I'm a working photographer (wedding, events, portraits).  My galleries have been hosted at SmugMug for several years. SmugMug has many strengths and to be honest, I have continued to recommend it to others; but I'm here taking a close look at zenfolio, because I like the look of zenfolio and like the ease with which I can organize my photos. Haven't made my mind up yet but I'm considering a change.

Anyway, a key issue for me - perhaps THE key remaining issue - is the quality of the printing. I can see that zenfolio seems to offer me the same pre-printing and ordering controls that smugmug does - ability to set my own prices, right-click protection, watermarking, delay of N days prior to fulfillment so I can upload high-res files, and so on. But the proof is in the pudding and what matters to me is the quality of the prints themselves. SmugMug now offers fulfillment through Bay Photo and the print quality is excellent. With Bay Photo I'm getting prints on good paper, with hand color correction really well done, just a nice experience overall. My impression is that Mpix, while good and reliable, may not be quite in Bay Photo's league. I think I read that Mpix is the consumer/prosumer affiliate of a large pro lab, which makes me a little nervous. I also read some info at SmugMug, where they explained why they picked Bay Photo and not Mpix.

But I'm keeping an open mind. I've placed an order through my trial account here at zenfolio and am looking forward to receiving it. And I noticed somewhere today that the irrepressible Scott Kelby was touting Mpix. I'm trying not to hold that against Mpix. :-) 

So, those of you who are wedding pros or pro portrait shooters selling prints to paying clients, what do you think of the prints you're getting through zenfolio? What do your clients think? If you'd prefer not to share your opinion in public on the forum I'd be very grateful for direct correspondence: wp at william-porter dot net.

Thanks in advance.

Will

p.s. I've also been looking at Instaproofs, because they would let me pick any print lab I want - but that appears to be an extra hassle that I would prefer to avoid. I think I saw something here about zenfolio allowing a possibility for "self fulfillment". What's that? I mean, would it be possible to use zenfolio to let clients proof photos and place orders and then use a back-end account with a lab of my choice to actually get the prints made?

Hi Will.

Sorry I'm not the best to comment on Mpix (I don't use them since so expensive to ship to Canada) but to answer your last question - yes.  With self-fulfillment, the customer orders through zenfolio, then you do the behind-the-scenes work to get the order to them (whether printing yourself or through another lab).  That adds more work on your end, of course, but gives you more flexibility.

Thanks, Art. That sounds like an interesting option to have.

But if using zenfolio's default lab provides the quality that I need, then I'd rather save myself the trouble. So I'd still like to hear from pros using Mpix.

Will

Will,

Looks like you're from Dallas, so something else you need to consider is state sales tax.   Texas is one of a handful of states that have updated their sales tax laws to cover photo sales, even when those sales are processed & fulfilled by out of state services.   To the bets of my knowledge (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong),  ZenFolio and PhotoReflect are the only major service providers that can properly collect state sales tax for you.   SmugMug cannot.

@ZenShooter: Yes, I'm in Dallas, Texas. Thanks for the tip about sales tax.

But I'm surprised that nobody has jumped in here to say how good Mpix's prints are (or otherwise).

Will

 I'm not a pro and have only gotten a few prints from MPix.  I think the quality is great.  I get a lot of compliments on the prints that I have made from there, particularly those on the metal paper.

Perhaps my customers are "easy keepers" but in the last 280 MPix prints sent direct to the customer, I have had one complaint, and that of the print being too dark.  That was voiced this weekend and I have not yet seen the details. Since I often find myself in creek bottoms and shade I suspect the original is to blame.

.

I have printed hundreds, actually thousands of images at MPix, via Zenfolio.

I think the quality is very, very good. Any time I have had issues with the quality, it invariably has been my own fault (bad color on the file I sent them).

Three observations on photo lab testing:

1. Any testing done as a "one-off" is likely to produce unpredictable results -- bad labs can have good days, good labs can have bad days -- there is NO perfect lab. So don't trust testing that isn't run multiple times over several weeks or months.

2. With all due respect to SmugMug's testing -- Bay Photo is a financial partner that is an integral part of SmugMug's revenue stream. Without wishing to suggest that SmugMug is cheating - let's face it -- don't all of us prefer to get our testing done by somebody with no financial interest in the outcome of the test?

3. This whole lab testing business is a bit like comparing two very similar cameras. When I hear somebody getting all religious about the superior image quality of their camera vs. another, I always ask a simple question: would you be willing to let me put a gun to your head, place a stack of 16x20 prints before you, and ask you correctly guess which is taken with say, the Canon 7D, and which with the Nikon D700? The SECOND print you guess wrong -- I pull the trigger. 

I wonder how many photographers would be willing to do this?

My opinion is that the differences between two excellent photo labs are about the same. One may be slightly better or worse some, or even most of the time -- when critically viewing comparative prints. The question is, is the difference big enough to be meaningful in the real world of commerce?

To me, MPIX quality is truly excellent, and their service is irreproachable. And despite the large volume of prints I push through MPIX, I also use a couple other reputable labs every month just to keep tabs on the world -- so far, I've seen nothing that makes me think using MPIX is anything like a poor choice.

Best,

Paul

http://upstatephotographers.com

Paul Grupp and Brenda Tompkins:

I have printed hundreds, actually thousands of images at MPix, via Zenfolio.

I think the quality is very, very good. Any time I have had issues with the quality, it invariably has been my own fault (bad color on the file I sent them).

...

To me, MPIX quality is truly excellent, and their service is irreproachable. And despite the large volume of prints I push through MPIX, I also use a couple other reputable labs every month just to keep tabs on the world -- so far, I've seen nothing that makes me think using MPIX is anything like a poor choice.

Paul and/or Brenda,

Excellent answer. Just the kind of thing I was hoping for but not really expecting. Your answer just about cinches it for me. I am liking zenfolio very much. I just needed some reassurance about the default printing option. 

1. Any testing done as a "one-off" is likely to produce unpredictable results -- bad labs can have good days, good labs can have bad days -- there is NO perfect lab. So don't trust testing that isn't run multiple times over several weeks or months.

Yes, I completely understand this. That is why I am forced to ask this sort of question. I've placed a print order and am about to place another, but I realize that it's just impossible for me really to know whether they're consistently good (or consistently bad, for that matter) from just a couple of orders.

Many thanks.

Will

Hi Will,

Today, it's Paul :).

Yeah, I think in the end, you just have to try it and see if it meets your needs. You have to be happy! 

I was just trying to point out that sometimes, the search for the perfect gets in the way of achieving the good. Taken as a whole experience, the Zenfolio/Mpix lashup is a pretty amazing service, and I have been really proud to offer my work to my clients in this manner.

Best,

Paul

Paul Grupp and Brenda Tompkins:

Today, it's Paul :).

Hi, Paul. Checked out your web site. Nice shots. I could never get a bride to walk into a waterfall/river!

I was just trying to point out that sometimes, the search for the perfect gets in the way of achieving the good. Taken as a whole experience, the Zenfolio/Mpix lashup is a pretty amazing service, and I have been really proud to offer my work to my clients in this manner.

Terrific. Just what I needed. Yes, I too believe that "the perfect is the enemy of the good" (Voltaire: Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien.). SmugMug offers more options than Zenfolio, and yet I find myself fighting with SmugMug's options constantly, and still not achieving the look that I want; while Zenfolio seems to give me just about everything I want, with the look that I want, and it's much easier to use. I should add that Zenfolio gives me one or two options that are important that SmugMug doesn't (the ability to create virtual collections).

Just needed to hear that somebody has had good experience with the prints. Again, many thanks.

Will 

Just thought I'd follow up and report that my first print order arrived today - my first test. I'm quite happy.

Will