Sticker shock - $25 to develop/scan/print 120 roll

[hipsterdufus]

So, I just recently got a cheap medium format camera to play around with and do more "serious" (i.e. landscapes/nature photography) work. I went to my local pro shop and they are charging $25 for 1 roll of C-41 film to develop/scan/print proofs. Is this similar to what you guys are paying?

Apparently, they're also chomping at the bit to get rid of their film developing services. They only process film once a week, due to demand. Time to start looking for on-line options, I guess. Any suggestions?

 

[Disaster_Area]

well it's not that expensive here in Ottawa, about $15 a roll.. but still too rich for my blood, I've stopped shooting colour 120 all together for this reason, I just shoot B&W that I soup at home... which is a shame, since I have a freezer full of colour 120 and 220 I don't know what to do with now... maybe I'll just shoot it and do it in Rodinal 🙂

 

[kuzano]

Helpful to know where you are.....

Helpful to know where you are.....

You would probably get some suggestions. Locale counts, country counts, type of processors where you are counts.

There have been at least three substantive threads on this topic, with all sorts of suggestions about different processors.

I won't go again into detail about how I do it. I've done that in three threads in the last six months, but I use Walmart "Send Out Only" processing which goes to Fuji, possibly to Duanes from Fuji. Never opened or touched in the Walmart store.

I pay from 2.88 to $5 for E6, C41, sleeved negs with prints or sleeved and tubed transparencies. Happy with results. No scanning. Get a scanner. $10 of what you paid was for the scanning and that mounts up. I use an Epson V500.. ($150) plus better holders.

I've listed and posted pics of how to fill out the "Send Out Only" envelopes, and describe the process in detail in those previous threads.

 

[andredossantos]

Buy a scanner and have the lab develop only the negatives (no proofs, prints, etc.). I pay about $7-8 bucks a roll here in NY for c41/e6.

 

[sevo]

That is perfectly normal at a PRO lab, and always has been.

 

[degruyl]

What everyone else is saying: The price seems high, but it is not out of range for the three separate services you got.

Processing is about $7-8, usually, but scanning and proofing could certainly be in that range. Processing and printing usually run me about $15-16. I never have the lab scan my film, primarily because it is a low quality scan anyway and I have a scanner.

You can tell it is a low quality scan by looking at the price list for high resolution scans at a pro lab...

 

[batterytypehah!]

What kuzano said.

You can also send it out to Dwayne's directly (http://www.dwaynesphoto.com/newsite2006/color-neg-processprint.html) but it's much cheaper through Walmart. Just don't expect any kind of assistance or even knowledge of this service from the store employees. You're on your own. Fill out the envelope, call the provided number for Fuji to check progress, pick up when it's done. Two weeks for E-6 in my case, haven't tried C-41.

 

[hipsterdufus]

I probably shouldn't have been so surprised. The development cost is more than the cost of the camera, though. There are no other local labs that develop 120 in Grand Rapids, MI. I guess I'll give the Wal-Mart idea a try; I'm just a little wary of putting my film in their hands...

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

For B&W, you can buy film, develop and print contacts for $5-10

For color the same if you get a scanner.

Cheers,

Juan

 

[johannielscom]

Reminder: Tetenal C-41 is dead simple

 

[Fawley]

i've had BW400CN and a variety of color films developed at Wal Mart and the results were very good, at less than half the cost of a pro lab. You could also check out Freestyle's services. They sell prepaid mailers.

 

[chris00nj]

Well, it would cost me about $28.50 to do the same thing at my local pro lab.

Buy a scanner and just have them develop it. Then you can scan yourself and print the ones that you want later....even if it is elslewhere from the digital file. The Epson V500 is a great scanner for $170.

Learn to develop b&w film. It is cheap and easy. See breakdown here.

Dwayne's also does a good job, but you have to pay enough during shipping for tracking or the gd post office will lose your undeveloped film like they did to me recently. 🙁

 

[ohoyer]

Reminder: Tetenal C-41 is dead simple

Under the Rollei Brand there is also C41-chemistry available, that can be used at home, also at far lesser than 38 Deg. Centigrade.
Recent reports in german aphog.de Forum showed significant performance even below 25 deg, and the bottles can be ordered separately. Vendor e.g. macodirekt.de

For scanning, in the long run a decent Scanner will probably be cheaper than some scanning service....

 

[Tim Gray]

For color and E-6, northcoastphoto.com. Get the budget scans - they are plenty big enough for most purposes. $10 dev and scan.

 

[hipsterdufus]

Thanks for all of the advice, guys. I always know I can come here to get some good suggestions. Currently thinking I might try the in-home development. Looks like film-processing labs in my area are going to be a thing of the past soon enough anyway...

Btw, I already do have a film scanner, so I'll probably just use that. I just couldn't believe it when they quoted me that price. Again, thanks for all the great input.