2

Possible Duplicate:
Where is a really good place to get film developed by mail?

I've recently picked up an old Canon SLR and wanted to experiment with it.

Unfortunately, I've found it near impossible to find anywhere convenient to develop BW film. Ritz Camera only does color (and it seems another Ritz closes down every day), and Costco, Walgreens, and Snapfish have all shutdown their film-related operations. This means my only option (since I cannot develop myself) is to find a specialty shop where I can mail my film.

I'm not interested in prints, only in high fidelity scans of the negatives, which I can then continue to develop digitally in Lightroom as I do with my digital photos. Does anyone have any solid recommendations for this purpose?

Improve this question
  • Just to clarify: are you only interested in B&W film, or is that just and important requirement some of the time? – mattdm Nov 26 '12 at 16:10
  • it would probably be useful to specify your location, it would appear you're based in North America but a more precise location might help – Matt Grum Nov 26 '12 at 16:13
  • North America, yes, East Coast in particular. But recommendations for anywhere in the continental 48 would suffice. – Bill VB Nov 26 '12 at 16:42
  • @mattdm - no, not necessarily. I suppose the most important criteria is a high fidelity scan of the negative. – Bill VB Nov 26 '12 at 16:43
  • You might also want to check Where can I get 4x5?, 5x7?, or 8x10? color sheet film (or other hard-to-find exotic film) processed? – user2719 Nov 27 '12 at 1:45
2

Use a chromogenic B&W film; that is, a B&W film that can be developed using the same C-41 process as ordinary colour films. That way, any shop that can develop colour films can also develop your B&W film. Ilford makes such a film called XP2 Super, but other manufacturers make it as well.

An alternative is quite simply to shoot colour film and then convert to B&W in post processing. Not the choice of the purist, but it can give good results.

Beware, though, that neither method will quite match the look of an old school, grainy B&W film, but that might not be what you are after anyway.

Improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.