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#1
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Photo lab washed out images... what can I do?
I used an underwater 35mm camera to take 3 rolls of film while snorkeling in
Florida. I took these to a lab and had a CD made. The prints were mediocre but the CD image when run through photoshop are superb. I then used the last two rolls of 35mm film from the same bulk purchase with the same camera a week later while snorkeling in Hawaii. I sent these to a 24hour lab and the prints AND the CD images were washed out. The visibility and sunlight were higher in HI. Since it was the same camera and film, I'm certain the labs did something different. Is there anything I can do to get the real color and depth from the second batch of film? Did the labs ruin the negatives or simply the prints and CD images? Can someone explain how this works to a film neophyte? I know I've learned my lesson about cheap labs. Thanks in advance. Mike |
#2
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I just realized I checked this film through airport security on the second
trip and carried through security on the first. Could the baggage scanners make a difference? "Mike Jenkins" wrote in message ... I used an underwater 35mm camera to take 3 rolls of film while snorkeling in Florida. I took these to a lab and had a CD made. The prints were mediocre but the CD image when run through photoshop are superb. I then used the last two rolls of 35mm film from the same bulk purchase with the same camera a week later while snorkeling in Hawaii. I sent these to a 24hour lab and the prints AND the CD images were washed out. The visibility and sunlight were higher in HI. Since it was the same camera and film, I'm certain the labs did something different. Is there anything I can do to get the real color and depth from the second batch of film? Did the labs ruin the negatives or simply the prints and CD images? Can someone explain how this works to a film neophyte? I know I've learned my lesson about cheap labs. Thanks in advance. Mike |
#3
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I just realized I checked this film through airport security on the second
trip and carried through security on the first. Could the baggage scanners make a difference? "Mike Jenkins" wrote in message ... I used an underwater 35mm camera to take 3 rolls of film while snorkeling in Florida. I took these to a lab and had a CD made. The prints were mediocre but the CD image when run through photoshop are superb. I then used the last two rolls of 35mm film from the same bulk purchase with the same camera a week later while snorkeling in Hawaii. I sent these to a 24hour lab and the prints AND the CD images were washed out. The visibility and sunlight were higher in HI. Since it was the same camera and film, I'm certain the labs did something different. Is there anything I can do to get the real color and depth from the second batch of film? Did the labs ruin the negatives or simply the prints and CD images? Can someone explain how this works to a film neophyte? I know I've learned my lesson about cheap labs. Thanks in advance. Mike |
#4
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Mike Jenkins wrote:
I used an underwater 35mm camera to take 3 rolls of film while snorkeling in Florida. I took these to a lab and had a CD made. The prints were mediocre but the CD image when run through photoshop are superb. I then used the last two rolls of 35mm film from the same bulk purchase with the same camera a week later while snorkeling in Hawaii. I sent these to a 24hour lab and the prints AND the CD images were washed out. The visibility and sunlight were higher in HI. Since it was the same camera and film, I'm certain the labs did something different. Is there anything I can do to get the real color and depth from the second batch of film? Did the labs ruin the negatives or simply the prints and CD images? Can someone explain how this works to a film neophyte? I know I've learned my lesson about cheap labs. You need to look at the negatives, C41 is the normal setup for most machines, so unless the machine isn't getting proper chemistry updates, or is out of temperature adjustment, the negatives should be OK. Every negative film manuyfacturer uses a slightly different emulsion, and slightly different orange mask on their negative films, the machines are setup to recognize the manufacturer and model of film being processed, this is so the machine can compensate for the density and colour of mask. If the machine didn't properly identify the film, it would be off. A good operator will see the first couple of prints, adjust the machine, and then reprint the few that were less satisfactory, most 1hr labs don't have the time to do this, and the teenager operating the machine doesn't care. Paul |
#5
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Mike Jenkins wrote:
I used an underwater 35mm camera to take 3 rolls of film while snorkeling in Florida. I took these to a lab and had a CD made. The prints were mediocre but the CD image when run through photoshop are superb. I then used the last two rolls of 35mm film from the same bulk purchase with the same camera a week later while snorkeling in Hawaii. I sent these to a 24hour lab and the prints AND the CD images were washed out. The visibility and sunlight were higher in HI. Since it was the same camera and film, I'm certain the labs did something different. Is there anything I can do to get the real color and depth from the second batch of film? Did the labs ruin the negatives or simply the prints and CD images? Can someone explain how this works to a film neophyte? I know I've learned my lesson about cheap labs. You need to look at the negatives, C41 is the normal setup for most machines, so unless the machine isn't getting proper chemistry updates, or is out of temperature adjustment, the negatives should be OK. Every negative film manuyfacturer uses a slightly different emulsion, and slightly different orange mask on their negative films, the machines are setup to recognize the manufacturer and model of film being processed, this is so the machine can compensate for the density and colour of mask. If the machine didn't properly identify the film, it would be off. A good operator will see the first couple of prints, adjust the machine, and then reprint the few that were less satisfactory, most 1hr labs don't have the time to do this, and the teenager operating the machine doesn't care. Paul |
#6
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In article ,
"Mike Jenkins" writes: "Mike Jenkins" wrote in message ... I used an underwater 35mm camera to take 3 rolls of film while snorkeling in Florida. I took these to a lab and had a CD made. The prints were mediocre but the CD image when run through photoshop are superb. I then used the last two rolls of 35mm film from the same bulk purchase with the same camera a week later while snorkeling in Hawaii. I sent these to a 24hour lab and the prints AND the CD images were washed out. The visibility and sunlight were higher in HI. Since it was the same camera and film, I'm certain the labs did something different. They were also shot under different conditions, so I wouldn't conclude it's necessarily the lab's fault, although it might be. I bet most 1-hour photofinishers aren't used to dealing with underwater photos; they'll likely have different color balance and whatnot than conventional land-based point-and-shoot photos, which could throw off their equipment. Is there anything I can do to get the real color and depth from the second batch of film? I just realized I checked this film through airport security on the second trip and carried through security on the first. Could the baggage scanners make a difference? In theory, airport security scanners should operate at low enough power that they won't damage film. If you put the film through the x-ray machine, though, and if it gave it too much of a jolt of x-rays, the film could end up fogged. This matches your description, so it MIGHT be what happened. It could also be problems with exposure or in processing. To find out, try examining your negatives. It's often hard to judge from a negative, particularly if you're not used to looking at them, but you may be able to discern something from them. For instance, look for detail that's washed out in the prints. If there's more detail in the negatives, it could be that the lab messed up. (Negatives can hold more detail than is usually printed, though, and trying to pull out detail at the extremes can have other negative consequences, like making film grain more noticeable.) You might also try comparing across rolls -- the roll you said came out OK on CD vs. the ones that didn't. That should give you a baseline for comparison. You might also try taking everything to a pro lab. Despite the name, most pro labs will happily help amateurs. Show them your prints and negatives and ask for advice. If nothing else, you can probably get a couple of sample prints for a buck or so, and use that to decide what else you want them to reprint or scan onto a CD. -- Rod Smith, http://www.rodsbooks.com Author of books on Linux, FreeBSD, and networking |
#7
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In article ,
"Mike Jenkins" writes: "Mike Jenkins" wrote in message ... I used an underwater 35mm camera to take 3 rolls of film while snorkeling in Florida. I took these to a lab and had a CD made. The prints were mediocre but the CD image when run through photoshop are superb. I then used the last two rolls of 35mm film from the same bulk purchase with the same camera a week later while snorkeling in Hawaii. I sent these to a 24hour lab and the prints AND the CD images were washed out. The visibility and sunlight were higher in HI. Since it was the same camera and film, I'm certain the labs did something different. They were also shot under different conditions, so I wouldn't conclude it's necessarily the lab's fault, although it might be. I bet most 1-hour photofinishers aren't used to dealing with underwater photos; they'll likely have different color balance and whatnot than conventional land-based point-and-shoot photos, which could throw off their equipment. Is there anything I can do to get the real color and depth from the second batch of film? I just realized I checked this film through airport security on the second trip and carried through security on the first. Could the baggage scanners make a difference? In theory, airport security scanners should operate at low enough power that they won't damage film. If you put the film through the x-ray machine, though, and if it gave it too much of a jolt of x-rays, the film could end up fogged. This matches your description, so it MIGHT be what happened. It could also be problems with exposure or in processing. To find out, try examining your negatives. It's often hard to judge from a negative, particularly if you're not used to looking at them, but you may be able to discern something from them. For instance, look for detail that's washed out in the prints. If there's more detail in the negatives, it could be that the lab messed up. (Negatives can hold more detail than is usually printed, though, and trying to pull out detail at the extremes can have other negative consequences, like making film grain more noticeable.) You might also try comparing across rolls -- the roll you said came out OK on CD vs. the ones that didn't. That should give you a baseline for comparison. You might also try taking everything to a pro lab. Despite the name, most pro labs will happily help amateurs. Show them your prints and negatives and ask for advice. If nothing else, you can probably get a couple of sample prints for a buck or so, and use that to decide what else you want them to reprint or scan onto a CD. -- Rod Smith, http://www.rodsbooks.com Author of books on Linux, FreeBSD, and networking |
#8
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In article ,
"Mike Jenkins" writes: "Mike Jenkins" wrote in message ... I used an underwater 35mm camera to take 3 rolls of film while snorkeling in Florida. I took these to a lab and had a CD made. The prints were mediocre but the CD image when run through photoshop are superb. I then used the last two rolls of 35mm film from the same bulk purchase with the same camera a week later while snorkeling in Hawaii. I sent these to a 24hour lab and the prints AND the CD images were washed out. The visibility and sunlight were higher in HI. Since it was the same camera and film, I'm certain the labs did something different. They were also shot under different conditions, so I wouldn't conclude it's necessarily the lab's fault, although it might be. I bet most 1-hour photofinishers aren't used to dealing with underwater photos; they'll likely have different color balance and whatnot than conventional land-based point-and-shoot photos, which could throw off their equipment. Is there anything I can do to get the real color and depth from the second batch of film? I just realized I checked this film through airport security on the second trip and carried through security on the first. Could the baggage scanners make a difference? In theory, airport security scanners should operate at low enough power that they won't damage film. If you put the film through the x-ray machine, though, and if it gave it too much of a jolt of x-rays, the film could end up fogged. This matches your description, so it MIGHT be what happened. It could also be problems with exposure or in processing. To find out, try examining your negatives. It's often hard to judge from a negative, particularly if you're not used to looking at them, but you may be able to discern something from them. For instance, look for detail that's washed out in the prints. If there's more detail in the negatives, it could be that the lab messed up. (Negatives can hold more detail than is usually printed, though, and trying to pull out detail at the extremes can have other negative consequences, like making film grain more noticeable.) You might also try comparing across rolls -- the roll you said came out OK on CD vs. the ones that didn't. That should give you a baseline for comparison. You might also try taking everything to a pro lab. Despite the name, most pro labs will happily help amateurs. Show them your prints and negatives and ask for advice. If nothing else, you can probably get a couple of sample prints for a buck or so, and use that to decide what else you want them to reprint or scan onto a CD. -- Rod Smith, http://www.rodsbooks.com Author of books on Linux, FreeBSD, and networking |
#9
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Thanks to everyone who responded.
I got a photo negative scanner and discovered the negatives were FABULOUS. Most of the images were loaded with color and details. The processing was simply horrible. I guess you get what you pay for if you are in a hurry. The scanned images are just fine. "Rod Smith" wrote in message ... In article , "Mike Jenkins" writes: "Mike Jenkins" wrote in message ... I used an underwater 35mm camera to take 3 rolls of film while snorkeling in Florida. I took these to a lab and had a CD made. The prints were mediocre but the CD image when run through photoshop are superb. I then used the last two rolls of 35mm film from the same bulk purchase with the same camera a week later while snorkeling in Hawaii. I sent these to a 24hour lab and the prints AND the CD images were washed out. The visibility and sunlight were higher in HI. Since it was the same camera and film, I'm certain the labs did something different. They were also shot under different conditions, so I wouldn't conclude it's necessarily the lab's fault, although it might be. I bet most 1-hour photofinishers aren't used to dealing with underwater photos; they'll likely have different color balance and whatnot than conventional land-based point-and-shoot photos, which could throw off their equipment. Is there anything I can do to get the real color and depth from the second batch of film? I just realized I checked this film through airport security on the second trip and carried through security on the first. Could the baggage scanners make a difference? In theory, airport security scanners should operate at low enough power that they won't damage film. If you put the film through the x-ray machine, though, and if it gave it too much of a jolt of x-rays, the film could end up fogged. This matches your description, so it MIGHT be what happened. It could also be problems with exposure or in processing. To find out, try examining your negatives. It's often hard to judge from a negative, particularly if you're not used to looking at them, but you may be able to discern something from them. For instance, look for detail that's washed out in the prints. If there's more detail in the negatives, it could be that the lab messed up. (Negatives can hold more detail than is usually printed, though, and trying to pull out detail at the extremes can have other negative consequences, like making film grain more noticeable.) You might also try comparing across rolls -- the roll you said came out OK on CD vs. the ones that didn't. That should give you a baseline for comparison. You might also try taking everything to a pro lab. Despite the name, most pro labs will happily help amateurs. Show them your prints and negatives and ask for advice. If nothing else, you can probably get a couple of sample prints for a buck or so, and use that to decide what else you want them to reprint or scan onto a CD. -- Rod Smith, http://www.rodsbooks.com Author of books on Linux, FreeBSD, and networking |
#10
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Thanks to everyone who responded.
I got a photo negative scanner and discovered the negatives were FABULOUS. Most of the images were loaded with color and details. The processing was simply horrible. I guess you get what you pay for if you are in a hurry. The scanned images are just fine. "Rod Smith" wrote in message ... In article , "Mike Jenkins" writes: "Mike Jenkins" wrote in message ... I used an underwater 35mm camera to take 3 rolls of film while snorkeling in Florida. I took these to a lab and had a CD made. The prints were mediocre but the CD image when run through photoshop are superb. I then used the last two rolls of 35mm film from the same bulk purchase with the same camera a week later while snorkeling in Hawaii. I sent these to a 24hour lab and the prints AND the CD images were washed out. The visibility and sunlight were higher in HI. Since it was the same camera and film, I'm certain the labs did something different. They were also shot under different conditions, so I wouldn't conclude it's necessarily the lab's fault, although it might be. I bet most 1-hour photofinishers aren't used to dealing with underwater photos; they'll likely have different color balance and whatnot than conventional land-based point-and-shoot photos, which could throw off their equipment. Is there anything I can do to get the real color and depth from the second batch of film? I just realized I checked this film through airport security on the second trip and carried through security on the first. Could the baggage scanners make a difference? In theory, airport security scanners should operate at low enough power that they won't damage film. If you put the film through the x-ray machine, though, and if it gave it too much of a jolt of x-rays, the film could end up fogged. This matches your description, so it MIGHT be what happened. It could also be problems with exposure or in processing. To find out, try examining your negatives. It's often hard to judge from a negative, particularly if you're not used to looking at them, but you may be able to discern something from them. For instance, look for detail that's washed out in the prints. If there's more detail in the negatives, it could be that the lab messed up. (Negatives can hold more detail than is usually printed, though, and trying to pull out detail at the extremes can have other negative consequences, like making film grain more noticeable.) You might also try comparing across rolls -- the roll you said came out OK on CD vs. the ones that didn't. That should give you a baseline for comparison. You might also try taking everything to a pro lab. Despite the name, most pro labs will happily help amateurs. Show them your prints and negatives and ask for advice. If nothing else, you can probably get a couple of sample prints for a buck or so, and use that to decide what else you want them to reprint or scan onto a CD. -- Rod Smith, http://www.rodsbooks.com Author of books on Linux, FreeBSD, and networking |
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