Drug Store Scans suggestions from C41 B&W film

[thebarnman]

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I went to three Walgreens. The original and two different ones.

 

All three tried scanning just one of the images and the results were pretty much the same. There was one Walgreens that had a different machine and it gave the best results, however there was still noise.

 

My conclusion, their equipment simply does not do a good job of scanning C41 B&W negatives. I've looked closely of samples of their color scans and don't see the problem I'm getting with the B&W negatives.

 

In my search for a decent low cost alternative, I've took the negatives to Walmart. It looks like the equipment is the same, but who knows...maybe the model number is different (or it's either newer or older...) In any case, I'll find out sometime soon if I get the same kind of results.

 

And there's a warning...I learned Walmart when given a roll of film, it's not done at the store...it's all sent out and all you will only get back is a CD...NO NEGATIVES! They took their development equipment away.

 

I'm told soon, they won't even have the scanning equipment there anymore. They are taking the scanning equipment away from the East Coast first, then taking them away from the West Coast.

[Michael Hiles]

The local Walmart photo shop says they will be eliminating their C41 machine next year. Worrisome, since they are close, cheap and they do an excellent job.

 

I never had them scan anything - in my opinion, scanning has much in common with printing. It is easy to do, and any slack-jawed bozo can do something. But good printing and good scanning are something different. I do both scans and wet prints myself, and I get better scans and better prints than via any other method reasonably available to me. It is one of the many things where some investment (some time, a little money) in learning and doing pays off - and I don't think there are any practical alternatives.

 

There is a fundamental law. Of three canonical elements - speed, cost and quality - you can only optimize two at once. I think our OP is chasing an unattainable goal.

[DaveO]

I've heard that Costco does a better job than Walgreens or Walmart. The scans may be better or not though.

I've been looking at scanning my old slides, but decided to try copying them with my D 80 and a 105mm AIS micro lens and a Nikon 3T close up lens using a LED light pad. The results haven't been too bad. Of course, you have negatives. There are a couple of slide and negative copiers that are pretty cheap you might try. One is the Ion Omni Scan Stand Alone image and slide scanner for $ 129. I believe it is really an image copier than a scanner though and does a 14 mp copy. It does negatives and slides.

There is also a 14 mp PanaVue Pana Scan slide and film scanner for $ 129. I believe ther is a cheaper model that does a 5 mp copy for $ 89.

Pacific imaging also has some low priced models. I don't have any of these copiers/scanners so I can't comment on the quality of the copy . As I said I am using my digital camera instead.

[koray]

I appreciate your help, though I'm trying to get away from sending stuff through the mail or having to do the scanning myself. (though if there really is an easy way to scan them at home, like a small little flatbed, that would be nice)

 

I used to (and still have) a Minolta Duel Scan II scanner I bought some years ago. Never liked it and wish I never bought it. Slow, loud and images looked really crappy.

 

Since you mentioned it, I would like to point at something here: your Minolta Scan Dual II is a very capable scanner when it comes to B&W (not the C41 but the real silver thing). Yes, it is a slow and tedious job, but it delivers. If you choose smaller dpi on it the results are much quicker. The latest version (Minolta Scan Dual IV) is much faster, has better colours, but not better resolution, by the way!

 

Sorry this was no help to you, but maybe someone else may be interested in what I say.

 

K.

[thebarnman]

The local Walmart photo shop says they will be eliminating their C41 machine next year. Worrisome, since they are close, cheap and they do an excellent job.

 

I never had them scan anything - in my opinion, scanning has much in common with printing.

 

You may have had them scan everything without you knowing it? I'm saying that because at least in my area, prints AND/OR scans all come from scans.

 

Another words, if you were just getting one reprint from a negative, it's scanned first, then printed.

[thebarnman]

I recently picked up a reprint of one of the C41 B&W negatives from Walmart.

 

It was perfect. It was so good, I had to call them to make sure if the 4x6 print I received from the negative was printed optically or first scanned digitally then printed.

 

I was assured it was from a scan of the negative.

 

So at this point, it seems like my option is to have C41 B&W negatives developed at Walgreens (so I can get my negatives back) and take them to Walmart to have them scanned and put onto a CD.

 

The only downside to that is the extra cost. The reprints at Walmart are 29 cents each and $2.96 for the CD. Not too bad, but my local Walgreens charges $4.99 for development only.

 

So we're talking $18.39 for one roll of B&W C41 negatives.

 

At that price, I could take it to a pro lab and it would probably cost a little less, though the problem with that is (and what I'm trying to avoid) is the drive across town and the pro lab does not do one hour. And so that would be two trips across town...since they only develop on certain days. That's 80 minutes of driving back and forth two times.

 

I could call Walmart and see if it's possible if I can have C41 negatives sent out for development and CD, and have the negatives returned. Even if they say yes, I'd always be worried and wondering if the negatives really will come back or not!

[stunsworth]

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When Walmart scan your negatives for printing they do so at a much higher resolution than 72 dpi.

 

The poor scans that you are getting back from them at 72 dpi will be created by downsizing the original higher resolution scans. If you take the negatives back to them they will rescan then negatives and repeat this process - though without producing the print - and you are likely to get just as poor scans as when they originally produced the prints.

 

Ask them to provide a higher resolution scan. Then resize it yourself to what ever pixel size you want. That should give you the quality you're looking for.

 

Alternatively try another lab

[earleygallery]

And there's a warning...I learned Walmart when given a roll of film, it's not done at the store...it's all sent out and all you will only get back is a CD...NO NEGATIVES! They took their development equipment away.

 

:confused:

 

Why don't they return your negatives? That's just plain stupid - someone made a mistake, more likely.

 

You need to find another lab, preferably one that employs people with brains.

[waltere54]

I don't have any experience with chromogenic film or scans from it, but I get my C-41 developed only & scanned to a CD for about $4.00 at Sam's. The scans are decent, 300 dpi at about 5x7. I use them for the web, but scan them myself for large prints.

Good luck!

[thebarnman]

:confused:

 

Why don't they return your negatives? That's just plain stupid - someone made a mistake, more likely.

 

You need to find another lab, preferably one that employs people with brains.

 

It's just what I've been told by the people working there. That only happens when it's sent out and the only thing you get is the CD and prints since Walmart does not do the developing at the store anymore.

 

I freaked when I was told that. I asked, don't people complain about not getting their negatives back? People don't seem to care as long as they have the CD.

 

Reprints are done at the store, so negatives are returned. Soon I'm told (probably in about three years,) they won't be doing reprints anymore (and that goes for digital reprints too.) All that will be done out of the store.

[thebarnman]

When Walmart scan your negatives for printing they do so at a much higher resolution than 72 dpi.

 

 

I do know for sure when Walgreens scans or prints from negatives, it's all at 72 dpi. Another words, there's no difference in the way it's scanned for either of the services. It's the pixel resolution that's big enough for printing (turned into 300 dpi,) it's enough to make a 4x6 print.

 

I would have to call Walmart's photo department to know if they scan it any differently for prints as apposed to scans for a CD. That would be interesting to know.

 

 

 

Ask them to provide a higher resolution scan. Then resize it yourself to what ever pixel size you want. That should give you the quality you're looking for.

 

 

I know Walgreens cannot provide higher resolution scans. With Walmart, again I would have to ask.

 

 

 

Alternatively try another lab

 

When it comes to C41 B&W, I just might.

 

 

UPDATE...

 

I just called my local Walmart and asked two questions.

 

 

1. If I were to send my film out for development, can I request to have my negatives returned.

 

The answer is "No."

 

 

2. Do you scan the negatives any differently when making a print or a scan for a CD.

 

The answer is "No."

 

 

That was the end of the conversation!

 

 

At the end of the day, I like how the scans turn out at Walmart. Unfortunately, I have to get my film developed somewhere else if I want to keep my negatives. Like you said, to avoid having to go to two different places for C41 B&W development and scans, I might want to try another lab.

 

By the way, for film like Retro 80s, I don't mess around. I either send that to Dr5 for reverse processing, or take it to a pro lab...all depending if I want slides or not and how much money I want to spend.