Recommendation need for lab - NOT AG Photo

[Dan Berke]

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I usually process my own b&W film but was quite busy so I thought I would try and find a decent lab. After looking around on various forums I sent two test rolls to AG, followed a couple of days later by a couple more.

 

When the 1st batch of film came back I was absolutely appalled. Both films were scratched with long horizontal scratches (one worse than the other) and both were covered with dust.

 

I was certain it was not my camera, a Leica M6, which I had bought from Stephens Premier very recently and was in pristine condition (as all the equipment is from them). Also rolls I had shot and processed before and after were absolutely fine (including the ones I sent a couple of days later).

 

I have enough experience to know that the likely cause was unclean rollers in the drums.

 

I sent the negatives to AG with a letter. As I say these were test rolls of my daughter, thankfully I had not sent anything critical. I did not receive the courtesy of a response.

 

Certainly I will not be using AG again. Anyone can make an error and I would understand that but to not respond to a reasonable complaint is wholly unacceptable.

 

I would be grateful for any recommendations for an alternate, reliable lab in the UK.

 

Thank you

Edited November 30, 2014 by Dan Berke
omission

[Stealth3kpl]

I tend to use Snaps in Bournemouth.

If you have a valuable film, try UK Film Lab. I've not used them myself, but I plan to. They look very professional.

Pete

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[Dan Berke]

Thank you - I will try them. I have read good things about Genie too if anyone else has any experience?

[andybarton]

Peak Imaging in Sheffield are very good.

[250swb]

Yes Peak are good, and there is the Ilford Lab as well, but if you already process your own that is the answer.

 

Steve

[Jaybob]

I hope this doesn't come across as me being a jerk....I can only speak for myself, but I would suggest that you always process your own black and white film. Even pre-digital, I never once have sent a roll of black and white film out to be processed.

 

When I'm measuring and inverting and timing though the process, it's too easy to do right, too easy to repeat, and I'm responsible for it. The side benefit is I don't complain about a twelve dollar per roll service that wasn't done to my standards on the internet, as my second post in a community.

[Dan Berke]

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Thank you for your recommendations - Jax you are quite right, I enjoy b&w and after some teething problems, I now do a pretty good job.

I have never processed C41 so was looking for somewhere to send to send Portra. I will give Peak a whirl.

 

Dan

[wattsy]

I hope this doesn't come across as me being a jerk....I can only speak for myself, but I would suggest that you always process your own black and white film. blah blah... The side benefit is I don't complain about a twelve dollar per roll service that wasn't done to my standards on the internet, as my second post in a community.

 

It does come across that way (which I'm sure is how you meant it to).

 

If a company offers a processing service, the user of the service is perfectly entitled to expect that the negs come back free of scratches and not "covered with dust" and, if that happens, I'm interested to hear about it. The "you should do it yourself" response is a red herring and an unnecessary putdown.

[Jaybob]

Not Guilty.

 

I did attempt to be succinct. Maybe if I had typed "The side benefit is I don't find myself complaining..." Believe me, if someone I never met asked me exactly the same question at a dinner party, or at a wedding, or playing golf, I would have responded exactly the same and it would have been seen (and heard...) as more of a laughable "lesson learned" moment. My last intention was to get you, wattsy (and that new camera of yours), all up in a snit.

 

My first photography instructor in college stressed the importance of a repeatable, consistent, uniform process when it came to B&W. Find an emulsion you like, (TMax 100 or 400 for me) find a developer you like, (D-76, 1 to 1) find a proper fixing time and technique, and hopefully, you can find your rhythm and a few meditative moments during the inversions...(blah blah blah...right?). Sending B&W out has never entered my own personal or professional "workflow". Black and White film is a commitment, and for me, that commitment isn't interrupted with a step that includes having someone else do the processing. It ends for me when I'm cutting down dried negs.

 

I get it, DIY isn't for everyone. The ONLY reason I typed anything at all is the OP's first sentence was "I usually process my own b&W film..."

 

If AG Photo is not responding to your actual letters (!!), pick up the phone and call them 3 or four times a day until they address your concerns.

Edited December 4, 2014 by Jaybob

[250swb]

The "you should do it yourself" response is a red herring and an unnecessary putdown.

 

 

 

 

Its not getting behind somebody to advocate they continue to search for labs when they have the potential resolution to the problem in their own hands. More like a vote of no confidence and hardly an inspirational speech.

 

To the OP, C41 is as easy to do at home as traditional B&W.

 

 

Steve

Edited December 4, 2014 by 250swb

[Dan Berke]

I am delighted to say that some 3-4 weeks after I sent the scratched negatives back to AG Labs with a letter, I came home today to a package from them.

 

There was no letter explaining why this had happened or apologising, however they had worked some magic to provide me with CDs containing unscratched and dust free photos and 6x4 prints (which I hadn't ordered) but now look great.

 

Clearly this shows what they can do and perhaps they will improve their QC - I must say the 'fixed' scans look fantastic.

[Jaybob]

Awesome!!

[Stealth3kpl]

I wonder if they weren't scratches but dust in the scanner causing calibration lines (I don't know the correct term). That was the problem with this film, also sent to AG Photographic:

 

20131001-00840015 by Sky-nerd, on Flickr

 

They offered a rescan, but I didn't feel happy about sending off the negs again (or having to spend time searching through the pages of negatives to find those affected). They're only holiday snaps, after all. Maybe I should?

Pete

[Jon Warwick]

I also think Peak are superb. I've always received perfect negatives back. Both C41 and B&W. This is comparing Peak to some of the best pro labs around. I think they process B&W in xtol, which is very good sharp and grain free developer. I also understand that Peak uses a dip and dunk process.