Developing Film & Making Prints?

Question

I'm a digital shooter. I'm one of these new-generation D-SLR guys. Even though I've learned how to use digital cameras (and well), I'm still somewhat clueless as pertains to film and making prints that way. Can someone enlighten me please? The other day, I went to a local retail developer (horrible plan) and had them develop like 5 old rolls of film I had lying around from the first time I touched a camera. I was charged $55 and only had about two usable photographers. All I did with them, since they were 4/6s was scan them anyway.

I wanna know if there's a more efficient way of doing this. Are they able to give me a thumbnail print out for a couple bucks so I can pick and choose what I want? I wanna keep shooting film but I need to find a more affordable and better way of doing it.

Answer 1

Hey Brad, welcome back to film! I'm sorry you've had a rocky restart.



First of all, since you didn't specify, I'm going to assume you're talking about 35mm C41 film. Don't forge that there is also E6, b&w and medium and large formats.



The solution is pretty simple actually. Either process your own film or take it to a consumer grade 1 hour lab that you find does acceptable work. For me, this is my local Target. I know most of the techs there and am just very friendly with them. They do a great job on my film (within their constraints) and it only costs $0.95 a roll to process. Then I just scan the best shots to very high standards on my Epson V500 which is a cheap scanner but I make pretty terrific prints with it (in my opinion.) I even follow this process for some of my paid work and my clients are happy!



If you want an index print, they will have to scan the negatives and start the print process. Because things are automated, they can't just make an index print/contact sheet for you without making the rest of the prints (at least to my knowledge.) If you really want to find the answers to that, simply ask your local lab yourself. Nobody here is going to know what your particular local lab is willing or able to do for you.



Also, I really don't recommend making anything but small prints from a consumer grade lab. If you're going to a pro lab, the processing is going to cost more like $10 a roll and they use the exact same automated machine and chemicals as the consumer lab (provided you're taking c41 film to them.)



I recommend using Kodak Gallery or Shutterfly for cheap little prints and their larger, professional prints are okay too but you will develop your own taste for that as you explore film and scanning.



A big part of shooting on film is being careful with what and how you shoot. I get some pretty unusable rolls every once in a while but anyone who shoots film regularly is probably going to have more than just two good shots out of several rolls. You'll get there too with practice!



I hope this is useful and you are not discouraged on your road back to film. It's refreshing to hear of someone using both mediums as oppose to pitting them against each other as they often are. So thanks for that!



Email me any time at [e-mail] if you need any help or just wanna talk to another film guy.



MANUAL AND METAL! FILM FOREVER!@

Answer 2

Hi,

There is a ton of resources out there and plenty of people diving back into film. My personal workflow starts with a good lab. There are specialty labs like Richard Labs that cost a bazillion dollars but they will give you fantastic prints - but that is for later. Your best bet is to find that real camera store with old guys in it that still know film and understand cameras. They will develop your negatives and they will pay attention to detail. First thing you can do is buy an inexpensive film scanner such as the Canoscan 8800F its seriously just over 100$ and then when you take your film in have them develop only (no prints) its about 4.50 a roll to develop. Go home and scan them in yourself. Keep what you want delete the rest. This way you can keep shooting film affordable and you can avoid paying zillions of dollars for prints from some other place. I hope this helps - if you need more don't hesitate to ask. Also you can do searches online and you will find plenty of people talking about this.

Answer 3

The cheapest way is to get the whole film processed and printed up into small prints, then order enlarements of the best ones.

The high volume processing labs just feed your film into a continuous conveyor type machine and push a button. The developed film negatives and prints come out the other end.

Any specialist lab that does what you are asking is going to charge more because of the time and labour involved.



Alternatively just have the lab develop the film with no prints and then scan the negatives. Decide which are the best then get the enlargements done.