iLAB Photo

iLAB Photo is a photographic printing lab on Cannon Road in Ħal Qormi, a town on the edge of the Valletta conurbation. It carries on a tradition of professional printing that began in 1964, and was re-owned, rebranded and raised to the highest standards of quality. For UK readers it is best thought of as a serious print house that also serves ordinary customers: you can order a handful of holiday prints, or commission fine art work and wedding albums.

On VisitMalta.co.uk the lab appears in our directory of photography studios in Malta, alongside photographers who might use a lab like this for their own work.

Photographic and fine art printing

Printing is the lab's main skill. Its printers are run by professionals with more than 25 years of experience, and the lab can print up to 32 inches wide on a choice of photographic papers. High-volume colour balance and proofing are standard, which is why the service suits wedding and event photographers as well as individuals. Photographic printing is the lab's forte, and it takes extra care over every job. That makes it a sensible stop if you have just shot a wedding or event in Malta and need finished prints. Standard prints range from 4x6 to 24x36 inches using the C-type wet process, and orders are usually ready for collection within two to four working days, with delivery adding one to two more.

A separate fine art division makes giclée prints on professional pigment inkjet printers, including the Epson SC-P20000 and Stylus Pro 9000. It works with the paper makers Fotospeed, Canson and Hahnemuhle and offers more than 30 fine art and photo papers. The lab also supports sRGB and Adobe RGB files and recommends monitor calibration, with Gamma 2.2 and 6500K as the settings for the most accurate colour. The lab also stocks calibrators and gives advice if you are unsure. Exact colour matching between a screen and a print is not always possible, so the lab's experts fine-tune brightness and colour to protect the quality of the result.

Photo books, gifts and everyday services

Beyond prints the lab makes photo books in several grades, from standard hardcovers to lay-flat classic books, traditional albums and handcrafted wedding books. It also produces wraps, blocks, framing, folios, murals and memorabilia, plus personalised mugs, photo frames, cards, collages, business cards and calendars.

In the shop you can use in-store instant printing, passport photos, photo scanning for prints and slides, photo restoration for worn pictures, in-house album design, camera sensor cleaning and customised printing. A good use for a UK visitor is turning a trip's pictures into a keepsake book, a calendar or a personalised mug as a gift for family back home.

Camera equipment

The shop also sells photography equipment for working photographers and keen amateurs, including tripods, camera bags and backpacks, studio lights, light modifiers, filters, backdrops, batteries, memory cards, audio gear for video, monitor calibrators and light meters. If you need other electronics nearby, the A-Store electronics shop is listed in our directory too.

Visiting and ordering

The lab takes orders online as well as in the shop. Orders can be collected at the shop in Qormi or delivered to your home. For ideas on what to photograph, see our Valletta guide, Mdina guide and Gozo guide, the best beaches in Malta, the Blue Lagoon guide and the wider list of things to do in Malta. If you are planning a longer stay, our Malta holidays overview is a useful starting point.

To ask about printing, restoration, passport photos or equipment, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the lab.