Display quality color prints at modest cost

[steve_wring2]

Friends,

 

I'm a Nikon user asking a generic question (my justification for

posting to this forum). Hithertoo I 've always used B&W print and

color slide films. When I want a color print I get a cibachrome

printed by a local professional lab. I'm planning a trip where I'll

use color print film for snap-style photos that will hopefully

include a few suitable for enlargemnt (11x14 or 20x16) and display.

My question, to keep the processing costs modest can I still get best

results using a fast 1hr-type photolab to develop and print the film

to enprints for proofs and then get the enlargements made by a

professional lab. Will the quality of the negative be detrimentally

affected by the cheaper processing route? Has anyone done this?

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

[arvind_sankar]

There's a good chance they'll scratch your negs, or cut through a frame.

 

My advice is to get it developed at your usual prolab, then pick a frame to enlarge. Or get a contact sheet made. Development is usually as cheap or cheaper than most 1hr places (except you don't get any 4x6 proofs), and contact sheet maybe $10 or so. They may also be able to do 4x6 proofs for a lot less than custom color prints, so check that out.

[jkantor]

It depends on who is operating the equipment. The local WalMart has a couple of very good and motivated operators.

 

And actually, there's no reason to get cibachromes anymore. WalMart and most other 1-hour labs are now digital and will scan and print from slides. (This WalMart has a Fuji Frontier.) 4x6s are only fifty cents and 8x10s $3-$5.

 

Try out a couple of labs and talk to the employees to see how motivated they are.

[eric_stevens]

The contact sheets idea is a great one... it will give you not only proofs, but proofs with no weird exposure compensation that you get from the one-hour labs.

I have to disagree with John, Cibachromes are still the best color prints available by a long-shot.

[seandepuydt]

I would just send them to get processed at the pro-lab and get a contact sheet. Walmart's digital processing doesn't compare to a pro-lab.