drugstore film processing

[ampguy]

Last week I took a roll around to the local marts and rx stores and the best deal I came across was 3.99 for single 4x6 prints in an hr. The 2nd best was 6.99 with a photocd.

So today, having finished my first roll through another camera, I go to the same places, and this time they sorta note it's a 36er and not a 24er, and the rates jumped to like 6.99 for 1 hr. single 4x6 or 11.99 for 4x6 prints with photcd.

WTF? 36 is only a few more than 24. What's going on here?

Needless to say, I didn't leave it anywhere. I'm waiting for a sale.

 

[bmattock]

Last week I took a roll around to the local marts and rx stores and the best deal I came across was 3.99 for single 4x6 prints in an hr. The 2nd best was 6.99 with a photocd.

So today, having finished my first roll through another camera, I go to the same places, and this time they sorta note it's a 36er and not a 24er, and the rates jumped to like 6.99 for 1 hr. single 4x6 or 11.99 for 4x6 prints with photcd.

WTF? 36 is only a few more than 24. What's going on here?

Needless to say, I didn't leave it anywhere. I'm waiting for a sale.

It is called 'what the market will bear'. Drugstores sell 24 exposure. If you have a 36 exposure roll, you're a 'pro' and pros pay more. Simple.

I have my color negs developed only. Then I scan them myself. My local Walgreens charges about $2.00, and I don't get scratches. The money I spent on my scanner was earned back quickly by what I saved on getting prints I didn't want anyway. Now I print only what I want, not the whole horrible roll of mostly-crap photos. I can upload them after scanning/photoshopping/cropping, etc and print them for 19 cents each, one hour pickup.

Ta-da.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[ch1]

Last week I took a roll around to the local marts and rx stores and the best deal I came across was 3.99 for single 4x6 prints in an hr. The 2nd best was 6.99 with a photocd.

So today, having finished my first roll through another camera, I go to the same places, and this time they sorta note it's a 36er and not a 24er, and the rates jumped to like 6.99 for 1 hr. single 4x6 or 11.99 for 4x6 prints with photcd.

WTF? 36 is only a few more than 24. What's going on here?

Needless to say, I didn't leave it anywhere. I'm waiting for a sale.

For 50% more film they want about 60% more in price. Guess they're playing "gotcha" on that one - usually you get a volume discount. 😡

 

[Nikon Bob]

I get my film developed with a CD and no prints. The cost is the same for either 24 or 36 exposure rolls done that way. You have to pay more for the 36 exposure roll because as George says you are getting 50% more prints made.

Nikon Bob

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I get my film developed with a CD and no prints. The cost is the same for either 24 or 36 exposure rolls done that way. You have to pay more for the 36 exposure roll because as George says you are getting 50% more prints made.

Nikon Bob

Exactly the same here.

 

[ampguy]

Thanks all, makes sense I guess, but I was just expecting a quantity discount. Will start using 24 rolls I guess.

Bmaddock -- what scanner do you use or recommend?

I might try the photodisc only thing. The thing I worry about is if I take a pic that I want to someday enlarge by film enlargement, I'm hosed right? No negatives??

Thanks.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

No, you get the negatives back and the CD too.

Also ask for an 'index print' which is often no no extra charge.

 

[Nikon Bob]

Jon is correct. You get the negs and a CD. The only reason I get the CD is that the charge is the same for develope only or develope and CD. You will find that once you start scanning your own negs you can get far better results than what you can usually get from the 1 hr places. It takes some practice and a little PS work. I would recommend a scanner but the company went out of the business.

Nikon Bob

 

[bmattock]

Yes, I use the K-M ScanDual IV as well. I don't have the scan done by the one-hour place because a) low quality - even their version of 'high quality' is poor and b) it scratches the negs which makes it harder for me when I scan them myself later on.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[amateriat]

My local Rite-Aid has a minilab run by a pretty hip person who knows her stuff (how's that for unusual?). I have her run my color neg or chromogenic film, and handed back, uncut (i.e. un-mangled) for about $2.50 a pop, including tax, and usually with a 30-minute turnaround. I take the film home, cut it into the usual six-frame strips, make a digital contact scan of the whole roll with my UMAX flatbed (it can handle two rolls at a time if needed), make a fast 8x10 or 11x14 or, once in a while, 13x19" print (that's one of the literally huge beauties of digital prinnting: enlarged contact sheets that you don't need a loupe to eveluate), grab my china marker to make selects, and so on. I number the contact prints for reference and put them away.


- Barrett

 

[matt fury]

I pay between $3-5 at Walgreens for developing + cd, no prints. I'm starting to get pretty disillusioned with their scans though. I still don't understand why they can't decide on a price, however.

 

[ampguy]

Thanks, I'll check out the KM dualscan IV. I posted the results here:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=308844#post308844

I have a grainy film issue to deal with, but I think it will work out. I ended up paying only $4 for negs, and cd, but the jpg's on the cd are kind of low res, called around, and it seems like a crap shoot, basically $2.50 for developing, then from $2 to $6 more for the CD, and some places seemed to ask more for 36 with just negatives, and others didn't seem to care about 24 or 36.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

OK. Look at the make and model of the machine they have. Google it. Look at the operators manual. You'll see how they can alter the resolution. Then you need to tell them what to do.


On 'my' machine you need to select a print size and the machine uses an appropriate resolution. Even if you're not actually prints but just scanning and saving. So if the guy chooses the biggest print size he can I get the best resolution available.