I just put a test order through from New Zealand...

TalkieT · April 10, 2007

I felt after getting a few orders I should just do a check to make sure my (few) customers can expect to be happy with the prints from Smugmug... I haven't received any complaints so I thought they would be fine.

So I ordered a 6*4 on Glossy, a 7*5 on Lustre and a 14*11 on matte. I'm in New Zealand and I chose the basic shipping ($4 USD) option.

They arrived today and the first impression was the amazing packaging...

Remember, 3 photos...

http://talkiet.smugmug.com/photos/142602978-O.jpg

That box is 18*10*7 inches! The 2 small photos were in a cardboard sleeve with mylar type window, which was inside a sealed cardboard envelope. The 11*14 was in a plastic sleeve, inside a tube. There were 14 Sealed air bags as packing.

I have to say, it was the most amazing packaging I have ever seen relative to the requirements. It was probably over the top, but it makes a great impression and I feel totally comfortable that whatever is ordered, it will turn up well packed and safe at the destination.

Print quality was next on the check list. Colours seemed very accurate on all three prints (I left the setting as Auto when ordering).

The 2 small pics were great in every respect, but the 11*14 on Crystal Archive paper didn't blow me away like I expected. The paper wasn't as heavy as I expected, but most worryingly, there was some just noticable banding in the sky on about a 6mm repeating basis. It certainly wasn't in the original image and there was no hint of similar issues with the smaller images. I doubt a normal person would even notice it but after having gone through some issues getting an i9950 working properly, banding stands out like a sore thumb to me :-)

Is the larger print a different machine or process?

I don't want a reprint or anything, and I would be happy for anything but a super expensive fine art print to go out with this quality, I was just curious.

As far as paper goes.. Lustre is awesome... Love it. Matte was ok and gloss was nice, but Lustre is a lovely finish.

The overall experience however from order to delivery and results was amazing. I'm quite happy to stop printing images for local people myself and telling them to trust the other side of the world lab.

davev · April 10, 2007

TalkieT wrote:

As far as paper goes.. Lustre is awesome... Love it. Matte was ok and gloss was nice, but Lustre is a lovely finish.

I will second that. We ordered about $100 worth of prints a short time ago.
Only 1 5x7 in the Luster. That print stands out above the others, and that's
not to say the others look bad, they don't.

If you haven't tried the Luster option, try it.:D

Andy · April 10, 2007

TalkieT wrote:

but the 11*14 on Crystal Archive paper didn't blow me away like I expected. The paper wasn't as heavy as I expected, but most worryingly, there was some just noticable banding in the sky on about a 6mm repeating basis. It certainly wasn't in the original image

Hi, I'll review this order and be back to you shortly- no worries

Andy · April 10, 2007

TalkieT wrote:

but the 11*14 on Crystal Archive paper didn't blow me away like I expected. The paper wasn't as heavy as I expected, but most worryingly, there was some just noticable banding in the sky on about a 6mm repeating basis.

I'm going to have this reprinted for you. I've examined the original file, and I agree, it should print band-free.

As to the paper - you chose Matte on this one, and Matte & Glossy are our consumer finishes, Lustre is the pro finish. Matte is .7mils thinner than Lustre, so you'll definitely feel the difference. I'm going to reprint this on Lustre for you, of course there's no charge for the reprint or the Lustre finish either. It's all part of the SmugMug Guarantee

caroline · April 10, 2007

How long between placing the order and receiving it ?

Caroline

Andy · April 10, 2007

Ordered 26 March, Shipped 28 March Received (it appears) 10 April

caroline · April 10, 2007

Andy wrote:

Ordered 26 March, Shipped 28 March Received (it appears) 10 April

Sounds like good service:D

Caroline

TalkieT · April 10, 2007

Andy wrote:

I'm going to have this reprinted for you. I've examined the original file, and I agree, it should print band-free.

As to the paper - you chose Matte on this one, and Matte & Glossy are our consumer finishes, Lustre is the pro finish. Matte is .7mils thinner than Lustre, so you'll definitely feel the difference. I'm going to reprint this on Lustre for you, of course there's no charge for the reprint or the Lustre finish either. It's all part of the SmugMug Guarantee

Andy, that wasn't necessary, but it's greatly appreciated. What I took from the experience is that Lustre is the way to go and I'll be recommending that in future. I may even take Matte finishes out of my print options.

And yes, I can't believe I forgot to say how long the order took. Remember that the order was over Easter, it may well have been a few days earlier if not for the holidays...

Cheers- And thanks for the (always) superb help here.

Neil Gardner

TalkieT · May 12, 2007

Andy wrote:

I'm going to have this reprinted for you. I've examined the original file, and I agree, it should print band-free.

As to the paper - you chose Matte on this one, and Matte & Glossy are our consumer finishes, Lustre is the pro finish. Matte is .7mils thinner than Lustre, so you'll definitely feel the difference. I'm going to reprint this on Lustre for you, of course there's no charge for the reprint or the Lustre finish either. It's all part of the SmugMug Guarantee

Hi Andy, although I'm not really concerned about the actual pic... This reprint hasn't arrived yet and I was hoping if you could confirm when it was sent - since I don't have visibilty on the site of the status of reprints.

Regards - N...

Andy · May 12, 2007

I'm checking at the lab - will get back to you on Monday I hope, thanks & sorry for the delay.

Andy

TalkieT · May 20, 2007

Any update on this Andy?

Andy wrote:

I'm checking at the lab - will get back to you on Monday I hope, thanks & sorry for the delay.

Andy

Ping?

Cheers - N

Andy · May 21, 2007

Hi Neil, oh I'm so sorry - we'll get on this again and see what's up. I am on a 7day workshop right now, but Anne will get back to you.

Sorry again for the hassle.

TalkieT · May 22, 2007

Andy wrote:

Hi Neil, oh I'm so sorry - we'll get on this again and see what's up. I am on a 7day workshop right now, but Anne will get back to you.

Sorry again for the hassle.

That's ok - this arrived yesterdaty, after being shipped on the 11th May. That however is before I asked for an update, so something stalled it for nearly a month. This doesn't really concern me as it was a free reprint on a test file - and the initial order (with the normal order process) came through really quickly - plus all the feedback I have had from my customers is they can't believe the quality of the prints, packing and speed of shipping from the other side of the world.

Cheers - N

Matthew Saville · May 27, 2007

TalkieT wrote:

...I have to say, it was the most amazing packaging I have ever seen relative to the requirements. It was probably over the top, but it makes a great impression and I feel totally comfortable that whatever is ordered, it will turn up well packed and safe at the destination.

Here's MY standard for "amazing packaging" ;-) :

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is a flat shipped 20x30". And I've got a 30x40" somewhere in the garage, too.

Personally I do not like to deal with tubed prints. Even after EZprints got their act together and stopped shipping creased prints, it was still a nightmare mounting a curly print, especially the likes of a 20x30" or 30x40"... Now I just order them pre-mounted on foam core for a few bucks extra, and my life is sooooo much easier...

Of course that's not the subject of this thread. I'm happy to hear that SmugMug delivers to NZ just as easily as they do the USA!

-Matt-

I just put a test order through from New Zealand...

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