proof vs printout

[greatguy]

Thanks Doug for the great website. Could someone please tell me the difference between a proof and a print? I was at a color lab site and they had different prices for the two. I would guess that the proof is a lower quality but is that due to resolution, paper, or something else. Thanks to everyone else, I have learned so much here.

Bruce

[Doug Nelson]

In different contexts it will mean different things. But in the context of a photo lab, it generally means printing on full automatic, fast and cheap, so that you can get an idea of the focus, composition, etc.