Best place to Develop Film in US

Fixcinater · 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.

NCPS gave me coiled up entire rolls of 120 and 35mm in drop-in continuous sleeves. No dust, no scratches through the 25-ish rolls. Perfect.

omaha · Feb 27, 2014

I am very blessed to have access to Rockbrook Camera here locally in Omaha. They are even on my way to work.

BradS · Feb 28, 2014

Thomas Bertilsson said:
....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 used to be like that at Calypso Color Lab of Sunnyvale, CA. I loved that place. I'd drop off a box of provia in the morning, on my way to work and pick it up in the after noon. They had light tables that were the size of desks, did fantastic work and had very reasonable prices. It was a terrrible loss for me and the film community here in Silicon Valley when they closed. That was the beginning of the end of color for me....sigh.

BradS · Feb 28, 2014

ntenny said:
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

Swan Photo...I've sent them a ton of B&W roll film (snap shots) for D&P. They are the "back end" company for the pre-paid B&W mailers sold by Freestyle. They do nice work and make machine prints on real photo paper. My only complaint with them is that their customer service people (whom ever answers the phone) seem pretty....ah, "uninformed" w.r.t. the services and processes the company offers.

EDIT:I suspect that Swan photo and TheDarkroom.com are one and the same comapny...if not, they are very closely coupled.

Bob Carnie · Feb 28, 2014

Hi Chris

sorry but that is not true, he may have been a early user but that claim is wrong.

Bob

Chris Lange said:
Duggal (the owner invented dip and dunk processing) or CRC-Vista

Axle · Feb 28, 2014

Dwayne's, The Darkroom, Old School Photo Labs are my three go-to labs states side.

rubyfalls · Mar 2, 2014

Fixcinater said:
NCPS gave me coiled up entire rolls of 120 and 35mm in drop-in continuous sleeves. No dust, no scratches through the 25-ish rolls. Perfect.

Awesome. I'm about to send a pile of portra their way.

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37th Exposure · Mar 7, 2014

Ilford lab

Ilford now has a lab in the US. Has anyone tried it? The website says they do b&w primarily, but also c41 and e6.

SWphoto · Mar 7, 2014

37th Exposure said:
Ilford now has a lab in the US. Has anyone tried it? The website says they do b&w primarily, but also c41 and e6.

I think they are using Swan/The Darkroom- same address. There may be some "special" Ilford component/features.

I've use The Darkroom- did a good job.

rubyfalls · Apr 5, 2014

So - follow up. I mailed four rolls of 120 to NCP on tues (1 roll ektar, 2 portra 160, and 1 portra 400). I am now sitting at my computer scanning them. Yes. Out and back four days.

Negatives are lovely and clean, came dust-free, uncut, and tucked in the plastic wrap-around folders.

I am completely delighted. Total cost for mailing, processing, and return postage for 4 rolls was $30.95.

I will definitely be using them for all my colour film.

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shutterboy · Apr 6, 2014

I think you people should try millerslab.com. They only do C-41 (no E6, or BW). They charge 2$ a roll for 120, 4$ a roll for 136-36. They offer overnight to and fro shipping for $4. The minimum order amount is 10$. I have had very good experience with them.

HowieP · Apr 6, 2014

I recently had a very good experience with LTI / Lightside Photographic Services, located at 34 East 30th Street in NYC.
http://www.lti-lightside.com/

Best place to Develop Film in US

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