I'm not so sure about that. At least one company is moving back into film processing equipmentIt's good to see there are new labs popping up. Although, given the price of film these days it's probably more a leap of faith than anything else.
New place in Newport South Wales is Foto which is a gallery in the market arcade not cheap but all good there
Might be worth getting a free copy of LibreOffice, which can handle most file formats and I think talk to your Google account.New price list for Filmdev from 1 April this year. Now have dev-only options (£3.50 C41, £6 BW). Dev plus small scans £4.50 and £8 respectively, and medium scans £6.50 and £10. They also now offer "12x8 inch digital contact print" for £3 either way. Also, there's now a minimum £1.50 fee for return of negatives, though they will securely destroy them for free!
I'm guessing many other providers will have put up prices, who can blame them? I suppose I should gird my loins for an update on the nifty dev/scan price comparator, which is definitely very out of date...
( wonder if G$$gle Docs can upload from an Apple Numbers document, now that Excel has stopped working on my Mac? If not, I'll have to export as Excel first, I guess.)
Just been caught out by this increase from £3.85 this afternoon, but went for first class to hopefully have it delivered to Filmdev before the holiday weekend. Second class has only gone up by 15p to £3.35, so that'll be the norm in future I think. Even the woman in the PO said it seemed outrageous for a single film that weighs next to nothing, but "size matters" as the car advert used to say.It's probably also not the place to divert into a discussion of postal costs going up, £4.45 for small parcel bought in the Post Office!!!!!
I manage to get my 120 through as large letter which was £1.29, 35mm depends who is at the desk whether I get large letter or small parcel, fortunately I don't use much 35mm. The irony is if I run the film in myself to Spectrum in Plymouth by motorcycle it costs me less in petrol than postage on small parcel. Plus I get a ride.Just been caught out by this increase from £3.85 this afternoon, but went for first class to hopefully have it delivered to Filmdev before the holiday weekend. Second class has only gone up by 15p to £3.35, so that'll be the norm in future I think. Even the woman in the PO said it seemed outrageous for a single film that weighs next to nothing, but "size matters" as the car advert used to say.
(interesting that Microfossil is NOT flagged upas a miss-spelling).
There are a few who do this Paul, but the problem comes at the delivery end when too many like this would end up in excess charges to the recipient. While Filmdev might do this for the odd film, I can't see them being happy to do it on a more regular basis. (Do I take it that you don't use a padded envelope then?)I manage to get my 120 through as large letter which was £1.29, 35mm depends who is at the desk whether I get large letter or small parcel, fortunately I don't use much 35mm. The irony is if I run the film in myself to Spectrum in Plymouth by motorcycle it costs me less in petrol than postage on small parcel. Plus I get a ride.
I do use a small padded envelope Peter. I post in a small village Post Office, maybe they are a bit more liberal with the sizing but I have never had a problem from RM at the other end. I could go and fetch my negs from Spectrum (probably should because his P&P is over 4 quid. I don't know what other labs will do but I have a good relationship with Spectrum and they are close enough for me to drop off and pick up and until now I have usually used the RM but as the prices have risen I may go to drop and collect for cost purposes. I should point out that when I ride my bikes I don't count the fuel costs because it's pleasure.There are a few who do this Paul, but the problem comes at the delivery end when too many like this would end up in excess charges to the recipient. While Filmdev might do this for the odd film, I can't see them being happy to do it on a more regular basis. (Do I take it that you don't use a padded envelope then?)
Yesterday I re-checked the prices for the nifty dev/scan price checker, re-did various formulae, and added links and "last date checked" to my local version (in Apple Numbers). Today I hope to give it a few more checks and upload to G@@gle Docs. The biggest problem I can see at the moment is inconsistency in "small" and "medium" scan sizes for 120. I'm using 6x6 as the comparator where they distinguish between the two, but I'm pretty sure the sizes are very different.I wonder whether folk think it a good idea to include a link for each provider? Also, date last checked on the Summary rather than the base data pages?
OK I've uploaded a new version of the Nifty Dev/Scan price estimator. G$$gle Docs wouldn't accept Apple Numbers, so I had to export it to Excel first. I got a slightly weird message in the process, so this needs checking. I've also attempted to protect the sheets so that only the 6 cells for updating the numbers of rolls are editable. Could someone please check that (a) you can edit the number of rolls, and (b) that the rest is un-editable? Thanks, ChrisYesterday I re-checked the prices for the nifty dev/scan price checker, re-did various formulae, and added links and "last date checked" to my local version (in Apple Numbers). Today I hope to give it a few more checks and upload to G@@gle Docs. The biggest problem I can see at the moment is inconsistency in "small" and "medium" scan sizes for 120. I'm using 6x6 as the comparator where they distinguish between the two, but I'm pretty sure the sizes are very different.
It appears I didn't actually include the link to the nifty dev/scan price estimator in that last post! Now updated, and also here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...nXEHQzeJ6jHeoT7sZZylDSzjo/edit#gid=1698421248OK I've uploaded a new version of the Nifty Dev/Scan price estimator. G$$gle Docs wouldn't accept Apple Numbers, so I had to export it to Excel first. I got a slightly weird message in the process, so this needs checking. I've also attempted to protect the sheets so that only the 6 cells for updating the numbers of rolls are editable. Could someone please check that (a) you can edit the number of rolls, and (b) that the rest is un-editable? Thanks, Chris
PS I'm aware that the Photo Hippo answers are not in currency format. Not quite sure why this is. Rather than re-upload it, I tried to edit the sheet, and got an answer in dollars! If anyone knows how to change that to £ I'd be grateful. Thanks
Brilliant thanks Chris, I’ve got a load of films ready to send off so I’ll check it out laterI hope I've corrected the bugs, and simplified the formulae in the process. A new version of the nifty dev/scan price estimator has been uploaded today here:
Nifty UK dev/scan price estimator
docs.google.com
The page should be protected except for the 6 cells where users can put in their film numbers. I'm never sure if I've done this properly. Can someone please check and confirm that (a) you can change the numbers of films, and (b) you can't change anything else? Thanks
Can't change anything, even the highlighted boxes, on your online master copy. Can only add comments. Can however save a copy to my Google Drive, or download as an xls or ods file and edit anything so the protection does not carry over to downloads or use on Google. So will work for most folks on a computer, on an Android phone or tablet it tries to tell you to use the Google Sheets App and there everything is also locked.I hope I've corrected the bugs, and simplified the formulae in the process. A new version of the nifty dev/scan price estimator has been uploaded today here:
Nifty UK dev/scan price estimator
docs.google.com
The page should be protected except for the 6 cells where users can put in their film numbers. I'm never sure if I've done this properly. Can someone please check and confirm that (a) you can change the numbers of films, and (b) you can't change anything else? Thanks
Thanks for taking the time to produce this.
I have not had a film developed for more years than I care to remember. I recently bought a 1960s half frame camera for sentimental reasons and will soon need a film to be processed. Do most people go for processing and medium scans?
As a MX lover, have you actually looked through that viewfinder recently? It's one of the largest, brightest and best in the whole business AFAIK!
... although focusing depends to a certain extent on which screen is loaded. Mine does not have the split prism in the centre, just an extra smooth area of ground glass. I really like it, but I do often track in and out a few times to get the focus spot on. I've a split prism in my Pentax ME, and in some circumstances it's easier.
I did have a PZ-1, pretty much fully teched up, but sold it after half a dozen rolls as it was too close to a digital camera experience, so I guess you can see where I'm coming from!
First batch of films posted today to Filmdev, first time in many many years that I have posted films off for developing, hopefully the results will be good.
They normally keep the negs back for a week or so in case of any issue with the scans, so I expect you'll get them soon.Update:- I have the scans but as yet no negatives back but that could be due to the bank holiday on Monday. I would like to say that the scans I received are excellent, no issues with Filmdev at all and I will happily use them again.
They normally keep the negs back for a week or so in case of any issue with the scans, so I expect you'll get them soon.
That’s a shame, did they give a reason.As noted elsewhere, Peak Imaging have ceased trading.
See:That’s a shame, did they give a reason.
They've had to close unfortunately. I left there 4 years ago and keep in touch with a few from there but i can confirm they're no more. Very sad for everyone there.
I wouldn't like to speculate [on reason for closure], but all things move towards their own end. It'll be strange going to get my occasional films done by someone i don't personally know.
I have a more up to date version on my Mac, but it's a faff to upload now my MS Office licence has expired (it's on Apple Numbers), so I delayed, and now I'll have to check the prices again!What a very useful thread this is, and the spreadsheet is superb. Thank you to all involved.
If you want to send it to me, I can convert if you'd like me to.I have a more up to date version on my Mac, but it's a faff to upload now my MS Office licence has expired (it's on Apple Numbers), so I delayed, and now I'll have to check the prices again!
Please, always, always, always check the prices before making any decisions...
Thanks Peter, I have looked at them in the past but I think from memory he doesn't sacn the films?For the Best and CHEEEEPEST E6 Slide Processing send or Deliver if you can get to Southend-on-Sea ESSEX
http://www.johnsalimphotographic.co.uk/e6.html Mention Peter Elgar recommended you
I can export to Excel format, but IIRC it's changed a lot of things from the original Excel sheet, eg some rages become lists of cells. But G$$gle spreadsheet also seems to have changed in the protection area, which took me ages to sort out last time. I try to protect all 3 sheets except for the area where you fill in the numbers of films, and the previous way of protecting the front sheet except that set of cells stopped working. I really should get round to it!If you want to send it to me, I can convert if you'd like me to.
I've just uploaded an update to this. Please note, prices are extremely volatile at the moment, so the caveat lector is even more of a caveat than usual... please check after the spreadsheet has given you some ideas about where you might want to go. Also says absolutely nothing about quality, turnround times, etc...ChrisR has put together a nifty price estimator for 35mm & 120 Dev + Scan on Google Docs