Kodak vs Fuji Frontier

Had a few 8X10 prints made from several local labs, no corrections from the
same file. The 2 best were from "Showcase" and the other was "Hunt color
labs" both pro labs in Atlanta. Showcase has a Frontier and Hunt is using a
new kodak machine (not sure what model..). I was amazed at how much sharper
and cleaner the prints from Hunt were. It's very noticable even at normal
viewing distances and even the guy at Hunt was surprised/impressed at how
good his looked compared to the Fuji machine. Anyone else ever compared the
two? Everyone is always bragging about how great the Frontier machines are,
I'm not impressed.
--

Stacey

In article ,
Stacey wrote:

Had a few 8X10 prints made from several local labs, no corrections from the
same file. The 2 best were from "Showcase" and the other was "Hunt color
labs" both pro labs in Atlanta. Showcase has a Frontier and Hunt is using a
new kodak machine (not sure what model..). I was amazed at how much sharper
and cleaner the prints from Hunt were. It's very noticable even at normal
viewing distances and even the guy at Hunt was surprised/impressed at how
good his looked compared to the Fuji machine. Anyone else ever compared the
two? Everyone is always bragging about how great the Frontier machines are,
I'm not impressed.

There's a lot of image processing and machinery between the original RGB
and the film. The quality of a photo depends heavily on how well a
print shop keeps their machinery calibrated.

Kevin McMurtrie wrote:

In article ,
Everyone is always bragging about how
great the Frontier machines are, I'm not impressed.

There's a lot of image processing and machinery between the original RGB
and the film. The quality of a photo depends heavily on how well a
print shop keeps their machinery calibrated.

As far as sharpness? I could see color balance issues etc but I can't see
sharpness being a "calibration". And I did try 3 other frontier machines,
Showcase's was the best of them. I guess if I hadn't seen the prints from
this kodak machine I wouldn't know there was something better?

--

Stacey

"Stacey" wrote in message
...
Kevin McMurtrie wrote:

In article ,
Everyone is always bragging about how
great the Frontier machines are, I'm not impressed.

There's a lot of image processing and machinery between the
original RGB and the film. The quality of a photo depends
heavily on how well a print shop keeps their machinery
calibrated.

As far as sharpness? I could see color balance issues etc but I
can't see sharpness being a "calibration". And I did try 3 other
frontier machines, Showcase's was the best of them. I guess if I
hadn't seen the prints from this kodak machine I wouldn't know
there was something better?

I've noticed on the local photostore's Frontier that I sometime use,
that the Red laser was not 100% aligned with the other two. The Kodak
machines are possibly one of the Noritsu line
(http://www.noritsu.com/), and they can (depending on model) print at
300 / 320 / 400 / 500 ppi.

Bart

Bart van der Wolf wrote:


I've noticed on the local photostore's Frontier that I sometime use,
that the Red laser was not 100% aligned with the other two. The Kodak
machines are possibly one of the Noritsu line
(http://www.noritsu.com/), and they can (depending on model) print at
300 / 320 / 400 / 500 ppi.


I read somewhere that Kodak was getting AGFA to make some of their machines
to their specs? I'll have to ask this guy more about this next time I'm
over there. I was amazed how much better this machine worked than the
Frontier's that I tried so obviously to me it's worth trying different
places and not to assume they are all equal.
--

Stacey

No way , you must have mixed the copies...

Dear Stacey

I´m afraid , you must be the only one that is not impressed with Frontier
printers , and Fujifilm paper , of course the machines have to be properly
calibrated everyday and weekly tested by Fujifilm main lab , besides this
detail, we have the different quality photo papers available for both
printers . I live in a small town with two shops one working with frontier
the other Noritsu . The quality print from Frontier is unbeatable but the
person behind the machine counts , you did no corrections ,it does not mean
the lab did not do them .I think you have to make further testing if you
want to be a little more cientific about the results of your quest. I have
been going for the last 10 yrs to Photokina in Germany ( one of the biggest
photo shows in the world ) and comparing both machines and prints .

.... and by the way if we are speaking sharpness... it is possible one Lab
used software like i2eProfessional image editor or other commonly used to
make automatic corrections , one of each is Enhance Sharpness.
.... I'm a Frontier fan ... the software could better.Like for adding logos
etc..but never inferior in print quality.

Mont wrote:

Dear Stacey

I´m afraid , you must be the only one that is not impressed with Frontier
printers , and Fujifilm paper ,

Then I guess I'll be the only one. They aren't bad but they weren't nearly
as good as the other's results.

I think you have to make further testing if
you want to be a little more cientific about the results of your quest.

Tried 5 different fuji machines, guess they were all "out of calibration"?
--

Stacey

Stacey wrote:
Mont wrote:


Dear Stacey

I´m afraid , you must be the only one that is not impressed with Frontier
printers , and Fujifilm paper ,


Then I guess I'll be the only one. They aren't bad but they weren't nearly
as good as the other's results.


I think you have to make further testing if
you want to be a little more cientific about the results of your quest.


Tried 5 different fuji machines, guess they were all "out of calibration"?

Possibly. Especially if they were all at stores where some 17 year old
high school student was responsible for running them.


--
Ron Hunter