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Author Topic: Software for n-up photo printing?  (Read 11951 times)

rjbull

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Software for n-up photo printing?
« on: January 18, 2010, 02:39 PM »
I want to print some digital photos "n-up," but the sizes pre-set in Windows don't fit what I need.  Please can anyone recommend something that offers a greater range of options, and is, preferably, free?  The first one I found was ACD Systems' FotoSlate 4 Photo Print Studio, which isn't free, but at least it's cheap.

TIA...

cranioscopical

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Re: Software for n-up photo printing?
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2010, 02:59 PM »
Picassa 3 has 5x8, 9x13, 10x15, 13x18, 20x25 cm and full-page options on its print layout menu, FWIW.

rjbull

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Re: Software for n-up photo printing?
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2010, 03:23 PM »
I *think* Picasa offers the same options as Windows itself does, give or take inch to centimetre conversions.  I was hoping to be able to say, print 12 or 15 to a page, and have the program work out the best fit.  By contrast, here's part of the claims for Fotoslate (which I haven't tried yet):

Turn photos into contact sheets, wallet sized prints for sharing or 5 x 7 images in no time. You can also save printing time by customizing pages exactly to your specifications and then saving them to re-use again and again.

mouser

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Re: Software for n-up photo printing?
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2010, 03:57 PM »
my cheap canon inkjet printer came with a delightful free program (Easy-photoprint) for printing photos in various n-up configurations on different sized paper, etc.

rjbull

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Re: Software for n-up photo printing?
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2010, 04:02 PM »
my cheap canon inkjet printer came with a delightful free program (Easy-photoprint) for printing photos in various n-up configurations on different sized paper, etc.

And I have a large package that should contain a cheap Canon multifunction that I haven't opened yet   :-[  It's my week for embarrassment  :(

I'd have liked something not tied to a particular printer manufacturer, if only to avoid license issues.  But I really should check whether that program is included  <sigh>

:wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:

I should add, I was intending to do the printing at the local college (it's for an evening class), but do it by printing to PDF at home and taking the PDFs to college on a USB stick.
« Last Edit: January 18, 2010, 04:05 PM by rjbull »

Target

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Re: Software for n-up photo printing?
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2010, 04:21 PM »
not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for, but for something like a contact sheet most image viewers will probably fit the bill (I know Faststone and XNView do, so others no doubt do also).

Most times you set the number of rows and columns, and the app autofits the images accordingly and outputs the result as a new file...


rjbull

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Re: Software for n-up photo printing?
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2010, 04:56 PM »
Most times you set the number of rows and columns, and the app autofits the images accordingly and outputs the result as a new file...

Go to the top of the class, that man!   :Thmbsup:  Look for a small DC credit...  You're right, it works in IrfanView.   For some reason, if there's more than one page,  IV won't output PDFs as one file, it prints each one separately, but for my current purposes that's OK.  IV can save multiple pages as JPGs without user intervention, though.

For anyone wanting to know how:  IV, press "T" for thumbnails.  Mark the images you want.  Alt-F, go down to "Create contact sheet from selected files."  Look for "Image parameters."  Pick the number of rows and columns etc. you want, press "Create," up comes the Print Preview, and off you go.

« Last Edit: January 18, 2010, 05:02 PM by rjbull »

Target

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Re: Software for n-up photo printing?
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2010, 05:02 PM »
you could also merge the resultant PDF's into a single document - not using IV, but it's not a big issue..

rjbull

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Re: Software for n-up photo printing?
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2010, 05:03 PM »
you could also merge the resultant PDF's into a single document - not using IV, but it's not a big issue..

Yes, I have tools for that.  And it turns out that if you only want jpegs, it does that automatically.

tomos

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Re: Software for n-up photo printing?
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2010, 05:50 AM »
rj, if you do get around to opening that Canon Printer box at some stage :D, it's definitely worthwhile installing:

my cheap canon inkjet printer came with a delightful free program (Easy-photoprint) for printing photos in various n-up configurations on different sized paper, etc.

it is limited to pre-set layouts, (1,2,4,9,20 etc.) but certainly very easy to use with a Canon printer and makes a very nice print (check settings of course, I go for highest quality & no optimisation, ymmv)
Tom

Chris

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Re: Software for n-up photo printing?
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2010, 05:16 AM »
I would use IrfanView to print the photos as mentioned above as contact sheets. I would then use XnView to print the contact sheets as one PDF using PrimoPDF. It might be a little roundabout, but it is easy and is free

Chris
Adelaide
Australia

dhays

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Re: Software for n-up photo printing?
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2010, 07:53 AM »
If on Windows, one of the best non-free programs for n-up printing is Qimage: http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage/

It's shareware and a "Lite" license is $35.00

tomos

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Re: Software for n-up photo printing?
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2010, 08:18 AM »
If on Windows, one of the best non-free programs for n-up printing is Qimage: http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage/

It's shareware and a "Lite" license is $35.00

if you want to enlarge images it's probably better to get the $50 version
I personally find it objectionable in this day & age that you have to pay another $40 on top of that (=$90) for raw image support, in fact that's one of the reasons why I've never gone & bought it in spite of liking it a lot

compare edition here http://www.ddisoftwa.../qimage/editions.htm
Tom