Is quality lost printing from a .jpeg file?

[Darren Kruger]

I think issue here is the resolution at which costco will print. If its at 90ppi then the image will be soft and the quality will be lost in the reduction of resolution and not due to saving as jpeg.

according to the tutorial at drycreeksoftware.com, the machines are able to do closer to 300dpi.

when you upload them over the internet, you need to make sure to click the full resolution option (as opposed to the faster option) or the upload applet will compress your jpegs more.

-Darren

[Daniel_Buck]

I'd be hard pressed to accept the quality of a large print from a JPEG, but I don't think you have much choice unless you are going to control the process in house, or go to a professional processor.

I encourage you to run a test, print a highest quality 300dpi JPG file and a 300dpi TIFF!

You mentioned a large print, I don't think the physical size of the print makes any difference, so long as the file and the printing system have a decent DPI. Or does it? I don't imagine that it does, but I could be wrong.

[Rob Champagne]

according to the tutorial at drycreeksoftware.com, the machines are able to do closer to 300dpi.

when you upload them over the internet, you need to make sure to click the full resolution option (as opposed to the faster option) or the upload applet will compress your jpegs more.

-Darren

Nobody is disputing what the hardware is capable of.
It is how the lab sets up its automated procedures for processing images that count.
And also what the lab determines is the acceptable level of quality for its customers and in this case its recommendation is for 90ppi output. That doesn't mean it won't print at higher resolution and it also doesn't mean it will print at higher resolution. Dry Creek haven't a clue what costco are doing on a day to day basis. They are just recommending best practice for obtaining quality. That is not the same as a cheap lab processing snapshots who may auto set output to 90ppi. I don't know, you don't know, dry creek don't know. The only people who know are costco and their website doesn't tell you directly. It only tells you what it recommends which is very low quality. That is why I said in my original post that you should check with the lab to find their actual output resolution or indeed whether you can set it yourself.
What if you input 1440ppi output? You can bet the system will change it. Will it accept 300ppi ? It may or it may not. You need to ask because if it doesn't then it will auto resize the image maybe with sharpening maybe not. You don't know.

[Darren Kruger]

It is how the lab sets up its automated procedures for processing images that count.

agreed. but if you try to print something at a higher resolution that the machine can handle, it will be downsized no matter what. if you put it under the max, it's up to how it is configured.

oh, i do know not to rely on the code breakout that dry creek describes on their website (the one on the back of the print that describes changes.) If you have the website auto adjust images, those adjustments will not be shown on the codes on the back of the print.

-Darren

[phil sweeney]

On a slight tangent FYI 90 dpi is typical for poster shops. Their machines will do better but slows down the rip and 90 dpi is fine for most folks getting a poster (i.e., not a fine print).

[Sheldon N]

Costco does a really good job of taking their very capable machines (Noritsu and Frontier, basically a lightjet printer on optical photo paper) and keeping them in good working order. If you talk to the lab manager, they know how profiles work and will be able to give you instructions on how to send the files to their machines so that all auto correction functions are turned off.

Costco actually pays Dry Creek Photo to make their profiles and post them on the internet, it's not some pro-bono hack that the website has come up with. About every 6 months each participating Costco prints out the reference file and mails the proof to Dry Creek to profile. The profile you download from Dry Creek is specific to an actual machine at a specific store, not a generic profile. It's also specific to the paper finish, gloss or luster.

The printer operates at either 300dpi or 320dpi depending on the model. Gloss finish gives a higher apparent sharpness than the luster finish. A well profiled and properly prepared print from their machine is the real deal, not some 90dpi consumer oriented mush as suggested above.

The basic workflow is this... get the right profile for your store/machine, talk to the lab manager about how to properly upload the file (at my store this is "backprint off" with a note saying "No corrections"). Then edit the file in PS in your native working color space, CONVERT to the printer profile, softproof (simulate paper color) to make any last minute edits that you need to, then save (print size @ 300 or 320dpi) on a CD or CF card to upload at the Costco. Saving as a high quality jpg is fine (at the end of the editing process), it's much more manageable in size and is indistinguishable from a TIF file (I've done the tests).

Anyhow, I use Costco for all my small printing needs. $3 12x18's or 11x14's can't be beat. My Costco also does 12x36 panorama's for $5, which is a steal!

Go to www.drycreekphoto.com and read all their instructions. It's a great resource and it's free.

[Alan Davenport]

I take a CD in to Costco with 12x18x300dpi TIFF files, and the machine takes them and prints them just fine.

The technical answer to the OP's question is, no there won't be a problem, IF you save at high resolution and IF you save as a high quality JPEG.

[Kuzano]

I encourage you to run a test, print a highest quality 300dpi JPG file and a 300dpi TIFF! You mentioned a large print, I don't think the physical size of the print makes any difference, so long as the file and the printing system have a decent DPI. Or does it? I don't imagine that it does, but I could be wrong.

I think you may be correct and I should run such a test. I do know that as long as I can use a file size that allows me to print at 250DPI and better, whether TIFF or JPEG, I am usually pretty happy. I use an Epson R2200.

In fact on very busy subject in the print, I can often find printing at 175 to 200 quite usable.

Maybe I'll run off a TIFF and JPEG version of an image, shooting for 275 DPI and watch the outcome.

[Kirk Gittings]

Based on a recommendation from a friend I tried Costco printing on their local Noritsu machine. Resolution looked good at the larger upload on like 9x12 prints (?), but I found their profiles for soft proofing to be inadequate and the prints to have a severely restricted gamut compared to an Epson.

[D. Bryant]

but I found their profiles for soft proofing to be inadequate and the prints to have a severely restricted gamut compared to an Epson.

Kirk,

How did you determine the gamut limitation?

Thanks,

Don Bryant