Walmart SEND OUT SERVICE developing, 2012 update

<p>Before we begin let me make a few things clear...</p>

<p>1) This thread is about the <strong>SEND OUT SERVICE</strong> only.<br /> 2) The send out service for developing is NOT done by Walmart. It is like using a developing mailer except you do not have to pay for postage and it is cheaper. I repeat <strong>no one at Walmart touches your film</strong> except to transport it in a sealed envelope to and from the actual party that develops the film.<br /> 3) Refrain from talking to anyone at Walmart either on the phone or in person. Talking to the denizens of Wally World is how misinformation spreads. If someone hasn't gone in and personally used the send out service then what they have to say is worse than useless.</p>

<p>Okay now that I have that out of the way... After the FALSE rumor that Walmart doesn't give back negatives got started I made my way down to Wally World and did my own personal test. If you have doubts try a test of your own with an expired roll of film and see how things work at your local Wally World. I of course can only speak about Walmarts I've actually used. At this time I can tell you with zero uncertainty that Walmart does routinely return negatives... at least at the two Walmarts I've checked in the last two weeks.</p>

<p>I did NOT notice any change in the send out envelopes. They look exactly as they've always looked. Here is an example...</p>

<p><img src="http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00a/00ae1y-484383584.jpg" alt="" width="421" height="695" /></p>

<p>Now I don't develop 35mm C-41 film at Walmart. I do that at Sam's Club which is a bit more dicey because they do it on location, so you have to be sure your Sam's film developer is competent. Anyway back to Walmart. I use the send out service for 35mm E-6 and all my 120/220 processing needs. I believe E-6 processing for everything is about $5-6. Yes that includes 220 Velvia. They do not gouge. 120 C-41 film can be developed for as little as $0.83. Yes you read that right. Here is one of my latest Portra processing orders...</p>

<p><img src="http://i47.tinypic.com/v7xm34.jpg" alt="" /><br /> I just ordered some Portra 220 and I'm going to give that a try with this service. So how is the quality? Excellent. No dust, hair, or scratches. The film came back cut and individually sleeved. The slide film either came back mounted in cardboard (35mm) or in a long uncut sleeved roll (120/220).</p>

<p>My humble advice to everyone is to put aside your preconceived notions and give the send out service a try. Send one test roll of film and YOU be the judge. If you are sending E-6 or 120/220 film ignore all the stuff in the blue area of the forum. Go to the SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS section in the lower left hand corner. In that space write something like E-6 developing only, no prints, no CD. Or write C-41 220 film processing only, no prints, no CD. With 35mm E-6 film be sure to indicate mounted or unmounted.</p>

<p>A neat trick I learned is <strong>if you grab a bunch of the envelops from your home Walmart you can drop your film off at other Walmarts and it finds its way home.</strong> It is not visible on my scanned example but all the envelops have the address of the Walmart they are to return to printed on them. So presumably you could drop off an envelope for a Walmart in New York in Seattle and it will find its way back to you. I have not tried it over a distance that long. But I have certainly gone to the next state over and had my developed film pop up in the Walmart near me a couple of weeks later.</p>

<p>Anyway, if any of you discover any changes to the Walmart send out service please keep us apprised. Now when I say "discover" I mean you personally going in and trying it out and getting different results. I don't mean calling in to a random Walmart and talking to a clueless person and parroting that conversation on the internet. Also if you see different mailers take a picture of them and post so we can know what to be on the look out for. I've heard rumors of at least one different mailer but I have never seen a picture of one. Take pictures people.</p>

<p>This is a picture of the send out service kiosk where you can pick up and drop off mailers. Notice it says nothing about "no negatives returned." I took this two weeks ago.<br /> <img src="http://i46.tinypic.com/2exr3he.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Thank You</p>

<p>It is "interesting" that the prices on the display are only for 24 exposure and 27 exposure rolls, the latter being the size of the single-use cameras.</p>

<p>Hey Jeff. Walmart owns Sam's club so they are one in the same. I wouldn't set foot in either personally.</p>

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<p>Thank You</p>

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<p>You're welcome Stephen. Just trying to clear up some rumors and see if anyone has any other factual information to add. I hope this helps someone.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>It is "interesting" that the prices on the display are only for 24 exposure and 27 exposure rolls, the latter being the size of the single-use cameras.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Mmm, yeah... pricing. Well pricing is a bit iffy with certain orders. If you get developing only it is reasonable. It certainly won't be the most you've ever paid. I can't guarantee the $0.84 for medium format. What I can guarantee is it won't be the $12 places like <a href="http://www.northcoastphoto.com/Order.Sheet.2010.pdf">NCPS</a> charge to develop and mail back a single roll of c-41 120. The signage is strange. If you just looked at it it would not be clear they do E-6 and medium format film processing. I have NEVER gotten prints there so I have no idea how that works... or doesn't. I think the prints may be done locally. I may be wrong.</p>

 

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<p>Hey Jeff. Walmart owns Sam's club so they are one in the same.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Thank you Eddy, I'm aware of that and I'm not sure how that is in any way germane to this topic. Sam's Club's on premises minilabs have a grand total of zilch to do with Walmart's send out service. Frankly if you find a Sam's Club with a well maintained minilab and competent caring minilab operators that does not guarantee you you will find the same at a minilab in a Sam's club 10 miles away. That's why I clearly said test out your local Sam's club and don't just dump five rolls of film off there based on an anectodal story about a Sam's minilab in Des Moines.</p>

 

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<p>I wouldn't set foot in either personally.</p>

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<p>I see my calls for objective information with proof such as pictures went unheeded.</p>

<p>Thanks Jeff. I too have good results having my 120 Chrome processed for $9. The film is returned clean, uncut, sleeved, and rolled on a paper tube to prevent crushing of the film during transport. Only gripe is that I request the return of the spool and paper, and usually do not get them back.</p>

<p>Paul -- I'm just a novice at medium format. Why would you want the paper back? (The spools I get...) </p>

<p>Jeff -- Thank you, you're very solidly informed, which is a nice change of pace on this topic. Is it true that Walmart's, nationally, ie all of them, use Dwayne's in Kansas? That's quite a reputable lab. Also, can you indicate push/pull information? Dwayne's apparently only pushes E6 and not color neg (I never push color neg anyway) according to one recent correspondent. I believe they do push B&W, who wouldn't. </p>

<p>I suspect your $0.84 charge was not the correct price but the result of the same intellectual prowess and careful attention to detail that leads you to instruct us never to talk to the personnel. </p>

<p>In our area they used to use Fuji commercial development service which was pretty good. Not sure who does it for them now.</p>

<p>Thanks for the info - have some questions.<br>

1. Do they develop 35mm color and b&w? Does it come back in sleeves?<br>

2. How long does it generally take?</p>

<p>As indicated in the other threads on this topic, its the local store practices that count and there have been user accounts of different practices. As Jeff indicates here, he can only speak as to actual stores he has been to. To ensure accurate information, check with the local stores as to what can be done at those particular local stores.</p>

<p><strong>Jeff: </strong>NCPS charges $6.50 for 120 E-6. They use Refrema dip-and-dunk processors, and I have NEVER had a chrome or neg scratched. WalMart/Dwaynes uses roller transport, and I HAVE had scratches.</p>

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<p>1. Do they develop 35mm color and b&w? Does it come back in sleeves?<br /><br /></p>

</blockquote>

<p>M&M, I suspect 35mm C-41 film is the vast majority of what they do. So much so that the local Walmart staff at many locations probably is completely clueless about E-6 and 120/220 film of any kind. I don't do 35mm C-41 there simply because I don't shoot a lot of it and my local Sam's club does a decent job with it for $1.50. Walmart charges more than Sam's for 35mm film developing. It is being sent out to a good lab at Walmart vs being done in house in a minilab at Sam's so you would expect a difference in price and more often than not quality.</p>

<p>The other problem with 35mm C-41 is the form does not make it clear that you can order just developing. It appears that some kind of printing is required. I don't know if that is true. My fear is someone at Walmart will take my perfectly developed roll of film and deposit dust, hair, and scratches on it while ramming it through some poorly calibrated local machine just to give me some mediocre prints I will throw away anyway. Someone with actual experience in this matter will hopefully post and let us know or maybe I'll do another test and get back to you in a few weeks.</p>

<p>I have not attempted black and white. They should be able to process C-41 black and white no problem. True black and white probably can be developed through the send out service, but I'm going to break my own rule and wander off into speculation land. From what I've read on this forum true black and white developing is pricy at Walmart. The reason I've heard is true B&W processing is not automated. So where ever they send the film off to someone has to hand develop it and they charge you for it. You can test it out and see what happens. It is highly unlikely it will only cost $0.84. I've heard numbers >$10/roll. Basically it was expensive enough that if you can find a good local person to do it you might as well skip the Walmart experience. You probably don't want to hear this but you may want to start developing your own B&W at home. If you shoot quite a bit it is the only sane thing to do. It probably costs $100 to get up and started but after that it literally costs pennies a roll to develop at home. You can make it as complicated or straight forward as you want. You do NOT need a dark room and the hardest part for me was learning how to consistently spool film onto the developing reels without mangling it. Once I figured that out it was a piece of cake. Sure there were a few sporadic rolls of less than spectacularly developed rolls of films, but those usually happened when I did something stupid like used water that was too hot for a rinse or used fixer that was old and exhausted. Basically every time I tried to get cute and be sloppy or over zealous with something disaster ensued. As long as I souped my film in a reasonable concentration of developer at a reasonable temperature I got scanable negatives.</p>

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<p>2. How long does it generally take?</p>

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<p>Not sure with 35mm C-41, because I've never done it. I saw this schedule posted on a drop off kiosk. Check your local store for your schedule. Everything else (E-6, 120/220) you can plan on two weeks.<br /> <img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/21myoao.jpg" alt="" /></p>

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<p><strong>Jeff: </strong>NCPS charges $6.50 for 120 E-6. They use Refrema dip-and-dunk processors, and I have NEVER had a chrome or neg scratched. WalMart/Dwaynes uses roller transport, and I HAVE had scratches.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Good to know. NCPS indicates a slightly higher price and of course for 220 the price really jumps. The other thing with NCPS is you have to pay shipping to them and scrounge up your own envelope. And they charge a minimum of $6.50 to mail back your slides. So for a single 220 roll you are looking at a minimum of $17 not including your own shipping and packaging costs to them. That is steep. But if it is really important work it's worth it. It's just as a hobbyist I cannot justify >$17/roll for film developing alone and I don't want the high cost of developing to turn people off to film. There are alternatives.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.northcoastphoto.com/Price.Sheet.2010.pdf"><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/96j1i8.jpg" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>Experience with local Walmart (Cumming, GA).<br>

C41 B&W takes around two weeks, prints may have a minor color cast.<br>

E6 also takes around two weeks, 120/220 returned uncut, 35mm only returned mounted.<br>

C41 color prints made off-site by the processing lab (probably Fuji from some of the labeling).</p>

<p>All Wal Mart stores do not operate their SEND OUT service the same. Apparently it depends on a number of factors and who knows what they are.</p>

<p>I appreciate the person who went to their local Wal Mart and posted a picture of what the SEND OUT envelopes in that store look like. But when I go to my WalMart to get a SEND OUT envelope, they look almost identical to those posted but they have printed on them in large bold letters: "NEGATIVES WILL NOT BE RETURNED".</p>

<p>So, it depends on your store. Look at the envelope. If it says "NEGATIVES WILL NOT BE RETURNED", then I would not count on getting my negatives back.</p>

 

<p>I live in Princeton NJ. In June I tried the send-out service at my local Walmart for 3 rolls of 35mm, 36-exposure E6 films. It's about $6.88 + tax per roll. The slides came back mounted. There are no scratches. Overall there is no major quality issue.<br /><br />I dropped off on Monday evening. I was told the pickup had already occurred earlier that day. My slides came back the following Thursday. During the wait period, I impatientily called the 1800 number on the receipts. The call went to Fuji customer service. They gave me an estimated return time based on the serial (& store?) number on the receipts. <br /><br />Eventually I was told by one staff that the pickup schedule of send-out service at my local store is every Monday & Thursday. So I would say it took about a week.<br /><br />This is my own experience. YMMV.</p>

<p >Here's a list of (mostly) mail order film processors. The ones I have used are marked with an '*'. Just because a processor does not have a “*” doesn't mean they aren't good, it just means I have not used them. </p>

<p > </p>

<p >If you know of more good processors, please share!</p>

<p > </p>

<p > </p>

<p >Apertures Photo, <a href="http://www.aperturesphoto.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=40&Itemid=215">http://www.aperturesphoto.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=40&Itemid=215</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >Bison Photo, <a href="http://www.bisonphoto.com/35mm_Film_developing.html">http://www.bisonphoto.com/35mm_Film_developing.html</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >* Clark Color, I've been using this place for years, have always been happy, recently they have screwed some things up for me though, rethinking before I send them anything more, <a href="http://www.clarkcolor.com/Content.aspx?Page=Order+Form+%26+Mailing+Label#.UDEMrc_Xb_Y">http://www.clarkcolor.com/Content.aspx?Page=Order+Form+%26+Mailing+Label#.UDEMrc_Xb_Y</a> </p>

<p > </p>

<p >Darkroom (The), <a href="http://thedarkroom.lifepics.com/net/Login.aspx">http://thedarkroom.lifepics.com/net/Login.aspx</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >Dwayne's Photo, <a href="http://dwaynesphoto.com/">http://dwaynesphoto.com/</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >E-Six Lab, <a href="http://www.e-sixlab.com/c41.htm">http://www.e-sixlab.com/c41.htm</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >Gamma Imaging, <a href="http://gammaimaging.com/darkroom-printing/film-processing/e-6_c-41/">http://gammaimaging.com/darkroom-printing/film-processing/e-6_c-41/</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >Lomography.com, <a href="http://usa.shop.lomography.com/films/film-development-services/135-standard-development">http://usa.shop.lomography.com/films/film-development-services/135-standard-development</a> (Note: I would like to try them but they are pricey.)</p>

<p > </p>

<p >* Marin Filmworks, they do a great job, <a href="http://marinfilmworks.com/color35mm.html">http://marinfilmworks.com/color35mm.html</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >Photographic Works, <a href="http://www.photographicworks.com/order.htm">http://www.photographicworks.com/order.htm</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >* Process One, they do a great job, <a href="http://processonephoto.com/mail-order-advantix-aps-film-developing.htm">http://processonephoto.com/mail-order-advantix-aps-film-developing.htm</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >* SF Photoworks, they have a very nice newsletter too called “News and Notes”, I like this place, <a href="http://www.photoworkssf.com/services-and-rates/film-processing">http://www.photoworkssf.com/services-and-rates/film-processing</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >Swan Photo Labs, <a href="http://swanphotolabs.com/swan08/mailers.ph">http://swanphotolabs.com/swan08/mailers.ph</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >* Vermont Color, they do a great job, <a href="http://www.vermontcolor.com/index.asp?p=13010">http://www.vermontcolor.com/index.asp?p=13010</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >* Walgreens, many stores do on-site processing, mine does a great job, price is about $12 for 24exp roll, 1 set of prints, and a CD, and all in one hour.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >WalMart, may or may not return negatives. Ask your particular store them before you drop your film for processing. THE NEGATIVE RETURN POLICY VARIES BY STORE.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >* Willow Photo Lab, he does a great job, contact Neil at <a href="mailto:willowwhotolab@gmail.com">willowwhotolab@gmail.com</a> for prices and mailing instructions.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Wolfe's, <a href="http://www.wolfes.com/services/filmprocessing.html">http://www.wolfes.com/services/filmprocessing.html</a></p>

<p > </p>

<p >* York Photo Labs, I've been using this place for years, have always been happy, recently they have screwed some things up for me though, rethinking before I send them anything more, <a href="http://www.yorkphoto.com/Content.aspx?Page=Order+Form+%26+Mailing+Label#.UDEMZM_Xb_Z">http://www.yorkphoto.com/Content.aspx?Page=Order+Form+%26+Mailing+Label#.UDEMZM_Xb_Z</a></p>

<p > </p>

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<p >(Note: Clark and York seem to be the same outfit.)</p>

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<blockquote>

<p>WalMart, may or may not return negatives. <strong>Ask your particular store</strong>...</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Do NOT do this. READ the kiosk and mailer carefully. If it doesn't say anything about "no negatives returned" send a <em>test</em> roll. The first rule of using the Walmart send out service is don't ever speak to the people at Walmart. As I said speaking to Walmart employees is how misinformation is spread. I have definitely called a Walmart and asked whether negatives are returned and was told they were not... when in reality I tested them out and the negatives were returned no problem. Test out your local Walmart, people. Don't call. Don't ask. Send a test roll.</p>

 

<p>Regardless of what you say, Walmart does NOT return negatives. <br /><br /><br />I finally received a response from Walmart. Officially, They do not return negatives. When the film is sent out, it goes to Fuji Lab and the negatives are not sent back. The only thing that the photographer gets is the CD and prints (if you pay for prints.) <br /><br /><br />It's even clearly stated on the envelope the negatives will not be sent back. This has been going on for about 2 months.</p>

<p>My local Walmart in Phoenix, AZ DOES NOT return negatives and they have a big notice in the processing department informing you of that. They also only offer one processing option 4" prints with a CD. No other option is available.</p>

<p>Confirming the last two posts (Barney Smith and David M), I just heard from our local WalMart (Sonora, CA) that Fuji Labs, to whom WalMart contracted 120 film processing, has changed its policy and will no longer return negatives. It will instead provide prints (useless for my purposes) or a CD. The price for a roll of B&W 120 which was $2.33 will now be $4.83 ($2.50 for the scanning and the CD)... </p>

 

<p>I just picked up 120 film today (September 11, 2012) from Walmart. Prior to going there I called Fuji and was informed that 35mm negatives are the ones they do not return. She said they DO return 120 negatives.</p>

<p>I got my 120 negatives back in the envelope today (along with 12 prints) and it cost $1.96 including tax.</p>

<p>I'm in the SF bay area.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Regardless of what <strong>you say</strong>, Walmart does NOT return negatives.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Barney, a couple of corrections. First of all you use the used the word "you." It kind of sounded singular. Perhaps you should use the phrase "you all" to indicate that you don't believe multiple people from across the country that have posted their findings independently. The second quibble I have is the use of the word "say." While I and other posters have taken our own film, put it through the process and reported our findings in writing I have taken it upon myself to take pictures and do scans so that some unbiased objective evidence can be inserted into the conversation... something you despite having weeks worth of time have failed to do. Let me demonstrate... again...<br /> <img src="http://i46.tinypic.com/1t7kb8.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>I submitted a roll of 220 Velvia 50 film on 08/20/12. I was called on 09/04/12 and informed my film was ready for pickup. The film was sheathed in a clear plastic/cellophane wrapper and wrapped around a cardboard tube. I was charged $5.19 total with tax.</p>

<p>Unfortunately I have had my first bad experience with the Walmart send out service. I submitted a 220 roll of Portra 160 at the same time for developing and prints and to date it has not come back. When I went by Walmart last week to get my film I did not realize only one roll had come in. The Walmart store has no idea what you sent off. They just wait for rolls to appear and then sometimes they call you go come and pick them up. When I asked them what was going on they advised me to call Fuji. The problem is you must have your Customer Receipt stub from you submitted film. Even though they ask you to put your name, phone number, and address on the submission envelope apparently it never gets entered into the system anywhere. They track everything by one unique number per a roll of film. If your film doesn't show up as scheduled and you lost your stub you are out of luck. All you can do is wait around and hope the film eventually shows up without any intervention from you.</p>

<p>Okay back to my situation. The cluelessness from the Walmart staff when my film did not arrive was completely within exceptions. The cluelessness from Fuji was inexcusable. When I called I experienced long wait times. I called on a Monday. Monday is allegedly their worst day. I spoke with couple of CSRs because the line kept mysteriously going dead when I started asking hard questions. They first asked me for the number on my stub. No number, no service. When I gave them the number they said my film was 120 B&W film. I told them it was not. Some of them actually argued with me! Very surreal. Then I got some BS story about how my film was a "specialty film" and it takes longer. I told them C-41 film is not "special" and it's never taken longer before. Finally I spoke to someone that said a lot of film just gets entered as 120 B&W film and once it was finished in "production" and "billing" the correct information would be reflected in the system. I have no idea if that is true. We will see I guess. Anyway I was told to check back in a few days and the film should be on it's way back to me. I called back as directed and the film was still in the "120 B&W" limbo. I then had the same useless conversations with multiple reps again. Finally I spoke with a rep who said she is going to call the developer and find out what was going on. It's incredible to me that it took days and numerous conversations for someone to just put me on hold and make one phone call. When she came back on the line she said my film was done being process and was heading over to billing. She said they were currently undergoing some changes to how they do things and that might have been responsible for the delay. Now again this is pure hearsay but <strong>she told me they were transitioning to a system where they will not be returning 35mm negatives but that medium format negatives and slides of all sizes would continue to be returned</strong>. That was her possible explanation for the delay. Now after all the incompetent conversations I had with people at Fuji I don't trust that statement one bit. As I said before the only way to get a definitive answer you can trust is to send your own test roll. I will keep those who want to listen up to date on my little saga.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Prior to going there I called Fuji and was informed that <strong>35mm negatives are the ones they do not return. She said they DO return 120 negatives</strong>.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Interesting.</p>

<p>In the Deep South Walmart sent out all the film in a bag service back in the 1970's. This was before they had in in store C41 lab. ie even before C41 was invented too.</p>

<p>What the "bag service" does and where it goes and what comes back has ALWAYS been a challenge.<br>

Long ago I have sent out Kodachrome in 8mm magazines, 616 Kodacolor and even 9.5mm Kodaachrome movies , Kodachrome in 120 etc. </p>

<p>Sending out film via a bag service is what a dinky and drug store did before many of us were born.</p>

<p>If the film was more oddball it added more delay since the bag service's first lab might in 1944 just process Vericrhome in 120, 620 and 616 and 116.</p>

<p>Eons ago there were series of bag services. A roll of verichrome 616 dropped off at a drug store might be processed at the first lab #1. This same lab forwarded Kodachrome to Kodak. This same lab forwarded 4x5 Black and white to Lab #2. Giant enlargements went to lab#3.</p>

<p>ie think a Fractal system.</p>

<p>Finding out WHEN your stuff would come back as has been always been a guessing game with a bag service.<br>

In a declining market the number of labs has dropped and getting a straight answer is difficult.</p>

<p>Four years ago a roll of Kodachrome dropped off at Safeway in Seattle or Walgreens in Miami or Walmart in Detroit all first went to the regional Lab they use then got forwarded to Dwaynes that had the only Kodachrome lab. </p>

<p>If you want full control and no surprises then avoid a bag service and send the film to the lab who actually processing the film, This often costs more and one has to pay postage both ways too. The bag service lab may or may not deal direct since it consumes much time and questions.</p>

<p>Some labs have two tier pricing. The higher price is to a walk in customer or mail in on. The lower tier price is the the bag service where they use to bid against other labs to get this lower margin business.</p>

<p>Jeff it sounds like you want some exact answers to a dynamic multilooped set of bag services and expect the person at Walmart to have all these details and time it takes to get your stuff back. This did not exist even decades ago whether the film was dropped off at Walmart, Walgreens or Safeway or Piggly Wiggly.<br>

Bag services are low in cost and I still use them too. I have had astro slides lost in 1970, frames cut thru, gotten other folks films back too, It is more risky. </p>

<p> It's been many years since I have gone into a WallMart but I apparently they do not offer a film service that would be of any use to me. Our County is very blessed however as it does not have a WallMart. You would need to drive to Santa Clara county if you wish to support the negative aspects of a store like Wallmart.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"It's incredible to me that it took days and numerous conversations for someone to just put me on hold and make one phone call."</p>

<p>Jeff it sounds like you want some exact answers to a dynamic multilooped set of bag services and expect the person at Walmart to have all these details and time it takes to get your stuff back.</p>

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<p>I don't think someone at Fuji putting you on hold and making a five minute phone call to find out what is going on is an unrealistic expectation. Really, it would save them money versus having their phone lines tied up with people calling and being fed misinformation. Frankly unless it has been a MINIMUM of two weeks there is zero reason to call. I have only had one roll of film take more than two weeks to return to my local Walmart. Anyway I finally got an explanation that I can live with. <strong>It turns out my negatives and prints got separated from the return envelope</strong> and after numerous phone calls over the course of weeks someone at Fuji did take my phone number and called me back after investigating. I just had to confirm what was on a few of the pictures to make sure they had the right roll and then they sent it back to me. Of course there was no charge for the developing or the prints. So if your film hasn't shown up and it's been three weeks since it was picked up from Walmart it would probably behoove you to call Fuji. You may be fed all types of nonsense by Fuji but be persistent. Developing and printing 220 C-41 film is not a "special" or complicated process. In fact the date stamped on the back of my prints is 8/28/2012. So that is a week and a day after I dropped it off at my local Walmart. So all the talk about 220 C-41 film being "special" and there being a long drawn out Rube Goldberg process to get your film to the developer and processed is nonsense. The process may involve a couple of hand offs but if thing things work as they have 100% of the time I've done it they should be processed and printed in less than two weeks. Now whether they make it back to you in the roughly two week time window... YMMV.</p>

<p>The prints. What can I say? They are proof prints in the truest sense of the word. There is zero way they can charge more than the rock bottom price they charge for medium format prints. The proof prints are atrocious. If I showed people the medium format camera, light meter, and expensive film I used to take my pictures and then showed them these proof prints they would say I was a moron. There is very fine regularly spaced horizontal banding. And there are much wider irregular vertical smears. Color is off... no surprise. Resolution? Atrocious. Looks like they did a low resolution scan... followed by a low resolution print. In terms of resolution I have seen plenty of competently printed 4x6 prints from digital point and shoots that would blow these prints out of the water. It amuses me that they've managed to turn a Bronica ETRS with PE glass into a Lomography camera.</p>

<p>Anyway the proofs serve their purpose. I scan my own negatives and it's nice to come home with something you can look at other than negatives. The more I shoot the less I want to scan. At least with these proofs I can just go straight to the most interesting and technically perfect shots and scan those.</p>

<p>If your Walmart does not return negatives I would advise strongly you do a test roll and see if you are satisfied with they scans and proofs. I am just not finding anywhere that does good scans inexpensively. Scans from my lowly Epson V500 flat bed scanner are miles ahead of what is showing up in these send out service proof prints. The Walmart send out service is throwing away tons of resolution with their scans and prints. No wonder people are transitioning to digital. There was a time you could get pretty good 35mm prints in an hour from inexpensive Kodak Gold in any decent size city. Now even getting something that doesn't make you puke from Portra 160 medium format takes a herculean effort.</p>

<p>Picked up a a 220 roll of Velvia 50 at the same time that went out before the infamous Portra 220 roll. It arrived back before the Portra 220 roll. It was perfectly developed and sheathed in cellophane/plastic uncut and wrapped around a cardboard tube.</p>

<p>Would I recommend the send out service? Yes. Well a qualified yes. It is what it is. If you are a hobbyist and you can wait 2-3 weeks for your developed film go ahead and give it a try. At the Walmarts I have tried you do get back perfectly developed medium format negatives and transparencies. You also get back perfectly developed and mounted 35mm slides. I have not attempt 35mm C-41 yet. I have boatloads of 220/120 C-41/E-6 stuff coming in during the next few weeks. I will keep you guys posted.</p>