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Film processing labs

mwalker

Subscriber Member
I'm going to try out film after a long hiatus. I do not want to dump a lot of money now, buying scanners ect. Is there a internet accessible lab out there that provides processing, and high quality scans? All I want to do is dump the scanned files into cs and print. Riccis mentioned in another thread http://www.richardphotolab.com/ any more?
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Mike

Ken Rockwell has an interesting blog that includes a few posts on the benefits of film. He uses a lab NPCS in northern california. I feel three capabilities are particularly important:

1. Can you order hi resolution scans (40MB) with the film processing at an affordable cost. I think this is important to allow you to use the flexibility of Lightroom,Aperture or Photo Mechanic to help in editing and cataloging.

2. the ability to order low cost proofs or contact sheets....again to help in editing and image evaluation .

3. Reasonable turnaround...anything more than two weeks is too slow for me.

I keep working on a set of requirements (that represent what I am looking for) to evaluate alternatives. For me a week of street shooting will yield 150-200 images a day or around 1200 for a week . Film will be slower (not necessarily a disadvantage). So 20-30 rolls in a week feels about right. Riccis told me he thinks about 20 rolls for a wedding...so the requirements are similar.

This was why I started the thread on high volume . I believe that sorting through 1000 images 15-20 times a year (with film ) isn t practical without finding a lab that can handle the above. If you have lower volumes you might scan your own .

I will be interested in what you find ....it would be great to shoot film Leicas at least some of the time.
 

mwalker

Subscriber Member
Do you need contact sheets if all is scanned? This will be low volume work for me. What I would like to do is send off 5 -10 rolls at a time for high quality scans then process and print from LR.
 

helenhill

Senior Member
At present
I have my film developed & scanned /No Contact sheets
then I decide what I want printed , the minimal of PP on my mac, burn on CD
and off to Lab or via internet if YOU/Michael tell me where....:)

Today I ordered from FREESTYLE
a changing bag, reels etc
and I'm just going to Develop my B&W (then send out to Scan & Print)
Have decided on two Developers: :bugeyes::confused::rolleyes:
ILFOTEC DD-X
& RODINAL ....if anyone wants to give me any Tips
that would be cool
will be using arista premium 400, Efke 50 & 400,
Thanks in Advance

Best-H
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Do you need contact sheets if all is scanned? This will be low volume work for me. What I would like to do is send off 5 -10 rolls at a time for high quality scans then process and print from LR.
Mike I don t think you really need the proof sheets and of course you can print your own from lightroom. A contact sheet or a stack of proofs does give you a better idea of how the image will look printed. For me editing is my greatest challenge. I tend to look at the problem as getting from 1000 raw captures to 15-24 in a collection on my website and maybe 5-15 prints max.

You are correct in that getting the high quality scans is the key factor. If you are low volume 5-10 rolls every few weeks then doing you own scans maybe reasonable ...or accepting low res scans for editing maybe workable.

Roger
 

mwalker

Subscriber Member
I'm thinking about a Nikon coolscan 5000 and do my own scanning that way I can use a local lab for developing and keep it here. I don't know anything about scanners I just mention this (Nikon 5000) because I've heard people here use it and I can get one for around $1200.00 so if you where going to pay a lab to scan it might pay for itself after a while. Also I have shoe boxes of slides in the closet that needs to be digitized.

Helen, Here are a couple of labs recommended by people on this forum, I know nothing about them. I used your suggestion and bought film from Freestyle.

http://www.richardphotolab.com/
http://www.chromedigital.com/
 
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