At 20:37 8/27/02, Joe Gwinn wrote:
Kate (my SO) has used Qualex with far better luck, although it's expensive
(or perhaps the photo store is expensive). Her favorite is Stone Photo in
Boston. Apparently, they do all C-41 processing in house, and do it
right, but they are a bit remote for me.
I think I'll look into Qualex. Even if turnaround is a week.
If you use Qualex for transparency, they will automatically mount all E-6
(Ektachrome, Fujichrome, etc.) in plastic mounts now. However, for
whatever bizarre reason they still mount all K-14 (Kodachrome) in
cardboard, *unless* you check the "special request" box and ask for plastic
mounts. Why the difference in policy for the two is beyond my
comprehension. The *only* reason might be a backlash from enough
Kodachrome users that dismount the transparency chips and remount
them. Dismounting is easier from cardboard mounts, however doing it from
plastic ones isn't that difficult either. There are cards made like
super-size slide mounts that are sometimes used to handle a portfolio of
slides on large light table. It's hard for me to imagine this being the
reason though. I *don't* recommend trying to have Qualex sleeve a roll of
35mm transparency though (just as medium format is sleeved as one
continuous strip, rolled up and shipped in a cardboard can). It's an
unusual request and they don't handle unusual requests well.
In spite of my horror stories below, I've done well with them handling 35mm
small format transparency, both the occasional roll of E-6 and many rolls
of K-14.
How bad was the color balance? This is another adjustment issue, albeit
less serious than gross overexposure.
Sometimes excellent and sometimes noticeably off. Too variable in results;
it's a coin toss. One roll shot at a reception had everyone looking
jaundiced, although print density has always been very good as has their
enlarger focusing. The pro lab I now use is always dead on, even if I've
done something weird (e.g. shooting Fuji Press 1600 under a gallery's
incandescent overhead lights and halogen accent spots).
What happened when Qualex got hold of your 120/220 film?
They fogged it when they broke the seal to unspool it for processing. This
happened several times in succession shortly after I bought the medium
format rig. Qualex claimed each time it was worn film inserts that were
wrapping the film on the spool too loose. Fogging from the edges inward
are classic symptoms of that. However they're also classic symptoms of
breaking the tape seal and starting to unspool it before putting it under
complete darkness. I was ready to send three film inserts to Mamiya for
overhaul at considerable cost. Then, perchance, I had a mix of 120 and 220
done by the pro lab I now use in Indianapolis. As if by magic, the fogging
cured itself. I've run dozens of rolls through all the inserts since then
without further incident. Amazing! Oh, yes, almost forgot. There was
also the roll of E-6 that got lost for several months, then was magically
found, and then they destroyed it in processing. Something was wrong with
their chemistry and it left ugly brown stains running through the entire
film strip; as if someone had spilled coffee all over it.
-- John
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