what mail order labs?

beddingfield · Jan 12, 2020

Does anyone here use?

Process One

Fromex?

TarterTurtle · Jan 13, 2020

I haven't used process one yet but a teacher of mine recommended it to me. I am planning on using it though.

webestang64 · Jan 13, 2020

Not sure about those labs but we do mail order as well...... www.schillers.com

earthmanbuck · Jan 13, 2020

I'm fortunate enough to live just down the street from a good lab, so I tend to go there. The only mail order lab I've ever used is thedarkroom.com. They did a great job, but it was a bit pricey sending it from Canada.

beddingfield · Jan 13, 2020

The thing is, I only NEED film developed. So for me using places that include or techinically force me to get prints in the base developing price are not really great for me.

Meaning, if I take 2 rolls of film on the weekend. I want a place that will develop them correctly and send the negatives back to me. Not a place that will charge me more to FORCE me to have them make prints, even of photos I don't want prints made of.

IE I don't mind scanning my own, and then ordering individual prints online. Id much rather go through extra supposed hassle, instead of having the classic roll of "blurry photos get printed off" or the other classic "roll of 36 exposures of one thing getting printed off"

earthmanbuck · Jan 14, 2020

I feel you, I also don't like getting prints made at the time of developing and usually scan my own negs.

I can't speak for the places you mentioned, but I know the Darkroom doesn't require you to get prints made. They include basic scans with developing, and you can pay more if you want higher res scans. They upload them right when they're done so you can see them and download them right away, and then you get your negs back in the mail a couple days later.

Unfortunately, I don't think there's a way to just do developing at a lower cost through them, they seem to build the scan pricing right into the developing (about $12 IIRC). Although it's more than I like to spend for a service I don't actually need, I will say the scans are very nice, and it saves me a lot of the frustration of scanning and re-scanning and retouching dust spots etc.

jcdeboever · Jan 14, 2020

Darkroom does a fantastic job. I use them when I get behind. They do as good a job as I do. Their scanning is better than mine. You can get just the film developed. The other place I've used is Dwayne's, they are good as well and its alacart as well.

webestang64 · Jan 14, 2020

beddingfield said:
Meaning, if I take 2 rolls of film on the weekend. I want a place that will develop them correctly and send the negatives back to me. Not a place that will charge me more to FORCE me to have them make prints, even of photos I don't want prints made of.

We charge (develop only) $7,00 per roll for C-41 process (color print film) and $8.80 for BW. The C-41 is done on a control strip monitored Noritsu V50 and the BW is done by hand by me using D-76 with stainless steel tanks and reels. IF you want scans or prints we can do that as well but we do develop only id desired.

vintagesnaps · Jan 14, 2020

I don't think anybody is making anybody get prints... I've been using Dwayne's, they have a variety of choices (developing, scanning, proof sheets, etc.). I like that they offer 'wet' prints done in chemistry on photo (light sensitive) paper.

I did well with The Darkroom but I can do my own digital prints so prefer being able to get color wet prints that I can't do myself.

Richard Lab is supposed to be good but I haven't tried them.

Scotty do you have forms to be sent in? I don't remember seeing any but it might have been awhile since I looked at your store's site. (Well, not your store, the one where you work! lol at least I don't think you own the place.) I miss having a camera store nearby to go to...