Quote Originally Posted by LLMc
I'm not using a "pro" lab, could this be a problem? I'm not a professional.
Great ideas in the post above, but I think this one is probably the biggest reason. I've had the red/magenta issue with labs before that don't deal with Fuji film. It's not the film's fault. Find a pro lab that you want to work with, and ask them which films they like working with the best. A friend is a big fan of Fuji neg film, but the local pro lab is used to working with Kodak Portra. Rarely do they see Fuji so I used Portra and had great results. If they're a pro lab, they'll have consistent results from one shoot to the next. You'll know that you can trust the skin colors because that's how they print. But use whatever film they're most comfortable with because they're doing their best to make you look good - so don't make it hard on them!

You don't necessarily have to be a pro to use a pro lab. They do charge more, but you're paying for the quality and consistency. Some labs are better than others, so talk to a few of them. There are some big national places like Miller's Labs that only work with high-volume pros, but local pro labs (if you have one in the area) should be happy to get your business.