Best way to prepare file for photolab

[AlexDion]

Hi, iwant to know what your guys think is the best way to go about preparing files for printing at a photolab.
Ièm in Montreal and one of the most popular place is telling me to convert the files into srgb and also to make sure prints look good, they gave me printed test chart and they say to adjust my monitor to look the closest to the printed file.
The thing is, I calibrated my monitor with an EyeOne display 2 and to me this is way better than what they are doing.

So I'm kind of wondering what i should do?

Can anyone suggest me a photolab  in Montreal that is great with color and that calibrating my monitor with an eye one is better than a small test chart.

Or if you can tell me what a good photolab should do.

Thanks

[digitaldog]

You will have to have a conversation with the lab. Some haven’t a clue about color management, ask you to just send them sRGB and hope for the best. In such cases, you send them sRGB and hope for the best <g>.

Better labs are color managed, supply actual output profiles you can use for soft proofing and conversions you control. That’s the ideal way to be working. Such labs are rare unfortunately.

[AlexDion]

Thanks for the reply Andrew,

What do you think about Costco?
They provide ICC profiles for softproofing.

I'm going to try them out

[digitaldog]

What do you think about Costco?
They provide ICC profiles for softproofing.

Never used them but that’s the right idea.

[mrenters]

Thanks for the reply Andrew,

What do you think about Costco?
They provide ICC profiles for softproofing.

I'm going to try them out

I've used Costco with the profiles from www.drycreekphoto.com.  There are instructions on the Dry Creek site on how to size and prepare your images.  You can upload them via the www.coscto.ca website.  When you do, make sure you select the "Don't adjust my images" (or something to that effect) button before ordering.

Martin