Recommendations for a good UK lab for neutral XP2-Super development and print

[pauldc]

Any thoughts on labs in the UK (ideally mail order) that produce neutral prints from XP2-super (C41)?

Any experiences and thoughts much appreciated!

 

[Ian Grant]

Paul, any "Good" C41 lab should be able to produce your prints, all the modern digital minilabs have machines capability, unfortunately only few have the staff capable.

Try Colab in Coventry, they are excellent for colour and B&W.

Ian

 

[GeoffHill]

I've found one member of staff at my local Tesco can create good prints, but most of the staff can't drive the machine. I always ask for her to do my prints when I go in, otherwise, try peak imaging

 

[Lol999]

Things I found at Tesco wrt XP2 Super:

if you ask for the pictures to be "black and white" they set the machine to print in greyscale, or it's equivalence. Absolutely no colour cast.
However, some operators like to drag your negatives around the floor and tread on them a few times, or so it appears.

Cheers, Lol

 

[BobNewYork]

Must've been Tesco's in Alfreton Lol! Most of the machine printers are digital nowadays and neutral B&W should be easier. When the machine printers were optical, I used to give them a piece of unexposed and developed MF film to add between the neg and light source. It usually worked 'reasonably' well if you could get an operator to understand the concept. Got to say though, the colour paper just doesn't have the range of 'proper' B&W paper.

 

[Ian Grant]

Things I found at Tesco wrt XP2 Super:

if you ask for the pictures to be "black and white" they set the machine to print in greyscale, or it's equivalence. Absolutely no colour cast.
However, some operators like to drag your negatives around the floor and tread on them a few times, or so it appears.

Cheers, Lol

Sounds about right. what's easy to most is an anathema to others

Ian

 

[Lol999]

Must've been Tesco's in Alfreton Lol!

Close! My hometown of Chesterfield. It's a shame because it's a nice cheap service, dev and scan to cd for £2!

 

[GeoffHill]

In addition, ILFORD PHOTO has chosen FOCUS to announce major new developments to its process and print service. In direct response to customer feedback, this service will now be extended to offer a whole range of additional capabilities such as the scanning of images to CD, enlargements and the printing of digital black and white prints.

Looks like ilford might be updating the D&P service they provide, and will print XP2 onto proper MG IV RC. The prints from I've had from them before have been very good

 

[pauldc]

Thanks everyone - I will give Tesco a try and see if I can get some confidence in their operators.

The idea of the Ilford service on real photo paper sounds really appealing too

Lol - your website is great with some really powerful stories. Back in the late 1990's I lived and worked near Chesterfield so know the place quite well.

 

[Lol999]

Thanks Paul, I finally plucked up courage to add it as my signature. I'm always hesitant to show my wares in such esteemed company.

Cheers, Lol

 

[Peter Black]

Close! My hometown of Chesterfield. It's a shame because it's a nice cheap service, dev and scan to cd for £2!

I've used Tesco to dev my XP2 @ 97 or 99p, but have then scanned them myself. As I wouldn't be printing from these scans I might be better just paying the extra £1 for then to do it instead. What size are the scans on the service you mention?

Thanks, Peter

 

[Lol999]

Hi Peter, I think they run about 600kb, or roughly 6x4 inch print size. I only use them for previewing and posting on the web, ideal for both purposes.

Cheers, Lol

 

[Peter Black]

Hi Peter, I think they run about 600kb, or roughly 6x4 inch print size. I only use them for previewing and posting on the web, ideal for both purposes.

Cheers, Lol

Thanks Lol, I'm going to give that a try next time. Regards, Peter