With so many people making the switch from film to digital cameras, the demand for high quality photo printing has risen dramatically too. Thankfully there are several options open to you for getting your photos printed easily and quickly, and here is a rundown on the pluses and minuses of each printing choice.

With film cameras you just dropped the film of at the local developer, which could be a local photo store, a department store, a mall kiosk, etc. And with digital film you still have the same options open to you as well. The advantage of using an outside developer is that all of the printing work is done for you in convenient fashion. The disadvantages include having to wait for your prints just like you would have with your film prints, and the added costs associated with having all of the work done for you. Another point to consider is that you will have no control over the final prints, which is one of the positives of using digital cameras.

Basically, this option allows you to keep getting your prints the same way that you always have before now with film. And most of those photo print retailers use either Fuji or Kodak processing to make their prints. Generally speaking, the quality of the prints you receive using one of these in-store processing labs is pretty good, with most reviewers favoring Fuji kiosk processing over Kodak's. A little wrinkle that some of these photo print retailers have added is the convenience of uploading your digital photos to them by the internet instead of having to make an actual physical visit to the store instead. This can be a big time saver that you may want to consider in this process too, but you will have to visit them to pick up your prints.

The other most popular method of making photo prints is to just do it yourself using a photo printer at home. This method is actually gaining in popularity most rapidly as you can easily turn out excellent prints in no time with the high quality printers that are available today. You can choose from snapshot printers that just let you print 4 X 6 photos only and are perhaps the simplest of all to use, to full photo printers that will allow you to print enlargements on up to 8 X 10 or more in some cases.

One of the advantages of these kind of printers is the immediate processing of your prints. Just plug in your camera and print out your snapshots in minutes. No travel, no muss, no fuss. They also allow you to edit the photos beforehand to make them appear their best when printed which you can't do with store processed photos. The disadvantage is mainly just the initial investment in the equipment necessary to get started. If you print a lot of photos though, it may be cheaper for you in the long run.

So whichever photo printing system you use is entirely up to you, but hopefully this information can help you know about the choices available to you and how to make the best choice for your needs.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including digital photography. You can find the best photo printer and photo printer reviews by visiting our Digital Photography website.