Turn Around Time at the Lab

[steve_levine]

My lab is now offering me a 3 day turn-around for D&P (film). Down from 7

business days last season. I'd like to think that they have become more

efficient, but the real reasons are quite evident.

 

 

For a dyed in the wool film shooter, this isn't too comforting.

To be quite honest, this is a particularly skilled lab, and a lot of

my "client perceived quality", I owe to them.

 

 

 

Has anyone had their local lab(s) close? I'm not in a metro area,

and I will be in big trouble if this lab closes.

[uk]

7 days seems extraordinary Steve, 3 days is normal here with a 1 day surcharge.

 

Labs have been closing/merging here for some years and there are few left. However, 7

day turnaround can be beat by most national mail order pro labs.

 

There'll always be one.

 

There's a lot of sense in Marc's comments on the CFV back. For an MF sshooter it's a

cheap option. (not cheap, cheap though).

[stacy]

I know what you mean. I am in a rather large city and still there are no labs left that process B&W film (without scratchiing the hell out of the negatives that is). One lab I used to send a lot of film too now does not do any film at all- only digital. I've been sending all of mine out for a couple of years now- which takes a couple of weeks, but worth the wait.

[bdp]

Steve,

<BR><BR>

2 labs up here (Albany) are still open, I don't use film, but know quite a few people that still use them. Bokland and McGreevy's.

<BR><BR>

Bob

<BR><BR>

PS. Need a 2nd shooter? :)

[fotografz]

Hi Steve. A similar thing has happened here in the Detroit metro area. Meteor Photo, the

areas largest lab, shut down their film lines altogether.

 

I discussed this with another local commercial photographer, and he speculated that it was

because their machines were set up for super high volume production ... and cost a

fortune to maintain the fresh chemicals that needed replacing once a week.

 

It actually is good news for the remaining labs who now will now have enough volume to

sustain their film lines.

 

The one I use is a mile away and is an on demand type system. I asked them their

intentions, and it is to continue all C41 production as long as there's any demand ... which

there is from quite a few local wedding, portrait and architectural shooters.

 

The MF digital backs mentioned are indeed getting more reasonable. The Kodak version

can be had for $4,000. to $5,500. and the Imacon 96C is $5,000. used.

[picturesque]

So far I haven't seen any pro labs in the area shut down because they all migrated to digital printing. What I have seen is the death of well-done optical prints. Last night I was at the home of a client looking at an album I produced for them about six years ago. I was shocked at how great the prints looked--all from medium format film, optically printed. One kind of forgets if one doesn't see prints of that quality a lot--especially now that prints are all digitally produced. Don't know what I'm going to do if my lab stops doing any optical printing at all, which they have hinted at.

[fotografz]

Ditto what Nadine said. I'm in NYC this week supervising a print shoot for a food client ...

one block from the Leica Gallery on Broadway, so I walked down during lunch break.

 

20"X24" B&W and color optical prints from 35mm film that are stunningly beautiful. It's

actually a bit disappointing and makes me so dissatisfied with non-optical prints. It's the

price of progress I guess ... if you can call it that.

[austinphoto]

To all who love optical film printing: The days are numbered and as sad as it's to be, digital printing will take over. The old film machines are not getting replaced, the digital labs are fighting for customers, who don't print and are happy to view photos on a screen, prices dropping, because labs can't feed their machines and want to encourage printing by lowering prices instead of increasing quality. There are some labs out there that produce an excellent job. They are far and rare. Lots of photographers are offering inkjet prints, which they preceive as good enough! The world is changing, the photo business is going to the computer companies. The big names in photography are no longer Kodak or Fuji or Agfa or Minolta or Konica. They are now Epson and HP and Adobe. Time to move on!

[uk]

"20"X24" B&W and color optical prints from 35mm film that are stunningly beautiful. It's

actually a bit disappointing and makes me so dissatisfied with non-optical prints. It's the

price of progress I guess ... if you can call it that."

 

Marc,

The great thing is you never forget how to ride a bike, nor how to process a fine B&W

print.

 

There is no need to be frustrated with this as you'll return to the darkroom one day to

produce optical prints, no doubt. There is a substitute, but no equal, and you're not a

man to compromise. :-)

 

My DeVere 504 w cold cathode head waits patiently for the pendulum to swing.

[sprouty]

There are two pro-labs in Providence, RI and I was just informed minutes ago that one (Abar) will only be processing 120 color negs on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. They just weren't getting the volume to keep the machines running on the other days.

[steve_levine]

If only the big national labs, (Millers & North Amercian) could equal my custom lab's work.

[fotografz]

True Gary, and my darkroom remains intact... Kaiser MF enlarger with APO enlarging

lenses at the ready for B&W silverprints. But color optical prints are another matter.

 

Actually, a better scanner helps a lot.

[uk]

Marc,

 

You'll be too busy meeting the demand and making so much money from silver printing to

even think about colour prints.

 

Saw an ad a while back for your Leica V35. Thought you'd sold out. Nice to know you're

sitting pretty.

 

[Not sure if pretty is the right word ? :-) ]