[lbenac]

Hello,

I noticed that there was a few members from BC active in the forum.

I was wondering if you guys would like to post a few practical info regarding shooting in BC.

Where do you buy your film
Where do you process your film B&W, color neg or slide
Where do you have your neg scanned
Or do you scan yourself with scanner model X
Where do you have large print made,........
and of course how do you like result and service.

This could also extend to other Canadian members so that we have a kind of directory for use in Canada as opposed to have to buy everything in the States (no offense but 1.3 exchange, shipping, brokerage and duties,......

For my part I just shoot my first roll this week-end (MZ-5n TriX 400 B&W) and I have sent it for developing, 5 x7 and scanning through Kerrisdale Camera which use Custom Color and I am very anxious to see the result.

Cheers,

Luc

[ajuett]

1. Where do you buy your film?

So far, London Drugs;
5 pack of Fuji 400 X-Tra is $18.
3 pack of Fuji 800 X-Tra is 12.
If I shoot B&W then I'll go through Kerrisdale.

2. Where do you process your film B&W, color neg or slide?

Color Neg. at London Drugs, ready in 1 hour $4.50 (no Prints)

3. Where do you have your neg scanned?

Home.

4. Or do you scan yourself with scanner model X?

Epson 2450 Photo scanner, slooow but functional enough for web shots and small prints.

[SteveM]

Hello,

I noticed that there was a few members from BC active in the forum.

I was wondering if you guys would like to post a few practical info regarding shooting in BC.

Where do you buy your film
Where do you process your film B&W, color neg or slide
Where do you have your neg scanned
Or do you scan yourself with scanner model X
Where do you have large print made,........
and of course how do you like result and service.

This could also extend to other Canadian members so that we have a kind of directory for use in Canada as opposed to have to buy everything in the States (no offense but 1.3 exchange, shipping, brokerage and duties,......

For my part I just shoot my first roll this week-end (MZ-5n TriX 400 B&W) and I have sent it for developing, 5 x7 and scanning through Kerrisdale Camera which use Custom Color and I am very anxious to see the result.

Cheers,

Luc

Hi Luc

Shot a role yesterday

London Drugs to buy 35mm and Lens and Shutter for MF
Processing for 35mm I had been using London Drugs...from what I understand they are not all equal... MF is new to me so I may switch to Lens and Shutter for all since I am taking my MF folm there.
I scan my own Negs with a Canon 8800F (199 at Future Shop) and it seems to do a good job (slow but I recommend it)

Steve

[CSoars]

Where do you buy your film
Where do you process your film B&W, color neg or slide
Where do you have your neg scanned
Or do you scan yourself with scanner model X
Where do you have large print made,........
and of course how do you like result and service.
Luc

I'm an Albertan shooter, but.

Buy most film from the fridge @ McBain's

Process my B&W in my bathroom, C41 at London drugs, mail slides out to Phase 2 photo in Saskatoon

Scan negs with Epson Perfection V500 Photo

Haven't had anything above a 5x7 made since getting back to Canada. Large prints I'd probably go to a custom printer like Imagefly or Vivid, and have them re-scan the neg to make a .tiff to process and print.

London drugs is close and cheap but once in a while a roll comes out odd, maybe wrong/old chemicals. Ie: I dropped off a roll of Fuji Pro 160C, and the slip on the envelope said 'Dev. Kodak 100'. Results were kind of muddy and flat. Next week I drop off another roll of 160C, and the slip says 'Dev Fuji 160', and everything was A-Ok. If I'm dealing with the older/senior staff, I'm usually confident & satisfied.


The bulk of my shooting is home-developed B&W these days, but for the occasional roll of colour neg, London Drugs is fast, cheap, and down the street from my flat. Unfortunately they don't sell any of the colour films I prefer to use, which makes it sad when I pick up prints and they ask "Any more film tonight then?". Of course if I don't buy, they don't stock, and the cycle continues

[aruxaru]

Hello,

I noticed that there was a few members from BC active in the forum.

I was wondering if you guys would like to post a few practical info regarding shooting in BC.

Where do you buy your film
Where do you process your film B&W, color neg or slide
Where do you have your neg scanned
Or do you scan yourself with scanner model X
Where do you have large print made,........
and of course how do you like result and service.

This could also extend to other Canadian members so that we have a kind of directory for use in Canada as opposed to have to buy everything in the States (no offense but 1.3 exchange, shipping, brokerage and duties,......

For my part I just shoot my first roll this week-end (MZ-5n TriX 400 B&W) and I have sent it for developing, 5 x7 and scanning through Kerrisdale Camera which use Custom Color and I am very anxious to see the result.

Cheers,

Luc

Great thread, nice to develop a sense of community amongst Pentax film shooters out here in the forgotten west.

I buy my film wherever i find good deals. Lens and Shutters, Kerrisdale Cameras, London Drugs, Beau.

I process snapshots at London Drugs (cuz I work at one). For slides and stuff that matter to me, I go to G King Photo out by Cambie. Those guys are great: skilled service and very friendly people. I suggest you guys give them a try.

Scanning, I just do along with the processing, so LD or GKP.

The store I most enjoyed going to due to service and selection is Lens and Shutter. Those guys are really friendly and talk to you openly about film or digital (even for Pentax!). Prices are about average I believe. Quite a bit of darkroom equipment too. If there aren't any deals around, I'll head to Lens and Shutters first. London Drugs is a hit or miss depending on location. Their film is very limited though. Kerrisdale Cameras (in Kerrisdale), I didn't enjoy going to. Felt like a bunch of snobs that talk down to you if you don't shoot Canon or Nikon and only in digital. When I asked for film, they were telling about how it's dead, etc. The store in Richmond (across from Richmond Center) is much better. Decent selection too. Laidback people there.

Hope that helps! Cheers
Alvin

[gofour3]

Good idea starting this thread!

1) Beau Photo or ABC Photocolour Lab: Beau has most brands of negative or slide film, if they do not stock it they can order it.

2) ABC Photocolour: They can process colour and B&W negative film as well as E6 slides, all onsite.

3) ABC Photocolour: They have three scan levels, low/med/high. They also have a Howtek drum scanner where you can get scans of 8000dpi and 150MB. With any scans from slides the results are NEVER exact, blues are usually worse. ABCs scan results are usually pretty good though.

4) ABC Photocolour: They have a good choice of paper and I have had prints done up to
24 x 36, with good results. Still the weakest link is the scanning part.

For other photo supplies I usually go to Beau or Kerrisdale camera. Beau is by far the best for students looking for course supplies or for folks with their own darkroom at home.

Philip

[lbenac]

Hello,


Has anybody tried to have C-41 B&W (Ilford XP2 in my case) processed at London Drugs? I understand that if the operator is not careful you will get a color cast from color left over.
I have two LD five minutes from home and that would allows me to save a drive to Kerrisdale or ABC during the week-end plus not having to wait for a week...

I am going to pick-up my first roll from Kerrisdale today but I want to have a roll of XP2 taken with my just received K2
For just a quick evening shooting with the K2 I am sold on it. My MZ-5n feels gimmicky in comparison of the beast.
I am shipping my K2 (black) and a non functioning MX (black) to Eric for an overhaul of the K2 and I hope a repair of the MX.

I just purchased a film scanner on eBay.
I am thinking to have rolls develop only with an index print to have a cursory review and eliminate the missed and then scan the rest from the comfort of my home on rainy days


Cheers,

Luc

[lbenac]

I just get my first ever roll of film back from Kerrisdale camera (Custom Color).
I had ordered 5*7 and scan for a 24 roll of TriX-400 asking for uncut roll as the price was less.
To my surprise the bill came out at $39.99 for the scan.
When I had looked at the price list on the web it was $19.99 cut and $14.99 uncut.
The employee at first would not agree that there was a problem and I had to show him the price list. His argument was that b&W scan where more expensive and that the price list was only for color negatives. He had to agree that nowhere in the price list this was indicated. At the end it gave me the scan at $14.99. I feel bad if he got charged by Custom Color $39.99 but I got a little bit pissed-off when he first gave me false arguments. He would have just said first "I am sorry our price list is misleading but this is what I get charged by Custom Color" I would probably accepted the apology and pay :ugh:.
As is I sent my next two rolls Superia 800 and Ilford XP2 to London Drugs.
When I asked about color cast on the XP2 C41 developing, the front desk called the technician in the lab and they were very honest and pointed out that the chemicals are changed only once a month so that they could not guarantee that they would not be a color cast. Also they told me that real B&W films developing goes to Custom Color...
They do their scan on a Noritsu scanner and it is only $10 for a 4xxx by 3xxx pixel scan with less than a day turn around.
In any case I purchased a scanner on eBay so all I have to worry about from now on is the developing.

Cheers,

Luc

[ajuett]

My 2nd roll of Superia 800 X-Tra was toasted by London Drugs yesterday. The entire roll was somehow exposed during the process.

Basically what happened was the clerk said 20min and it will be done, so, I waited in the store. Went back to the counter and they said, "It wasn't dry, we had to put the film back in." Right then I had a feeling the negatives were going to be wrecked. My suspicion was correct. When I got home and scanned them in they all had a faded blue cast everywhere. Now, the images weren't critical but, I did have some very nice shots of the kids (just testing out the 800 speed).

Now I'm having thoughts about complete rolls getting wrecked by someone inexperienced or some other means. At least with digital I'm completely in control of the image. Even if deleted somehow I can recover it without loss of colors and tones. If I mess up its better than someone else messing up, whether its a machine or human error.

[lbenac]

My 2nd roll of Superia 800 X-Tra was toasted by London Drugs yesterday. The entire roll was somehow exposed during the process.

Basically what happened was the clerk said 20min and it will be done, so, I waited in the store. Went back to the counter and they said, "It wasn't dry, we had to put the film back in." Right then I had a feeling the negatives were going to be wrecked. My suspicion was correct. When I got home and scanned them in they all had a faded blue cast everywhere. Now, the images weren't critical but, I did have some very nice shots of the kids (just testing out the 800 speed).

Now I'm having thoughts about complete rolls getting wrecked by someone inexperienced or some other means. At least with digital I'm completely in control of the image. Even if deleted somehow I can recover it without loss of colors and tones. If I mess up its better than someone else messing up, whether its a machine or human error.

Which LD was it. I dropped mine at the one on Brentwood Mall - crossing fingers.
Also nothing critical in these just test of the K2 on B&W and test of teh MZ-5n on high speed color. Or should I say more accurately - test of me with the above

Well the only other option would be a week-end trip to ABC and from Burnaby that is a drag...

Cheers,

Luc

[ajuett]

Which LD was it. I dropped mine at the one on Brentwood Mall - crossing fingers.
Also nothing critical in these just test of the K2 on B&W and test of teh MZ-5n on high speed color. Or should I say more accurately - test of me with the above

Well the only other option would be a week-end trip to ABC and from Burnaby that is a drag...

Cheers,

Luc

It was the LD on Kingsway and Nelson, just across from Metrotown so you should be ok. Yes, going to ABC directly would be too much of a pain, even every couple of weeks. I don't have the time and would prefer something closer. FotoFun in New West is close but pricey.

[Canada_Rockies]

Hello,


Has anybody tried to have C-41 B&W (Ilford XP2 in my case) processed at London Drugs? I understand that if the operator is not careful you will get a color cast from color left over.
I have two LD five minutes from home and that would allows me to save a drive to Kerrisdale or ABC during the week-end plus not having to wait for a week...

I am going to pick-up my first roll from Kerrisdale today but I want to have a roll of XP2 taken with my just received K2
For just a quick evening shooting with the K2 I am sold on it. My MZ-5n feels gimmicky in comparison of the beast.
I am shipping my K2 (black) and a non functioning MX (black) to Eric for an overhaul of the K2 and I hope a repair of the MX.

I just purchased a film scanner on eBay.
I am thinking to have rolls develop only with an index print to have a cursory review and eliminate the missed and then scan the rest from the comfort of my home on rainy days


Cheers,

Luc

I used to use Ilford XP-1 and found the negatives would range from sepia to blue when developed. I never did find a solution to the problem.

[lbenac]

I just went to pickup my two rolls from LD.

1)XP2 C41 B&W
Not one shot came out right.
Excessive noise. Very little dynamic range. Some line marking in certain shots.
If I compare with the roll of Kodak TriX 400 is like night and day . So no more XP2 for me.

2)Fuji Superia Xtra 800
I am very nicely surprised by the quality. Specially since I did not use it as intended and finished the roll on a sunny day. Sky are blown but seems to recover decently with a light curve.

The scan from LD are at a nice resolution and look clean but I asked for TIF with Adobe RGB at least and got 8 bit JPG sRGB.
Well once my scanner arrives I would be able to output TIF 16 bit and choose the color space....

I am trying out various films to choose one of each kind and stick to it.

Slow B&W
Ilford PanoF-50/FP4-125/Tmax-100
Medium B&W
Ilford HP5 Plus-400/Kodak Tmax-400/TriX-400

Slow Color
Extar100

High speed Color
Fuji Superia 800

Cheers,

Luc

[gofour3]

Another film processing option in Vancouver is "The Lab". It's located near Main at 2nd, so it's a bit closer if you are driving from Burnaby.

I have not tried them, but it looks like they do all their own processing, including E-6, C-41 and B&W. They are only open Monday to Friday.

The Professional Digital Photo Lab ~ Full service photo finishing lab located in Vancouver,BC, Canada


If someone does try them out, let us all know how their service was.

thanks, Philip

[ajuett]

24 exposure, The Lab wants $5.00, LondonDrugs is $4.75 and Kerrisdale is $3.40 but, you'll have to wait a couple of days as they send it to ABC who seem to charge about the same.

I've switched over to the new London Drugs on Byrne & Marine. Will see how they do.