Tech Spec F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
What does it really look like? Is it just a photo album? Is it just
photos stuck onto a book?
A:
It is an actual book with your very own photos. We use our book
printing technology to make PictureBooks, the pages are the same as
a high quality book, the cover and binding is the same as a book,
in short, it really is a book!
Q:
What kind of paper do you use?
A:
We use only Acid-Free Coated Stock imported from Europe with a
weight of approximately 180 to 200 GSM for all PictureBooks, our
binding is the same one used for high-end reference books not just
small paperback books. We ensure that all materials used are
expressly made for books not just adopted materials that won't
necessarily last.
Q:
Is that like the paper used in coffee-table books?
A:
Yes, the paper we use is the same or comparable to that being used
in imported coffee-table books.
Q:
How many pages in a standard book? Is there a maximum number of
pages?
A:
A standard PictureBook has 20 pages or 10 sheets with images back
to back. We can print PictureBooks with up to 200 pages.
Q:
How many photos can I fit into a book?
A:
It all depends on how many photos you'd like to put in a page, for
the Small and Medium you can have up 8 photos in a page although
the images tend to be smaller, on a Large you can even fit 16
photos in a page. Overall though you'd probably want to mix and
match pages, you're special shots can be printed 1 photo in a page
full-bleed which looks spectacular, the other pages can have 3 to 4
photos. It really depends on your design but anywhere between 40
and 80 photos would fit into a PictureBook.
Q:
What makes your quality different from others that may be offering
this service.
A:
First and foremost, we are book publishers and book printers, we
have been for over 50 years, everything we put into your
PictureBook passes our standards as book publishers. We use only
professional production equipment specific to book production. What
you may get from quick printers may not necessarily be books that
are high in quality and durability as they use smaller machines
more suitable to a market geared for low cost and quick
turnaround.
Q:
What about the binding? Is it really bound like a book?
A:
Yes, we use exactly the same technology we use for our traditional
books for binding, it is both professionally perfect-bound and
stitched. This distinguishes us from others who tend to use staples
which is not as presentable or durable.
Q:
Can I Layout my own PictureBook using Photoshop or another
editor?
A:
Yes, you can use your own editor as long as you submit it to us in
PDF form with the exact measurements in our specs (please be sure
to allow .25" on all sides for our trimming). Please make sure all
fonts are embedded and it is saved in Press Quality mode for the
highest resolution print.
Q:
Do I have to use a Mac to submit my own PDF files?
A:
No, you can use any PC to create your PDF files.
Q:
What if I want to use my own size or I have special instructions
for the cover?
A:
We can still accommodate this but with a special custom fee. The
reason being we have to customize our production for a new size or
type of cover. Please get in touch with us for this.
Q:
What is the turnaround time? Can I rush my order?
A:
Our standard turnaround time is up to 10 working days. We give
allowances to ensure the quality is of the highest standards, some
of the processes involve drying and curing times and if rushed may
not turn out the same in terms of quality.
Q: What Kind
of Printer do you use?
A:
We use production class digital laser printers not just color
copiers or desktop printers. In fact, our print center is one of
the biggest and most advanced digital book print facilities in the
country today. When properly stored, the print should last over 100
years.
Q:
What is the overall quality of the print, can you describe
it?
A:
In general, our digital prints can be compared to coffee table book
print quality. We now offer two kinds of printing: Matte and
Glossy. Matte is offset-like high quality print, the colors tend to
be more accurate, we're very proud to offer this quality at the
same price. Glossy prints are vibrant and exciting. They have an
oily sheen that makes the photos pop out of the page. We find that
photo enthusiasts who are more serious about their photos prefer
the Matte prints, and those who like their photos very colorful
prefer the Glossy prints. It's really your choice!
Q:
What resolution do you print at? What resolution should I
use?
A:
We print at 600 dpi, but for the most part you can use 300 dpi.
There is very little discernible difference with the output between
300 dpi and 600 dpi. Our machine is calibrated to the output of
Apple's iPhoto. We recommend you bring in your photos straight to
our outlets or into iPhoto without passing it through an external
editor (i.e. photoshop). In general, the less modifications made to
the photograph such as changing of resolution, the better the end
result in our prints.
Have any suggestions you'd like to share? We are here to learn from
you, our customers. Please let us know how we may improve our
quality here.
