I have done four books so far this year, 3 @ 10x8, the other 7x5. My
Venice book I have mentioned here was the first, then one using my
wife's shots of a special family event (her step-mother's 70th
college reunion, this was the smaller size, with soft-cover), then
one based mostly on my shots, but with some others' as well, which
documented and "interpreted" our church mission trip to Costa Rica
this summer, and most recently one using slides my father-in-law had
taken of my wife's family in the late 40's to early 50's (4 copies
arrived today).
I have been pleased with the quality of all. With a few minor
quibbles. For the Costa Rica book, 120 pages total, I ordered 4
sample copies. [Note: by 120 pages I mean 60 pages front-and-back,
not 120 sheets of paper.] Have sent in one order for another 22
copies, will have another order of 10 or so after this Sunday. For
the samples I got a mix of cover types (soft-cover, hard-cover with
imprinted photo, and hard-cover with dust jacket), and paper types
(regular and premium). My observations: a) the soft-cover is good
quality but of course is going to be more subject to wear and tear;
b) the cover on the dust-jacket version is a beautiful glossy print,
much nicer than the imprinted cover (which has a duller matte
quality), or the cover on the soft-cover, but again is going to be
more subject to wear and tear. The "premium" paper is a heavier
weight, but I don't see any difference in the quality of the images.
For a thinner book, I would probably go with Premium just to give it
more heft and substance, for anything over 60 pages [30 sheets] I
would probably go with Regular as the heavier paper becomes awkward
in the thicker book. Which relates to my one quibble about quality -
for the Premium Paper version, 60 sheets with imprinted cover, the
binder they used looked like it was designed for a book with maybe 75
sheets. So if you look at it from the top or bottom, the covers
slope inward from the spine rather than being perpendicular to the
spine. Seems well constructed, just looks a bit odd, particularly
when comparing to the Regular version where the spine is the right
width to fit the 60-sheet 120-page book.
Someone here mentioned quality problems when they went from one
sample copy to a large order - I am holding my breath on the largish
order being processed on the Costa Rica book.
I was considering a few B&W shots but decided not to temp fate.
stan
On Dec 2, 2008, at 12:44 PM, David J Brooks wrote:
I left it to late to get a test book sent for review and later
additional orders for Christmas, so i
bit the bullet and had all three sent at once.
They showed up this morning. Whole process took from Nov 19th to
Dec 2.
Not bad i'd say for crossing a border at this time of year.
Initial findings are good. I just got the standard paper, and the
shots look fine. I included 1/2 dozen or so B&W shots. One has a tad,
just a tad of a magenta cast, but the others look fine.
Recipents will never notice. Mrs Chainsaw, says lighten up.:-)
Bought the 5x7 book.
Just thought i would share my experience.
Dave
--
Equine Photography
www.caughtinmotion.com
http://brooksinthecountry.blogspot.com/
Ontario Canada
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