Been meaning to ask this for a long time.

With commercial print developing, i.e., drug stores, quick photo labs, etc., is one getting the best results with the print quality?

For instance, if I expose a roll of a good quality color print film and this great film goes into one of those machines . . . will I be able to discern the difference from a run-of-the-mill film? I get a feeling (unsubstantiated) that these types of processing wouldn't know Kodacolor II from the rest.

Is there a place I can SEND my film so that I know it will be developed properly? Now I'm not speaking of some specialty lab that would charge a fortune. Just a good reliable outfit that can process film with quality!

Thanks

It bums me out that no one answered this question when it was posted. This is a great question and a critical issue for anyone using film.

First of all, film processing is the most important because it can't be redone. You get it done once and that's that. So you want to get it done right, at a clean lab with good chemistry. There are two basic types of machines. There are minilab machines and commercial "dip-and-dunk" film processors. Minilab machines use a tiny amount of chemistry and as a result are much more sensitive to chemical and temperature changes. a dip-and-dunk processor has huge tanks and, as the name implies, dunks the film into these huge tanks. It takes a really sloppy, lazy lab to really screw up the processing in a dip-and-dunk processor. A good lab will check their chemistry once or even twice a day to make sure it's in line. Some labs are certified by Kodak or Fujifilm.

As the amount of film being used has decreased and small labs have stopped processing film, the good labs have actually picked up business. If you check the back of any photography magazine you should find ads for film processing where you can send your film in. Or you could look for a pro lab in your area. That's what I'd do. Pay the big money for your film and then take it to a minilab for prints. Prints can always be redone. But film can only be processed once.

If your looking for a good lab to send your film to, check out Photo Craft Imaging (http://www.pcraft.com/). They have done a good job with the E-6 film I have sent them, and they use the dip and dunk method that John talked about. I have never sent them any print film, but will continue to send my E-6 to them. I have found that it's better to save up a few rolls, and send them in all at once. It will save you money in shipping.

I don't remembering see this thread before - John, what forum was it in before Film existed?

Only thing I can add is that I'd still be careful with having prints made because someone will have to handle your negatives. Any decent lab will be careful with your negs, understanding that they can't be replaced. Obviously, negs you bring in for printing are important and good otherwise they wouldn't be printed. :)

I've had digital prints made at the grocery store from files that I've prepared. While waiting in line one time, I saw someone grab several strips uncut of 35mm negs and carry them around for while talking to another co-worker. The negs could be easily scratched and covered with fingerprints at this point. I would expect to never see this kind of carelessness at a good lab.