Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Recently I printed two different photobooks using Blurb and Photobook Canada. Both 8" X 10", softcover, 100 pages of 160 - 170 images each, "upgraded" paper, and two copies of each book.

Blurb:
$78.08 ($90.37 including shipping and tax)
1 day from file upload to shipment notification
Excellent print quality but hideous high gloss covers

Photobook Canada:
$110 ($137.86 including shipping and tax)
9 days from file upload to shipment notification
Excellent print quality

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39895427@N00/5739215416/" title=" "><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2796/5739215416_06cdcfcba0.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMGP9690-1"></a>

Both have essentially the same photobook styles and options. A price comparison on their websites shows Photobook Canada a lot more expensive but they seem to always have discounts either on their front page or via email; I used a 2 for 1 discount. Photobook Canada has a Markham address, Blurb seems to be California based but the box was shipped from Calgary.

Both require you to download and use their own book layout software, they're quite similar. Photobook Canada software is easy and intuitive, about 15 minutes in I understood it including creating my own custom layout template and first draft complete in about four hours. Blurb software has more options but is more difficult with locked layouts requiring an annoying "edit-layout" back and forth; it took me about two days to complete first draft. If it weren't for Blurb's lower prices I would have abandoned it for Photobook Canada.

Print quality on both is excellent, essentially identical. Photobook Canada includes front and back blank sheets and vellum like protector sheets. Blurb has none of that but annoyingly includes a Blurb logo on inside back cover, a $10 per book option to replace or remove. Photobook Canada covers match the inside printed pages satin appearance; Blurb covers are a hideous high gloss, at this price I assume they're laminated which over time may be appreciated. As mentioned, this was the softcover photobook style.

I prefer Photobook Canada over Blurb although recommend both. Photobook Canada software is just so easy and has the tools I prefer whereas I really don't like Blurb's high gloss covers and that they didn't describe them adequately anywhere on their website.

Thanks Donald... this is a great revue. I have used Blurb, and Pikto for photo books... I actually have a number of idea's for books looming in the near future, so this is good information.

Photobook Canada has a groupon promotion right now.

Photobook Canada is best compared to Blurb because their print quality and images both are awesome. At the photo books, you can find everything in one place.

I will have to say that it is a must to get the upgraded paper from photobook canada. everything printed on the cheapest stuff they offer turns out really wonky. a whole bunch of people I know had them printed for our portfolio show last spring and every single one turned out crazy coloured and kinda hazy looking. the only good one was done on the upgraded paper stocks. also even though it says photobook canada it comes from china or malaysia I believe....

A friend recently had a book of his nature shots printed by Blurb. Then printed again. Then printed again. Every time it was printed, there were issues. All three prints had a streaky finish in the blacks. One of the prints had poor centring and cuts on the pages. These are problems that I've never had with them. The difference seems to be that his print jobs came out of Seattle, whereas mine were printed in Calgary. His reprints were free but given that they weren't done right, that's pretty meaningless.

Also, you don't need to get high gloss covers with Blurb, I didn't.

Photobook Canada has an facility in Malaysia but they also have their head office and production facility in Richmond Hill. Ken owns the company and he has grown it from Canada to an office in the US and into Asia. They do use a variety of papers but one of their main stocks they use in Canada is McCoy. McCoy is a high end paper. You also have the option of printing on other substrates. I don't know what stock he uses in Malaysia but in Canada they are very particular about the types of paper they run.

Good to know. i wasn't sure of all the details on it so knowing that there is a much better stock of paper being used here vs the malaysia facility is kind of reassuring

I've used blurb for most of my photobooks.
Half of the time I had a problem, It's inconsistent in terms of their bleeds and cuts and whatnot. It really limits your creativity, specially if you create from scratch like I do, using InDesign. Does anyone know of any other website that lets you use InDesign?
On the plus side, blurb has good customer service, and the times I had issues, they were prompt to assist.
Blurb also often sends discount coupons via email, usually between 20-30%. It's not for EVERY month, but I'd say the majority of the year.
I'm seriously looking to change providers. Anyone with a good recommendation, please let me know!

Thanks for the review. I have used blurb in the past but maybe I'll check out photobook Canada