Taking 3D photos is not that hard anymore, but sharing them with people that don’t have a 3D-capable display device is still a bit of a problem and the easiest ways to ensure that they can see the photo in 3D is to have them printed. Of course printing a 3D photo is not as easy as with a 2D photo and is more expensive, but the results can also be more impressive and it certainly makes a nice gift for someone, especially if the photos are from some kind of an event like a birthday, wedding, anniversary etc. The question here is where and how to get your 3D photos printed as it turns out that there are not that many places where you can easily have your pictures printed in 3D. One of these places is Snapily, and I’ve already mentioned their Snapily3D app for iOS devices as well as their lenticular 3D printing services here on the blog. Now it is time to share my personal experience printing some 3D photos with Snapily them and having them delivered outside of the USA.
Snapily’s order process is very simple and easy, you just register at their website and start uploading the 3D photos, no need to edit them prior to uploading them, unless you want to do some adjustment of course. YOu upload one photo at a time, then you see a wiggle preview, select the photo size (4″x6″, 5″x7″ or 6″x9″) and the number of copies you want from each photo. Snapily is based in the USA, but they deliver prints in the whole world, it just takes a bit more time for them to be delivered, so if you want to make a present with 3D photo prints don’t wait for the last moment to order them. It took about to weeks for the printing and delivery of my 3D photos from UsA to Europe, though you may get them faster. The 3D photo prints were very well packed in a special package to keep them from bending and arrived in perfect condition with an extra paper envelope for each photo contained in the package in order to have them stored properly to keep them from being damaged. Lenticular prints are ticker than normal photos and you need to be careful not to scratch the plastic lenses on top of the actual print that are creating the 3D effect without the need to wear special glasses as this can make them unusable. Now regarding the print and the 3D effect, the resolution you get is a lower than that of a 2D photo, so very fine details may not be very clear and the photos may not be very sharp, seeming blurrier than what you see when reviewing the photos on a 3D monitor for example. The light and distance you view the 3D photo prints from are also very important for getting the best possible experience – you need to look at them in a well lit environment and not put them in your face, but instead hold them at a distance similar to the one you hold a book when you are reading. Also have in mind that not all 3D photos may look as good as on a 3D display when printed in 3D, though some might look more impressive on lenticular print. Just a piece of advice, don’t print multiple copies of a 3D photo you are not sure will look as you expect it printed in 3D, start with a single copy and if it is Ok then you can order more copies for it.
- For more information about Snapily’s lenticular 3D photo printing services…
