MPerson Posted October 5, 2012 Share #1 Posted October 5, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Matt at Ag Photographic posted earlier this week on the FADU forum: "Ag PHOTO LAB launches this Friday, 5 October. Ag Photographic has taken over the well known Birmingham photo lab, Peter Gaffney's Metro Colour lab. Established since 1946, the lab is very well known, not just in the Birmingham area but also to customers throughout the UK." "By bringing the lab under one roof (equipment has now been re-located at the Ag premises) we are able to reduce overhead and concentrate on offering the best value and, critically, best quality photographic processing and printing services." Ag-Photolab Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 5, 2012 Posted October 5, 2012 Hi MPerson, Take a look here Ag Photographic opens new lab. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
earleygallery Posted October 5, 2012 Share #2 Posted October 5, 2012 Always nice to hear positive news about traditional photography! I'm happy to see the likes of Boots closing their minilabs and see more business directed to people like AG. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
honcho Posted October 5, 2012 Share #3 Posted October 5, 2012 I received their email this morning too. I have 33 rolls of 120 Velvia to be processed. AG process only cost £4.49 per roll with £7.41 bulk discount: £143.36 Peak Imaging process only cost £4.13 per roll with £20.44 bulk discount £115.84 Money talks. The films have gone to Sheffield. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted October 5, 2012 Share #4 Posted October 5, 2012 I shall give their C41 dev + scan a go today. Seems pretty reasonably priced. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjr1970 Posted October 6, 2012 Share #5 Posted October 6, 2012 Do they use a hanger process? Looking forward, it's almost impossible to find cheap pro labs in the Netherlands. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted October 7, 2012 Share #6 Posted October 7, 2012 Well, sending Post to the UK is expensive and while they are not joining the euro you get extra bank costs too. So for small business impossible to do transactions to the UK. The other way around exactly the same. Best regards, Robert Ps. Doing film development too in a small Jobo rotary machine and B&W in a Heiland TAS inverse processsing machine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanG Posted October 7, 2012 Share #7 Posted October 7, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) "By bringing the lab under one roof (equipment has now been re-located at the Ag premises) we are able to reduce overhead and concentrate on offering the best value and, critically, best quality photographic processing and printing services." No offense but I don't quite understand how this jogs with the thread's title. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted October 8, 2012 Share #8 Posted October 8, 2012 No offense but I don't quite understand how this jogs with the thread's title. I wouldn't worry about it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasticman Posted October 8, 2012 Share #9 Posted October 8, 2012 I wouldn't worry about it. Alan lies awake at night, tossing and turning in a turmoil of angst that someone, somewhere might be toiling under the grave misapprehension that film is making any sort of comeback. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted October 8, 2012 Share #10 Posted October 8, 2012 I wouldn't take this news as any sign of a come-back, given that it is the closure of one processor and another taking over the equipment. The news is "neutral" on the processing front, I'd say. It is good news that Ag consider it worthwhile taking on this equipment, even if the previous owner could no longer make it pay. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanG Posted October 8, 2012 Share #11 Posted October 8, 2012 Alan lies awake at night, tossing and turning in a turmoil of angst that someone, somewhere might be toiling under the grave misapprehension that film is making any sort of comeback. "To serve you better, we're going out of business." Actually all I had to do is read the announcement and understand what they were communicating. I didn't get how anyone reading it interpreted this as positive news and don't see why I was required to point this out to anyone. You seem to be presenting some kind of unreasonable fear against rationality. How does consolidating two businesses into one location get interpreted as "Ag opens new lab?" (outside of 1984's "newspeak.") In my area Chrome closed their lab, and merged with Dodge Color in Maryland to form Dodge/Chrome. Everyone here knew what was going on... no more Chrome lab in Georgetown. I just got two rolls of 120 b/w film. So in my world, film is making a major comeback since I haven't shot any in a while. On the micro level this is an example of support. But on the macro level an overall trend upwards is not supported by the evidence it seems. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted October 8, 2012 Share #12 Posted October 8, 2012 Ahh, c'mon, Alan! There is some good news in that report! Considering the alternative (note Maryland connection): Wolf Camera closing remaining stores | CharlotteObserver.com 800 stores to zero in 3 years. At least Metro Colour found a buyer. Our shop just hired one former Wolf/Ritz employee, and we have seen a jump in our own processing volume as orphaned Wolf customers look for alternatives. But in June there were 16 camera stores and/or labs in the Denver area, and now there are nine (and one of those is pursuing a license to become a gun dealer). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanG Posted October 8, 2012 Share #13 Posted October 8, 2012 Considering the alternative (note Maryland connection): Wolf Camera closing remaining stores | CharlotteObserver.com Part of Ritz Camera's liquidation. I was at their headquarters store last week. My late cousins who were in that business were friends with the late Ed Ritz since the 40s. (And all of the other old time cameras store owners.) Sad but times have changed. I understand a few stores may remain. Penn camera also went bankrupt but three of their 8 stores are owned by Calumet now. I know several owners of closed camera stores and labs too. (And some "former" photographers.) Decline in sales of film, processing, and other expendables is a factor but so is competition from the internet and big box stores. Some Radio Shack stores even sell DSLRs as well as lower end cameras now. The idea of a local knowledgeable mom and pop camera store that enthusiasts hang out in is disappearing. Forums like this one are replacing some of that interaction too. I also used to bump into a lot of friends at the lab or camera stores where I bought my supplies. Bicycle shops are a lot like that now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted October 8, 2012 Share #14 Posted October 8, 2012 I wouldn't take this news as any sign of a come-back, given that it is the closure of one processor and another taking over the equipment. The news is "neutral" on the processing front, I'd say. I believe that, until now, Ag had only been dipping their toes in the processing water (so to speak) with a limited C41 dev-only service. By effectively taking over (the presumably ailing) Metro Colour, Ag will now be able to offer a full lab service in conjunction with their very successful (and expanding) film supplies business. Assuming the service is good, I'd imagine they will be able to leverage the Ag brand to possibly become one of the key mail order labs in the UK. To me, this is positive rather than "neutral" news. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
honcho Posted October 9, 2012 Share #15 Posted October 9, 2012 Following on from my previous post above: Last Friday (5th) I sent 33 rolls of 120 RVP 50 to Peak Imaging for process only. The processed films arrived this morning (9th), clean and well packaged and are now waiting to be scanned. The cost was £27.52 cheaper than AG. By comparison, three weeks ago I ordered a consignment of film and chemistry from AG (Delta 100, FP4+ & Delta 400, all 120 size). I am still waiting for delivery. Whilst it's always good news to hear of another outlet offering a service for film users, AG need to tighten up their act if they are going to compete with the likes of Peak. I have no affiliation to any lab or retailer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyoung Posted October 10, 2012 Share #16 Posted October 10, 2012 I sent 8 rolls of E6 to Metro on Monday last week, usually it takes 3-4 days. I got them back yesterday from Ag, with a letter giving the news about the merger/takeover and moving equipment etc etc, so it might be that the moves have delayed things. I suspect the merger is no more than Peter Gaffney wanting to retire. The new Ag price list showed prices for E6 increased by about 50p a roll over Metro's Jan 2012 price list, and postage increases which are not surprising since the Post Office increased prices in the spring. I was charged the Jan '12 prices though. Gerry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted October 29, 2012 Share #17 Posted October 29, 2012 Had a few rolls processed by AG Photo under their initial 'dev only' deal and (having been out of the country for the last seven or so weeks), discovered the change last night when I went to their website. Will put a roll in the post today and see how the results from their 'new' lab compare. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
moikle Posted October 30, 2012 Share #18 Posted October 30, 2012 It is good news that Ag consider it worthwhile taking on this equipment, even if the previous owner could no longer make it pay. I believe Peter Gaffney wants to retire hence the reason for the sale. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted November 1, 2012 Share #19 Posted November 1, 2012 Posted a roll of Kodak Portra 160 earlier this week and received the negs yesterday (Wed) afternoon - a commendably quick turn-round and the negs are free from dust marks etc. As the film is from my Rolleicord Vb, I can't include an example here, but one can be seen here. Scanned with my Epson V700 using the Epson Scan software at it's default settings colour-wise. A few tweaks in LR4 prior to exporting as .jpg. I will certainly be using AG's service again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyoung Posted August 22, 2013 Share #20 Posted August 22, 2013 Posted 6 rolls to Ag on 12 August, rang today (22) to enquire why no sign of them, told they are waiting for slide mounts from Germany, 'who close down for holidays all August' It will be another two weeks before they get mounts it seems. No email or anything to explain! Best not send them there if you can't wait! Gerry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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