Does Wal-Mart process 120 film?

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Norkusa

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I know they ship it out to Fuji for processing, but I keep hearing conflicting info about 120 processing at Walmart. Some say they used to do it but not anymore. Others say they do but only E-6. Anybody know for sure? If not Walmart, any other 'mainstream' stores that I can drop it off at?

I'm dying to shoot some medium format this summer, but the processing is holding me back. I'd do it myself but I don't see any idiot-proof Hewes-style reels for 120 film. Plus, I'm a slow shooter (about 2-3 rolls per week) so I think the chemicals would go bad before I had a chance to use them up.
 
Can Of Worms !!!!

Can Of Worms !!!!

First, let me say that in the past year there have probably been over a half dozen truly long posts regarding this exact question. A search on Walmart will turn up tons of information and discussion. So here are a few short pieces of info to tantalize you. This because I am one of the major contributers of answers to the question, and if you do the search, you are going to run across many posts from me.

I have even uploaded pictures of how to fill out the "SEND OUT ONLY" instructions on the Fuji envelopes... for C41 and for E6. I always do E6 as "process and sleeve..do not cut". It comes back rolled in a cardboard roll. Actually the roll is a bit tight, so some times I instruct, "process, cut frames, and sleeve.

First, you question is a little unclear, so let me start here:

1) I have never seen a Walmart do in-house processing of 120. Recently many are dropping 135.

2) Every Walmart I have been in has a Fuji kiosk with Fuji envelopes in or near the camera department. This is called Walmart "SEND OUT ONLY". It happens to be very inexpensive because the film is all trucked by Walmart trucks. Walmart employees NEVER touch your roll of film.. going out or coming back. It is sealed in the envelope, you write the instructions, you keep the tag, and the next time you see the roll is when you pull it out of the sealed envelope back from Fuji.

3) The SEND OUT bag sends both C41 and E6 to the nearest Fuji lab. Fuji does not do E6 in house and sends the film on.

4) my experience has been that in 10 business days the film is processed and back, whether C41 with prints, or E6. The work is good. The fact that Fuji sends out the E6 does not lengthen the time out and back.

5) Once in the envelope Walmart employees never see or touch your film

6) Don't ever ask for any information on this process from a Walmart employee. You WILL get a simple "glazed" look of withdrawal and a protestation indicating, "Gee, I don't think we do this" even in the photo department. NEVER QUIZ A WALMART EMPLOYEE ON THIS!!!

7) No scanning is available. Custom request you print on the envelope yourself.

8) There is a toll free Fuji number on the Fuji envelope.

9) You may well have to locate the Fuji kiosk with the drop slot and the envelopes yourself

10) While I really doubt it, there may actually be some Walmarts who do not participate in this. Don't be put off by responses to the effect there is no such kiosk. Check it out yourself. There is likely one somewhere in the store, even if it's simply stored in back because someone does not know why they have it.

11) If this sounds a bit troublesome, the quality of the processing and surely the price is worth the trouble to pursue it. More than worth the trouble.

I've been doing this for the last 7-8 years at various Walmarts and NEVER Lost a roll or an image. Anything that has been wrong has been as a result of how I shot the roll.

Now search away. There is a lot more info on this site than I have listed here about medium format, Walmart, and Fuji labs.

NOTE: On a rare occasion you may actually meet a knowledgable person in the store. However you will know that when you mention the words Medium Format, or 120 film and get a glimmer of recognition and a smile...."at last a real question I know something about" in the eyes of a grateful employee. It could happen!!!
 
We have an older employee at our local that knows film, but the store sends it all out for development. The last 120 I sent out took a month to get back. The last C41 took two weeks.
 
I have never tried 120 but I think I might. Do they process black & white 120/220? (Or black & white 35mm, for that matter?)

I used the Wal-Mart kiosk for Kodachrome, and indeed it always came back fine, though the envelope was frequently pretty scuffed up, and it never came back more quickly than two weeks after dropoff. (Which seemed to result in the employees having to check the returned packages several times before they found it.) Worth the wait, though, especially for the price, so hopefully the same applies for medium format.

The Wal-Mart that's closest to me is a zoo, unfortunately. Hate going there.
 
The 120 roll service at Walmart works like a charm. However, I have found that the price you pay at times is completely whimsical. Typically, a 120 roll processing with prints costs around $2 ($.97 for developing + $0.07 per print). Recently I got back processed rolls with prints that I paid anywhere between $7 and $10, mixed with the some other 120 roll orders that were $2. I decided to talk to a Fuji lab representative yesterday and she clarified that they had mistakenly invoiced my order as 35mm film developing and processing. I am not sure who is in charge of tagging and invoicing the orders at the Fuji lab, but lately it has been a disaster. I was asked to send my orders back for a price check, which I plan to do.
 
They are all zoo's.

They are all zoo's.

KoNickon said:
I have never tried 120 but I think I might. Do they process black & white 120/220? (Or black & white 35mm, for that matter?)

I used the Wal-Mart kiosk for Kodachrome, and indeed it always came back fine, though the envelope was frequently pretty scuffed up, and it never came back more quickly than two weeks after dropoff. (Which seemed to result in the employees having to check the returned packages several times before they found it.) Worth the wait, though, especially for the price, so hopefully the same applies for medium format.

The Wal-Mart that's closest to me is a zoo, unfortunately. Hate going there.
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The Super Walmarts are just bigger Zoo's.

Interestingly, harsh as I am on the employees, I just moved to the locale of this current Walmart and this attractive brunette 20 something is the manager in photo. I asked her where the Fuji Kiosk was, and she walked me right to it. I had my roll of film in my hand and she looked at it and said with a big smile... "Oh... you shoot medium format." I picked my jaw off the floor and grabbed 6 envelopes and left. Imagine my surprise, because just 6 months before in this very Walmart, the lady at the counter "glazed over" and said... "Uh.. I don't think we do that??"... and she was the lady in charge at that time.
 
Before the death of Kodachrome, you could put a Super 8mm K-40 cartridge in a Fuji envelope and drop it in the kiosk at Walmart. It would get forwarded on to Dwayne's in Kansas, and it would come back in a couple of weeks on a 50 foot film reel with no problems.

The first time I tried it, I made the mistake of asking the Walmart employee about it. After proving to him that there was, in fact, a send-out film kiosk, he helpfully explained that 8mm camcorder cassettes didn't need to be processed like film. All I had to do was connect my camcorder to my computer with an A/V cable.
 
KoNickon said:
I have never tried 120 but I think I might. Do they process black & white 120/220? (Or black & white 35mm, for that matter?)

I used the Wal-Mart kiosk for Kodachrome, and indeed it always came back fine, though the envelope was frequently pretty scuffed up, and it never came back more quickly than two weeks after dropoff. (Which seemed to result in the employees having to check the returned packages several times before they found it.) Worth the wait, though, especially for the price, so hopefully the same applies for medium format.

The Wal-Mart that's closest to me is a zoo, unfortunately. Hate going there.
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I tried the Walmart send out 35mm B&W processing once. I went back to doing it myself. The Walmart processing was that bad.

If it ain't 35mm or 120/220 C-41 or E6, don't put it in the envelope. I have even read of Fuji not processing chromogenic (B&W) C-41 film. I have never sent any, but I will soon. I will report my findings.

Wayne
 
I've paid anywhere from 2 cents to $35 for a roll of film (which was my last roll there). Sometimes they process with no prints, sometimes they feel obligated to make double prints and charge you for it with a note that develop only is not offered. The prints looked awesome though.

The last roll of 35mm B&W I sent there came back unsleeved and covered in dust. Really covered. The prints looked awesome though.

I support my local lab now and am happy doing it.

As Kuzano states the employees generally don't know anything. It's not their fault. They aren't told anything to know. There is an 800 number on the envelopes and they will know more. I believe 120 may even go to another lab (Dwaynes in Kansas possibly but that's alot of shipping to be honest).
 
Fuji labs recently raised their prices by huge amount and refuse many of the custom instructions I provide on the mailer. B/W 120 film now costs $20 to develop and color is $12. Who knows what E6 is.... The prices are outrageous now and no longer affordable so I will no longer use the Walmart mailers for anything again. I do most of my developing at home these days in any case.
 
AFenvy said:
Fuji labs recently raised their prices by huge amount and refuse many of the custom instructions I provide on the mailer. B/W 120 film now costs $20 to develop and color is $12. Who knows what E6 is.... The prices are outrageous now and no longer affordable so I will no longer use the Walmart mailers for anything again. I do most of my developing at home these days in any case.
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Fuji raised their prices recently for the 35mm film processing. As best as I could tell after talking to the Fuji lab representative, the developing and print prices for 120/220 have not changed. Developing 120 is cheap, ~$0.97. Prints are very good for proof prints as others have pointed out. You can't beat that price if you can tolerate a turnaround of couple of weeks! You can call the 1-800 number for Fuji lab provided on the Walmart mailer to check the status of your film. Please note that Walmart is just the middleman. I bear to visit the 'zoo' just to get my 120 processed.

The only problem I see is the whimsical pricing Fuji lab is doing of late by mis-marking or mis-invoicing a 120/220 roll processing with their higher priced 35mm processing. This happens even if you mark the envelope clearly as 120 roll.
 
Within the last year, I have used Walmart to send out 35mm and 120, color, e-6, and black and white several times. never a problem. Turn around time was normally ~2 weeks.

Grab one of the Fuji envelopes at the Kiosk, and write:
Send out Only
35mm/120
Develop Only

All my rolls came back priced somewhere between $.35 - $4.00
 
Search the threads. Not long ago there was one with detailed instructions on what to write on the envelope to ensure consistent pricing and processing.

Look for posts from Kuzano.

EDIT: just noticed that the master himself replied in message #2, never mind! I could have gone on a tirade about using the search function, but when I clearly don't even bother scanning through a thread before replying, I probably should just shut up 😛
 
There may be variations from one Walmart to the next regarding the presence or lack of presence of the film drop box.
Stop asking us because we don't know what YOUR Walmart is doing. Just go and do it. "Ya savy?"
The drop box has worked for me in the past for 35mm Kodachrome, 35mm & medium format E6 and medium format C-41 processing ONLY. However, I have not dropped off film in a year or more. I know. My bad. I have a recent garage sale find sitting on the desk next to me. A 6x9 Rollex 20. I plan to run a roll of Kodak T400CN through it soon. I will then take that roll of film and go find a Walmart that still has a film drop box. Stay tuned.

Wayne

ps: Kuzano was a student of mine. Or, we are the products of simultaneous, independant discovery and invention.
 
Hmmm could be... but???

Hmmm could be... but???

venchka said:
There may be variations from one Walmart to the next regarding the presence or lack of presence of the film drop box.
Stop asking us because we don't know what YOUR Walmart is doing. Just go and do it. "Ya savy?"
The drop box has worked for me in the past for 35mm Kodachrome, 35mm & medium format E6 and medium format C-41 processing ONLY. However, I have not dropped off film in a year or more. I know. My bad. I have a recent garage sale find sitting on the desk next to me. A 6x9 Rollex 20. I plan to run a roll of Kodak T400CN through it soon. I will then take that roll of film and go find a Walmart that still has a film drop box. Stay tuned.

Wayne

ps: Kuzano was a student of mine. Or, we are the products of simultaneous, independant discovery and invention.
Click to expand...

Wayne,

I've deliberated this somewhat. I really think we took parallel paths in separate universes. Then one Friday night while watching "Fringe", one of us crossed over.... walked off the end of that bridge....

Waddayathink?
 
Whatever you do, DO NOT ASK THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE COUNTER. They will look at you with a blank stare and have no idea what you're talking about.
 
PatrickT said:
Whatever you do, DO NOT ASK THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE COUNTER. They will look at you with a blank stare and have no idea what you're talking about.
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That if you can find anyone there. 🙁 I can hardly find one working that center these days in the Walmart I go to.
 
kuzano said:
Wayne,

I've deliberated this somewhat. I really think we took parallel paths in separate universes. Then one Friday night while watching "Fringe", one of us crossed over.... walked off the end of that bridge....

Waddayathink?
Click to expand...

Works for me.

Wayne
 
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