NCPS- Per Ken Rockwell

[spicoli]

Hey Guys,

Like many of you, Ive been following Ken Rockwell for years. Recently he's been buying and reviewing Leica gear and sending his film to North Coast Photographic Services (www.northcoastphoto.com) for developing. I just received 2 rolls back, having had them develop and scan them to DVD. $5.50 to develop and $11.95 for the "Enhanced Scan (3339x5035 Pixels) per roll is less than $20 including the cost of the film (assuming T-Max or Tri-X, I submitted one of each). I thought the results impressive. Ive posted a few, you really cant tell the quality at the posted resolution but Ill be doing business with them again.

 

[splitimageview]

Very good...I was planning to give them a try. I emailed the owner and have been impressed with his quick replies.

 

[mark-b]

What's the cost of return shipping? Or is it included?

 

[spicoli]

Aa far as a timeline and shipping costs... I mailed the rolls Priority Mail last Friday, 30 Jan 09, from Fort Belvoir, VA- an Army base just south of Washington DC. I received them back yesterday, the 5th of Feb- 6 days later. So less than a week turn-around.

Shipping cost for them back to me was $4.80, they used Priority Mail as well.

One week turn-around, professional results and only about $16 per roll to develop and scan.

 

[Faintandfuzzy]

Looks like it may be worth a try. The color results I've seen appear pretty decent. And for the price, it's a steal.

 

[Tuolumne]

$16.00 per roll is just ridiculously expensive! Take them to Costco for someting like $1.00 per roll and auto-scan them on a flat bed scanner yourself for free.

/T

 

[IK13]

Unless by flatbed scanner you mean Creo or better, the statement is way off the mark.

 

[splitimageview]

My scanner can't do 5035 x 3339 and I don't have that kind of time anyway. I think it's a good value. 🙂

 

[dfoo]

$16.00 per roll is just ridiculously expensive! Take them to Costco for someting like $1.00 per roll and auto-scan them on a flat bed scanner yourself for free.

/T

Costco does black and white and E6? News to me! 😉

I guess it depends how you value your time... To develop a roll of film around 20 minutes. Scan... around an hour. So your time is valued at around $10 a hour? Ok.

 

[Tuolumne]

My Epson 4990 will automatically scan 24 images at one go in auto mode. Almost no time required to set up and start the scan. Plus, how happy will you really be with commercial scans on any negative that you want critical results with? You'll probably have to rescan it in any case. And if you don't want critical results, why is such a high res required anyway? $16 per roll is alot of money, no matter what you compare it to. I could easily do 10-15 rolls per month. That's some real bread!

/T

 

[shadowfox]

$16 per roll?
Wow.

That's $1600 if you shoot 100 rolls per year (my average, YMMV).

The way to go is to get a dedicated film scanner (about $450) and develop yourself (less than $1 per roll).

Unless you really don't have a problem spending that kind of money... 🙂

 

[Tuolumne]

Costco does black and white and E6? News to me! 😉

I guess it depends how you value your time... To develop a roll of film around 20 minutes. Scan... around an hour. So your time is valued at around $10 a hour? Ok.

Nope, I was just talking about C41. But chromagenic films are B&W, too.

/T

 

[Tuolumne]

$16 per roll?
Wow.

That's $1600 if you shoot 100 rolls per year (my average, YMMV).

The way to go is to get a dedicated film scanner (about $450) and develop yourself (less than $1 per roll).

Unless you really don't have a problem spending that kind of money... 🙂

That was my point, too. Those kind of prices would quickly drive me into the arms of digital full time.

/T

 

[shadowfox]

I guess it depends how you value your time... To develop a roll of film around 20 minutes. Scan... around an hour. So your time is valued at around $10 a hour? Ok.

Not necessarily, I regard developing as a relaxing activity. The rewarding moment when I see a good negative came out is worth a lot to me.

And scanning, I can read and post on RFF while doing that anyways 😉

 

[dfoo]

My Epson 4990 will automatically scan 24 images at one go in auto mode. Almost no time required to set up and start the scan. Plus, how happy will you really be with commercial scans on any negative that you want critical results with? ...

Err, don't you find it ironic that you are discussing critical results and Epson 4990 in the same sentence? If you want blurry crappy looking hi-res scans then the Epson is your man!

 

[hks3sgte]

Pro labs are expensive. If shooting film was my job, I wouldn't mind paying $16 per roll for the best results.

 

[Tuolumne]

Err, don't you find it ironic that you are discussing critical results and Epson 4990 in the same sentence? If you want blurry crappy looking hi-res scans then the Epson is your man!

Now with mine. I think it gives me great results.

/T

 

[maddoc]

Judging from the example photos I prefer my Epson V700...

 

[dfoo]

I have both the v700 and LS-5000. I can tell you that there is no comparison between the two, assuming you want hi-resolution scans. Of course, if all you want is 6x4 or web-sized prints, the flatbed is fine.

 

[Tuolumne]

I have both the v700 and LS-5000. I can tell you that there is no comparison between the two, assuming you want hi-resolution scans. Of course, if all you want is 6x4 or web-sized prints, the flatbed is fine.

Let's post our best scans somewhere and see. That way we can each print both and compare.

/T