspress/ )
MPIX ( http://www.mpix.com/productsinfo.aspx?prod=21 )
collages.net (
http://www.collages.net/site/Products/Books/tabid/403/Default.aspx )
Zookbinders ( http://www.zookbinders.com/products/photobook.php )
Dream Garden Album ( http://dreamgardenalbum.com/products.html )
Pikto ( http://www.pikto.com/books/ )
Pictobooks ( http://www.pictobooks.com )
Click to expand...
I am trying to decide which option to use for a small-run book project. But I have not seen any reports of side-by-side comparisons and I have not been able to handle any of these options. I notice that many of the names listed here will be exhibiting at PhotoPlus 2007 this month in New York (but not Pikto unfortunately)

It would ve very interesting to read a (hands-on) report from anyone who plans to go to PhotoPlus.

I am also really interested in hearing from anyone who might have compared Pikto (Toronto) and Blurb books side by side.

Jim Swift
http://oston.shawbiz.ca
 
How would you compare fotobuch to blurb in terms of image quality and binding? I work with fotobuch now and am quite pleased with it, definitely with the quality of the binding. Print quality is also very good but I never compared it with another service.

Is the binding of blurb stitched?

Thanks!

Bart
 
http://www.sharedink.com

Haven't used their consumer service, but their pro service is good, use more ink per page and have great options. I print about 2-3 books per year through them.

The pro service costs a one-time setup fee of $125. You can get a free 45 day (I think) trial by emailing chris (at) sharedink.com.
 
Victor,

Blurb uses the HP Indigo 5000 for everything except their square 7"x7" books. I have a friend in the printing business and he tells me that the Indigo is a very good printer. I have printed only one book with Blurb so far, and I thought the quality was excellent and the colors quite close, if a tiny bit orange - but as far as I can tell no one but me would know.

brian
 
I've been using Asuka books for about a year and am very happy with the results. After using Asuka, I saw an Mpix ad, was impressed by ad's price and turnaround time, and also by a review of Mpix in one of the major photography mags. But when I received the Mpix product, I was very disappointed in the result. Mpix's paper quality was inferior, and most importantly the color was not as it should be--washed out and inaccurate. I had downloaded the identical pics to both Asuka and Mpix, so it was easy to compare the results. Asuka is much more expensive, but so far it is my choice for a top of the line, spot-on color publisher. Turnaround time is lengthy, but for me that is an acceptable cost of the quality.
Roger
 
Hate to say this, but I just received my first two copies of a soft cover book I designed and printed with Blurb and it was absolute garbage.

The software isn't bad and the turnaround was within reason, but when I received the order (2 copies same book) the laminate gloss was peeling off the covers and the corner of one volume was creased over flat.

I thought it might be at least worthwhile to send it to my clients while indicating that I would look for a higher quality vendor and a remake for them, but when it arrived (locally, overnight, well packaged by me) the gloss laminate had already peeled back off the front cover on that volume too and that was the first thing I heard about from my client.

Never, never, never, never again Blurb----as the man said, you have only one chance to make that first impression. Pity I trusted Blurb to do it with---my clients are the most important part of my business and I do not and will not supply them with junk.

Anyone have a higher quality candidate for one-off books? I try very hard to do work that both I and my client can be proud of and in the future I will deal only with a book printer who does quality work too---
Other suggestions/experiences welcomed.
Thanks, Bill

--
Bill
 
::BUMP::

I am looking at thios and wondering if anyone has had recent experience worth sharing.

--
***
Cheers,
Paul
 
Thanks Rick,

I will give that a look.

I did take a look at the Asuka offering. My goodness that looks good, but alas only for professionals -- a category that I do not at all fit within.

--
***
Cheers,
Paul
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top