kyle_mahaney Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 My last few rolls of E6 sent to Dwayne's Photo have had dust and a few scratches on them. Not a terrible amount,but usually they are flawless. Anyone else noticing a drop in Dwayne's quality? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymond_wilson Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Kyle, Yes, I sent film to Dwaynes on the advice and rave reviews read here and came away completely unimpressed. (dust and scratches as you observed). I am using Wal-Mart now - something that sounds completely counterintuitive for quality. Apparently Wal-Mart simply sends their E-6 out to Fuji. Best regards, Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony johns Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 yeah for b&w i've had some scratches and dust Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtk Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 If you cared you'd use a local lab. And you do probably do have one. The only argument for Dwaynes is Kodachrome, a dying dinosaur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randrew1 Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Dinosaur? No way. A dinosaur was a lumbering behemoth that is now extinct. Kodachrome is more like a beloved grandfather. It is still alive and kicking, but wont be with us forever. I'm planning on celebrating "K-75", the 75th anniversary of the Kodachrome product line in 2010. Here is a collection of Kodachrome galleries: http://ronald.andrews.googlepages.com/kodachrome If you have a collection of Kodachrome images, send me a link and I'll post it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_shriver Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Raymond, Fuji shut down their E-6 labs. Dwayne's does that work for them now. Any lab will have inconsistencies. Mass-market ones like Dwayne's more so. The small local ones that do dup and dunk E-6 may be better than Dwayne's -- if they are getting enough business to keep their E-6 line running clean and in control. If they're not the best in town, they probably aren't getting enough business to get good results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelchristensen Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Has anyone called Dwayne's to alert them to the problem. They formerly got very high reviews here and I think they would be very interested to know if their customers were not satisfied. Maybe they have a new employee, an equipment problem, or just need to up their attention to detail on equipment cleaning/calibration practices. Heretofore, they seem to be very concerned about their customers .. but even the best experience a glitch now and then .. good labs deserve good customers coming back .. my last conversation with them reflected a real concern for customer service and I'm getting ready to send them some more work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randall_pukalo Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 It was just a glitch of some sort the day you sent it in. Things happen. But the real proof is trhat they are still doing your stuff, and doing it well, you just didnt realize it. All Walmart E-6 and Kodachrome go to Dwaynes (as do all Fuji and Kodak slide mailers). Luckily, they take pride in their work and actually care, unlike many pro labs that have thrown film users to the dogs now that digital forms the bulk of their work. You should let them know next time, by calling ASAP after you notice a problem. They will fix it. If you need the very best processing possible though, which means dip and dunk cine film type processors and a lab that cares (as does Dwaynes, but they use the more common/higher volume roller machines which can sometimes scratch film), use The Slideprinter out of Denver, Colorado. www.theslideprinter.com. Top quality, excellent prices, free postage/film mailers,VERY fast turn around, and they do push processing. Got my slides back in less than a week last time. Mailed from Michigan ona Monday, got them back Saturday. Also, they offer plastic mounts on request, much better for projection and scanning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustys pics Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Just got back 2 rolls of Super 8 Kodachrome from Dwayne's. Beautiful...sad it's not made anymore. Someday my grandkids will thank me for taking the time to record them with a "dying dinosaur" which will likely outlive any digital capture made in the last 10 years or next 20. But yes. If you want real quality and top drawer service use a local pro lab. It won't be cheap. But did you say you want quality and accountability? You get what you pay for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbs Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I have very high praise for Dwaynes. As a regular Kodachrome shooter, and therefore a regular Dwaynes customer, I see their work quite a bit. When there have been occasional problems, which is inevitable with their volume, they have always been very eager to fix the situation, if possible. Example: a few months ago I got back several rolls of slides from them where some of the shots were mis-mounted. You could see the perforations at the edge of the film. I sent those slides back, and they remounted them perfectly, and sent a letter of apology along as well. I emphasize that the overwhelming majority of the work I get from them is excellent. If there was a problem with something they did for you, let them know. They seem to care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don_e Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I haven't sent anything to Dwayne's this year, but used them extensively the past several for c41, e6, k14, and b&w. There are problems on occasion, chemical buildup on rollers, some dust, evidence of weak chemistry, failure to burn to a cd, but nothing like the issues one sees from 1 hours (light leaks, scratches, real dirt, and the kool-aid they use in place of real chemistry). The problems were rare and none that couldn't be easily cleared up in an image editor. There is no alternative unless you have available a boutique (aka "pro") lab or can diy -- my local Costco does nice c41 devel, fwiw -- and even with these errors *will* happen. There is someone doing bulk work besides Dwayne's I think. Earlier this year I left a roll of PlusX at the local supermarket chain and got back a few weeks later some nice negs and prints that did not look like Dwayne's. The clerk said they send the stuff "to Fuji". Then dropped off a roll of Velvia 100 and got back nice mounted slides, again from the mystery developer. The paper used for the prints, the way the negs and slides were packaged did not look like Dwayne's. Maybe they just use different materials for stuff coming from an intermediary like the super. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangoldman Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Raymond: "Kyle, Yes, I sent film to Dwaynes on the advice and rave reviews read here and came away completely unimpressed. (dust and scratches as you observed). I am using Wal-Mart now - something that sounds completely counterintuitive for quality. Apparently Wal-Mart simply sends their E-6 out to Fuji. Best regards, Ray" Raymond, wal-mart/fuji processing is handled by Dwaynes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_z. Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Kyle, No. Received 3 processed rolls back yesterday and they were perfect, as has always been the case in my experience. I would call them about your experience as they seem to be conscientous. I've called once or twice in the past in regards to the address change for the mailers (I notice that the correct one is now actually printed on the mailers), and asked a few questions about processing. The person taking the calls seemed knowledgeable and caring. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_albertson1 Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 I just got an order back from Dwayne's this weekend, and it was fine (as usual). Mix of Kodachrome and E-6, both 35mm and 120. Since our last E-6 lab closed a couple of weeks ago, I now add my E-6 to my Kodachrome order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stwrtertbsratbs5 Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 I take all of my E-6 processing to the pro lab that's less than 1 mile from my house. Great people, and it's all dip 'n dunk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjoseph7 Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 Probably a new operator, with little or no experience. Ever since I switched to digital, I rarely step into the more expensive specialty labs. I use Wallmart to develop the film and scan them into the computer. It costs me about $2.50 to develop 36 exposures without prints. If I want prints I go to Ritz, they are about the best 1 hour shops around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_johnson15 Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 Twice during the week of July 4th, I sent in two rolls of older Kodachrome 25 that were in the type of cassette before DX coding. One they processed OK, the other they returned with a note saying they didn't do K-12, K-11 or C-22. I sent it back with a note saying it was K-14. Hopefully they'll get it right this time. Same thing happened once with Qualex/Kodalux/Fair Lawn. I called and complained. CS said they were sorry, but that many of their employees couldn't read, write or speak English. Hopefully that is not the problem at Dwayne's! Robert Johnson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_castronovo Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Rather than use the local drug store, mailer or big box store, more shooters should take the trouble to find local custom labs wherever they still exist. They'd quickly discover that the quality is generally much better and the service far faster and more flexible than anything else. The price may be the same or even less. This isn't meant to be a criticism of Dwayne's, which we all have to thank for being the last place left that does Kodachrome, but Dwayne's is a wholesale factory type of lab and thus very limited in what they do. It would be a more serious loss if custom labs were to disappear and really tragic if it happened only because people didn't take the trouble to know they were there and offering more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don_e Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I don't know what more a custom lab could do for c41 or e6 development except maybe dip 'n dunk, and maybe less chance of weak chemistry or some dust. $h1t happens wherever. Prints or scans are another matter, of course. It is obvious, I think, that dedicated film photographers will have to take on more responsibility for color work, as they do for b&w, or use digital cameras for it. YMMV if you are showing and selling your photos, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyle_mahaney Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share Posted July 17, 2008 Sadly my local "PRO" lab is very rude, constantly drops hints about replacing my film gear with something like a D60, and doesn't do anything other than C-41 on their minilab equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_castronovo Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Isn't that enough? I suppose you're serious Don. When we're talking about custom labs, of course we're talking about dip 'n dunk processing, but with that goes not only better processing but the ability to process any size film with great flexibility. Try sending 8x10 sheet film to Dwayne's. Then you can ask them to clip test about 4 inches from the beginning of your roll of 120, and push it 1 1/3 stops and another clip at 3/4 pull, evaluate the result and then process the remainder accordingly. Then how about a choice of mounting options and custom imprinting on your 35mm slide mounts, and so on. Custom quality dupes and film from digital files also don't happen in factory labs like Dwayne's. Of course, the career technicians who handle your order at a custom lab might just pay more attention to the job at every level than the supervised low wage earners at the factory too. And gee, it's all for about the same price. What's not to like? I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I can't believe you said that. ---------------------- Don E commented: I don't know what more a custom lab could do for c41 or e6 development except maybe dip 'n dunk, and maybe less chance of weak chemistry or some dust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_sander Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Can someone explain to me why Dip N Dunk is supposedly better than the normal way to process E6?? There are two labs here in town that do E6, and one touts that its the only one that does dip n dunk. Well, I've brought my chromes to them a couple times, and both times I was not impressed. Bath marks and a slightly low saturation of color on film that should have been very saturated. I have the normal issues with my regular lab, but the turn around time on the dip n dunk place was also 3 days...?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don_e Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 John "YMMV if you are showing and selling your photos, of course". I assumed the OP wasn't asking about 8x10s or test strips or push/pull process since he is sending his film to Dwaynes, and has been satisfied with their work until the last batch. What more could a custom lab do for his needs than what I mentioned? Context, context, context John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_castronovo Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 It's also a matter of attention Don. I can't speak for all pro labs, many of which are only minilab camera store operations and admittedly more brag than substance, but in general, a real custom lab using hanger processors is by definition going to employ a higher level of expertise. Curiously enough, and much to my point, just this morning I got back a roll of Kodachrome from Dwayne's and it was clearly run through E6 processing. It was unmounted of course, nearly clear throughout with a very faint positive image, and a little of the next guy's film was still spliced to it and his was just as ruined as mine. Furthermore, I got this stock note from them with a checked box indicating that the film had been poorly stored or was heat struck. NOT. Clearly they don't even know that they screwed up, but they're still charging me for their mistake. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randall_pukalo Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I just got back 8 rolls of E-6 from Dwaynes. All are perfect, as they usually are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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