Where should I get my film developed

October 30, 2005 1:43 PM

Is there a particularly good mail-in photo processing company that you can recommend? Or how about a good place in Philly?

When I lived in New York, I used to use Spectra, which was fantastic... they charged a fortune, but the processing and prints were always vastly superior to any cheap place. Now I'm in Philly and I have a bunch of film to process, and I don't know where to go. I guess the local Ritz may be my best bet, but I'm willing to send away if people have a suggestion as to where to send. Ideally I'd like someplace that can print with white borders and isn't terribly expensive, yet has a good reputation among you folks, so if there's one outfit you swear by, please let me know. Mail-in aside, is there anywhere in Philadelphia that is particularly good?

posted by The Michael The to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

I send my photos to B&Js in New York. you can buy film with prepaid processing and it's quite cheap. They do a superior job, developing Fuji film and Kodak using the correct and seperate processes for example.
posted by fshgrl at 1:45 PM on October 30, 2005

Response by poster: Do you mean B&H?
posted by The Michael The at 1:50 PM on October 30, 2005

We take prints to the Ritz place at 34th and Walnut (which may be convenient for you....do you work in Hayden?) A typical roll of 24 with white borders and an index print goes for about $8, I think. While we are NOT photophiles by any means, I know they do a better job than the typical drugstore developer.
posted by mbd1mbd1 at 2:22 PM on October 30, 2005

http://www.aandi.com/

This is the standard for Hollywood types. If it absolutely can't get screwed up, go to these guys.
posted by KenFox at 2:53 PM on October 30, 2005

I've always been happy with Clark Color Labs.

http://www.clarkcolor.com
posted by Caviar at 3:14 PM on October 30, 2005

I second Caviar. Clark Color usually does a pretty good and fast job of getting my photos online, and the prints to me.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:43 PM on October 30, 2005 [1 favorite]

Ritz at 34th and Walnut is HORRIBLE. Never take your pictures there. Their staff are incompetent beyond words, and the quality of prints is a disgrace for the bloated costs Ritz charges.
posted by Rothko at 3:45 PM on October 30, 2005

Philadelphia Photographics, 10th and Arch
posted by gac at 4:46 PM on October 30, 2005

Yes I do mean B&H, mixing it up with our local hardware place!
posted by fshgrl at 4:56 PM on October 30, 2005

I use a branch of Ritz in Old City, and can confirm that they do a much nicer job than drugstores -- totally fine for anything that isn't super-specialty stuff. And the staff at that location (6th and Market) is actually pretty great.
posted by desuetude at 5:07 PM on October 30, 2005

Use Quaker Photo--they're great. It's a pro lab (at about 11th/10th and Arch), but they always did a good job for me, a rank amateur. Not too expensive, for what you get. And the staff are all photographers (with varying levels of experience, to be sure), so they know what you're talking about.

There is another pro lab at Chestut and, say, 7th--I can't remember the name.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 6:21 PM on October 30, 2005