Calypso E-6 mail order

[don_miller2]

Anyone currently using them for E6 mail order processing?

 

$1.15 for 4x5 with free return shipping over $75 seems hard to beat

from a reputable lab.

 

I fedex to my 'local' lab anyways. They do a good job at twice this

price.

 

(And no, I have no intention of doing my own E-6 processing)

[john_randall3]

Hi, Don

 

One possible 'negative' aspect that might crop up with mail-order

E-6, either in the unexposed or the exposed but unprocessed

stages, would be the lack of temperature control whenever the

film is enroute. The storage areas of those delivery trucks can

tend to get warm, even hot. Whether short transit times make

this point moot can be discussed - but there is an element of

lack of control throughout the chain of events that might be

bothersome.

 

Perhaps others have had positive experiences, or, best of all, no

unpleasant surprises, with mail-order of E-6. I'm hesitant to

chance it.

 

Best regards,

[tom_percival1]

Don,

 

 

I am guessing that you are talking about Calypso Imaging in Santa Clara, Ca. I used to be the B&W printer at Calypso, about five years ago, before moving too far away for the commute in Silicon Valley. They are a very reputable lab and are actually the only full service lab that still exists in the Valley after the dot.bomb implosion. I believe that they are still family owned and operated and very well operated at that.

 

 

 

As far as the shipping is concerned, as long as you send it via overnight deliver, I don't think there would be any problem. Since FedEx can be picked up by 5pm and will be delivered before 11am it shouldn't be that hot no matter where you live. Except maybe Death Valley. Hope this helps.

[mark_erickson]

I was a happy customer of Calypso Imaging between 1997 and 2002. I moved away from the SF Bay Area last year and I've just used them a couple of times since. They were top-notch when I used them.

 

Regarding temperature issues with film, I believe that if you do a good pack job (e.g., with bubblewrap or foam peanuts), you've basically built the equivalent of a styrofoam ice-chest for your film. Unless the shippers leave it out in the sun for days at a time, I don't imagine you'll have any real problems.