Keith (M) Posted December 16, 2016 Share #81 Posted December 16, 2016 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) To sum my recent experiences with Labs (originally posted in the "I like film... (Open Thread)" ) On the subject of Labs, over the last couple of weeks I have had results back from (1) MeinLab (Germany), (2) Canadian Film Lab and (3) Palm Lab Birmingham. (1) & (2) were 35mm C41 dev & scan. In both cases the scanned files are excellent, better than I could achieve in terms of resolution etc with my V700. Very pleased with the results - albeit at a price. (3) were E6 & C41 6x6cm & 6x9cm dev only. Quick turnaround, inexpensive. Excellent clean results, minimum effort needed to clone out dust spots etc. Scanned at 3200dpi on my V700 and imported into LR CC - which is where the fun begins in trying to achieve a neutral colour balance, freedom from colour casts etc. For 120 roll film I will use Palm Lab again. For 35mm C41 - the decision is more difficult. Mein Lab are decidedly quicker but a little more expensive. Black & white? Simples - I develop them at the kitchen sink, scan the same day, no colour balance problems! Edited December 16, 2016 by Keith (M) 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 16, 2016 Posted December 16, 2016 Hi Keith (M), Take a look here Good UK Developing and scanning Labs. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Mike (nicodemus3d) Posted January 24, 2017 Share #82 Posted January 24, 2017 Just want to chime in with my 2 pence worth here. I tried Aperture and West End Cameras in London, but wasn't thrilled with the results. I have since started using AG Photo lab in Birmingham and am really happy with the results. I've had around 20 rolls developed, scanned and printed by AG so far, both Black and White and C41. Turnaround time is not too bad (usually 10 days, was 20 days after Christmas, but I expected longer around that time). 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted January 26, 2017 Share #83 Posted January 26, 2017 Really????????? I may be spending much of the next two months in London and just presumed the film situation would be like NYC, plenty of choices. There is no London spot that develops and scans B&W and color negatives at a pro level? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsgary Posted January 26, 2017 Share #84 Posted January 26, 2017 Really????????? I may be spending much of the next two months in London and just presumed the film situation would be like NYC, plenty of choices. There is no London spot that develops and scans B&W and color negatives at a pro level?Best camera shops are also not in London Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
almoore Posted January 26, 2017 Share #85 Posted January 26, 2017 Really?????????...There is no London spot that develops and scans B&W and color negatives at a pro level? Yes, there is. Metro is one of the best film labs you'll find anywhere in the world: http://www.metroimaging.co.uk/photographic-film-processing-scanning 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted January 26, 2017 Share #86 Posted January 26, 2017 Best camera shops are also not in London Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk Thanks! Other good camera shops in the US outside of NYC, but not the variety. LA is good, SF and CHI less so. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted January 26, 2017 Share #87 Posted January 26, 2017 Advertisement (gone after registration) Yes, there is. Metro is one of the best film labs you'll find anywhere in the world: http://www.metroimaging.co.uk/photographic-film-processing-scanning Thanks, if I do end up in London for a while I will check them out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsgary Posted January 26, 2017 Share #88 Posted January 26, 2017 One of the best used to be walking distance from my home UK film lab now Canadian film lab I can still send it to their UK address and it's shipped to Canada, quite a few on here use them Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted January 26, 2017 Share #89 Posted January 26, 2017 One of the best used to be walking distance from my home UK film lab now Canadian film lab I can still send it to their UK address and it's shipped to Canada, quite a few on here use them Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk Thanks, but if I was going to go through the mail I would use my guy in NYC......the ColorHouse FYI, in case you want to check them out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted April 28, 2017 Share #90 Posted April 28, 2017 Just to update on Canadian Film Lab, I sent 10 rolls of 120 C41 around Easter via the UK address posted 10/4 and scans were ready for download 26/4 with easter intervening. Same high quality as previously, immaculately clean scans to my stated preferences. Pro400H scans posted straight after size reduction in Phocus. Hasselblad H1 80mm HC 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mechanical_shutter Posted June 11, 2017 Share #91 Posted June 11, 2017 Hello everyone, I've signed up to the forum just now to thank you all who shared your experience in this thread. I myself have been through so many labs trying to find one I like. I was a regular UK Film Lab customer until they moved, and couldn't fault them. I've not sent any films over to them in Canada yet, but think I might have to resort to that. Here's my experience with some of the labs mentioned so far in this thread. Aperture UK - Weird redeye reduction applied to 35mm C-41 scans. Automated minilab. Like two eye sized spots were desaturated but those spots missed the eyes and they were not flash shots anyway. Shots were unusable and Aperture were seriously rude and unhelpful about it. I had to argue my case just to get a refund. UK Film Lab - Excellent. My only complaint was how long I had to wait sometimes to get the scans back. Carmencita Film Lab - I used them for a quite a while after UKFL moved, for C-41, B&W and E-6. They produced really excellent, bright frontier/portra/wedding look scans until recently, when both quality of scans started to drop (colour, consistency) and the lab made mistake after mistake. My last three orders all had to be chased, and/or had to be rescanned (more than once), and they've completely wiped my rolls of E-6. I say "they", but eventually they told me they outsource their E-6 processing (something they don't mention on their website). On top of that, each time it took me emailing at least twice, sometimes four times, before they responded to me, so it seems customers service dropped off a cliff. Will never use them again. John Salim Photographic - I send my E-6 stuff to John for processing only, and will continue to do so. Always great, fast turnaround, great communication. Just a shame I have to scan them myself. AG Photolab - B&W scans are always super flat - okay if you feel like setting contrast yourself. I don't love their scans, probably just a personal thing. Exposure Film Lab - I sent them a roll of Pro400H 6x7 to try them out. I really wanted to like this lab. Prices are okay, return shipping for negatives is cheap. They even process remjet backed stuff! But the colours were a bit weird. They don't seem to have mastered skin tones in the way that the likes of UKFL, Richard Photo lab, etc. have. They have the potential to slip into the gap in the market where UKFL sat but don't seem to be doing it. Artful Dodgers Imaging - Have also tried once for colour C-41. I was happy (if not blown away a la UKFL or early Carmencita) with the scans, but the price was high for the scan size – something typical of the London pro labs. So, I still haven't settled. Anyone got any suggestions before I resort to sending my latest rolls across the Atlantic? 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mechanical_shutter Posted June 11, 2017 Share #92 Posted June 11, 2017 Really????????? I may be spending much of the next two months in London and just presumed the film situation would be like NYC, plenty of choices. There is no London spot that develops and scans B&W and color negatives at a pro level? There are loads of pro labs; Metro, Rapid Eye, Labyrinth, Photofusion, Artful Dodgers, Bayuex, etc. The problem (as I see it) is that their prices are generally high, their websites are generally a little unclear on prices and services, and it's difficult to find examples of their work, as they're not pushing stuff out on social media in the way that the likes of UKFL/Canadian Film Lab, Richard Photo Lab, Carmencita lab do. Then there are the minilabs types like Aperture, West End Cameras, whoever else. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted June 11, 2017 Share #93 Posted June 11, 2017 So, I still haven't settled. Anyone got any suggestions before I resort to sending my latest rolls across the Atlantic? Just bite the bullet and send them, my results were spot on, as usual, as posted above. I used the UK postal address they have for forwarding, I had trouble with the download, my inconsistent "medium to narrow" band connection and they split the file as soon as I asked, they understand customer service, they care (just a full paying customer BTW). Your round up is appreciated, glad you spent the time and money on our behalf and thanks for the Carmencita feedback in particular I was regretting not giving them a go. I read an article recently where a photographer purchased their own Frontier to scan, as you would expect the software and computer are problematic and I think you still need the eye to adjust with confidence it would pay for an awful lot of scanning. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham (G4FUJ) Posted June 18, 2017 Share #94 Posted June 18, 2017 I use "The Darkroom" in Cheltenham. OK, its local to me but the service has always been excellent. http://www.the-darkroom.co.uk/ Cheers, 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted July 7, 2017 Share #95 Posted July 7, 2017 In post #81 I mentioned Palm Film Lab of Birmingham. Posted a roll of 120 Ektar 100 to them Wed pm. Received the negs (very well packaged) back this morning (Fri). Not only were they well packaged but very importantly the negs are squeaky-clean i.e. free of embedded dust spots etc. £4.50 per roll (dev only), £3 return postage. PS - I have no connection with them, just a very pleased customer. Scanned with my V700 & EpsonScan software. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share #96 Posted July 30, 2017 Just to update on Canadian Film Lab, I sent 10 rolls of 120 C41 around Easter via the UK address posted 10/4 and scans were ready for download 26/4 with easter intervening. Same high quality as previously, immaculately clean scans to my stated preferences. Pro400H scans posted straight after size reduction in Phocus. Hasselblad H1 80mm HC Gosh, Canadianfilm lab are so good. I wonder what they do that others just can't manage. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted May 15, 2018 Author Share #97 Posted May 15, 2018 I just found this lab via an image posted on Facebook that looked good. Has anyone tried them? http://www.filmdev.co.uk/ Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted May 15, 2018 Share #98 Posted May 15, 2018 I just found this lab via an image posted on Facebook that looked good. Has anyone tried them? http://www.filmdev.co.uk/ Pete Yes, he (I think it is a one man band) is very good, helpful and prompt. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leica dream Posted May 15, 2018 Share #99 Posted May 15, 2018 I have just read through this thread as I am about to look for good labs. Years ago I used Peak Imaging in Sheffield (UK) and was satisfied. However, when running some B/W film through my newly acquired R6.2 recently I asked them for develop and scan. Negatives look fine and I have scanned using my Epson V700 Photo, but I was very disappointed with the Lab scanning. Maybe I did not access it properly or something, but the images were terrible - hence rescanning myself. Service was very quick and affordable, but scanning satisfaction low. I have noted the labs in this thread because I am now running Portra and shall need a good C41 lab. Thanks for all the debate. Keith's comments about MeinLab are encouraging but I shall look at others too. Richard Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted May 16, 2018 Share #100 Posted May 16, 2018 (edited) Some news from Canadian Photo lab if you were thinking of trying them from the thread from May 3rd 2018, there is more detail in their e-mail but this is the salient point for new and old customers: Hello to all of our valued friends and clients, We are writing with an important service update, to let you know that we will be closing for a few weeks. As of today (2nd May) any orders that are already in the lab or are currently on their way to us, will be processed as usual. However we would ask that you please don’t send in any more orders as of today, until we reopen. We don’t take this decision lightly, and we are committed to reopening the lab again as soon as we can, but we have decided that we need to temporarily close the lab for a few weeks in order to recover from significant health issues. We had hoped that we would be able to manage this whilst continuing to run our business, but unfortunately this is not possible just at the current time. Please be assured that we are fully committed to the lab, which is both our livelihood and our passion. However, we need to do this in order to be able to reopen in good health and continue to provide a high quality, consistent and reliable service to all our valued clients. We don’t have a firm date yet for our reopening, but we will keep you updated. Edited May 16, 2018 by chris_livsey Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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