Film Processing

[diverds 0]

I asked the guy at the photo store today why the Kodak Premium processing costs so much more. He showed me paired pictures taken with the same settings but different processing. You could really tell the difference with the more expensive processing, much better/truer color. He then told me the reason is that when you buy the more expensive processing there is someone actually looking at each frame and making sure it is the correct exposure or whetever (I don't understand all this stuff yet) and when you get the cheaper processing it is all just "averaged" by a machine.

My question is, if I get the cheaper processing done and find a shot I really like, can I get it blown up or re-printed with the more expensive processing and get the same quality result even though the negatives were developed at Wallmart or Osco? Don't the negatives just go through a chemical wash and rinse? The exposure on the negative is done by the camera right? So wouldn't their developing process be the same anywhere?

Skydive Radio

[rfarris 1]

It has been my experience with most 1hr photo labs that the actual print quality is not very good, on average. Not to say that I don't ever get good prints from them. But for those tricky exposure situations such as night photography, or where there are high key and low key subjects in your photo, the 1hr machines tend to blow those.

A lot of people may not realize it, but those pictures that they get back that didn't "turn out", actually may be because of the print machine's inability to print the photo the way the photographer intended the finished photo to look.

As far as your question....yes.

You can have your roll(s) developed and printed at the 1 hr, then later have a custom lab print the negative exactly how you want it. Assuming the negative is printable. I recommend this. You'd be amazed in the difference.

Negative processing is pretty much standard, except for certain alterations in processing that professional photographers request, such as "pushing" and "pulling" the film. But that doesn't really come in to play with skydiving.

This whole thing can be simplified by going digital, or shooting transparency (slide) film, then scanning the negative onto the computer. That way you can make sure your print is exactly how you want it.

Keep shooting

Rod

[danwayland 0]

Most of this is second hand info from a friend of mine who used to work in a photo lab, but I think it's reliable information.

Developing of negatives depends on a clean machine and carefully monitored chemicals.

I'm not aware of any way method other than trial an error that can determine whether or not a place is keeping their machine clean and chemically balanced. I guess you could ask them, but they'd all say yes.

If your negatives come back scratched up, go someplace else.

If you wanna get crazy, Fuji Frontier machines have a surprisingly good ability to guess exposures and color balance, something that required skilled human guessing in the past. You could ask around and see if anybody has one of those.

hope that helps,

--
Dan Wayland
http://www.danwayland.com

[ixlr82 7]

Quote

My question is, if I get the cheaper processing done and find a shot I really like, can I get it blown up or re-printed with the more expensive processing and get the same quality result even though the negatives were developed at Wallmart or Osco? Don't the negatives just go through a chemical wash and rinse? The exposure on the negative is done by the camera right? So wouldn't their developing process be the same anywhere

The quick answer to all your questions is 'yes'. Color negative processing is generally standardized. The one problem I see with your plan to pick out 'the shot you really like' is that, printed poorly, you may not like it and may throw it out as being a crappy shot. There is a lot of manipulation that can be done to a color negative, but only if you are aware of it. Find someone at a professional lab that will answer questions for you if you think the shot merits attention.

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