Where does one go...

mjk · Feb 25, 2017

... to get film developed in the Boston area these days? I was looking through a pile of old CD-ROMs and came across a bunch of scans from when I was still shooting film and looking through the contents got me thinking about how I was shooting better pictures back when I was shooting film. Now I want to try shooting a few rolls to slow myself down and try to recapture some of that magic, but I'm finding that all the affordable options are gone. Cameras Inc is long gone. Costco doesn't do film anymore. Such pharmacy chains that will still take film send it out somewhere that destroys negatives giving back only a CD full of poor-quality scans. Where do folks go to get color film processed these days?

keenmaster486 · Feb 25, 2017

Well, if you're willing to mail your film then you can send it to Dwayne's for pretty low cost, obviously not as cheap as the pharmacy but much better quality.

Nodda Duma · Feb 25, 2017

I send mine to Dwayne's because the cost of developing plus 4x6 prints is very good.

Leigh B · Feb 25, 2017

I don't know the Boston area, but Dodge Chrome in Silver Spring, Md, still has a wetlab.
They do excellent work.
The Post Office knows here they are.

http://www.dodgechrome.com

- Leigh

photog_ed · Feb 25, 2017

I used to use Dorian Color in Arlington, but I checked their web site and they now do only black and white. I think they were the last lab in the Boston area still doing color. I think you'll have to mail it away somewhere.

bdial · Feb 25, 2017

Maybe Hunt's?

Probably too far for you, but in SouthWest NH, Peterborough Camera does 35 and 120, as does Monadnock Imaging in Keene. Mostly I use Peterborough, because they are close for me. If you wanted to mail them your film, I'm sure they would be happy to run it for you.

removed account4 · Feb 25, 2017

colortek downtown boston
panopticon might still be around ( rockland )
dorian color is still in arlington

Moopheus · Feb 25, 2017

photog_ed said:
I used to use Dorian Color in Arlington, but I checked their web site and they now do only black and white. I think they were the last lab in the Boston area still doing color. I think you'll have to mail it away somewhere.

Not quite. Color Services in Needham is still doing it. Did not know Dorian had stopped. Cameras Inc outsourced their E-6 to them, but I guess it's not surprising, the last time I went to Dorian (a few years ago) they were only running their machines twice a week.

Since then, I've been sending my color (a limited part of my usage) to Praus in Rochester. Their digital services are limited, but the film processing is second to none, totally dependable in my experience.

mjk · Feb 25, 2017

My basic requirements are that the film would get developed without getting damaged, that I get scans good enough to play with and share, and that the negatives get returned to me safely. All of the local labs mentioned here seem rather outside my price range (all same to come in around $20/roll after development and scanning). Of the national labs, Dwayne's seems to be priced right, but I see lots of horror stories about missing/damaged orders. I miss Cameras Inc.

bdial · Feb 26, 2017

FWIW, Peterborough is $6.00 for process and scan to a CD, $16 for process and print.

Threads like this make me feel truly fortunate at having two labs within 25 miles of my house.

Nodda Duma · Feb 26, 2017

mjk said:
My basic requirements are that the film would get developed without getting damaged, that I get scans good enough to play with and share, and that the negatives get returned to me safely. All of the local labs mentioned here seem rather outside my price range (all same to come in around $20/roll after development and scanning). Of the national labs, Dwayne's seems to be priced right, but I see lots of horror stories about missing/damaged orders. I miss Cameras Inc.

I've sent in perhaps 200 rolls (35 & 120, C-41 & E-6) to Dwayne's over the past couple years and haven't lost a roll.

Leigh B · Feb 26, 2017

mjk said:
... to get film developed in the Boston area these days?

A comment on net etiquette.

The use of abbreviated subject lines ending with ellipses (...) is extremely rude.

You choose to inconvenience viewers by expecting them to click on the title.
I suppose if you're being paid for click-throughs that might matter, but only to you.

Beyond that, it makes the thread subject totally invisible to the search function, which kills the archives.

- Leigh

mjk · Mar 1, 2017

Leigh B said:
A comment on net etiquette.

The use of abbreviated subject lines ending with ellipses (...) is extremely rude.

You choose to inconvenience viewers by expecting them to click on the title.
I suppose if you're being paid for click-throughs that might matter, but only to you.

Beyond that, it makes the thread subject totally invisible to the search function, which kills the archives.

- Leigh

I didn't realize that. I'll not do so again.

Moopheus · Mar 1, 2017

mjk said:
I miss Cameras Inc.

When I was using more C-41 film, I used Cameras, Inc in Somerville. Should have seen the end coming--over time, turnaround went from same day, to one day, to two, then three.

Unfortunately, I think there just aren't places like that around here much any more. Shops that rely mainly on walk-in customers aren't going to get enough volume, unless they are also catering to high-end pro clients. Which means you're likely to have to go mail order for what you want.

mjk · Mar 1, 2017

Moopheus said:
When I was using more C-41 film, I used Cameras, Inc in Somerville. Should have seen the end coming--over time, turnaround went from same day, to one day, to two, then three.

Unfortunately, I think there just aren't places like that around here much any more. Shops that rely mainly on walk-in customers aren't going to get enough volume, unless they are also catering to high-end pro clients. Which means you're likely to have to go mail order for what you want.

When I was shooting C-41 a lot, I remember being able to drop my film off, go have lunch at the Indian buffet across the street, and have clean negatives and 3 megapixel scans ready by the time I was done eating thirty or forty minutes later. I suspect that turnaround time like that for competent work just doesn't exist anymore.

Where does one go...

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