Film Developing in the UK

Have they given a reason for no longer supplying TIFFs?

I'd been tempted to give them a go for some colour processing (mainly because scanning Kodak colour negatives on my flatbed is a pain as they always seem to dry with a bow along the length), but I'd want TIFF files, not JPGs. I'm more than happy with the processing I get a Peak, but their scanning costs are a bit outside my price range unfortunately.

I'm actually half-toying with the idea of picking up a Plustek 35mm scanner (maybe a Christmas present!) as a means of getting better quality home-scans. It might be a bit of overkill though - while I'm sure my 35mm scans could be improved, I'm still pretty happy with the results from the flatbed on the whole.
 
excalibur2 said:
erm but we haven't left the EU....the only excuse would be the £ is down with some currencies for materiels, inflation is about 3% and pensions, savings and wages are being held down...................
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And there's nowt but a long, dark, winter staring us in the face. It's being so cheerful that keeps us going, really. :D
 
FishyFish said:
Have they given a reason for no longer supplying TIFFs?

I'd been tempted to give them a go for some colour processing (mainly because scanning Kodak colour negatives on my flatbed is a pain as they always seem to dry with a bow along the length), but I'd want TIFF files, not JPGs. I'm more than happy with the processing I get a Peak, but their scanning costs are a bit outside my price range unfortunately.

I'm actually half-toying with the idea of picking up a Plustek 35mm scanner (maybe a Christmas present!) as a means of getting better quality home-scans. It might be a bit of overkill though - while I'm sure my 35mm scans could be improved, I'm still pretty happy with the results from the flatbed on the whole.
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No idea why they stopped offering TIFFs, specially since they told me proudly when the Noritsu arrived that it would do 16-bit TIFFs. Maybe it will come as an extra cost option.. Hang on, maybe the problem is upload speeds; someone else (AG?) was saying they wanted to offer scan downloads but their upload speed was too slow. 16-bit TIFFs are MUCH much larger than JPEGs so consume much more upload time.

I have a Plustek, and it's fine, but I can't get anywhere near the quality of scans for C41 that I can get from Filmdev.
 
ChrisR said:
No idea why they stopped offering TIFFs, specially since they told me proudly when the Noritsu arrived that it would do 16-bit TIFFs. Maybe it will come as an extra cost option.. Hang on, maybe the problem is upload speeds; someone else (AG?) was saying they wanted to offer scan downloads but their upload speed was too slow. 16-bit TIFFs are MUCH much larger than JPEGs so consume much more upload time.
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Especially at the higher resolution settings of the Noritsu, which could potentially give much bigger files than the Fuji even at 8-bit. This is why I'm intrigued about what image sizes are being returned (in terms of absolute pixel dimensions like 3047x4547, not MB or dpi) since the switch to Noritsu. Although the price has risen, are the medium scans bigger than before? And has anyone had a large scan done recently?
 
Recent medium 35mm scans seem to be about 3091 × 2048 pixels.
 
ChrisR said:
Recent medium 35mm scans seem to be about 3091 × 2048 pixels.
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The old 'medium' example scan was 2988 x 1972, so a (not so) massive increase from 5.89 to 6.33 MP!

Anyone got a large scan?
 
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Retune said:
The old 'medium' example scan was 2988 x 1972, so a (not so) massive increase from 5.89 to 6.33 MP!

Anyone got a large scan?
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FilmDev Large scan, Noritsu Scanner, 6774x4492 (30.4MP). Quite a jump from the medium scan.

Anyone got figures for medium and large scans from AG ?
AG state their Medium Noritsu scans are 18MB, which sits inbetween the 2MB Medium and 45MB Large from Filmdev
 
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Retune said:
Especially at the higher resolution settings of the Noritsu, which could potentially give much bigger files than the Fuji even at 8-bit. This is why I'm intrigued about what image sizes are being returned (in terms of absolute pixel dimensions like 3047x4547, not MB or dpi) since the switch to Noritsu. Although the price has risen, are the medium scans bigger than before? And has anyone had a large scan done recently?
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H'mm if you not going to do large crops or large prints why do want max scan, my understanding is the resolution (detail) in the neg stays the same but all it's doing is just packing more pixels per sq inch\mm.....we all do crops at some time but let's face it, it's because (if using a SLR) we used the wrong lens in the first place. ;)
 
I don't think Filmdev's price rises are too bad. £6 for dev + medium sized jpegs with free return postage is still superb value for considering the quality and turn around time.

I can't be the only one that felt guilty only paying £5 a roll and getting tiff files back the next day!
 
Carl Hall said:
I don't think Filmdev's price rises are too bad. £6 for dev + medium sized jpegs with free return postage is still superb value for considering the quality and turn around time.

I can't be the only one that felt guilty only paying £5 a roll and getting tiff files back the next day!
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I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment here. I thought the previous pricing structure was unrealistic given all that they provided—and how quickly—and am surprised that it took this long for an adjustment to be made.
 
Carl Hall said:
I don't think Filmdev's price rises are too bad. £6 for dev + medium sized jpegs with free return postage is still superb value for considering the quality and turn around time.
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I agree, still good value but as a percentage price hike it’s pretty steep, as I said this adds quite a hefty increase to my normal order and very disappointed at the removal of the TIFF option.
 
Ste_S said:
FilmDev Large scan, Noritsu Scanner, 6774x4492 (30.4MP). Quite a jump from the medium scan.
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That's not only bigger than the Fuji large scan (13.85MP), but bigger than the Fuji extra-large (19.87MP), so if they stick with this size for the new price list, anyone who was ordering extra-large jpegs pre-Noritsu will actually be paying less for more, and anyone who was ordering large jpegs will be getting more for the same money. No 16-bit tiff, of course.

excalibur2 said:
H'mm if you not going to do large crops or large prints why do want max scan, my understanding is the resolution (detail) in the neg stays the same but all it's doing is just packing more pixels per sq inch\mm.....we all do crops at some time but let's face it, it's because (if using a SLR) we used the wrong lens in the first place. ;)
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I made some comparisons when they had sample files for the Fuji scanner. To my eye, the old medium was fine for most purposes, the large added some detail that would be useful for crops and enlargements, and there were diminishing returns with the extra-large (film grain was becoming the limiting factor for the detail you could pull out of it, so really only for big enlargements of fine-grain negs). Hopefully they'll post some Noritsu samples soon.
 
Experiences with Jessops one hour photo service ? Tried them once in the past and results weren’t that great - some shots massively underexposed and scans often had another frame in the scan.
To be fair though, the camera I was using was untested and it had a light leak, so probably not Jessops’ fault.

Thought I’d give them another go today with a roll of Fuji Neopan 400CN (B&W with C41 process).
Results not so good again sadly. Big line across all of the negs/prints/scans as below. Jessops maintain this was a problem with the film rather than with their process. The film was in date and fresh out of new block from AG’s fridge. Thoughts ?
To cap it off, they didn’t manage to print all of the pictures - they duplicated some and missed others out. They managed to scan them correctly thought.

View media item 12917
On the plus side, first time I’ve used Fuji Neopan 400CN and really like it. Especially like the way they look printed on matte paper
 
My thoughts are.... don't use Jessops. :) Film Dev or Peak or Ag, I have used Jessops but stopped after it took them 5 weeks to dev 2 rolls, charged me a fortune, munged both rolls up beyond saving and refused to compensate me for their mistake. :(
 
H'mm Jessops haven't changed much as I had some colour 120 dev about 8 years ago, anyway returned at the agreed time and they said they couldn't find them....it took a further 3 weeks before they turned up :eek:
 
I owe Jessops an apology. Looked at the other roll of Neopan I had from the same block and it does indeed have a line running along the emulsion.
Looks as though it’s a dodgy batch of film from Fuji/Ilford (as Ilford make it for Fuji).

Will be back to AG with the film.
 
Just checking with filmdev about minimum order charge and they replied:- Yes we no longer have a minimum order so you can send individual rolls for processing and scanning. We now by default scan all films on the Noritsu scanners but please note if you prefer the Frontier scans just add this in the additional notes.

Well if I can slip in one film in a jiffy bag @ 2nd class large letter post for 90p...I'd be happy now min order has gone.
 
H'mm filmdev and sent me an invoice for my negs but no link to download the negs...is it NOW pay up first then you can download jpgs?
 
excalibur2 said:
H'mm filmdev and sent me an invoice for my negs but no link to download the negs...is it NOW pay up first then you can download jpgs?
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Yes. You don't download them without paying ;) You will get the download link anyway but I can't remember whether it only works after you pay or not. They have to upload them all so it takes time between the invoice arriving and the download link being available.
 
Before I downloaded them and then they sent the invoice....but as you said maybe it was hours before I looked at my emails and the link and invoice came together (but not the same time).
 
First time I ever used Filmdev I got the download link ages before they rang me for payment (which I do by PayPal now online). Think I got the downloads one evening and then they rang me the next morning for payment. Was so confused what was going on haha.
 
Carl Hall said:
First time I ever used Filmdev I got the download link ages before they rang me for payment (which I do by PayPal now online). Think I got the downloads one evening and then they rang me the next morning for payment. Was so confused what was going on haha.
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Well I dunno either as received invoice 8:11 then paid them at 9:22 and received download link at 9:32...whether they would have sent the download link anyway or only after receiving payment.
 
excalibur2 said:
Well I dunno either as received invoice 8:11 then paid them at 9:22 and received download link at 9:32...whether they would have sent the download link anyway or only after receiving payment.
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Maybe you could ask them.
 
excalibur2 said:
Well I dunno either as received invoice 8:11 then paid them at 9:22 and received download link at 9:32...whether they would have sent the download link anyway or only after receiving payment.
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I think they send the link as soon as they get a ping that the money has been paid. It was certainly within about your quoted 10 minutes the last time I used them. I've just posted 3 films off to them today and asked for a Paypal invoice, so I'll note the timing of emails and update the thread later this week.
 
RaglanSurf said:
Maybe you could ask them.
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Well it was only AAMOI, and they can still keep the negs until paid, maybe they have come across a few whose jpgs were complete garbage because of a faulty camera and didn't pay up, so now pay first.
 
Peter B said:
I think they send the link as soon as they get a ping that the money has been paid. It was certainly within about your quoted 10 minutes the last time I used them. I've just posted 3 films off to them today and asked for a Paypal invoice, so I'll note the timing of emails and update the thread later this week.
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Invoice received at 1407 and download link at 1410 while I was out and about. Just paid and downloaded 5 minutes ago at about 1615, and here's Inverness Castle last week.

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Has anyone used Filmdev with the new PDF order form? It doesn't edit easily like the old one. I can't even put new text in the info section.
 
I tried to fill it in but it defeated my limited IT skills. I then printed it out and completed the basics in ink, then scanned it for future use. If you do that then you only need to fill in the boxes for number of films and scan size.
 
I've managed to do a bit more with it. It's more awkward than the last one. Lost the magic tick feature somehow as well. Got most details in now so I just need to write in number of films and tick which level of scan. Typically I had just printed off a couple of the old ones just before the price changed :rolleyes:
 
Haven't taken a shot for ages, nor sent off a film since the change. Last time I just made my own lookalike form in Word and pre-filled most of it, just changing a few details each time.
 
I sent a film off this Tuesday to FilmDev. Only second class but I haven't had the downloads yet. This feels very slow. I wish I'd spent the extra 50p and sent it first class! I keep checking my email to see whether I've got the invoice yet...
 
srichards said:
I sent a film off this Tuesday to FilmDev. Only second class but I haven't had the downloads yet. This feels very slow. I wish I'd spent the extra 50p and sent it first class! I keep checking my email to see whether I've got the invoice yet...
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Might be something to do with Xmas and found 2nd class many times is just as fast as 1st...e.g. a few months ago sent a parcel 2nd class oop north and it arrived next day
 
I don't think any postal service can be 100% to time these days, with traffic and transport the way it is. I sent a couple of cameras to visit their Uncle Miles for a CLA last week via 'guaranteed next day by 1pm' Special Delivery, and it took them 2 days to arrive. It was a bit worrying at the time in case they'd 'gone missing' but they arrived safely in the end and I got a full refund from RM on the cost of my postage (almost £20), which I think was quite fair under the circumstances.
 
excalibur2 said:
Might be something to do with Xmas and found 2nd class many times is just as fast as 1st...e.g. a few months ago sent a parcel 2nd class oop north and it arrived next day
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Sent one roll off Monday first class, another Tuesday first class to filmdev and not had the scans yet - slowest I've had from them. I hope just Christmas post delays as you say..
 
I've not had my negs back from them yet. It's rather annoying as I need to see if the neg is the same as the scan and I've cut off part of a reflection...
 
Peter B said:
I tried to fill it in but it defeated my limited IT skills. I then printed it out and completed the basics in ink, then scanned it for future use. If you do that then you only need to fill in the boxes for number of films and scan size.
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I have to admit that I haven't bothered printing out the order form. I just scribble everything down on a piece of A4 paper and it works out just fine [emoji4]
 
Ste_S said:
Sent one roll off Monday first class, another Tuesday first class to filmdev and not had the scans yet - slowest I've had from them. I hope just Christmas post delays as you say..
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So I've had the scans back from the roll I sent Tuesday. The roll I sent Monday has yet to arrive at filmdev towers after speaking to them today.
Not had a roll lost in post before, hopefully just delayed somewhere...

Tempted to send Special Delivery in future, £3 extra and tracked. Anyone else do this ?
 
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