Print Quality

[David6FL]

Does anyone have any comments or experience with declining quality of 35mm film and/or processing? I recently shot several rolls of Fuji 400 print film and had it processed by Wal-Mart's 2 day service. When I got the prints back the colors were terrible, muddy looking, and the prints were not crisp looking. The color was more noticeable with the flash shots but the effect was there in both. I pulled out some other pictures of recent vintage and they were about the same. My wife says that I just do not take good snapshots.

I took out a whole series of pictures I had taken 5 or 6 years ago and they were crisp looking and had bright colors. These pictures were taken with the same camera, Canon AE-1 Program, same Fuji 400 film, and same lens. In both cases, there was a mix of indoor and outdoor pictures. The only change was in the flash unit. Old pictures were taken with a SunPak autozoom 333D and current pictures were taken with a Canon speedlight 199A

 

[Alpha]

Without actually seeing the photos you took, and I can you with absolute confidence that WalMart is a bad place to have your film developed, and no matter how good the shots are, is at least partly responsible for the poor quality. If Wal-Mart could develop black and white, would you take your b&w to them as well? I sure as hell wouldn't. Go to a pro-lab.

 

[Sideburns]

I think you answered your own question.
walmart.

 

[petey]

I ran a test recently. I sent a single photograph out to an expensive photo shop and also to the local Walmart as well as Costco. There was no difference at all. A few years ago I did see a difference between a Sams Club and a small photo shop. The lady at the photoshop said if Sam Club would service their equipment and paper/fluids the results would be the same.

I think its all in the machine really.