Best place to Develop Film in US

photopriscilla · Feb 26, 2014

I know that Richard Photo Lab is really popular. Looking for some alternatives of place to develop. Please make suggestion from past experience only please! I am willing to send out my film anywhere.

Thanks in advance!

Fixcinater · Feb 26, 2014

I had very good results and customer experience from NCPS (Endorsed by Ken Rockwell, FWIW) just recently, and I live local to them so it was a couple hours from dropping off the 25-ish rolls, to pick up.

fretlessdavis · Feb 26, 2014

Dwayne's Photo! Great prices, quick turnaround. They do my C-41, and print from my slides. Last round of slide film went to AgX imaging, and I'm very happy with the results. They're a little closer to me. If I remember right Dwayne's charges $2.99 for 135, 120, and 220 develop only.

BradS · Feb 26, 2014

APUG sponsor thedarkroom.com does a great job and has fair prices.

L Gebhardt · Feb 26, 2014

I develop all my own film. But I think the answers you get will depend on the type of film you are shooting, and what type of prints (if any) you want to get back. So tell us a few more details about what you are looking for.

Thomas Bertilsson · Feb 26, 2014

BradS said:
APUG sponsor thedarkroom.com does a great job and has fair prices.

Another vote for thedarkroom.com

I have used them personally, and their higher end scans are pretty good, but will cost extra of course.

Not only do they do a good job with processing, their logistics are favorable too. They make it very easy to be a customer.

ntenny · Feb 26, 2014

This thread is posted under b&w, for which I think the best place to develop it is in your own darkroom. Printing has more complexity associated with it, but developing film really could hardly be easier.

For color, I've also had good experiences with NCPS (for E-6; I don't really shoot C-41). Good folks who seem committed to supporting film. But there are actually quite a few good choices if you're willing to send film out: Dwayne's, Swan, all the usual suspects.

-NT

removed account4 · Feb 26, 2014

never had a problem with dwaynes for bw or chromes
and fuji labs for c41 ...

Hatchetman · Feb 26, 2014

I've used Dwayne's and NCPS for B&W, C41, E6. Dwayne's is cheaper, but NCPS does better scanning.

Chris Lange · Feb 26, 2014

Duggal (the owner invented dip and dunk processing) or CRC-Vista

mfohl · Feb 26, 2014

I will develop / contact / scan black and white film for you. Print, too. Been doing it for 40 years. PM if interested.

Jeff Kubach · Feb 26, 2014

BradS said:
APUG sponsor thedarkroom.com does a great job and has fair prices.

+1

Jeff

jcoldslabs · Feb 26, 2014

Praus: Dead Link Removed

Jonathan

rubyfalls · Feb 26, 2014

I actually think this is a good place for this thread. I develop all my own bnw, but have to send out colour. And have control issues (ha ha), which is probably not uncommon amongst those who develop their own. I've used the darkroom - they are delightful, cheap, clean, and quick, but I would also like to hear from people who use other places. Especially those who use the higher-end options. Who has the largest scans? Most consistent developing?

Chris Lange · Feb 26, 2014

rubyfalls said:
I actually think this is a good place for this thread. I develop all my own bnw, but have to send out colour. And have control issues (ha ha), which is probably not uncommon amongst those who develop their own. I've used the darkroom - they are delightful, cheap, clean, and quick, but I would also like to hear from people who use other places. Especially those who use the higher-end options. Who has the largest scans? Most consistent developing?

Duggal.

Thomas Bertilsson · Feb 26, 2014

Chris Lange said:
Duggal.

Chris, what do you normally pay? All quote based...
Say 120 color c41 or b&w with scans.

troyholden · Feb 27, 2014

Photoworks SF in San Francisco, Ca. The best!

Chris Lange · Feb 27, 2014

Thomas Bertilsson said:
Chris, what do you normally pay? All quote based...
Say 120 color c41 or b&w with scans.

6.50 to 7 dollars a roll for process only C-41 if I remember correctly...can't speak to scans since I do all that myself.

It's definitely not a place you bring film if you only have a couple rolls of snapshots and the like, but if you have thirty-forty rolls that you need top notch processing for, it's nigh on impossible to do better than Duggal. There are a couple horror stories about rolls getting ruined, but to be honest it's hype...it's not the error that hurts a business, it's how they deal with it. My father gave basically all his fashion E6 to Duggal for close to 20 years, and that was in batches by the caseload (100-300 rolls of film at a time)

brianmquinn · Feb 27, 2014

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Thomas Bertilsson · Feb 27, 2014

Chris Lange said:
6.50 to 7 dollars a roll for process only C-41 if I remember correctly...can't speak to scans since I do all that myself.

It's definitely not a place you bring film if you only have a couple rolls of snapshots and the like, but if you have thirty-forty rolls that you need top notch processing for, it's nigh on impossible to do better than Duggal. There are a couple horror stories about rolls getting ruined, but to be honest it's hype...it's not the error that hurts a business, it's how they deal with it. My father gave basically all his fashion E6 to Duggal for close to 20 years, and that was in batches by the caseload (100-300 rolls of film at a time)

That sounds good, Chris. I might give them a try. I have a few rolls of color lying around, waiting to be processed.

I used to work for a pro lab here in Minneapolis, back when studios started going digital. We often saw fashion studios and product shooters drop off a few hundred rolls of E6, or a 50 sheet box of 4x5 E6 at a time. I LOVED it when they came to pick up the film and we'd fire up a huge light table in the lobby and they'd spread out the chromes on the table to inspect. There were a couple of really great Schneider loupes lying around, and it was great to see some of that work up close. Those were good days for film.
We did scanning too, but it was expensive. Big Scitex Eversmart X/Y scanners on old Apple G3 computers. All SCSI and big CRT monitors... hahaha Time flies.

I will give Duggal a try. Thanks!

rubyfalls · Feb 27, 2014

Is it just me, or is the website for Dwayne's not working? I cannot access the 'services' or order forms pages. I'm thinking that I might try NCPS next and just scan myself. Has anyone had any issues with scratched or dusty negatives from there or any other place? I really do not like the plastic 'slide-in' negative sleeves; so any place that uses folders, drop-in, or snap-up sleeves would be great.

fretlessdavis · Feb 27, 2014

rubyfalls said:
Is it just me, or is the website for Dwayne's not working? I cannot access the 'services' or order forms pages. I'm thinking that I might try NCPS next and just scan myself. Has anyone had any issues with scratched or dusty negatives from there or any other place? I really do not like the plastic 'slide-in' negative sleeves; so any place that uses folders, drop-in, or snap-up sleeves would be great.

Worked just fine for me a couple days ago, works just fine for me now =)

rubyfalls · Feb 27, 2014

fretlessdavis said:
Worked just fine for me a couple days ago, works just fine for me now =)

Ha ha - it must be me!

fretlessdavis · Feb 27, 2014

rubyfalls said:
Ha ha - it must be me!

I have their PDF order form for E-6 on my desktop so I can just print at will without even being online. If that's the one you're after, and you're still having trouble, I can email it to you.

rubyfalls · Feb 27, 2014

fretlessdavis said:
I have their PDF order form for E-6 on my desktop so I can just print at will without even being online. If that's the one you're after, and you're still having trouble, I can email it to you.

Thank you - that is very kind. But I'm just stalking now. And planning. If I still have problems later, I will definitely hit you up. Thanks!

Best place to Develop Film in US

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