My first 24X30 photo

[cdiver2]

Well I'm finally going to do it, someone asked me to do a 24X30 print for them and boy is it expensive. Stopped at the lab this am with the slide and got over the first hurdle I was told yes its good enough to do a 24X30, a 110 mb scan and print in water color....$127. After that matte and frame about $175 I don't mind telling you I'm nervous I hope it is worth the $302 I will not be sleeping much until its done.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Have you posted a lower res version in your SB gallery so we can see what you are having printed off?

 

[DesertEagle]

$125 isn't that bad for a 24x30. I use a lab called Zona in the Boston area. They charge $170-$255 for a 24x30 Ilfochrome print. This is a direct print from the slide, no scanning. The $255 print is museum-quality. I haven't done to many of those.

It sounds like your lab did a drum scan for a file that large. Now you can get excactly the same print each time.

 

[cdiver2]

Have you posted a lower res version in your SB gallery so we can see what you are having printed off?

Scanned at home HP flatbed with an attachment for slides

 

[Uncle Pug]

Nice Pic! Attachment for slides??? What HP do you have? I've been thinking of selling my MMII but maybe I should start using it some since I have wide angle and macro lenses for it as well as a strobe.

 

[RonFrank]

Well I'm finally going to do it, someone asked me to do a 24X30 print for them and boy is it expensive. Stopped at the lab this am with the slide and got over the first hurdle I was told yes its good enough to do a 24X30, a 110 mb scan and print in water color....$127. After that matte and frame about $175 I don't mind telling you I'm nervous I hope it is worth the $302 I will not be sleeping much until its done.

A drum scan generally runs about $50. $127 is likely about average, but I bet you can find a lab that will print the 24x30 on high end paper (maybe not watercolor) for under $35 ONCE you have a scan done.

When I sold landscapes (not a ton) I would generally not do a large print unless I got several made. This was before the days of digital printing, so these where ILFOCHROME (or Cebachrome actually prior to Ilford purchasing the process).

Have you printed this in maybe an 8x10 version? I have found that *sometimes* things that I think were going to turn out awesome based on a slide did not work out as well once printed. I'm not saying this is case for your print, but I generally like to see something in print before dumping the bucks into a large version.

Also make sure that this image is tack sharp, and basically perfect. 24x30 is pushing any 35mm film emulsion.

 

[cdiver2]

Nice Pic! Attachment for slides??? What HP do you have? I've been thinking of selling my MMII but maybe I should start using it some since I have wide angle and macro lenses for it as well as a strobe.

HP scanjet 550 c (also will do negs) I got this over a year ago at about $150. doe's ok but I took a slide to a lab and got a $1.50 Scan and there is a big difference in a 81/2 X 11 photos but not a lot on the comp screen. So what I do is go through the slides so-so slides I scan them at home, the ones I like I get the $1.50 Scan.

UP I'm probably going to get blasted for this but keep the MMII IMHO you still can not beat slides for quality.

 

[cdiver2]

A drum scan generally runs about $50. $127 is likely about average, but I bet you can find a lab that will print the 24x30 on high end paper (maybe not watercolor) for under $35 ONCE you have a scan done.

When I sold landscapes (not a ton) I would generally not do a large print unless I got several made. This was before the days of digital printing, so these where ILFOCHROME (or Cebachrome actually prior to Ilford purchasing the process).

Have you printed this in maybe an 8x10 version? I have found that *sometimes* things that I think were going to turn out awesome based on a slide did not work out as well once printed. I'm not saying this is case for your print, but I generally like to see something in print before dumping the bucks into a large version.

Also make sure that this image is tack sharp, and basically perfect. 24x30 is pushing any 35mm film emulsion.

with the $1.50 scan and I have been happy given the printer I have Epson stylus photo 785epx. That will probably be my next purchase the new eight ink Epson that will do prints 19 X 44. I think my best shot technical wise was a full frame shot of a Scorpion fish, the detail in the $1.50 scan was outstanding but who wants a 24 X 30 shot of that on the wall?. I know if I put it up when the wife came home I would have to.... :sofa:

 

[Charlie99]

but I bet you can find a lab that will print the 24x30 on high end paper (maybe not watercolor) for under $35 ONCE you have a scan done.

Dale Labs in Hollywood, FL (Miami metro) will do a 20x30" print for $28.

BTW, IIRC, they are the guys that do the Sea Processing for Kodak. I though they did that service online for digital prints, but couldn't find it on their website.

CDiver2 -- I assume that you noticed that your photo and the 24x30 size are not the same aspect ratio, and you have told the lab which end you want to crop.

 

[cdiver2]

Dale Labs in Hollywood, FL (Miami metro) will do a 20x30" print for $28.

BTW, IIRC, they are the guys that do the Sea Processing for Kodak. I though they did that service online for digital prints, but couldn't find it on their website.

CDiver2 -- I assume that you noticed that your photo and the 24x30 size are not the same aspect ratio, and you have told the lab which end you want to crop.

I am suspicious of the cheap price for scans. What file size would the $28 scan be. Whilst I was at the lab the owner showed me a 24 X 30 that another customer had done at another lab. It had pixalated bad in the sky area then he showed me the same photo that he had done...big difference.
If I remember right the photo I put on the board was cropped, but thanks for pointing that out I will be talking to him in the next hour and I will bring that up.
The place I go to is a lab, gallery, frame shop and the photo club that I have just joined, they have a lot of 24 X 30 prints on the wall I just wish I was that good.