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Film Photography Forum Discuss film photography techniques, including darkroom, film types, film cameras, filters, etc. - forum moderator is Xia-Ke.
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  1. #1
    Film Forum Moderator Xia_Ke's Avatar
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    Lightbulb List of film processors to use or to avoid

    In response to another post (thanks Javier), it's about time we got a list going of Photo Lab recommendations. So let's have it, who do you guys trust with your precious shots? I'll start off with 2 places I have heard a lot of good things about, along with one I'll NEVER use again...

    Recommended:
    www.carlsdarkroom.com
    www.bestlab.com
    www.borge.net
    www.pcraft.com
    www.colormark.com/
    www.chromedigital.com
    www.modernage.com
    www.henrys.com (in Canada, for our Northern brethren )
    www.precision-camera.com
    www.wolfcamera.com/


    AVOID:
    www.eaglephoto.com
    Walgreens on Andreson Lane in Austin
    Aaron Lehoux * flickr
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  2. #2
    Moderator of Critiques/Hearder of Cats mtbbrian's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Also recommend: www.borge.net, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
    :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
    They do ship!
    Brian
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  3. #3
    Film Forum Moderator Xia_Ke's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Thanks Brian :thumbsup:
    Aaron Lehoux * flickr
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  4. #4
    Learning more with every "click" mjs1973's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Recomment:

    Photo Craft Imaging out of the Denver/Boulder area. I'm building up an E6 stash to send them soon.

    www.pcraft.com
    Mike

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  5. #5
    Film Forum Moderator Xia_Ke's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Thanks Mike :thumbsup:
    Aaron Lehoux * flickr
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  6. #6
    GB1
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Add chromedigital.com
    Photography Software and Post Processing Forum Moderator. Visit here!

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Feel free to edit and repost my photos as part of your critique.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    My Site

  7. #7
    Viewfinder and Off-Topic Co-Mod walterick's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    I highly recommend Colormark in the Phoenix area. Not only are they the only lab in the valley I have found that does in-house E-6 but they are very very good, do great printing, and have nice service. They are on Dunlap and 24th St if you're local.

    http://www.colormark.com/

    Rick
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  8. #8
    Film Forum Moderator Xia_Ke's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Thanks Rick and GB1
    Aaron Lehoux * flickr
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  9. #9
    Co-Moderator, Photography as Art forum megan's Avatar
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    For those in and around NY...

    I recommend http://www.modernage.com/

    I ran into both owners recently, and each asked me if I was still shooting film. "Good!" they said. They are still developing and enlarging. Their silver prints are still some of the best ever.

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  10. #10
    Analog Photographer, Digital World Axle's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    If you're in Canada, specifically Southern Ontario. Henry's ( http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/sto...nrys/index.jsp )

    Henry's is the best place to take your stuff, higher end. E-6, Black & White. They outsource to a pro lab in Toronto which does a great job.
    Alex Luyckx | Photography
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  11. #11
    Film Forum Moderator Xia_Ke's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Thanks Megan and Alex
    Aaron Lehoux * flickr
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  12. #12
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    I highly recommend Precision Camera in Austin. Always great service. These guys started out as a repair shop and Garry Winnogrand trusted them with his M3 back in the 70's when he taught at the University. Now they are the main pro shop in town. They've never made a mistake with my film.

    Recommend Wolf Camera on Lamar Blvd, in Austin. I used them for years before I really got the photo bug, and they always did a good job. I only switched to Precision because they offer more services, more variety of films, and I can buy my chemicals there.

    Avoid Walgreens on Anderson Lane in Austin. They cut the edges off several frames when cutting my negatives, and they didn't bother to clean debris off the negatives before printing them.

    Paul

  13. #13
    Film Forum Moderator Xia_Ke's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Thanks Paul
    Aaron Lehoux * flickr
    Please do not edit my photos, thank you.

  14. #14
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Anyone got a recomendation for the Atlanta, Georgia area?

  15. #15
    Film Forum Moderator Xia_Ke's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Hi Ron, everyone down that way seems to recommend E-Six Lab of Atlanta. Here's a link to their site:

    http://www.e-sixlab.com/

    If you end up going there, please let us know if all is well.

    Happy Shooting,
    Aaron
    Aaron Lehoux * flickr
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  16. #16
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Thanks Xia, as luck would have it I sniffed out E6 yestiddy and have already sent them an e-mail. Having owned a service business in the Atlanta area for 26 years, I happen to know exactly where they are located. Now that I am retired, and moved waaaayyyy out in the country, I will do the bulk of my business thru UPS. Having shot a couple of rolls thru my "new to me" medium format camera, getting kinda anxious to see the results.

  17. #17
    Film Forum Moderator Xia_Ke's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Keep me posted on your experience with them. I'm picking up some 4x5 slide film which will need to be sent out for development. E-6 is who I'm leaning towards using for my processing.
    Aaron Lehoux * flickr
    Please do not edit my photos, thank you.

  18. #18
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    I dropped off my first two rolls of 120 film at Showcase in Atlanta, where I most often trade for supplies. They informed me they would have to send out one roll that was slide film, I think to E-six labs. Then it cost an additional $25.00 usd EACH ROLL, {plus an extra $7.50 for the slide film roll} for scanning. It seems everyone around here is stuck on 300 dpi scanning. They call the 300 dpi "high res". I must be missing something here. My contact at Showcase recommended an Epson V700 scanner. Upon a little internet investigation, the Epson scanner has two resolutions, 4800 dpi and 6400 dpi. That seems to be a very big difference in what the labs around here offer?

    I can buy the Epson V700 for less than $500.00 usd. It would not take long for such a scanner to pay for itself, plus offer very much higher resolution? Dunno, I'm just getting into medium format filming, but doing my own scanning seems like a given to me. The V700 being a flat bed scanner with film capability would also be useful for the requests I get to "fix" customers old photographs also.

    Being as I plan to use color negative film exclusively , {at least to start with}, the scanner looks like my next project for sure. Gonna go see what the internet has to say again.

  19. #19
    ctg
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Quote Originally Posted by rongarrett
    I dropped off . . . additional $25.00 usd EACH ROLL, {plus an extra $7.50 for the slide film roll} for scanning. It seems everyone around here is stuck on 300 dpi scanning. They call the 300 dpi "high res". I must be missing something here. My contact at Showcase recommended an Epson V700 scanner. Upon a little internet investigation, the Epson scanner has two resolutions, 4800 dpi and 6400 dpi.
    That seems to be a very big difference in what the labs around here offer?

    I can buy the Epson V700 for less than $500.00 usd. It would not take long for such a scanner to pay for itself, plus offer very much higher resolution? Dunno, I'm just getting into medium format filming, but doing my own scanning seems like a given to me. The V700 being a flat bed scanner with film capability would also be useful for the requests I get to "fix" customers old photographs also.

    Being as I plan to use color negative film exclusively , {at least to start with}, the scanner looks like my next project for sure. Gonna go see what the internet has to say again.
    Ah . . . the shell game? They call the 300 dpi "high res", because digital printing services (pro labs) can only offer 300dpi rating which is not the same as the rating used for digital printing (it figures)? I scan 4x5 & 5x7 as well as 35mm so for scanning chromes are best ( & easiest) for reasons beyond negatives don't scan well.

  20. #20
    Film Forum Moderator Xia_Ke's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Ron, $25.00 a roll is nothing when it comes to scanning. Take a look around at the pricing for drum scans:

    http://www.nancyscans.com/price.html

    From the samples I have seen and reviews read, the V700 is a very nice scanner. If you pick one up, let me know how you like it. I'm saving for a scanner to do 4x5 and that's the one I'm eying.
    Aaron Lehoux * flickr
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  21. #21
    Have Cameras. Will Shoot! NaturalWoman's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    anyone try this company

    http://www.fromex.com/index.asp?p=14518

    they are way out in california, but they do pay for the shipping back and forth. i don't mind waiting.

    very interesting. found this through a search. b&h sells fuji photo mailers? hmmm. good reviews.

    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Fi...4/N/4294539448
    Last edited by NaturalWoman; 04-20-2010 at 01:06 PM.
    Happily photographing within my camera's limitations.Website

  22. #22
    Member wedding photographer's Avatar
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    any good lab in the Miami area?

  23. #23
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Can anyone recommend a good lab in Washington DC. I hope to have quite a load from a 2 week trip to Arizona and New Mexico and I would like to get the film developed to reduce the risk of damage from airport scans on the return trip to Australia.
    Cameron665

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  24. #24
    myportfolio
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    Thanks for sharing this list

  25. #25
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    Re: List of film processors to use or to avoid

    I am building a big list of photo labs that develop film you can help by adding your favorites here.

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