Re: Photofinishing
I'm always a little wary taking negative film down to the drugstore and having a 19 year old girl do the processing while talking to her boyfriend on the cell phone. Your point is very well made. It's not where, it's who. Month's back I suggested we ALL mail our film to William Robb's Wal-mart as a joke. Can you see the volume he would get? Tom C. - Original Message - From: Isaac Crawford [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 8:27 AM Subject: Photofinishing There has been some disparaging words here about cheap photofinishing vs a pro lab, and I'd just like to put in my two cents... I work at a place that prices itself between places like Walmart and the various custom labs around here. While its true that in general we produce with more consistancy than places like Walmart and Eckerd's, that isn't always the rule. What I have found to be the key issue is wheather the people running the lab care about what they are doing moreso than where they are. I always tell my customers that photofinishers are like hairstylists (or barbars) in that if you find someone that does a good job, stick with them. If William Robb's Walmart was near me, I'd be sorely tempted to get my 4x6's done there because it's obvious that he cares, and he's got a killer price. That's an amazing combo, but unfortuenetly, it's all too rare. Most of the time, I get what I pay for. Most places use similar (in capabilities) machines, even the pro labs for 4x6's. The difference comes down to who is using and maintaining them... Isaac - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: Photofinishing
- Original Message - From: aimcompute [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 10:51 AM Subject: Re: Photofinishing I'm always a little wary taking negative film down to the drugstore and having a 19 year old girl do the processing while talking to her boyfriend on the cell phone. Oh yeah... And they have their Coke right next to the machine and they're popping bubbles with their gum as they print... I walk right out of those places! Isaac Your point is very well made. It's not where, it's who. Month's back I suggested we ALL mail our film to William Robb's Wal-mart as a joke. Can you see the volume he would get? Tom C. - Original Message - From: Isaac Crawford [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 8:27 AM Subject: Photofinishing There has been some disparaging words here about cheap photofinishing vs a pro lab, and I'd just like to put in my two cents... I work at a place that prices itself between places like Walmart and the various custom labs around here. While its true that in general we produce with more consistancy than places like Walmart and Eckerd's, that isn't always the rule. What I have found to be the key issue is wheather the people running the lab care about what they are doing moreso than where they are. I always tell my customers that photofinishers are like hairstylists (or barbars) in that if you find someone that does a good job, stick with them. If William Robb's Walmart was near me, I'd be sorely tempted to get my 4x6's done there because it's obvious that he cares, and he's got a killer price. That's an amazing combo, but unfortuenetly, it's all too rare. Most of the time, I get what I pay for. Most places use similar (in capabilities) machines, even the pro labs for 4x6's. The difference comes down to who is using and maintaining them... Isaac - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: Photofinishing
- Original Message - From: aimcompute [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 9:51 AM Subject: Re: Photofinishing I'm always a little wary taking negative film down to the drugstore and having a 19 year old girl do the processing while talking to her boyfriend on the cell phone. The thing is, any lab, no matter how good can dissapoint. We do excellent proofing from 35mm, so,so from APS and our 110 is pretty spotty. We have limited ability to do cropping on 35mm. However, the nature of our position in the marketplace is that we don't do much else. Fortunately, there are a few very good custom labs in town that I can send people to when something is out of our league. The pro lab I used to work front end for was staffed by nincompoops. The E-6 line was good, but nothing else coming out of the lab was worthy of the name pro. The attitude was so, where else are they going to go, we are the only game in town. They closed shortly after Don's Photo opened. It is still a people driven business. If the lab has good people who care, they will turn out a good product, within the limitations of the equipment. If the lab has people who don't care, the lab will turn out crap, no matter what they have in the back for production. My experience has been that the difference between an amateur lab and a pro one is potential capabilities more than realized ones. Isaac's comments, quoted below are right on target. William Robb Tom C. - Original Message - From: Isaac Crawford [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 8:27 AM Subject: Photofinishing There has been some disparaging words here about cheap photofinishing vs a pro lab, and I'd just like to put in my two cents... I work at a place that prices itself between places like Walmart and the various custom labs around here. While its true that in general we produce with more consistancy than places like Walmart and Eckerd's, that isn't always the rule. What I have found to be the key issue is wheather the people running the lab care about what they are doing moreso than where they are. I always tell my customers that photofinishers are like hairstylists (or barbars) in that if you find someone that does a good job, stick with them. If William Robb's Walmart was near me, I'd be sorely tempted to get my 4x6's done there because it's obvious that he cares, and he's got a killer price. That's an amazing combo, but unfortuenetly, it's all too rare. Most of the time, I get what I pay for. Most places use similar (in capabilities) machines, even the pro labs for 4x6's. The difference comes down to who is using and maintaining them... Isaac - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: Photofinishing
-Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 1:41 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Photofinishing In a message dated 12/6/01 10:35:30 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: even the pro labs for 4x6's Isaac, my pro lab turns out 3.5 x 5.something standard prints. ~IF~ you want 4 x 6 prints you pay more. Remember that's ~my~ pro lab. Mafud [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Interesting. My pro lab charges the same for 3.5 x 5 and 4 x 6 prints. It actually takes more work for them to do the 3.5. I am not familiar with labs and just assumed that the 3.5 x 5 was a 'cut' version of the 4 x 6. Cesar Matamoros II Panama City, Florida in Baltimore, Maryland - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: Photofinishing
- Original Message - From: Matamoros, Cesar A. Subject: RE: Photofinishing Interesting. My pro lab charges the same for 3.5 x 5 and 4 x 6 prints. It actually takes more work for them to do the 3.5. I am not familiar with labs and just assumed that the 3.5 x 5 was a 'cut' version of the 4 x 6. Depending on the volume of 4R (4x6) prints to 3R (3.5 x 5) prints, many labs (mine included) print 3R on 4 inch paper, then hand trim the prints to size. If the volume warranted, we would go to 5 inch paper for doing 3R prints. William Robb - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: Photofinishing
Quite true. If the person who did the processing and printng didn't care, one shouldn't expect good result. Just like one of my local lab which was once excellent, but now (newly employed printer) they scratched every film that I gave them, and white spots on at least 1/3 of all prints. They aren't cheap either. Even though they were willing to do the reprint without questions, I was sick of myself to go back and ask for reprints everytime. They have not improved their QC after my countless complaints. Just too much hassle. regards, Alan Chan There has been some disparaging words here about cheap photofinishing vs a pro lab, and I'd just like to put in my two cents... I work at a place that prices itself between places like Walmart and the various custom labs around here. While its true that in general we produce with more consistancy than places like Walmart and Eckerd's, that isn't always the rule. What I have found to be the key issue is wheather the people running the lab care about what they are doing moreso than where they are. I always tell my customers that photofinishers are like hairstylists (or barbars) in that if you find someone that does a good job, stick with them. If William Robb's Walmart was near me, I'd be sorely tempted to get my 4x6's done there because it's obvious that he cares, and he's got a killer price. That's an amazing combo, but unfortuenetly, it's all too rare. Most of the time, I get what I pay for. Most places use similar (in capabilities) machines, even the pro labs for 4x6's. The difference comes down to who is using and maintaining them... Isaac _ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: Photofinishing
-Original Message- From: William Robb [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 3:25 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Photofinishing - Original Message - From: Matamoros, Cesar A. Subject: RE: Photofinishing Interesting. My pro lab charges the same for 3.5 x 5 and 4 x 6 prints. It actually takes more work for them to do the 3.5. I am not familiar with labs and just assumed that the 3.5 x 5 was a 'cut' version of the 4 x 6. Depending on the volume of 4R (4x6) prints to 3R (3.5 x 5) prints, many labs (mine included) print 3R on 4 inch paper, then hand trim the prints to size. If the volume warranted, we would go to 5 inch paper for doing 3R prints. William Robb - Just wanted to say thank you for clearing that up for me. Maybe next time I am in the store I can talk my way into a tour :-) Cesar - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: Photofinishing
- Original Message - From: Matamoros, Cesar A. - Just wanted to say thank you for clearing that up for me. Maybe next time I am in the store I can talk my way into a tour :-) Heck, we are just a hole in the Wal~Mart kiosk.G Get a tour through a real lab sometime. It is quite impressive to see what a full service lab like the one I used to work at is capable of. We had E-6, C-41 and black and white up to 4x5. We had half a dozen Lucht printers for pro proofing, and 2 Gretag 3140s for amateur and 35mm proofing. We had a full art department for retouching and also dry mount and texturing up to 40 x 60 inch, which was the largest print size we offered. The copy room used Mamiya 6x7 and Linhof 4x5 for producing copy negatives. We did not produce 35mm copy negs at all. I enjoyed those days immensely, but unfortunately, the photographic market here is not large enough to support that type of facility anymore. William Robb - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: Photofinishing
-Original Message- From: William Robb [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 3:56 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Photofinishing - Original Message - From: Matamoros, Cesar A. - Just wanted to say thank you for clearing that up for me. Maybe next time I am in the store I can talk my way into a tour :-) Heck, we are just a hole in the Wal~Mart kiosk.G Get a tour through a real lab sometime. It is quite impressive to see what a full service lab like the one I used to work at is capable of. We had E-6, C-41 and black and white up to 4x5. We had half a dozen Lucht printers for pro proofing, and 2 Gretag 3140s for amateur and 35mm proofing. We had a full art department for retouching and also dry mount and texturing up to 40 x 60 inch, which was the largest print size we offered. The copy room used Mamiya 6x7 and Linhof 4x5 for producing copy negatives. We did not produce 35mm copy negs at all. I enjoyed those days immensely, but unfortunately, the photographic market here is not large enough to support that type of facility anymore. William Robb William, I will take a tour there too. I meant that I would tour 'my' lab back home. I have walked back there enough. The owner was even showing off some Epson commercial printer they got in while I was on vacation that is limited in length only by the roll of paper left feeding the machine. They do prints, both bw and color, and slide processing. They also do medium format. They do enlargements to a particular size. [Side note - my friend 'borrowed' my slide (without my knowledge) that I took of the WTC on 7 Sept. to make a large print for my birthday from a scan of the slide - great job!] I definitely consider them 'pro' in that they care about their work and take pride in having a happy customer leave and return for more business. I would hate to think what it would be like without them. I have gotten lost in the back with all the machines surrounding me. I have sent a few friends there and they have all commented that it was more expensive for processing, but they could tell the difference. Cesar Matamoros II - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
