recommendation for C-41 processing?

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David Kuss - 09 Apr 2007 01:47 GMT

The company that I've used for the last 10 years or so for my 120 film made
a real mess out of the last couple of rolls I took to them. I called
'corporate' (my first mistake?) and after almost three weeks, they called me
back, and actually denied ever being able to handle 120 film!
Needless to say, I'm looking for a new, reliable outfit. Any
suggestions, mail or otherwise? I saw an ad in Shutterbug for 'Bayphoto'. Is
that a 'possible'?
I only average 2 to 4 rolls a month, although I'll skip some months, but
in a good month, I'll run as much as 30 rolls.
Sorry for the length of the post, and thanks for any help.

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Nicholas O. Lindan - 09 Apr 2007 02:08 GMT

> The company that I've used for the last 10 years or so for my 120 film
> made a real mess out of the last couple of rolls I took to them. I called
> 'corporate' (my first mistake?) and after almost three weeks, they called
> me back, and actually denied ever being able to handle 120 film!

Well they can't can they? At least not competently.
Man's quite right. Don't send it to them anymore.

People always tell the truth, problem is they are
often answering a different question than the one
asked and they themselves don't know the question
they answered.

> Needless to say, I'm looking for a new, reliable outfit. Any suggestions,
> mail or otherwise?

By mail http://www.dwaynesphoto.com/index.html is a sure
safe bet for processing.

Most large cities have a local 'pro lab', try the b-2-b
yellow pages. One used to be able to call a portrait
studio [not the booth at Wal-Mart] and they'd tell you
where to go for 120 - but I don't think most portrait
& wedding studios use film anymore.

Signature

Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Darkroom Automation: F-Stop Timers, Enlarging Meters
http://www.darkroomautomation.com/index.htm
n o lindan at ix dot netcom dot com

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David Kuss - 09 Apr 2007 03:04 GMT

As usual, you were right, when you said, "Well, they can't, can they?" I
couldn't beleive any "professional" could mess up film so badly. I couldn't
even make a contact sheet from one of the rolls - and yes, I'm sure the
camera is functioning normally.

Thank you for your advice; both on this, and for help in the past.

Dwaynes Photo's prices seem pretty fair, too.

Dave

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darkroommike - 09 Apr 2007 18:31 GMT

I suggest a few non-essential rolls before committing to
this new arrangement--just in case. And don't tell them
this is a test of their abilities.
darkroommike

> As usual, you were right, when you said, "Well, they can't, can they?" I
> couldn't beleive any "professional" could mess up film so badly. I couldn't
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Dave

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Nicholas O. Lindan - 09 Apr 2007 21:37 GMT

> > Dwaynes Photo's prices seem pretty fair, too.
> I suggest a few non-essential rolls before committing to this new
> arrangement--just in case.

Always a good idea. When processing was local I
could peer around back and make sure they hadn't
changed the staff - often the reason things went
all pear-shaped. ISO 900x QC manuals and procedures
not being a big thing at most photo stores.

Dwayne's is sort of the B&H of mail-in photo
processing -- it's not going to work out much
better anywhere else.

Signature

Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Darkroom Automation: F-Stop Timers, Enlarging Meters
http://www.darkroomautomation.com/index.htm
n o lindan at ix dot netcom dot com

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darkroommike - 10 Apr 2007 20:34 GMT

When I ran a one hour years ago I had all the appropriate
Kodak "Z-manuals" but management just didn't want to make
the time for QC, I ran process control strips and cleaned
the processors on my own time. The first year I didn't even
have an on-site densitometer but had to have one sent in
every time we had to mix fresh chemistry!! I finally got a
hand-me-down MacBeth and things got much better after that
(the MacBeth was so old it had Nixie tube displays).

The whole one hour concept was great in its day, still good
for prints from Digital but pros kept trying to secure
custom work from our lab. (A bit like cordon bleu from
McDonalds, local pros just couldn't understand why I wasn't
allowed to take down a production lab capable of processing
and printing 100 rolls per hour, do do a few color corrected
reprints from a 6x7 negative shot an a non-Kodacolor film).

Now, if I want color snapshots, I shoot digital--I have a
D-50 and love it for that. For everything else it's 120 and
I print my own.

darkroommike

>>> Dwaynes Photo's prices seem pretty fair, too.
>> I suggest a few non-essential rolls before committing to this new
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> processing -- it's not going to work out much
> better anywhere else.

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David Kuss - 12 Apr 2007 14:17 GMT

Thanks again to Nicholas Linden, and, Thank you, to Darkroom Mike, for all
your help.
Dave

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