Is this a resurrection of the old Light Impressions

[DennisD]

I've only had one small transaction with Archival Methods, but I can "second" Peter's experience.

I've placed several orders with Archival Methods. All were shipped promptly and without issue. Whenever I've called, live customer service is available - no voicemail during business hours.

After reading some of the foregoing comments, I would keep a safe distance from any company resembling or related to Light Impressions, relies on voicemail during business hours or does not provide prompt response to customer inquiries.

[Robert Bowring]

I received the same catalog yesterday and also thought it looked very much like the old Light Impressions. I would be very careful of dealing with them until I hear some good stuff about them. If anyone has any experience with them please tell us about it. They have several items I would like to order. I have also had very good experience with Archival Methods. Good products and good service.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Archival Methods is great, never a problem with shipping or the quality of the products. Highly recommended. You can get Archival Methods products from B&H but I would just go to the company site and order direct.

[RichardT]

Dear Robert,

By saying "the same catalog", I presume that you are referring to the Archival Albums & Photo Pages catalog. I'd steer clear of this company. Archival Methods is a completely different company. I do thank everyone for their expressed support for this company. As for Light Impressions, the name of this website is Large Format Photography and my interest in this case is just the opposite, i.e., in obtaining Photoguard pages for the better than 100 albums I had specially made for me by the former Light Impressions - mainly those for 4" x 6" photos.

The only 2 companies supposedly offering these were Archival Albums & Photo Pages and FDM, which said they owned the rights to the former Light Impressions. The 2 companies took very different approaches to selling the product. Archival Albums & Photo Pages were all too willing to take my money up front for products that they never delivered. On the other hand, FDM was far more upfront and I periodically got verbal updates on the progress in getting the Photoguard pages manufactured in China. For at least 2 years, neither company had the pages. Like a slow turtle, FDM had been slowly working on resolving the manufacturing problem and, as I said, last week finally received shipments of the products to sell, which were first rate.

A bit about me. I'm a retired research engineer and have had as a lifetime hobby an interest in the German jet plane from WW II, the Messerschmitt Me 262. I have collected documents, plans, and a huge number of photos over the years. Some lend themselves to the 8" x 10" format, while others, due to their enormous volume, are better printed out as 4" x 6" prints - thus the interest in the Photoguard pages. The 8" x 10" photos are enhanced and printed out for me by a professional photographer friend who has a 17" wide roll paper printer. Eventually, my collection will go to the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Thus, I have had to focus on making sure that my photo collection is in archivally safe materials. Because light exposure can deteriorate photo quality over time, the best way to preserve the photos is in albums kept out of the light.

Regards,
RichardT

[JWebb]

I believe that Lumiere Photo is run by the founder and some of the staff of the Original Light Impressions. Although they have moved into offering Digital Printing and services they still do offer archival supplies, just not as extensive as the old Light Impressions. Not sure if they offer Photoguard pages.

[RichardT]

Dear JWebb,

I checked and Lumiere Photo doesn't offer Photoguard pages. So, the only true game in town for these is the resurrected Light Impressions in Rochester. At least someone can now supply them. The pages match the albums and vice versa. Lacking one or the other makes the one in hand useless. My expenditure for over 100 specially sized albums was quite sizable.

For me, it was also very important that both the albums and pages were archivally safe. Polyester is the gold standard for photo pages. Polypropylene is less so, but still acceptable. Vinyl is a definite no-no. The album materials also have to be archivally safe. I use 3-ring binders for the 8" x 10" photos. Most 3-ring binders made today are made of vinyl, so, for the 8" x 10" photo albums, I hunted around and finally found a source of polypropylene binders. The pages for these were specially made to my specifications and are made of 4 mil polyester.

Regards,
RichardT

[Tom Niblick]

Archival Museum Supplies looks to be a very sketchy outfit. After a woman from Light Impressions told me that they were having stocking trouble (financial difficulties), I ordered a museum case from AMS in November 2015 and when it did not arrive by the middle of December, I called to cancel the order - three times. I kept getting their voice mail. I left my cancelation request each time. I also sent several emails. I purchased another case from Amazon, checked my credit card statements to make sure I was not charged and then forgot about this company and order. Two down.
The case arrived at my doorstep in March. I called several times to get a return authorization and it sounded like I was talking to a call center in India. And each time someone answered announcing a different company name. They offered a discount to get me to keep the case but I was not comfortable giving them my credit card information again. Then someone named "Ivan" called back with a Russian accent demanding my credit card number. Yeah, right.
So I just emailed them back asking for a return label. Nothing has arrived so far.
Now Ivan and crew might be legitimate and shame on me for not trusting someone with an accent who answers the phone with the name of a different company, but until I know better, I'll shop elsewhere.

[tedcorp]

I made the mistake of ordering some supplies from Archival Museum Supplies last February and still have not received the complete order. It took 4 months to eventually get part of the order but 2 items were incorrect. They were returned but AMS refuses to reimburse me. Throughout this ordeal I have been lied to by customer service people all along the way. The excuses have been outrageous and I always got 2 different lies, one from their online customer service and one from calling their customer service number. This business is a fraud and everyone working there is a pathological liar. They are currently under investigation by the San Diego County District Attorney's Office. The alleged address of their business is nothing more than a mailbox where they conduct their fraudulent business.

[scheinfluger_77]

I'll add my kudos for Archival Methods. I recently made two orders from them, my first, and they came quickly and well packaged.

[RichardT]

Dear All,

Either sheet lifter type from Archival Methods meets my needs, save for the elongated holes, but that is a somewhat of a small price to have to pay. For those looking for PhotoGuard pages, FDM is the place to go. Forget about the San Diego outfit. FDM doesn't have everything yet that is in their on-line catalog. It's been a long slog for them and those of us who have wondered if we might ever be able to buy Light Impressions products from a legitimate business. It is too bad that the San Diego outfit has sullied the waters and created apprehension for anyone supposedly selling what used to be in the Light Impressions catalog.

Regards,
RichardT