Posted by David Taylor on October 25, 2009 at 2:52 PM
Yep, another calendar printing question. This has been asked in the past, but with no recent replies in the archives I thought I would ask the question for myself.
I'm looking to try out a short run 2010 calendar. I would like to hear from photogs that have RECENTLY used different services and your honest feelings about how they turned out quality/design/customer service wise.
If you have a photo of the finished product, please consider posting it here.
I'd like to print a 12 month wall calendar, with the binding in the center (rather than the top). Probably around the 12" x 12" (per page - so that would be 24" tall when displayed) size, give or take is fine.
Thanks for any help, experience, tips you can offer. Much appreciated!
I got my 2010 calendars just last week. For short run (like 150 in my case) most of the printers offer something called digital print with 4 color, 180 dpi. For offset printing minimum qty seems to be 500. Obviously offset with 300 dpi gives much better quality; but my 9x12 calendar seems fine with digital prints as well. Most of my friends liked the print better than offset print (my 2009 calendars printed on offset). I got the calendars printed by copyCraft and they did excellent job. costed me $700 for 150 qty. (+ $100 for hard copy press proof and shipping).
That is an excellent price, Swamy!!! How is the paper quality? How does it compare with with calendars you would buy retail?
For two years I had 8.5 x 11s done by Print Pelican. The first year I used the 80lb paper and it was too thin. The second year I used the 100lb paper and it was excellent. They cost much more that Copy Craft though, at least double if not triple!
This year I had them done by a printer in Canada and they cost me just less than yours but I had to order 1000
Posted by Austin Booth on October 26, 2009 at 2:18 PM
Depends on how short the run you are planning on and how much you think you will sell. It looks like in most cases copycraft is the most cost effective option and you can customize every aspect of it like if you want a faded image behind the date grid as well. They have a minimum order of 25 calendars which is pretty reasonable.
For me however, I am just starting out and don't have any following for my photography even locally so I'm not so sure I could sell 25 calendars. I'm planning on my first calendar this year and without any relationship with the local businesses which carry calendars It would be a bit of a risk even to print 25 calendars because I may not be able to get any businesses to carry them and even if I did I don't know if they would sell well enough to make my money back. I'm sure they would make great gifts for friends and family but I don't need 25 calendars even for that. I think a quantity of about 10 would be better for me. For a really short run like that vistaprint would be the best option. If you google "vista print coupons" you can probably save 25-60% off their regular price and you may even be able to get free shipping. They don't have a minimum quantity and even if you just ordered one or two calendars their individual price is very reasonable after the coupon code discount.
Paper was 100lb text. Pretty good quality. They offered 500 calendars (min qty) on offset for $1500.
Posted by Jerry Greer on October 27, 2009 at 2:54 PM
David Taylor,
I'm not positive but most of the small digital presses have a limit and cannot do a 12" x 12" calendar unless it is spiral bound. It's really been a while since I have looked into short-run printing because it is way too expensive. I can print 1,000 + copies through my Korean printer and it be reasonably priced so that I can still make a few $$$$ selling them at retail. I printed Floris's calendar and it is a beauty. If anyone is looking at 1,000 or more give me a call. Also, and this is a biggie, if you want to do a 2010 calendar you must have it ready to print by March of 2009 so that you can get it back around June 2009. This gives you plenty of time to sell through because as soon as Jan 1 gets here they immediately drop to 1/2 price.
Discussion
5 repliesI'm looking to try out a short run 2010 calendar. I would like to hear from photogs that have RECENTLY used different services and your honest feelings about how they turned out quality/design/customer service wise.
If you have a photo of the finished product, please consider posting it here.
I'd like to print a 12 month wall calendar, with the binding in the center (rather than the top). Probably around the 12" x 12" (per page - so that would be 24" tall when displayed) size, give or take is fine.
Thanks for any help, experience, tips you can offer. Much appreciated!
For two years I had 8.5 x 11s done by Print Pelican. The first year I used the 80lb paper and it was too thin. The second year I used the 100lb paper and it was excellent. They cost much more that Copy Craft though, at least double if not triple!
This year I had them done by a printer in Canada and they cost me just less than yours but I had to order 1000
For me however, I am just starting out and don't have any following for my photography even locally so I'm not so sure I could sell 25 calendars. I'm planning on my first calendar this year and without any relationship with the local businesses which carry calendars It would be a bit of a risk even to print 25 calendars because I may not be able to get any businesses to carry them and even if I did I don't know if they would sell well enough to make my money back. I'm sure they would make great gifts for friends and family but I don't need 25 calendars even for that. I think a quantity of about 10 would be better for me. For a really short run like that vistaprint would be the best option. If you google "vista print coupons" you can probably save 25-60% off their regular price and you may even be able to get free shipping. They don't have a minimum quantity and even if you just ordered one or two calendars their individual price is very reasonable after the coupon code discount.
I'm not positive but most of the small digital presses have a limit and cannot do a 12" x 12" calendar unless it is spiral bound. It's really been a while since I have looked into short-run printing because it is way too expensive. I can print 1,000 + copies through my Korean printer and it be reasonably priced so that I can still make a few $$$$ selling them at retail. I printed Floris's calendar and it is a beauty. If anyone is looking at 1,000 or more give me a call. Also, and this is a biggie, if you want to do a 2010 calendar you must have it ready to print by March of 2009 so that you can get it back around June 2009. This gives you plenty of time to sell through because as soon as Jan 1 gets here they immediately drop to 1/2 price.