reasonable photo lab

[walter_degroot]

<p>first some comments, then a question.<br>

ABC photo, located in Mystic ct is the sucessor to mystic photo.<br>

the old company was purchased by YORK / District photo.<br>

the employees of the old company formed a new co[any<br>

they provide lower cost processing with a downloadable maler anvelope postage free.</p>

<p>I even at the age when I can barely see-- considered processing c-41 myself.<br>

a telephone call to photographer s formulary<br>

that lasted a while. let me find out they were having problems purchasing the rollei digibase componets.<br>

BTW I also lost track of a site that deals with this process and dividing the solutions.<br>

I also located a company called OLD FASHIONED either lab pr photo.<br>

My list of url s is on a dead drive.<br>

this old fashioned lab located either in VT or NH seems reasonable.<br>

Befor some say " if you want good results try this lab"</p>

<p>sure fine those of us in ss retirement are staggerd by this prices they charge. no way.<br>

I realize dwayes isw among the best but the shipping costs kill the advantages. I don';t shoot several rolls<br>

so I cannot save that way.<br>

walmart used to be good-either local ir send out.<br>

but not returning negatives is a big mistake.<br>

Maybe for a 5$ p&s camera but not for a real camera.</p>

<p>I realize digital is now the thing.<br>

but still we can use and enjoy film and out real cameras for a while.<br>

Suppose you purchase a roll of Kodak high quality "ektar" film ND EXPOSE IT IN A %<br>

$500.00 CAMERA AND ALL YOU GET IS SOME CHEAP SCANS?</p>

<p>basically post the address of old fashioned lab<br>

or other reasonable priced labs in the usa.</p>

 

[BrianS1664879711]

How much are you willing to pay?

[john_shriver]

<p>There's no way around the price. One you mix a "machine's worth" of C-41 chemistry, you have just a couple of weeks until you have to dump and refill it. If you don't process many rolls of film, the cost of the chemistry divided by the number of rolls of film gets to be a lot. (We're talking hundreds of dollars for a full load of chemistry.)<br>

The high-volume labs like Dwayne's and North Coast Photo do enough rolls to make that "cost of chemistry per roll" be low. But you gotta pay postage.<br>

My local dip and dunk lab keeps the quality up, but they gotta charge what the chemistry costs. So that's $12.50 a roll, develop only. <br>

Mini-labs could never get anyone to pay a price like that, so they shut down rather than lose money. The camera store on the block next to me went from processing hundreds of rolls a day to 10 rolls a day when they threw in the towel and closed. They did very good work for a mini-lab.<br>

Either you find a mini-lab still doing decent work within driving distance, or you mail your film. Or you give up on color and go black and white, and do it at home. Processing color film at home isn't cost-effective unless you're shooting a roll every day.<br>

(That said, Dwayne's shipping fees have always been awfully high.)</p>

[wblynch]

DWAYNE'S destroys your negatives now and they won't be returned

 

Check their site before sending film.

[glen_h]

<p>There are two labs in Seattle that do C41 (35mm or 120) for $7.50/roll.</p>

<p>I don't think you need a roll a day for home use, but more than I do.</p>

<p>When I did Unicolor E6 35 years ago, I would mix 8oz from the concentrates for two rolls, and use that. Squeeze the air out of the concentrate bottles so they would last. I might have done about one roll a month. </p>

<p>The Tetenal kit is powder, so you have to mix it all. That should do 8 to 12 rolls, and with being a little careful at keeping the air out, last two months or so. Or save up all 12 rolls for one session.</p>

[david_tellet]

<p>You may be thinking of Old School Photo Lab (<a href="http://oldschoolphotolab.com/">http://oldschoolphotolab.com/</a>) which is in New Hampshire. I haven't used them in a long time, but they always did a good job. The Darkroom (<a href="https://thedarkroom.com">https://thedarkroom.com</a>) is always good and reliable. I believe MPix also does 35mm processing but I haven't tried them yet.</p>

[levon_b]

<p>Bill - Dwayne's only destroys negatives if you select "Process Only - No Prints and Upload."</p>

[wblynch]

<p>Well that's reassuring. i just saw huge bold type saying, " Be aware your negatives <strong>WILL BE DESTROYED</strong>".<br>

Which was enough for me to avoid them.</p>

 

[weasel_bar]

<p>Allied Photocolor does a great job. fortunately for me they're around the corner. You can ship them film.<br>

They do dip and dunk, have never scratched my film, and if you want prints the quality is awesome.<br>

http://www.alliedphotocolor.com/</p>

[AlanKlein]

<p>Walter: Where do you live?</p>

[walter_degroot]

<p>I live in pensylvania<br>

100 + from ny and philadelphia.<br>

I was gifted with film and too many cameras.<br>

my eyesight is poor and the last time I shiot film I used P&S camerasd<br>

but I can see well enough to frame and by a process of choosing the best I can focus.<br>

supposedly the VA will do cataracts soon.<br>

and this will sharpen my vision.</p>

<p>now I have three places that seem ok.<br>

I did not know Dwayes destroyed negatives.<br>

with decent lenses, I cannot avccvept they a scan is good enough.<br>

I have a moderater quality 35mm flastbed with a scanner slot.<br>

and I never intend to use an inkjet to print.<br>

a thumb drive of cd and a trip to walmart. seems wiser.</p>

<p>I was also gifted several 1200 dpi laserjets to print B&W.<br>

I need pointers on how to remove the graininess.<br>

I do have problems reading a thermometer.<br>

but I have a large Kodak dial thermometer I can read.<br>

I made a 100 degree 1 gallon temp bath when I was doing color 30 35 years ago.<br>

I found that the beselker 2 solution and my 2 z drum - with 3-4 oz -- worked well.<br>

My 3 x 3 filters and the durst m300 enlarger seemed to work well.<br>

So even with my physical limitations I could still do it.<br>

I have a windowless bathroom/</p>

<p>ost? how much will I be willing to pay?<br>

not much. I am on ss retirement<br>

my son had a stroke and is on disability.<br>

we take advantage of any bebefits available.<br>

we heat with coal ( less expensive)<br>

and ecanonomize.<br>

we jusat manage. so a high[priced labe is for rich folks only.</p>

<p>I am willing to accpt that a low cost lab might run a c-41 line when they have enough film to justify it.<br>

that maked good sense.<br>

I will post the "poorman;s" workbook telling hw to do things on a shoestring.<br>

BTW the VA gives me shoes with Velcro -no shoestrings.<br>

withour saying so, others send me things like rick oleson who sent me a 120 camera.</p>