I need to lay off color

RattyMouse · Jul 10, 2018

Since returning to the US 3 years ago I've tried to find a local lab that can process color film. After many scratched rolls I gave up developing, but not shooting color film. Now I find that I have close to 50 rolls shot sitting in the can, just waiting in my closet.

Good god, I need to stop! What's the point? Does anyone else shoot film with almost no intention to develop it? This is beyond stupid!! I need serious help. I even bought color chemicals and a Jobo but have never used them. I just have no interest in learning how to use the Jobo or color chemicals. I thought I could break this inertia one day but that has not even come close to happening. The Jobo sits in my basement constantly in the way of my wife when she does laundry down there.

I admit it, I have a problem. I enjoy color film and shot many many hundreds of rolls (both C41 and E6) back when I had a reliable lab. But now I only have labs that scratch the living hell out of my negatives. Quality seems to be gone.

I have no interest in mailing 50 rolls of film to some unknown lab.

Pardon my rant..............

RattyMouse · Jul 10, 2018

Sorry- I meant to post this in the lounge. I can't delete threads it seems. Pls move if appropriate mods.

Thanks,

Rick A · Jul 10, 2018

Processing color film is actually easier and more forgiving than B&W film. I used to do it using a cooler for a water bath to keep my temps constant, and a common stainless tank and reel.You should just process the film yourself.

Mackinaw · Jul 10, 2018

Since you're in Michigan now, if you still have need for E6 processing, consider AgX Imaging in Sault Ste. Marie. Mike's been doing all of my E6 processing for years and I've always been satisfied with the results. Fast turnaround too with reasonable prices.

Jim B.

elmontanero · Jul 10, 2018

Might be worth sending a single roll to https://thedarkroom.com/ to see how you like them. No reason to send all 50 away.

They're a mail order only lab with good reviews. I'm a Black and White guy, haven't sent anything to them yet.

Patrick Robert James · Jul 10, 2018

Just send it to a real lab if you are too lazy to do it yourself. Lots of them out there.

Nodda Duma · Jul 10, 2018

I had built up a collection of about 20 rolls hopi g to find the time to develop them. I finally gave up and sent them off to Dwayne's Photo, which does a great job and never scratched a roll. I agree, find a real lab.

1kgcoffee · Jul 10, 2018

I love color film. Really not hard to process it at home. I can hardly wait to develop rolls after they're shot.

Lachlan Young · Jul 10, 2018

RattyMouse said:
Since returning to the US 3 years ago I've tried to find a local lab that can process color film. After many scratched rolls I gave up developing, but not shooting color film. Now I find that I have close to 50 rolls shot sitting in the can, just waiting in my closet.

Good god, I need to stop! What's the point? Does anyone else shoot film with almost no intention to develop it? This is beyond stupid!! I need serious help. I even bought color chemicals and a Jobo but have never used them. I just have no interest in learning how to use the Jobo or color chemicals. I thought I could break this inertia one day but that has not even come close to happening. The Jobo sits in my basement constantly in the way of my wife when she does laundry down there.

I admit it, I have a problem. I enjoy color film and shot many many hundreds of rolls (both C41 and E6) back when I had a reliable lab. But now I only have labs that scratch the living hell out of my negatives. Quality seems to be gone.

I have no interest in mailing 50 rolls of film to some unknown lab.

Pardon my rant..............

Essentially you want a lab that uses a dip/ dunk processor - plenty of good places still around in the USA & they should be able to run your backlog very quickly indeed, or one of the Autolab 1000/1500 Jobo's if you don't want to have to pour the chemicals in & out.

If you want to use the best labs, you'll need to get used to posting your films away - and the continuous drive machines in most local minilab environments are notorious for causing horrid scratching if not well looked after.

rpavich · Jul 10, 2018

There are LOTS of good labs.
I use Dead Link Removed

Marcelo Paniagua · Jul 10, 2018

RattyMouse said:
Since returning to the US 3 years ago I've tried to find a local lab that can process color film. After many scratched rolls I gave up developing, but not shooting color film. Now I find that I have close to 50 rolls shot sitting in the can, just waiting in my closet.

Good god, I need to stop! What's the point? Does anyone else shoot film with almost no intention to develop it? This is beyond stupid!! I need serious help. I even bought color chemicals and a Jobo but have never used them. I just have no interest in learning how to use the Jobo or color chemicals. I thought I could break this inertia one day but that has not even come close to happening. The Jobo sits in my basement constantly in the way of my wife when she does laundry down there.

I admit it, I have a problem. I enjoy color film and shot many many hundreds of rolls (both C41 and E6) back when I had a reliable lab. But now I only have labs that scratch the living hell out of my negatives. Quality seems to be gone.

I have no interest in mailing 50 rolls of film to some unknown lab.

Pardon my rant..............

Vivian Maier did that

Best regards

Sirius Glass · Jul 10, 2018

Learning to develop color film in a Jobo Processor is as easy as falling off a motorcycle.

faberryman · Jul 10, 2018

Marcelo Paniagua said:
Vivian Maier did that

I don't think it was her intent to not develop those rolls left undeveloped; it is just how things panned out at the end of her life.

Bill Burk · Jul 10, 2018

RattyMouse said:
Since returning to the US 3 years ago I've tried to find a local lab that can process color film. After many scratched rolls I gave up developing, but not shooting color film. Now I find that I have close to 50 rolls shot sitting in the can, just waiting in my closet.

Good god, I need to stop! What's the point? Does anyone else shoot film with almost no intention to develop it? This is beyond stupid!! I need serious help. I even bought color chemicals and a Jobo but have never used them. I just have no interest in learning how to use the Jobo or color chemicals. I thought I could break this inertia one day but that has not even come close to happening. The Jobo sits in my basement constantly in the way of my wife when she does laundry down there.

I admit it, I have a problem. I enjoy color film and shot many many hundreds of rolls (both C41 and E6) back when I had a reliable lab. But now I only have labs that scratch the living hell out of my negatives. Quality seems to be gone.

I have no interest in mailing 50 rolls of film to some unknown lab.

Pardon my rant..............

Can’t you just use Digital ICE to remove scratches?

I would fire up the Jobo, if I can make 15 prints in a few days (after a long time shooting and only developing film)... you can kick off a marathon of processing. I’m sure you have the know-how.

RattyMouse · Jul 10, 2018

Marcelo Paniagua said:
Vivian Maier did that

Best regards

Well noted.

Helios 1984 · Jul 10, 2018

faberryman said:
I don't think it was her intent to not develop those rolls left undeveloped; it is just how things panned out at the end of her life.

and what about that guy with the 1200 un-processed rolls?

winger · Jul 10, 2018

There's also Praus Productions in Rochester, NY - they do a great job.

mshchem · Jul 10, 2018

Rick A said:
Processing color film is actually easier and more forgiving than B&W film. I used to do it using a cooler for a water bath to keep my temps constant, and a common stainless tank and reel.You should just process the film yourself.

+1 Call up Unique photo order a batch of Flexicolor C-41. And you don't have to replenish, we all know how much RattyMouse loves replenishing. I love developing color film. Paterson, Stainless, Jobo processor. Easy Peezee!

Huss · Jul 11, 2018

elmontanero said:
Might be worth sending a single roll to https://thedarkroom.com/ to see how you like them. No reason to send all 50 away.

They're a mail order only lab with good reviews. I'm a Black and White guy, haven't sent anything to them yet.

They are terrible and have screwed up some of my film, so I'll never use them again.

I use NorthCoastPhoto or thefindlab

removed account4 · Jul 11, 2018

Patrick Robert James said:
Just send it to a real lab if you are too lazy to do it yourself. Lots of them out there.

+1
several pages worth of endorsements
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/lab-services.81286/
not to mention northeast photographic and blue moon which are both advertisers / supporters of this website
if you are cheep and process only, call rite aid pharmacy near you and make sure they still get film
returned to them ( they were purchased by walgreens several years ago and might have changed their policy )
they send out to dwaynes for E6 + all 120 and fuji labs for c41 for 135 ... if you want process only they have a policy
where you can "reject" all the prints and just take the film .. all 4 of the labs i have mentioned and others mentioned
in this thread are known with a track record.

TheFlyingCamera · Jul 11, 2018

I know you say you lack the motivation to use your Jobo, but really... it's the absolutely easiest thing in the world to do. Just mix the chems, let the bath come up to temperature, then load your film, pour in, pour out, and voila! And with 50 rolls to process, you'll save so much money you won't know what to do with it. Around here, process-only C-41 at the pro lab runs $12/roll. If you run it yourself in the Jobo, doing it the least cost-effective way, it will run you less than $3/roll. If you re-use your chemistry, it'll run you less than $2/roll. So you'll be saving on the order of $450-500 for just the batch you've got accumulated.

RattyMouse · Jul 11, 2018

TheFlyingCamera said:
I know you say you lack the motivation to use your Jobo, but really... it's the absolutely easiest thing in the world to do. Just mix the chems, let the bath come up to temperature, then load your film, pour in, pour out, and voila! And with 50 rolls to process, you'll save so much money you won't know what to do with it. Around here, process-only C-41 at the pro lab runs $12/roll. If you run it yourself in the Jobo, doing it the least cost-effective way, it will run you less than $3/roll. If you re-use your chemistry, it'll run you less than $2/roll. So you'll be saving on the order of $450-500 for just the batch you've got accumulated.

You are right. I need to get off my butt and do this. I assume unopened C41 chemicals are OK after storing them for 8 months or so. I have to look at this JOBO and figure out how to load the reels. I've only use Paterson reels so that's something new for me.

TheFlyingCamera · Jul 11, 2018

RattyMouse said:
You are right. I need to get off my butt and do this. I assume unopened C41 chemicals are OK after storing them for 8 months or so. I have to look at this JOBO and figure out how to load the reels. I've only use Paterson reels so that's something new for me.

The Jobo reels are not too terribly different. Are you talking 120 or 35mm? For 120, you will need to clip the corners of the end you're inserting into the reel. Otherwise, you walk it onto the reel much the same way you load a Paterson. Your chems should be ok 8 months old in sealed packets.

faberryman · Jul 11, 2018

RattyMouse said:
Since returning to the US 3 years ago I've tried to find a local lab that can process color film. After many scratched rolls I gave up developing, but not shooting color film. Now I find that I have close to 50 rolls shot sitting in the can, just waiting in my closet.

Good god, I need to stop! What's the point? Does anyone else shoot film with almost no intention to develop it? This is beyond stupid!! I need serious help. I even bought color chemicals and a Jobo but have never used them. I just have no interest in learning how to use the Jobo or color chemicals. I thought I could break this inertia one day but that has not even come close to happening. The Jobo sits in my basement constantly in the way of my wife when she does laundry down there.

I admit it, I have a problem. I enjoy color film and shot many many hundreds of rolls (both C41 and E6) back when I had a reliable lab. But now I only have labs that scratch the living hell out of my negatives. Quality seems to be gone.

I have no interest in mailing 50 rolls of film to some unknown lab.

Pardon my rant..............

Since you have all but decided to give up photography, why not just toss the film. Focus on your new interests.

RattyMouse · Jul 11, 2018

TheFlyingCamera said:
The Jobo reels are not too terribly different. Are you talking 120 or 35mm? For 120, you will need to clip the corners of the end you're inserting into the reel. Otherwise, you walk it onto the reel much the same way you load a Paterson. Your chems should be ok 8 months old in sealed packets.

I have 35 rolls of 135 film and 20 or so of 120.

I need to lay off color

RattyMouse

RattyMouse

Rick A

Mackinaw

elmontanero

Patrick Robert James

Nodda Duma

1kgcoffee

Lachlan Young

rpavich

Marcelo Paniagua

Sirius Glass

faberryman

Bill Burk

RattyMouse

Helios 1984

winger

mshchem

Huss

removed account4

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I need to lay off color

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