NYC lab that offers quality developing and scans at not so shocking prices?

[jsrockit]

Many seem to suggest that Duggal and L&I are the places to go. However, reviews on the internet for both of these labs are about 50% great and 50% horrible. For the prices they both charge, that is unacceptable for me to take a chance on.

I've used L&I for some E-6 development only and they did a great job.

Now, I know I'm not going to get huge beautiful scans at a cheap price, but who at least is competent and can do it for a decent price? I'm just looking for clean scans that can actually be used for prints at prices that aren't $20+.

I've used many places (photo labs and drug stores), which I won't name here, but not one of them did a good job.

Is this a hopeless endeavor? I don't do enough film to do it myself. Unfortuantely, sometimes the film bug bites and I need to do a few rolls. So far, it hasn't been a pleasant experience.

PS: When I was film only, I did my own B&W processing and printing and my only color c-prints. I only relied on labs to develop my C-41 negs. Now with digital... it seems scanning is something that never matured on a mainstream level.

 

[Particular]

I haven't tried these people, but they were recommended to me. They seem to be a bit cheaper than the places you mentioned.
chelseaphotographic

Perhaps you can check them out for me. I'm not sure if they scan though.
If you don't let them cut it, you are welcome to use my scanner, and I will guaranty better results than last time. Both in the time and dust department.

 

[jsrockit]

I haven't tried these people, but they were recommended to me. They seem to be a bit cheaper than the places you mentioned.
chelseaphotographic

Perhaps you can check them out for me. I'm not sure if they scan though.

Cool, I'll check them out. Why don't any of these labs put prices on the internet?

If you don't let them cut it, you are welcome to use my scanner, and I will guaranty better results than last time. Both in the time and dust department.

Thanks Christian. Not sure I want to bother again. I keep asking myself why I even bother with film anymore... but those old cameras are fun and cool to mess with sometimes.

 

[finguanzo]

I rarely shoot color, the 1 time I have in the past year, I had it developed at .... ready.... Mpix ....😱 $6, they lowres scan so you can see them, then you get to choose to scan them higher rates.. I didnt, so dont know the quality of scans, but the dev was fine....

 

[mawilliams]

If you don't mind mail order there are a number of good labs doing standard processing and scanning - one I've used is North Coast Photo out in CA. Processing is pretty cheap at under 6 a roll for 120. I tried them out and the scans that came back were sharp and pretty clean but they are obviously not custom scans - not that North Coast ever says they are. By that I mean their scanner is giving a best guess for the exposure - just like an autoprinter would, which in my case clipped highlights in images with high dynamic range - hence defeating one of the major advantages of shooting film in the first place. A way around this would be metering more carefully and shooting positives, in which case you'd be sure of getting a faithful scan of what's on the film, but I prefer the latitude of negatives. Also the files come as jpgs - no uncompressed option, which is a bummer. Therefore I would suggest just get the budget scan and use them as your proofs or "contact sheet," and then do your own selective scans on images you are going to present/use where you can make sure all the values of your negative are included in the scan. Ultimately I have settled on just having processing done at the lab, and then I do my editing on a lightbox, then quick 300dpi scans of anything I want to see in positive, and narrow down from there. Much cheaper, not really too much slower and the end result is the same.

 

[andredossantos]

I get my processing done at Duggal and then I home scan. This is by far the best way. "Develop only" at Duggal is $8 a roll. If your paying for scanning, which is very expensive, and even if you dont shoot much film, a scanner pays for itself very quickly.

If you simply want high rez scans, just mail out your rolls to Pacific Coast or Precision. I dont know of anywhere in NYC who does developing+high rez scanning. Maybe it exists, but I dont know about it. Its just way too expensive and GASP! I actually like scanning 🙂

 

[jsrockit]

If you simply want high rez scans, just mail out your rolls to Pacific Coast or Precision.

Hmmm, maybe this will work.

 

[andredossantos]

Or, give your slides to me 😉

 

[jsrockit]

Or, give your slides to me 😉

I don't want to do that to you all the time.

 

[newsgrunt]

Thanks. I've seen this before and what always troubles me is that I'm going to waste $60-120 just learning how to use the thing. Perhaps I should just buy a Epson V500 for $150 or so and try it myself.

A friend rents time on an Imacon at Toronto Image Works and he's extremely happy with the scans and from what he tells me, super easy to learn proper settings for his scan workflow.

If you're not going to scan every frame, I would try this option first before dishing out for a flatbed which only really does well with properly exposed MF and LF film. For 35...not so great unless you're webifying your scans.

 

[jsrockit]

Looks like I might go the North Coast Photo route and see what happens. A pricing list and a order form with high rez scans (though jpeg only)... they make it easy. I only do a few rolls a year.

 

[helen.HH]

I recently decided to Have 'Duggal' scan 5 negatives
which I was sending for Approval
for a Group Show in Spain next Month

I was Shocked by the Quality of the Scans...
they were very Flat, Dark /Lacked detail in certain areas

In the End I used my Own Scans, thankfully they were ALL accepted for the Show 🙂

So Duggal with re: to scanning is a No No
Prints may be another Story

 

[Tim Gray]

I've been totally happy with North Coast and Precision Camera. Totally worth it.

 

[kzphoto]

I recently decided to Have 'Duggal' scan 5 negatives
which I was sending for Approval
for a Group Show in Spain next Month

I was Shocked by the Quality of the Scans...
they were very Flat, Dark /Lacked detail in certain areas

In the End I used my Own Scans, thankfully they were ALL accepted for the Show 🙂

So Duggal with re: to scanning is a No No
Prints may be another Story

Helen,

I recently worked with a guy making a book, and he specifically asked for scans that were flat. It lets the artist control where the contrast, shadows and highlights fall. If you started with something more contrasty, it is really hard to get back mid-tone values, especially with black and white scans. That being said, I totally agree that if you're paying for a scan, it should look like a professional quality image. Not some hodge-podge flat scan.

 

[helen.HH]

Helen,

I recently worked with a guy making a book, and he specifically asked for scans that were flat. It lets the artist control where the contrast, shadows and highlights fall. If you started with something more contrasty, it is really hard to get back mid-tone values, especially with black and white scans. That being said, I totally agree that if you're paying for a scan, it should look like a professional quality image. Not some hodge-podge flat scan.

I Understand what You are saying and AGREE
however the scans Lacked Image Vitality
one scan in particular of a Dark Skinned Gentlemen
totally Lacked any highlight and features in the FACE...I was Shocked
my Plustek did OUTSTANDING in comparison

also noted by the Fellow at Duggal...their Scanning Today is more
in Tune with Digital than Film 😱

Thanks for your thoughts...Best-H

 

[hlockwood]

Hmmm, maybe this will work.

I looked at the Precision web site and couldn't find anything about the bit depth of their scans. I contacted them and found that their "high res" scans are actually 8 bit. I think they may offer 16 bit but at a much higher price. I would consider 8-bit scans unacceptable. But do check into it for yourself.

Harry

 

[sepiareverb]

LTI always did wonderful work for me, but I've not shot color film in a few years now. I would absolutely give them a call and discuss what you are after.

I've found that as with most things you get what you pay for with a lab. The cheap guys can sometimes do great work, but they are not at all consistent. A good lab has the same few people (probably only one shift these days, so maybe just one person) on the machines and that helps.

 

[splitimageview]

I looked at the Precision web site and couldn't find anything about the bit depth of their scans. I contacted them and found that their "high res" scans are actually 8 bit. I think they may offer 16 bit but at a much higher price. I would consider 8-bit scans unacceptable. But do check into it for yourself.

Harry

North Coast and Precision use the same exact equipment and provide JPEGs and plenty good quality for the price. If you plead you might get Precision to provide TIFF files, but the files are much bigger and therefore it takes longer to burn the CDs so they might mention that. If you want dev and scan Precision is cheaper, they are also cheaper if you just want scans and provide already developed uncut rolls.

 

[sepiareverb]

If we're throwing in good scanning experiences, Blue Moon delivered darn nice scans for the cost, and processes very well in my experience. Not in NYC tho...

 

[jsrockit]

I would consider 8-bit scans unacceptable.

Why? What's the difference between 8-bit scans and the Leica M8 having 8-bit files?