Wal Mart photo experience

bhop73 said:
I use Rite-Aid (local drug store with 1hr lab) for my developing, but after multiple cut frames, I just ask for them uncut and cut them myself at home. I scan my negatives anyway.
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I use Wal-Mart for C-41 but I also ask for them uncut after losing some frames.
 
I used them for slides, because they're sent out to another processing facility. However, they just raised the price from $4.88 to 7 or 8 dollars, I'd rather go to Ritz for the extra $2.
 
Stopped doing C-41 there when I watched them pulling film out of the machines with bare hands and letting it fall to the floor. :O
 
Your results will vary depending on which Wal-mart you go to. We have 4 Super Wal-marts in our area, I only go to the 2 that are close by. I have C41 film processed and a CD burnt, one WM charges only $2.50 for dev+cd while the other charges appx $6.00 for the same thing. No problems with the quality at either. The closest pro lab is in Nashville, 50 miles away. The thing I find kind of funny about shopping at Wal-Mart is I have clients from NYC who go nuts shopping there when they are in town on business. They say nothing like it in the BIG city.
 
RandyB said:
Your results will vary depending on which Wal-mart you go to. We have 4 Super Wal-marts in our area, I only go to the 2 that are close by. I have C41 film processed and a CD burnt, one WM charges only $2.50 for dev+cd while the other charges appx $6.00 for the same thing. No problems with the quality at either. The closest pro lab is in Nashville, 50 miles away. The thing I find kind of funny about shopping at Wal-Mart is I have clients from NYC who go nuts shopping there when they are in town on business. They say nothing like it in the BIG city.
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Chromatics in Nashville does excellent work, but if you live in the 'burbs it's a chore to get too. Wal-mart may be the only game in town to conveniently get some films processed.
 
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My local walmart does it okay. Sometimes they cut in every 4 frames, sometimes they don't cut it at all, and I don't care which way they do since they cut everything right.

However, one time I had a roll of panoramic, which I used sent out envelop, and the film was cut in wrong position... I assume the envelop went to Dwaynes...
 
My local Wal-Mart does a better job with developing & scanning than the local mom & pop lab. The local lab always has a ton of dust on the negs, and is slightly cheaper than Wal-Mart. I support local businesses as much as possible, but the truth is that dev + scanning is just not as good as Wal-Mart.

On the other hand, the local lab prints on Kodak paper, and overall (to my eyes) skin tones look MUCH better than the prints on Fuji Crystal Archive that Wal-Mart uses.
 
photogdave said:
Why not support the specialty shops who make it their business to know their product inside out, and with whom you can build up a personal relationship? It may cost a couple dollars more, but then again it may not. I know of some local family businesses who are quite happy to beat box store prices.
Best of all when I walk into my local camera store, photo lab, record store, butcher, bike shop etc. I get greeted by name!
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I'm not quarreling about Wal-mart anti vs pro, that's almost as tiresome as film vs digital ;)

But when talking about building relationship, I do want to mention my local Sam's club (still wally's world) photo-lab.

I know all four people who worked there, they know me, they know my wife, they ask about my daughter when she's sick, I chat a lot with them, one of them is a vintage camera buff, he let me know first-hand if one of my old cameras produced uneven spacing, the others are youngsters, I know what major they took at school, how they are doing, etc.

It's the people, folks, you may not like the corporation, but guess what, people work there, and it's still the people that you deal with on daily-basis.

You take the time to get to know them, you get a chance to build relationship, mom&pop, mega-corp, whatever.

And guess what, specialty shops can be run by snobs and jerks also. ;)

It's simple, at least for me.
 
shadowfox said:
And guess what, specialty shops can be run by snobs and jerks also. ;)
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Oh yes. Yes they can indeed.
Case in hand. The one and only camera shop in Melton.
The girls are ok, if not a bit ditzy, at least they say hello. The guy who appears to be in charge is a complete tool.
We took in an old Minolta with bayonet lens mount. He didn't know how to take the lens off for a start. Then his attitude. You'd get more from a rancid bit of roadkill. Talking down to customers and treating them like crap gets you no-where fast.
We took in a camera to be cleaned and it came back worse than it went in. It's now rendered almost useless thanks to this twat. When I get the time, I'll be fixing it myself. He's not touching it again. $100 down the nick.
We're not shopping there anymore. Considering the fact that:
A. my girlfriend is a quite well known model, and has MANY hi-end photography contacts, and
B. I myself come from an artist / photography background.
He's done his dash. Completely. Word of mouth spreads pretty damn fast.
 
dmr said:
OBTW, Wally World just jacked up their Kodachrome prices. They are now about the same as sending directly to Dwayne's.
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Crap. I just dropped off two rolls there for the first time. Are you figuring in the $5 return shipping and $2 shipping TO Dwayne's? Because that's half the price.
 
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