Developing Pro Films @ Consumer Lab, worth it?

[photoreu]

I've always shot consumer film (mostly sensia, some agfa), and

usually have it processed at consumer labs running a frontier with so-

so results (sometimes great, sometimes not). I'm wanting to try out

some of these pro films I hear so much about (NPS, NPC, NPH, Portra),

but I dont really want to spend $20+ per roll getting them developed

at the local pro lab. So I need some advice. Is it even worth it to

spend the extra cash on these pro films if I'm just going to get them

processed at a consumer lab? Will I see a big difference? Budget is

the limiting factor here, otherwise I wouldnt think twice about it

(I've already been convinced that pro labs are typically better), but

just cant afford it right now. I'm going to be doing some family

portraits for our family and would like to try out some of these

other films. Thanks in advance.

 

-Reuben

[bob_shop]

If you find a good "consumer" lab, yes, it's worth it.

[panos_voudouris]

I have tried crap consumer labs, excellent consumer labs, crap pro labs and excellent

pro labs. In the end I am lucky to have an excellent "consumer" lab that does a great

job. It costs more than any other local "consumer" lab but the quality is better than

some of the "pro" labs I tried and the price a lot less. So the answer is, it depends. You

have to try it and find out.

[albert lui]

Print film: I would go with the lowest priced processing that sleeves the negatives. Costco premium processing does that.

 

Slide film: A bad lab can screw up the colors, so I always go to a pro lab (before I stopped shooting slides).

[scott_eaton]

A good amatuer shop and pro print film (Reala, Portra UC 400, NPH, etc) is a very fine combination.

 

I'd rather use an amatuer shop running a Fuji Frontier and a crew that knows how to use it vs a pro shop running Kodak Endura paper anyday.

[d_price]

When I shoot consumer film, I develop at a consumer lab. When I shoot the pro film, I develop at a pro lab. I've tried a few consumer labs in my area, and they don't do well enough for me to trust them with my pro film. I've dropped off consumer film at the local consumer lab and they've made some mistakes. I opened an account at a pro lab and they just bill it to my credit card at the end of the month. Mabye you can try that. That way, if you don't have the money right then, you can pay it at the end of the month.

[jordan_w.]

Reuben, it's worth trying the amateur labs in your area out to see what kind of job they do. Finding a good yet relatively inexpensive lab in your area may take a bit of shopping around but could save you a lot of $ in the long-run vs. using pro-labs. Often times 'pro' labs aren't even all that 'pro'.

 

Another suggestion would be to use mailers to send your film to A&I, if you live in the US. They are a pro lab and their mailer service is really high quality. For simple develop & print jobs for colour neg film they do an excellent job and you'll clearly be able to see the difference your use of pro films makes. You will have to wait with the mailers, but they are inexpensive -- cheaper in my case than the local consumer labs.

[photoreu]

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I picked up some portra 160 vc and some nph (they were out of nps and npc).. I think I'll give my usual lab a try.. they've messed up a few prints for me before.. but they're always willing to reprint for free and have never hurt my negatives... I'm just hoping to see a marked difference with the pro films.

[d_price]

Yeah, A&I is who I use, and I have had no problems with them. They always seem to go the extra step to be sure that I'm happy.

[neal_wydra1]

Dear Reuben,

 

I use Qualex (Kodak) via the local Target drop box for all my 35mm color film (if only they'd do 4x5<g>). Never a problem with the negatives. Of course, the color balance is not always perfect, but more than good enough for proofs or a vacation album.

 

Neal Wydra

[discpad]

There are two disparate parts to C41: Film processing, and then printing (or scanning to print digitally); and both professional and consumer labs can (and do!) differ wildly in both steps.

 

Let's start with the developing: Assuming you use a lab with a roller transport or leader card processor (all minilabs & about 98% of pro shops - Ones that don't have a dip & dunk), then you want a shop that runs a medium to high volume for tank turnover, and one that doesn't scratch the film, either from dirt in the processor or from the film sleever.

 

Now that you have your sleeved negs, they need to be printed: Here, operator skill for color balancing counts for a lot, while the RA-4 chemistry is less critical than C41. This is where a pro lab should shine, and where you should see the quality.

 

Hope this helps!

[frank_dzambic]

I've stayed with the same consumer lab for years mainly for one reason. There wasn't a different pimply faced part-timer at the machine every time I went in. It was the same lady who did the printing, who took my orders, and who knew how I liked my prints. And they used Fuji Crystal Archive paper which I liked. (I shoot Fuji Reala). Plus their rates were very reasonable.

 

The negatives always came back spotless, without even a speck of dust, and they came back in sleeves.

 

But I think the main thing is that they had a competent operator who was there for the long term, who knew my tastes and who I could communicate with easily.

[gee_willikers]

No one else seems to add this comment so I will:

Talk to the lab manager! Is photography their hobby? If so they are probably more willing to accomodate any out of the ordinary requests. Do they seem like they are concerned about quality?