Film Processing

[JohnTF]

I got fed up with the screwed up negatives from these kids developing my film at the CVS in Morrisville, IN... The Wal-Mart in Camby, IN. down the road, has no 1 hour lab... it is all sent out, but, there is no option for dev/only.

I send a few rolls off every 3-4 weeks to "Blue Moon" in Portland, Oregon now...Not perfect, but at least they take the best care they can handling Negatives. And the CS is top shelf too.

I've found a large variation in equipment and training at CVS in the in store labs, plus the equipment is getting rather long in the tooth.

My local one had some decent folks, who changed the rollers on a regular basis, but a couple of years later, new people, and a machine with old programming for films that no longer exist.

They toss out a lot of supplies as well as they are not generating the volume, but still the supplies are drop shipped. Cannot see how they will last much longer.

Regards, John

 

[Spyro]

Really? May you explain please?
From Wikipedia:
"The control of temperature and agitation of the film in the developer is critical in obtaining consistent, accurate results. Incorrect temperature can result in severe color shifts or significant under or over-development of the film."
May we call this "easier" than just keep the temperature at 68F and agitate once in a while?

Its not as dramatic as they make it sound, really. I guess you just have to try to see what I mean. The agitation: it says on the box: invert 4 times every 30" and thats what I do, simple, I dont see how can I stuff this up. The temperature: I developed this roll of Superia by mistake in 38C instead of 39C, I didnt see any problems with it?

even though the chemicals had expired about a month. The reason why I say it is easier than B&W developing is because you have no options: no stand developing, spindles, countless chems to choose from and other details that takes years to perfect. Its half a page of instructions, you follow it and thats all. Bringing your chems to a good temperature is not harder than loading a reel, if you do it once you've learned it.

 

[lorenzo1910]

Looks like there's no need of any "mechanical" help (Jobo et similia)...
Well I must admit that I've been scared from the info I got on the net (various sites)...but I was already scared before my first B&W developing (...and all went fine...)
What are your favourite C41 chemicals?
(BTW Nice picture indeed,mate!)

 

[Spyro]

No, no machines, I just use my normal Patterson tank and this kit:
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/10123...m-Negative-Processing-Kit-1-Liter?cat_id=1001
Only reason I picked this is because its cheap and it comes in powder form which means they can ship it overseas. If you use and store it properly (in air-evac bottles and in a cool place) it keeps about 2 months and does 30 rolls of 35mm or 15 of 120/220 with no noticeable drop in quality.

 

[lorenzo1910]

Many thanks for the useful info Spyro 🙂

 

[srtiwari]

Its not as dramatic as they make it sound, really. I guess you just have to try to see what I mean. The agitation: it says on the box: invert 4 times every 30" and thats what I do, simple, I dont see how can I stuff this up. The temperature: I developed this roll of Superia by mistake in 38C instead of 39C, I didnt see any problems with it?

even though the chemicals had expired about a month. The reason why I say it is easier than B&W developing is because you have no options: no stand developing, spindles, countless chems to choose from and other details that takes years to perfect. Its half a page of instructions, you follow it and thats all. Bringing your chems to a good temperature is not harder than loading a reel, if you do it once you've learned it.

Very nice, indeed.
Do you use any special equipment/technique to get to, and maintain, stable temperature during the process ?

 

[Silva Lining]

Don't let the warnings about temperature put you off...

I use a plastic washing up bowl as a bath for my patterson tank. Mix cold and hot water to get the right temp. and put all the chemiclals in bottles in it too. Put a thermometer in the bowl and add a sloosh of water from the kettle if it drops below.... Given the short development times its not hard to keep the temp within 0.5 deg. plus if you presoak the tank and film in water of the correct temperature for 2-3 mins before adding developer then there is no 'cold' tank to drop the temperature of the developer.

For me, it not really more or less difficult than B&W, just a different process....

I use the Tetenal kits for both C-41 and E6 and find them good

 

[batterytypehah!]

I think yours must have been one of the last remaining Walmarts with on-site processing. They've been giving that up nationwide.

In my town, there's a conveniently located CVS that used to do a good job, but lately it's become spotty. Their machine is old and I have no hope it'll be replaced. Walgreens is still very good and has recent equipment. When I chat with them they say there's still a good deal of business with one-time use cameras. (Which even Walmart still stocks, proof positive that there's a demand.)

P.S. Why is this in the Olympus RF forum? Could a mod please move it?

 

[dmr]

As of this week, Walmart here in the Orlando, FL area will no longer be processing film. ... Is the handwriting on the wall gentlemen?

Gentlemen? 🙂

But seriously, a FOAF of mine runs the photo department at a local Wally World. His shop quit doing film about a year ago, and he said at the time that the trigger for shutting down the film processing unit was something like an average of less than 10 rolls per day over some time period. It was not some arbitrary decision to squeeze out film, just a lack of demand.

P.S. Why is this in the Olympus RF forum? Could a mod please move it?

Maybe it's because the Wally World in question is only quitting processing film shot in Olympus cameras. 🙂

 

[lorenzo1910]

"Maybe it's because the Wally World in question is only quitting processing film shot in Olympus cameras"
ROTFL 🙂 🙂 🙂

 

[JohnTF]

No, no machines, I just use my normal Patterson tank and this kit:
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/10123...m-Negative-Processing-Kit-1-Liter?cat_id=1001
Only reason I picked this is because its cheap and it comes in powder form which means they can ship it overseas. If you use and store it properly (in air-evac bottles and in a cool place) it keeps about 2 months and does 30 rolls of 35mm or 15 of 120/220 with no noticeable drop in quality.

Air-evac, are those the accordion like ones? If so, you are merely adding surface area, the air in the bottle is less than 20% oxygen, the big problem is that most bottle caps without Saran Wrap under them leak to the atmosphere, refreshing the oxygen continuously.

My real favorites are the old ground glass stopper bottles.

Regards, John

 

[Spyro]

Very nice, indeed.
Do you use any special equipment/technique to get to, and maintain, stable temperature during the process ?

I use a bucket with hot water and dunk my chemicals in there for 5 minutes. When they reach 39C I take them all out of there and start developing. Once I start developing I dont maintain the temperature, I let it drop.

 

[Harlee]

"Why is this in the Olympus RF forum?" I guess thats because thats where I decided to post it!!!

 

[ully]

I believe as long as film is made so will be chemicals to develop it.
I do all my own at home now.

 

[healyzh]

Costco was going strong couple of weeks ago.

Regards, John

Define going strong. I've dropped film off the last three weekends. A year ago, there would have been several rolls hanging on the rack, now there are none. 🙁 Costco is my favorite place to get C-41 35mm developed. I use a pro lab in the City for C-41 120 and 4x5's. I just developed my latest roll of 35mm B&W and a roll of 120 B&W for my wife today. I'm scanning the 35mm film as I type.

 

[ElectroWNED]

yesterday tried to get a roll developed at Walmart. Told me they can only send it out now. Called CVS and the guys said, "well, we're the only place in town that develops film now, so we can a backlog of processing to do. It'll take a day or two to develop a roll..."

If places are not getting enough business, why is there a backlog of developing to do?

 

[rover]

Bait like this ... and still Pickett is nowhere to be seen or heard?

Come clean you mods ... what's happened to him?


About processing ... I totally agree. Build a drakroom and never look back! The Kodak one hour nearest me is very close to shutting down his C41 machine and putting the wraps over it ... about six months away from what he told me last time I asked.

it is a shame Keith you choose to be so offensive quite honestly. Where ever PW is I hope he is well. Maybe on an island laughing at us at this very moment loving his 5d Mark something or other. But no, you are way off base.

 

[amateriat]

Define going strong. I've dropped film off the last three weekends. A year ago, there would have been several rolls hanging on the rack, now there are none. 🙁 Costco is my favorite place to get C-41 35mm developed. I use a pro lab in the City for C-41 120 and 4x5's. I just developed my latest roll of 35mm B&W and a roll of 120 B&W for my wife today. I'm scanning the 35mm film as I type.

The labs at both my local RiteAid and CVS always have processed film hanging from the racks when I walk by, so there's definitely traffic. (Some of it from me: I just picked up nine rolls from CVS that I shot a few days ago.)

yesterday tried to get a roll developed at Walmart. Told me they can only send it out now. Called CVS and the guys said, "well, we're the only place in town that develops film now, so we can a backlog of processing to do. It'll take a day or two to develop a roll..."

If places are not getting enough business, why is there a backlog of developing to do?

You tell us. I just hope they don't jack up their prices on you as a result.


- Barrett

 

[ohoyer]

Chatted some time ago this year with the employee of a local photo shop here in Germany- they have a C41-minilab running, and told me, that perhaps 2-3 times a week they have the 6 or 7 films together to run it, as this is the critical mass where the costs are covered. So there is stil business, but slow.

I'm doing b/w all myself, and for color- well, I believe that digital gives me better workflow, as color images end up in the internet, not on high-end-baryte-paper on the wall. No, cheap color labs where it is given to, produce low-quality "prints", local minilabs or special labs, where people know how to individually do it, are expensive, and self-developing C41 to the final print ist way too much work and inconvenience for me.

 

[batterytypehah!]

it is a shame Keith you choose to be so offensive quite honestly. Where ever PW is I hope he is well. Maybe on an island laughing at us at this very moment loving his 5d Mark something or other. But no, you are way off base.

What on earth was offensive about Keith's post? I don't get it.