How should I submit film for lab processing?

[Daniel_5275]

I do appologise if this has been asked before already, I have searched the forum and not found an answer (though I could probably search for days!)

I'm new to LF photography and was wondering what is the accepted method of submitting film for lab-developing.

Should I package and send it still contained in the darkslide holders or is there a more 'accepted' method? What information should I be supplying along with them?

The other question is can anyone recommend labs for cheap/quality developement in the UK? I know this has been answered already but guess it does no harm tagging it on the end of this. It would have to be mail-order as I live in Guernsey and the only lab who did E6 locally has now stopped.

Hope someone can point me in the right direction, thanks for reading.

Dan.

[Juergen Sattler]

Take the film out of the holders and put it back into the same box it came in and send that to the lab. I live in the US and can't help you on finding labs in the UK. Good luck with your first sheets.

[Daniel_5275]

Thanks very much for the reply. If possible, I'd rather not do that as I bought a box of 50 velvia sheets and could never afford to have 50 developed at the same time. I don't have 25 darkslides either to keep the unexposed film in. Thanks again, I guess yours would be the most sensible method if I hadn't bought such a large box of film!

[Leonard Evens]

Most labs will accept film in holders, but you should check.

After you run through your first box, you can of course use that as the previous responder suggested. Also, a lab may have some extra boxes left over which they will give you.

Until then you can improvise something as follows. Take some dark opaque paper such as that which photographic print paper is wrapped in. If you don't have any of that, any relatively thick black paper, such as can be found at art supply stores, will do. Cut some cardboard down to the size of the film or a little larger. Also, cut out three large sheets of the dark paper. Enclose the film between two pieces of cardboard. Then wrap the film sandwich in the first sheet of dark paper making sure it overlaps and you fold everthing over. Turn that package over and do the same thing with the next sheet of dark paper, but this time the openings will be on the other side. Turn that over and do the same thing again with the third sheet of dark paper. Apply some tape to keep the whole thing sealed and you are done. Needless to say, you have to do this, except perhaps applying the tape, in complete darkness. You might want to practice with just the cardboard and the dark paper in the light before doing it with the film in the dark.

All this simulates how the boxes work.

When you take the film to the lab, explain what you have done, but, in any case, it is doubtful that they will have any trouble figuring it out. I did this when I started and my lab had no problems dealing with my packaging.

[Stan. Laurenson-Batten]

Hi Daniel.

I usually process all my own work but there are times when I am unable to do so. I am in London and the Wessex area of the UK and have found that Peak imaging is spot on for deveoping E6 and other processes and they will develop to special order should there be any need for push or pull.
I would never send away a dark slide with the film. One sheet of film or a batch, my system is the same. I take the exposed film from the DDS and place it into a cardboard envalope that I make up beforehand. When all exposed films are in the card envalope I place it into
plastic lightproof postal envalope that can be bought in bulk, I can then put on the light to address the package to Peak at Peak Imaging Freepost SF360 Sheffield S1 1AY. Have a look at: www.peak-imaging.com Good Luck Stan.

[Frank Petronio]

If you are really hard up for an empty film box, buy a smaller ten-sheet box, put that unexposed film in the larger box with your other unexposed film (perhaps tear the packaging differently to distinguish the two), and use the now empty box for your exposed film.

Leonard's method will work, but it risks damaging the film when at the lab by people trying to unwrap an unusual package. And frankly, most labs will look at you queerly if you present such a package. I'd offer to buy an empty box from one of the larger professional labs - most likely they will send you one for the cost of postage. Heck, email me offline and I'll send you one for free, and I'm in the USA ;-)

[Daniel_5275]

Thanks very much for all your helpful advice. I'm now much clearer about all this.

Cheers,

Dan.

[Struan Gray]

I send my 4x5 to Peak Imaging from Sweden. Good clean processing and reasonable prices. E6 comes back in clear plastic individual pockets, C41 and black and white in glassine envelopes. I just wish they had proofing service for negative film that was as cost effective as their package printing in 35 mm and MF.

Mike Walker of Walker Cameras used to sell nifty sheet film boxes made of ABS plastic. About the size of a 10-sheet cardboard box, they will hold up to thirty sheets without effort. I send my film to Sheffield in these, and just ask Peak on their order form to return the boxes to me. It's worked flawlesslly to date, albeit at a slightly higher return postage rate. The boxes are not on Walker's updated website (www.walkercameras.com) but neither are other small-ticket things like lensboards, so it might be worth asking him if they're still made.