Brushed, “classic,” and ChromaLuxe are three types of aluminum photo prints with unique styles and options. To compare them, I ordered several from different sources: online at Canvas Discount and Gelato, and a local print shop called Arrow Photo.
The first major difference was was price. I’ll talk about that in a minute,
When I started using services for prints, Canvas Discount was my go-to for inexpensive and fast results. I was satisfied with the price for the quality, like a 8×12″ metal print (above) for $16+shipping.
More recently I began using Gelato for prints on demand at my Etsy store. Gelato has two types of metal prints: “classic” and brushed aluminum.
I found the “classic” had slightly higher quality and a similar price, $16.53+shipping for 8×12. Brushed aluminum was cost more, $26.44+shipping, for the same size.
ChromaLuxe is a different story. This high-quality, glossy print cost twice as much: $74.95. You can order ChromaLuxe prints online, but since I used a local shop I didn’t have shipping costs. Shipping aside, this shiny metal print comes at a cost. A 4×6″ ChromaLuxe cost about as much as a 8×12 brushed aluminum ($25.95 and $26.44 respectively).
Is that worth the cost? Depends on what you want.
To my eye, ChromaLuxe prints have more fine detail at the same resolution, especially in the highlights. The biggest difference is its slick, glassy finish.
Reflections were evident while photographing close-up details to share. This photo of my ChromaLuxe print revealed my natural light source.
Above: Canvas Discount’s 8×12″ metal print
Above: Gelato’s 8×12″ classic metal print
Above: Gelato’s 8×12″ brushed metal print
Above: Arrow’s 4×6″ ChromaLuxe print
It’s worth noting that the last one is ¼ the size of the others. My budget for samples has limits.
Which is best? As much as I like ChromaLuxe, for now I plan to sell most aluminum prints through Gelato for cost considerations. Fancier materials will wait for special occasions.
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