Lab. developping vs Home developping

[Marsopa]

Hi:

I recently sent some rolls (ilford fp4) for developping to a local lab. Once I've seen the resulting scans I think they are too "grainy" compared with a roll I've developped at home (using ilfosol). First there is a sample of the lab developped film and the second one is from the home developped roll. What do you think?

 

[bcostin]

Yeah, the lab developed photo is quite a bit more grainy. (I kinda like it, actually, but that's not the point.)

I wonder what they did different? You definitely have more control over the results at home, once you get everything the way you like it. The scanning process can also exaggerate grain sometimes. Did the lab develop and scan, or did you do both scans yourself?

 

[Marsopa]

Both scans were made in the same shop... Maybe the lab uses a general/fast developper?

 

[oscroft]

Both scans were made in the same shop... Maybe the lab uses a general/fast developper?

Did the same shop do both the dev and scan? It's possible that if they dev & scan in one go you'll get different scanner settings (or even a different scanner) than if you take a neg in just for scanning.

It's certainly possible that using different developers can produce that kind of result (eg one in Rodinal and one in D76), but unless you can be sure they were both scanned with the same scanner and settings then it's hard to pin it down for sure.

 

[iceman]

too many variables to comment on the results. can the developer, temperature, agitation scheme or scanning.

 

[varjag]

The negs are probably overdeveloped. Very common when 5 types of film thrown in a single tank and souped in d76 at averaged timing. And that's how it is done in most labs, unless you're a high-volume customer and developed special relationship with process person.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

A friend of mine told me the huge grain in some T-Max ISO 100 prints I had came from developing at a high temperature. Or just higher than needed, for a time period that's not adequate.

Oh, well... 1 point for home developing! 🙂

 

[JonR]

I doubt it has anything to do with the scanning or the difference between home and lab processing. My guess is that the more grainy one has simply been processed badly - probably too high temperature and/or the wrong time...

I would do another try before drawing any conclusions....

/Jon

 

[mfogiel]

The simplest answer is, the lab overdeveloped the neg. Where do you live? I use a pro lab for B&W in Milan which does a geat job, albeit at a price. BTW you have a lovely family...

 

[Marsopa]

Thanks to all... I'll try to do two tests rolls in teh same conditions and one will be developped by myself and the another one by the lab, I'll do the scans to compare... just to know if I can trust in the lab in the case I need....

Mfogiel thanks, my son is the one that is alone in the pic, the first pic are friends not my family

 

[40oz]

FWIW, I wouldn't suggest the lab did a bad job. But you have proven what has been said many times here - developing at home gets better results than the lab every time. It's not the amount of experience or training, it's the attention to detail and control over the process.