Developing Old Film

[yachtsman1]

I have 2 rolls of Kodak Gold Max colour print film, 24 exposures from the dim & distant past. What is on them if anything I have no idea. So I just want them developed & then I can scan the neg's into my computer, if there is anything there.

Tried emailing Max Speilman, but didn't get a reply. Has anyone any idea where I can get this done without incurring the costs of prints.
Regards Eric.

[John]

If it's very, very old you might think about processing in black and white. It's quite likely anyway that there will have been a colour drift as some layers will age at a different rate to others.

I would just take the films to a standard cheapo processor and throw the prints away. the alternative is a professional lab that will process with the age in mind and might charge quitye a lot for the privelidge. The Darkoom Ltd are proabably the best people to offer specific advice - why not give them a call? I found them very helpful when I needed some 110 film processing.

http://www.the-darkroom.co.uk/

[PhilipHowe]

DSColourLabs.co.uk offer this service. No experience of it though.

From their website:

FREE SCANNING - CD WHEN PRINTED & FREE RETURN POST!

Code: Select all

35mm Film/Process	Dev only	D + P 6 x 4"	D + P 7 x 5"	D + P 8 x 6"	D + P 8x8"	+ standard CD	+ medium res CD	+ high res CD
35mm 24 exp	      5.00	    5.99	        7.99	        12.99	       17.99      	FREE £3.50)	       8.00	      15.00
35mm 36 exp	      5.00	    6.99	        9.99	        14.99	       19.99	      FREE £3.50)      	10.00	      20.00

[Tracey McGovern]

I have used DSCL for the last few years, they have really competative prices and I've been happy with their printing, however just a couple of things I do in order to maximise quality:

1. Download their colour profiles and make sure you convert your images to them before sending them for printing, you may have to tweek your original images to get the colours back to what they were.
2. You can either upload your images to their website or send them on a disc, I prefer to send them on a disc, it takes a couple of days longer but feel the images came out better than they did when I uploaded them.
3. Create a template to the size of print you want eg A3 to 300dpi, my template is grey. I then put a white border round my image and move it into the template, a bit like I would for the digital competitions where we use a black template. The reason I do this is because if the image isn't exactly to the A3 dimensions, you may find they automatically crop your image to fit, sometimes cropping bits of your image off, which is not good and can affect the composition. I've learned from experience that in order to ensure this does not happen, I use a template, that way ALL of my image will fall within the A3 size and I just trim the image down myself once they have been sent back.
4. Allow plenty of time for delivery, especially in busy periods like leading up to Christmas as they get orders for Christmas Cards and Calenders etc.

They have various finishes, I have always used matt, I've never used gloss, I feel glossy images are a bit more susceptible to scratching, matt is a bit hardier.

Hope this helps.

Tracey

[yachtsman1]

Hi Tracey
It's film I want developing.
Regards Eric

[Tracey McGovern]

Oooops - I think I've posted this on the wrong thread

Tracey

[Walter Brooks]

Eric, take them to your local Max Spielmann where they should be able to offer a process only - if not take it to their shop in Bury's Millgate Centre [opposite the old M&S store].
Regards
W

[yachtsman1]

Hi Guys
Thank you for the suggestions, checked with DSC, they don't accept cheques, want me to put my card details on their order form, alternatively some unknown individual will ring me for my card details, which neither is secure Max Speilmans Bury is a 60 mile round trip.
So I found Photo Express in Hull, who do accept cheques. Then, while I was checking where the MS Bury suggestion was I found they do have a shop in Southport, rang them, queried the price for developing, was told £6.99 per roll of 24, asked again if that included prints, was told yes, asked how much to develop only, was told £2 per roll of 24 , so I'm on my way into town to drop them off, will report back with results.
Regards Eric

[yachtsman1]

Got my developed films back from Speilmans, guess what, they were blank. As I drove home I cast my mind back to my A1 film days & realised, the films I had hadn't been exposed, the leader was still sticking out of the cassette , still, I'm only £4 lighter.
Regards Eric.

[PhilipHowe]

Oh dear.