Rob Geraghty wrote:
>
> Geoff wrote:
> > I'm not sure how labs manage to scratch negs so badly!
>
> Ever watched how they throw them around before they sleeve them?
>
> Rob
Many labs have a very bad policy with film handling. The majority of
people do not order reprints, and since the film is usually printed
before it is cut and sleeved, a lot of the scratches are put on after
the printer is done with them, or by the automated film gate (again,
after the print has been made).
Further, the method used by one hour print machines of illuminating the
negs is designed specifically to mitigate dust and scratches from
showing up on the print, and often the lenses are set slightly soft to
further hide these problems.
All I can tell you is that in the lab I managed the "law" was "nothing
is more valuable than the client's film". The lab I use for the rare
print film I get processed is also very good about this. I never have
them cut my film, however, or print it. They just develop and sleeve
it.
Art
