Genie Imaging - no longer developing

freecom2

freecom2

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Genie Imaging is no longer developing film.

"Since 1987 we have handled film processing here at Genie but sadly 2014 will be our last full year.

We are going to stop the analogue side to our business at 9th January 2015 and we will try to fulfil all our film processing orders whilst our chemistry remains fresh. After that we will consign our film processors to oblivion, remove the chemistry, turn off the nitrogen, stop the dryers and close off the washes."
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A shame. Their processing was always excellent value, speedy and professional. AG Photographic have tweeted continuing to develop: https://BANNED/AgPhotographic/status/555428402262720512
 
freecom2 said:
Genie Imaging is no longer developing film.



A shame. Their processing was always excellent value, speedy and professional. AG Photographic have tweeted continuing to develop: https://BANNED/AgPhotographic/status/555428402262720512
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Yeah, I saw that yesterday. That's quite a shame. I think I have vouchers for a free dev and scan too...
 
Just reading a few of those replies, somebody chimed in suggesting RM shipping may be a contributory factor.
There's always a deal to be done with other shipping companies so I doubt RM had that much of an effect, however, I've got a lot of time for anyone gobbin off at RM, it costs £2.80 to send one roll of film 2nd class..........£2.80 !!.....taking the p1ss that lot are.
 
Bummer... I had resolved that my next transparency films would go to them for process and scan, as their prices are (were) much better than others for that combination. Mind you, I'm only shooting black and white at the moment, so it wouldn't exactly have kept them afloat...
 
You'd think film pop in users in London would have kept them going, but unfortunately they weren't in a handy spot i.e. not where all the shops are. Although thinking I would have cycled there or even driven for convenient parking (assuming they had a car park).
 
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joxby said:
Just reading a few of those replies, somebody chimed in suggesting RM shipping may be a contributory factor.
There's always a deal to be done with other shipping companies so I doubt RM had that much of an effect, however, I've got a lot of time for anyone gobbin off at RM, it costs £2.80 to send one roll of film 2nd class..........£2.80 !!.....taking the p1ss that lot are.
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I think film is an unfortunate victim of the Royal Mail dimensions, because a roll of 120/35mm is just thick/wide enough to make it a small parcel rather than a large letter. Even without the cost of sending, the sheer cost and lack of volume probably contributed to this as much as anything.

excalibur2 said:
You'd think film pop in users in London would have kept them going, but unfortunately they weren't in a handy spot i.e. not where all the shops are. Although thinking I would have cycled there or even driven for convenient parking (assuming they had a car park).
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There are probably a lot of film users in London who send their film away, and if they had to pay rent on premises on a high street, I think they would've shut up shop twice as fast. Also, a high street premises would be completely unsuitable for the kind of large printing and developing machines that they had (which is precisely why they were on an industrial estate in the first place, I imagine). Additionally, it was right next to Wandsworth Common train station, which had train services to Victoria, London Bridge, Crystal Palace, Sutton etc, as well as being about 15 minutes away from a Northern Line tube station.
 
120 just fits the large letter rate. But only one roll and only just.
 
Right! what all the filmies do is write to Asda and ask if they can set their Fuji frontiers machines to also do 120...dev and scan to disk, with index, for £3. ;)
 
srichards said:
120 just fits the large letter rate. But only one roll and only just.
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If I'm really careful about the way that I pack up the film, I can sometimes sneak a few rolls at the large letter rate. A bit of brown packaging tape all around the envelope helps it to slide more smoothly through the measuring thing they use at the Post Office, I find.

It also helps if the Post Office worker drops it straight down through the measuring device rather than on an angle, otherwise the spool is more likely to catch and stick. When they drop it at an angle, I have sometimes asked them to try again and drop it straight through, but they don't always agree to do so.
 
Just put a large letter stamp on and don't bother with the post office? I think the Royal Mail system has more margin than the things at the desk and it's probably going to be fine.
 
steveo_mcg said:
Just put a large letter stamp on and don't bother with the post office? I think the Royal Mail system has more margin than the things at the desk and it's probably going to be fine.
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Yeah, that would probably make sense, although I often will use the recorded option or, for my more important rolls, special delivery, so I tend to go to the Post Office.
 
skysh4rk said:
Yeah, that would probably make sense, although I often will use the recorded option or, for my more important rolls, special delivery, so I tend to go to the Post Office.
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Does special delivery have the size restrictions? I never use it and for some reason thought it was different. Yeah not being able to do your own tracked services is a problem.

I'm hoping the weather clears and I can ride down to the guy down Newhaven who I haven't used before; half and hour on the bike or £4 quid for postage it's an easy sum even in winter.
 
steveo_mcg said:
Does special delivery have the size restrictions? I never use it and for some reason thought it was different. Yeah not being able to do your own tracked services is a problem.
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I don't worry about the large letter size for special delivery, only for recorded delivery.
 
Ah damn, I was gonna use them again for my slide film I got from Joxby.
 
steveo_mcg said:
I'm hoping the weather clears and I can ride down to the guy down Newhaven who I haven't used before; half and hour on the bike or £4 quid for postage it's an easy sum even in winter.
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Youch, it is more of a slog back from the shore than I remember. At one point I was thinking £4 wasn't really that bad...
 
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