professional lab or drugstore

[markmosk]

I'm experimenting with film in every way after using digital for 10 years. I'm trying different cameras, films, developing, etc...just trying to decide for myself what I think is best (cost/benefit/aesthetic, etc.).

I started wondering how many people, when not developing their own stuff, insist on taking their stuff to a professional lab versus using a drugstore/1Hr. Place. Of course I understand if you're shooting something other than 35 or if you need some special process (push/pull) but otherwise, is the thread of some spec of dust/dirt on a roller really worth the price/convenience difference of going to a specialized photolab versus the machine at the corner drugstore.

The Poll is, who does which...but the valuable information is your reply, with why.

Thanks

 

[gb hill]

1 hr. because I mainly shoot cheapo color or c-41 b&w film and have it developed and scanned to a cd.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

Always a professional lab. It is good to work up a relationship with them. They can give advice and make recommendations. They can also do the printing to your standards i.e. I always insist that my B&W be printed hight contrast which no drugstore will do. Sometimes, at least where I go, they sell cameras & lenses & I have picked up some very nice items.

 

[KoNickon]

The vast majority of my stuff is C-41, so I use a Walgreens a few blocks away that does excellent work. Black & white, medium format, slides I take to a camera store that does its own developing.

 

[Ducky]

I sometimes use shutterfly. They take a week or so but the results are good. They also post the shots for downloading at 1500x1000 pix, jpg (.25us for the first + .05 each additional). I can scan better but they are faster unless I want a large print.

 

[colyn]

All of my color work goes to a local pro lab. My B&W is done in my darkroom..

I took some C-41 B&W to a 1 hr lab last week and got back trash.

 

[Film dino]

The pro lab I use to process C41 (process only; uncut roll delivered back to me for scanning) actually use a mini-lab, but they are prompt, careful & adhere to Kodak QC standards.

 

[BillBingham2]

Costco is my lab of choice. Made friends with many of the folks and get much more reliable service than Walgreens. Tried them three times and two times the ruined a few frame on a roll and said it was my fault. The errors were clearly from poor practices on their side. They refused to give me a refund. When Costco messes up (e.g. forgets to give me a CD I ordered) I get it for free and quickly. They have never scratched or messed up anything with the film (knock on wood).

If there were a pro lab that provided good service at a reasonable price I would go to them, but the folks at Helix 1 hr are a bit to, jr. these days.

B2 (;->

 

[back alley]

only shoot b&w
develop my own
except for xp2
use a 1 hour hour place for dev and scan, no prints
if i have a good shot i rescan at home.
pro lab for prints since i sold my darkroom

 

[Pablito]

1 hr labs can be very handy but you need to make sure the operator knows what she/he is doing, the chemicals are fresh and that they actually use running water for the wash.

 

[bcostin]

One hour service (or next day, if I'm feeling patient) at Target or Wal-Mart, usually process only since I scan my negatives anyway. For all 120 and for 35mm slide film I use Wal-Mart's 2-week mail-away processing. I do my own B&W at home.

I've heard good things about Costco but they aren't any stores nearby. No professional labs, either. The nearest is probably in Baltimore or DC.

 

[dmr]

I answered the 1-hour since that's where I usually go, but for important stuff, slides and such I will go to one of two indie labs here.

 

[Keith]

I haven't used the Kodak one hour down the road for a while now ... since I stopped using C41 black and white they don't see much of me! I do have a bit of an urge to shoot some colour with 120 as I have a fair amount of it (Portra and Reala) in the fridge which will mean a long drive across town and $12.00 per roll just for processing. I had some 35mm Portra done at the Kodak a while ago and wasn't too impressed with the results ... one roll had had a distinct green cast to a lot of shots.

I'd have to vote lab in spite of the expense! Or maybe time to get a C41 kit from B&H. 🙂

 

[RayPA]

I use a one-hour for C41 color process-only and no cut, because I don't shoot color with more 'professional' formats like 120 and I don't shoot chromes. If I was still shooting 120 color or chromes, I'd probably use a pro lab more often, as opposed to letting the one-hour lab send it to their 'big' off-site processing house.

.

1 hr labs can be very handy but you need to make sure the operator knows what she/he is doing, the chemicals are fresh and that they actually use running water for the wash.

hmmm...good luck on that. If I'm not mistaken, most one-hour labs in and around here (San Francisco bay area) have gone "waterless." Not sure if this applies to other places. These places don't even have a floor drain anymore. I'll have to ask the next time I visit.


.

 

[Senmu]

I am blessed and I know it. Tokyo is still a film town. It's not that digital isn't dominant, but there's still a lot of attention at every level to film. Pros shooting Velvia medium format for magazines; teenage girls with retro *film* p&s at parties; me fiddling with any and all I can while I can.
So, there's a 35-minute Fuji place (no, not one hour, 35 minutes) five minutes from my home. But I usually walk an extra ten minutes to get to the pro place (Horiuchi Color Labs, who recently bought out Sigma) who do same-day E6 or next-morning C41 & B/W. I usually have them "develop only", and they (professionally) cut into strips of six (if 35mm) or three (if 6x6). I feed them anything I can to keep them in business. Especially after some 35mm work I had done in the States came back cut into strips of four (horror!) and scratched (horrors!)
So my answer is pro.

 

[ncd_photo]

B&W my self,
for colour neg I shoot Portra 400 VC and get it processed by Peak in the UK via the pro service. Its a little more pricey but the results are fantastic - no brown shadows just great colour, sharp and contrasty prints which can go straight into frames.
Each frame is analysed by a 'human' before printing so that's where the extra cash goes.

 

[kjoosten]

B&W gets dropped off at a local graphics house which makes a run downtown twice a week for development. I scan and PS myself, then print at the local drugstore (Fuji minilab) for 4x6s or zap the files to MPix for enlargements.

Much preferred (someday) method: develop myself, scan, PS, inkjet print. Someday.

For color, I default to digital and again print at local drugstore for 4x6s, MPix for enlargements.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

It's a no choicer.

The only places around here are Fuji Frontier minilab; but they are run by professional photographers, not minimum wage people.

 

[wgerrard]

The two 'pro' labs near me (30 minutes drives) use minilabs. I take 35mm E6 and most of my C41 to the friendlier place and get it the next evening. Prices are marginally higher than the drugstores and the results are acceptable and consistent.

Sometimes I do take C41 to Walgreens, which is about two blocks away and very convenient. Quality varies all over the place, so it's not to be trusted for anything that counts. May try WalMart or Costco next time I have a "doesn't count" roll.

 

[Al Patterson]

I voted professional lab, but the local camera store does use 1 hour photo machines for XP2 or color and route the B&W prints to a pro lab. I don't trust the other places, but YMMV as they say.