Photo Labs in NYC

[gr82bart]

OK where are the good pro labs in NYC? I've been going to Duggal, but they can't be the only ones. Tell me about labs that do E-6 the same day, B&W plus proof in 1 day, at minimum.

Thanks, Art.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Modernage. I use the main location in midtown (6th Av. around 45th St.). Normal 4-hour turnaround on E-6. They handle sheet film up to 11x14" for E-6. Friendlier service than Duggal.

 

[aj-images]

Art- I do B&W proofs. True B&W paper, true B&W chemistry. We can talk more on saturday if you are interested. - Jim

 

[gr82bart]

Modernage.

...that are also open on weekends.

Art- I do B&W proofs. True B&W paper, true B&W chemistry. We can talk more on saturday if you are interested. - Jim

...and are easy to get to via MTA Metro North. (Jim:We'll definitely talk Saturday. If you meet all my requirements and you do Cibachromes too, you'd be a demigod in my eyes.)

Just a few minor demands.

Art.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Not sure if Modernage is open weekends. I suspect not, but it's not impossible. www.modernage.com for contact info.

 

[highpeak]

Have you guys ever used "Spectra" ?
Are they good at B&W job?
As far as I know, they don't do toning, and all the prints I got is RC based.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Spectra is very uneven. I've known people who have gotten great results through certain branches of Spectra for a while, and then the management shuffles and quality changes. I tried them for a while and wasn't satisfied with the results, but they always seem to be changing, so someone else might have a different experience.

 

[gr82bart]

Anyone have experience with C-Lab? They are on Broadway near Prince.

Art.

 

[geraldatwork]

I've never used Modernage myself but know two people who have and were happey with their service and quality. One of these people uses the lab quite frequently.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I haven't used C-Lab myself, but they've been around for a long time. That's no guarantee of anything, really. There are some labs that have stayed in business despite doing inconsistent work.

Kenneth Taranto is also a great lab.

For B&W, MVlabs is considered one of the best.

 

[fLOVE]

Anyone care to weigh in for more recent names? I go to Duggal but the service feels very impersonal. They do a good and consistent job, but even though I give my film to like the same 2-3 guys every time I'm in there, they look at me as if I'm new. I listen to "Inside Analog Radio" and with everything I hear about Richard Photo Lab on nearly every ep of it, it makes me long for that experience. Living in NYC though I feel I shouldn't have to ship my film to LA for that. Anyone?

 

[Terence]

I like Modernage. Met the owner a few months ago, and he seemed determined to stick with film developing, including E-6, as long as possible. Very nice people. They treat me well despite the fact that I'm in there only every couple of months.

 

[fLOVE]

What about LTI and L&I? Anyone have any thoughts there?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

LTI seems to be run by good people, but I haven't used their services myself.

 

[BenZucker]

I have been using Color edge, or what ever the name is now (the name might be Color Recourse Center or Vista Imaging now), i feel like they change it all the time. Its on 22nd street in between 5th and 6th avenue. I have been very pleased with there service, and the people at the front desk are funny nice dudes for the most part. I only really have them do my c-41, and the occasional black and white, but usually I do the black and white my self.

 

[archboy]

LTI does a pretty good job developing my Velvia slides

 

[hacked - sepiareverb]

LTI does very good work- I've used them for years, ever since their sister lab Fleshtone Miami closed down.

 

[jordanstarr]

I'll throw a vote in for MV Labs. Jim does all custom work -whatever developer, dilution, etc. you want, he will do and he does it all himself by hand. He is a perfectionist in his work and has done custom film and printing for some big names out there including Rolling Stone (for their film issue years ago), Magnum, Jim Goldberg and a bunch of others you can view on the site (www.mvlabs.com). When you call, you can talk directly to him and arrange when you need everything done by and he will try to accomodate.

 

[MinoltaUser10]

Need a Good Place For Portra 400 and Fuji 400

Most of the posts here are a bit old so I don't know which are still good. I need a place to develop/print the new Portra 400 and Fujicolor Pro 400H. I don't need custom work - just someplace that understands what these films are and how to develop & print them properly (I doubt that CVS, Duane Reade et al would know what to do with them except to throw them in with regular C-41 film processing).

I would appreciate any recommendations.

Thank you

 

[Sanjay Sen]

What format do you shoot? I have had C-41 processing done by both Duggal and LTI in 35mm and MF. I haven't got anything printed though, but I believe both of these places will do optical prints from color negs. Check out their websites. Of course there are other labs, but these two are the ones I have experience with.

 

[frotog]

I used to go to Diapositive and then LTI when Dia closed. Also used coloredge, 68 degrees, etc. But as of last year I started sending my film to Praus in Rochester...definitely superior to anything in nyc. The difference is that Edgar runs a one man operation and he's a photographer to boot. Eastman Kodak routinely sends him materials to test as his processing is as clean as it gets. At the end of the day the cost of producing my work and the effort I put into it warrants the extra time it takes to send to Rochester.

I've noticed a distinct fall off in quality at the prolabs in nyc in the past several years. It got to the point where I could no longer trust any lab in the city to do consistent work. A lot of labs have high employee turnover, operators who are wage slaves, oftentimes migrant workers, just going through the motions with no real eye towards quality or cleanliness. And the celebrity labs like MV pimp their reputation and charge far too much. The person at the front end can talk the talk and con you into giving them their business but if you could see what happens behind the curtain you'd gasp. I've seen laughable work come out of MV.

 

[Sanjay Sen]

I have noticed a drop in the quality of work too. The reason I asked about the film format in my previous post is because recently I noticed that LTI has messed up quite a bit on my LF films. No problems with 35mm or MF, but one of my 4x5 C-41 negs had a big scratch on it rendering that sheet totally useless. They also fogged four of my 4x10 B&W sheets and I have no way of re-shooting those (my holders are tested and have no light leaks). More, the 8x10 B&W sheets I got processed by them all have uneven development. I have decided not to give them any of my LF films any more.

 

[frotog]

I feel your pain Sanjay. It used to be that Dia positive and LTI were pretty consistent. That was several years back. And even then I'd establish a relationship with the person who was actually processing the film so as to establish accountability. Bernard would not complain if I wrote in big instructions across the box.."Hold for ---". But all that has changed. With rising rents, less c41 business, idle chemistry and lack of lab workers who take their job seriously and have the proper training I'm afraid getting anything other than roll film developed in nyc is a bit like playing Russian roulette. In light of this depressing state of affairs it was an absolute godsend to discover Edgar Praus. It's like a hot tub time machine for large format photographers...Whoosh...suddenly it's 1994 all over again except even better. What a gem that man is!

 

[Sanjay Sen]

Thanks. I have exchanged a couple of emails with Edgar and will be sending my LF films to him, the ones I cannot process myself. I have heard good things about Praus Productions.

Bernard (at LTI) is a very nice guy, but I don't think he has control over the lab and processes.

 

[frotog]

Yes, don't get me wrong, Bernard is a wonderful man and I miss going there if only for him. But you are absolutely right... he has little control over what goes on in back.

I'm glad to hear you're giving Edgar a shot. His C41 is spotless. He's tweaked the agitation of his bleach bath to alleviate the dreaded mottled blue sky effect. LTI can do the same however they call it "special processing" and it comes with a 100% surcharge. I don't shoot E6 but from what I understand EK does what testing they do with him. I think you'll be very pleased.