Colour prints from Ilford

foc · Mar 30, 2020

Ok the title may not be technically correct but it got your attention.

I am referring to Harman Labs, who are now offering colour film developing to complement their already excellent B&W film developing service.
Have a look here:
https://www.harmanlab.com/

It appears to be just for the UK & EU at the moment.

Maybe some else has seen this already but it is new to me. It would appear to confirm the recent growth in the colour film market.

pentaxuser · Mar 31, 2020

Thanks for the head-up and yes it is interesting that Ilford is now doing it. So Kodachrome production is next on the Ilford list? Just kidding

pentaxuser

BMbikerider · Mar 31, 2020

pentaxuser said:
So Kodachrome production is next on the Ilford list? Just kiddingpentaxuser

Don't get them started! We will never hear the end of it!

AgX · Mar 31, 2020

Keep in mind that Harman have stopped their operations for the time being. That includes their processing lab:

"Please note due to the rapidly changing situation we will unfortunately not be accepting orders until further notice."

Sal Santamaura · Mar 31, 2020

foc said:
...It appears to be just for the UK & EU at the moment...

One can also have color developing and printing done by the Ilford U.S. lab. Just recognize that Swan Photo Labs in San Clemente, California, opened in 1993, is the Ilford U.S. lab. Swan also markets under a second on-line alias, "The Darkroom."

foc · Mar 31, 2020

pentaxuser said:
So Kodachrome production is next on the Ilford list? Just kidding

That will be announced on 01/04/20 or 04/01/20 or 20/04/01 (depending where you are)

Ballinderry-Michael · Mar 31, 2020

amarach, if you're where I am.

foc · Apr 1, 2020

Ballinderry-Michael said:
amarach, if you're where I am.

Or inniu, now where I am.

DREW WILEY · Apr 1, 2020

I just used "The Darkroom" in San Clemente for my 8x10 C-41 film processing. Very fast and cooperative. I don't know if the current virus crisis imposes any delays. I sent in my own order slightly ahead of the predicament. I do my own color printing, so can't comment on that kind of service. They were a well known lab in SF for many years prior to moving to southern Calif.

Sal Santamaura · Apr 2, 2020

DREW WILEY said:
I just used "The Darkroom" in San Clemente...They were a well known lab in SF for many years prior to moving to southern Calif.

As noted in #5 above, "The Darkroom" is one of the marketing initiatives of Swan Photo Labs. What San Francisco lab (prior to 1993) are you referring to? One that was owned by Keith Swan and/or Philip Steblay? Inquiring alleged mind wants to know.

DREW WILEY · Apr 2, 2020

They note their history on their current site. I can't comment more specifically because I never dealt with SF labs, since there were equally big, or even bigger, labs here on the East Bay, and an instance of ownership of full-service labs on both sides of the Bay, now retired from that because building techie office spaces and condos brings him vastly bigger bucks - exactly the kind of real estate gentrification that's dooming all kinds of local services. It's hard to get color film processing larger than 4x5 in northern Cal, and I don't know if anyone does 5x7 here. San Clemente is close enough.

Donald Qualls · Apr 2, 2020

Sal Santamaura said:
One can also have color developing and printing done by the Ilford U.S. lab. Just recognize that Swan Photo Labs in San Clemente, California, opened in 1993, is the Ilford U.S. lab. Swan also markets under a second on-line alias, "The Darkroom."

Nice coincidence here, I just got my negatives and a couple prints (plus CD and downloaded scans) from The Darkroom a couple days ago. They don't seem to have even blinked at getting sprocket hole images 67 mm wide on 35 mm film, just scanned them as they were. Mind you, at $20+ for the basic develop, basic scan, and negatives back, I'll be doing my own color as soon as I can (I can buy a C-41 powder kit that can be shipped USPS priority and will process 20 rolls for around $30 shipped and taxed -- when it comes back in stock).

DREW WILEY · Apr 3, 2020

It's probably the scan that jumps the cost. Do you really need it? After awhile, one tends to acquire an ability to sort out worthwhile color negs over a lightbox. Looking through a med blue filter like an 80A nulls out most of the orange mask and makes hue differentiation more apparent, all inverted of course.

Donald Qualls · Apr 3, 2020

The Darkroom doesn't offer no-scan, negatives only processing, at least on their web site. My negatives included several paper mailers when they came back, I haven't looked at those in detail (though there certainly are some options on there that the web site doesn't offer); I'll be doing my C-41 at home within a couple weeks anyway, probably won't mail any film off again any time soon. I may even try color printing at some point after I get my darkroom fully operational, rather than sending scans to the local Target or Walgreens.

DREW WILEY · Apr 3, 2020

I just got a whole stack of processed-only color negs back from them. Scanning is optional, and there are different quality levels of scanning to choose from if you do need it. RA4 color printing isn't difficult if you have a decent colorhead and know how to keep chemicals at correct temperature in a water bath.

Donald Qualls · Apr 4, 2020

Their web site doesn't offer no-scan, but "standard scan" (roundly 1-1.5 megapixel, JPG only) is included with processing at no charge, along with scan file downloads for 60 days and a CD/DVD back with the negatives. No-cut costs extra (probably because they have to roll the sleeved negs into a cardboard tube instead of putting them flat in an envelope). Prints are extra, as are upgraded scans. By the time I had negatives, no-cut, and shipping (added to the total after you select other options, probably charging more there as well for rolled negs), it comes to just over $20 to get my negatives back at the minimum service level. For $40, I was able to get C-41 chemistry with ground HazMat shipping -- would have saved $10 on shipping if the powder kits had been in stock, and had the chemicals in hand sooner.

Yeah, about the RA-4. Printing and developing the prints in total darkness isn't all that hard -- I've tray developed 4x5 film several times. A color head is another thing entirely; my old Omega 4x5 enlarger has a cold light head on it, condensers are long gone and last I checked were priced out of my range, and it doesn't even have a filter drawer for contrast filtration (last time I used it, I was hand-holding gelatins under the lens to split filter print). I'm not sure the cold light will work for color -- the light looks white, but most fluorescents have a cast on film because of the way the phosphor emissions are mixed to make visually white light, and the differences in the way film records color vs. the eye seeing it. I've been thinking about replacing the cold light with a flat LED lamp (they're sold as replacements for embedded ceiling fixtures, in three or more diameters and power ratings), and the fabrication to do that could easily include a filter drawer. Otherwise, I won't be buying a color head for this enlarger any time soon -- I'm not sure they were ever available, never mind still to be had, and I recall them being expensive even when they were relatively common.

railwayman3 · Apr 4, 2020

foc said:
Ok the title may not be technically correct but it got your attention.

I am referring to Harman Labs, who are now offering colour film developing to complement their already excellent B&W film developing service.
Have a look here:
https://www.harmanlab.com/

It appears to be just for the UK & EU at the moment.

Maybe some else has seen this already but it is new to me. It would appear to confirm the recent growth in the colour film market.

Harman Lab already offered C-41 negative processing (and B&W printing) for chromogenic B&W films, so presumably, for UK, they have added a printing and paper processing line in house ?

logan2z · Apr 4, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
Their web site doesn't offer no-scan, but "standard scan" (roundly 1-1.5 megapixel, JPG only) is included with processing at no charge, along with scan file downloads for 60 days and a CD/DVD back with the negatives. No-cut costs extra (probably because they have to roll the sleeved negs into a cardboard tube instead of putting them flat in an envelope). Prints are extra, as are upgraded scans. By the time I had negatives, no-cut, and shipping (added to the total after you select other options, probably charging more there as well for rolled negs), it comes to just over $20 to get my negatives back at the minimum service level.

This is why I didn't use The Darkroom but went with The Icon in LA instead. The Icon offers a no-scan option and doesn't charge extra for not cutting the negatives. They also offer better/less expensive return shipping options. I usually include a pre-paid FedEx label and they ship my negatives back using that. Customer service has been really good as well. Unfortunately they're closed due to the virus

DREW WILEY · Apr 4, 2020

What Omega enlarger do you have, Donald? Used colorheads for most of the Omega models are abundant and dirt cheap. Trying to print color via cold light, LED, or filter drawer is like pulling teeth.

Donald Qualls · Apr 4, 2020

DREW WILEY said:
What Omega enlarger do you have, Donald? Used colorheads for most of the Omega models are abundant and dirt cheap. Trying to print color via cold light, LED, or filter drawer is like pulling teeth.

Let me go lift up the blankets (it's been stored for several years): It says; "Variable Condenser for 2" to 6 1/2" enlarging lenses" (in fact, I've used a 28 mm lens on it for 16 mm negatives at least once). The cold light is a Zone VI, and it sits below the original condenser housing. the original lamp house is probably wherever the condenser glass got to (this is how it was set up when I bought it in 2004). It's a 4x5 size (handy, since I have a Speed Graphic and Graphic View in that size, plus a 9x12 cm plate camera or two), with a roughly 8" diameter above the negative carrier. Pretty sure that makes it a Model D.

Quick look at eBay suggests your definition of "dirt cheap" differs from mine. I see an Omega D5XL Super Chromega Dichro 2 for $695, or three the same size, slightly different model, with a biggish collection of negative carriers for $1000.

DREW WILEY · Apr 5, 2020

I've seen dozens of em go for free if someone would just pick em up. It takes some patience. But right now there is one of the Bay in NC for around $ 379. Don't know the condition. Unfortunately, this is a bad time to drive around to pick something up. But it could be any other kind of enlarger with colorhead; whole units go for cheap.

Donald Qualls · Apr 6, 2020

I don't see that one -- not that i could afford $379 this week, even if it were in Winston Salem. And even if they're going free for the pickup, they'd have to be no further than Charlotte or Raleigh or at the furthest, Fayetteville or Asheville. Yeah, with the Triad, Raleigh and Charlotte, that gives a population of around a million and a half -- but out of all those people, there probably aren't a dozen of these heads still in operable condition. If it's to be an entire enlarger, it'd have to be 4x5 -- and then I get to start all over assembling the negative carriers I need (Minolta/Kiev 16mm, not the same as 110, 35 mm, 828, 127 at least 4x6, 120 6x9, 9x12 cm and 4x5 -- as a minimum set). At least I've got lenses.

Sirius Glass · Apr 6, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
I don't see that one -- not that i could afford $379 this week, even if it were in Winston Salem. And even if they're going free for the pickup, they'd have to be no further than Charlotte or Raleigh or at the furthest, Fayetteville or Asheville. Yeah, with the Triad, Raleigh and Charlotte, that gives a population of around a million and a half -- but out of all those people, there probably aren't a dozen of these heads still in operable condition. If it's to be an entire enlarger, it'd have to be 4x5 -- and then I get to start all over assembling the negative carriers I need (Minolta/Kiev 16mm, not the same as 110, 35 mm, 828, 127 at least 4x6, 120 6x9, 9x12 cm and 4x5 -- as a minimum set). At least I've got lenses.

See what is available on your local Craig's list. That is what I ended up doing. And it took a while to find a good one.

Donald Qualls · Apr 6, 2020

I'd gotten out of the habit of checking Craiglist for anything -- the good stuff at decent prices was always gone, and the stuff that was still there (even checking several times a week) was overpriced crap. It's like a 24x7 yard sale, only with eBay prices -- if you aren't there two hours before they open, it'll be picked over.

Colour prints from Ilford

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency