# Mpix Pro?



## ACrossley (Sep 26, 2009)

Hey guys ...
I have spent the day researching equipment, printers and general photog info while watching football ... great day for Bama

I have used Mpix for a bulk of my printing along with WHCC. Have any of you used Mpix Pro? I came across the site today in linked searches and submitted my information for approval. I am just wanting to get some reviews from those of you have have used the site ... especially in comparison to Mpix regular. 

Thanks!
Alisha


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## rufus5150 (Sep 26, 2009)

I use them. They're fast, same or better quality than MPIX with more options, cheaper shipping. $25 minimum order and they don't color correct like MPIX will. By and large prices for individual items are marginally more expensive at worst (I think 5x7s are $0.10 more or something).


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## ACrossley (Sep 26, 2009)

rufus5150 said:


> I use them. They're fast, same or better quality than MPIX with more options, cheaper shipping. $25 minimum order and they don't color correct like MPIX will. By and large prices for individual items are marginally more expensive at worst (I think 5x7s are $0.10 more or something).



Thanks for the reply!
Can you tell me for how much the 5x7 greeting cards are listed? From what I understand Jamie Schultz's designs are included on the site? I am planning holiday cards ... 5x7 flat.

Thanks!!
Alisha


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## msf (Sep 27, 2009)

ACrossley said:


> From what I understand Jamie Schultz's designs are included on the site? I am planning holiday cards ... 5x7 flat.
> 
> Thanks!!
> Alisha



Interesting, I was just looking for Christmas card templates.    Looking forward to the response.


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## chakalakasp (Sep 27, 2009)

rufus5150 said:


> I use them. They're fast, same or better quality than MPIX with more options, cheaper shipping. $25 minimum order and they don't color correct like MPIX will. By and large prices for individual items are marginally more expensive at worst (I think 5x7s are $0.10 more or something).



Ditto here -- they're great.  And it's $15 minimum order, not $25.  Same price as MPIX except for the small prints -- and you can get around a lot of that by ordering the 4x6 "proofs" instead of the 4x6 "prints" -- same product, just a different price.  $4 FedEx Overnight is hard to beat, though I'm sure they build the price of shipping into the price of the prints.


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## rufus5150 (Sep 27, 2009)

Odd, my first order wouldn't go through before the $25 mark. Guess it's changed. (I haven't had the opportunity to put in a small order since the initial one.)


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## CSR Studio (Sep 27, 2009)

I am surprised that all of you have gotten good prints from Mpix. I have gotten horrible prints. Low contrast, too light, curled edges. Not professional. Did they print for your personal preferences?


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## rufus5150 (Sep 27, 2009)

With the exception of 1 order (which they happily reprinted) they've always looked exactly like my calibrated screen and exactly how I've wanted them.


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## CSR Studio (Sep 27, 2009)

rufus5150 said:


> With the exception of 1 order (which they happily reprinted) they've always looked exactly like my calibrated screen and exactly how I've wanted them.


 
So they printed for your personal preferences?


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## rufus5150 (Sep 27, 2009)

I'm not sure I quite understand your question. They printed exactly what I expected they'd print and they looked identical to how I'd expected them to look. I didn't give them any special instructions, if that's what you're asking.


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## CSR Studio (Sep 27, 2009)

rufus5150 said:


> I'm not sure I quite understand your question. They printed exactly what I expected they'd print and they looked identical to how I'd expected them to look. I didn't give them any special instructions, if that's what you're asking.


 
Maybe I should ask what is a good print to you? Is it warm, cold, neutral, light, dark, high contrast, low contrast, increased saturation, etc?


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## rufus5150 (Sep 27, 2009)

A good print comes out exactly as I'd edited it and how it looks on my screen. Some are contrasty, others are not, some are warm, others are cool. Some have a lot of contrast, others have virtually none. 

Is 'they've given me exactly what I expect of them' hard to grok?


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## CSR Studio (Sep 27, 2009)

rufus5150 said:


> A good print comes out exactly as I'd edited it and how it looks on my screen. Some are contrasty, others are not, some are warm, others are cool. Some have a lot of contrast, others have virtually none.
> 
> Is 'they've given me exactly what I expect of them' hard to grok?


 
Most photographers have a personal preference, not all over the place so I thought I would ask. Got it, you like them all over the place. So, Mpix does all over the place well.


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## misol (Sep 27, 2009)

I have always gotten good prints from MPIX.  I make sure they are how I want them before I send them for printing


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## rufus5150 (Sep 27, 2009)

> Most photographers have a personal preference, not all over the place so I thought I would ask. Got it, you like them all over the place.



If my clients want a particular style, I try to ensure they get what they want. In that regard, MPIX has been darn nearly 100%.


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## chakalakasp (Sep 27, 2009)

CSR Studio said:


> rufus5150 said:
> 
> 
> > A good print comes out exactly as I'd edited it and how it looks on my screen. Some are contrasty, others are not, some are warm, others are cool. Some have a lot of contrast, others have virtually none.
> ...



Come now, let's not pretend to be thick.  He's saying that MPIX prints images exactly as he sends them to them.  He gets them back looking exactly like his color calibrated monitor displays them.  This is exactly what one expects from a printer.  One does not expect a photo lab to apply their artistic vision to a digital file, one expects them to print the dang thing exactly as they got it.  

Honestly, having put around a thousand bucks worth of stuff through MPIX with only one mistake (involving mounting, not printing), if you're getting crap back from MPIX it's probably because you don't understand how to color correct your images or calibrate your monitor (assuming you're not going by numbers).  MPIX is run by Millers, one of the greatest (historically) labs there ever was, and at one time one of the hardest to get an account with.  They don't print crap.


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## CSR Studio (Sep 27, 2009)

chakalakasp said:


> CSR Studio said:
> 
> 
> > rufus5150 said:
> ...


 
It would be great if they did that, however they most certainly did apply their artistic vision. I know how to calibrate my monitor, I have no problem with any other lab I use, only Mpix. And yes, hate to break it to ya but they printed crap.


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## RyanLilly (Sep 27, 2009)

I know that on mpix(non pro) you do have to select "do not color correct" otherwise they apply the same type of auto adjustments that wallmart or drugstores use.

I am very happy with mpix prints; I would like to try some of their  gallery wraps and mountings next.


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## chakalakasp (Sep 27, 2009)

RyanLilly said:


> I know that on mpix(non pro) you do have to select "do not color correct" otherwise they apply the same type of auto adjustments that wallmart or drugstores use.
> 
> I am very happy with mpix prints; I would like to try some of their  gallery wraps and mountings next.



Well, yes and no.  They don't apply audo adjustments, they have people manually doing the adjustments.  With the MPIX regular service, they assume that you're not a pro and have no idea what color calibration or correction is.  With MPIXpro, they offer no color correction services at all, they just print it the way they get it.


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## KmH (Sep 27, 2009)

CSR Studio said:


> rufus5150 said:
> 
> 
> > A good print comes out exactly as I'd edited it and how it looks on my screen. Some are contrasty, others are not, some are warm, others are cool. Some have a lot of contrast, others have virtually none.
> ...


Sounds like you're trying to put your spin, on his words. Any print lab will goof a print occassionally.

They use real people and statistics guarantee they can't be perfect.

I figure my style is my responsibilty, not my print labs responsibility. I use Mpix for about half of all my printing

Mpix is a consumer print lab, not a pro lab. If you want a pro lab, get an account with Millers, the parent lab, or the new kid on the block MpixPro. I have a Millers account and they do most of the other half of my print work. I don't yet have a MpixPro account, but soon.


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## chakalakasp (Sep 28, 2009)

CSR Studio said:


> chakalakasp said:
> 
> 
> > CSR Studio said:
> ...



I was flipping through some of your photos on your website (www.csrstudio.com); looking at the portraits, many of which appear to be film scans from the 80s, I would suspect that you might have a bit to learn about color correction (#8 and #13 stand out in this respect).  Unless you really wanted your black point to be 44 51 75.  

At any rate, my tone in my response was less to your dislike of MPIX and more to your attempt to try to cage rufus5150's words into meaning what you wanted them to mean.  His satisfaction with his MPIX prints was not because he was satisfied with crap, as you seemed to imply, but rather because MPIX is well known for their high quality.  Quality that I can testify to, as well.


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