I've been umming-and-ahhing over whether to get an A3 printer in
recent months. I've an older Epson Stylus Photo 915 which prints A4,
but its greedy desire for repeated head-cleaning and general
churlishness towards my reasonable requests can be frustrating at
times (though when it works, it works).
Anyway, I decided I can tolerate its less-admirable personality traits
more than I can tolerate the expense of a new A3 printer (or, more to
the point, I've marked that money for another photographic use), and
so I went looking at online printers as an alternative.
Through one of the many online forums I found Genius Printing:
http://www.geniusprinting.com.au/
To be honest, I didn't even do any comparison costs. They just seemed
to have a reasonable focus on quality of output (as opposed to "4x6"
PRINTS - 9c EACH for 50 or more!!!") and some choice of seemingly
reasonable quality papers(?), so I threw some test prints at them, for
printing on Ilford Galerie Smooth Pearl (not knowing anything about
the Canson papers).
I had this (uploaded 1821x2578 pixels) printed at 8x12":
http://www.parknmeter.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=216
I had this (uploaded 2040x2888 pixels) printed at 10x14":
http://www.parknmeter.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=92
but most to the point (for me), I had this (uploaded 5303x3744 pixels)
printed at 25x18" (and so now I will know my nephew as
"NOAH-WITH-THE-GIANT-HEAD!" :) ):
http://www.parknmeter.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=260
I ordered them last Sunday, and got them tubed in the mail today
(Friday). I am quite...well, actually, I am absolutely stoked at the
results. The paper is beautiful; the printing is great - I'm amazed at
the fidelity(*), and sharpness particularly on the large print; and
the company's communication of where they were at, offers of "proofs",
and the ability to change delivery options mid-process (though I
didn't take them up on it, choosing "standard" Australia Post) was
completely satisfying. I have no qualms recommending them, within the
bounds of my limited experience with them. I'll certainly be giving
them another burl.
I just wanted to offer other Aussies a limited "review" of a local
printer, and also, perhaps, to seek some empathy with my pleasant glow
of satisfaction (whereas often I seem to foolishly lose myself in
photographic frustration).
Now, to framing...
(* fidelity - is merely subjectively meant to represent the output's
overall faithfulness to the hopes that went into the input. That is,
it looks like what I uploaded. :) )
Cheers,
Marc
Noosa Heads, Oz
http://www.parknmeter.com/gallery
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