Shot my first roll, now what?

[jameshays]

Shot a roll of Kodak tri-x through my new R3a and am ready for processing.

I'm guessing most of you are not taking rolls of Ilford and Tri-x to your local Long's drug store for processing, but I could be wrong. I found a local lab, but it is quite expensive considering I am just starting out in RF photography. Their rates are:
Processing - 5.00
4x6 prints - .49/ea
scan to cd - 12.50

That puts a 24 exposure roll at about $30 with prints and a cd.

Anyone know of a reasonably priced way to process these types of films?(no not at home, I don't have time or a darkroom) I have a decent scanner(Canoscan D2400), can I just have the film processed without prints and scan the negatives? If so, where would you suggest?

I would love to be able to send out the roll and get back high quality scans on a cd. I used shutterfly online for this when I was using a p&s 35, but I don't think they are set up for these types of black and white film.

Any ideas/advice would be greatly appreciated.

[rbiemer]

Try these folks. They do good work relatively cheaply. I use them for my 120 processing and have been very happy with their work.
Rob
http://vermontcolor.com/index.htm

[Doug]

James, skipping the prints would save about $12, making the remainder more reasonable. I typically have my local pro lab do it this way, and it's usually about $16 for 32 exposure 220 film.

Seems to me the biggest question is who does quality custom B&W processing. In this town it's not the pro lab, but the small locally owned shop with an experienced B&W photographer doing custom B&W lab work while he struggles to go "pro".

[rover]

Maybe I am spoiled, but I have started to have my B&W negs developed and not printed. Just the developing is only about $5.00. A roll of 24 with prints is in the $17 range. If you have a scanner this is the way to go James.

Rob, have you had B&W done by Vermont Color? I didn't see it listed in their pricing.

[peter_n]

I just sent 4 rolls off to A&I in Burbank, CA. Pro dip & dunk processing in XTOL for B&W - $7.50/roll to develop 36 exp. 35mm film + contact sheets. Will report on the results when the negs come back.

[matu]

Maybe it would be better to shoot with Ilford XP2 or other C-41 process B&W film, that you can have procesed at your local photo store, some here convert from color to B&W.
Personally I´ve enjoyed doing my own developement job, it´s part of the joy of this old way of making photography.
For prints I scan the negatives, there are many scanners that may fit your budget.

[Socke]

Originally posted by jameshays

Anyone know of a reasonably priced way to process these types of films?(no not at home, I don't have time or a darkroom)

This was my argument for years and I shot Ilford XP2 and Kodak T400CN.
Then the two big labs left in germany stoped developing without prints :-(

In october I couldn't get XP2 and Kodak discontinued T400CN and replaced it with BW400CN and the three rolls I took to Cuba turned out with ugly grain and realy bad prints with more or less sepia toning.
The scans from the big labs are not worth it, something around 450KB with 1500x1000 pixels.

After I paid 84 Euro for three rolls with bad prints and unusable scans I got back into homeprocessing.

There is no need for a darkroom or even a changing bag! I've got a Jobo 2400 Daylight Tank, Amaloco Am74 developer, S10 stop and X88 fixer.

Chemicals are less than 21 Euro for 35 films and it takes around 15 minutes to develop (5 min, develop for ISO400, 2min fix, 10 min wash) a film.

If I get that to work, you can too!

I scan with a Canon FS2710 filmscanner and print on a converted Epson Photo 750 printer with Lyson Quad Black inks.

[peter_n]

Originally posted by matu
Maybe it would be better to shoot with Ilford XP2 or other C-41 process B&W film, that you can have procesed at your local photo store, some here convert from color to B&W.
Personally I´ve enjoyed doing my own developement job, it´s part of the joy of this old way of making photography.
For prints I scan the negatives, there are many scanners that may fit your budget.

Agreed, matu. I've used both XP2 and T400CN and had very good results, and I've had very poor results with XP2 also. Lab scanning has been very variable in quality so I've gone back to using a thick emulsion type film and I've bought a Minolta scanner. We'll see how that works in conjunction with development in a pro lab. If I'm not happy I'll try a Jobo like Socke's.

[taffer]

XP2 was also my choice before I tried doing my own developing. It's a nice film and if correctly exposed delivers very fine, contrasty smooth pictures (check Peter's fantastic job with it). My lab charged me around 7€ for 1 hour developing and CD with scans.

Then the Diafine bug got me and I've been hooked since then. I always liked the chemistry lab in school so developing is fun by itself for me. I use a light tight bathroom as darkroom and a model of negative dryer very similar to the one Socke shows on the picture above

Btw Socke, how does a daylight tank work, same process (but reversed) as a film bulk loader maybe

[Socke]

Originally posted by taffer


Btw Socke, how does a daylight tank work, same process (but reversed) as a film bulk loader maybe

Yep, very close.

I'll document developing my next film and provide a short write up.

Up to then Jobo has the manual as PDF

Jobo 2400 manual

[Nikon Bob]

A local lab will process B&W film without prints for around $6.00 so that is what I do if I use real B&W film. I can get C41 B&W done in an hour with prints for about the same money and it is what I normally do. The prints are only a guide as to what is interesting to scan and not usually very good. C41 has the added advantage of being able to be scanned as colour negs to be able to use the scanners Digital ICE mode. I can then burn my own CD/DVD, after post processing in PS, that is generally of higher quality than that gotten from the photo lab. My suggestion would be to find a lab that will process only, at reasonable cost , then scan yourself and make your own CD/DVD. I think I will investigate Socke's Jobo Daylight Tank for dealing with conventional B&W film. Doing as much as you can yourself gives much better control of the final image and you get what you want and not what someone else thinks you want.

Bob

[jameshays]

Just for giggles I called Long's. The lab assistant was familiar with all the types of film I am using and confirmed that they regularly handle them. They send them out for processing, the cost is 11.99 for a 36 exp. roll with 4x6 prints.

Has anyone tried this? I'm curious what the quality is like.

[rbiemer]

.

Rob, have you had B&W done by Vermont Color? I didn't see it listed in their pricing. [/b]

Rover, yes I have. can't remember where but its on the site somewhere.
they dont do TechPan (unfortunately not a prob anymore) or IR film the last time I asked.
They are always very helpful on the phone.
The other thing I like is that they will send mailers to you on request so they pay postage both ways.
Rob

[P C Headland]

I just drop mine off at a proper photo shop - they send all their stuff out - and for their "professional" service, develop only, it's around €5 per 120 roll.

Same for C41 colour, E6 or B+W, even if I drop of what they might term "oddball" films like Efke. Then I scan and occassionally print at home on an HP 7660 which does very nice B+W, especially on Ilford Classic Pearl paper.

I can't believe I've got something in Amsterdam that is *not* more expensive than most other places

[Nikon Bob]

Hey, another HP user! The new ones are pretty good at B&W just like you said.

Bob