Walgreens still does film processing - at a price

<p>Now that I wont use Walmart, my formerly usual place (because where I live they don't return negatives), I took my two 24exp 35mm vacation rolls to Walgreens and was happy to find they still do film processing. The clerk even said there was a $1 off offer that week and even though I did not have the coupon, he gave it to me. I ordered one copy of each photo plus a CD. I did not think to ask about the price, figuring it would be $20-$25.<br>

When I picked up the order, the total came to $33 and that's with the discount. It used to be about $20 at Walmart. There was no breakdown on the receipt, just the total plus tax.<br>

The photos came out nice (taken with Fujica ST705 and Zeiss lenses) but I was unimpressed with the scans. Walmart used to give 2 sets of scans, low-resolution previews and high-resolution full-size. Walgreens single scans came somewhere in between, not small enough for a preview but not big enough to be called high-resolution.<br>

All in all I have mixed feelings, I wish there was another alternative but I guess I should be grateful I can get films developed at all. It seems the price is going only one way though - and that is UP.</p>

<p>The older Walgreens here still has its machine and does develop-only for about US$5. It's more expensive than the better processing at the camera store, but they are open 24 hours a day.<br>

The newer store is not open all the time, and has no developing except for send-out.</p>

<p>Tip:<br>

Don't get prints. Just get the CD and pick select images for them to print. Also a 36exp roll costs the same as a 24 exp roll so shoot 36's. I'm paying about $8/roll this way. Also tell the manager you are a semi-pro and you <em>may</em> get an additional "commercial" discount (varies with location). I get 10% off on my order. Once you are in their system, the discount gets applied automatically. It's worth asking about. If you shoot a lot it adds up.</p>

<p>My approach is to have them do the processing and CD. The images can be post processed OK for web use but for prints I re-scan the good frames myself and print myself at home.</p>

<p>My local Walgreen still does developing. I usually get my film developed and a CD. It is a lot cheaper that way. The scans aren't that great but I use them for a quick look to decide what to scan for myself.</p>

<p>That seems awfully expensive for prints. I would ask for a breakdown of the prices.</p>

<p>They will price themselves out of business at those rates.</p>

<p>The CVS near me just removed ALL of their film processing equipment. Which is a shame because they did a nice job. My Walgreens still does it, but for the price the film came back scratched and badly printed. Doubt I'll be using them again. Might just go with Process and CD only at Allied Photocolor.</p>

<p>Not any help to me as we do not have a Wallgreen's in our county. However I am happy for those of you that have the service.</p>

<p>My local Walgreens is doing the same job as for Russ, $4.99 develop only, film was rolled up and put back into the film container, but the finger prints and scratches were deplorable. I was shooting some Ektar in a M4 using a 5cm Summicron collapsible that has some visible haze inside and was anxious to see what it could do. Here's an example I took during hurricane Issac, nothing special but boy do the scratches really shine through. I used my cotton gloves to carefully cut the film and sleeve it, so this is from Walgreens. The camera came with a zeiss zm 50 and those few rolls I shot with that combo came out great, so it's not the camera or my handling. Walgreens is the only local place I have, so I'm going to try my hand with color developing with one of the Tetanal kits. B&W is easy enough, so I hope color can be as well.</p><div></div>

<p>D.F. I'm sorry to say but that scan you posted made me LOL! They went to town on your negatives. I have NEVER seen anything that bad and I have used Walmart, Sam's Club, Walgreen's and a couple of other places. The problem with Walgreen's, Sam's Club, and places like that is developing and printing is done locally. If your local store is run by clowns you will get screwed. Walmart send out service is the only cheap bullet proof solution I've found so far.</p>

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<p>When I picked up the order, the <strong>total came to $33</strong> and that's with the discount. It used to be about $20 at Walmart. There was no breakdown on the receipt, just the total plus tax.</p>

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<p>Hilarious. Sam's club develops 36 exp roll for $1.50 no prints. Prints and CD are reasonably priced if you are into that kind of thing. I would personally buy a cheap flat bed scanner like the Epson V500 and do your own proofing at home. Then I would order professional prints for only the images I really want to hang up. Seriously even at $20 for two rolls the costs add up. Think about it you can scan your stuff at home and save your money for drum scans and large professional prints. Epson V500 scans are good enough for small prints and if you want to get crazy and go large get a pro drum scan. It will be way better than anything you will get from a chain of any sort. There is no way I would pay $20 for developing and proofing of any kind... let alone $33.</p>

<p>Funny story. I was forced to go to my local Walgreens because the Fuji lab at my local Sam's Club was on the fritz. While I was there the clerk told me they were slated to get rid of their wet lab setup entirely at that location. He also said that a "professional" photofinisher down the road got rid of his wet lab years ago. What he would do was get some pretty good coupons Walgreens used to have and bring his customers film down to Walgreens to be developed and printed. He would then go back to his store and sell the prints to his loyal customers... with a healthy mark up. I bet plenty of his customers would scoff at the idea I use the Walmart send out service for all my medium format developing. Photography really puts a smile on my face :D</p>

<p>My neighborhood Walgreens just got rid of their minilab. All film is sent out now and they replaced the Fuji Frontier with a Noritsu dye-sub printer. I tried their prints yesterday and the results look good. Possibly better than the Frontier prints on Crystal Archive for b&w, since there's no slight blue, green or reddish tint.</p>

<p>The manager said the only problem they've noticed with the dye-sub printer is a tendency to gum up the works when customers expecting babies want prints of their ultrasound tests. Apparently the Noritsu has troubling with batch printing when the prints are mostly black.</p>

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<p>film was rolled up and put back into the film container</p>

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<p>NEVER let them do this. The less they handle the film the better. They are set up to cut and sleeve the film relatively cleanly. Deviate from that at your film's peril.</p>

<p>Jeff, yea they are screwed. All of theme(36) are like this, some are worse. I just quit scanning. Sams just opened a new store close by. I will call tomorrow and see if they process film. Fingers are crossed.<br>

Louis, this is the first time I've ever gotten a roll back in the canister. I didn't ask for it, as they usually give me my negatives already cut and sleeved. Lesson learned. </p>

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<p>Not any help to me as we do not have a Wallgreen's in our county.</p>

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Ross, don't you live in Monterey County? If so, there's plenty of Walgreens there. Maybe you are confusing it with Walmart.</p>

<p>Ha! I just had 11 rolls developed at Costco... and they rolled up the film and stuffed it back in the canister too! Apparently I forgot to ask for the negatives to be cut, and they have some photographers who insist on cutting their own negs, so they fit in the 6 image strip sleeves. I find the 6 image strip sleeves to be annoying, and the six image strip scanner I have is impossible to align properly without mucking about with the negatives too much.<br>

<br />Now, in a previous interaction with said Costco's photo manager, I did ask for uncut negs (for that roll) and not only did I get them, I got the entire neg in a very nice plastic sleeve, loosely rolled up and in a cardboard box. The nice lady who processed my film today must not have known about the special plastic sleeves and the boxes.<br>

<br />I guess I'm going to have some fun with the scissors tonight. Anyone have any tips on how to get the film out of the canisters with a minimal amount of damage?</p>