120 C41 in Sydney CBD?

mesh · Dec 29, 2009

I am going to be in Sydney for a couple of days next week and was hoping there was a lab in town that does 120 C41 fairly quickly... any suggestions? Many thanks.

Michael W · Dec 29, 2009

I can't think of anywhere in the CBD. There's Vision at Waterloo about 5km from the CBD but not sure what their holiday dates are. There's Platinum at Darlinghurst a few k from the CBD but I don't think they do good work with 120 colour film. A friend had 2 rolls processed there & both had marks at the very end of the final frames. He asked if there'd been a problem & they told him "No, all the rolls come out like that, it's the machine". Pix Photomedia at Bondi have a good reputation but that's a fair way from the city & again i've no idea of their holiday times.

Ross Chambers · Dec 29, 2009

I've put 35mm C41 through Fotolab (in Pitt Street, between Park and Bathurst, right in the CBD) without problems and fairly rapidly, an hour or less. They tell me that they are set up to do 120 C41, but I don't shoot much colour and the last roll of 120 C41 I had processed was at Vision Graphics at Waterloo. As Fotolab is consumer oriented and Vision Graphics is pro, at this time of year it may be that Fotolab is more active.

I've just checked Fotolab's website, but they must be updating it, suggest that you check yourself later.

Regards - Ross

mesh · Dec 29, 2009

Thanks Ross and goldie. Will give it a go, and call ahead.

Michael W · Dec 29, 2009

I wouldn't recommend Fotolab, they're in a good location but I've seen less than pro results from them.

frontdrive34 · Dec 29, 2009

I've been using Vision Image Lab on Danks St, Waterloo. I have NO complaints at all and they usually turn 120 rolls around in a 2 - 3 hour window as standard.

junqbox · Dec 29, 2009

+1 for Vision Image Lab. Always good work and fast service.

mesh · Dec 30, 2009

Vision Image it is! Thanks guys.

Ross Chambers · Dec 30, 2009

frontdrive34 said:
I've been using Vision Image Lab on Danks St, Waterloo.

Well, they (or half of them) used to be Vision Graphics in Redfern. My use of colour would be about 2 rolls a year and labs seem to move around during this period. Sorry if Fotolab was a bum steer, but they are central and likely to be open.

I've always believed BTW that colour neg processing by most labs is safe, as it is sensitometrically monitored. It's the less controlled print procedure, by which results are often judged and which has a discretionary human input, which may be dodgy. I had Vision Graphics (as they were then) make a hand print of a 6x4.5 neg which looked awful as rendered by a local consumer processor and it looked pretty good.

Regards - Ross

nsouto · Dec 30, 2009

I've been using Fotolab in Pitt St for the last 2 years without the slightest problem. Both 35mm and 120, slide and C41. I always specify "no cutting, develop only" as I do my own scanning/printing, but they also do those.

They will move somewhere else in the CBD during 2010 as the building has been sold but they've assured me the film service will continue. They have another shop I believe in Castlereagh St but the one in Pitt St is easier for me.

One thing: they do a lot of film developing so their chemicals are usually in reasonably replenished condition. And the turnaround for film is usally less than 12 hours for C41 and 12-24 hours for slide.

I get the occasional drying marks, easily cleared with film cleaner. Used to get the same from Vision Graphics, so I'm used to it...

Vison graphics - or what remains of them - used to be my first choice but when they closed the development in St Leonards and concentrated everything in Redfern, it stopped being handy as the turnaround is waaaay too long for me.

120 C41 in Sydney CBD?

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