Report: availability of film and processing in Riga, Latvia

Greetings from Riga, Latvia

 

If you are travelling here with your camera I have the following recomendations.

 

First, if you are using a digital camera, rejoice! Fuji Frontiers are a dime a dozen here and

cheap. Batteries and memory are widely available at normal prices. Also, try a lab outside

of vecriga for better prices on prints.

 

Second, if you are using 35mm film, Rejoice! You can have your film processed anywhere

here. But be advised that your film will probably not be rinsed properly and you'll have to

have it rewashed in some other country. Also, there is no pro film available here.

 

Third, if you are using 120 film, Rejoice! This is also easy to process. The same washing

problem applies to 120 film. You won't find this film for sale though. Perhaps one ugly

variety of Fuji.

 

Fourth, if you are using 220 film, you're in big trouble. You'll have to take your film to

another country to have it processed. However, you can run it in my JOBO. That's right, if

you need your film processed, email me and you can use my JOBO for C-41. And again,

you won't find this format for sale here.

 

Fifth, if you are using 4x5 film, you're out of luck. You won't be able to process it and you

won't find it for sale. The closest lab that will do it is probably in Poland. The only one I

know of nearby is in Prague, which is hardly nearby. Again, if you'd like you can run 4x5

film in my JOBO. Just email.

 

 

 

I hope this is helpful. I would be happy to answer any other questions you have about

photography in Riga and Latvia.

 

Nicolas

Even if I'm not planning a trip to Riga, it's nice to know a fellow PNetter is ready to help people with their film processing.

I am in ne pa about 100 miles from nyc and 85 miles from phila.

35mm and prints from digital is ok, anything else- forget it

 

chemicals? hazleton or easton/.allentown ( 45 minutes)

 

things seem better in latvia.

we don't even have a electical supply less than 35 miles away.

Nicolas,

first thing I can advice is go back to Vecriga and look for Fujifilm shop called Filmaris, Valnu street, near old tower. Prices are higher than in other minilabs for printing and developing, though they know printing, are responsive to customers and reprint if Cst isn't happy. In same place you will find pro films for 35mm and MF, at least 160 range, 400H and NPZ for MF and slide stuff. And Superia Reala, which you can get in another few places.

 

Some people swear on BFS lab on Brieza street, though I haven't tried it presonally, you can look there for Kodak pro films, not sure. Near Matisa aka Vidzemes market is JVK lab, el cheapo ls2.5 for scanning entire roll and rec. to CD (oversharpened as bonus).

Actually Andrejs is quite right about the shops he mentions. The recomendation to bring

your own film still stands though, I don't think the selection of films here matches even

Vilnius (Fuji NPC-or was it NPS, and NPZ available in 120; some Ilford B&W available in 120)

Film washing still seems to be a problem and for the price charged, I have to assume

something is being omitted from the process. However if you can stomach it, the price for

processing is very reasonable: 50 santims seems like below cost for chemistry. 220

processing is available at BFS.

Hi!

I live in Riga, I thought I would chip in.

 

1) Rinse problem. let's put it in perspective. At most places they develop your film in minilab machines, using standard washing procedures. If that is not enough then you have a film washing problem in most place in the world :-) Or is it because you think tap water is not pure enough here?

Anyway, if you are looking for archival permanence of your negatives and slides then at BFS on Pulkveza Brieza street they actually offer something called PRO development service - additional washing of your film. It is actually at the same price as regular developing, but it just takes longer.

 

2) Processing of various formats. For developing BFS actually use a huge a rack and hanger processor, they don't run your film through the regular minilab develping machine. In theory this should mean less chance for scratches. AFAIK this is the only kind of this machine in Latvia. More importantly, this also means that you can process ANY size of film at BFS from 110 to sheet film. And this applies both for c-f1 and e-6 processes. They also offer B/W in regenerated X-TOL process, but I am not sure about the film format (35 and MF definitely, don't know about sheet film).

 

3) Nicolas is quite right about poor selection of films when you get past 35mm format. Again a place to look is BFS - they have a fridge at the back of the room - have a peep inside it yourself - they have some king of funny selection of films in various formats. For Fuji films (again mostly in 35 and 120) the best selection is at Filmaris on Valnu street 5 and at Rilita on Blaumana street 21. For Black and white you should try M/B darbnîca on Aldara street - they have a selection of MACO films, chemicals and paper there. They will also develop your film, hand-print it old school style using wet process or print it on Epson inkjet (the guy who owns the place is a b/w geek and he really knows his stuff. Before Ilford temporary collapse, he was selling Ilford stuff, maybe he is back at at it again).

 

5) For machine printing the supposedly best places are BFS; JVK on Sarlotes street and Filmaris on Valnu street. At BFS and JVK they have Noritsu 2901, at Filmaris they have Fuji Frontier. At BFS they also advertise hand printing on a non-digital enlarger (I think it was an older Noritsu machine). Additionally if you need high end stuff in huge formats at JVK they have DURST Lambda 131.

 

Happy shooting!

Sorry to keep going on, but I checked BFS pricelist and they do C-41, E-6 and B/W up until 8x10 inch format.

I am still getting the response from BFS that they no longer process sheet film C-41. They

told me they stopped offering the service in 2003. Maybe it is just lingering on the pricelist.

I would be very happy to find out that they do still process it, I am going to ask again. 120

and 220 processing there is good, contradicting my initial impression. I am still wary of the

long-term stability of the film but I am just using a stabilizer at home to solve this

problem.<br>&nbsp<br>As far as buying film there: yes it is

certainly the best selection of film in Riga. They do not stock 220 and they do not stock

Portra but you will find Fuji films in the 120 format and some B&W.

Nicolas