Good black and white lab?

[RdEoSg]

Can someone recommend a good black and white film processing lab in the US? I have used Samy's services and A&I in Hollywood. Both are considered to be top notch places and both have botched repeated orders so yea... They may be good in some people's eyes, but they suck in my opinion!


So, I am not worried about mailing my film off. I have come to the conclusion I either process myself, which never happens despite the best intentions, or I send it out.

I am looking at http://www.dwaynesphoto.com/newsite2006/B-W-film-processing.html at the moment. I have heard of them in the past.

Does anyone have any experience with them or anyone else you would recommend?

I need 35mm black and white and 120 black and white, plus I do like to get scans done at the time of development.

Thanks in advance!

 

[40oz]

Why not do it yourself? You've spent enough money to not be happy with a lab. Pretty much anyone can do better than the best lab simply because they are doing their own film, and only their own film. You can adjust your developing to each roll with actual knowledge, and have actual control over the process.

And it's actually really easy, cheap, and clean. If you do it over a sink, there is absolutely no mess involved.

 

[RdEoSg]

so I actually forgot I made this thread 😛


I used to do black and white film processing and custom printing for a living. The last thing I want to do now is be in a dark room, but I have a feeling you may be right... If you can't trust someone to do it, you do it yourself... or something like that!


I'm just lazy is part of the problem. :bang::bang:

 

[Encinalense]

I tried Dwayne's recently -- not for b&w, though. I think I had them process a couple of rolls of Fuji 100 & some 6x6; the developing -- especially of the 6x6 -- was pretty fine (compared to what I can get locally). The 35 was fine, too, but the scans were uneven (some had horizontal lines running through them that weren't on the negs.

I've had really great work done -- and so have lots of other folks I've talked to -- by River City Silver in San Antonio. I tried Dwayne's for its better scanning price and flexibility, but I'd use River City for anything I was very serious about.

 

[lmd91343]

An Angeleno!

For B&W and color I've used "The Darkroom Lab" in the valley by CSUN. I've always been happy with them. But I've only done a couple of hundred rolls with them over the years.

I've gone in in person and never used their web interface or mail order.

Here is their link.

I've only used A&I for color with no problems. I've used their Burbank office. They tell me they ship much of their work from Hollywood to Burbank. Maybe the instructions get lost in transit?

 

[Joe Vitessa]

Black and White in Arizona looks good, though, I haven't used them. Anyone?

http://www.blackandwhitelab.com/

 

[whitecat]

Dalmation is tops for me and I have tried them all. A and I is great for color but now prints their B/W on color paper. Still excellent results. River City in san Antonio is not to my personal liking. Dwayne's is pretty generic but I use them for 110 and 127 film. The Print Lab in Chicago is great if you can afford them.

 

[shadowfox]

Since we're talking nation-wide, BWC in Dallas is consistent and their staffs are knowledgeable. I have several rolls developed by them before I learn to do it myself 🙂

 

[swoop]

Duggal.

But it really isn't any effort to do it yourself.

 

[Chris101]

... The last thing I want to do now is be in a dark room, but I have a feeling you may be right... ...

But, but, ... You don't do B&W film processing in a darkroom. It's a kitchen or bathroom thing, and takes almost no time at all on a per roll basis.

I do find it interesting that Prescott has a B&W lab! With all the well off retirees there, I'm sure the business can make a go of it!