Film Processing.

[David Jones]

I wonder if there is a place in the UK that can develop C41 films without them coming back covered in dirt? When I do black and white film at home I use filtered water and just hang it in the bathroom. The negatives are very clean and don't require much spotting of prints, if any.

Dave

 

[trendland]

I wonder if there is a place in the UK that can develop C41 films without them coming back covered in dirt? When I do black and white film at home I use filtered water and just hang it in the bathroom. The negatives are very clean and don't require much spotting of prints, if any.

I wonder with you.I wonder about prices from comercial labs to bw.
And I wonder about developers (standard/replunished ) ...I wonder about
+ 100% prices to 220 development (but the chemicals a 220 film need more are a few cent ? )
But that are reasons people have own
darkrooms.So never mind.
And I am not wondering about most labs
gave up and are still closed.
Notice : A very good proffessional is a good proffessional even in time of crisis.
So many labs were just complete unproffessional in the past ?
Sorry but this is the true.

with regards

PS : I have seen massive fingerprints on E6 films and "broken slides mounts" coming back from labs - how could this happen? ......

 

[Robin Guymer]

I wonder if there is a place in the UK that can develop C41 films without them coming back covered in dirt? When I do black and white film at home I use filtered water and just hang it in the bathroom. The negatives are very clean and don't require much spotting of prints, if any.
Dave

UK is probably no different to Melbourne. I tried 4 different labs for negs only C41 developing and the results were so poor that I now use a Tetenal kit at home. When I say they were poor, I mean scratched, gouged, dirt, dust, fingerprints..... basically unusable. The machinery is no longer being cleaned properly and the operators are not skilled.

 

[pentaxuser]

There are several with good reputations here in the U.K. and hopefully several U.K. members will chime in. It's a question that may have been asked before. I'd do a search to see what that turns up. I have a great local lab but it may not do mail order so to speak. However try a site called AGphotographic. It's an analogue stockist that has a mini-lab attached to it and I have seen good reports about its processing. It is excellent for analogue stock such as film, chemicals, paper etc

pentaxuser

 

[Bob Carnie]

Metro Imaging in London processes film.

 

[railwayman3]

I've used mail order to Photo Express, in Hull, for several years and have been 100% satisfied. Spotless processing, reasonable prices and, almost always, back by return mail.

 

[Fin]

I was using a fairly local branch of UK high street chain for C41 until about 6 months ago. I've had quite a lot of films processed by them, most came back looking good, but towards the end the quality really started to suffer. Apparently the main boss lady who looked after the machines had some time off. You could tell...

Now, I use a Digibase kit, which is brilliant. It cost something around £50 (including glass storage bottles and thermometers) and I'm just about to develop roll 15 of about 24, from 1 £30 kit. Every film has come out well and clean. The only issue is printing. I have all the gear to do RA4, but don't have the time to set it all up properly at the moment so I print stuff d*g*t*lly.

I've heard good things about Photo Express, also Peak Imaging get mentioned quite a bit. You could also try Nik & Trick which is where I buy quite a few supplies from.

 

[David Jones]

Thanks very much for the replies.

Dave