labs in Japan

[gerald_schwartz]

Doing a military move to Yokota Air Base, near Tokyo. Appreciate any

information on labs that do a good job with E6 and C41. I searched

the archives, and unless I missed something obvious, I didn't find

anything that addresses this question. Are prices so high that it

pays to send film back to the States for processing and have the

finished product sent to my APO address? Thanks in advance for your

input!

[mike_rosenlof1]

Last I heard, C-41 processing at least was very inexpensive in Japan. Count on a few hundred yen for film developing and as little as 10 yen per print. This may have changed recently, but that's the rumor. This is consumer market processing, like the US, many photo stores have minilab processors also. Finding a good one may or may not be easy.

 

I lived on Yokota from 1965 to 68. My father was in the Air Force. I'd love to hear what it's like now...

[jim_chow]

C-41 in Japan is EXPENSIVE, if you're expecting 24 exp 4x6 prints for under $5. The normal print size is much smaller,about 3x5, and costs about 25-30 yen each while larger L (about 4x6) prints are 50 yen. C-41 is around 400 yen, so figure 1600 yen (about $14) for 24 exp.This is at the standard, consumer Fuji lab. If you want a pro lab, they tend to charge more. You can find a listing at http://photojpn.org/DIR/lab.html . A 8x10 from a neg costs around 1000-1300 yen. One friend of mine has gone to two different labs in Tokyo (recommended by pros) and received bad work. One place cut corners by using the enlarging lens wide open, causing vignetting in the corners, while another lab couldn't get the cropping right. He had them redo it four times, and they still couldn't get it right, and ended up hand delivering the prints to his office and begging for forgiveness. Here are the standard print sizes available:

 

L (87x127mm), LL (127x178mm), kabinet (130x180mm [borders incl.]), yatsugiri (165x216), mutsugiri (203x254), yotsugiri (254x304), hangiri (356x432), zenshi (457x560). You can go larger, but have to go to a prolab and inquire.

[msitaraman]

Jim's link seem to be no longer active. I'm in Tokyo, in Otemachi. What Fuji labs are near me, so that I can drop-off/pickup during the workweek and that can do clean work, including some custom work?

[kendavies]

Jim's link: try

http://photojpn.org/dir/listings.php?cmd=viewlistB&cid=38

for the updated pro lab list.

[robert_grasing]

For E-6 processing, most shops in Japan send film to the manufacturer, ie, Fujichrome goes to Fuji, etc. My experience (about 30 years worth) is that this processing is generally excellent, but there are the occasional scratches with 35mm film. No problems with 120 film. I've found the pro labs (eg, Horiuchi is well known) no better or worse in terms of handling. In other words, unless you need a push or pull, I'd stay with Fuji and Kodak, which will be cheaper.

 

Since you'll be at Yokota, you could take your E-6 film to Bikku Camera, a large chain store in nearby Tachikawa. The basic discount is about 20% off list. You can easily get a 'point card', for another 10% discount (you use the points on subsequent purchases). Also a good place to buy film. But ask around the base too, of course.

 

If you take color negative film to Bikku Camera, they'll send it to the manufacturer for processing. The negatives are digitally scanned but printed on regular photographic paper. This is expensive. There is also a cheaper way: many convenience stores, dry cleaners, etc offer negative processing and prints for about 550 yen (about $5), 36 exp roll. The prints range from awful to mediocre. I use them for snapshots, and throw away most of the prints, having the better ones reprinted. However, for 120, you have no choice: either the manufacturer's service or a pro lab.

 

My experience with B&W has been awful. Scratches, streaking, embedded dust, etc. And over-developed to boot. I do it myself.