Advice on Retail Film Development

[adversus]

Good morning/afternoon/evening ladies and gents:

I stumbled across this forum recently and decided you all may have some sound advice on where the best retail locations are to get your 35mm film developed.

I've been doing digital for a while as a hobbyist, and recently began using my Canon AE-1 for film shooting again, and I had previously had a friend develop prints for me. Now, however, that friend has moved out of the area so I am forced to take my rolls to a retailer.

Does anyone have any preference on which retailer develops the most consistent, high quality prints for an amatuer photographer? Im my area there are a plethora of services, including:

Costco (heard good things about their digital printing, not much about film), Target, Walgreens, Shutterbug, Camera World, and various smaller mom and pop locations.

-Chris

 

[Boltthrower]

if it's just snaps that really don't mean much to me I'll go to Target or someplace like that,
<-- doesn't shop at Mega-Lo-Mart

for rolls of film that actually mean something to me I'll take them to the Local camera shop up the street cause they actually take the time to color correct

 

[celery]

Only go to "pro" shops that will gladly give you a rundown of the machines they use. If they don't give up their specs it's like buying food that has no nutrition label.

So many of them use subpar / old equipment and still charge a premium, whereas some places (like Costco) use pretty high quality stuff and will provide you with information about it.

 

[fightheheathens]

i agree with the people above for color photography.
if you do Black and white, and shoot it enough, i would seriously consider setting up your own dark room. you dont even need a room, just a dark closet and a changing bag. B&W is easy enough to develope and (at least in the bay area) you will pay for your equiptment within 15 rolls of film.

 

[adversus]

Thanks for the advice!

I think I'll drop them off at Costco just down the street and see what the results are. I'm still easing back into shooting with film, so I don't care too terribly much about the few rolls I have.

It will give me an idea if I like their results or not though.

 

[JIP]

I think some comparison shopping is in order. The best way to really understand the difference between photography store printing and Wl-Mart/Costco etc. is to try them all, shoot some pictures get them printed and take the same negs to each place for printing you wil see a difference and if Wal/Costco is better use them.