The resolution of even some cheap digital cameras suffices today for large format prints. As in any "graphic of light" the work is only as good as the artist. Digital photography does not only allow to "snap away" at virtually no cost; higher resolution cameras allow to do a lot with good pictures. Following the trend to print outstanding images, more and more online photo services have started to offer not only prints and posters, but also laminated, framed enlargements and canvas printing.

Many modern so called photo canvases are not printed on traditional linen. For good reasons man-made fibres are being used. Such synthetic fibres have a finer, more even structure and allow to optimise the materials so that the inks deeply penetrate the fabric to improve longevity and colours. As a result, all canvas prints in this review can be swiped with a humid cloth.

Mounted on a wooden frame

Stretching a printed cloth evenly over a wooden frame isn't easy. Most services supply the photo canvas mounted on a wooden frame. Both FotoInsight and Printing-1 supply the canvas print wrapped around the sides of a wooden frame, ready to hang on a wall. Thanks to the absence of heavy glass the frame is surprisingly light and should hold onto even the weakest plaster board wall of modern houses. FotoInsight's frames even have the necessary elements to hang them. As synthetic fibres resist the tension of the stretch over the frame well, they do not need to be re-tightened.

The Photo Canvas Test

From the broad range of Internet photo services in Britain we separated those delivering softened, greyish, orangey or dark images and those that are simply too expensive and instead focused on reviewing two leading photo canvas print services. The main criteria were range of products, ease of use, delivery time, quality, support and price. In FotoInsight's case, canvas prints are grouped together with poster printing, lamination and framing in what the company calls their "Deco-Shop".

Product Range 

    Deco Print Formats

FotoInsight offers a broad range of photo print products. The range of decorative print products on canvas, photographic paper, laminated posters, including a Nielsen wooden frame, is probably one of the most comprehensive on the Internet. Posters are processed on photographic paper and have bright colours and a silk matt surface. FotoInsight offers a lamination to seal the surface, which makes heavy, reflective glass redundant. Printing-1's offering is much more specialized and limited to photo books and canvas prints (no framing).

FotoInsight: 9/10    Printing-1: 6/10 

    Choice of canvas print formats

FotoInsight offers canvas prints in only five sizes, from 20x30 cm (12"x8") to a maximum of 60x80 cm (32"x24"). Compared to this, the choice at Printing-1 is phenomenal, as the sizes go in 10 cm (4") steps from 30 cm (12") to 120 cm (48") for each side. Any format from 30 x 30 cm (12"x12") or 30 x 120 cm (48"x12") to 120 x 120 cm (48"x48") is possible, or any combination inbetween (in 10 cm / 4" increments).

FotoInsight: 4/10    Printing-1: 10/10

Ease of use

Both photo services offer design and order software as a free Internet download. Printing-1 however only provides this software for photo book design; canvas prints can only be ordered through a browser pop-up. A preview of the chosen format is displayed in proportion to the size of an average human. In itself a good idea, unfortunately the preview is far too small. A better preview is only shown when the format has been decided and the image uploaded. Then the website provides tools to zoom and to centre the image on the print area. After the upload, the user has to log into the website before being allowed to order the print, which confusingly is called a "photobook"; an indicator that Printing-1's main business is probably photo book printing. The advantage of the web account upload is, that it allows the user to show others their print project online before buying and also to allow friends and family to buy their own prints. This seems convenient for photo books, especially albums from weddings and other festivities. For one-image-products like the photo canvas it seems an unnecessary complication.

FotoInsight offers two routes to order. Those who want to print just a single picture do well with the web-upload through their browser. Using this route, there is first some confusion between canvas with and without frame, but from the second step forward it becomes clear and simple. FotoInsight offers text tools and highlights the frame fold area; but the browser upload misses tools to zoom and position the image. The free ordering software "FotoInsight Designer" provides a zoom tool, however FotoInsight insists on printing on the area that gets folded over the frame. Those who wish to avoid that a computer algorithm "optimises" the colours of their prints, should use the "FotoInsight Designer" software's option to turn this feature off. Also people who wish to upload several images or higher resolution pictures should better use the ordering software tool. An additional feature of the "FotoInsight Designer" software are templates, which help to elegantly layer several photos on a canvas.

FotoInsight: 8/10    Printing-1: 7/10

Delivery time

The canvas prints from FotoInsight reached us in four days (though the ones ordered with a frame took a full week longer). The photo canvas prints from Printing-1 took eight working days.

    FotoInsight: 9/10    Printing-1: 6/10 

Quality

Printing-1 limits the size of the image file to a maximum of 8 MB. That is just about enough for a 120 x 120 cm (48"x48") canvas print. The material has a fine structure and a more paint like ink, which gives more of an impression of a classic canvas. The fabric is stretched over a wooden frame and stapled to it. The colours look brighter and less warm than with FotoInsight. Especially when FotoInsight's "automatic image correction" has been activated during the upload, the colours tend to use a skin friendly spectrum, which may help portraits, but can be undesirable on landscapes, specially with snow. When turning the "automatic image optimization" off, FotoInsight offers outstandingly realistic colours. The material used by FotoInsight is a fine, synthetic fabric, appearing more real, with good colours and contrast. FotoInsight prints at 300 dpi, a resolution higher than most services and states that it "uses man made optimised fibres and fade-resistant archival inks to guarantee longevity and brilliant colours, with all materials guaranteed by their manufacturers to last 100 years".

    FotoInsight: 10/10    Printing-1: 7/10 

Both firms provide support by email . During office hours we received a reply the same day. In addition to email support, FotoInsight offers also free telephone support under telephone number 01926 463117. Longer support service hours would have lead to full marks.

FotoInsight: 9/10    Printing-1: 6/10 

Costs 

A mounted canvas print does not require a frame. If you want one, it will be as expensive as the mounted print. For that amount, FotoInsight offers professionally cut Nielsen frames with a float (i.e. a gap between the edge of the canvas and the frame to display the area folded over the edge).

Prices for canvas prints in comparable sizes:

Format 30x40 (print size 36cm x 46cm): FotoInsight: £29.99 / €39.99 - Printing-1: £39.95

Format 40x60 (print size 46cm x 66cm): FotoInsight: £39.99 / €59.99 - Printing-1: £59.95

Format 60x60 (print size 66cm x 66cm): FotoInsight: £49.99 / €79.99 - Printing-1: £79.95

Format 60x80 (print size 66cm x 86cm): FotoInsight: £69.99 / €89.99 - Printing-1: £89.95

Postage & Packaging per oder

FotoInsight £2.80 (for canvas print orders over £30 its £5.99)

Printing-1 £14.90

FotoInsight: 10/10    Printing-1: 8/10 

Result

In the final count FotoInsight leads with 59 points ahead of Printing-1 with a respectable 50 points. If a classic canvas structure is desired or flexible formats are required, Printing-1 is worth the extra money and time. Those who can do with a standard format or want a high resolution print with warmer colours can save money with the test winner FotoInsight. 

Conclusion

From this review, we excluded photo canvas services with prints that can't fulfil modern expectations. If you choose to print your canvas with Printing-1 or FotoInsight should depend mainly on the specific characteristics of each service, which we have tried to outline here, are most important to you. We hope, that the information in this review will help to make the right choice and that your canvas print will deliver lasting visual pleasure.

Links to websites:

FotoInsight UK / GB£: http://fotoinsight.co.uk/canvas
FotoInsight IE / EU€: http://fotoinsight.com/canvas
Printing-1 : http://www.printing-1.co.uk/