The film workflow with pro labs

So I'm listening to how people in the USA for example shoot film and send to Richard's Photo Lab and places like this and how they tweak the images for them in the scans and all the rest of it and then they get the images back in CD's or whatever digitized or as prints....this being the end of the workflow.....or is it?

Does anyone care to comment that's doing this.....do you find this is means less time in front of the computer than shooting digital? and why is this cos you have to correct all your digital camera's files you think?????

Personally I scan images myself and thus cant say shooting film makes me spend less time in front of the computer than shooting digital...at the end of the day I have to become a scan operator as well and make sure I scan properly.......

ALSO my lab wont scan to 16-bit, only 8-bit and the files are only 24 MB which gives me about a 250dpi image at 300mm tall so I only send the roll to them for processing and scan myself.....they charge me 4.75 euros to process a roll of 120 format C-41. Time-wise I have a 4 DAY TURNAROUND.....e.g. I give them rolls on Monday and I would get the negatives back on the Friday.....

how does this compare with you nice people out there?

Bottom line is for me over here shooting film is a lot more effort than shooting digital...but I do it and will keep on doing it.........can i get a medal now?

Medal awarded!

I develop my B&W film at home, but take my color and slide film into a professional lab. I treat any prints and scans like a contact sheet. They also make it easy to casually share images with people. It has never saved me time - except in deciding which images to spend energy on first.

As you point out, between scanning and touch-up activity there is a serious time investment. I would never take mini-lab type services and pretend they are as good as what can be done in house or with the more expensive lab offerings.

I like the look I get with the recipes I am cooking and film is a key part. That it takes more time and effort is inconsequential for me.

Now can I have my medal back?

I send my film color to the lab, charging me about $5 for C-41 and B&W, and about $8 for E-6, scanning normal small low resolution costs about $4, so i i just tell them to process my color film and i do scan at home, and still i didn't process one B&W film yet not at lab or by myself, i bought all the chemicals needed and i will start soon i hope.

I need a medal NOW.