jsrockit Posted October 14, 2009 Share #1 Posted October 14, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I just recently started using a Leica M2 again (after 10 years) and have no clue where to get good quality prints done. 10 years ago I was in Art school and did everything myself. I live in New York City and really want the following: good quality film processing 4x6 / 5x7 prints that don't look like they are from the drug store, unless I made them look that way in the camera (preferrably with borders). high quality scanning of negatives into digital form Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 14, 2009 Posted October 14, 2009 Hi jsrockit, Take a look here Film processing / prints / scanning in NYC?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Metin Posted October 15, 2009 Share #2 Posted October 15, 2009 I recommend Welcome to the Official site of Hong Digital Color Inc. - Metin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted October 15, 2009 I recommend Welcome to the Official site of Hong Digital Color Inc. - Metin This looks good, but I didn't realize these services were so expensive these days... any others out there? I may have to rethink how I want to approach this in a more DIY manner. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted October 15, 2009 Share #4 Posted October 15, 2009 This looks good, but I didn't realize these services were so expensive these days... any others out there? I may have to rethink how I want to approach this in a more DIY manner. ...sound reasoning - are we talking colour or B&W negative film? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share #5 Posted October 15, 2009 ...sound reasoning - are we talking colour or B&W negative film? Both. I'm open to any other options you may have either DIY or professional service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted October 15, 2009 Share #6 Posted October 15, 2009 Both. I'm open to any other options you may have either DIY or professional service. ...I can only comment from a strictly DIY B&W perspective, of which I am a big advocate. My assumption is that you have not forgotten the basics of processing. DIY processing, if you do decide to go that way, cannot be beaten for the sheer feeling of achievement that comes with the wet darkroom experience - it is also more cost effective than commercial processing. Enlargers can be purchased for a pittance these days, but make sure you acquire a cracking enlarger lens to complement the quality of your Leica camera lenses. You may find these threads illuminating: Time to have a go Darkroom Digest Film processing You may also need to pick up a film scanner ($£€¥!), but only if you will need to digitise your negatives. Hope this helps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share #7 Posted October 15, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I remember how to do it all... cibachrome printing, c-prints, and B&W. However, I have no desire to make a darkroom in my tiny NYC apartment. I would be ok with developing the film there, but not printing. I was thinking more along the lines of digitizing my negatives and printing digital. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted November 5, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted November 5, 2009 More questions: Ultimately I would like to receive prints + CD. I would like them to be of very good quality (as long as I did my part in this). I have a few questions... 1) Do any labs make full frame prints or are all labs going to give me 4x6 prints that are cropped? 2) How good, generally speaking, are the scans of my negatives that come on these CDs? 3) What professional level labs should I be looking at using (besides the ones already mentioned)?\ Any assistance would be appreciated... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted November 5, 2009 Share #9 Posted November 5, 2009 You mention borders, so I`ll give you my take. Digital finally allows proper borders instead of having a lab mask off the image to create a border. MPIX will not significantly crop your image on borderless as long as the image you furnish is the same ratio as final print. If you have a digital file from scanning or a digital camera, Add a border in the computer. Some consumer labs will crop off a lot. Some better labs will crop off little. Give them a test file and adjust. If you want a 3/16 border, furnish a 1/4" border and let them crop it. It is imperative you crop the image in your computer to the proper length/width before adding the border or you may get a border on two sides only. Good work is expensive just like good anything. If you invest in Leica, either do it yourself or pay for pro processing or you will wish you just got a digital P&S which make a pretty nice 5x7 by the way. Have the image scanned with no prints and then work it in your computer. Most all places accept orders via internet with a file transfer program, either furnished of you buy a generic. The prints are returned mail order. You can burn/dodge and change saturation and anything else in the computer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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