My lab's quitting... Oh no!

images39 · Apr 10, 2016

So here's my sad story. A few years ago, I found that I simply don't have enough time to develop my own film. I found a lab that gave me great results for black & white processing, using dip and dunk process with XTOL. Very consistent, and the negs were every bit as good as what I was getting when I did my own processing in D76.

Unfortunately, that lab (Allied Photo in St. Louis), is closing down their film processing operation this month. Bummer... I have to find another lab. I've found some suggestions here on APUG. I'd love to find one that uses XTOL or D76, since I've been happy with those. Most of the labs don't state which developer they use on their websites. North Coast Photographic does, they use dip and dunk with Clayton F76. Is anyone familiar with Clayton F76, and how it compares to XTOL?

I'd like to do a trial with one or more labs. The problem I've had with some labs is overdeveloped, harsh negs. I was spoiled with Allied's XTOL processing.

Thanks,
Dale

Sirius Glass · Apr 10, 2016

pgomena · Apr 10, 2016

Clayton 76 is a D-76 clone.

Citizens Photo in Portland, OR has dip-n-dunk black-and-white (and C-41 and E-6!!) processing. I'm sure they'll tell you which developer they use if you ask them. Their color processing is excellent, so I'd expect no less of their B&W.

images39 · Apr 10, 2016

pgomena said:
Clayton 76 is a D-76 clone.

Citizens Photo in Portland, OR has dip-n-dunk black-and-white (and C-41 and E-6!!) processing. I'm sure they'll tell you which developer they use if you ask them. Their color processing is excellent, so I'd expect no less of their B&W.

Thanks for that, I'll check out Citizen's.

Gerald C Koch · Apr 10, 2016

I would think that any reputable lab would tell you what developer they use.

images39 · Apr 10, 2016

Gerald C Koch said:
I would think that any reputable lab would tell you what developer they use.

Yes, but they're not open on weekends. I'll check with some of them during the week. Meanwhile, thought I'd see what APUGers had to say about their experience with labs.

Fixcinater · Apr 10, 2016

I've had nothing but positive experiences with two San Diego area labs: North Coast Photographic and Gaslamp Photo. Dwayne's was good but I haven't used them since Kodachrome's end run.

images39 · Apr 10, 2016

Fixcinater said:
I've had nothing but positive experiences with two San Diego area labs: North Coast Photographic and Gaslamp Photo. Dwayne's was good but I haven't used them since Kodachrome's end run.

There seem to be a lot of positive comments about North Coast Photographic. I will definitely send a test roll or two to them. Do you know what kind of developer Gaslamp uses?

Fixcinater · Apr 10, 2016

I do not know, I process b&w at home so I've only had them do C41 while E6 goes to NCPS.

trythis · Apr 10, 2016

Have you tried Creve Coeur Camera or Schiller's? I know that neither does E6 any longer but Creve Coeur used to do b&w although it was expensive! Have you tried the C41 b&w, there are labs doing that still.

John_Nikon_F · Apr 10, 2016

Ilford XP2 and Kodak BW400CN can be developed by any lab that does C41... That said, I find I prefer the actual panchromatic B&W film emulsions.

Panda Lab in Seattle, WA is another good option.

-J

Rich Ullsmith · Apr 10, 2016

Memo to any APUG'rs in the St/ Louis area: sounds like Allied Photo might be willing to unload some chems for cheap.

images39 · Apr 10, 2016

trythis said:
Have you tried Creve Coeur Camera or Schiller's? I know that neither does E6 any longer but Creve Coeur used to do b&w although it was expensive! Have you tried the C41 b&w, there are labs doing that still.

Yes, when I lived in St. Louis, I tried Creve Coeur and Schiller's. With CC my negs always looked too contrasty (machine processed in HC110). Had decent results with Schiller's (processed with D76 in a Jobo), but was happiest with Allied. I moved to Reno three years ago and kept on mailing my film to Allied (till now).

images39 · Apr 10, 2016

John_Nikon_F said:
Ilford XP2 and Kodak BW400CN can be developed by any lab that does C41... That said, I find I prefer the actual panchromatic B&W film emulsions.

Panda Lab in Seattle, WA is another good option.

-J

I've used XP2 now and then, and it's nice for some things. But I've standardized on Tri-X and Delta 100.

Dale

images39 · Apr 10, 2016

John_Nikon_F said:
Ilford XP2 and Kodak BW400CN can be developed by any lab that does C41... That said, I find I prefer the actual panchromatic B&W film emulsions.

Panda Lab in Seattle, WA is another good option.

-J

I just checked Panda's website, and they use XTOL. Will definitely try them out. Thanks for the tip.

Dale

ME Super · Apr 10, 2016

Why does everyone say Creve Coeur Camera no longer does E-6? I just got a roll of E-6 back from their Springfield, IL store last week. They most certainly do process E-6. They do runs between the Springfield store and their main store in Creve Coeur, MO three times a week, so it slows down the process a little bit, but they absolutely do handle E-6, C-41, and B&W. About the only thing they can't do is push/pull C-41 and process K-14. But then nobody can do K-14. Stephen Frizza is the only one I know of who has processed Kodachrome as a color film since Dwayne's, and he didn't use K-14 chemistry.

BAC1967 · Apr 10, 2016

I use The Darkroom in San Clemente, CA, they do excellent work. I mostly use them for C-41 and E6 since I do my own Black and White. They do very nice scans as well. They do mail order and are quite fast, I usually mail it out on Monday and have scans available for download by Thursday or Friday the same week.

I have used Panda Lab in Seattle and they do excellent work but last time I checked they didn't do mail order.

trythis · Apr 11, 2016

ME Super said:
Why does everyone say Creve Coeur Camera no longer does E-6? I just got a roll of E-6 back from their Springfield, IL store last week. They most certainly do process E-6. They do runs between the Springfield store and their main store in Creve Coeur, MO three times a week, so it slows down the process a little bit, but they absolutely do handle E-6, C-41, and B&W. About the only thing they can't do is push/pull C-41 and process K-14. But then nobody can do K-14. Stephen Frizza is the only one I know of who has processed Kodachrome as a color film since Dwayne's, and he didn't use K-14 chemistry.

I say that they dont d oE6 because they told me they don't a year ago. They ship it to Dwaynes since they moved the main store location, just like Schiller's. I quit droping film off for C-41 at the time because they went from $5 to $8 just for development. Its the same price as walgreens and they did a great job, I just adapted to home developing. Anyway, maybe they are doing it again, its been a while.

Neal · Apr 11, 2016

Dear Dale,

I have not used Dead Link Removed for black and white but they have done very well for me developing color film. I do not know what developer they use for b&w.

Good luck,

Neal Wydra

BrianShaw · Apr 11, 2016

BAC1967 said:
I use The Darkroom in San Clemente, CA, they do excellent work. I mostly use them for C-41 and E6 since I do my own Black and White. They do very nice scans as well. They do mail order and are quite fast, I usually mail it out on Monday and have scans available for download by Thursday or Friday the same week.

I have used Panda Lab in Seattle and they do excellent work but last time I checked they didn't do mail order.

Ditto The Darkroom; I've sent B&W to The Darkroom and been very satisfied.[/QUOTE]

ME Super · Apr 11, 2016

BAC1967 said:
I use The Darkroom in San Clemente, CA, they do excellent work. I mostly use them for C-41 and E6 since I do my own Black and White. They do very nice scans as well. They do mail order and are quite fast, I usually mail it out on Monday and have scans available for download by Thursday or Friday the same week.

I have used Panda Lab in Seattle and they do excellent work but last time I checked they didn't do mail order.

I've used The Darkroom for cases where I want C-41 pushed. Since I don't shoot C-41 very often, and even less that I need it pushed, it doesn't happen very often, but I do use them. Their work is good, but a bit more expensive than I'm used to paying my regular lab.

trythis said:
I say that they dont d oE6 because they told me they don't a year ago. They ship it to Dwaynes since they moved the main store location, just like Schiller's. I quit droping film off for C-41 at the time because they went from $5 to $8 just for development. Its the same price as walgreens and they did a great job, I just adapted to home developing. Anyway, maybe they are doing it again, its been a while.

Trythis, I don't doubt that someone at one of the Creve Coeur Camera stores told you that; sometimes the new hires don't always know what's going on with regards to film. While I've never been to the main store in St. Louis, I can tell you that pushing E-6 generally takes an extra day; if I'm not pushing and I drop of film on Tuesday, it gets sent to the lab on Wednesday, and I have slides back on Friday. Turn-around time with Dwayne's isn't that quick - they say 3-4 days in the lab on their slide film processing order form. Also, I've had slides developed by Dwayne's, and they always come back in cardboard mounts with "Color Slide Film" on the side of the mount that faces the screen during projection. The ones that come back from Creve Coeur Camera come back in plastic mounts. I'm not sure why Dwayne's would return cardboard mounts to those that send direct to them (or through Fuji, as Dwayne's handles Fuji's E-6 development) and plastic mounts to others.

I'm not picking on you, trythis, I swear!

RalphLambrecht · Apr 11, 2016

images39 said:
I've used XP2 now and then, and it's nice for some things. But I've standardized on Tri-X and Delta 100.

Dale

There is nothing better than 'real' B&W film

Fotocat2 · Apr 19, 2016

You might check out the Ilford web page for their new processing and printing services. They have expanded their overseas services to now include a lab in California. Look at their price list, equipment used, and especially their film mailers.

My lab's quitting... Oh no!

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