[gofour3]

Well I finally tried “The Lab” in Vancouver, for my last roll of film processing. First impressions are very good.

A roll of 36 colour film cost $5.00 to process and 4x6 gloss proof prints are $0.55 each.
I took the film in Friday just after lunch and they were ready Tuesday at 16:30.

They quality of the proof prints was very good. A nice touch was to put the negatives in a “Print File” archival sheet, instead of the usual plastic junk.

They seem to be a good second option to ABC in the Downtown area and their prices are about the same. My next test is four 16x20 prints from slides.

Will keep you posted.

Phil.

[lbenac]

I took the film in Friday just after lunch and they were ready Tuesday at 16:30.

Phil.

I would love to use such a lab but the hours only work if you work close by.

Cheers,

Luc

[MC25]

Well you can add me to the fellow BC shooters guild
Since i got a new SF10 to replace my dead ME Super, i just went and got some cheap P/C 200 iso film at superstore. While I was there, I noticed they had 3 packs of Fujifilm xtra for $12 (i think it was 800). Until I test the camera out I didnt want to spend to much on film.
I will probably get it developed at London Drugs, since they do a great job with my digital prints.

[diesel604]

Ex Pentax user here,

(MX/Super Program/ME/K100DS) But I would like to contribute my findings:

35mm Film Developing Only
---------------------------------
Walmart (yes I know) - $2.37 a roll (C-41 only)
Kerrisdale Cameras - $3.40/$3.75 (24/36) (C-41 only) B&W sent out to Custom Color $5 something
Superstore - $3.40 (C-41 only)
Fotofun - $4.25/$5.10 C-41/B&W
London Drugs - $4.50 (C-41 ) I only use them if I need it quick

120 Roll Film Medium Format Developing:
------------------------------------
Kerrisdale Cameras - $3.99 (C-41), B&W sent out to custom color
Fotofun - $ 4.25 (C-41) / $5.10 (B&W)
TheLab - $ 5.00 (C-41) / $5.00 B&W

For my regular consumer films (Superia/Gold) I take to Walmart....Reala and Ektar I will take to Kerrisdale Cameras.

Film:
---------------------------------------
- 35mm 5-pk Fuji Superia was $10.99 at Superstore (best deal)
or even the PC brand 5-pk for $8 (re-badged Fuji?)

- 35mm C-41 B&W - London Drugs has a 3-pk for $12 (cheapest I found locally so far)

- 120 film C-41 get it at Beau Photo (Mon to Fri only 8:30-5PM) or Kerrisdale Cameras

I use an Epson 4490 for scanning myMF and 35mm negatives.

Cheers

[D]

---

Last edited by diesel604; 08-25-2009 at 07:45 PM. Reason: Updates

[gofour3]

Welcome to the forum diesel604 and thanks for the info.

I have been using "The Lab" exclusively in the last few months and am really impressed. They also sell Fuji/Kodak film with the processing included in the price, which is a really good value. I can get a roll of Fuji Velvia 100 for under $20.00CDN, which includes processing & mounting and all taxes. I also had them do some 8x12 prints from slides and the results were great.

Phil

[diesel604]

gofour3,

Thank you for the welcome. I was mostly a long time lurker of the board when I had my Pentax Gear, have now switched to Olympus Film + Digital and some Medium format.

I have never been to TheLab (2nd and Scotia?) but want to go sometime because they're the closest store that is open late and has a better selection of film.

I'm looking for mainly Kodak Ektar or Portra in 120/135 or even Fuji Reala.

Thanks for starting this thread. Its nice to have all info about the local labs and prices in town!

[D]

[gofour3]

Just some advice for you fellow lower mainland Penatx forum members.

If you ever need to have your Pentax film camera repaired or CLA’d , don’t send it to either:

Camtex Camera Repair: 201 – 1855 Burrard St. Vancouver

Or

Vancam Camera Service: 1666 W. 8th Ave. Vancouver

Both will bugger up your camera and make it even worse. (This was before I heard of Eric.)

Horror Stories:

1) I took a KX to Camtex last year to fix a film scratching issue and for a CLA. Result they “lost” the attached K55/1.8 lens and did not fix the scratching issue.

A week after I got the KX back, with a replacement K55, the film take-up spool broke.
Coincidence? I then took this KX to Vancam and it took them two tries to fix the take-up spool issue. Then after getting the KX back I started to get metering issues.

2) I also took a K2 to Vancam for a CLA and they broke the ASA ring leaver and could not repair it.


Both were finally sent to Eric and he fixed all the issues with both cameras.

In case you did not know about Eric's web page: About Us

Some of Eric’s comments after seeing what Camtex & Vancam did to my KX:

“Someone else had tried to repair this unit. Wires cold soldered. Parts out of adjustment and missing parts.”

“I just had to vent after seeing what so called "camera tech's" did.”

Live and learn!

Phil.

[keyser]

I just opened the back on the camera instead of rewinding the film (doh!!). I've just been in to my local shoppers drug mart - Tsawwassen - and they will process your negs and give you a proof sheet for 29c. (+ 1 hour service)

For the shoot & scan brigade, you just can't beat that!

[gofour3]

I just opened the back on the camera instead of rewinding the film (doh!!). I've just been in to my local shoppers drug mart - Tsawwassen - and they will process your negs and give you a proof sheet for 29c. (+ 1 hour service)

For the shoot & scan brigade, you just can't beat that!

Yep I think we have all done that, if you are lucky you usually only ruin a couple of pictures if you opened the back for a second or two. (As long as it's not in the direct sun)

I did not know that Shoppers processed film, good to know. (London Drugs yes)

Welcome to the forum!

Phil.

[keyser]

Thanks for the welcome! Yep, I only lost two frames (and no burning along the finges either).

Shoppers seem to be pretty good, at least with the digital prints I've had done there. They do film to CD for $2.99 and film to print for $6.99. It's a lot cheaper than London Drugs by the look of things.

[gofour3]

This is a nice looking K2, K200/4 & K50/1.4 kit for $125.00, on Vancouvers Craigslist:

Pentax K2 35mm Camera

Phil

[SteveM]

This is a nice looking K2, K200/4 & K50/1.4 kit for $125.00, on Vancouvers Craigslist:

Pentax K2 35mm Camera

Phil

Your not helping the CBA Phil.....

I'd forgotten about this thread....I looked back at my post and should update what I said about the Canon scanner....it's OK considering the price but I quickly found I wanted something better....

[gabriel_bc]

Hi all - I'm a long-time, if infrequent, lurker. Today I picked up that K2 off the Vancouver Craigslist, came to the forum to look up a review, saw the thread for BC shooters, and then saw that someone had posted a link to that K2 Craigslist posting! Sorry if anyone else was after it...

I'm a little further out the valley than most here - out in Langley. A Pentax ME Super was my first "real" camera - bought at age 16 with my first paycheck. While I am also a Konica/Hexanon user, Pentax was and remains my photographic first love.

As for film/processing: I shoot only B&W, and develop and print my own. I typically get bulk film from Freestyle Photographic online and "roll my own."

The K2 is a new body for me - I've had every other K series body at some time in the past, but not any K2 variant. This one seems to be working just fine, and black finish is a nice bonus. This one has a split prism - which I prefer.

Anyway, nice to finally join up - this site is a great resource!

[keyser]

I had an eye on it for my other half before I saw somebody post it up on this forum! It's really nice to see this kind of deal go to a real photographer who will get the most out of the equipment

Welcome to the forum!

[SteveM]

Hi all - I'm a long-time, if infrequent, lurker. Today I picked up that K2 off the Vancouver Craigslist, came to the forum to look up a review, saw the thread for BC shooters, and then saw that someone had posted a link to that K2 Craigslist posting! Sorry if anyone else was after it...

I'm a little further out the valley than most here - out in Langley. A Pentax ME Super was my first "real" camera - bought at age 16 with my first paycheck. While I am also a Konica/Hexanon user, Pentax was and remains my photographic first love.

As for film/processing: I shoot only B&W, and develop and print my own. I typically get bulk film from Freestyle Photographic online and "roll my own."

The K2 is a new body for me - I've had every other K series body at some time in the past, but not any K2 variant. This one seems to be working just fine, and black finish is a nice bonus. This one has a split prism - which I prefer.

Anyway, nice to finally join up - this site is a great resource!

I bought my ME Super with my first few pay cheques....I was 15. It sounds like you have a lot to offer the forum....film experience is rare but it has gained popularity over the past few years...