p.1 #1 · Proof prints at home vs. sending everything to the lab?
I've been sending every proof to the lab and it adds up fast, so lately I've been printing contact sheets and quick 5x7 proofs at home instead. I'm using a cheap color laser all-in-one (a Brother MFC-L3780CDW) - no pigment ink, no wide gamut, but for checking framing, exposure and culling a shoot it's good enough and costs pennies a page. The finals still go to the lab on cotton rag. Just wondering what everyone else does: do you proof at home, and on what? I settled on the Brother partly after reading a write-up at ratethepick.com/product/brother-mfc-l3780cdw-color-all-in-one-printer-review
p.1 #3 · Proof prints at home vs. sending everything to the lab?
"Proofing" assumes a reasonable potential to match color to the final output media. Unless you're getting final lab prints from a giant laser printer, you're not proofing anything. No color laser output is even remotely close to true photo quality color or resolution.
The only way to truly proof for evaluation before doing larger printing yourself or from a lab is to use a small format printer capable of similar quality output. Ideally you'd use the same paper and inks at a smaller size. You need to use a desktop photo inkjet printer capable of matching the final large format color profile.
Epson and HP both have small printers which use the same inks as their large format printers specifically so you can do accurate proofing.
p.1 #4 · Proof prints at home vs. sending everything to the lab?
I print my own. I love to print. I hate to print.
44" canon pro-4100
canon pro-1000
I use an epson 8550 for proofs and give aways. It has over 3000 prints over almost 3 yrs. Ink costs are negligible.
I tried using labs- good ones. Too often something was off. Color off- or not what I expected. A small scuff, but I did not have time to return it as there was a show in 3 days.
So I learned to print myself. It is a journey- but it is worth it.
I have my color workflow down- I now just push print and color is what I expect. No surprises.
IMHO, nothing will make you a better photographer than printing yourself.
Is it cheaper than sending out? No, I do not think so.
I like the control. The convenience. The feeling that my art is completely mine.
One compromise- see if you can find a local printer you can work with. Somewhat the best of both worlds.
Good luck with your decision.
gary
p.1 #5 · Proof prints at home vs. sending everything to the lab?
I've never used a laser for proofing photos. I sometimes do test prints on small paper like 4x6 or 5x7 before printing large. You may need separate smaller printer with the same or similar inksets and paper to the larger printer if that one cannot print small (like a roll printer). I don't normally send out anything for many years.
But what matters most is that you can get the final print very close to what you want. Everyone has different ways.
