Nooo! Not my 1hr lab!

Anyone who has true love for film better think of alternative approaches... I think more and more labs will dry up quick in the next few years. There is no renaissance in film usage by consumers....only by photo geeks. I'm sorry... but it'll become more and more of a niche service and product. It's inevitible.
 
So what, those who want to will keep using it. And I'll keep reading B&W photographer. That magazine is just full of quality photographers. Can't say the same about the generic 'consumer digital' photography magazines.

Film supplies have more or less dried up completely in NZ already. But if you still want to shoot film, it's pretty easy. Cheap too if you import and self-dev etc.
 
I'm sorry to hear another c41 minilab going away.

I actually considered buying a used Noritsu c41 machine, but the deciding factor was that it specified running about 10 rolls a day to keep consistency.

Oh, and the smell 🙂
 
As a New Yorker (who's never been to the Other Coast), might the problem be related to LA being rather spread-out geographically, with minilabs now rather far and few between?

I'll admit I'm lucky to have a few competent minilabs within walking distance, and one very good minilab (at a CVS) also nearby.


- Barrett
 
David_Manning said:
I actually considered buying a used Noritsu c41 machine, but the deciding factor was that it specified running about 10 rolls a day to keep consistency.
Click to expand...
About a year ago, I got an e-mail from my old boss (from the last full-time job I held at a stock-photo agency, which ended in late 2001). He still had the Noritsu C41 processor we got in 1996, which I was put in charge of, prior to our covering the Olympics in Atlanta. (I ran a ton of film through that thing, including push-processing...don't let anyone tell you it can't be done.) He wanted to know if I wanted it, gratis. Trouble was (1) I knew it had to be a neglected mess by then; (2) it wasn't exactly small or light (floor-standing unit); (3) it required its own 220v dedicated line; and (4), you really do need to run a minimum of ten rolls a day for consistent results, not counting control strips. Speaking of: a good densitometer isn't a bad idea if you're going to the trouble of running a rig like this.

I'd fantasized briefly about renting a sliver of a tiny storefront, offering only processing and possibly scanning/CDs, maybe some film, and nothing else, briefly advertising the hell out of it, then just rely on word-of-mouth. Might've worked, but who knows?

Oh, and the smell. 🙂
Click to expand...
That's mostly durning the mixing/replenishing process. With a minimalist ventilation system, it's not that smelly at all.


- Barrett
 
Last edited:
aad said:
Target made the corporate decision to close down developing some time ago-I thought they were all gone.

Walgreens has made a pretty good commitment, though. Price for develop only now $3, though.
Our film market is still pretty good, I still have many choices for C41.
Click to expand...

I have two Rite-Aids, and a couple Walgreens around, but their processing and scanning is not anywhere near the quality of the Target lab. The Walgreens near me seems to have issues with processing.. at least the one time I went. It was bad enough to make me not go back. I used to use Rite-Aid all the time (I can walk there) but their machine was down a lot and when it was working, my film was scratched often. In fact, that their machine was down so much is what made me try Target to begin with, then I just stuck with it.

Target scans were always nice and they give you high res for no extra charge. The girl said they'll still be making digital prints and such, so they'll have a 'photo lab' of some kind. Hopefully i'll at least be able to send my film out for a cheap price. My film shots are just a hobby for me, so the costs of a pro-lab for my snapshots isn't really justified.
 
yesterday I learned that costco here in my town quitting c41 this week...it used to cost 2$ a roll...and the quality is better than in walmart. now I am left with walmart...
 
Neare said:
I bought my own C41 machine 2 months ago. It cost me $1, a fujifilm SP500. Saved it from going to the rubbish tip. I've given it a clean out but it needs one of those industrial strength power outlets, sadly which my garage doesn't have.
Click to expand...

I think what you mean is a 220 line, like you have for your clothes dryer? If so, any licensed electrician can do that for you, and it shouldn't be too expensive.
 
I hope this is not prophetic, but it occurs to me there may in future be environmental restrictions on chemical disposal, such that all developing chemicals will need to be captured and treated as hazardous waste. Home lab as well as commercial... That would be a heavy blow against film, from another direction.
 
oftheherd said:
I think what you mean is a 220 line, like you have for your clothes dryer? If so, any licensed electrician can do that for you, and it shouldn't be too expensive.
Click to expand...

It's a 3 phase plug, running at 32amps/500volts. Definitely not something for the garage 🙄
 
lmd91343 said:
I agree. Target is the best local non-pro lab.

I am a bit concerned now.
Click to expand...

Lance,

It could be a "West-side" phenomenon. Us yokels in the Valley still use film, but the Westside is one trend ahead of us again.

I"ve never used Target, but have used Costco and had good results. My favorite option, though, is paying a bit more and supporting The Darkroom in Northridge.
 
Sadly, soon it will be mailers only in less populace areas for color - and black and white as it largely is now, DIY. This is why I made the decision to "embrace digital" recently. No sense fighting it. Know what? The gap has really narrowed. Truthfully? The black and white digital prints I got back from Winkflash were much better than the machine prints I got back from the places I got black and white done. The colors were gorgeous out of the DSLR. I've been bitten and am now a flesh eating zombie. Film, now, at least in 35mm, is for the joy of using a manual film camera (which I love...) The old cameras have soul, the digitals are souless zombies. - But as tools they don't suck.

- Also, let's face it, you don't need your pics back in an hour or two. I used the 1 hour services too, mostly....
 
I used Costco for C41 for a long time ... could never get over the really blotchy scans and the occasional scratched negs. I still use them for great prints but not dev/scan.

I tried target last year - inconsistent negs and low res scans only.

I tried CVS just last week. Terrible developing and low res scans only.

I tried the Digibase C41 kit from Freestyle and purchased a Jobo CPE2+. I’m not crazy about either (more in a Tetinal/Digibase comparison post later).

Yesterday I received a new Unicolor/Tetinal C41 kit from Freestyle and mixed up the chemicals last night. I will be hand processing tonight. I am already much happier with the Unicolor/Tetinal mix process than with Digibase so hopefully the developing will be good.

Dean
 
Gumby said:
Lance,

It could be a "West-side" phenomenon. Us yokels in the Valley still use film, but the Westside is one trend ahead of us again.

I"ve never used Target, but have used Costco and had good results. My favorite option, though, is paying a bit more and supporting The Darkroom in Northridge.
Click to expand...

For important stuff I also use Darkroomlab or A&I when it was in Burbank.

I have found that Target is the most consistent of all the "non-pro" minilabs. The Nordhoff and Balboa was still doing film as of yesterday. 🙂
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom