Film refused for processing !

I have this film called 'Special Moments'. I believe its made in

China and I bought it at a One Dollar store in Dallas, Texas.

I took it in to a pharmacy to be developed and they refused because

it does not say 'C41' on the cassette.

I have bought various brands of film in these stores before and had

great results but I guess this was the first one that did not

say 'C41' on the cassette. I know it is a C41 film.

Does anyone have any idea how I can get this processed? These are

model portfolio photos and I have to give copies to the model.

I thought of removing the film and putting it in a Fuji cassette but

I'm not sure how to open and reclose the cassette without damaging it.

Er..take it somewhere else? Maybe an actual photo lab?

 

Do the models know you're using the world's cheapest film for their portfolios?

David,

 

You shot model portfolio pix on "Special Moments" film from a dollar store? Gutsy! I don't think I'd want to risk that.

 

I think your best bet might be to try another lab. But, since you asked about transferring the film to another cassette...

 

Most pre-rolled film comes in crimped cassettes, so once you open a cassette, you're not going to be able to reclose it. If you want to try this, you'd need another cassette (eg, a Fuji one) with the film removed except for a little bit of the tail end of the roll sticking out the end. (Photofinishers have hundreds of these left over from developing film. Or you could buy a roll of film and pull it out yourself and cut it off.) Then you'd have to take your film and the empty roll into _absolute_dark, along with a church-key can opener, a pair of scissors and some scotch tape. You'd open your roll (remember, all must be in absolute darkness) using the church key and pull out your film. Use the scissors to cut the end of your film from the spindle it's attached to. Use the tape to attach the end of your film securely to the little bit of film sticking out of the intact Fuji cassette. Then, wind the film carefully all the way into the Fuji cassette. When you're sure this is done, then you can turn the light on. Throughout this process, try to handle the raw film as little as possible, avoiding fingerprints and such.

 

Good luck!

I'm as dumbstruck as Bob. You're shooting "model" portfolios with no name film and having it processed at a pharmacy?

 

I'm not sure what kind of model portfolios you've seen but the ones I'm aware of desire top quality photos shot on quality professional film processed in a pro-lab with tight quality control requirements.

 

Take the film to a professional photo lab. Tell them how you want it processed and developed. While you're there buy a roll of Fuji NPH or Kodak NC160 and try it for your next big model shoot and see if it isn't somewhat more acceptable in terms of flesh tones, reproducablity, lower contrast, and overall quality. It's well worth the few extra bucks if this model work is legitimate.

No pro lab around? If not, you can send it to DigiGraphics for processing. We are in Colorado. www.digi-graphics.com Good Luck

One voice on the side of the processors, when you use film like this, the reason most labs won't take it, is some times these companies buy old 35mm movie film stock or other stocks that when run through machines, they foul the chemicals, leaving residue in the chemicals, necesitating a change and possibly affecting the next rolls of film in the line. I would say if you really need to find inexpensive film, try looking for out of date good film, might get some color shift(I've never had this problem) but for pro applications pro film is definatly the best way to go.

So, were you able to get the model naked? I'm just guessing here, but I'll bet you're the guy that the reputable modeling agencies warn young girls to stay away from.

<P>

Dollar store film?!.......Pharmacy?!......Please tell us this is a joke.

I'm the original poster. In my defence, these models don't pay me to take their portfolio pictures, so I economize where I can. Its a time-for-prints arrangement. I have gotten great results from off-brand film in the past (until this experience) and see no reason to enrich Kodak and Fuji any further. In any case, the quality of the film is irrelevant as far as my question goes.

Yes... I have the special Agfa and Fuji 160 ASA portrait films and the results were no better than my $1 Agfa, Ferrania and Sakura 200 asa films. I buy inexpensive film and shoot a lot of it.

the grocery in the local farmer's market sells brand x color print film for $1.00 with processing from clark film labs.( famous for losing film)

send me an empty barrel, i will fill it for you!

seriously I tried fresh Giant " finast" brand film from the supermarket really FERRANIA and walmart polaroid 35mm ( agfa)

and it was interesting.

shop smart, look for a store that had deals on

fresh kodak or fuji film not repackaged etc.

another local store here in pa has frsh kodacolor 200 4 rolls for under $6.00 .

I agree if it is serious work buy the right film - look for a professinal dealer and be willing to pay.

. but if you can't buy name brand film intended for that work, at least buy a good quality snapshot film

Just use a permanent marker to write "C-41" on the cassette, or scratch it in with an awl. Tell 'em that's how it came from the film manufacturer. I've seen Chinese goods marked pretty much that way.

Here Walgrens and the only lone pro lab are equal in quality; for 35mm C41 4x6 glossy prints. Use a pro lab; if they actually do better work. Here I have had about 700 rolls of C41 developed at the same Walgrens over the last 6 years; without a loss. They call me when a roll is muffed up; or there is an exposure problem. I have a commercial account there; and they are less than 1 mile away. The lone local "pro lab" develops C41 and E6 from 35mm to 4x5. I use them for the larger formats; and only when I have to. For 35mm 4x6 prints/proofs; their cost is about double; and about 6X if I factor in the two 3/4 hour round trips. Basically their attitude is poor; snobish; abit cocky and negative. For non rush jobs; I prefer to send my MF and LF away; and avoid the attitudes. Here Walgrens is alot better for me; the quality is excellent; they are close; and they alert me of potential equipment problems. This is what a pro lab does. A Pro labs is about turning out great work; without delays; without attitude problems; and not printing an entire roll if it is blank; and do notifying you of equipment problems; light leaks etc. Here the bank; realtors; appraisers; newspaper when still using film; and hospitals; attorneys; and military base use the Pharamacy I use for film processing. When the local "pro lab" doesnt make the cut in performance and quality; sometimes a Pharmacy can deliver alot more Professional work; at a cheaper price; quicker; and with a "more professonal attitude".

How much do you save buying crap film you can't depend on? It just makes no sense, especially when you're shooting for someone else.

 

If it's a buck a roll, it's a buck a roll because it's using some antiquated film technology and probably doesn't get subjected to much in the way of quality control.

 

Do yourself and your models a favor and buy some sort of reputable brand of film.

OT; I would be scared placing an unknown roll of film in a processor; if there was a slight change of damaging the machine; or others work. Without the C41 marking; it maybe non C41 movie film; or whatever. <BR><BR>With our color copiers; sometimes customers want us to run copies with their unknown funky papers. Now we dont do this any more. We had one guys wierd paper get all caught in the machine; it took 2 days; many parts; and about 600 bucks to fix; plus we turned work away.

I've had stores deny processing of Chromogenic B&W C-41 films before. Clearly

marked C41. I just stopped go there, forever.

 

Go somewhere else. Pharmacy & grocery store processing is low margin high volume

processing, and they just don't want to deal with an unknown.

I've shot about 40 rolls (asa 400) of walmart's house brand, "Rave" in the last

couple of months. It costs about Can.$2 roll in ten-packs, which works out to

~U.S.$1.30. I wish they sold 'pro'-packs, without all the extra cellophane and

cardboard, but the irony would have certain p-netters grinding their teeth all

night.

 

The film is a bit grainy and contrasty, but can pass for Fuji superia on a good

day, and seems to be reasonably consistent for a cheap consumer film.

Amateur film for amateur models: makes sense to me.

as the saying goes: you get what you pay for...

 

TFP only works if the resulting work is *good enough to get either of you a gig*, otherwise it's just fun and frolic.

David, do yourself and your models a favor - stock up on stock plain ole ornery Kodak Gold 100. It's frequently discounted in the packs of five rolls so you'll be spending $2 a roll for good film instead of $1 a roll for whoknowswhut.

 

A few years ago I sampled just about every available cheap film, from the worst of the worst (Ferrania and 3M) to the pretty good (Konica, Agfa and Fuji). The worst were good for nothing, a waste of resources, a waste of money spent on film, processing, time, gas driving to and from the store and worst of all a waste of treasured family and vacation snapshots.

 

The worst I can say about the better snapshot films is they're too saturated and too contrasty for good skin tones. That includes Walgren's house brand (Agfa) and the various types of Fuji Superwhatever (not Superia, which is slightly better) masquerading as Polaroid, Dollar General and whatever else.

 

Of all the consumer grade films I've tried only Kodak Gold 100 delivers consistently good skins tones with flash or available light. And almost any minilab not run by single cell organisms can do a good job with the prints. The grain is fine enough for decent 8x10s but nobody will be fooled into thinking the photos came from a pro.

 

Forget Kodak Gold 400 - not even close. The only fast snapshot film I've tried that did a decent job with skin tones was Fuji Superia X-tra 800. I wouldn't match NPH or NPZ but it often delivered better skin tones under mixed lighting than Portra 400NC, which is why I've used Superia X-tra 800 for candids at social affairs when I couldn't predict what lighting would be available. Not so good with flash tho' - best reserved for available light shots.

As the original poster of this thread I have to laugh at the way this has transformed into a criticism of my film choices instead of how to get a film processed when the cassette does not state C41.

Obviously I care about my results and would not continue using any film I found inferior. The fact is this film has not even been developed yet and you are criticizing it!

Most of the 'crap' films, as you describe them, are what professionals were using just 5-10 years ago.

 

I make 4x6 prints and scan the negatives and I am satisfied with the results. As I said before I have used the special 160 ASA Agfa and Fuji portrait films and honestly they are no better, in fact I did not like the muted colors.

 

Incidentally, it was Walgreens who refused to process this film.

10 or 15 years ago "professionals" weren't using unknown crap film made in China. Even if they were, guess what, they don't anymore.

 

I wonder why....?

So is the "Special moments" Chinese film C41 or not?<BR><BR>Omitting the "C41" marking sounds like a real screwup.

"Yes... I have the special Agfa and Fuji 160 ASA portrait films and the results were no better than my $1 Agfa, Ferrania and Sakura 200 asa films. I buy inexpensive film and shoot a lot of it."

 

Lol, perhaps it's your eyes that need the checking, not the film canisters. Every single person I have introduced to Reala or NPH or any of the other portrait steadfasts for a special occasion has not gone back, it's that simple.

Just locate a "Special Moments" data sheet and take it to the pharmacy with the film.

Just try another Pharmacy. I work in one and I have processed film before that was not labeled. Just explain to them that the film is C41 and that you will not be upset if the film is ruined. The reason they won't do it is because they don't want to be yelled at when the film is destroyed if it's not C41.

<I>As the original poster of this thread I have to laugh at the way this has transformed into a criticism of my film choices instead of how to get a film processed when the cassette does not state C41. Obviously I care about my results and would not continue using any film I found inferior. The fact is this film has not even been developed yet and you are criticizing it! Most of the 'crap' films, as you describe them, are what professionals were using just 5-10 years ago.</I><br /><br />This happens in almost every thread. Someone posts a question, and suddenly the self-appointed 'pros' are all over it in a demented orgy of 'here's how we pro's do it, you unworthy scum' willy-waving. As if real professionals could be bothered...<br /><br />Often the original question posed never gets answered, as you noted.