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Photo Forum / Film Photography / Darkroom / June 2004cheap processing, are negatives OK ?
I have 5 rolls of wedding film. I know cheap processing----Kirkland/Costco in this case---- gives me mediocre prints. But what about the negatives ? I'm expecting to make a few 8x10s to supplement the photographer's album. Will the Kirkland negatives make good enlargements or do I need to go Kodak ? (I want 4x6 prints too, but THEY don't have to be that great). thanks > I have 5 rolls of wedding film. I know cheap > processing----Kirkland/Costco in this case---- [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > thanks Its impossible to know for certain but my experience is that most one-hour type places make good negatives and terrible prints. The prints usually look foggy, perhaps due to dirty lenses in the printer or poor chemistry. I will say that I've gotten equally as bad prints from "pro" shops and very good prints from a local Ritz photo who had a dedicated technician. I have no idea who actually does Costco's stuff, they might have their own plant. Most of their house name products are very good so perhaps that carried over to their processing. I would suggest trying ONE roll and hold the others back until you see the results.  Signature--- Richard Knoppow Los Angeles, CA, USA dickburk@ix.netcom.com > Its impossible to know for certain but my experience is >that most one-hour type places make good negatives and >terrible prints. The prints usually look foggy, perhaps due >to dirty lenses in the printer or poor chemistry. Cheap papers. Regards, John S. Douglas, Photographer - http://www.darkroompro.com Please remove the "_" when replying via email >> Its impossible to know for certain but my experience is >>that most one-hour type places make good negatives and >>terrible prints. The prints usually look foggy, perhaps due >>to dirty lenses in the printer or poor chemistry. > > Cheap papers. I don't think those consumer papers are really that much cheaper. They're just made to a different standard. Somebody claimed consumer papers are designed to deal with crappy consumer kit lenses. Nick > I don't think those consumer papers are really that much cheaper. If we're talking about roll papers such as Kodak Edge vs. Portra, I think the Edge would be about 35% less expensive. > They're just made to a different standard. Somebody claimed consumer papers > are designed to deal with crappy consumer kit lenses. That would account for their higher contrast. John > >> Its impossible to know for certain but my experience is > >>that most one-hour type places make good negatives and [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Nick I guess it depends where one is going,.........John lives in TN and the Walmarts down there are well uh...better quit while I am ahead ;-) SignatureLF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank "To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918 > I guess it depends where one is going,.........John lives in TN > and the Walmarts down there are well uh...better quit while I am ahead ;-) You said the "W" word ! I'll never forget taking my wife to my old home town in Indiana and finding that most of the stores in the center of town had closed when a W*Mart was opened on the edge of town. Unfortunately we had no choice but to go there for some "necessity" (wifes sure seem to have a lot of necessities!). As we parked the van, a (I assume) Mennonite family pulled along side and tied of their horse and carriage. You could have nocked me over with a feather ! > > I guess it depends where one is going,.........John lives in TN > > and the Walmarts down there are well uh...better quit while I am ahead ;-) [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > along side and tied of their horse and carriage. You could have nocked me > over with a feather ! I can imagine, that would seem like a rather shocking contrast. Are you thinking of Amish though as I was almost certain Mennonites can drive cars. In any event, to share a little additional dig at The "W" word I went there recently hoping to get a single cheap roll of slide film,,,,nothing. I thought I remembered them carrying it previously. It would seem they stock some things just long enough to kill the competion then they limit your selections so your left with options you don't want. So I drove alot further and got the real stuff from a real camera store,......probably better off anyway,......and my conscience is clear, as I walked out of the "W" word without spending a dime. SignatureLF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank "To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918 >> I'll never forget taking my wife to my old home town in Indiana and >> finding that most of the stores in the center of town had closed when a [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >thinking of Amish though as I was almost certain Mennonites can drive >cars. There seem to be varying beliefs among the Amish and Mennonites. Don't know if the Amish would be shopping at W*Mart but I guess anything is possible. Regards, John S. Douglas, Photographer - http://www.darkroompro.com Please remove the "_" when replying via email > As we parked the van [at a W*Mart in N. Indiana], a (I assume) > Mennonite family pulled along side and tied of their horse and > carriage. You could have nocked me over with a feather ! Probably Amish if it is horse & buggy. If the men are dressed in blue workshirts with no buttons, dark blue pants with suspenders, straw hats and the women all in black then it's Amish (99% of the time - could be the Heaven's Gate gang the other 1%). We have lots of Amish (and Mennonites) and they shop where they wish - there are no restrictions on commerce with the English (that's you and me, even if you are a Botswanan). They often charter a van to take them where they need to go, often it's the department store or the airport. And there's Amish and Amish: Amish without electricity; Amish with DC electricity only; Amish with electricity only for the milking machine; Amish with 2-stroke lawnmowers; Amish with 4-stroke lawnmowers; Amish with none of that, thank you; .... Two Amish: a congregation. Three Amish: a division. SignatureNicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio Consulting Engineer: Electronics; Informatics; Photonics. Remove spaces etc. to reply: n o lindan at net com dot com psst.. want to buy an f-stop timer? nolindan.com/da/fstop/ > I have 5 rolls of wedding film. I know cheap > processing----Kirkland/Costco in this case---- [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > thanks AS long as fresh chemicals are being used they will be fine. It's typically the same machine they are run through, or similar. You can send them out as a negative only order and have them printed elsewhere or print them yourself. You can even scan the negatives and digitally retouch them and burn a cd then have some giclee's printed. >AS long as fresh chemicals are being used they will be fine. Maybe. I once used a local one-hour for some relatively non-important films of a (non-wedding) reception. Two of the rolls had the emulsions broiled when they went through the dryer. Lost about 6 frames total. Unrecoverable even via digital. >It's typically the same machine they are run through, or similar. Safe to assume that you've never visited a pro-lab ? Similar perhaps but not identical. Pro-labs have more monitoring equipment and standards. The lab managers are QC for both aesthetic print quality and machine/chemical maintenance >You can send them out as a negative only order and have them printed elsewhere >or print them yourself. And you will find that printing RA4 is very easy but making a series of say around 60 prints with the same color balance is not always easy. > You can even scan the negatives and digitally >retouch them and burn a cd then have some giclee's printed. Giclee = inkjet. Why would one want an inkjet print vs. a photograph ? One could have the digital images printed via a Frontier printer onto Fuji papers which have a good life expectancy of at least 50 years. The images will be sharper and have better color fidelity as well. Regards, John S. Douglas, Photographer - http://www.darkroompro.com Please remove the "_" when replying via email > I have 5 rolls of wedding film. I know cheap > processing----Kirkland/Costco in this case---- [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > (I want 4x6 prints too, but THEY don't have to > be that great). They'll PROBABLY be OK, but you risk scratches (from careless handling) and poor washing (leading to premature fading of the negatives). >They'll PROBABLY be OK, but you risk scratches (from careless handling) and >poor washing (leading to premature fading of the negatives). About 50% of all mini-labs use film to clean their floors. Feelin' lucky ? Regards, John S. Douglas, Photographer - http://www.darkroompro.com Please remove the "_" when replying via email > >They'll PROBABLY be OK, but you risk scratches (from careless handling) and > >poor washing (leading to premature fading of the negatives). > > About 50% of all mini-labs use film to clean their floors. > Feelin' lucky ? Happens in Prolabs as well, I was at a Job interview at one local lab,....and the Lab manager was printing a customers 4x5 negative when it slipped from the carrier onto the floor and scooted about 15 feet on a breeze,... ...stuff happens, although probably to a greater degree in a mini lab. Those racks they hang your 35mm on prior to printing are a tricky endeavor. I know because I worked in a couple of mini lab's,....never dropped any customer work though :^) SignatureLF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank "To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918 >> >They'll PROBABLY be OK, but you risk scratches (from careless handling) and >> >poor washing (leading to premature fading of the negatives). [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >...stuff happens, although probably to a greater >degree in a mini lab. Probably MUCH greater. Most pro labs spool film onto a reel and feed it through large, high volume processing tanks. When it emerges from the drier, the film is again wound onto a reel. Regards, John S. Douglas, Photographer - http://www.darkroompro.com Please remove the "_" when replying via email > Probably MUCH greater. Most pro labs spool film onto a reel > and feed it through large, high volume processing tanks. When it > emerges from the drier, the film is again wound onto a reel. I only deal with dip and dunk prolabs. But I know what your saying. SignatureLF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank "To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918 >I have 5 rolls of wedding film. I know cheap >processing----Kirkland/Costco in this case---- [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >thanks As in most walks of life, you get what you pay for. http://www.chromatics.com http://www.cpq.net/ http://www.burrell.com/burrell.html http://www.millerslab.com/ All are excellent labs. Regards, John S. Douglas, Photographer - http://www.darkroompro.com Please remove the "_" when replying via email There are some variables here. Many budget places have well maintained and monitored equipment and a good staff. Some pro labs don't monitor things as well as they should. I know of a Sam's club lab that is as well run as any and the negatives come back perfect. (their enlagements still don't compete with my trusted pro lab) At one time cheap places handled your negatives like bookmarks and you were best off with a pro lab if you wanted good enlargements. That situation has improved a lot. My advice is to test the lab out with a few other rolls first. Be very critical of how they handle the negatives. Dirty or scratched negs never come back from a good lab. Also, even a cheap lab shouldn't consistantly deliver poor prints from well exposed film. > I have 5 rolls of wedding film. I know cheap > processing----Kirkland/Costco in this case---- [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > thanks |
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