Is CVS photo printing good enough for casual snapshots?
Asked 1/24/2011
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2 answers
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I have a CVS on my commute, so its photo counter would be very convenient for uploading files and picking up prints later. I’m not looking for gallery-quality output—just decent casual prints. Has anyone had reasonable results with CVS, and is there any way to manage or minimize their color adjustments? I’m also curious whether alignment/cropping accuracy is an issue for prints with borders or precise framing.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
10
This site has a CVS Pharmacy's ICC profile, its based on the specific printer and paper they use:
http://www.drycreekphoto.com/icc/Profiles/Massachusetts_profiles.htm
Looks like they have ICC profiles for all sorts of random print labs across the country.
Originally by user1819. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1819
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—CVS can be fine for casual snapshot prints, but it’s generally not a good choice for color-critical or precisely framed work. Community experience suggests the color is usually “reasonable” for everyday prints, similar to other drugstore labs, but you should not expect consistent professional-quality output.
Two practical limitations came up:
- Color management may be limited or unclear, though some third-party ICC profiles for specific CVS printer/paper setups can sometimes be found online.
- Print alignment can vary by a few millimeters, which matters if your image has thin borders, frames, or exact edge composition.
So for family photos, party prints, or quick convenience printing, CVS is usually acceptable. For anything where accurate color, predictable cropping, or tight alignment matters, use a lab that provides ICC profiles and states its print tolerances. If you do use CVS, avoid designs with thin borders near the edge and leave a little extra margin for possible misalignment.
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