Recommend me a photo-calendar creator?

[havoc]

I'm currently bashing my head against a wall on this one.

Used YoPhoto happily for a few years - decent quality and THE best design tool I've ever used - so much flexibility. But they went bump a year ago.

...so googled around to find an alternative, and most of the usual suspects don't want to let you have much control / design flexibility at all.

Except for Cewe, who I've used before for a photobook, and whose software promised all sorts of customisability. Except their software has some of the key photo framing/graphic design tools permanently greyed-out, there are no instructions with the software or useful FAQs, their Customer Disservice team keep defaulting back to IT for answers who seem incapable of providing useful guidance and take 48/72hrs to respond to each message*, and I'm losing the will to live. Doubly-so now I've discovered their (slow and clunky, less flexible in other ways) web-design alternative interface has the photo-framing tools active that their (recommended, "widest selection of design tools") downloadable software doesn't.


So on the basis that life's too short to deal with bad UI and bad customer service, are there ANY other providers out there that do a proper calendar-creation service?

Thanks,
M.



* I now know what astronauts on a mission to the edge of the solar system would feel like.

[Craikeybaby]

I have used myfujifilm for the last few years. Unfortunately they have stopped allowing you to customise the special dates, e.g. add birthdays etc, but the print quality is still good.

I believe DSC also do them, but I have not ordered a calendar from them.

[havoc]

Thanks - will have a look in the morning.

Quick update - I've discovered Saal. Not the cheapest, but they get very good reviews and the editor has enough functionality. Had a quick play, going to compare to CB's suggestions tomorrow.

Minor criticisms of Saal so far:-
- Not enough different 'themes' for the calendars
- The theme is all-of-a-one and is solid colour throughout, meaning you can't ghost images behind letters and numbers as you can with other editors - probably my biggest frustration
- a couple of things around frames appear to be hidden or work-arounds, but maybe I've just not looked hard enough.

[GetCarter]

I've used Solopress for years for everything from calendars to books to postcards.

They let you upload your own artwork, so can design exactly what you like. They send you a proof to okay before they print.

They are also really cheap... just to give you an idea... 50 x A4 calendars turns out from £3.62 (+VAT).


..and cheap doesn't mean crap. Their softcover books are as good as Blurb, which are nearly 10 times the price!

I just got 75 x 120 page full colour 130 gsm A5 books with a 350 gsm cover for £3.37 per book inc. delivery. (About to sell for £10.00).

Edited by GetCarter on Sunday 2nd February 12:13

[w1bbles]

I’ve used Mimeo Photos before - might be worth a look:

https://mimeophotos.com/calendar/

[havoc]

OK, quick update - went with Saal in the end:-

- Cewe customer services were driving me up the wall with a complete failure to listen or have any real product knowledge. Shame as I know their stuff is decent, but life's too short...
- Solopress (even moreso than Saal) are set-up for bulk printing and their single-item costs are...ah...dissuasive!
- DSCL is close but not as flexible as Saal
- Mimeo, unless I've missed something, only have 1 template (size/shape/layout) that you can choose.


Thanks for the suggestions,
M.

[some bloke]

I've used Photobox a few times in the past, and have usually been able to find a discount code that gets then down to £6-7 for an A4, from memory. I usually give these away at xmas so if you're looking to print commercial quantities it might be a bit pricey.
There' a good selection of layouts etc and I've found the customer service pretty good.

[havoc]

Thanks SB. Used Photobox in the past but their quality went downhill (each year the paper seemed cheaper and the IQ seemed worse), so went to YoPhoto for a few years, until they folded.