Film Mailers

[andrew_pike1]

I have decided to seriously take up photography and am even stongly

considering making it my primary source of income for when I grow

older, but have not "gone digital" so to speak. I will probably buy a

film scanner and Photoshop Elements, but no digital SLR. I love film,

but processing it can be expensive. I have read alot about mailers

and was wondering if anyone could tell me if they are any good. I

don't mind waiting a while longer to get my slides or prints back, so

long as I save a goodly amount of dough but still get as good results

as our local professional lab (Dodd Camera, in Cleveland).

 

Any responses would be appreciated.

 

-Andrew Pike

[gary_woodard]

B&H Photo and Video offers some good prices on mailers for Fuji and Kodak films as well as Scala b&w slide film, where I live the price is

half of what a local lab charges, with comparable results, a photographer friend of mine shoots a lot of Fuji and has used B&H mailers for years. Not a bad way to go if you can stand the wait. Arrrg.

[vinny_walsh]

I use the B&H mailers that go to A&I in Hollywood which is 7 miles away. Sometimes its

quick, other times it takes 10 days. I don't like them for 35mm though because the

cardboard slide mounts they use have small fibers around the edges which show up in my

scans. I don't know if they will do plastic mounts but that is worth looking into if you

shoot slides. I have seen their print work also and its very well done but expensive

compared to your average one hour joint.

[markci]

Gary's response seems likely to create confusion.

 

B&H sells the mailers, but they are not B&H mailers. Other people sell the same mailers, which are a product and service of Kodak or Fuji or A&I labs (or in the case of Scala, Afga).

 

Also, the Kodak/Fuji/A&I mailers aren't "for Kodak or Fuji film." They are for any E6 (slide) or C-41 (color print) film, made by whomever. Fuji is perfectly happy to process Kodak or Agfa film.

 

I've used Fuji's E6 mailers a great deal, and they do a good job. I've never been tempted by the print mailers because the savings doesn't seem worth the hassle if they print something badly and I want it corrected.

[david_lau3]

I note that you wish to scan your slides and you also have another thread asking about Kodachrome vs E6 film.

 

Kodachrome is great in taking slides and being projected but when it comes to scanning, many desk top scanners such as Nikon LS5000 etc have difficulties. This is because the emulsion in Kodachrome is very different from E6 slides. The difference is obvious when you look at one at an angle on the emulsion side.

 

Usual problems with scanning Kodachrome:

 

1. ICE may or may not work on Kodachrome. This has been debated for many times. My experience is that it works 70% of the time but even it works the result is not as good as E6 slide

 

2. Blue cast on the initial scanned image and need Photoshop to correct

 

3. Shadow details do not come out good, due to the high density of the shadow area on Kodachrome slides.

[joel_becker1]

I have had great results, quality-wise, from all three E6 mailers (A&I, Kodak, and Fuji).

 

A&I: Best turnaround (2 weeks or so), cardboard mounts.

 

Kodak: Best mounts (nice plastic), 2-4 week turnaround.

 

Fuji: Cheapest mailer, but you'll wait a long time (usually 4 weeks or so).

 

Lately, my budget is such that I get the Fuji mailers.

 

When it comes to C-41, I'm usually in more of a rush and I can find a decent lab deal locally.

[akajohndoe]

I found a pile of old Kodak mailers in my closet. Are they still usable?

 

A couple of Kodak DP-12 and a pile of ESP-1 for Ektachrome.

[suman]

D.N I think they do work. Do they have any expiration date?

[toren_prawdzik]

Most Professional labs will send you new free mailers for using their services.Places like our lab Allied Photographic and Imaging will assist film users in sending film in and processing and printing in a timely manner. Our develop and print service is a 2 day service.

[pensacolaphoto]

I once sent Fuji several E6 rolls of film which they messed up. When I complained to customer service, the person in charge kept on repeating to me "we do not encourage professionals" to send them film. They insisted that the Fuji labs are meant for amateurs and not professionals.