printing large format - help please

[Spearo]

Hello Everyone,
I've been away for a while but about to make up for it soon.

I'm off to New Zealand in a couple of days for two weeks of landscape photography in the South Island. My first trip there!
I'm excited.
I hope to eventually get some large format prints out of this.

I'll be happy to consider canvas on frame, metallic or acryllic prints or good old print and frame but i would like to aim big such as A0 or 1200x800. My hope is to find an online store i can send the files to and they send me the finished product.

Searches so far suggest that this will be fairly expensive...
Does anyone know of good places and good prices/options for me to consider when I return?
Thanks a bunch in advance.
cheers
frank

[farmmax]

I don't know if this is any help, but it is certainly a very cheap option.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/361205791...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I've used them when I wanted some large colourful posters for a display. I didn't expect much for the price, but I was amazed at what I got. It is a bricks and mortar store and the owner was incredibly helpful. It is like a fine cloth, not textured canvas, and the price is for just the print, and no framing. I simply turned mine into wall hangings with iron-on hemming tape to make sure the edges didn't fray, and light wood batons top and bottom. Mine had to take strong wind from fans for a few days.

You can put more than one image on the A0 if you want to. For people struggling to get panoramas printed, you could get two printed on one poster. You may go larger than A0 if you want to, up to 3m long from memory. My posters were a mix of photo and text. I was so pleased with them, I had some of my straight photos done as wall hangings. I've even exhibited one of my photos on these posters and wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

No, don't expect these to be just like prints on paper, because they are not paper, but cloth. For me the results were better than canvas prints, and for what I wanted they were perfect. They look particularly good when backlit.

Some advice if you do go ahead - pay extra to have the poster sent rolled up instead of folded. Yes, these posters are ironable (!), but it took a bit of effort to get rid of the sharp creases from being folded into an envelope. After my first one, which was to test the quality of printing , I ordered the rest in one go (further discount was given!!) so they all came rolled up together. That worked out well.

If you want true photographic prints, I have tried The Edge in Melbourne. They were traditional poster sizes. The Edge usually runs a special once a year, and this year the on special posters cost $15 for a standard print and $20 for a metallic one, plus freight. Freight was very reasonable. They are professional printers and do a great job.

[Spearo]

Thanks Farmmax
I appreciate the input. It certainly seems like an option to explore
Cheers
Frank