Does anyone still process 110 format film?

March 31, 2009 4:22 PM

Does anyone still process 110 format film?

I live in a smallish town in eastern Canada with no mom-n-pop photo shops, so I doubt I'll be able to get this done locally. Can anyone recommend any mail-in services that will process (and maybe even print) this format? How much can I expect to pay for a service like that? Or can I have the local Kodak shop send it off somewhere for me?

posted by tealsocks to sports, hobbies, & recreation (13 comments total)

Your best bet for finding out answers to questions about niche film formats or obscure cameras is to look on the discussions for Flickr groups about that type of film/camera. A quick search led me to this thread.
posted by matildaben at 4:26 PM on March 31

I would just call some labs and ask. Specifically what you are looking for is a place that has a "dip tank" processor (ie: every 'pro' level lab). These labs take the film out of the cartridge and just run the film itself through the chemistry so it's not dependent on size or anything like that.
posted by bradbane at 4:31 PM on March 31

Rapid Photo and Coopers Imaging at least. I found both by googling 110 film processing.
posted by jdfan at 4:37 PM on March 31

This is going to sound crazy, but there's this film shop in this tiny town in Kansas that still does all tons of formats. They even do Kodachrome. They list prices for 110 format film. 12 exposures, one set $1.99. Can't really beat that.
posted by geoff. at 4:42 PM on March 31

Duane's.
posted by rbs at 4:51 PM on March 31

Er, make that Dwayne's.
posted by rbs at 4:51 PM on March 31

York Photo is where many 110 photographers/ some hipster/LOMO people have their film processed. If you submit a request they will send you mailers for free. FWIW I have had film developed by them before and they turned out well at a great price.

"110 speed, 24 exposures, per roll $3.00 $1.50"
posted by bradly at 5:17 PM on March 31

As others have pointed out, the chemistry of 110 film is the same at regular 35mm, so it's really just a matter of finding a place that still has adaptors/slides/whatever (sadly, I don't remember the technical names, despite having once worked in a photo shop) to run the 110 film through the developer (and printer, if you want prints). The older a photo lab is, the more likely they'll be to have the equipment.

That said, if you were in the U.S., I'd tell you to take the film to any store that "sends film to Kodak" using Kodak's black-and-yellow envelopes. It'll go to a regional Kodak/Qualex lab that still develops 110. (Hell, last time I checked, Kodak will still take your money to try to develop disk film.) Do Canadian drugs stores use Kodak envelopes?
posted by faster than a speeding bulette at 6:01 PM on March 31

I've used Clark Color for 110 processing before. $1.88 for 24 3.5 x 5" prints

They can also send you mailers for free.
posted by maishuno at 8:10 PM on March 31

...and $1.30 s/h per roll...
posted by maishuno at 8:10 PM on March 31

They're a bitch to print on the machines I've used, but it's very possible that a local photo lab would be able to do it. They just need the appropriate adaptor for their printing machine ("mask" might be the word bulette is thinking of).

Best bet is to just look up the various labs in the phone book and it shouldn't be too difficult for them to know the answer. And if they can't do it, some of them will likely be able to send them out to a custom lab. I dunno how much it would be compared to a mail service it, but if you factor in shipping, I'd guess it'd be comparable, if not cheaper. But don't quote me on that.

Also, be sure to specify whether you want square prints that match the negatives, or if you want wide prints (like you'd get with 35mm or digital) which will crop off the top and bottom. As a lab printer, it drove me nuts when the clerk didn't ask what size prints they wanted. And that includes the times I was the clerk.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 10:02 PM on March 31

Well, looking at Clark Color, it sounds like the mail services would be cheaper than what you'd get with a shop, although I'm not sure how much more it'd be for Canada shipping. And the quality will probably be better than a local lab, esp since some here have liked the results. But it still couldn't hurt to call and see how their prices compare.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 10:17 PM on March 31

110 format film uses the same C-41 process that standard 35 mm or APS film uses. So in terms of chemistry it ought not to be an issue.

Recently in fact I had to develop some old format film in my medium-sized Canadian town (including 110). The photo guy at the local Shoppers Drug Mart claimed he could process and print the 110 using their standard automatic photo developing machine, but by then I had it processed somewhere else. It left me with the opinion that processing 110 film really wasn't that big a deal.

So, my point is, ask whomever you use to develop your usual film if they can do it.
posted by thermonuclear.jive.turkey at 9:12 AM on April 7