How do you send your Kodachrome to Dwayne's?

erikhaugsby · 03-24-2008

Do you use a bubble envelope? A small box? Something entirely different?

I'm debating whether to send my roll (only one) (1) directly to Dwayne's, (2) send it through my local photo store, (3) or use WalMart. Unfortunately, each option has it's own set of problems:
1. Dwayne's is bloody expensive! $8.50 for developing plus $5 for shipping the chromes plus $? for shipping the roll to them.
2. The photo store is slightly less expensive than Dwayne's Direct ($10 flat), but it'll take up to 2 weeks to get my chromes back.
3. WalMart is cheap ($4.88), but again I'm faced with the possibility of somebody misfiling my film and processing it C-41 (or am I just worrying too much about this?) and the wait for them to send it out and get it back.

So, what say ye? Are there any options that I'm overlooking?

Rafael · 03-24-2008

I always send mine through a local shop. I just find it easier that way. Ask your local store how often they send stuff out to Dwayne's. One shop in town here will send rolls out the day they come in. The other only ships out once per week. That difference can have a big impact on the turn-around time for your film.

SolaresLarrave · 03-24-2008

I prefer to pay the "bloody expensive" prices at Dwayne's. Yes, it's expensive, but they treat you well. Every time I've sent my canisters labeled, I get my slides back in bags or boxes labeled accordingly. I didn't expect this level of service, and I was glad I received. Hence, Eric, it pays to go a bit further.

The Walmart way is safe because you DO NOT DEAL with an employee. Just go to their photo section, pick an envelope and fill it out with your information. Make sure to specify that you want this roll of film processed with the K-14 process, and then drop it in the box of film they send to their lab. Again, do NOT ask an employee about it. They just don't even know that they process C-41 film.

Gabriel M.A. · 03-24-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by erikhaugsby

Do you use a bubble envelope? A small box? Something entirely different?

I'm debating whether to send my roll (only one) (1) directly to Dwayne's, (2) send it through my local photo store, (3) or use WalMart. Unfortunately, each option has it's own set of problems:
1. Dwayne's is bloody expensive! $8.50 for developing plus $5 for shipping the chromes plus $? for shipping the roll to them.
2. The photo store is slightly less expensive than Dwayne's Direct ($10 flat), but it'll take up to 2 weeks to get my chromes back.
3. WalMart is cheap ($4.88), but again I'm faced with the possibility of somebody misfiling my film and processing it C-41 (or am I just worrying too much about this?) and the wait for them to send it out and get it back.

So, what say ye? Are there any options that I'm overlooking?

Well, I don't know how feasible it is for you to drive to Golden Valley (MN); you can still drop off your Kodachrome at National Camera, and they'll send it off. It takes a week or two. Last time I had a roll developed (I ask them to note not to cut or mount my film) it was about $12; give or take a few.

I'd be weary of Wal-Mart mishandling your film, too.

sooner · 03-24-2008

I'm fortunate to live in the mid/southwest (Oklahoma) where we have two Wal-Marts within a 5 or 6 minute drive. The pleasure of seeing grossly obese people buying industrial size boxes of pop tarts while driving around the store in electric carts is worth the price of admission. But on top of that, I drop off the film and get it back a week later for under $5 a roll. Or at least that's what happened the one and only time I sent Kodachrome through Wal-mart. They even called me to say the film had arrived and was ready for pickup. I just dropped off my second set of two rolls with Wally world, so there's my answer. It's cheaper and faster than going directly to Dwayne's. As for employee mishandling, well, you may as well worry about things getting lost in the mail.

sepiareverb · 03-24-2008

I ship films in a bubble envelope, with "Photographic Films" written on it in big letters and a strip or two of 'DO NOT X-RAY' yellow tape.

Dwayne's is well worth the extra bit for they do take every care with your films, develop it promptly, and ship it out promptly. As well as know exactly what film goes in what soup!

shadowfox · 03-24-2008

Erik, while you're considering this, I had two rolls (one E-6, one K-14) processed through Wally's. Looking through them right now.

I'm not vouching for their services or anything like that, YMMV of course, but sometimes, you just have to take some reasonable risk.

Like Francisco said, don't talk to the clerks until it's time to pick the roll up. Make sure you write your address on the envelope. And just write in big letters: E-6 or K-14 or 120 under special instructions.

Tim Gray · 03-24-2008

One word of warning with the walmart version. I sent off two rolls and decided not to get them mounted. The roll up the film in a little cardboard tube and one of my rolls got creased... so did the negs. I'm sure that could happen anywhere and isn't necessarily a walmart thing, but just so you know...

dmr · 03-24-2008

I use a standard bubble mailer, regular first class. If it goes out Monday morning, my slides are back Saturday, sometimes Friday.

Chuck Albertson · 03-24-2008

I just stick each roll in an empty film can, bunch them and the paperwork in a Ziploc bag to keep them together, then toss the lot into one of the big Priority Mail envelopes you can pick up at the Post Office. Shipping by Priority Mail takes a day or two, and if I drop stuff in the box on Monday, it's usually back at the end of the week.

Dwayne's is worth the money---they do good work. It doesn't pay to screw around with developing. You can always do a new print, but goofs with film processing tend to be irreversible.

sanmich · 03-24-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Gray

One word of warning with the walmart version. I sent off two rolls and decided not to get them mounted. The roll up the film in a little cardboard tube and one of my rolls got creased... so did the negs. I'm sure that could happen anywhere and isn't necessarily a walmart thing, but just so you know...

I did it through Walmart only once.
I asked for my k14 not to be mounted, and still, got them cut and mounted.
next time i'll stick to expensive but safer straight shipping to Dwayne...

David Murphy · 03-24-2008

I've used Walmart many times for Kodachrome and the results have always been flawless and inexpensive.

erikhaugsby · 03-24-2008

Thanks everybody for your responses. I'm pretty sure I'll end up sending the roll straight to Dwayne's when I can get to the post office to get my hands on a bubble wrap envelope.

Gabriel: NatCam isn't terribly far from me, but I'm back in town only for the next week (Spring Break from college) so my chromes would in all probability not be available for pickup until I've gone back to school.

sepiareverb · 03-25-2008

Fewer steps in the process the better I always say.

SolaresLarrave · 03-25-2008

I stock up on mailers from Walgreens. I guess you could buy them at Wally's as well...

Take care and have fun!

shadowfox · 03-25-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by sepiareverb

Fewer steps in the process the better I always say.

Not when the fewer steps would have made me to shoot half the slides I'm doing now.

But I'm sure it's just me.

oscroft · 03-25-2008

I pop mine in the pre-paid mailers and send them to Kodak Switzerland (pre-paid film plus postage = approx £7, or $14). Then I wait up to about a month for Kodak to send them to Dwayne's, get them back and send them to me. You guys in the USA don't know how fortunate you are

mackigator · 03-25-2008

Send via Walmart:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clarkmackey/2350091293/

sepiareverb · 03-25-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by oscroft

I pop mine in the pre-paid mailers and send them to Kodak Switzerland (pre-paid film plus postage = approx £7, or $14). Then I wait up to about a month for Kodak to send them to Dwayne's, get them back and send them to me. You guys in the USA don't know how fortunate you are

You can send the film in mailers (in another envelope) to Dwayne's- they will accept the mailer as payment (US mailers anyway- I'd ask them about international ones)- likely a lot faster.

oscroft · 03-25-2008

Quote:

You can send the film in mailers (in another envelope) to Dwayne's- they will accept the mailer as payment (US mailers anyway- I'd ask them about international ones)- likely a lot faster.

I don't think they'll take the UK ones directly - they're Kodak mailers (and Dwayne's haven't been paid anything for them yet) and Kodak specify that they have to be sent to Switzerland.

Brennotdan · 03-26-2008

I have been using Fuji mailers for Dwaynes. I have found that you need to mark "do not mount" on the film canister. I sent one with a note and they were mounted anyway. They came back rolled up in a cardboard tube...I guess they don't have sleeves, or they are just too difficult to ship that way. The good thing was that there was a piece of paper rolled with the film. Good processing, fast turnaround and very little dust. One or two small scratches every few rolls though.