What is exposed film worth?

[tim_newcome]

I am new at posting so please be kind! A Ritz camera store destroyed

four rolls of some rather important black and white tmax film. They

ran it through in-store color processing, when we all know that TMAX

requires black and white processing. I took photographs at a wedding

for my cousin. The long and short of it is that they were very

important to me. I was not paid for it, and other people were

photographing, though I was the only one shooting in monochrome. I

was going to get prints and then make enlargements in my home

darkroom. Why did I not process the film myself, you ask? I am out

of chemicals and have never had a problem with Ritz camera, other

than there know it all attitude. The color prints I recieve from

them have been average, so I thought I would give them a shot at

black and white processing. I am withholding the location of the

store pending the outcome of my complaint to the manager, who will be

in tomorrow. I expect to be offered a measley four rolls of film.

What would you do in my situation?

[hkbmac]

I'm sure Ritz policy is the same as any other lab. They'll replace your film with new rolls. I would never "Give a lab a shot" with any film that was "very important to me".

[art_haykin]

Good luck! The "traditional" recompense is a like number of fresh rolls, but that HAS been challenged successfully.

[tim_newcome]

I won't be giving them any more shots, that is certain. I am going to process my own B & W negatives myself from now on. At least if I make a mistake, I can blame myself.

[silverhalide1949]

Ritz develops black & white film? The store near me dosen't even sell black & white chemicals. I'll bet the clerk dosen't even know that there is non C41 black & white film. As mentioned above you may get some replacement rolls of film but I doubt much else.

[graphicjoe]

Sad story. I had the same thing happen long ago. A �professional lab� processed chrome in C41. They replaced the film and they were rather nasty when I complained.

 

Now I do all my black and white processing and send the little C41 that I do to a trusted mom and pop lab. I seldom do any positive color work. Just occasional slides for artists when them. I shot the film and they deal with the processing.

 

Sorry about your ill luck. But hey, perhaps they will both get married again and you can take the photos again. (just kidding)

Cheers,

Joe Stephenson

[m0002a]

Processing of conventional B&W film is a constant complaint on this forum. This includes drug store labs and custom labs. The general advice is to use C-41 B&W film (XP2, etc.) for anything that gets processed by a lab--period, no exceptions. So photographically speaking, that's what I would do. Legally speaking, as to what claim you have against Ritz, You may be bound by a waiver of any liability beyond them replacing the film, but this is not a legal forum. If you know much about photography, it was very poor judgment to give them the film.

[tim_newcome]

I am rather new to the photography world. I have been photographing seriously for about 2 years. I have never had film destroyed at a lab, so I was a little naive about the possibility of that happening. I normally take my film to be processed at a custom lab that does a pretty fine job, but the price of prints are rather high, as all good custom labs are. I thought the biggest problem I could have was some poorly printed photographs. Obviously I was wrong and will not go their again, save to get my 4 measley rolls of film, though I will try and get a few more rolls out of them. Thanks for the tips and happy photographing.

[m0002a]

The point to remember about non-custom labs is that they are high volume operations that do processing by machine. Many years ago, there were machines operating that did B&W, but those days have long since passed. Most of the younger people who operate film-processing machines today have probably never seen a roll of conventional B&W film, much less processed one. They may have seen a few B&W prints at a museum or gallery, but that's probably about it.

 

Fortunately, with the C41 B&W films, it goes through the machine just like color negative film. The prints don�t always come out right (because many labs don�t always use the optimum paper for B&W printing), but the negatives usually come out just fine.

[doug elick]

I should scold you for doing business with Ritz, but I've been forced to deal with the devil myself on occasion. I had the exact opposite problem with them a while back; I was in the middle of nowhere and wanted to get my T400-CN developed, but the friendly clerk behind the counter refused to process my film because it was "black and white" film. Even after pointing out the big C-41 on the side of the can, he still refused, citing his NYIP training!

 

If you ever want to have fun, walk into a Ritz Camera store and ask the clerk for their "roll film" prices. The ensuing conversation will sound like an Abbot and Costello routine.

 

Chromagenic B+W films like t400-cn, Portra BW and it's ilk are great for the type of photography you described, but they have the drawback that they aren't archival in any sense.

 

 

D.M. Elick

[m0002a]

A C-41 B&W film that is not archival is a lot better than a conventional B&W film that has just come out of a C-41 machine completely blank. Not too long ago, someone posted a horror story about getting several HUNDRED rolls of conventional B&W film ruined by a custom lab (came back with terrible spots that could not be removed).

 

The business that Ritz is in (mass market consumer photography) is completely different than what we do on this B&W film forum. It makes about as much sense to give Ritz a roll of conventional B&W film as it does to give the film to your local butcher shop for processing. As noted above, the results will be about the same.

[MTC Photography]

Tim, if you sent Ritz one roll at a time, instead all four at once...

[tim_newcome]

Thanks for all the advice. I am going to count this as a hard lesson learned and move on from here. Now that I am registered on phot.net, I am sure I will bother every one with more questions and hopefully answer a few myself. Take care.

[john bode]

Frankly, those four rolls are worth the jobs of the tech who can't tell the difference between conventional B&W and C-41 B&W (or can't be bothered to check) and the manager who allowed that kind of sloppiness to happen. Seriously. The absolute minimum level of competence for any photo lab employee should be "doesn't destroy the customer's film." If that level of competence can't be met, then a career change is in order.

 

I have learned from bitter experience not to trust any conventional B&W to any kind of chain lab. Best to find a custom lab or do your own.