Color labs - Looking for suggestions

[rycollier]

So, I've used two different labs for bulk order prints or fun stuff like metal prints in the past few years, however the one that develops film is in California (bayphoto). I'm in Indiana. Has anyone had a good history with a lab in the Midwest/East Coast. BTW, I tried Gama in Chicago once. I'll never do that again!

[bob carnie]

first post knocking Gamma ,,,, nice

[Eric James]

http://www.yelp.com/biz/gamma-imaging-chicago

[rguinter]

http://www.yelp.com/biz/gamma-imaging-chicago

After reading the reviews in that link... I guess Gamma is having some customer service problems. That is too bad because good labs are going away faster and faster these days and not due to any customer service concerns... just the mass exodus to digital methods.

I've never used them so I have no reason for any more comment.

But here in the East I use Tech Photo & Imaging in Fairfield, NJ.

Are they the best I've ever used?... don't know for sure but they are up there with my top 5. And their prices are actually too cheap in my opinion.

Used to be one could get MF/LF film processed in two or more places in every town and I had my favorites that were close by. Now TPI (for me) is the only lab anywhere nearby for E6. C-41 in small and MF I can still get done locally but that is it.

If you have to mail film anyway it would be worth giving them a try. contact info as follows:

Tech Photo & Imaging
1275 Bloomfield Avenue
Fairfield, NJ 07004
973 227-4646
www.technicalphoto.com
email: jcc@technicalphoto.com
John Castronovo

[lilmsmaggie]

You might consider West Coast Imaging:

http://www.westcoastimaging.com

[slrlounge]

I really like Pictage for all of my printing needs and well as proofing. Here's quick review that I wrote on my photography tutorials site: http://www.slrlounge.com/pictage-versus-all-the-others-zenfolio-exposure-manager-smugmug

Hope this helps!

[Daniel Stone]

samy's in Santa Barbara does great c-41 and e-6 work.

they get my business when I don't have the time do to it myself

www.samys805.com/film-processing/

never had a problem with them either.

they run a FULL DI/RO water system in their lab, SPOTLESS film!!!

not many labs do that, especially at their prices :)

-Dan

[Peter De Smidt]

Burne Color Lab in Madison, WI.

[BetterSense]

How many of these labs also do full-service color printing?

I wish there was a place I could get color prints from 4x5 film, just as simple as it used to be to get minilab prints and enlargements from 35mm film. All the labs seem to sell film developing and scanning services and printing services separately. When I work in color, I have no interest in creative input beyond pressing the shutter button.

[Mark Sampson]

Try Edgar Praus in Rochester.

[ljsegil]

Phoenix Imaging, 2219 W. Grand Ave in Chicago.
LJS

[IanMazursky]

LTI (http://www.ltiny.com) in NYC is amazing. Ive worked with them for many years and they’re always helpful and their work is amazing.
They are a full service lab with D&D E6, C41 and B&W. Their traditional printers never cease to amaze me!

[Oren Grad]

http://www.colorservicesllc.com/

[Ben Syverson]

I guess Gamma is having some customer service problems. That is too bad because good labs are going away faster and faster these days and not due to any customer service concerns...
Gamma is not a lab anymore. They're an office with a phone. They outsource everything.

Gamma's film processing is done by Phoenix Imaging (http://phoenixchicago.com/) on Grand Avenue. Phoenix is amazing, has great prices, and they're the nicest people in the world.

In NYC, I've used Primary (http://www.primaryphotographic.com/), and they're also fantastic. Their lab is in-house as well.

[Jim Michael]

There is quite a bit of good info on color labs here (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=45829&highlight=color+labs). We were looking for a lab for my wife to send her film as well as to recommend to her customers (she is a fine art printer). The work from Praus came back flawless.

The main problem with the other labs she tried was dirt embedded in the emulsion most likely due to a failure to maintain the air filters in the drier.


Try Edgar Praus in Rochester.

[mrladewig]

If you consider Denver to be midwest, there are two good labs there. The Slideprinter (aka Denver Digital Imaging) does E-6 and C-41 up to 8X10 (though it is only listed up to 4X5 on the website) and they are very friendly. The other is Reed Photo Imaging who do C-41 and E-6 up to 4X5, slightly more expensive, but always very good quality. These are the only two I know of who actually process large film in Colorado. Photocraft now sends their film to Reed, though they list the service on their site.

[z_photo]

Nashville
http://www.chromatics.com/

[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.

[roteague]

Try Edgar Praus in Rochester.

I've used Praus in the past. Excellent service, even for me; I live in Hawaii. I too use West Coast Imaging for printing. They do outstanding work.

[Kirk Gittings]

Try Edgar Praus in Rochester.

Ditto. real professionals.

[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 (http://www.photographicworks.com/) 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 (http://www.lorinix.net/) 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.

[Noah A]

After trying a few local labs with poor results (uneven development, clip marks way into the image area, dirty negs, etc.) I decided I may need to send my film for processing.

I've sent two batches so far to Samy's in LA (www.samys805.com). The processing was clean, the hanger clip marks are very close to the film edge, and the service is relatively fast, though the shipping back and forth adds to the time a bit.

I'm very happy so far. And they charge half of what my local labs do. For 4x5 C-41 it's $1.50 a sheet.

Don't get me wrong, if there was a local lab that did a good job I would pay more just to support a local business. But my local labs just don't do a good job on film anymore.

When I lived in New York I used PixPoint (www.pixpointinc.com). They specialize in C-41 and optical c-prints. But they're expensive--and it would still involve shipping my film.

[IanMazursky]

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.

Lori uses an 8x10 and Kodak film to photograph her miniatures.
I asked her and she said yup, small apertures! Her work is really amazing.
She told me about how she prepares everything, cutting those little goggly eye balls for the covers to dials and meters.
All sorts of amazing things you would never think of.

[pdmoylan]

I use Taylor Photo in Princeton NJ 609-452-9444. They have always produced the highest quality E6 and C41, have excellent drum scan capability, and chromira prints are exemplary in quality.

[Sanjay Sen]

When I lived in the Princeton area, I used Taylor Photo as well. Good turnaround time, and I never had any reason to complain in the 4-5 years I used their services. I believe they do mail order as well. Very polite and friendly staff too.

www.taylorphoto.com

[eddie]

another for LTI in NYC.

i send them my color 4x5 film by mail. works fine. fast. no issues. i think i paid $3 per sheet just last week.....now i gotta go scan some....

eddie

[rguinter]

another for LTI in NYC.

i send them my color 4x5 film by mail. works fine. fast. no issues. i think i paid $3 per sheet just last week.....now i gotta go scan some....

eddie

eddie:

I went back looking for LTI's address throughout the thread but not finding.

I'm sure you have it. Can you post it?

Thanks,

Bob G.

[Sanjay Sen]

Here's LTI's address:

LTI Lightside Photographic Services
34 East 30th St
New York, NY 10016
(212) 685-6871
http://ltiny.com

They are located on 30th Street, between Madison Ave and Park Ave.

[Ivan J. Eberle]

+1 for Samy's. Can't beat it for 4x5, even with shipping.

I've paid 3X as much for 4x5 C41 with a regional lab, Bay Photo, and they didn't do nearly as good a job as Samy's.

[rguinter]

Another one bites the dust.

I just called TPI in Fairfield, NJ to see if I could drop off some work. They have been doing all my film processing, drum-scanning, and printing for some time.

The proprietor notified me that they are now closing up shop and not accepting any more work.

So I'll be looking for another lab shortly. LTI in NYC may be a possible choice.

If anyone knows another lab in northern New Jersey please let me know.

Bob G.

[New Hassel Man]

Have you tried Blue Cube Imaging? Great customer service and quick returns. I know they use a Chromira 5x Prolab printer, no ink jets. They are based out of Ashland Oregon, so it doesn't solve your proximity issue, but they have a local feel to them.