Re: [Leica] Re: Leica Users digest V12 #35

["Anthony Atkielski" <anthony@atkielski.com>]

From: Eric Welch <ewelch@ponyexpress.net>
Sent: Monday, October 04, 1999 05:34
Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Leica Users digest V12 #35


> Sometimes speed is more important than quality.

But that just proves my point.  Lens resolution is just one part of photography,
and it is a part that most photographers don't care about in most situations, as
long as it is "high enough."

> Do the pro labs to one hour?

Picto does E-6 in two hours; not sure about C-41, but I suspect they offer the
same turnaround.  Another pro lab I visited in the suburbs also does both of
these in an hour or two, as I recall.  But what I really like is that the
one-hour lab where I went yesterday does _black and white_ in one hour!  That's
my dream come true, as I've been wanting to experiment with B&W, but I'm not
willing to wait a day or a week for B&W processing, especially when I know it's
simple and requires only one hour to accomplish once it is done.

> Of course, with pro labs charging $33 a roll to
> process, I can see why some would choose a less
> expensive form when the photos will probably run in
> many magazines as one or two column pictures.

Just what exactly is the pro lab providing, though?  For prints, I can see the
difference, but for just _negatives_ or _slides_, what do you get?

The slides I had developed yesterday at the one-hour place are perfectly
developed and entirely clean--no scratches, no spots, no dust.  What would I get
from a pro lab that I wouldn't be getting here?  I'm pretty much convinced right
now that pro labs offer me nothing in this domain.  With all those Noritsu
machines around, all you need is a bit of attention to handling, chemicals, and
maintenance, and you can get superb development.

Like I said, prints would be different, but I no longer get any prints at all.
Everything goes right into the scanner.

And now that I get black and white in an hour, I'm happier still (and it only
costs $3.50 for 24 exposures).  The work they did last night came out perfect.

  -- Anthony