Is it ok to get film processed at Walgreens or Eckerd drug stores?

[BKSinAZ]

Or should I find a more professional place?

[opus]

I've kinda wondered that myself ... I would rather have prints made elsewhere, but I didn't know if the processing mattered.

[another view]

One pro lab told me that one hour places use a warmer (temperature) developer so that the film develops faster. Problem is, this may lead to more grain. At least in B&W, I know that film developer has an optimal temperature range and going higher than that will give you the same situation (faster but granier).

But I think that the main thing you're paying for at a pro lab is consistency and the care of your film. I know my prints will always look the same way every time I go there, and they print for skin tones. They are very careful with negatives because they understand that they're working with unreplaceable work (wedding negatives). They also use "dip and dunk" processing which doesn't wind the film thru a bunch of rollers which have the potential of scratching the film (rare, and probably will never happen with well maintaned equipment).

That's why I go to a pro lab for stuff I'm occasionally hired to do. I really don't use color neg film for personal work; one of the reasons being that it's really expensive. Have I used Walgreens before? Yes, and everything was fine. Sometimes better than others - I think it depends on who is running the machine (see above, consistency). This consistency is really more about the prints than the negatives themselves - C41 color process is C41 color process, except for what I said above. The difference is in the prints.

[92135011]

depends how much you value your stuff
when im just shooting for the fun of it, then i develop cheap

[jar_e]

I think 9's point is valid. If i'm doing something a little more serious, I pay for it.

[almo]

As the former employe of a pro lab I think I am qualified to answer this.

What AV said is true. One hour type places use a higher temp to push the process a bit. Also they do not tend to change over thier chemistry as often, which means it becomes fouled, and your film is being developed in filth.

By far the biggest difference is in the process for E6 and C41. In a cheap place they use conveyor systems that can scratch, tear, or otherwise destroy your film. Most pro labs use a system called dip & dunk, where the film is suspended on a bracket that you could think of as a sort of coat hanger, called a film rack, or transporter. In this process the film is lifted by a machine straight up and out of the process liquids, and vise versa. The film is then automaticly placed into a dryer, or in some cases the lab tech has to put the transporters in there. One side of the dyer in in the darkroom and the other is in the open light outside of the darkroom. During this entire process the only thing the film touches is air, chemistry, and the transporter.

Also unlike Walgreens or Eckerd drug stores, the dip & dunk machines are hooked up to chem-reservoirs that constantly replenish the process chemicals, and remove the soild fluids.

AV hit the nail on the head when he mentioned the handeling of your film as well. Many people that work in pro labs are photogs themselves, and they have a great respect for film. A teenager at wally-world could give a crap about your film.


So lets get this straight. Snapshots; Wal-mart. Everything else; Pro lab.

Class dismissed.

[DYER]

does anyone now if Jessops in england is any good. i know they are better than boots but i still wonde if the extra £3 are worth anything. allthough i can say that they defenitly have more respect for the film

[RLB]

I've kinda wondered that myself ... I would rather have prints made elsewhere, but I didn't know if the processing mattered.

My friend that owns a photo shop told me to have my film develped anywhere but bring him the negs for printing. He says that its hard for the them to screw up developing film with the automatic equipment that most of them use. I believe that all three families of films Kodak, Fugi, Agfa of either negative or positive type use different chemistry to achieve the same end result. Therefore, as a developer seasons in, it accumulates the leached out chemistry of the most prevalent film being processed. Each manufacturer balances their own films against each other because they use similar chemistry. They cannot balance against the films of other manufacturers due to the fact that the ratios of chemicals change with the mix of film being processed. Therefore, you stand a better chance with Kodak film using a facility that does mostly Kodak film and Fuji in a Fuji facility, etc.

[Mr.U]

As a dedicated film shooter I have found some strange happen when I develop at places like wal-mart shop-Ko etc. I have had images not printed sharp.....Skintones looked like skim milk...Color shifts were horrifiying....When i use one of the two pro shops in our area I get flawless skintones...Oh lord this can go on and on...let me cut the poop and get down to bussiness..Ok When you take your film to a pro shop they actually process for skintones....They adjust red yellows blues etc...When i have a clients film processed i always have their proofs printed Glossy with borders... This little service will not be found in any reatil one hour photo...You should see the looks on my clients faces when they get their proofs....LOVE THE GLOSSY WITH BORDERS!!! IF you have any doubts....Take your negs from a shop that you had procesed at one of these ratail giants....keep those proofs and then take those same negs to a pro shop and ask for reprints....I will bet you my EOS-3 That they will improve 300% ....I know you will notice a difference in sharpness skintones overall printing and color tones in general throughout the photograph....And if you were to have them run those same negs at that same pro shop a third time asking for glossy with borders??? My friends you will find yourself in possesion of fine art quality PHOTOGRAPHS! Oh my head hurts just thinking of all these people that have their photos printed with matte finish...Talk about flattening out a photo. Enough if i talk about this any more one of yall will have to carry me outa here. -U

[Mr.U]

by the way this does not only appy to film...Digital shooters if you have photolabs process your work it is processed the exact same way.

[Mr.U]

provideing you dont use the stupid kodak picture maker...ok im done

[mfopen]

Ive actually had good exp. when using a place like sav-on or Rite-Aid. I just tell the guy i want my photos NOT one hour and write it on the little package and i get them back the next few days and they are excellent. They do charge you a few bucks more though.... BTW it was a kodak developer and kodak film...

Also what is the LOWEST possible price for all the equipment needed to develop your own film?