Crappy Lab Scans

M

matteaton

RF Convert
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Aug 14, 2006
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I just shot my first two rolls of colur print film in ages, and I got the lab to scan them for me thinking it would save me time. Obviously I paid extra for the privelige but since I'm pretty busy right now I figured it was a good move.

Oh how wrong could I have been?

The scans are HORRIBLE. Complete lack of colour correction in some photos, way over the top colour correction in others. Jpeg artifacts. Stupid amounts of sharpening in some, and others are left completely soft. Dust, scratches. You name it, it's there.

Has anyone ever actually got good results back from a lab, or am I just dreaming?
 
Well, nothing good back from the mini-lab...that's for sure.
Consumer scans are meant to produce 4x6 prints for the family snappers. The ones around here apply silly amounts of noise suppression to eliminate any scratches or dust from sloppy processing.
They're not really worth paying for, even for the preview they provide.
 
I agree that lab scans, assuming we're talking about the typical one-hour photo type lab scans, are poor. However, I still get them in lieu of actual prints and use them just as one would a proof sheet. So, while the lab scans are mediocre at best, they are at least useful for me to see which shots may be worth scanning better myself.

-Randy
 
vrgard said:
I agree that lab scans, assuming we're talking about the typical one-hour photo type lab scans, are poor. However, I still get them in lieu of actual prints and use them just as one would a proof sheet. So, while the lab scans are mediocre at best, they are at least useful for me to see which shots may be worth scanning better myself.

-Randy
Click to expand...

I wen't that route for awhile. Then I just took to loading the films on my scanner and putting it in "idiot mode." It auto-scans better than the mini-lab and costs very little time.
 
I wouldn't have been so bothered by it if it was a typical consumer lab, but this place is meant to be at least a semi pro lab. They do development for a few local pros, at least, and big high quality exhibition prints.

I guess they still have the same low standards for 35mm C41 as everyone else!
 
Take it back and complain.

My proof sheet is 6 frame strips on an Epson 4870 flatbed. It makes thumbnails for a contact sheet and does what I tell it, no more, no less.

Winners get a KM 5400 scan.
 
I've gotten some pretty tolerable scans back fom a local lab. They use an AGFA machine that produces 6mp images and don't get too carried away with the processing or compression.
That said, I know of only the one lab...
 
I get consistently "OK" scans from three Walgrens shops. If I want a nice print to display or give away, I'll re-scan myself and the results are always much better.

One Walgreens seems to consistently blow out highlights, however. I quit using that one.

For a while I was using a Target' store and gettting great scans, but when one guy quit they went downhill. Bad focus, scratches {insert f-bomb here} and disks that would not read on my computer.

I can't ever remember getting jpg artifacts on any lab scans.
 
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Hi!

My local dealer (Germany) manages to produce some satisfying scanning results - not brilliant, though, but OK.

But only after I've asked to use a little higher resolution and leave out corrections. I rather correct for myself in PS.

And his CDs are really affordable when ordered together with the film development.
 
Bryce said:
I've gotten some pretty tolerable scans back fom a local lab. They use an AGFA machine that produces 6mp images and don't get too carried away with the processing or compression.
That said, I know of only the one lab...
Click to expand...
This is my experience too... I ask for "pro" processing that is not done at the local branch but instead sent to the main lab in a neighboring county, usually 2-day service, but with higher resolution scans and better attention to cleanliness. All my RFF Gallery photos are scans done along with the processing at this lab, same Agfa machinery and 6.1mp scans. They really do quite well for the most part.
 
I have had mixed results with the local pro lab processing b&w film. I'm back to doing my own. As far as scanning goes they did a terrible job. Frankly, I would have been embarrased to produce those scans, much less charge someone for them. So nowI'm waiting until I get a mf scanner and I'll do my own.

Bob
 
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