CVS negative scan quality....

[sonja_greene]

<p>Can anyone tell me if this normal quality for CVS pharmacy? I see blur and color pixelation in several lines across the photos. This is the same for all of them</p><div></div>

[sonja_greene]

<p>In the grass, you'll see lines of blurry grass, then stripes of overly sharpened grass or highly textured looking grass</p>

[patrick_mont]

<p>Looks pretty good for coming out of CVS.</p>

[sonja_greene]

<p>I don't know if I should be scared :-0 It's o.k. with landscape type photos, but across a person's face is a little much though. I may try Walgreens, they've don'e pretty good. I can also go to a pro shop, but they charge more. This set was just a test shot for the Kodak film I just started using. Not bad.</p>

[max_steinhardt]

<p>My understanding from my local CVS is that they don't scan the neg, but rather the print. The way i was told they work if I just bring in a neg is that they print it, then scan the print. If this is in fact how the work, the lab tech might just suck at scanning.</p>

[roger_smith4]

<p>This does not look normal- if they scanned the print it wasn't flat or the scanner glass is dirty. The Walgreens around here use Frontiers so they ought to scan the negative. Frontier scans don't look that great to me, either (oversharpened grain).</p>

[sonja_greene]

<p>Roger, I know what you mean with Walgreens. I usually have to do some despeckling, but they turn out fine afterward without losing noticeable sharpness. I just don't like the lines of blur and color specs on my scans. They "said" they do neg. scans, but I've never heard of them printing the photo then scanning it. Unless they are totally incompetent and is wasting company money by using print paper. I for sure didn't pay for/receive any prints.</p>

[max_steinhardt]

<p>That was the story I got from my local CVS lab tech, who I've affectionately nicknamed Cap'n Quaaludes. I had gone in with a test roll from an old camera and wanted to make sure that the pictures turned out ok before I had them scanned, and he vvveeerrryyy sslloowwwly explained to me that it was easier to do it in one pass because they scan the prints. I clarified that they didn't have the ability to scan the neg, and he confirmed. Maybe my CVS just really sucks, or maybe the tech is incompetent, but that's the story I was sold.</p>

[andylynn]

<p>Max: That's not normal CVS behavior, that guy's just an idiot. CVS doesn't have optical printing from negs minilabs, they have digital minilabs - negs are scanned, output to lightjet photo printer and/or CD.</p>

<p>Sonja: That's not normal CVS behavior. The one near me gives me perfectly good, low res scans. We're talking 500 kb JPG's, but at least they're sharp with good color. Your CVS has a problem with their scanner.</p>

[sonja_greene]

<p>That's what I'm thinking. I will go back to Walgreens.</p>

[randall ellis]

<p>Quality varies greatly from drugstore to drugstore. If you want to use this level of service provider you'll have to shop around until you find one that meets your standards. Not all stores train their employees to the same level of ability, or maintain their equipment to the same standards. If you want professional quality results you have to use a professional quality lab...</p>

<p>- Randy</p>

[manuel barrera houston,]

<p>I like to use Walgreen's, negatives and a CD no prints. If there is some thing I want to print in a large size, I will scan the negative.</p>

[clark_gambarrotti]

<p>CVS does a great job in my opinion. Below is a most recent example of their scanning.<br />Photo shot with Kodak 400UC Ultra Color: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clarksphotos/show/</p>