[Leica] Archival 4x6 Prints?

[leicachris at worldnet.att.net (Chris Williams)]

Bob,

Yes, take the images to a lab if you want 4x6's. Sure you can do it at home 
but it's not exactly cost effective to print just 4x6's at home.

Almost all labs are still RA-4(chemical process) with paper printing. Some 
labs do print with inkjet. As long as the chemicals are kept cleaned and 
fresh, your prints will last decades(assuming you don't leave them in the 
sun or something).

Another option would be to use Blurb or another book company. You can easily 
put together a 4x6 book online and get it shipped to you within 2 weeks.

I print 5x7's on my inkjet, but I schedule a day to do it since I try to 
have at least 100 or so prints so I can have it done in just a couple of 
hrs(including archival spraying).

Digital gives you so many new options.

Chris
NOLA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert D. Baron" <rbaron@concentric.net>
To: <lug@leica-users.org>
Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 9:30 AM
Subject: [Leica] Archival 4x6 Prints?


>I need to put some money where my mouth has been and get started
> making (having made) a lot of 4x6 prints from digital images of family
> members and get togethers to go in various shoe boxes around the
> country to be saved and viewed by future generations.
>
> I really don't want (or have the time and patience) to do the printing
> myself on my Epson 2200 or 1270 inkjet printers, although I suppose I
> could buy one of those dedicated snapshot printers for around $100 or
> so.  Are such prints really expected to last?
>
> I am thinking about burning the image files to a CD and taking it to a
> local camera store, drug store or walmart for prints.  Or, I suppose I
> could mail or email the files to someplace like Adorama in New York.
>
> But I really don't understand the processes these places use.  I
> assume it is some sort of inkjet printing but I don't know that and of
> course the local counter clerks seem to have no idea.
>
> In the olden days our family snaps were made with film and printed on
> real photographic paper on a machine in a darkroom (I worked in such a
> place in the fifties) and they have survived pretty well. Will
> (should) current commercially made, reasonably priced prints stand the
> test of time?
>
> Your suggestions and advice will be much appreciated.
>
> --Bob Baron / Oklahoma City
>
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