Processing in Mumbai (Bombay)

[michael_dimarzio]

It looks like I'll be working here i Mumbai for a few weeks or

months, don't know yet...

 

But does anyone know of a decent lab that will process E-6, C-41 and

Tri-X or TMax?

 

Thanks in advance-md

[sue_deva]

Dear Michael,

 

Mazda Lab (mazdaimaging.com for the address, phone number, and price list) is the most technically advanced lab in Bombay. They are a Kodak Q-Lab member, so their E-6 quality is consistently high. My only complaints are:

 

1. There are very obvious 'tooth' marks near the edges (but within the frame) of the 4x5" E-6 sheets that I processed there and

2. They don't do a very good job with 4x5" C-41, either.

 

They are, however, excellent with all other C-41 work--and their digital C-prints are fantastic and very reasonably priced: $4.40 for a 12x18", $15 for a 20x30". (I use Mazda for this service even when I am not in India and just have the prints air-mailed to me.) The place I actually used more frequently when I was in Bombay is called ProFoto Lab, a tiny (cash only!) manual lab that provides high quality analog work. (ProFoto: 64/14 Botawala Building #1, New Prabhadevi Road, Bombay 400025, ph: +91 22 2436 3397. And--seriously--tell them that I sent you.) They work out a little more expensive than Mazda for most C-41, but there can be some advantages in using them, such as very precise, cheap contact sheets and the fact that they can run 220 C-41 film. (Most places, Mazda included, have to cut it down to 120-length, so you lose one frame from somewhere in the middle.) ProFoto also processed my C-41 and E-6 LF materials without any sorts of errors for about $3 a sheet. Beware, though, that you have to be VERY specific with them about how you want your negs cut. I mean, make a drawing or something, because some of the guys in the back don't speak English so well. Once I got back a roll that had been cut into two frames of 1, three frames of 2, four frames of 3, and three frames of 4.

 

For TriX or T-Max you'd have to go with Mazda. They do a decent job with any major B&W film. In summary:

 

C-41 35mm, C-41 120: Mazda OR ProFoto. Try both places and see which lab you prefer.

 

E-6 35mm, E-6 120: Mazda (or ProFoto; they did a good job on one roll of E-6 135 that I dropped off for a friend)

 

C-41 4x5, E-6 4x5: Profoto.

 

C-41 220: ProFoto.

 

B&W: Mazda.

 

Digital Services: Mazda.

 

Both places can be very difficult to find the first time, so be sure to get some CLEAR directions. In fact, they don't really give clear directions even if you call them, so just e-mail me if you're actually planning on using either of these places. Also, you have to call to make sure your order is ready before you pick anything up. There are delays, there are DELAYS, and then there is India.

 

Cheers.

[michael_dimarzio]

Thank you Rafil,

 

In the rush to make the post I had forgotten to mention that I needed to process roll film. I am looking forward to trying the labs you mentioned. I think I'll wait on the 2 rolls of Tech Pan, but I have some recently expired Velvia that I need processed ASAP, and hopefully they'll push Tri-X, as you probably know, many places prohibit the use of a tripod. So I spent Sunday with my camera propped on some pillars on Elephanta Island.

 

Thank you again for your kindness in answering my question so thoroughly and quickly.

 

michael

[sue_deva]

Michael,

 

You're most welcome. It took me a lot of trial and error to get the best work out of the best places, so I am very happy to share my observations with others. Mazda claimed to have a good amount of experience with processing X-Pan when last I spoke to them (and they even have a separate price list for X-Pan), but I suppose if you don't need those rolls immediately you'd be better off just freezing them and then processing them yourself. There is a certain lack of delicacy in the handling of photographic materials at even the best Indian labs. If I say, "Is this a process stain on this negative?" they'll grab the negative strip in the middle with bare fingers and hold it up to the light, essentially making my question irrelevant. ("No, that seems to be a huge fingerprint.") Also, I don't think I mentioned this, but if you're shooting 35mm and you want it contacted in strips of five, ProFoto will refuse (because they use a 6x6 masking template for contacts). If you're shooting 645 or 6x6, tell them to contact on 8x10 paper (or else they may just cut everything weird and use 10x12 paper and charge you more). OK, those are the only addenda that come to mind.

 

Cheers,

SRKZ