Portra processing uk

[coigach]

Hello,

I've a few rolls of Portra I'm looking to get processed. I'm looking for a UK lab that will process and print 6x4's in the first instance but I want the prints to have the soft natural Portra colours, not the standard Velvia-on-steroids look that most machine prints seem to have...!

Any suggestions / recommendations?

Thanks for your help,
Gavin

 

[Tom Kershaw]

I've seen Peak Imaging mentioned, but I've not used them as I do my own processing.

www.peak-imaging.co.uk

Tom

 

[Struan Gray]

I use Peak Imaging for Portra NC in 6x6 and 4x5. The print colours are not as subtle as if I print the negs myself (these days by scanning on a flatbed, in a previous life on Kodak's RA4 papers), but properly-exposed normal scenes look good.

Problems (more like annoyances) are a persistent tendency to block up saturated reds, a default contrast setting that is a tad too aggressive, and overall exposures that can make a nonsense of high-key or low-key photos - this last a persistent problem with any non-custom prints.

 

[Simon E]

If you can find someone who uses Kodak paper you might be better off. Until he screwed up once again, I found a local minilab operator in town gave the best (i.e. pastel, well corrected) prints I had found. The most recent ones were on Kodak Royal paper.

However, don't discount Jessops completely. The branch around the corner from my ex-mate do a much better job than they used to, and they even cut my XP2 negs into 6s last time!

A friend of mine recently praising the reborn Colab, though I haven't used them for a long time now (was happy with them when I did). I've just had a look (www.onevisionimaging.com) and though I had to download a PDF to find out, their 36 d&p price for 6x4" prints is £10.45, 7.5x5" £14.53. However, I don't like putting important films in the post and RM is less reliable than it used to be.

 

[Ian Cooper]

I find "Dead Link Removed" do a nice job of prints from Portra. I have to say it isn't a film I use all that often though.

 

[coigach]

Thanks for help everyone.

Cheers,
Gavin

 

[Matt5791]

Gavin - Try Palm Lab in Birmingham - They are a Kodak Q-Lab and always print on Kodak Endura - they have done many beautiful wedding prints for me which I have originated on Portra. They also do hand colour prints if there are one or two negs that justify it. They have customers from all over the UK.

www.palmlabs.co.uk
www.ag-photographic.co.uk/photographic-laboratory-services-116-c.asp

Matt