Film development

Photoguy365 · May 29, 2018

Ok, not sure if this is the correct sub forum, apologies if it’s now. Just trying to see where others are getting their film developed. I have a local CVS store send it out, and I was not impressed with the results. Film was shot through my trusty Nikon F4. Same camera that I used professionally for years. So I know the camera is doing it’s job. The pictures I got back looked like they were processed with old chemistry. Very grainy and dull looking. Anyway, just wanted to see if others had found a good lab for b&w and color negs. Thanks!

BAC1967 · May 29, 2018

I highly recommend The Darkroom in San Clemente, CA. They do a great job developing and scanning plus they do real prints. It's mail order and the turnaround is usually within a week for me.

https://thedarkroom.com/

shutterfinger · May 29, 2018

https://www.dwaynesphoto.com/ is a close second to The Darkroom.

CMoore · May 29, 2018

For Black and White, i use the world renowned Chip Moore photo lab of Suisun City Ca...USA.
For color Negs and Slides i use The Darkroom.

removed account4 · May 29, 2018

hi Photoguy365

sorry to hear of your problems.

were they b /w or color ?
color you are lucky !!!!!! CVS uses fuji
and fuji doesn't send negatives
back for anyone but ... rite aid pharmacy
( from what i understand ) does until they
are completely coverted to walgreens ...
b/w.... it was sent to dwaynes ... ( through fuji )
the darkroom, blue moon, northeast photographic ..
never heard any negative vibe ...

sorry for your trouble !
john

Photoguy365 · May 29, 2018

It was color film. Honestly, I suspect that their Chems were extremely old and worn out. I worked at a one hour film place in college. I know that as the chems got worn out, the pictures would start to look murky. I will look into the recommendations above. Thanks guys!

Paul Howell · May 29, 2018

CVS, Walgreens and Walmart send film to Fujicolor somewhere in the East, the film is developed, scanned and emailed back to store who prints and scans to a low res CD. The Walgreens near me uses R4 paper but no longer printed on a large Fuji mini lab. So don't know if the problem is that Fuji did a poor job of development, scanning, or if the CVS did a poor job of printing. Did you get your negatives back? I tired Blue Moon just see how good of a job they would do, was quite nice. I live near Tempe Camera which still has an in house custom lab and Photo Shop Wilson's that has a miniab.

I saw three color labs listed in Huston. Any good?

Photoguy365 · May 29, 2018

I just checked. They did not return my negatives. Which pisses me off, as they had no right to keep them. I will definitely not be using them again.

dourbalistar · May 29, 2018

I've been sending my color C-41 to Precision Camera & Video in Austin, TX. For a similar price, they offer much higher resolution scans than the Darkroom. Through this link, it's $11.99/roll with 35mm scans at 4181x6305px:
http://www.precision-camera.com/rff-ultra-high-resolution-scans

shutterfinger · May 29, 2018

Dwayne's will not return the negatives if you do not include return shipping with the order.
Not returning the negatives was a cost cutting measure implemented by consumer grade processors.
I used The Darkroom in San Carlos years ago but as with many businesses that location closed.

Theo Sulphate · May 29, 2018

I send my color film to Blue Moon in Portland, Oregon (they advertise on this site).

Best color prints I've ever had from a lab.

However, for B&W they use C41 processing due to the paper. In that case, I would ask for a "cold tone" -- otherwise it will be sepia.

mklw1954 · Jun 14, 2018

I develop all my own film but a friend is very happy with McGreevy's in Albany, NY:
http://www.mcgreevyprolab.com/photo-lab-services/film-processing

Pentode · Jun 14, 2018

I do my black & white at home but I use two labs here in NYC for my color developing. LTI Lightside for my C-41 and Vista/CRC for my E6. Both are top notch labs and I’ve never had anything to complain about.

Truth be told, I’m sure Vista could do both but I was using LTI first and I like those guys so I continue to throw them the C-41 work.

blockend · Jun 15, 2018

Photoguy365 said:
It was color film. Honestly, I suspect that their Chems were extremely old and worn out. I worked at a one hour film place in college. I know that as the chems got worn out, the pictures would start to look murky. I will look into the recommendations above. Thanks guys!

I process my own colour C41. Being a scrooge and having a fridge full of cheap film, I stretch the chemistry way beyond its recommended capacity. There's a definite step between totally acceptable and yuk, and it can be the difference between one film and the next. Your description sounds like dead chemistry, though it's impossible to say for sure, especially without negatives.

Photoguy365 · Jun 15, 2018

blockend said:
I process my own colour C41. Being a scrooge and having a fridge full of cheap film, I stretch the chemistry way beyond its recommended capacity. There's a definite step between totally acceptable and yuk, and it can be the difference between one film and the next. Your description sounds like dead chemistry, though it's impossible to say for sure, especially without negatives.

I worked at a photo lab during the 90s. It definitely looked like shot chemicals.

CMoore · Jun 15, 2018

blockend said:
I process my own colour C41. Being a scrooge and having a fridge full of cheap film.......

For "cheap" color film i have been using Kodak Color-Plus 200.....about $3.00 a box in the usa, circa 2017.
I like the look of it.
Just curious.....What are you shooting for color film.?

Photoguy365 · Jun 15, 2018

CMoore said:
For "cheap" color film i have been using Kodak Color-Plus 200.....about $3.00 a box in the usa, circa 2017.
I like the look of it.
Just curious.....What are you shooting for color film.?

Fugi 400 purchased this year from CVS.

blockend · Jun 15, 2018

CMoore said:
For "cheap" color film i have been using Kodak Color-Plus 200.....about $3.00 a box in the usa, circa 2017.
I like the look of it.
Just curious.....What are you shooting for color film.?

I have a large number of Poundland films. This is mostly Agfa Vista (aka Fujicolor 200). Prior to that they sold Kodak Colour Plus, of which I also have a bag full. The Agfa is all 24 exp, I used my final 36 exp rolls last year, as I did the 400 asa Agfa Vista, which was also Poundland Fuji film.

Unfortunately that will be the last of the films for a pound, the shop stopped selling film and Fuji seem to be withdrawing from film manufacture by stealth. Not sure how many rolls I have left, maybe 70-80 dated 2012 to 2017, all deep frozen and triple sealed from purchase. With home processing the overall cost per roll is negligible. If I was paying for processing it would be cheaper to buy 36 exposure rolls from Boots (UK high street pharmacist), who frequently sell Lomograpjy twin packs on a half price basis.

There had been supply scares previously, the film racks would empty for a few months and the shop would source another batch. This made me complacent as I had about 130 rolls art the time and buying more seemed stupid. Silly me, Poundland film was no more, killed by economics and supply. I'll probably use my 35mm supply by the end of the year. From then on I'll have to spend real money!

Paul Howell · Jun 15, 2018

I think Fujicolor is the only large scale color lab left in the US, as Fuji now process all the film from Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS, surprised that they allowed the chemistry to go bad. Don't know who would process if Fuji leaves the color market all together and closes it color labs.

blockend · Jun 16, 2018

Fuji UK closed its processed paid E6 facility 3 years ago. The plant still exists AFAIK, but slides with a PP envelope were not honoured after that point. Use by date ended some time before that, so I'm guessing Sensia with an envelope finished production no later than 2012.

Bob Carnie · Jun 16, 2018

Photoguy365 said:
I just checked. They did not return my negatives. Which pisses me off, as they had no right to keep them. I will definitely not be using them again.

How is that possible??? As a lab owner and lab rat for over 40 years I find this fact the most appalling thing a lab could do to you... I have in my basement work left in my lab that dates back to 1991, I cannot throw it out as its not mine.
I have heard of these new process labs doing this and its unbelievable to me.

Bud Hamblen · Jun 16, 2018

Nice or not, the Walgreens near me says that they will not return negatives. I think that is true of all the "send out" places. I take color film to Dury's.

RPC · Jun 16, 2018

I have heard that some labs process the film quickly and the negatives will fade rapidly as a result, in addition to using potentially bad chemistry. They only need to last long enough to digitize and print, which of course isn't long. After that, it is assumed negatives are no longer needed.

CMoore · Jun 16, 2018

Wow.....that is kind of sad.
We took pictures of the ancient cave drawings, so now we can bulldoze the rocks and build a shopping mall in their place.
I am being a bit ridiculous, just to make a point, but still.........

MattKing · Jun 17, 2018

Those labs don't return the negatives because it costs them money to ship them back to the store.
The films are sent from the store to the lab, where they are developed and scanned. The scans are sent digitally back to the store where prints are made for the customer.
Back in the days before digital, a significant portion of customers just threw the negatives away. These new labs are set up to appeal to that market.

Film development

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