Sams vs Walmart photo centers

Does anyone know if pictures uploaded through Sams and Walmart online photo
centers eventually get printed out at the same facility? (Hence same
quality, but less price if it's Sam's) ? Or using the same type printer ?

What kind of printer do they use?

 

Can't speak for all locations, but they are done in the same location
where I am. And, they are both crappy.

PSsquare

 

I dunno about online, but I routinely stop by at my local Wal Mart and drop
off a flash card at their 1-hour center. I stop by an hour later and I have
killer 4x6 photos printed on regular photo paper. My 2 megapixel snapshots
they print are consistently higher quality than the 4x6 prints from
disposable cameras developed at the same place.

Jon

 

Jon,

Isn't it better to compare prints of the same photo (whether digital or
film) between Walmart and other processors? That is comparing the
difference in printing. Your example is comparing your digital image at 2
megapixel to a single use camera and that is not very telling. Isn't it
sort of saying my $300 camera beats your $8 camera?

To be specific about my experience, everything I have seen from the Walmart
near me(or the Sam's Club across the parking lot) has been a very poor
compared to every other processor in the area. I saw many such photo
prints brought in by newbies at our photo club, and they were pretty
consistent in having poor color accuracy and washed out prints.
Enlargements were even sadder. Walmart and Sam's are the among the
cheapest, yes, but poorly trained staff cannot produce any prints close to
what a fairly paid and properly trained technician can print. Every once in
a while they get a competent person, but they usually see that there is not
any room for their income to match their skill and they move on to a better
one-hour lab.

This can be an opportunity to see if you are getting value for your money at
Walmart. Just take the same print file to a couple of places plus Walmart.
When they come back, have someone open the envelopes and label the back with
a letter that represents which lab made the print. Have them keep the lab
name for each letter while you evaluate the prints unbiased by your
expectations. After you have picked the best to the worse, then look up the
letters to see which was best etc. You will know for your value system
which gives you the best print for the cost. If you can't tell the
difference, then you win with the cheapest. If you can tell a difference,
then you win with the best looking photos. See, a win-win opportunity.
Hope you try it.

PSsquare

 

The in-store prints are marginally acceptable for the reason you stated.
The kids running the machines don't know Jack about digital photography.
However, WalMart Online does an excellent job.
Best Value in the business, IMHO.
Bob Williams