OFOTO Print Quality

Just got my first order of prints from OFoto. While the quality of the prints is quite good, I was disappointed that the prints look "dark". I did not upload raw files (as some suggested). I did my own cropping and enhancing. Has anybody else had this experience? Any suggestions about how to avoid this? Any comments about the quality of other providers, e.g., Shutterfly, etc. Thanks.

I've done A/B comparisions with Ofoto and Shutterfly. Same images uploaded and printed. Overall, I'd say both sets of prints are pleasing to the eye, though there are some differences. Shutterfly tends to be a bit contrastier and Ofoto tends to be a bit less sharp, but with a bit more tonal range.

One thing that could be the culprit is your video gamma settings. If you're using a mac, the standard gamma is 1.8, and if shutterfly assumes you're on a PC with a 2.2 gamma, your images will come out darker than expected. Personally, this shouldn't be too huge of an issue as I've never read anything about it here on these forums or elsewhere.

I typically upload images straight from the camera to see how well shutterfly does. To be honest, I'm usually impressed with the quality. Maybe you can visit their site's FAQ for more info. I know shutterfly has some pretty good tutorials.

Jason

Carolyn said:

Just got my first order of prints from OFoto. While the quality of the
prints is quite good, I was disappointed that the prints look "dark". I
did not upload raw files (as some suggested). I did my own cropping and
enhancing. Has anybody else had this experience? Any suggestions about
how to avoid this? Any comments about the quality of other providers,
e.g., Shutterfly, etc. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Jason Chan said:

One thing that could be the culprit is your video gamma settings. If
you're using a mac, the standard gamma is 1.8, and if shutterfly assumes
you're on a PC with a 2.2 gamma, your images will come out darker than
expected. Personally, this shouldn't be too huge of an issue as I've
never read anything about it here on these forums or elsewhere.

I typically upload images straight from the camera to see how well
shutterfly does. To be honest, I'm usually impressed with the quality.
Maybe you can visit their site's FAQ for more info. I know shutterfly has
some pretty good tutorials.

Jason

Carolyn said:

Just got my first order of prints from OFoto. While the quality of the
prints is quite good, I was disappointed that the prints look "dark". I
did not upload raw files (as some suggested). I did my own cropping and
enhancing. Has anybody else had this experience? Any suggestions about
how to avoid this? Any comments about the quality of other providers,
e.g., Shutterfly, etc. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

I have noted also that after spending the time to edit an image that it seems like wasted time. The printed images never match what was sent. I understand that online printers use a formula for printing based on the camera that produced the image. Since getting an Epson 1270 printer and doing my own printing, I have much more control over what the image looks like when printed. Comparing prints I made to commercial prints online of the same image, my prints reflect editing , the online prints do not.

Frank

This is directly from shutterfly

Thanks for your emails and for sending your photographs. I have printed
them out and here is what I think could be the source of the yellowing
issue:

1. We apply our own image dependent color balancing to all images - this
works
well for a vast majority of the cases. The color balacing
algorithms were chosen
based on extensive user testing - and it could be that some people
do not like the results of the default algorithms.

2. You have already color balanced the images on some color editing
program and we have
applied a second color balacing to your images.

I am not sure what excatly might be the source of the problem, but here
is what I recommend.
Please re-print your images using the "uncorrected" mode - this mode can
be
accessed from Enhance-> Effects. Under this mode we do not apply any
color balancing and
try and produce the most fidel reproduction to the original digital
image.

So I take it that pretty much all online photo finishers like unmolested images so they can look at the EXIF info and figure out how to correct them? I was thinking of doing resizes/corrections and then uploading but from what I see here, I'm better off just giving them the original shots.

Is this correct?

Johnny

I think if you do any editing to the picture such as color balancing to your liking, you should just use the option the shutterfly engineer suggested so they print the image to match your image the best they can without applying any filters or color balancing on their end.

Chris

Johnny said:

So I take it that pretty much all online photo finishers like unmolested
images so they can look at the EXIF info and figure out how to correct
them? I was thinking of doing resizes/corrections and then uploading but
from what I see here, I'm better off just giving them the original shots.

Is this correct?

Johnny

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These prints were from Ofoto, not Shutterly. Does Ofoto have a similar option, (no color balancing at their end)?

Chris MacClellan said:

Chris

Johnny said:

So I take it that pretty much all online photo finishers like unmolested
images so they can look at the EXIF info and figure out how to correct
them? I was thinking of doing resizes/corrections and then uploading but
from what I see here, I'm better off just giving them the original shots.

Is this correct?

Johnny

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Click to expand...

Why should it matter they both offer 50 free prints if you sign up offer the same service for the same price. Is there a difference?? I signed up to both.

Chris

Carolyn said:

Chris MacClellan said:

Chris

Johnny said:

So I take it that pretty much all online photo finishers like unmolested
images so they can look at the EXIF info and figure out how to correct
them? I was thinking of doing resizes/corrections and then uploading but
from what I see here, I'm better off just giving them the original shots.

Is this correct?

Johnny

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I have some photos which should be reasonably good after the underexposure is corrected. Has anyone had experience with ofoto or shutterfly correcting poorly exposed pix and making good prints from them?

Crash

Chris MacClellan said:

Chris

Johnny said:

So I take it that pretty much all online photo finishers like unmolested
images so they can look at the EXIF info and figure out how to correct
them? I was thinking of doing resizes/corrections and then uploading but
from what I see here, I'm better off just giving them the original shots.

Is this correct?

Johnny

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Click to expand...

Why dont you sign up and let us know. You get 50 free 4x6 prints and free shipping on your first order, there nothing to loose! I'm very happy with the FREE 100 prints I received.

Chris

CrashTest said:

Crash

Chris MacClellan said:

Chris

Johnny said:

So I take it that pretty much all online photo finishers like unmolested
images so they can look at the EXIF info and figure out how to correct
them? I was thinking of doing resizes/corrections and then uploading but
from what I see here, I'm better off just giving them the original shots.

Is this correct?

Johnny

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

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Chris mac said:

Why should it matter they both offer 50 free prints if you sign up offer
the same service for the same price. Is there a difference?? I signed up
to both.

Click to expand...

I ended up giving shutterfly the nod (for now). I took one of the pictures I have printed in the past and submitted it to them to see what they could come up with. I'll let you know the outcome.

Johnny