Olympus-OM
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [OM] PROVIA PROCESSING

Subject: Re: [OM] PROVIA PROCESSING
From: Ken Norton <image66@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 23:11:18 -0500
Dave Dougherty wrote:
>What is the concensus on the best processing labs and process for Provia 
>film?  Am I correct that the C-41 process for most color negative film is
not 
>too successful with Provia?

Dave,

I don't know where you are at geographically, but I'll suggest that finding
a good lab that you can trust is one of the hardest things you can do
photographically.  I have had a love/hate relationship with labs for 15
years now.  One time I found a commercial photographer that did his own E6
(what is required for Provia) better than anybody else around.  I switched
from New Lab (California) to him because it was just as good, but local.
He promptly destroyed several rolls of film when his processor went belly
up on a major magazine photo shoot of mine.  It ended up costing me around
$3000 in lost revenue and expenses.  As a result of that fiasco, I always
make the labs spread my rolls out over multiple batches.

Since that time, I've used Qualux (kodak), local shops, and New Lab with
varying degrees of success.  My major grouse has always been mismounted
slides (from all listed labs), fingerprints and drying streaks/scratches.

Last year I moved to Iowa and shuddered at the thought of trying to find a
good local lab.  I resigned myself to never finding one so I looked into
"rolling my own" with an E6 machine.  Before I did that I was sent to a
place in Des Moines, Iowa called Designed Images, Inc.  Great, just what I
need--another homegrown lab-wannabe.  Imagine my suprise and satisfaction
when my "test rolls" came back absolutely perfect--no mismounts, no
scratches, no streaks, no color casts, no emulsion damage, no fingerprints,
not even the mount numbering was wrong.  I've since had them do all of my
E6, C41 and B&W processing.  In fact, yesterday I dropped off (2:30pm) and
picked up (5:00pm) seven rolls of C41 that were processed and proofed as
good as I've ever seen.

Designed Images, Inc. is a full-service lab that is aimed at the
professional market.  They offer all standard services along with
everything you expect and need in digital imaging.  They have Fuji Crystal
Archive digital output capabilities and their quality control is second to
none.

I've kissed magenta-cast slides goodbye.  What was thought to be film
handling issues was actually lab issues.

I know this sounds like an advertisement for this company, but I feel that
quality needs to be rewarded with good word-of-mouth.  Anybody in the
midwest-USA looking for a good lab shouldn't have to look any farther.  I
am completely, 100atisfied with them.  (Anybody who knows me knows that
I am rarely satisfied with anything).  Of course, YMMV.

Designed Images, Inc.
www.designedimages.com

Ken Norton
Image66

< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Sponsored by Tako
Impressum | Datenschutz