Dry mounting / Lamination

[89coupe]

What company do you use or have used for taking your photos to produce large scale wall art?

I'm considering these guys.

http://www.ablimaging.ca/product/drymounting_laminating.html

[quazimoto]

Looks damn nice. I'm more impressed with the fact they have fuji flex printing options. I've been looking for a place for some time that can do fuji flex paper.

[Mckenzie]

I've had Blacks do all my plaque mounting of posters. I'm not sure about pictures, but they did a great job on those and for a 24 x 36 it was only about $50-$55.

[89coupe]

I'm looking for a custom frame and mount. They have a real cool option using polished aluminum and acrylic that comes in black, white or polished aluminum.

6' x 3's runs $500 for mounting and frame. Thats super reasonable.

[89coupe]

Looks like I might have to bite the bullet and get another lens in order to create a large enough pano to fulfill the requirements necessary to create such a large dry mount pano.

The question is, do I really need IS or not?

Its this

http://www.thecamerastore.com/products/catalog/zoom-lenses/canon-ef-70-200-mm-f28l-usm-0

or this.

http://www.thecamerastore.com/products/catalog/zoom-lenses/canon-ef-70-200-mm-f28l-usm

[quazimoto]

Tripod = IS is virtually useless.

I would still buy the IS version of that lens though since if and when you use it hand held the IS makes a hell of a difference. On a tripod it should be ok. You will need one very good ball head to support its weight though.

Was the resolution not high enough at a certain printable size? You'd think a 15 megapixel camera doing pano shots should be fine unless your doing some crazy 8 foot long photo. I've printed off 1' x 6' pano's of the city with my 1Ds III.

[ZorroAMG]

Brad,

For your panos, if you use a tripod, as quazi said, there is no need for IS. If you do go hand held, and can afford it, get IS.

I like that mounting system you posted, one of your 89oramas will look great like that!

[quazimoto]

Just curious what was the issue they had with the printing? I am dropping off a DVD of some of my hawaii photos for them to print on Fuji Flex paper this week and am now kind of confused. I pretty much crop the photos for them and make sure that 300 ppi and I'm not sure now if they are asking you for more than that. I think for the cost involved you'd like to make sure its 100% right.

[Bukka]

why dont you just get the 70-200 F4?
In terms of sharpness the F4 (non-IS) is at the top of the 70-200 chain, with the 70-200 2.8 IS at the bottom. If you're looking to pick up detail, and etc, wouldn't that be more beneficial to your panos, since you're always talking about detail?

[89coupe]

Originally posted by Bukka
why dont you just get the 70-200 F4?
In terms of sharpness the F4 (non-IS) is at the top of the 70-200 chain, with the 70-200 2.8 IS at the bottom. If you're looking to pick up detail, and etc, wouldn't that be more beneficial to your panos, since you're always talking about detail?

I didn't realize there was a difference between the two in terms of sharpness.

[Bukka]

Originally posted by 89coupe


I didn't realize there was a difference between the two in terms of sharpness.
There have been a few comparative lab tests that have been done, and it was either the F4 or the F4 IS that brought out higher sharpness than both the 2.8 versions.
Normal shooting this wouldn't matter, but you seem to have a taste for detail, so this may be one of those few applications where it might count.

You'd save coin, and end up with a sharper lens.

[89coupe]

Originally posted by Bukka

There have been a few comparative lab tests that have been done, and it was either the F4 or the F4 IS that brought out higher sharpness than both the 2.8 versions.
Normal shooting this wouldn't matter, but you seem to have a taste for detail, so this may be one of those few applications where it might count.

You'd save coin, and end up with a sharper lens.

Thanks for the tip.

[89coupe]

Originally posted by quazimoto
Just curious what was the issue they had with the printing? I am dropping off a DVD of some of my hawaii photos for them to print on Fuji Flex paper this week and am now kind of confused. I pretty much crop the photos for them and make sure that 300 ppi and I'm not sure now if they are asking you for more than that. I think for the cost involved you'd like to make sure its 100% right.

I'm looking at doing prints that are 6feet wide at 350dpi.

So for example, that pano I did of the saddledome, trimming each side just to the edges of the two towers on the left and right came to 8084pixels wide at 100% crop.

At 350dpi the print size is only 23" wide.

ABL said they could go as low as 150dpi but even at that its only 53inches wide.

[mo_money2supe]

Perhaps crop out the top (the sky) and the bottom (the foreground) like others have suggested to make the print wider? :dunno:

[89coupe]

Originally posted by mo_money2supe
Perhaps crop out the top (the sky) and the bottom (the foreground) like others have suggested to make the print wider? :dunno:

Tell me, how will that make it wider?

If a door is 7' tall and 3' wide, will cutting the top of the door and bottom make it wider?

[quazimoto]

I can't imagine the sharpness from the F2.8 to F4 being that much better. My 2.8 is extremely sharp. The main reason I went for the F2.8 over the F4 was the fact the F2.8 can use the Canon Extender EF 2x II and still retain the image stabilization. Both are quite solid though but I don't think it's going to make a huge difference in the prints.

I would also tell you that 300ppi should be fine for the print. I mean it still means you need something larger. It's kinda wierd that shots taken with a 15 megapixel camera would come out that small.

How much are they asking for the print to be done at that size? I know they are charging me roughly $80 per 18x24 on their fuji flex but the samples they showed me look unreal.

BTW wider picture = full frame camera.

[89coupe]

Originally posted by quazimoto
I can't imagine the sharpness from the F2.8 to F4 being that much better. My 2.8 is extremely sharp. The main reason I went for the F2.8 over the F4 was the fact the F2.8 can use the Canon Extender EF 2x II and still retain the image stabilization. Both are quite solid though but I don't think it's going to make a huge difference in the prints.

I would also tell you that 300ppi should be fine for the print. I mean it still means you need something larger. It's kinda wierd that shots taken with a 15 megapixel camera would come out that small.

How much are they asking for the print to be done at that size? I know they are charging me roughly $80 per 18x24 on their fuji flex but the samples they showed me look unreal.

BTW wider picture = full frame camera.

I already posted the price above.

I also stated what 150dpi would print at.

You do not shoot pano's horizontally, but I'm sure you knew that ;)

[quazimoto]

$500 is a really fair price. I mean a frame would cost you more than that to get made for a print. Thanks for posting their services up by the way. I've been looking for months for a company that use fuji flex paper that doesn't charge hundreds for a single image.

By the way, if you want to try a 70-200 out before going out and buying one to make sure it'll work first pm me and we can meet up to try it out if you want.