Film Developing in the UK

Interesting, thanks. I have only done dev & print with Ilford, no scans. If I need anything scanning, I can either scan the print or send the negatives off to CFL I guess.

I'd think prints would be good. They have some fancy pants printers there.
 
Just got home to this little package. :) I must admit, it's very exciting. As for speed...posted Monday (freepost) and through my letterbox Friday. Can't get much better than that. Not sure what I will do without scans though. Ha.

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Did everyone see the tweet from Filmdev? They're closing for refurbishment or servicing or something from 1 September for a week. Hope they get my processing done before then :)
 
Which of the film developers can do scans larger than 6 x 9 for medium format? After looking into larger medium format options this seems to be the next issue I'm going to clang into.
 
Which of the film developers can do scans larger than 6 x 9 for medium format? After looking into larger medium format options this seems to be the next issue I'm going to clang into.

www.ag-photolab.co.uk scan up to 5x4" with a Hasselblad Flextight X5. But this is a service for scanning one off's for exhibition print etc. It's a very high quality service and the X5 can deliver RAW files from film, which is attractive to people used to working with RAW files from digital cameras.
 
www.ag-photolab.co.uk scan up to 5x4" with a Hasselblad Flextight X5. But this is a service for scanning one off's for exhibition print etc. It's a very high quality service and the X5 can deliver RAW files from film, which is attractive to people used to working with RAW files from digital cameras.

This is correct, however, it is possible to scan up to 6x12cm 120 film on the Noritsu S1800 and HS1800 scanners with a software upgrade. Although there is only a very small demand for scanning 6x9 upwards.
 
I have just shot my first rolls of 120 film in over 15 years and had them developed by Filmdev. 2 rolls of Ektar 100 and 2 rolls of Portra 400. Good to see my Mamiya 7 still works :)

I am wondering for any pointers on capture sharpening, noise reduction etc in LR. I know it's a different game to sharpening digital images. I know that final sharpening should really be done for the intended output but some
ideas what others do for scenic shots would be welcome.

Also, has anyone compared scans with and without initial capture sharpening by Filmdev's scanners?

Lee
 
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I have just shot my first rolls of 120 film in over 15 years and had them developed by Filmdev. 2 rolls of Ektar 100 and 2 rolls of Portra 400. Good to see my Mamiya 7 still works :)

I am wondering for any pointers on capture sharpening, noise reduction etc in LR. I know it's a different game to sharpening digital images. I know that final sharpening should really be done for the intended output but some
ideas what others do for scenic shots would be welcome.

Also, has anyone compared scans with and without initial capture sharpening by Filmdom's scanners?

Lee

Hi
Noise reduction? Well some low end\cheaper scanners (maybe most) could produce noise\artifacts etc and if e.g. you use photoshop for noise reduction you could turn your picture into a crappy looking digital shot (BTW I'm not saying good digi cameras can't produce VG shots). I've tried it and it doesn't look natural. In the old days in the darkroom, using my MF negs, gave nearly squeaky clean prints..about 13" X15" for B&W and 8" X 10" colour (couldn't afford to go larger).
I noticed you use Filmdev did you have the scan done at the same time?....what I do is get the cheaper low scan and any winners would scan them at home...of course if you are a top guy and produce all winners then I'd go for the more expensive scan.
As for colours and sharpening it's what turns you on as there are no rules but things like a pretty girl with an ill looking green face is a turn off :eek: and have noticed some shots posted here are well over sharpened and don't particularly like them...but there you go :rolleyes:
Enjoy your hobby
 
I have just shot my first rolls of 120 film in over 15 years and had them developed by Filmdev. 2 rolls of Ektar 100 and 2 rolls of Portra 400. Good to see my Mamiya 7 still works :)

I am wondering for any pointers on capture sharpening, noise reduction etc in LR. I know it's a different game to sharpening digital images. I know that final sharpening should really be done for the intended output but some
ideas what others do for scenic shots would be welcome.

Also, has anyone compared scans with and without initial capture sharpening by Filmdev's scanners?

Hi Lee, good to see you here in the best bit of F&C. You've got a cracking camera there by all accounts!

I usually dev and scan my own black and white (35mm), but I prefer to get colour scanned by professionals if possible, as I've found colour correction difficult. Recently I've been scanning a few more packets of 40 year-old colour negatives, and I've found a better way to colour correct them, so maybe I'll get a bit braver.

I always ask Filmdev for "no sharpening". They had only once over-sharpened a film prior to this, but since I can do it myself I'd rather not take the risk. I don't use LR so no help here, but in Aperture I usually use a bit of added Definition rather than general sharpening. But my PP skills are minimal, others may have better advice!
 
I sent 4 rolls of 120 film off in a small Jiffy bag. They measure the *width* of the package these days and it had to go parcel post - nearly £4

This week I sent one roll off and they did the same thing and that cost me £3.50 to post! Ridiculous. I am wondering if I can get away with feigning ignorance and just sticking a couple of 1st class stamps on a small jiffy bag if it's just one roll?

Do others have the same experience posting roll film?

Lee
 
I sent 4 rolls of 120 film off in a small Jiffy bag. They measure the *width* of the package these days and it had to go parcel post - nearly £4

This week I sent one roll off and they did the same thing and that cost me £3.50 to post! Ridiculous. I am wondering if I can get away with feigning ignorance and just sticking a couple of 1st class stamps on a small jiffy bag if it's just one roll?

Do others have the same experience posting roll film?

Lee
I think that they would just charge the postage to the film lab and it would be added to your bill (or they would return to sender and request the extra money).

I save a fair few rolls and send a bulk load to cut down the cost of postage per roll.
 
I sent 4 rolls of 120 film off in a small Jiffy bag. They measure the *width* of the package these days and it had to go parcel post - nearly £4

This week I sent one roll off and they did the same thing and that cost me £3.50 to post! Ridiculous. I am wondering if I can get away with feigning ignorance and just sticking a couple of 1st class stamps on a small jiffy bag if it's just one roll?

Do others have the same experience posting roll film?

Lee

Forgotten about the last time I posted 120 but for 35mm (incase anyone is interested)... it depends on the post office or a jobs worth person..I just send two films (not in containers) in a jiffy bag with a large letter stamp and it's got through OK. If three or more would put them in containers and send by SC parcel post £2.90
 
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I sent 4 rolls of 120 film off in a small Jiffy bag. They measure the *width* of the package these days and it had to go parcel post - nearly £4

This week I sent one roll off and they did the same thing and that cost me £3.50 to post! Ridiculous. I am wondering if I can get away with feigning ignorance and just sticking a couple of 1st class stamps on a small jiffy bag if it's just one roll?

Do others have the same experience posting roll film?

Lee


Be assured that crazy postal tarifs aren't unique to the UK

If i send a parcel weighing upto 1kg from here in France to the uk it will cost approx equivalent of £12
I can send a parcel by exactly the same method weighing up to 5kg for £20

Go figure!:confused:

Just to add that letter post is just as crazy, locally or internationally!
 
Does filmdev close down at the end the day at a certain time as I received and paid the invoice at 5:39 pm and it's now 7:04 o'clock and haven't received a download link. :(
 
Download link is usually sent same working day as invoice. I've had download links arrive out of working hours.
 
Download link is usually sent same working day as invoice. I've had download links arrive out of working hours.

Me too, latest was about 20.00.
 
Download link is usually sent same working day as invoice. I've had download links arrive out of working hours.

Well I would think it would be something like that as the guy raking in the money would carry on doing the accounts after the workers had gone home, and once seen who has paid would just send a download link.
H'mm still no download link 2.5 hours after paying :(
 
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To be fair Brian it is a Friday night and it's not unreasonable to expect the download in the morning and if I remember correctly it is just a two man operation not a massive international conglomerate. :D
 
To be fair Brian it is a Friday night and it's not unreasonable to expect the download in the morning and if I remember correctly it is just a two man operation not a massive international conglomerate. :D

True but you know what it's like waiting to see your shots...oh how I miss Asda dev and scan while you shop in 20 mins.
 
I've often received the download link before the invoice. I think they set up the upload transfers to WeTransfer, and let them tell you when it's all ready to go; maybe they had a big batch at the end of the week? Hope you get it soon, I know what that feeling's like!
 
've often received the download link before the invoice

Maybe because they recognise you as a regular customer as I would guess that someone has received the download link first saw a load of crap (the shooters fault) and thought I'm not paying for that. :rolleyes:
 
Well the download link for images from filmdev arrived at 07 the next day so that would be 13.5 hours after I paid :(
 
Great service again from AG Photolab and Royal Mail; film posted on Weds afternoon, negs back through the letterbox Friday lunchtime, and that was for a black and white (develop only) service. Same day turnaround and return postage from the lab can't be bad, it's a wonder they can get the negs dry in that time. :)
 
Shambles. When operating hours are 9-5, Monday to Friday and you pay after that yet receive a link at 7am on a Saturday morning. What is the world coming to. I hope you have raised this with your local MP.

I'm spoilt by using Asda for years all done in about 20mins ;)
 
I'm wondering if that meant they were really busy or really quiet on the film developing front. :thinking:
I find they've pretty much been same say turnaround for the 'develop only' service for a couple of years now, sometimes it takes a couple of days, but the majority of time it's pretty fast. I believe E6 takes longer, and I was expecting a black and white film to take a little longer too, so was pleasantly surprised.
 
I'm wondering if that meant they were really busy or really quiet on the film developing front. :thinking:

That was weekday and they were fairly quiet which is a shame as if all these new extra film newbies had used them they might have not closed the photo dept down. Photome taking over was a flash in the pan as they closed down after the m/c broke down and would pay to repair it...I went back to Asda a few weeks a go and the area now is a key cutting business.
 
I used to use our local Tesco many years ago, and got to know the staff there really well. So well that I was asked to take photos of Anne's daughters and photos of Sandra for a competition in the local paper. Happy days. :)

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There is one service from Asda that I regret never got around to doing is:- the girl said "she would scan my negs up to 36 frames for £2 as long as they were not in strips less than 3 frames" ...well I have got quite a few old colour negs and scanned some but it's very boring inc bringing the colours fully back in Photoshop...well I thought the Fuji Frontier scanner would have no problem with colours.
 
There is one service from Asda that I regret never got around to doing is:- the girl said "she would scan my negs up to 36 frames for £2 as long as they were not in strips less than 3 frames" ...well I have got quite a few old colour negs and scanned some but it's very boring inc bringing the colours fully back in Photoshop...well I thought the Fuji Frontier scanner would have no problem with colours.
Last I looked Photo Express (*) would scan a processed film in cut strips for a fiver a film. Probably gone up now. They did a good job with the couple I tried. How they'd get on with ancient film stocks, I don't know.

* Other film services that do this are available. I was pretty pleased at the price.
 
Last I looked Photo Express (*) would scan a processed film in cut strips for a fiver a film. Probably gone up now. They did a good job with the couple I tried. How they'd get on with ancient film stocks, I don't know.

* Other film services that do this are available. I was pretty pleased at the price.

Photo Express now charge £5.50 for dev and scan, if you send two or more films ( only C41 ) TP members receive 50p discount per film ( quote your member title ) there is a £1.50 contribution for return postage.

I use them all the time for my C41 film and have sent film that is over ten years OOD some shot at box speed and the results have been excellent.

I always recommend them if asked.
 
Out of curiosity, what is the normal turnaround for C41 films at Filmdev? I decided to send a roll for dev and scan as, while I’m happy with the resolution I can get at home, I’m never sure the colours are right with my home scanning.

I posted it first-class on Saturday morning, so I’d expect them to receive it today.

Thanks.

I sent some on Friday, First Class - got the email invoice this morning, paid straight away and got the scans link a few minutes later.
 
Out of curiosity, what is the normal turnaround for C41 films at Filmdev? I decided to send a roll for dev and scan as, while I’m happy with the resolution I can get at home, I’m never sure the colours are right with my home scanning.

I posted it first-class on Saturday morning, so I’d expect them to receive it today.

Thanks.

On their site they say: -
A payment can be made by PayPal or any debit/credit card. Once your order is complete and payment has been received you will receive an email with a link which will let you download your full size images. You will receive your negatives shortly after by mail.
They don't say after Friday 5:30 pm you have to wait 13.5 hours, if my negs had been scanned earlier and the invoice sent later, I would have thought all completed jobs for the day would be sent out:(
 
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