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This question'll probably be limitted mostly to Canadian readers, I
guess. I'm looking for opinions from people who've had experience
with prints from both these chains. You know, which one does a better
job over-all, that sort of thing... The reason I picked these two is
they both have a location close to where I live.

I guess Japan Camera and Wal-Mart would be viable alternatives, too,
but less convenient.

The guy I spoke to at Black's said they use a Fuji Frontier system,
and print the photos on 75-year archival stock...

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Well, I would avoid Wal-mart. It took them three weeks to process 12 prints
of mine.

S

"Paul Fedorenko" <> wrote in message
news:...
> This question'll probably be limitted mostly to Canadian readers, I
> guess. I'm looking for opinions from people who've had experience
> with prints from both these chains. You know, which one does a better
> job over-all, that sort of thing... The reason I picked these two is
> they both have a location close to where I live.
>
> I guess Japan Camera and Wal-Mart would be viable alternatives, too,
> but less convenient.
>
> The guy I spoke to at Black's said they use a Fuji Frontier system,
> and print the photos on 75-year archival stock...
>
> Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

>This question'll probably be limitted mostly to Canadian readers, I
>guess. I'm looking for opinions from people who've had experience
>with prints from both these chains. You know, which one does a better
>job over-all, that sort of thing... The reason I picked these two is
>they both have a location close to where I live.
>

Blacks wins for customer service. FS just cares about getting you
in/out as fast as possible, and they know hardly anything about
photography - never mind printing pictures. I'm sure Blacks has
better printing equipment too. But if you're curious, why don't you
get the same set of prints done at both places and see how they come
out?

On Wed, 03 Dec 2003 23:24:00 GMT, rat <> wrote:

>Blacks wins for customer service. FS just cares about getting you
>in/out as fast as possible, and they know hardly anything about
>photography - never mind printing pictures. I'm sure Blacks has
>better printing equipment too. But if you're curious, why don't you
>get the same set of prints done at both places and see how they come
>out?

I'm probably going to end up doing that anyway, but there's something
to be said about talking to other customers of the shop or chain that
you're interested in to get an impression first. I've had film
processed at Black's for years, but never digital. They do a good
job, despite being a little expensive for my tastes. I've never tried
Future shop before, so I figured getting peoples' thoughts on their
work wouldn't be a bad idea.

On Wed, 3 Dec 2003 18:04:46 -0500, "Steinberger"
<> wrote:

>Well, I would avoid Wal-mart. It took them three weeks to process 12 prints
>of mine.

Three weeks is just sad. I'm sure it was an anomaly, though.

Paul Fedorenko wrote:

> This question'll probably be limitted mostly to Canadian readers, I
> guess. I'm looking for opinions from people who've had experience
> with prints from both these chains. You know, which one does a better
> job over-all, that sort of thing... The reason I picked these two is
> they both have a location close to where I live.
>
> I guess Japan Camera and Wal-Mart would be viable alternatives, too,
> but less convenient.
>
> The guy I spoke to at Black's said they use a Fuji Frontier system,
> and print the photos on 75-year archival stock...
>
> Thanks in advance for any thoughts.


I've never tried Blacks.. But FS has *always* provided me with excellent
prints. I just got a batch done today. They print on Kodak Gold paper.

Some one else said avoid Walmart.. That was good advice.

Paul Fedorenko wrote:
> This question'll probably be limitted mostly to Canadian readers, I
> guess. I'm looking for opinions from people who've had experience
> with prints from both these chains.

I've only used Future Shop, but I've been delighted with the service
and the product. As someone else remarked, they use highest-quality
Kodak Royal paper. I do all the adjustments, cropping and sharpening in
Photoshop Elements 2.0 and then upload the pictures using the wizard FS
provides. Couldn't be easier and the prints are a perfect replica of
the colors I see on my screen, only better.
All of my orders have been sent to their 2400 Yonge St., location in
Toronto, and I have them returned to my nearest FS store. They send an
e-mail when prints are ready for pickup. Or you can pay extra and have
them returned by priority mail.
Incidentally, I couldn't believe a 2 mp camera could produce good
8x10 prints, but FS has made me a believer.

-- Ron
Hamilton, ON

Paul Fedorenko wrote:
> On Wed, 03 Dec 2003 23:24:00 GMT, rat <> wrote:
>>Blacks wins for customer service. FS just cares about getting you
>>in/out as fast as possible, and they know hardly anything about
>>photography - never mind printing pictures. I'm sure Blacks has
>>better printing equipment too. But if you're curious, why don't you
>>get the same set of prints done at both places and see how they come
>>out?
>
> I'm probably going to end up doing that anyway, but there's something
> to be said about talking to other customers of the shop or chain that
> you're interested in to get an impression first. I've had film
> processed at Black's for years, but never digital. They do a good
> job, despite being a little expensive for my tastes. I've never tried
> Future shop before, so I figured getting peoples' thoughts on their
> work wouldn't be a bad idea.

I used to go to Walmart, and it was actually pretty good, but if you hit
the wrong time of day (busy), then it's a lost cause. Walmart uses a
Noritsu.

Black's is my fav for now, no/short/quick lineup's, and the 100 print
card gets the price down to $.45/print. Black's uses Fuji Frontier's.

FS is also okay, my sister used them, and I believe they used a Fuji
Frontier also.

Photolab.ca (Loblaw's) is probably the cheapest outside of Costco. I've
had some done, and they were okay.

Japan Camera was very expensive, and everything was too red.

>I used to go to Walmart, and it was actually pretty good, but if you hit
>the wrong time of day (busy), then it's a lost cause. Walmart uses a
>Noritsu.
>

I've only seen Fuji Frontiers used in WalMart here in the US but Costco here
uses Noritsu and the Costco prints where I'm at compared to WalMart are night
and day differences. The Costco prints are tack sharp unlike the Walmarts and
they use glossy paper instead of the ugly luster paper they use at WalMart.
Costco is also half the price.

"Paul Fedorenko" <> wrote in message
news:...
> This question'll probably be limitted mostly to Canadian readers, I
> guess. I'm looking for opinions from people who've had experience
> with prints from both these chains. You know, which one does a better
> job over-all, that sort of thing... The reason I picked these two is
> they both have a location close to where I live.
>
> I guess Japan Camera and Wal-Mart would be viable alternatives, too,
> but less convenient.
>
> The guy I spoke to at Black's said they use a Fuji Frontier system,
> and print the photos on 75-year archival stock...
>
> Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Haven't tried these two but was very happy with Lens & Shutter, you can send
your prints in by the Internet and either have them delivered to your door
or pick them up at the store and they only charge 39c a print. I tried to
use Costco once but after waiting 1/2 an hour for some idiot to edit each
individual shot on a cf card with about 200 pics on it and then to pull out
another card, I gave up and went home. Now I do all my own printing on my
Canon i860 and using high quality paper my prints are as good as what I was
getting from L&S.

Rob.