Costco to quit C41

ampguy said:
If you specify the size, you should crop to that format yourself. You can also specify whether you want them to auto-contrast the images or to print as-is.

If you're sending them the wrong format and expecting them to crop, that's not good.

Walgreens is the only site I know that will give you 4x5.5's if you request, if you just want quick near 4/3 format prints.

I think Costco is just $1.99 up to 8x10, and $2.99 to 12x18" or did they go up?
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No, what I mean, is that I have files already sized, and would prefer they print whole frame, whether it means a bit of white on the edge or not.

I printed the same way in the darkroom, the image final size determines just what mat I would choose, I am not really interested in "getting" my monies' worth from their sizes of paper. No one seems to be able to tell me how to order them that way, so I will bring files with some extra on the edges in future.

I take them in, the time to upload large files is too long, they take up to 35 MB files, though no one knows how much they are actually using.

I got some 11x14's and they were cutting off the white ends of a larger format, I told them not to. I generally ask for no correction, about all I ask sometimes is for reprints a bit darker or lighter.

A common area of damage for prints is also the corners, so a bit extra there is OK. I have not tried their prints with borders yet.

There were some problems last week, the machines were not printing the same-- so it was hard to know what to ask for until the print was made.

As to price, I have paid a lot more for poorer quality prints, which is why I printed my own RA4 for years, until I tore 4 quad tendons and the associated nerves in one leg. Darkroom work became a lot harder for me at that time, and I wished to make minor corrections with digital files that were difficult or impossible with analog work.

Prints I have seen from Costco have generally been of rather good quality, it is a question of giving them what they need to get what I want, and hoping the machines and operators are on their game, much as many things are.

Regards, John
 
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If you're giving them a proper file

If you're giving them a proper file

They should use up to 320 ppi, check the costco site, and the drycreek imaging sites, and maybe you need to upload only and let the corporate folks do it.

I've never had any cropping done, just send them a properly sized image, even if it's all white or all black. I don't even think humans look at the image.


JohnTF said:
No, what I mean, is that I have files already sized, and would prefer they print whole frame, whether it means a bit of white on the edge or not.

I printed the same way in the darkroom, the image final size determines just what mat I would choose, I am not really interested in "getting" my monies' worth from their sizes of paper. No one seems to be able to tell me how to order them that way, so I will bring files with some extra on the edges in future.

I take them in, the time to upload large files is too long, they take up to 35 MB files, though no one knows how much they are actually using.

I got some 11x14's and they were cutting off the white ends of a larger format, I told them not to. I generally ask for no correction, about all I ask sometimes is for reprints a bit darker or lighter.

A common area of damage for prints is also the corners, so a bit extra there is OK. I have not tried their prints with borders yet.

There were some problems last week, the machines were not printing the same-- so it was hard to know what to ask for until the print was made.

As to price, I have paid a lot more for poorer quality prints, which is why I printed my own RA4 for years, until I tore 4 quad tendons and the associated nerves in one leg. Darkroom work became a lot harder for me at that time, and I wished to make minor corrections with digital files that were difficult or impossible with analog work.

Prints I have seen from Costco have generally been of rather good quality, it is a question of giving them what they need to get what I want, and hoping the machines and operators are on their game, much as many things are.

Regards, John
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"Just yesterday I asked the guy at the local Walgreens how long it would be before they stopped processing C-41 and he said something like "pffft, we still do a LOT more film than digital."

I had to ask him to repeat it."

There are still doing enough film because so many other 1 Hour labs have gone out of business. Unfortunately, there is no Walgreens here, and no other film processing labs at all.
 
As long as film remains at the price it currently is in OZ processing facilities have to go backwards ... there can be no other result IMO!

BW400CN is still over ten dollars per roll at my local Kodak one hour!
 
ampguy said:
They should use up to 320 ppi, check the costco site, and the drycreek imaging sites, and maybe you need to upload only and let the corporate folks do it.

I've never had any cropping done, just send them a properly sized image, even if it's all white or all black. I don't even think humans look at the image.
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Some of my files are 250 MB, scans from wet master prints. I changed them to 8bit, and reduced them.

The first time I stopped at Costco, I was told some were too big for them to handle, and they could not reduce them. They called me a few days later saying the max files they could handle in store was 5K x 7K. Still too much to upload easily.

Some of my scans are from Hasselblad, Leica, Contax, Nikon, Fuji, -- and they may have been hand printed and cropped.

If the choices of sizes are close to the proportions of my prints, I can live with it, if not, I will have to add white borders to make them fit their sizes, it is a bit more involved than just changing the size of the print to say-- 13x18 inches with Photoshop, especially if I also want 5x7, and 8x12, or 11x14 prints from the same image.

If they could just print to the print proportions, leaving one or two of the sides blank, it would be fine, it is what I did in the darkroom as the various paper sizes are not all the same proportion. Other printers do this, any excess is just behind the mat.

Humans look at the image, it comes up on their screen, and I requested they check them. They can have the machine do an auto correction for density and color, make changes based on inspection, or print with no correction, they mark those NCC.

I am concluding also that perhaps a reasonable approach is to have some sample prints made and then request any correction, but it has the be on the same machine making the final prints.

I think I will be investing in some more thumb drives.
Regards, John
 
take a look at this site

take a look at this site

http://www.bermangraphics.com/coolpix/noritsu_tips.htm

hope it helps.


JohnTF said:
Some of my files are 250 MB, scans from wet master prints. I changed them to 8bit, and reduced them.

The first time I stopped at Costco, I was told some were too big for them to handle, and they could not reduce them. They called me a few days later saying the max files they could handle in store was 5K x 7K. Still too much to upload easily.

Some of my scans are from Hasselblad, Leica, Contax, Nikon, Fuji, -- and they may have been hand printed and cropped.

If the choices of sizes are close to the proportions of my prints, I can live with it, if not, I will have to add white borders to make them fit their sizes, it is a bit more involved than just changing the size of the print to say-- 13x18 inches with Photoshop, especially if I also want 5x7, and 8x12, or 11x14 prints from the same image.

If they could just print to the print proportions, leaving one or two of the sides blank, it would be fine, it is what I did in the darkroom as the various paper sizes are not all the same proportion. Other printers do this, any excess is just behind the mat.

Humans look at the image, it comes up on their screen, and I requested they check them. They can have the machine do an auto correction for density and color, make changes based on inspection, or print with no correction, they mark those NCC.

I am concluding also that perhaps a reasonable approach is to have some sample prints made and then request any correction, but it has the be on the same machine making the final prints.

I think I will be investing in some more thumb drives.
Regards, John
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When those next-to-icecream-kiosk minilabs will kick themselves out of C41 business, someone will figure out what is a thing to do. You know, there's no concept of emptiness in nature - as soon as place is free, something fills it up.
 
ampguy said:
http://www.bermangraphics.com/coolpix/noritsu_tips.htm

hope it helps.
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Thanks, have bookmarked that, I think I was coming to some of the same conclusions, better to not have to reinvent the wheel.

The site author is much more clever than I-- never thought of using the borders for business cards.

I was planning on using their site to calibrate my screen, but the first "test" prints were really right on.

They had some problems with the bigger machine, and when they got it going again, some problems persisted, and the color and densities shifted.

The printing tech was supposed to be looking out for my prints, but left on vacation before I got there.

I have done almost all my own printing for a long time, just am making the transition to seeing if they can do some for me.

It is bizarre that they are talking getting rid of the C41, and yet they have large signs advertising services to transfer VHS to digital, along with 8mm movies, but they ship those out-- I must say I have not used a VHS tape for a while. Standing around for hours waiting for prints -- I was surprised at the number of people bringing in film, videos and 8mm for transfer.


Regards, John
 
Places for mail order film service in Canada?

Places for mail order film service in Canada?

Anyone know of places in Canada that do mail service? Or will Walmarts in Canada send 120 out for processing?

When I'm in Toronto, it seems very few places do 120 at anything like a reasonable price. And my favourite Shoppers' shut down their minilab. (They didn't do 120 though)
 
I had the same problem -- a lack of places to get 120 developed in my city.

In Canada, I've had good results with "Don's Photo", they're a chain of stores. They do 120 by mail, I think ... you'd have to get in touch with them about that. They have locations in Western Canada -- I've used them for 120 c-41 and e-6 processing + scanning and generally the quality is very good. Better than what you'd get at the local drugstore mini-lab.

The turn-around time for 120 by mail probably wouldn't be too bad. They do 120 processing 2x a week, so then you'd have to wait the 2-3 days for Canada Post each way. They only charge $5 for processing a roll of 120 in C-41. E-6 is slightly more expensive.

At the same time you could buy a Tetenal c-41 kit from B&H in NYC, or try the Freestyle kit and do your own c-41 at home. After I started doing it I wondered why I didn't do it much earlier. It's super-easy, more cost-effective, and the results are much better than what I've gotten at any store.

Since I started doing my own c-41 using the Tetenal kit, I do all my own 120 developing at home.
 
bobby_novatron said:
In Canada, I've had good results with "Don's Photo", they're a chain of stores. They do 120 by mail, I think ... you'd have to get in touch with them about that. They have locations in Western Canada -- I've used them for 120 c-41 and e-6 processing + scanning and generally the quality is very good. Better than what you'd get at the local drugstore mini-lab.

...

At the same time you could buy a Tetenal c-41 kit from B&H in NYC, or try the Freestyle kit and do your own c-41 at home. After I started doing it I wondered why I didn't do it much earlier. It's super-easy, more cost-effective, and the results are much better than what I've gotten at any store.
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Thanks for the suggestion, I'll look that up and try Don's. I keep thinking about trying C-41 at home. My excuse so far is I have more money than time (especially for scanning); reality is probably more money than brains.
 
The nearest Costco to me in Brooklyn is so far away I couldn't imagine dropping film off with them. Meanwhile, the labs at both my local CVS and Rite Aid seem to do a decent amount of film traffic; I switched to CVS a while back because (1) they have a far more streamlined ticketing/intake system for taking film in for processing, and (2) they recently gave the lab a total makeover, including new hardware from processing to scanning to printing to kiosks. That just doesn't happen unless there's some serious revenue being generated, either directly or secondarily (someone needs to fill a prescription, then remembers they've got a roll or two they've been meaning to develop...or vice-versa).

Actually picked up a four-pack of Kodak Gold 200 for about eight bucks earlier this afternoon at CVS, the last one the had in stock. That stuff seems to fly off the shelves, while the house-brand stuff moves somewhat slowly (and at several bucks cheaper, at that).


- Barrett
 
When Costco opened a new store last year here in Cleveland, they did not include film developing services. The other two Costco stores in the Cleveland area still provide film developing services, but I stopped using them after getting some questionable looking negatives on two occasions this past spring. Not just scratches or fingerprints, but negatives that looked like they were underdeveloped. It is too bad since I successfully used Costco's services with over a hundred rolls over the past couple of years. I'm not surprised to hear that they are phasing out the service since I'm sure it isn't worth the cost at this point with the proliferation of digital among average consumers.
 
not_in_good_order said:
When Costco opened a new store last year here in Cleveland, they did not include film developing services. The other two Costco stores in the Cleveland area still provide film developing services, but I stopped using them after getting some questionable looking negatives on two occasions this past spring. Not just scratches or fingerprints, but negatives that looked like they were underdeveloped. It is too bad since I successfully used Costco's services with over a hundred rolls over the past couple of years. I'm not surprised to hear that they are phasing out the service since I'm sure it isn't worth the cost at this point with the proliferation of digital among average consumers.
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Were the problems at the east or west side Costco? My friend in Atlanta gets what he considers to be good prints from them, which is why I gave them a try.

Regards, John
 
JohnTF said:
Were the problems at the east or west side Costco? My friend in Atlanta gets what he considers to be good prints from them, which is why I gave them a try.

Regards, John
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I had my recent issue at the west side location (Avon). I'm sure it was an issue with the chemicals. I've had many, many rolls developed there and at the east side location with satisfactory results, but now I don't feel like it isn't worth the risk. I send everything out now.
 
Went to the local Costco here in Richmond to buy some film. Girl told me they don't sell film, they just develop it. Said go to BJ's to buy it and bring it back to Costco for development since BJ's sells film but does not develop it. Huh! Guess that makes sense in a perverse way.
Cheers!
 
tennis-joe said:
I have never used Costco as I use Walgreens
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It did not occur to me to use them, but a Tech Savvy friend in Atlanta began to get good results from his files there -- and he is pretty picky, so I gave them a shot.

Am working on tweaking my files to try and get the quality I would want from my RA4 at home. Besides, I have an M8 and I am not going to print "dry" at home.

Never used Walgreens, except for passport photos in a rush.

Regards, John
 
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