Is one hour photo developing better than regular?

Question

where do you think is the best place to develope your pictures? Quality and price.

Answer 1

It comes down to a few things: availability, affordability, quality. My personal preference, as a photographer, is to have professionally-processed film. 1hr. or 24hr. processing is great if you're on the move and need it done immediately; HOWEVER, with a professional developer you are getting quality. The equipment is maintained by persons who have made photography a career -as opposed to some 19yr old at Walgreens or Longs who's just there to get paid and doesn't even pay attention to the quality of the print or the maintenance and cleanliness of the equipment.

The price you pay for professional prints IS more expensive, but it's worth it when they come back to you without smudges, inconsistent color, or distortions from an unclean lens during developing. Professional printers, for the most part, guarantee quality control and will often reprint if something is defective, or is not the result of the actual exposure.

One small example: I shoot with a film camera and use E6 slide film. That's the film used to produce slides. When I took my roll in, I told them I didn't want slides but prints. The film came back processed as slides. I told them they got the order wrong and they got the roll printed, but didn't charge me for the slides. They turned out great!

Professional printers are worth it because they go the extra mile and can answer questions about shooting photos -or why a photo may have turned out poorly.

If you can afford it, steer clear of the 1hr type developers.

Answer 2

It's not always better. Sometimes one hour photo isn't always ready in a hour. But, if you like getting your photos fast and rather than waiting 2 days or so, then yes 1 hour photo is better. Not to mention, if you want to do anything with your photos, like get another copy, you can get it faster with one hour. The quality of the photo is the same.

Answer 3

Nope, exactly the same.
Difference is how often the place changes the chemicals in the developer. They are expensive and generally places stretch them out as long as possible. If you go to a place that is past due to change them, your pictures can look washed out, grainy, off-color, etc.

Answer 4

Not necessarily better, but it's quicker. It just means they have a lab on-site, instead of sending it out and getting it back another day from another place.

I've tried Kroger's processing, and they're good!

By the way, I used to work for a camera store at a film counter. Kodak processing has gone way downhill, and the one hour places are probably better than sending them to Kodak.

By the way, not all one hour labs are staffed by teenagers who don't know what they're doing. My favorite local lab is a one-hour processing lab. It is owned and run by a man who used to work at a Kodak processing lab, but got tired of the way their quality of work was going downhill. He opened his own lab. His family runs it. The only problem is for me it's not quick processing. His lab is in another town that's an hour drive away! He delivers three times a week to the camera store I used to work for. His work is excellent! Most of Kodak's former customers are now sending their work to him, despite having to wait an extra day for their pictures.

Answer 5

No, it really makes no difference. All one hour places are the same. They use almost exactly the same equipment.

Answer 6

Sometimes they might pay special attention to your prints, like lighten it up or something if it needs it. And if any mistakes are made you know who to go to.

Answer 7

its faster, thats about it!