Massive review of online book printing companies

[neile]

My good friend Jason has just posted an epic review of the online Blurb-style book printing companies. He compared 12 different consumer-focused providers and wrote an incredibly detailed review of each (15,000 words, 80+ photos, 12 videos!).

Since the topic of Blurb/My Publisher/etc. comes up here every once and a while I thought folks would enjoy the review. You can find it at http://www.digitalhomethoughts.com/news/sh...hoto-books.html.

Neil

[wolfnowl]

Thank you! What a great resource.

Sharon

Indeed!

Thanks,
Mike.

[Dick Roadnight]

My good friend Jason has just posted an epic review of the online Blurb-style book printing companies. He compared 12 different consumer-focused providers and wrote an incredibly detailed review of each (15,000 words, 80+ photos, 12 videos!).
Neil

...but has anyone any info about "professional" services in Europe?

The leading provider, whose name I forget, who is at the shows and Pro Inst meetings, produces absolute rubbish, with dreadful pixelization... if you produce pictures that would look sharp at A2, they make them look awful at A4/3.

...and I think they they are "only for professionals" and will not let you use their service, or even quote a price, unless you are an established pro, and they approve a sample of work you send them!

Maybe their pictures look rubbish because they are, and the "top pros" who use their service use 6Mpx cameras? (and then crop to half frame?)

[DarkPenguin]

Is he still sane?

[KeithR]

Very well done!

[neile]

Is he still sane?

He wasn't to begin with

Neil

[francois]

Thanks for sharing this useful review.

[Edhopkins]

My good friend Jason has just posted an epic review of the online Blurb-style book printing companies. He compared 12 different consumer-focused providers and wrote an incredibly detailed review of each (15,000 words, 80+ photos, 12 videos!).

Thanks for the link to this. We are getting ready to do a Blurb book and looked at the review of Blurb with great interest.  Sorry to say it did not review what seems to me to be the best option in Blurb. You can use their "standalone" software called "Booksmart" but you can also go a more professional route and use Photoshop with softproofing (they do provide a profile) and InDesign for page layout.  You then convert to a PDF file (with their custom pdf exporter) and upload the pdf to Blurb.

I looked back at the review and noticed that the review does not generally discuss color management.  

So I think the review has to be a review of book publishing software for those who don't have much concern with color management. (We are using Blurb because there was a profile for soft proofing available--and because it is cheap!)

But I do find the review incredibly useful for other issues.

ed
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