plasticman Posted May 7, 2012 Share #21 Posted May 7, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hopefully something better will rise, phoenix-like, from the ashes of the mini labs. Film will live on. Well they're already there: the small pro labs. Support them and their personal service, and they'll stick around. Boots and the other chains never really gave a flying about film development. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 7, 2012 Posted May 7, 2012 Hi plasticman, Take a look here Boots UK to close 160 film mini-labs. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
M9reno Posted May 7, 2012 Share #22 Posted May 7, 2012 ^^ I hope I am not hijacking the thread by asking: Which ones do you recommend? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted May 7, 2012 Share #23 Posted May 7, 2012 Small pro labs have been closing faster than mini-labs for years over here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted May 7, 2012 Share #24 Posted May 7, 2012 ^^ I hope I am not hijacking the thread by asking: Which ones do you recommend? I'm keen on Peak Imaging. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted May 7, 2012 Share #25 Posted May 7, 2012 I use Peak for my 120 stuff. They are excellent, with a good turn round time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted May 7, 2012 Share #26 Posted May 7, 2012 Welcome to the ILFORD Lab Direct website - Black and white photo prints | Silver Gelatin prints | Black and white film processing prints | Black and White Prints from Film | Black and White Prints from Digital | Ilford Lab | Film processing lab For Black and White both 35/120 formats. They use dip and dunk machines so no scratches from the rollers because there are none. Last few posts on my flickr are from them and their scans (standard) Rollei Retro 100 and Kodak 5222 (Kodak XX) they are happy with self loads, if you remember what you loaded. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasticman Posted May 7, 2012 Share #27 Posted May 7, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) ^^ I hope I am not hijacking the thread by asking: Which ones do you recommend? For Swedish forum members I truly recommend Team Framkallning. I found the lab through a personal recommendation on this forum, and I have no hesitation whatsoever in passing on a very warm endorsement. Veikko (who runs the place) is a really lovely and dedicated professional, and he always tries really hard to meet every special requirement (such as special handling for some very random rolls exposed with a home-made pinhole that I handed over last week). Worth mentioning that he hand-soups black-and-white these days, as well as having a good stock of film for sale. A really great place, and worth supporting! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted May 7, 2012 Share #28 Posted May 7, 2012 Two places to never get your film processed: 1. Boots. 2. Snappy Snaps. Good riddance. I've always found Snappy Snaps very good, and have used several of their stores. They also seem to employ people who have an interest in photography. Unlike Boots! What was your experience? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rulnacco Posted May 7, 2012 Share #29 Posted May 7, 2012 Despite some of the celebratory posts here, I don't see this as a good thing. In order for manufacturers to keep producing film and chemicals, there has to be enough mass to make it profitable. We may sneer at Lomographers and people who use your basic old Gold or Superia. But if they are contributing to Kodak's and Fuji's bottom lines, then those companies can perhaps continue to produce the professional films that I like to use - and the chemistry needed to process both pro and consumer film. I'm sure there are a *lot* more people runnIng about with cheap plastic cameras than with film Ms. I'd much rather see an expansion of places where folks like that can get convenient and relatively cheap processing. If they can, they may keep at it - and in the process help support my habit - while if it becomes too difficult and expensive, they won't seek out the (increasingly rare) small pro labs. They'll just say the heck with it and use digital. Colour film is more difficult to engineer, I'm sure, than black and white, and less easy to process at home - especially when you can't get the chemistry. (Anyone gotten their hands on a Kodak 5-litre E-6 kit lately?) Kodak can't afford to keep something around that's not profitable, and Fuji's making enough off their other business interests that they're not going to prop up something that's losing money. And no one else is gonna step in and make new colour film if those two quit - it would be mad, business wise. I'd personally rather not cut off my nose to spite my face. So I am concerned about Boots getting out of processing. Besides, I've always had good luck with the one in Croydon, which is where I take rolls that I need back quickly or which I don't feel like scanning myself. Like the roll I'm dropping off there tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lumen Posted May 7, 2012 Share #30 Posted May 7, 2012 All things being equal (cost/quality) I'd always support the business run by real people who are enthusiastic over a big business in it (solely) for the money- and as I get much better prints from my lab for the same cost its an easy decision to make. Besides, who else will support the difficult and niche services as they get less popular? Photo Imaging North Wales do a terrific job with prints and negatives- and they operate a mail service for C41/ B&W in 120 and 35mm amongst other things (like XPan development and printing if you're lucky enough to be wanting such). Anyway its a dedicated lab run by professionals who know what they're doing and I'm very happy with their work and postal service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted May 7, 2012 Share #31 Posted May 7, 2012 That's good to know. Thanks. Could be there in an hour from here (at a push). But then again, it is North Wales, so pushing it isn't a sensible option Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil U Posted May 7, 2012 Share #32 Posted May 7, 2012 +1 for peak imaging in the uk. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lumen Posted May 7, 2012 Share #33 Posted May 7, 2012 Ha ha! Very true; although there is a new footpath if you ever fancied a saunter! Today was Ektar in the morning and Neopan 1600 in the afternoon (which I'm looking forward to getting back, not having used anything faster than 400 before)- so probably better bring the brolly too:) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted May 8, 2012 Share #34 Posted May 8, 2012 I agree with much of what you say, convenience is a huge factor for most people in terms of what they choose. However where has anyone here sneered at Lomographers or snapshooters? Lomography is taken quite seriously, so much so that they offer their own processing services. Check their website or visit their store in London. However, imagine if said person takes their holiday snaps to Boots and they get back a mashed up roll of film, and images with streaks and lines all over them, they might feel it's not worth bothering with anyway. Boots Croydon branch was the one which ruined two rolls of film. What's worse they didn't say anything to me when I collected my films, they obviously expected me to accept ruined photos. Fortunately the photos weren't of any real importance, but very disappointing even so. I was also fobbed off at first when I returned them. Then when I demanded a refund I was refused at first and had to return when the store manager was there. So no, I'm not sorry to see an operation that provides unacceptable service disappear. Do yourself a favour, go to Snappy Snaps in the High Street instead! Despite some of the celebratory posts here, I don't see this as a good thing. In order for manufacturers to keep producing film and chemicals, there has to be enough mass to make it profitable. We may sneer at Lomographers and people who use your basic old Gold or Superia. But if they are contributing to Kodak's and Fuji's bottom lines, then those companies can perhaps continue to produce the professional films that I like to use - and the chemistry needed to process both pro and consumer film. I'm sure there are a *lot* more people runnIng about with cheap plastic cameras than with film Ms. I'd much rather see an expansion of places where folks like that can get convenient and relatively cheap processing. If they can, they may keep at it - and in the process help support my habit - while if it becomes too difficult and expensive, they won't seek out the (increasingly rare) small pro labs. They'll just say the heck with it and use digital. Colour film is more difficult to engineer, I'm sure, than black and white, and less easy to process at home - especially when you can't get the chemistry. (Anyone gotten their hands on a Kodak 5-litre E-6 kit lately?) Kodak can't afford to keep something around that's not profitable, and Fuji's making enough off their other business interests that they're not going to prop up something that's losing money. And no one else is gonna step in and make new colour film if those two quit - it would be mad, business wise. I'd personally rather not cut off my nose to spite my face. So I am concerned about Boots getting out of processing. Besides, I've always had good luck with the one in Croydon, which is where I take rolls that I need back quickly or which I don't feel like scanning myself. Like the roll I'm dropping off there tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter H Posted May 8, 2012 Share #35 Posted May 8, 2012 Hopefully something better will rise, phoenix-like, from the ashes of the mini labs. Film will live on. Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe. Voltaire Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyoung Posted May 8, 2012 Share #36 Posted May 8, 2012 Metro in Birmingham is good and quick in my experience, and they stock Provia too Gerry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rulnacco Posted May 8, 2012 Share #37 Posted May 8, 2012 Hi, James. No one *directly* sneered at Lomographers (I do regularly give a mate of mine some stick for being too arty for using a Holga), but there is, I think, a bit of Leica snobbery evident here in some posts, which seems to believe that companies are going to continue to produce colour film to satisfy the minute percentage of the picture-taking public that is comprised of M users who use it, and that pro labs are going to ignore their financial self interest and stay open in order to process this trickle of film. And that the death of local processing for casual snappers has no effect on us here. Sorry you had a bad experience at Boots, and they deserved the reaming you gave them. (Of course, if you were a Lomographer, wouldn't what they did to your film be an "interesting accident" which enhanced the "artistic effect" of your photos? ) I've been lucky there. Never had a bad experience with damaged film or poor service. Oh, and I did take my roll of film today to Snappy Snaps, as when I got to Boots, their system was down for maintenance! SS did good work, but at around four quid more than Boots charges, I'd rather have them stick around for casual processing. God knows what Snappy Snaps will charge when the competition dies. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted May 8, 2012 Share #38 Posted May 8, 2012 Hi, James. No one *directly* sneered at Lomographers (I do regularly give a mate of mine some stick for being too arty for using a Holga), but there is, I think, a bit of Leica snobbery evident here in some posts, which seems to believe that companies are going to continue to produce colour film to satisfy the minute percentage of the picture-taking public that is comprised of M users who use it, and that pro labs are going to ignore their financial self interest and stay open in order to process this trickle of film. And that the death of local processing for casual snappers has no effect on us here. M users are a tiny minority of the overall number of film camera users. Don't underestimate just how many people are still using film. Most of those are enthusiasts now rather than your typical snapper who has since taken to using the phonecam or a basic P&S digital. Hence the customers who traditionally took thier films to Boots have dwindled to the point where they can earn more revenue by using the floorspace for the minicabs to sell more sandwiches, shower gel and paracetamol! Snappy snaps aren't the cheapest but cheaper than a pro lab if you need a quick turnaround. They will also do process and scan only, a low res CD that's fine for web use and proofs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongrelnomad Posted May 9, 2012 Share #39 Posted May 9, 2012 I've always found Snappy Snaps very good, and have used several of their stores. They also seem to employ people who have an interest in photography. Unlike Boots! What was your experience? The problem with Snappy Snaps is that (as I understand it) it is a franchise model. That means that the quality of service varies wildly depending on the location. I've never had wonderful experiences, but there are one or two labs I would classify is ok in a pinch. Many more (most?) are truly awful. Old chemicals, bad processing, scratched films. You name it, it's happened. Yes they are very competitively priced (cheap if you compare to any of the pro/prosumer labs), but I have found it is generally not worth the risk. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted May 9, 2012 Share #40 Posted May 9, 2012 Well maybe I've been lucky, never had a problem with Snappy. I have to say I've been disappointed with most of the pro labs I've used in the past too - same problems, scratches on film, poor quality printing, and on two occassions downright rude service (I think they think they can get away with shoddy work when they know you're an amateur - what right have I got to tell them their work isn't satisfactory!!). A consistently good lab is a rare find. I knew of two, both closed down or were bought out and closed, long before the onset of digital photography, however. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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