Cheap 4x6s: New Kodak Picture Maker, Osco Drug

I think this is the best place so far to get cheap 4x6 prints quickly and
cheaply--and they look good (for snapshots anyway).

Here in Tucson, near 5th & Alvernon, our Osco Drug has a different kind of
Kodak Picture Maker machine--not the same one I used to see a year ago--that
prints 4x6s in like 25-30 seconds a piece, borderless, they look great--and
they are only 29c a piece. This store is barely 1/2 mile from my house.

The Kodak Picture Maker machines of last year--the one at Walmart--they cost
like 50c a piece, had borders (which I liked but it made it not fit in 4x6
spaces), took like 5-7 minutes a piece to print. (Imagine the lines that
created.) The other Kodak Picture Maker machines at other stores charged
$6.99 for an 8x10 paper--which could be a few 4x6s (I guess 3-4 of them) or
a single 8x10.

This new machine is MUCH improved. Only 29c a piece--same as the Fuji
Crystal Archive, takes only 30 seconds to print if even THAT long.
Wonderful. Frankly, it's making my Epson Stylus 825 (which I calculate to
cost me like 42c per print and it takes about 6 minutes per 4x6 even on my
high-speed machine) totally worthless except for the fact that it doesn't
crop and of course it's kind of cool printing at home.

My only question or concern would be the Kodak's longevity vs the Fuji
Crystal Archive. Any comments, observations?

LRH

Larry R Harrison Jr wrote:
I think this is the best place so far to get cheap 4x6 prints quickly and
cheaply--and they look good (for snapshots anyway).

Here in Tucson, near 5th & Alvernon, our Osco Drug has a different kind of
Kodak Picture Maker machine--not the same one I used to see a year ago--that
prints 4x6s in like 25-30 seconds a piece, borderless, they look great--and
they are only 29c a piece. This store is barely 1/2 mile from my house.

The Kodak Picture Maker machines of last year--the one at Walmart--they cost
like 50c a piece, had borders (which I liked but it made it not fit in 4x6
spaces), took like 5-7 minutes a piece to print. (Imagine the lines that
created.) The other Kodak Picture Maker machines at other stores charged
$6.99 for an 8x10 paper--which could be a few 4x6s (I guess 3-4 of them) or
a single 8x10.

This new machine is MUCH improved. Only 29c a piece--same as the Fuji
Crystal Archive, takes only 30 seconds to print if even THAT long.
Wonderful. Frankly, it's making my Epson Stylus 825 (which I calculate to
cost me like 42c per print and it takes about 6 minutes per 4x6 even on my
high-speed machine) totally worthless except for the fact that it doesn't
crop and of course it's kind of cool printing at home.

My only question or concern would be the Kodak's longevity vs the Fuji
Crystal Archive. Any comments, observations?

LRH


The machine you refer to is available in cvs stores in massachusetts.
Occasionally they do a special, first 5 prints free!!.
As far a quality goes, it's not quite as good as a glossy from
yorkphoto.com or clubphoto.com, but good enough for most snapshots and
very convenient.
Dave Cohen

Larry R Harrison Jr wrote:

I think this is the best place so far to get cheap 4x6 prints quickly and
cheaply--and they look good (for snapshots anyway).

Here in Tucson, near 5th & Alvernon, our Osco Drug has a different kind of
Kodak Picture Maker machine--not the same one I used to see a year ago--that
prints 4x6s in like 25-30 seconds a piece, borderless, they look great--and
they are only 29c a piece. This store is barely 1/2 mile from my house.

The Kodak Picture Maker machines of last year--the one at Walmart--they cost
like 50c a piece, had borders (which I liked but it made it not fit in 4x6
spaces), took like 5-7 minutes a piece to print. (Imagine the lines that
created.) The other Kodak Picture Maker machines at other stores charged
$6.99 for an 8x10 paper--which could be a few 4x6s (I guess 3-4 of them) or
a single 8x10.

This new machine is MUCH improved. Only 29c a piece--same as the Fuji
Crystal Archive, takes only 30 seconds to print if even THAT long.
Wonderful. Frankly, it's making my Epson Stylus 825 (which I calculate to
cost me like 42c per print and it takes about 6 minutes per 4x6 even on my
high-speed machine) totally worthless except for the fact that it doesn't
crop and of course it's kind of cool printing at home.

My only question or concern would be the Kodak's longevity vs the Fuji
Crystal Archive. Any comments, observations?

LRH



I bought an Epson PictureMate recently (prints 4x6 only).

About $.23 a print if you buy the ink/paper packs at discount. Supposed
to provide excellent water-fastness and longevity. Portable enough (with
a handle) to carry on an auto trip. Can print directly from memory cards
if you don't have a laptop along (doesn't have preview LCD, though).

My only real complaint is there is visible banding at the 'regular'
setting. I usually print in the 'enhanced' mode to minimize it, which
slows down output a bit. Please note I'm very near-sighted and don't
need a loupe for very close-up vision! Most 'normal-sighted' persons
can't see the banding, even printing in 'regular' mode.

I'm quite pleased with output in 'enhanced' mode - colors are very
vibrant, and the images from my D70 are very crisp. As good as any photo
finisher pics I've ever seen.

YMMV,

B.A.S.

Larry R Harrison Jr wrote:

I think this is the best place so far to get cheap 4x6 prints quickly and
cheaply--and they look good (for snapshots anyway).

Here in Tucson, near 5th & Alvernon, our Osco Drug has a different kind of
Kodak Picture Maker machine--not the same one I used to see a year ago--that
prints 4x6s in like 25-30 seconds a piece, borderless, they look great--and
they are only 29c a piece. This store is barely 1/2 mile from my house.

The Kodak Picture Maker machines of last year--the one at Walmart--they cost
like 50c a piece, had borders (which I liked but it made it not fit in 4x6
spaces), took like 5-7 minutes a piece to print. (Imagine the lines that
created.) The other Kodak Picture Maker machines at other stores charged
$6.99 for an 8x10 paper--which could be a few 4x6s (I guess 3-4 of them) or
a single 8x10.

This new machine is MUCH improved. Only 29c a piece--same as the Fuji
Crystal Archive, takes only 30 seconds to print if even THAT long.
Wonderful. Frankly, it's making my Epson Stylus 825 (which I calculate to
cost me like 42c per print and it takes about 6 minutes per 4x6 even on my
high-speed machine) totally worthless except for the fact that it doesn't
crop and of course it's kind of cool printing at home.

My only question or concern would be the Kodak's longevity vs the Fuji
Crystal Archive. Any comments, observations?

LRH



I bought an Epson PictureMate recently (prints 4x6 only).

About $.23 a print if you buy the ink/paper packs at discount. Supposed
to provide excellent water-fastness and longevity. Portable enough (with
a handle) to carry on an auto trip. Can print directly from memory cards
if you don't have a laptop along (doesn't have preview LCD, though).

My only real complaint is there is visible banding at the 'regular'
setting. I usually print in the 'enhanced' mode to minimize it, which
slows down output a bit. Please note I'm very near-sighted and don't
need a loupe for very close-up vision! Most 'normal-sighted' persons
can't see the banding, even printing in 'regular' mode.

I'm quite pleased with output in 'enhanced' mode - colors are very
vibrant, and the images from my D70 are very crisp. As good as any photo
finisher pics I've ever seen.

YMMV,

B.A.S.

How long does it take print the 4x6s in "enhance" mode?

"B.A.S." wrote in message
.com...
I bought an Epson PictureMate recently (prints 4x6 only).

About $.23 a print if you buy the ink/paper packs at discount. Supposed
to provide excellent water-fastness and longevity. Portable enough (with
a handle) to carry on an auto trip. Can print directly from memory cards
if you don't have a laptop along (doesn't have preview LCD, though).

My only real complaint is there is visible banding at the 'regular'
setting. I usually print in the 'enhanced' mode to minimize it, which
slows down output a bit. Please note I'm very near-sighted and don't
need a loupe for very close-up vision! Most 'normal-sighted' persons
can't see the banding, even printing in 'regular' mode.

I'm quite pleased with output in 'enhanced' mode - colors are very
vibrant, and the images from my D70 are very crisp. As good as any photo
finisher pics I've ever seen.

YMMV,

B.A.S.

How long does it take print the 4x6s in "enhance" mode?

"B.A.S." wrote in message
.com...
I bought an Epson PictureMate recently (prints 4x6 only).

About $.23 a print if you buy the ink/paper packs at discount. Supposed
to provide excellent water-fastness and longevity. Portable enough (with
a handle) to carry on an auto trip. Can print directly from memory cards
if you don't have a laptop along (doesn't have preview LCD, though).

My only real complaint is there is visible banding at the 'regular'
setting. I usually print in the 'enhanced' mode to minimize it, which
slows down output a bit. Please note I'm very near-sighted and don't
need a loupe for very close-up vision! Most 'normal-sighted' persons
can't see the banding, even printing in 'regular' mode.

I'm quite pleased with output in 'enhanced' mode - colors are very
vibrant, and the images from my D70 are very crisp. As good as any photo
finisher pics I've ever seen.

YMMV,

B.A.S.

I haven't timed it, but I'd guess around 3 to 3 1/2 minutes.

Larry R Harrison Jr wrote:

How long does it take print the 4x6s in "enhance" mode?

"B.A.S." wrote in message
.com...

I bought an Epson PictureMate recently (prints 4x6 only).

About $.23 a print if you buy the ink/paper packs at discount. Supposed
to provide excellent water-fastness and longevity. Portable enough (with
a handle) to carry on an auto trip. Can print directly from memory cards
if you don't have a laptop along (doesn't have preview LCD, though).

My only real complaint is there is visible banding at the 'regular'
setting. I usually print in the 'enhanced' mode to minimize it, which
slows down output a bit. Please note I'm very near-sighted and don't
need a loupe for very close-up vision! Most 'normal-sighted' persons
can't see the banding, even printing in 'regular' mode.

I'm quite pleased with output in 'enhanced' mode - colors are very
vibrant, and the images from my D70 are very crisp. As good as any photo
finisher pics I've ever seen.

YMMV,

B.A.S.

Greetings Larry,

Yes, Kodak has added new PictureMakers and you can review them all at the
following URL. Give a look. Actually, if you are here in the US you can
get some free prints. Go to the Kodak home page and look to the left for
the Picturemaker link. Just click on it for a full review of the entire set
of options. If you have additional questions later, let me know.

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company


cheap 4x6 prints quickly and
cheaply--and they look good (for snapshots anyway).

Here in Tucson, near 5th & Alvernon, our Osco Drug has a different kind of
Kodak Picture Maker machine--not the same one I used to see a year
ago--that
prints 4x6s in like 25-30 seconds a piece, borderless, they look
great--and
they are only 29c a piece. This store is barely 1/2 mile from my house.

The Kodak Picture Maker machines of last year--the one at Walmart--they
cost
like 50c a piece, had borders (which I liked but it made it not fit in 4x6
spaces), took like 5-7 minutes a piece to print. (Imagine the lines that
created.) The other Kodak Picture Maker machines at other stores charged
$6.99 for an 8x10 paper--which could be a few 4x6s (I guess 3-4 of them)