What difference does it make?

Question

Where I get my film processed? If I'm using colour negative film (C41 process) and I were to have it processed at a cheap consumer lab, what difference would that make compared to having the film processed at a pro lab? Intelligent answers please.

Thanks Carl and Den! That's exactly what I needed to know :-)

Thanks john

By the way, it's not the cost of processing that's the problem, it's the fact that there's no pro lab in my area and I can't be bothered waiting for courier... but I guess good things take time huh :-)

Hi Vance. my email is [e-mail]

Thanks again everyone for the valuable input. I got my first roll developed at a photo lab (not pro lab but they only deal in processing if that means anything) and they seem to have come out fine. The only thing that really concerned me is the colour. Maybe I should have been more specific in my question which should have been: Would there be any difference in the colour if I were to have film processed at a consumer lab rather than pro lab? By the way, I'm only getting the lab to process the film, not make prints. I'll be doing my own scanning.

Answer 1

I once had a Kodak lab chop my negatives in half. I've come to think of Kodak labs as the cheap ones since then. I've seen pictures come back with really off color, back when I worked at a film counter. The pro lab we used is owned by someone who used to work at the Kodak lab, and quit in frustration at the poor quality. This guy actually cares about his customers and their film. If your images don't look good, his lab doesn't look good. That's the difference I've noticed, and it was worth paying a little extra for it.

Answer 2

The answer is in the process. A cheaper consumer lab, like a Walgreens or Walmart use a machine to develop negatives. I have heard that some use sub-standard or watered down chemicals, or don't properly change chemicals after each run but that depends on which lab you use and it's not like you'd know just by walking up to the counter. The C-41 process has been a standard long enough for most labs, even cheaper more commercial labs for there to be any serious problems. But my concern would be the person they have running the machine, which at places like Target, usually are people with little or no experience in handling negatives. So I would have to question whether that person would handle my negatives with the same care that I would if I decided to process them myself. In the case of Target, the person working the one-hour film development counter is usually the same person working the floor. They used to sub all their photo processing to a thrid party company who subcontracted store level, which for me was more of an assurance. But, they have since stopped using a third party company to do film processing. A five or ten minute crash course in working the machine, given by a manager, and they're off developing film. Personally, these services are fine for thanksgiving snapshot photographs of my brothers and parents, but if I had a roll of film with serious work on it or one that I have pushed or pulled, chances are I will either develop them myself, or send them out by mail order to a lab that will do push processing and handle my film/negatives with due care. Most cheaper machine developers, especially C-41 processors don't allow for push processing, not that I would push C-41 film or anything, but to know I have the option would make a more professional lab seem a better deal, save a few bucks and a little of my time. If you happen to shoot E-6 film you'd have to send it out to a pro lab anyway. And, a darkroom class couldn't hurt either. That's my 2 cents worth.

Answer 3

The biggest issues with cheap labs versus pro labs:

1) At cheap labs, the techs generally only know how to make the machine run. They have no clue on how to get the best image out of the machine. A pro lab generally has experienced technicians.

2) cheap labs tend to not calibrate their machines as often as they need. I had a B&W done at a cheap lab once and they sent me a black and white with a hint of magenta in it. A pro lab will calibrate their machine every day or several times a day depending on their volume.

3) a pro lab will offer finishing services and color correcting services, a cheap lab won't or shouldn't. A pro lab will have a tech look at the images and determine the proper adjustments. A cheap lab will let "photoshop" determien the correct exposure, corrections and just apply them automatically. How many tiems have the automated photoshop functions did the wrong thing to you? Who would you rather trust?

4) A pro lab can generally handle any request...a cheap lab can only handle what their minilab can output and what their techs can pick as output options.

Answer 4

If you just want images, and they're "ehhhh!" images, then you can go "cheap." If you're a serious photographer (whether you're hoping to turn pro or you just want sparkling photos of the kids < you can never "do over" pics of the kids), then you want consistently spectacular results. In that case (the latter), go for the professional shops every time. The "el cheapo" ("discount") guys will use the chemicals over and over again (not good) until they get "bad results" (your pictures), and THEN they change chemicals.
Don't allow the "el- cheapo" guys to use your film and pictures as their "experiement" for "when the chemicals need to be replaced." The pro shops use the chemicals once, or they use them the alloted number of times, and your photography will sparkle every time!
Of course, if you want to KNOW you're getting the best results, and you're going to do a lot of photography (turn pro or semi-pro), you can invest a couple hundred $$ in your own equipment (it's not cheap, but it's not prohibitively expensive), take a class or two, and you're a lab tech! ( stick with the professional shops/Kodak/Fuji)
Good luck!

Answer 5

A lab that does poor work, does not replace their checmicals in a timely manner. This causes weak colors and streaky problems. Also the equipment needs to be cleaned on a proper schedule or dirt and dust can cause the negatives to be marked or cut.

"Pro" or otherwise a good lab takes care of the checmicals and equipment so all processing is equal across the board.

Answer 6

I have tried the cheap way and it looks fine for a while but the slides deteriorate over time because of the way they are treated .I now have a lot of slides that are in a very faded condition.Sorry now that I never thought to have them done Pro.I also processed some myself and results are way better than the cheap stuff but still not as good as the pro.
You might save money but you loose a lot more

Answer 7

y'know i noticed a marked difference in the quality of my prints and negatives that i had done in a pro lab as opposed to walmart or walgreen....i couldn't believe it...it is so well worth the wait, and in my case the expense, of using a pro lab over a cheap consumer cookie cutter lab.
were i you, and i've looked at your work and followed your answers, i wouldn't even think about lowering any standards, your work is way to outstanding.

Answer 8

Got your film camera, eh?

This has nothing to do with your question, I always processed printed my own color neg stuff.

Watch your exposure method though.

It's Mason@ your site to email you?

Vance