Film Development

Quincy T · May 18, 2012

Here's a question:

I have a couple of rolls of film from recent attempts at being a photographer, and would like to know the best way to get them developed reasonably well, for a reasonable price. I don't need anything larger than what lets me see the image, and I don't need anything too fancy, but I also don't want to take them to Wal-Mart because that just seems like a horrible thing to do.

All images were shot on Tri-X 400, and with a Canon EOS 620.

I don't want to build a darkroom in my one bedroom apartment, or buy a bunch of extra stuff either. I just want to send it off/walk it in and let them do their magic.

Thanks folks!

Funny thing is there is not a single question mark in there...

lensmole · May 18, 2012

You should be able to find a professional studio that is set up for this kind of thing.

rsquared · May 18, 2012

It may sound odd, but I always took my film to Costco to get developed. They've always done a good job, and they were by far the cheapest place around if you didn't need prints. I think it was $2.99 for the developing and another $2 or so to get it scanned to CD and I just specified in the instructions "CD only, no prints". Their 35mm scans were in the 6MP range (2000x3000).

Every other local lab I found wanted to charge 2-3x as much for the developing and at least $5 for scanning.

richardman · May 18, 2012

Costco and Walmart may not know what to do with B&W film. Your best bet is to take it to a "pro" shop locally, or send it out.

PM with where you live and perhaps I can give you some suggestions.

Quincy T wrote: »

Here's a question:

I have a couple of rolls of film from recent attempts at being a photographer, and would like to know the best way to get them developed reasonably well, for a reasonable price. I don't need anything larger than what lets me see the image, and I don't need anything too fancy, but I also don't want to take them to Wal-Mart because that just seems like a horrible thing to do.

All images were shot on Tri-X 400, and with a Canon EOS 620.

I don't want to build a darkroom in my one bedroom apartment, or buy a bunch of extra stuff either. I just want to send it off/walk it in and let them do their magic.

Thanks folks!

Funny thing is there is not a single question mark in there...

bdcolen · May 19, 2012

Quincy T wrote: »

Here's a question:

I have a couple of rolls of film from recent attempts at being a photographer, and would like to know the best way to get them developed reasonably well, for a reasonable price. I don't need anything larger than what lets me see the image, and I don't need anything too fancy, but I also don't want to take them to Wal-Mart because that just seems like a horrible thing to do.

All images were shot on Tri-X 400, and with a Canon EOS 620.

I don't want to build a darkroom in my one bedroom apartment, or buy a bunch of extra stuff either. I just want to send it off/walk it in and let them do their magic.

Thanks folks!

Funny thing is there is not a single question mark in there...

Www.mylab.com. I believe the business name is Images. They are in Tucson, Az. Bill and Sue. They are reasonably priced, provide a choice of developers, 'dip and dunk' - no scratches on the negatives, and can turn film around in a day or two. I have sent them up to 40 rolls at a time on pro jobs and never been disappointed. It's been quite a while, but use my name; there's an off chance they'll remember me. Oh, they will provide 1 stop of push or pull for no extra charge. UH OH! They may have gone out of business

bdcolen · May 19, 2012

bdcolen wrote: »

Www.mylab.com. I believe the business name is Images. They are in Tucson, Az. Bill and Sue. They are reasonably priced, provide a choice of developers, 'dip and dunk' - no scratches on the negatives, and can turn film around in a day or two. I have sent them up to 40 rolls at a time on pro jobs and never been disappointed. It's been quite a while, but use my name; there's an off chance they'll remember me. Oh, they will provide 1 stop of push or pull for no extra charge. UH OH! They may have gone out of business

I am really depressed - they seem to have vanished. Sic Gloria Tri-X

So get a couple of Nikkor tanks and reels, and some chemicals and a changing bag. It really is a piece of cake to do the ork in the bathroom.

Of course the other alternative is to recognize certain realities and concentrate on your digital skills.

michswiss · May 19, 2012

I know this is really digging into the past, and I wish I still had the negatives, but I truly enjoyed the time in the late seventies when I began taking pictures of my own on my own camera, Brownie's not withstanding. Still at home, still in high school. Sixteen or seventeen. My parents let me convert the back toilet into a darkroom. I'd buy film in bulk and roll it into canisters to shoot on my Pentax. Then develop it and, here's where my memory is slightly fuzzy, enlarge it onto paper. I think I did have my own enlarger. I definitely had the use of the enlargers at the high school. Always B&W and some bizarre experiments in double exposures and burning and dodging.

I love looking at the images posted here, but electrons aren't a substitute for having an image appear on paper. Chemically or not. Images should become physical.

michswiss · May 19, 2012

To get to the question at hand, I don't have anything specific to help you. My preferred local camera shops in Melbourne and Shanghai do development to my direction. I scan the negatives and slides myself.

bdcolen · May 19, 2012

michswiss wrote: »

I know this is really digging into the past, and I wish I still had the negatives, but I truly enjoyed the time in the late seventies when I began taking pictures of my own on my own camera, Brownie's not withstanding. Still at home, still in high school. Sixteen or seventeen. My parents let me convert the back toilet into a darkroom. I'd buy film in bulk and roll it into canisters to shoot on my Pentax. Then develop it and, here's where my memory is slightly fuzzy, enlarge it onto paper. I think I did have my own enlarger. I definitely had the use of the enlargers at the high school. Always B&W and some bizarre experiments in double exposures and burning and dodging.

I love looking at the images posted here, but electrons aren't a substitute for having an image appear on paper. Chemically or not. Images should become physical.

There are still two ways to get images on paper, Jen - there are now a number of affordable printers that on mat paper can produce gorgeous inkjet prints. Also, there are both Durst and Fuji, computer driven laser enlargers that are used to expose silver paper that use digital images to produce traditional silver prints. Check out www.digitalsilver.com . I have three of their prints - two on double weight mat, and one on RC paper, and they are spectacular.

Oh, and Costco has the Fuji Lightjet printers. You can download the printer profile from the Costco you want to use, prepare your image, and upload it for printing on RC paper. The prints a quite good and shockingly inexpensive.

Quincy T · May 19, 2012

bdcolen wrote: »

I am really depressed - they seem to have vanished. Sic Gloria Tri-X

So get a couple of Nikkor tanks and reels, and some chemicals and a changing bag. It really is a piece of cake to do the ork in the bathroom.

Of course the other alternative is to recognize certain realities and concentrate on your digital skills.

Well, I may have to go with the CostCo option. While I would certainly love to develop my own film, we've got a little baby girl nearly here with us, and even inside the womb she is taking up a lot of space in the house. I think we'd just lose our minds with any more junk about. Time for a yard sale, actually!

Anyway, I don't have any particularly "love" for film or think that it's the only real photography in the world or anything. I bought my EOS 620 and some Tri-X for about $100 with the following in mind:

1) I get to try something different, and understand the value of pressing the shutter button.
2) I get to shoot full frame, which is very awesome, for a very low price.

So, I'll check out CostCo...we'll see. I may try a send off option as well. Wouldn't mind that at all.

richardman wrote:

Where do you live?

Tampa, FL, richardman.

richardman · May 19, 2012

If you can't find a local PRO lab, you can't go wrong with http://www.dwaynesphoto.com/

damonff · May 19, 2012

bdcolen wrote: »

of course the other alternative is to recognize certain realities and concentrate on your digital skills.

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Art Scott · May 19, 2012

http://www.douglasphoto.com/pricelists/8863.aspx this is my go to local pro Lab...been in business for one heck of a long time....

the darkroom: true B/W film developing

Coopers Imaging

THE above usrls were from a google search for Black and White film Processing ... ...

GOOGLE SEARCH RESULTS FOR BLACK AND WHITE FILM PROCESSING SERVICES

good Luck and no do not ever stop shooting film...it is majikal ... ... and if you ever want to get into developing the film yourself...you can do it for under $30 probably for a nice stainless steel tank and reel or even a great plastic tank and plastic reel, which I prefered over the stainless as it was much easier and faster to wind the film onto the plastic reels....any way good luck to your film shooting.

another one of my go to places FREESTYLE PHOTO IN L.A. THEY ARE A GREAT PLACE TO BUY FILM ALSO ... ...

bdcolen · May 20, 2012

damonff wrote: »

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

rofl

clap

Javier · May 20, 2012

With anything other than C-41, Find a pro shop. I too have had it with the quick joints. Pay the piper and be happy.

Photogbiker · May 20, 2012

do it yourself
I am with Art, buy a tank and reels and some chemicals and do it yourself. I understand the life change with little ones, but it really is pretty easy and all you need is a bathroom or laundry room with a sink and no windows. If you are going to shoot film even occasionally you will pay for the tanks in the first few rolls. I got rid of my full 35mm through 4x5 darkroom 7 years ago, but kept all the tanks and trays for developing roll and sheet film. Rarely use it, but glad I have them and they don't take much room at all.

(I will disagree with Art on one point, I always liked the stainless spiral reels. A bit trickier, but never jammed on me.:D )

rsquared · May 20, 2012

richardman wrote: »

Costco and Walmart may not know what to do with B&W film. Your best bet is to take it to a "pro" shop locally, or send it out.

Yeah, I missed the Tri-X the first time around... I was thinking C-41.

I actually do both color and B&W at home now that I shoot medium format on occasion. If you're going to do more than a couple rolls, it is worth getting the gear. And as others have mentioned, you don't need to dedicate a room to it if you just want to develop and scan. I just step into a dark closet and use a changing bag to put the film on the reels, and everything else is done in my kitchen in normal light. You don't actually need a darkroom unless you're printing also.

Quincy T · May 20, 2012

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I need to weigh this information in my brain housing group.

MarkR · May 23, 2012

I'm always surprised that I can find Tri-X film in my local drugstore. But try to get it processed? :nono And I live in Rochester, NY!

Even the big local camera store won't touch the stuff. (C-41 only!) They told me to send it out to Dwayne's Photo.

Another possibility is to see if your area has a community darkroom available.

lizzard_nyc · May 23, 2012

I developed my own horrible film w/ horrible photos in high school.
Oh if I can find one I will post it here.

I have a small two bedroom nyc apt w/ my husband and two kids here and one bathroom.
I developed my own film a year ago and used a dark bag, didn't need the dark room.
Got the film and then scanned it in (never enlarged my own photos).
That was fun, but I don't know that I could repeat the process again, so I hear you. Though once you do it, you find yourself wanting to give it another go, so don't count it out 100%

Quincy I'm digging around for a mail in photo place where you get your film back in a week. I thought I had it here to post but can't locate it. I am looking for ya.

Angelo · May 23, 2012

not sure this is a post for the Documentary forum but here's a google link for you nonetheless:

http://www.google.com/search?q=photo+labs+tampa+fl&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari

.

RSL · May 24, 2012

Quincy, if you're going to keep doing this, do what Liz is suggesting. For at least a decade I developed Tri-X in the kitchen with a big dark bag and one of several stainless-steel tanks. During those years I had a very complete darkroom in the basement, but it was more fun to be upstairs with my family while I did the film. Sometimes I'd do as many as four rolls at once in a large tank. It's no big deal -- not nearly as much work as cleaning up trays and tanks in the darkroom -- and it gives you complete control over your product. You can push your film, or you can do an Ansel, and extend the dynamic range of a series of landscapes by using a hand-held meter and the zone system, then developing to fit the way you made the shots. I wouldn't go back to film on a bet, but it's still a workable solution.

Quincy T · May 24, 2012

Thanks again for the input guys. I'm leaving the country (hey, big surprise) for a bit, and I will mull over my options. It's sounding more and more like I should just do something really simple in my own kitchen/bathroom, but I'd have to learn that process. Doesn't bother me to learn it, I'm sure it's relatively valuable knowledge, and if not it will at least increase my respect for the convenience of digital photography.

I really can't wait on one shot, though, so I may send off a roll to a developer just so I can get this one back and scan it in. Obviously, I don't know what the end result was, but when I captured the image I got the goosebumps...I think it's a keeper haha.

damonff · May 24, 2012

I highly recommend the Freestyle Photo plastic reels. They are VERY easy to load.

Also Xtol developer.

Mind the temperature. Use The Massive Development Chart online. It's a developer's best friend.

It's very easy.

Film Development

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