E6 development at walmart?

[therustytracks]

I've been dieing to shoot the few rolls of provia 400x I bought a few weeks ago, but I haven't been able to find a local lab that will process E6. Walmart seems to be the only game in town with a reasonable price. I realize they're going to send it out, and from what I've gathered from some research they send it to the Fuji processing lab. I was wondering if this was true and if Walmart actually does an ok job with color slide. If not I'll just have to get some film mailers from BH.

 

[randerson07]

Ive had all my E6 work done by walmart so I cant say for certain if something out there is better. But I will say I am fairly pleased with the price, turn around, and results.

I just started shooting Medium Format as well and will be using Walmart for E6 in 120 until I either need something more professional or find a lab closer that does E6.

 

[therustytracks]

Thanks, that helps tremendously. I just started getting serious about medium format as well which is why I'm looking for a place to process 120 and 220 slide. I'm not in need of a professional lab at the moment just something that will return my film processed in a usable form.

 

[benhasajeep]

I have been doing my own for about 9 years now. I useually save my slide film till I can use up a whole big Kodak single use kit. About 20 rolls or so, depending on what size canaster I use. Last time I bought a kit it was still $50. I have a machine but don't really have to have one. Just a good water bath.

Most photo stores have moved away from E-6 and even B&W unless its c-41 process B&W film. Just not a demand for it like there used to be.

 

[therustytracks]

I process my own b&w, and looked into the kodak single use kits but it seems like a pain. Keeping the temperature steady at 102 degrees f.

 

[benhasajeep]

I process my own b&w, and looked into the kodak single use kits but it seems like a pain. Keeping the temperature steady at 102 degrees f.

100 deg so it's not as bad as you thought.

I use the 6 bath as I have heard the 3 bath you can get color shift (never tried it so don't really know)

It's a little bit of a pain. And I do use a Jobo processor now. But I did it in school (using a water control panel) and at home with just a home made water bath. At first I was mounting, but now I just cut to 5 frame strips.

The first two steps - first devleoper and first wash are the only critical temp steps in the process. The rest are plus or minus several degrees. So, a simple water bath is not that hard to control.

If I remember correctly doing it by hand the break even point was like 45 rolls of 35mm (buying chemicals, tanks, graduates, etc). Then I added the Jobo and break even was like 200 rolls or something like that. I have since added 2 Jobo tempering baths. When I do film now, I use an entire kit in one shot. I have probably done 175 rolls of 35mm, and about 60 120 so far. So, I have probably spent more to date than if I had gone to someone.

 

[therustytracks]

I have the tanks and reels, but no jobo. I looked into getting one but that's way out of my reach. I can't afford one. I'd like to know a little more about your homemade bath though. I've been researching at home E6 and I've found a few good ideas. I've read about people using fish tank heaters to keep the water temp at 100 degrees, however they had to modify the heater to reach that temperature and that sounds way to sketchy for me. I don't have a faucet free in the house where i can permanently install a water control unit. Which is why I've been looking for a local lab to process my film. I'd love to be able to process it at home with my b&w, but not if it's going to be a spotty process because I'm ill equipped.

edit: I don't plan on mounting the slides. I just plan on scanning them. And it's going to be a mixture of 120, 220, and 35mm.

 

[elemental]

Though this is not especially on topic, I went into my Wal-Mart the other day to pick up some Superia 400 for cross processing (how can you beat five rolls of the stuff for $7.50), and, having bought a local store out of slightly expired Velvia the night before for $2 a roll, asked if they would be upset if I snuck some E-6 into their C-41 processing. The "photo center" clerk looked at me like I had four heads. I finally had to ask "don't you do film?"

Turns out they don't even do C-41 anymore. They send that out.