Increasing demand at professional labs: Detailed Numbers

[benlees]

For labs like the Darkroom it is easy to believe. There used to be labs on every corner, they are gone now so the remaining business has to go somewhere.

But that doesn’t necessarily imply a resurgence of film use, only a consolidation among those labs that court mail order business.

This was my thought as well. There used to be a few pro labs in my city. Not any more. It wouldn't surprise me if a lab in Vancouver might have an up tick in business as they are now getting all the work from western Canada...

 

[Takkun]

This was my thought as well. There used to be a few pro labs in my city. Not any more. It wouldn't surprise me if a lab in Vancouver might have an up tick in business as they are now getting all the work from western Canada...

That’s certainly true, and there’s the other thread going on about Kodak’s financial health. Film is downsizing but it’s not disappearing, thankfully.
We are lucky here in Seattle to have a few pro labs including one that relocated and reopened. Plus a public lab, and at least two at UW.

Zuiko, I also relate. I hate mailing anything irreplaceable, and hate the distance and potential for what could go wrong with a relatively anonymous lab. Though on that latter point I suppose that could have happened at the local Walgreens or Costco, too.

I’ve been working with Adrian Bacon in the Bay Area for my color and medium format work. I’m still trusting my film with USPS, but he’s a very attentive and communicative technician.

 

[maigo]

This was my thought as well. There used to be a few pro labs in my city. Not any more. It wouldn't surprise me if a lab in Vancouver might have an up tick in business as they are now getting all the work from western Canada...

London Drugs, a chain of dozens of pharmacy, household goods and electronics stores across Western Canada, has recently brought an 135 E6 processing machine online in one of their Richmond BC stores.
They have about 6 stores with C41 processing labs.
Previously they only processed C41 in house and E6 was farmed out to a professional lab.
This is good news as it indicates an increase in film volume through the largest photography lab group in Western Canada.

Note:
1. They do not even sell transparency films.
2. For decades London Drugs only sell Fuji and Ilford films. (And Polaroid and Instax). No Kodak.

Here is a twitter video post that shows some of the E6 handling workflow.

Prepping film and loading machine:

https://twitter.com/ldphotolab/status/1114718129702051845?s=21
https://twitter.com/ldphotolab/status/1114718434162401280?s=21

Mounting slides:
https://twitter.com/ldphotolab/status/1114719931029803008?s=21
https://twitter.com/ldphotolab/status/1114719315830366208?s=21

Michael.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ted Striker]

In total agreement with you on this, love the Df and find it to be a great "in between" camera; a bridge between film/digital.

Also really loving the Ektachrome revival and it's causing me to shoot my Nikon S2 and Leica M film bodies a lot more. Still like the convenience of digital, but having a color slide film again, that renders colors as I see them (Fuji never worked for me) is making using my old film bodies a whole lot of fun.

Jan, have you talked with the folks at Dwayne's in Parsons Kansas, they've been doing my Ektachrome and doing a very fine job of it. Would love to know if their numbers are up as well. We need these labs to stay in business.

Best,
-Tim

Note- The poster above lives in Chicago, a city and suburban area of more than 5 million people and *still* has to mail his film to an out of state lab.

 

[RObert Budding]

Note- The poster above lives in Chicago, a city and suburban area of more than 5 million people and *still* has to mail his film to an out of state lab.

Not true. There are 9 E6 processors listed on yelp in the Chicago area. And, of course, far more that process C-41.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Note- The poster above lives in Chicago, a city and suburban area of more than 5 million people and *still* has to mail his film to an out of state lab.

I have a long working relationship with Dwayne's, which is why I send my color film to them. There are places in Chicago where I could have it developed, but I try to support businesses that have done good work for me over the years.

Best,
-Tim

 

[HHPhoto]

Not true. There are 9 E6 processors listed on yelp in the Chicago area. And, of course, far more that process C-41.

Exactly.
"Ted Striker" is again doing what he is always doing here:
- demonstrating that he has absolutely no knowledge about the industry
- spreading FUD and misinformation.

Cheers, Jan

 

[HHPhoto]

For labs like the Darkroom it is easy to believe. There used to be labs on every corner, they are gone now so the remaining business has to go somewhere.

But that doesn’t necessarily imply a resurgence of film use, only a consolidation among those labs that court mail order business.

The situation that labs closed because of general decreasing film demand already stopped about 2-5 years ago (depending on the region/country).
So the increasing demand labs are now seeing is not because of other labs closing down, but because of general increasing demand.
And despite the fact that there are now even new labs in business, founded in the last 2-3 years.

Cheers, Jan

 

[brbo]

Can somebody inform Fuji about the film revival so they bring back Provia 400X. Kodak could also do some Portra NC runs...

 

[HHPhoto]

Film is downsizing but it’s not disappearing, thankfully.

No, film is not 'downsizing' anymore. Demand is up in the major markets. That is what all film companies have confirmed to us rff members at Photokina. That is why new film products are coming to the market, new labs and film camera shops are opening.

Cheers, Jan

 

[HHPhoto]

Jan, have you talked with the folks at Dwayne's in Parsons Kansas, they've been doing my Ektachrome and doing a very fine job of it. Would love to know if their numbers are up as well. We need these labs to stay in business.

Best,
-Tim

Tim, different labs have different business strategies. Lots of US labs like Richard Photo Lab, Photo Vision Prints, Indie Film Lab, The Darkroom, The Find Lab, Goodman, State Film, Fast Film Lab, Old School Film Lab, North East Photographic etc. are adressing their customers directly and via advertisizing by social media.
Some others - like E6 specialist AgX - are recommended by satiesfied customers and "mouth to mouth" advertizing.
And Dwaynes business model is mostly based on being the major US player in the B2B area: They develop films for other photo shops (with no own lab) and drug store chain shops. And the BH/mailer business is very big for them, too.

Cheers, Jan

 

[Rob-F]

I've been happy with Agx imaging in Sault Set. Marie, Michigan for E6.

I think what we may be seeing, with the recent increase in film use and processing, is that trends tend not to continue forever in the same direction. I think that when there is a strong initial trend towards A and away from B, then eventually things will regress to a mid-point, leaving A and B in balance. So film may never again be as strong as it was, but there will always be enough demand so that it won't disappear, either.

 

[jsrockit]

It is nothing special for FF DLSR in this regard.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_6D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_Df

To me it is... it was a DSLR that had classic controls and no grip...like I said in my other post.

 

[Out to Lunch]

Increasing demand at professional labs

I suppose that film sales determine the business numbers of film services. Not sure how relevant the US market is in this regard. China, India, Germany, Vietnam...this is where the numbers are. On a related topic...Fuji-FILM increasing it's film prices by 30% to stay competitive is not a good omen.

 

[benlees]

London Drugs, a chain of dozens of pharmacy, household goods and electronics stores across Western Canada, has recently brought an 135 E6 processing machine online in one of their Richmond BC stores.
They have about 6 stores with C41 processing labs.
Previously they only processed C41 in house and E6 was farmed out to a professional lab.
This is good news as it indicates an increase in film volume through the largest photography lab group in Western Canada.

Note:
1. They do not even sell transparency films.
2. For decades London Drugs only sell Fuji and Ilford films. (And Polaroid and Instax). No Kodak.

Here is a twitter video post that shows some of the E6 handling workflow.

Prepping film and loading machine:

https://twitter.com/ldphotolab/status/1114718129702051845?s=21
https://twitter.com/ldphotolab/status/1114718434162401280?s=21

Mounting slides:
https://twitter.com/ldphotolab/status/1114719931029803008?s=21
https://twitter.com/ldphotolab/status/1114719315830366208?s=21

Michael.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Indeed. If I drop off film at local London Drugs it goes to... Vancouver.

 

[frank-grumman]

Philadelphia Photographics decided to hang it up after 20+ years. Though I am a clear amateur, they nonetheless treated me as if I were their most important client. They did it all.....wonderful group of folks... Sorely missed.

 

[ptpdprinter]

How much of the reported increase is as a result of consolidation as other labs close?

 

[ptpdprinter]

Philadelphia Photographics decided to hang it up after 20+ years. Though I am a clear amateur, they nonetheless treated me as if I were their most important client. They did it all.....wonderful group of folks... Sorely missed.

Is there still a lab in Philadelphia that will do 4x5 in E6 and C41?

 

[HHPhoto]

I suppose that film sales determine the business numbers of film services. Not sure how relevant the US market is in this regard.

1. Yes.
2. It is very relevant: A huge market. And an increasing market.

China, India, Germany, Vietnam...this is where the numbers are.

Not only, fortunately other European countries also see increasing demand. Australia, too. Other Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Phillipines, HongKong, Taiwan and South Korea, too.

On a related topic...Fuji-FILM increasing it's film prices by 30% to stay competitive is not a good omen.

Well, it is a good omen: Fujifilm is committted to film and wants to continue production.That means staying profitable. That means asking fair prices, which also cover costs for investements in new machinery and education of new, young engineers. You really should watch this explanation of the situation by ADOX CEO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1648&v=Z4-WLDm-e8A&app=desktop

The whole industry needs these higher prices for a sustainable future. Despite the huge collapse in photo film sales from 2004 to 2015 (about 99%) most of the films are still cheaper today (inflation included) compared to film peak times. Of course that cannot be sustainable in the long term.
If we accept a bit higher prices, we will have the film we need for many decades to come.

Cheers, Jan

 

[HHPhoto]

How much of the reported increase is as a result of consolidation as other labs close?

None. I have explained that above in one of my posts, please look there.
And in most major markets the number of labs is already increasing, therefore increasing demand at the labs despite more labs in total.

Cheers, Jan