Dwayne's Photo vs your local labs

[habib_b]

<p>Hi everyone,</p>

<p>I know that Dwayne's is a great lab to send your film out to (especially for motion picture films). But I was wondering if the quality in their C-41 developing is really all that different than your average one hour photolab? That may seem like a dumb question to some so forgive me. I understand that every photo lab does things a bit differently and that can be reflected prints that you get back, but usually those things are suddely and to the untrained eye go unnoticed. What are your guys' takes? Do you send out your C-41 to dwaynes? or do you just have them locally processed? Thanks.</p>

<p>Habib</p>

[dave_s]

<p>I don't use Dwayne's personally; I use North Coast for the stuff I value, which includes all 120 C41. </p>

<p>For routine 35mm stuff, I am lucky to have a drugstore a mile away, which employs a very good middle-aged technician, trained in Europe. She is <em>very</em> fussy about quality, so I never have to worry about scratches, cat hair, or dust on the negs.</p>

<p>The scans are a different matter. North Coast gives me a 16.8 megapixel Noritsu scan from 35mm, saved as a 15 - 19 MB jpg file. This corresponds to a quality level of 11 or 12, which means little compression. From a 6 x 7 negative, I get a 28 megapixel scan which makes a perfectly decent 11 x 14.</p>

<p>For about the same price, my drug store gives me a bigger 24 megapixel Noritsu scan, but they compress the heck out of it! The files are about 2.4 MB, which corresponds to a quality setting I shudder to think of. Having said that, I don't see obvious jpg artefacting and the negatives make fine 5 x 7s. I never go above 8 x 10 from 35mm anyway. (FWIW, I believe they used to use a lot less compression, but they readjusted it.)</p>

<p>So for me, anything important gets saved up in batches, and sent to North Coast. They have 16 rolls of my stuff right now. For shots of kids and dogs, the local lab is OK.</p>

[Paul Lewis1664881697]

<p>I send my slide film to Dwayne's. The quality is very good and I like that I'm able to order film from them at the same time.</p>

[greg_miller10]

<p>I think that there are good local labs but the advantage you have a Dwayne's is that you know they're good.</p>

<p>I've visited them on several occasions and I know there's real concern over proper maintenance of their processors and that they use proper procedures to keep their machines within control limits. They also seem to maintain staff over time. I meet the same people there that I did many years ago. Experience is a big plus when it comes to running your equipement properly. </p>

<p>Not that you should not use your local lab - I think you should if they're good because they need your support, but if you're in doubt about their consistency then you have a safe alternative in Dwayne's. </p>

<p>Greg Miller

[Alan Marcus]

<p>All photo lab printers custom analyze each frame as they print. This is accomplished via a scan or photo sensor array. This gleans data that will be applied to a look-up table. This scheme classifies the subject matter and computer logic applies corrections for exposure and color errors. The hardware and software have had about 60 years to evolve. A key ingredient required is that the lab perform daily optimization procedures. This is daily processing of pre-exposed test strips. These are available from the major film manufactures. They arrive packed in dry ice. These frozen paper and film test are then stored in the freezer at the lab and processed each day.</p>

<p>Labs are required to daily process both film and paper test strips and read them on an instrument called a densitometer. The data collected is graphed for analysis. A skilled technician interpolates the data and adjusts the process parameters to maintain the chemistry strength, time in solution and temperature, and other factors. In this way, the film and paper processes are kept in good control.</p>

<p>Additionally, the lab maintains an inventory of up-to-date test negatives. These are sets that include all major brands film. The set contains optimum prints made from these test films. These are to be printed daily and adjustments made to the printer so the work outputted will be at optimum.</p>

<p>Every min-lab and large lab has access to these test materials. What I am trying to say is, it is the due diligence of lab management that determines lab quality. A small lab with reduced daily roll volume will likely skimp, for monetary reasons, on the daily running of these test. Whereas a high volume lab would never relax quality control procedures. </p>

[trooper]

<p>I trusted them (Dwayne's) to some somewhat important C-41 develop and print after an old favorite lab closed. They were dreadful. I had to have an alternate lab reprint the proofs to be able to show them. It was foolish, I know but they seemed so legitimate on the surface. A friend tried them since then and was not happy, either. Just 2 anecdotal episodes, I realize but take it for what it's worth.....</p>

[martial_baribault1]

<p>You want a well known shop because you don't want to ask yourself if something went wrong in the processing. There are enough variables and you want to eliminate as many as possible. Small shops oftenly have variable quality depending on the highs or low of the season.Pro shop on the other hand generally track their results as they know there is no economy in streching out an out of control process.</p>

[dangoldman]

<p>their E6 processing is better than most of the local labs i have used (from florida, pensylvania, to rhode island), and has always been cheaper. i dont hardly ever shoot C41 so cant comment there.</p>