Where to process Seattle Filmworks SFW-XL, Signature Color ECN-II?

Being the pro photographer in the neighborhood, I was queried unscrupulously

the other day by a soul interested in processing some of that abysmally horrid

Seattle Filmworks cr*p from the previous century.

 

Now, while in the process of entertaining my subject's interrogations, I

realized that I actually have a few rolls of Signature Color ECN-II process

motion picture film unshot in my freezer. I assume the Seattle stuff is the

same process...complete with the infamous anti-halation backing, rem jet, or

what have you...aka "the gunk factor" that jams up the belts of most minilabs.

 

Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with a valid answer for my questionee as to

where to process this stuff. I know that Rocky Mountain will do it, but takes

6 months and costs $25 a roll...not quite what we're looking for.

 

Anyone use movie film short ends and develop them lately? PLEASE let me know

where! I will be grateful!

so is that horrible SFW dead?

Are they dead?

 

No, they've been reincarnated.

 

http://www.photoworks.com/

 

But their movie film is no more.

 

Signature Color IS dead as far as I know.

Search the archives, and you will find:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00DaDn

 

But, is it worth $14 or more to just process expired movie film, which did not have "long storage before exposure" as a design criteria?

 

I suspect the only practical way to use the stuff is to be a cinematographer, with an ongoing work stream to an ECN-II lab of 200 to 1000 foot rolls of the stuff. Then you can get good prices.

drop your film off at a local store that sends out to fuji. When i worked at eckerd, the fuji outlab had "ECNII aka SFWXL" as a two day "non garuntee" service. Essentially they wont buy your prints back if they suck...but your film is developed for around $5

Is Dale still around? They used to sell the same stuff. Theoretically any movie lab could soup it but they deal in 1000-foot rolls. The 5 feet of a 36-exposure roll isn't enough to thread up the machine and several would have to be spliced together in the darkroom, not something they would want to be bothered with.

The more important answer of course is to help your friend but trash the unused rolls you have laying around. It isn't worth the trouble. I have a couple of rolls I'm saving to teach my son how to thread a camera or a developing tank reel, something where the film will just be a scrap roll exposed to light.

Now, does anyone know what year Seattle switched to C-41?

Our mystery roll is marked use by '99 and process SFW-XL.

 

Thank you cordially, everyone for your info thus far! :-)

It is wonderful to hear that there is still use for my old films.

I will likely use it for some non-critical copying or duping stuff.

Recently sent some C41 to Photoworks. I think they switched to C41 at aroung 2000. Still don't like their processing, it was terribly grainy.

 

Cheers

<p>I have a roll each of SFW-XL and ECN-2 refrigerated for some years. Photoworks, x-Seattle, told me 2 years ago they wouldn't develop ECN-2 but still did SFW. They have a printable orderform stating reasonable pricing. Too bad their rep is low.<br>

Here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/expired/discuss/34916/ I found some possible places.

<p>Here's a response I got from Dale in August, 2009:<br>

 

<p>

<p>We stopped processing ECN films at the end of July. We can process other Seattle films.<br>

Elaine<br>

Customer Service<br>

?</p>

<p>Dale Photo & Digital<br>

800-327-1776</p>

 

<a href="http://www.photo.net/film-and-processing-forum/www.dalelabs.com">www.dalelabs.com</a></p>

</p>

DALE Labs stopped processing the old SFW-XL films. They only do C-41 now<p>I'd just like to contribute:<p>My friend sent some film that was " SFW-XL / ECN-2 " to a lab in Northeast Ohio DOUBLE EXPOSURE, LTD. LAB that claims to be the only one doing full-service processing, and they made the slides from negatives. They offer fresh film and can do it from regular C-41 film too.