where to get film developed?

lovepink_xo

i used to have a friend do them (id pay him for all his work) but hes too busy now.
i got a few new SLR cameras and ran a roll of test film in each (3 total), decided i'd bring them into spectra and get them to do them for me. before bringing them in i called and spoke to a woman, told her i only wanted the pictures put on a CD, didnt need prints. she said it would be 3.95 each (for a 24 exposure roll) which i thought was great so i went in the next day, a younger girl was working and said it would cost me 5 for each roll (even though 2 rolls were only 12exposures,1 was 24exp-she wanted the same price for all 3!!) so i gave in and paid the 15 euro.
got a call today to say they came back and i owe an additional 3 euros on each roll!! so in total it cost me 8euro per roll..i wouldnt mind this too much but after been told 2 different prices before this..well it has me a little p*ssed off to be honest.
anyways, does anyone have any suggestions of where to get them done at a better rate? i live in the midlands but dont mind if its in dublin because i go there often.
also suggestions of places to get photos developed in san francisco? i would imagine it would be much cheaper out there. heading out in 10 days!

ThOnda

Welcome to the expensive and cruel reality of film shooters.
I pay €10.00 for a 36 exposure roll for development and high-resolution scans. The price is not bad in comparison with competitors, however the quality of service and handling with the media is excellent. I am traveling to Shankill Fuji after very very bad and sad experiences in labs closer to my place.

DaireQuinlan

I've gotten it down to roughly €2 a roll with high (5000x4000) res scans. Unfortunately it involves doing it all myself, and theres nothing like measuring C-41 chemicals into solutions 3ml at a time or feeding those strips of 6 negs at a time into my coolscan for hours to make me consider digital as an alternative :-)

lovepink_xo

@ ThOnda: wow thats really good - especially when you think that its costing me 8 euro for 12exposure low-res scans!
@ DaireQuinlan: i wish i was brave enough to do it all myself!

Phototoxin

My local chemist and news agents SUCK €10 for CRAPPY prints. I thought it was me or the film (fuji reala) but then I decided to experiment and when I was in the UK I dropped them in at a professional place (equivalent cost €4.50) and they worked out brilliantly. so for less than 1/2 price I got decent prints unlike I would have gotten if I'd let the stupid pharmacy get thier mitts on it and send it away.

Speaking of which does anyone know of a cheapish (like €10 / film) mail order film development that they could recommend. I really really like film over digital but the lack of available scanning and decent processing within Louth is putting me off big time.

ThOnda where do you do yours ?

ThOnda

Phototoxin:

ThOnda wrote: »

...Shankill Fuji...

Phototoxin

Thanks ThOnda... from looking at fujis site I have realised that a new pharmacy in my local village is a fuji developer so I can trust them I hope with my prints...

ThOnda

Well... nope.
There is Fuji collection place and Fuji shop five minutes walking distance from my home, but I am driving 25 km to Shankill. It really makes the difference. They are Fuji franchise, but independent companies. And the quality varies and worries.
Just test them with one roll first to see, if they can handle film without scratching it, cutting film in frames, scanning without dust and fingerprints.

Deacon Blues

I'm not a film shooter (used to be back in the eighties, early nineties, and getting back in with digital now), so I can't really offer anything from recent experience. However, I know that the fabulous Gunns in Dublin do processing and printing. Not sure if they're any good, but I have to presume that as they are passionate and very fair in their dealings, they must be good.

Anybody got any experience ??

Fajitas!

I've used Gunns a fair bit and never had any problems whatsover, would highly reccommend them

DaireQuinlan

ThOnda wrote: »

Just test them with one roll first to see, if they can handle film without scratching it, cutting film in frames, scanning without dust and fingerprints.

Just to add, this is ultimately why I ended up developing my own C-41 as well as B&W. I actually literally COULDN'T find anywhere that wasn't scratching my film. Some places were just worse than others. I never actually tried gunns though. When I did my first roll (of B&W) I was amazed to discover that, no, my camera wasn't putting those big scratches on the film.

E-6 I get done in that place on abbey street. I've always found them flawless, I'd say they use tanks or some dip&dunk processor or something, less chance to scratch the film that way from the start.

ThOnda

I just couldn't be bothered to do all the development, not to mention scanning. I bet that purchasing all the the HW, chemicals and scanner would cost me more than the digital camera I am waiting for.

DaireQuinlan

ThOnda wrote: »

I just couldn't be bothered to do all the development, not to mention scanning. I bet that purchasing all the the HW, chemicals and scanner would cost me more than the digital camera I am waiting for.

Probably close enough allright :-) I probably could have bought a D200 or D300 with the amount of money I've spent on purely film related gear.
I only occasionally regret it, generally when I get three or four rolls of slide back all at the same time and have to spend a significant portion of the next week scanning it in ...

Zillah

lovepink_xo wrote: »

got a call today to say they came back and i owe an additional 3 euros on each roll!! so in total it cost me 8euro per roll..

The correct response was, "Hey, shove it up your ass, we agreed a price and that's all I'm paying".

Law of Contract is a lovely thing. Incredibly unprofessional to ring someone up and tell them they owe more money. Shame on you for doing anything but telling them to go to hell.

thefizz

Zillah wrote: »

The correct response was, "Hey, shove it up your ass, we agreed a price and that's all I'm paying".

Law of Contract is a lovely thing. Incredibly unprofessional to ring someone up and tell them they owe more money. Shame on you for doing anything but telling them to go to hell.

My thoughts exactly.