Hello (and a question)

Hi community

Nice site you have here. Lots of good information

I shoot about 25 rolls of black and white a year, but since I moved to the north I have no access to a local lab. I am a photo album person but have to share photos digitally. What I'm looking for is a reasonably priced mail order processing, scanning, and 4x6 printing service, mostly for T-max and Ilford 400's on real, optical paper by someone who knows black and white. Home processing and darkroom prints are not an option. My old lab can't do mail order. I'd probably send in twice yearly. Any suggestions would be helpful. TY

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.
Unless I missed it you didn't say what part of the planet you are currently occupying?
Can't see your location in your profile, either, unless 'Halifax' is a clue?

Ilford do processing in the UK. Also their website has a 'dealer finder' by postcode which lists photo dealers in both the UK and US and tells you whether they offer processing or not ( a fair few do...look under 'where to buy') Obviously, the further you live from the UK or US, the less useful that information becomes ;-)

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/home.asp

Sorry. I should have said where I was. I work in Northern Canada in the natural resources sector. Half the year of no fixed address. So i guess I am looking for a Canada or US mail order lab. TY

Hi Henry and welcome to APUG

For mail order, I would check with:

1) in Vancouver, Custom Color, ABC Photocolour or The Lab:

(http://www.customcolorprolab.com/, http://www.abcphoto.com/index.jsp or Dead Link Removed)

2) In Winnipeg, Photo Central: (http://www.photocentral.ca/)

Hope this helps.

Thanks Matt.

Wow! Prices for develop, print, and scan are expensive. I'd be looking at nearly $30+tax+shipping per 35mm roll. More than 2x what I paid locally. Maybe I was spoiled.

I phoned one and they do 4x6 on colour paper. Hmmm......

TY

Hello Henry and a warm welcome to APUG! I don't know if this possible or not but can you process your own film and scan it yourself? Sometimes you can get a CD on a one hour C-41 process.

Jeff

Henry - hello and welcome to APUG.

Jeff Kubach said:

Hello Henry and a warm welcome to APUG! I don't know if this possible or not but can you process your own film and scan it yourself? Sometimes you can get a CD on a one hour C-41 process.

Jeff

Click to expand...

No. I cannot process my own film nor scan it. I am mostly on the go with work. I am totally reliant on external develop, print, and scan and with film I only shoot true B&W.

I used to use a small shop near my parents place, but they moved into assisted living and the lab closed. My father taught me to shoot B&W and I always did with my Minolta SLR. I've never given it up. I used to send my rolls home to my father and he'd get them processed locally, literally around the corner. Last I receipt I have it was $17+tax for true B&W 35mm with 4x6 prints and a scan good enough for web sharing which is important if you're really living out of a suitcase for most of your work.

I tried the Kodak 400CN film but did not like it, nor the paper. I looked at what most of mine and my Dad's were for years and it was an Ilford RC stock. Very nice stuff. For color I shoot digital, mostly snapshot stuff. But I see in B&W when I want to compose. I just prefer B&W photo paper and would like to continue if affordable. The scans are my backup copy and what I use to share with family who are scattered. I don't edit on a computer. I spend enough time in the field with a laptop.

Is there anything like what Ilford Lab Direct does in North America? Their prices aren't great but I presume the quality is there, but the shipping is total madness. I cannot tell if they use real B&W photo paper either. I'd hate to have to give up B&W shooting due to affordability.
TY

I see on Apug a place called the photolab from time to time.. They appear to have reaonable prices, although today I do not see their link. Just my luck. I wonder if anyone else has used them, they are in the US and they do fiber prints and scans too.

Lee

daleeman said:

I see on Apug a place called the photolab from time to time.. They appear to have reaonable prices, although today I do not see their link. Just my luck. I wonder if anyone else has used them, they are in the US and they do fiber prints and scans too.

Lee

Click to expand...

Thanks. I cannot see the link either.

I do see a link to a place called "The Darkroom, however.

Anyone have experience with this place?

http://thedarkroom.com/black-and-white-prints-and-film-developing/

Looks promising. I cannot tell if the "True B&W Silver Halide Prints + $8" is per print or per roll.

I'd like to know if anyone has used their services. Going from local to mail order requires some diligence.

TY

Henry Halifax said:

I do see a link to a place called "The Darkroom, however.

Anyone have experience with this place?

http://thedarkroom.com/black-and-white-prints-and-film-developing/

Looks promising. I cannot tell if the "True B&W Silver Halide Prints + $8" is per print or per roll.

I'd like to know if anyone has used their services. Going from local to mail order requires some diligence.

TY

Click to expand...

Here is the link to their order form: http://thedarkroom.com/Film-Developing-Form.pdf

It looks like the reference to $8 is a reference to the increase in cost (colour RA4 prints vs. prints on B & W paper - both services also including developing and scan to CD).

I think it is heartening to see that they explicitly refer to Canadian shipping. I haven't used their services.