Robert Lai
Well-known
I used to use Osco when they had their own C-41 line in each store, and I was testing a camera. Now, they want $8 to just develop a roll of C-41 (no prints). So, I wait and send my 35mm to Dwayne's directly.
Walmart lovin', or how I learned to stop worrying and love the roll
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batterytypehah!
Lord of the Dings
You cursed because of what? Did Dwayne's even offer uncut Kodachrome service at the time? And if so, what made you think you could get the same service for less through Walmart?
That's just how it works. You want Dwayne's level of service, well, pay their prices. You want to save money, go to Walmart and accept it's one size fits all.
Bobbo
Well-known
sanmich
Veteran
Yes, Dwayne was offering the "service" of not cutting and not mounting the slides. (free of charge mind you)
What really pissed me at the time is that if Walmart were unable to do whatever I was asking, they should have declined the processing. Simple as that...
daveleo
what?
Not all Walmarts
Not all Walmarts
The local Walmart here does NOT handle 120 film. I went there yesterday and asked the photo guy. He said "no , try CVS "
Neither of our local drug stores (CVS, Walgreens, who handle film) handle 120 rolls.
Too too bad, my hopes were up there.
Not all Walmarts
The local Walmart here does NOT handle 120 film. I went there yesterday and asked the photo guy. He said "no , try CVS "
Neither of our local drug stores (CVS, Walgreens, who handle film) handle 120 rolls.
Too too bad, my hopes were up there.
batterytypehah!
Lord of the Dings
^If they have a drop box, they do.
Forget talking to the employees. They are untrained and underpaid and don't give a sh*t. Fill in the envelope as the OP explained and drop it off, come back two weeks later.
Forget talking to the employees. They are untrained and underpaid and don't give a sh*t. Fill in the envelope as the OP explained and drop it off, come back two weeks later.
batterytypehah!
Lord of the Dings
Walmart doesn't do anything except provide the drop box and collect the 84 cents. The rest is Fuji, who in turn send it to Dwayne's for E-6 or Kodachrome (R.I.P.).
I'm afraid your expectations are quite unrealistic.
ibcrewin
Ah looky looky
This thread is useless without pics 😉
chodgson45
Grain is Good
Bingo.
I work for a Photo lab at a large retail store chain (not Walmart) Ohio and I can't tell you how much I cringe when I hear my coworkers talk. I went through and looked up how to send out 110,120,220 and other films that are no possible to do in 1hour (And I just got news that corporate wide we are dropping one hour in house developing 🙁 ) so I can give customers the correct info for FujiFilm's sendout service.
I had a coworker take three rolls of Slide Film and toss them in our Processor. She didn't check the cartridges and the customer had three 36exp rolls of magenta Trains. (On a side note, that customer was a regular and knew that the film was slide film and could be done in 1hour - to be sent out only....some people).
Regardless of the type of film, send it out. The quality you get from developing C-41 through a send-out service like Fuji is, 8/10 times, better than what you get in the lab. Most 1hour labs when they scan Film in to make digital prints don't make color adjustments (to counter for old film or radiation) OR have an automatic Color Enhancer that makes everything look cartoony (HP systems have this. See we scan film into an HP system to make "digital" prints).
So not ALL of us are Untrained, and Don't give a **** - there are some of us who do! (I am underpaid though....)
kuzano
Veteran
Ask the question differently...
Ask the question differently...
First, let me say that occasionally you do find helpful Walmart photo department employees. I do not think it is the rule, but merely a bonus when it happens. As I approach new stores, I don't expect ANY knowledge of Medium Format film or understanting of my needs. So this post is about unreal expectations, AND taking the lead in getting the process for "Send Out Only" right and proper.
I've been to about four Walmarts just in my area (four counties in Oregon) and nobody in any of them knew what 120 was.
The questions should be:
Do you do "send out only" for those interested
Do you have a Fuji Kiosk?
Do you have Fuji Envelopes and send film to Fuji on Walmart trucks.
If the answer to any one of those questions is yes, then fill out the envelope, pop in a test roll of exposed 120, seal it and send it THROUGH THE STORE SYSTEM "SEND OUT ONLY" CLEARLY MARKED ON ENVELOPE. Also post custom instructions as I have shown on previous posts on this matter, showing the filled out envelopes.
Even the store guy may be surprised and hopefully learn something.
Now, I know that some Walmarts don't do Send Out....But don't count on the employees in the store to know what your talking about when you ask about either 120, 220 or Medium Format.
I've been doing Walmart "Send Out Only" envelopes for some few years now through at least 3 different walmarts in different parts of the country.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. You will get little, IF ANY, knowledge or assistance from in-store employees.
Even the photo department managers at two of the stores did not know what 120 film was, but were embarrassed to acknowledge the fact. Be gentle with them, educate them, but don't expect any real help.
Find the envelopes (if there) and the kiosk with the slot for dropping the envelope in. I never even give the envelope direct to employees. I think the only way the film goes to Fuji is if you drop it personally in the Fuji slot.
My experience on price:
C41 shot 6X9 processed and sleeved... Always 84 cents as long as I've done this. No shipping or postage
E6 Processed and sleeved 8-9 dollars... NO shipping ever. Fuji sends out E6 to other labs.
Processing has consistently been good, from the time I started using Fuji Send Out, until my most recent roll about 6 weeks ago.
Return always ten biz days, consistently, whether C41 or E6.
No losses ever.
I posted pics on filling out C41 and E6 "Send Out Only" envelope instructions and posted them on this forum quite some time ago. The only time I have seen a Walmart NOT do 120 SAO envelopes was when the Walmart did NO film processing or intake at all.
When somebody beats those prices along with acceptable processing, I'll consider them.
Ask the question differently...
First, let me say that occasionally you do find helpful Walmart photo department employees. I do not think it is the rule, but merely a bonus when it happens. As I approach new stores, I don't expect ANY knowledge of Medium Format film or understanting of my needs. So this post is about unreal expectations, AND taking the lead in getting the process for "Send Out Only" right and proper.
I've been to about four Walmarts just in my area (four counties in Oregon) and nobody in any of them knew what 120 was.
The questions should be:
Do you do "send out only" for those interested
Do you have a Fuji Kiosk?
Do you have Fuji Envelopes and send film to Fuji on Walmart trucks.
If the answer to any one of those questions is yes, then fill out the envelope, pop in a test roll of exposed 120, seal it and send it THROUGH THE STORE SYSTEM "SEND OUT ONLY" CLEARLY MARKED ON ENVELOPE. Also post custom instructions as I have shown on previous posts on this matter, showing the filled out envelopes.
Even the store guy may be surprised and hopefully learn something.
Now, I know that some Walmarts don't do Send Out....But don't count on the employees in the store to know what your talking about when you ask about either 120, 220 or Medium Format.
I've been doing Walmart "Send Out Only" envelopes for some few years now through at least 3 different walmarts in different parts of the country.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. You will get little, IF ANY, knowledge or assistance from in-store employees.
Even the photo department managers at two of the stores did not know what 120 film was, but were embarrassed to acknowledge the fact. Be gentle with them, educate them, but don't expect any real help.
Find the envelopes (if there) and the kiosk with the slot for dropping the envelope in. I never even give the envelope direct to employees. I think the only way the film goes to Fuji is if you drop it personally in the Fuji slot.
My experience on price:
C41 shot 6X9 processed and sleeved... Always 84 cents as long as I've done this. No shipping or postage
E6 Processed and sleeved 8-9 dollars... NO shipping ever. Fuji sends out E6 to other labs.
Processing has consistently been good, from the time I started using Fuji Send Out, until my most recent roll about 6 weeks ago.
Return always ten biz days, consistently, whether C41 or E6.
No losses ever.
I posted pics on filling out C41 and E6 "Send Out Only" envelope instructions and posted them on this forum quite some time ago. The only time I have seen a Walmart NOT do 120 SAO envelopes was when the Walmart did NO film processing or intake at all.
When somebody beats those prices along with acceptable processing, I'll consider them.
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
I really need to give this a try. That's what I did with Kodachrome. My local photo shop is pricey, though a lot quicker, but their hours are a lot less convenient. (They send out all b&w, and I haven't been impressed with those results.)
I need to find a different Walmart, though -- the one nearest me is a zoo. I'll say nothing further on that.
Has anyone had prints done on 120/220 using Walmart?
I need to find a different Walmart, though -- the one nearest me is a zoo. I'll say nothing further on that.
Has anyone had prints done on 120/220 using Walmart?
kmallick
Well-known
+1. This is the best kept secret these days. Its better to shoot casual family photos with a 120 roll film and get processed at Walmart for great 4in. x 5in. prints for photo albums. Beats the cost of 35mm processing these days. The added benefit is you get to finish off that roll of 10 or 12 shots quickly and have them developed rather than sit inside your camera. And not to mention the beautiful prints from Fuji lab with the great tonality you expect from a roll film.
batterytypehah!
Lord of the Dings
chodgson45 - Sorry, I didn't mean all photo staff in general, only Walmart, per the subject of this particular discussion.
kuzano - Thanks for taking the time to yet again explain. My experience is exactly the same.
KoNickon - Yes. The one time I tried this, I got 12 nice 4x4 inch prints on Fuji Crystal Archive paper, all for $1.81. (They look like analog prints to me.) From other RFF threads, I seem to recall this price is the same, no matter how many exposures are on the roll. I suppose they're always 4 inch by "X" but I don't know for sure.
kuzano - Thanks for taking the time to yet again explain. My experience is exactly the same.
KoNickon - Yes. The one time I tried this, I got 12 nice 4x4 inch prints on Fuji Crystal Archive paper, all for $1.81. (They look like analog prints to me.) From other RFF threads, I seem to recall this price is the same, no matter how many exposures are on the roll. I suppose they're always 4 inch by "X" but I don't know for sure.
ampguy
Veteran
well
well
perhaps you should go to walmart, they are probably losing money on film developing...but making up for it when you grab some window wash for your truck ... 😉
well
perhaps you should go to walmart, they are probably losing money on film developing...but making up for it when you grab some window wash for your truck ... 😉
batterytypehah!
Lord of the Dings
And just to be clear, once again, Walmart to my knowledge has stopped in-house processing nationwide, or is in the process of doing so. This is strictly send-out, using the Fujifilm envelopes. Cross out the standard options and write "send out only, 120 roll film, C-41 develop only, no prints" (as applicable) as big as you can in the special instructions field. Doesn't hurt to bring your own black pen and/or a highlighter so it's super clear. Always works for me.
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
Thanks! 4 x 4 is a little small, but I'll take it. 5 x 5 would be great, if it's an option. Will they do CDs?
batterytypehah!
Lord of the Dings
^No idea. I have yet to find a drugstore etc. scan that was worth even a couple of bucks. I hear Costco is good but word is they're getting out of film processing, too.
chodgson45
Grain is Good
Sent out a Roll of Portra 400 to Fuji (out send out service at work is Fuji) with instructions to process only.
Got them back with prints as apparently they don't do process only (According to my coworker who has called them several time on the subject).
Got them back with prints as apparently they don't do process only (According to my coworker who has called them several time on the subject).
Jack Conrad
Well-known
I had been under this same impression as well, and even after standing at the Fuji Kiosk trying to find some sort of written clarification; finding none I walked away in frustration.
So, thank you everyone for the info. I'll give it a try. 🙂
cabbiinc
Slightly Irregular
The last roll of 35mm film I tried through WalMart came back with a $24.97 price tag. Previously everything was less than a dollar. Prior to that the last roll of black and white film I sent to them came back covered in dust and scratches, but that prompted me to learn how to do it myself.
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