Printing Photos in Beijing

[sailorphyn]

Does anyone know a good place in Beijing to get high-quality print of photographs from digital files (JPEG/RAW)? I'd like to print my photos fairly big...any amateur or professional photographers out there? How much does that usually cost?

[griz326]

I know that Walmart does not bring to mind photographic quality, but I printed out my digital pix at Walmart on a Kodak kiosk with many options that sent the output to a regular photographic developing unit.

If all else fails...you can do it there.

[stickyrice]

This has been also been on my mind since arriving a few weeks ago. Most of the little labs I've tried have been very ordinary and I am still looking, but there are two shops you might try.

1. 多丽明霞 － They have a website at www.dlmx.cn but it's useless. They are located on Xindong Lu, about 30m north of the intersection with Guanghua Lu. Phone: 85619943.

The prices were quite cheap - as a guide, RMB90 for a 20x30" , 5x7" was RMB2.5. For RMB60, you can get a membership card which gives you discounts for 3 years - e.g. the 20x30" price becomes RMB72.

The glossy prints I've done there looked very good for the price - a little darker and more colour-saturated than on my setup, but I didn't ask them what colour space they were using. They did tell me to have a look on screen before they printed which was nice and helpful.

I asked them for a matte finish once which add to the price, but rather than using matte paper, they cover the glossy print with an adhesive surface which isn't really what I had intended. Overall, I think this shop is good value for most printing.

2. I walked past another shop, Beijing Oriental Pearl Digital image, the other night on Dongzhimennei Dajie, 6#-2, across the road from a 7-Eleven. Phone: 84073845.

Email: ying3596@sina.com

It was the closest thing I had seen to a pro lab in Beijing so far and there were working Chinese photographers examining their proofs etc inside. I think they were actually using sRGB as a colour space but it's pretty hard talking technical printing terms with my elementary Chinese. I will try them out soon, but here are some prices as a guideline: 4x6" RMB1, 5x7" RMB2, 8x10" RMB5.5, 10x15" RMB12.5, 16x20" RMB37.6, 20x30" RMB70. For very large sizes, it is RMB180-240 per square metre. This sounds really cheap and I'm wondering whether I've missed something.

Let me know if you find any good labs, cheers.

[bianfuxia]

There is a pro-shop just north of Wangfujing which might do it. They processed my slides and did a good job (really cheap, 10 kuai a roll, unmounted).

I don't know what they would charge, whether they are "colour-managed" or not, and what the quality would be. But I had the place recommended to me by a pro-photographer who lives here, someone I met at a party and lost touch with.

I don't know the name, but it is easy enough to find:

walk north up Wangfujing.

Wangfujing eventually becomes meishuguan dongjie. When you get to a huge intersection b/w wangfujing/meishuguan and a big east west boulevard (it's the first really big one you reach, it takes about 5 minutes just to cross the street!), keep walking north but get onto the right hand side of the road as you face north (that is, the eastern side of the street).

You'll pass a 4-5 story modern building, looks like a bank or corporate offices. Keep going, past some low-rise little kiosks, shops etc. Past them, keep your eyes peeled for a BOOKSHOP off to the right. It's a little tricky to see, but is on the corner of the main road you're walking up and a smaller lane off to the right. Godown there, on your right you'll see a framing shop, on your left, a few doors after the bookshop, you'll see a canon sign and that's your shop.

Inside they have all this pro canon gear for sale, a film and paper fridge, and a little reception area. Behind that, there is a room with light tables for viewing slides, and display cabinets with some vintage cameras.

If you do visit and find out their prices, I'd certainly be interested to know.

good luck

R