Least expensive processing & scanning ever...

cjm

cjm

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I usually shoot C-41 film because it's so cheap to process and scan. I've been going to CVS and it costs a little less than $6 to process and scan one roll of film.

On a whim, I decided to try Target. I had four rolls of film. The total cost for processing and scanning all those rolls was... $6.24! The key was asking the technician to put all the photos on one CD. Then, you only get charged for one CD and the processing fees for each roll, which is $0.95 per roll at the target where I live. The CD is $1.95 and the pictures are about 1000x1500, plenty big for web viewing.

Can anyone beat those prices? (without processing and scanning yourself)
 
I've used our local Target and have never been happy with quality of the work. When I have c-41 color work I usually use my local Photo store (privately owned). The work is generally excellent. I develop my own B&W.
 
I get mine done for... nothing.
That's mainly because I do them where I work and 95% of the time don't pay.
Naughty, I know, but I justify it by adding the cost of each roll up and adding it to my paycheck, thus pretending they pay me a decent wage...
 
I always go to Walgreen's to process my negative film. They always do an excellent job in processing and printing. I once went to a pro lab and the results were hideous. There were artifacts and chemical marks all over the film, there CD images were low res, and they charged an outrageous amount. As for Walgreens there scanning is also poor quality, but at least there processing is good, as well as the colors being spot on. I usually go one-hour and get one set of prints. My price comes out around $10 per roll. But remember, that is with 4X5 prints.
 
I just go to Walgreens for processing, and scan at home. It's usually not more than $2.50 per roll for developing.
My only grievance is that their machines don't know how to cut film into 5-frame strips (they only do 4-frames), so I always have to remember to ask for them not to cut the negatives.
 
I get my C-41 processed at Walgreens too. I'm surprized to hear that a few other here get it done there too. For the most part, I've been very happy with their quality. Although, just like any lab, it depends on the operator. The people at my neighborhood store all know me now. They got my phone number memorized and get them done in 15 minutes, for about $2.15/roll. Then scan my won negs. And I just got 60 roles of Walgreens film for $0.99/roll, so shooting film has become very inexpensive for me. 😀

To the originator of this thread, I can't believe that Target does it for only $0.95! 😱
 
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Nothing beats Costco in my book.
And I get 6MP scans, while all the other guys in town give you at most 2MP.
 
I get my stuff processed at Duggal in NYC. $8 a roll for development with cut/sleeve. I moved out to Milwaukee, WI awhile ago for work, and the local pro camera shop/lab charged $2.70 a roll for develop only uncut. And they did good work. I just moved back to NYC and I really don't want to pay $8 a roll anymore.
 
swoop

swoop

Swoop, I'm in Milwaukee. Who did you go to gor $2.70 a roll?

Thanks.

swoop said:
I get my stuff processed at Duggal in NYC. $8 a roll for development with cut/sleeve. I moved out to Milwaukee, WI awhile ago for work, and the local pro camera shop/lab charged $2.70 a roll for develop only uncut. And they did good work. I just moved back to NYC and I really don't want to pay $8 a roll anymore.
Click to expand...
 
Another vote for Target processing. Cheap, fine for web or even 4 X 6 prints at home, and I've been pleased with their work. I consider it a digital contact sheet. If there's a shot I really like, I'll just have it re-scanned or printed at a pro lab.
 
There's a drug store in town that I use all the time. The manager of the photo lab actually cares about what he's doing. The machines are well maintained and my film is never scratched. I get developing, a set of 4x6 prints and 18MB (!) TIFFs scanned to disc for about $10 per roll. If the manager ever leaves or they shut down the photo lab, I'm screwed.
 
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The girl at Eckard doesn't usually get request for index print only. Well she makes develops the roll and makes the index print. I get charged $.99! If I like it, I come back and order a bigger print, or scan it at home for web viewing!
 
I pay ~$3 per roll at a Longs with ~ 1.5Mb scans and a cd (no pints), or ~$5 at Costco for ~3Mb scans (no pints).

I think the key to your target discount is putting multiple rolls on a single CD, I'll have to ask about that option, as there is certainly space available.

Because of lower volume, I would expect some pro labs to not have the latest sevicing and minilabs and scanning gear as a high volume drugstore/warehouse outlet, although the pro labs probably mean to do a very good job. Economically they should probably just outsouce to Costco with a quality ageement in place, and shut down their old labs.
 
Guys, don't measure scans in Mb (megabytes). Look at the size of the picture (mega-pixels), not the size of the file. Neither one alone tells the whole story though, but if you have to pick one - use the MP, not the MB. After all you buy "X mega pixels" digital camera, not "digital camera which makes "Y megabyte files".

...oops did I say "digital"....
 
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