The labs
We scrutinized three pro labs we hear raves about—WHCC, Bay Photo & ProDPI—along with Mpix, the popular prosumer sister of Miller's.
We also ordered prints from respected pro labs like Miller's and McKenna Pro, but we didn't test them as deeply.
The criteria
- Color accuracy & correction to wedding pro standards.
- Availability of high-end papers, finishes, mountings and products.
- Great packaging.
- Fast turnaround.
- Ability to handle SmugMug's volume.
The tests
We started with 8x10 test prints like you see above and invited more than 50 of our customers to rank them in a double-blind test.
Then we used them for thousands of reprints and overflow orders, gathering customer feedback.
About WHCC
White House Custom Color went from 11 employees in 2000 to roughly 350 by 2008.
They credit a focus on wedding photographers, the Internet and the digital revolution for their rise.
They have a great reputation for quality, which our tests confirm.
About Mpix
Comparing Mpix to pro labs may be somewhat unfair to Mpix. Miller's and Mpix have the same owners, but Miller's is the pro version.
Miller's offers more pro products and Mpix more for consumers. Mpix offers color correction for free, while pro labs charge for it. We learned that you get what you pay for.
About Bay Photo
The culture at Bay Photo is like WHCC's: mostly about print making, light on marketing.
They're constantly expanding an impressive selection of giclée fine art prints, mounts, papers, and coatings.
Their color correction is the equal of WHCC's and their packaging is the best.