Current best place to send film for developing and scanning?

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Hey all—I haven't been around for years, mostly because I stopped having time to process my own film. Got out of Leica, only shot occasionally, mostly with Fuji X or the iPhone. But I've missed film photography, so I'm dipping a toe back in. I bought my old favorite SLR, the Pentax MX with an M 50/1.4, from KEH, and I'm just going to send my film out for processing for now.

So what's the current go-to place for fast, good quality developing and scanning? No one does it in my town, unfortunately. I'll be starting out with Tri-X and Velvia. (I can't believe the latter is still available—good news.) A student of mine recommended this place, which looks good, but is on the other side of the country from me.

Thoughts?

 

[Livesteamer]

I have been using Precision Camera and Video, one of our sponsors and been very happy with their work. I have a friend that uses The Darkroom and is happy with them. I finally got motivated to do this by one of our members who said anyone shooting a Leica should not be sending film to Walgreens. He was right. Lots of other good places too. Good Luck, Joe

 

[ndnik]

Precision Camera. Mention your RFF membership for special pricing. Very good service, excellent scans.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Oh yeah Precision! Does Robert Jagitsch still work there?? (Is he still on this forum, for that matter?) I believe I bought my dearly departed M9 from them.

 

[jloden]

I can highly recommend Richard Photo Lab in CA also. I had them do a batch of 120 film developing and scanning and the results were excellent. Wouldn't hesitate to use them again or recommend to anyone else looking for a quality lab.

 

[Crazy Fedya]

I send my slide films to Dwayne photo. Decent processing, excellent pricing, quick turnaround.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Ah, Dwayne's as in the final bastion of Kodachrome developing? I think I actually cried when I sent them my last roll.

Am I dreaming, or has the film processing industry actually improved in the two and a half years I've been away?

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

An aside, I can't believe 10KB is still the limit for avatar size. It's like it's 2002. I love it

 

[barnwulf]

I have used NCPS, North Coast Photographic Service in Carlsbad, CA for several years and have been very satisfied with their work. http://www.northcoastphoto.com/

 

[sreed2006]

If you would like Black and White transparencies (you do still have a projector, right?) how about dr5.com, in Denver? He also does E6. I have been happy with the results of the dozen rolls that I have sent there.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Another vote for Dwayne in KS. After years of using my local Walgreen's, the pencil pushers decided to close it so I had to go both, the darkroom and mail order ways. I do my own B&W, but for color and transparency, I send the stuff to Dwayne's. Their prices may have gone up a little, but their service remains tops.

BTW, good to see you back!!

 

[Huss]

I have used NCPS, North Coast Photographic Service in Carlsbad, CA for several years and have been very satisfied with their work. http://www.northcoastphoto.com/

I've been very happy with NorthCoast.

I do NOT recommend thedarkroom.com
You get your scans back from them with very fine, but noticeable, scan lines which makes your images look like they have been printed on linen. I questioned them about this, but they never responded so they lost my business. They gave me poor quality results in other ways (weird drip marks) which they did correct after I complained, but it seemed to me that for that to go through to the customer they do not have much quality control.

Disclaimer - I only used them for 120 film.

 

[cjm]

Check out The Find Lab. I've never used them but their work seems top notch.

 

[Huss]

Check out The Find Lab. I've never used them but their work seems top notch.

Very interesting! Thanks for the link.

 

[Kate-the-Great]

A 3rd vote for Dwayne's. I started sending my film there when Kodachrome was still a thing, and didn't stop. Although now that I'm back in Denver (Houston was a film-desert, one E-6 shop and they charged obscene rates) I may go back to one of our local labs and save on shipping.

I didn't realize that dr5 was based out of Denver. What a resource- they were even doing E-4 and C-22 up until a few years ago!

 

[Texsport]

Indie Film Lab in Montgomery, Alabama for CineStill processing.

Texsport

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Thanks for these, everyone! And thanks for the heads-up, Huss...

I do NOT recommend thedarkroom.com

 

[willwright]

another vote for precision in Ausin TX

 

[geetist]

Def Dwayne's Photo.

 

[Joe Vitessa]

I like Citizens Photo in Portland. They just moved, but it looks like their tanks are up and running. http://www.citizensphoto.com/