Color labs - Looking for suggestions

[Bob Kerner]

I'll second LTI in NYC, though I cannot speak to their mail service. If it's anything like their counter service it must be very good. I'm a humble amateur who walks in with 10 sheets at a time, yet despite the fact that they have hundreds of orders stacked on the counter, they always address me by name as I come through the door. And they do the same for other customers. I don't know how they can keep track of people like that. It's that level of personal service that keeps me schlepping into the city with my film. And the processing is good too.

I'm going to try Praus with my next batch. They seem to have a good reputation for mail order service.

[Frank Petronio]

Courtesy http://4photolab.com link to Edgar Praus's lab site.

[Jim Michael]

Re the comments on the cost of getting a sheet of film developed, consider the fact that this is not a commodity that is the same everywhere. It's a service that requires skilled employees who care about the quality of the final output and willingness of management to make sure a quality product is being turned out consistently. If you save two bucks getting a sheet processed and then have to spend an hour retouching the dust, what have you gained other than a two dollar an hour job? Odds are the process wasn't in control either, so you have extra color correction to do as well.

[rycollier]

I started this post a while ago and went ahead and sent my pile of film to Bayphoto. I got an email today that said they wanted $10 a sheet for 4x5 c-41 dev only. $3 was the old price. I said, send it back mister. I really hope that they didn't get it confused and try to process it E-6... to be continued.

So, the film came back fine. It took a long long time because they now outsource it of course. I will say I did not get the 4x5 film developed by them at the $10 a pop. For 27 sheets, I can wait and save almost a couple hundred bucks in the end. And... there were plenty of lab suggestions on here. So, thank you. I'll be calling some other labs. But wait, here's the kicker. They forgot to send the undeveloped 4x5 film back to me with the rest of the developed film. But I can't really complain too much. They agreed to send it next day air so I can get it sent back out this week. Lesson learned. Call to confirm prices and "in house" status ahead of time.

[keith schreiber]

Check out Photographic Works in Tucson.

I no longer live there but used them for E6 processing for more than 2 decades. Always clean and fast. And dog friendly too!

- Keith

[Sanjay Sen]

I'll second LTI in NYC, though I cannot speak to their mail service. If it's anything like their counter service it must be very good. I'm a humble amateur who walks in with 10 sheets at a time, yet despite the fact that they have hundreds of orders stacked on the counter, they always address me by name as I come through the door. And they do the same for other customers. I don't know how they can keep track of people like that. It's that level of personal service that keeps me schlepping into the city with my film. And the processing is good too.

I'm going to try Praus with my next batch. They seem to have a good reputation for mail order service.

I have the same experience with LTI. Great service, and they know my name although I just get a few sheets or a few rolls processed when I'm there.

[David E. Rose]

In Detroit:
http://www.titanphotolab.com/

Excellent quality, great printers (ink jet and traditional), still doing film of sizes E-6, C-41 & B&W. 4x5 processing is $2.50/sheet and they do a great job. Let's keep them in business!

[jonathan_lipkin]

I've also heard good things about LTI, though I personally use Hong Color nearby. BTW, it looks like LTI prints for Laurie Nix. She's got a show up in NYC and the prints are unbeleivably good. Traditional C-prints from color neg, 4x5 I think.

[IanMazursky]

Lori Nix is an amazing photographer! Her miniatures are so lifelike, they draw you in. The detail is amazing and the amount of time she puts into each one is crazy.
Lori shoots 8x10 color neg and prints traditionally on Kodak and Fuji papers, also some larger lightjet prints.

She is also one of the master printers at LTI. I have seen many of her prints and they rock!
It always amazes me what she can do with a neg!

[BetterSense]

I'm really surprised that she uses a LF camera at all. She must use very tiny apertures to get enough DOF at that magnification.