Question about Dwaynes Photo services

[mtjade2007]

I posted the question in a wrong sub forum. I am moving it to here.

Does any one ever send them 35mm films in reusable canister (cartridge) cut from bulk long rolls to Dwaynes Photo? Will they send the reusable canister back to you if you submit your order with a request to return the canister? I am considering to use Dwayne for processing my 35 mm E-6 films in reusable canisters. It would be a no go for me if they will throw away my reusable canisters. I could call them but I am afraid there is still a good chance I will lose the canister. I once submit an order through Walmart to whatever lab behind it. I wrote a note in my order asking to return my canister. I never got it back. I never used it again.

 

[BrianShaw]

"I could call them but I am afraid there is still a good chance I will lose the canister."

A phone call to Dwaynes is going to alleviate your anxieties a lot more than a testimonial from a random person on the internet. Give them a chance to speak for themselves. But if even their answer leaves you worried... there is no hope for you to ever be confident. Good luck.

 

[mtjade2007]

I had a bad experience before. I got a positive answer before submitting my order. I lost the canister still. It was Walmart photo department though. Will an answer from a clerk on the other end of the phone line be more reliable? I don't know. I have learned to not trust a real living human behind the front desk of a store. I would trust the real experience of a post from a Photrio folk more.

 

[BAC1967]

I usually send them my 8mm movie film and ask them to return the reel and can. I think only one time out of many they forgot to send them back. I sent them a message and they sent me a different reel and can. Like Brian said, probably best to ask them directly.

 

[MattKing]

Asking someone who works at a lab is a lot different than asking someone at a Walmart.

 

[AgX]

I would e-mail them. At writing I expect people less to just reply "no problem". Also there is no chance in case of trouble of a "We never said so".

Your idea behind asking here likely was to find even proof that once they sent back such.


Photo-Lab work typically is automized, any special service as keeping track of a cassette to reunite it with the processed film means hassle and at least a dedicated working scheme to be on the safe side.
The more a lab is dedicated to custom work the more they would be prepared for extra workflows.

 

[guangong]

I reserve my Leitz and Zeiss 35mm cassettes for BW film,home processed. If using pricey cassettes for color, I would follow the path already suggested: remove film from cassette, wrap in dark paper, then wrap in foil to secure, then attach a note explaining that film is not in cassette. I would include detailed note because my suspicion is that whole process at large lab is fully automated (cassette loaded into machine, film tongue attached to rollers, push button and let-r-rip.)

 

[Agulliver]

Dwaynes are not Wal-Mart. They are a professional, specialist photo processing lab with many years of experience. I would contact them and ask, and would feel their reply is trustworthy.

The poor guy at Wal-Mart probably hoped the canister could be returned but in all likelihood wasn't the person handling it.