16 Cents per MF image... It's killing me....

This is a joke, right? Must be. For 16c per image I'd sell all my darkroom equimpment and start shopping in Walmart. In Holland one roll of color film through the same process would cost you roughly $60. But then again, we're all insanely rich here, so that's just peanuts.

God help us in the U.S. We are moving towards VAT and extreme tax rates. It is just a question of if the government also controls the means of production. Walmart will be $60 in another five years and we will all wish that we were in Holland.
 
I pay 3.88 Euros for a roll of Portra NC 160 and 3 Euros for development. Decent prices I'd say, for such a niche product.

martin
 
This is a joke, right? Must be. For 16c per image I'd sell all my darkroom equimpment and start shopping in Walmart. In Holland one roll of color film through the same process would cost you roughly $60. But then again, we're all insanely rich here, so that's just peanuts.

I remember dropping off color C41 roll film at Hema in Rotterdam who then sent it out to a large lab. You had to convince them that the large lab would process the film even if they themselves didn't have it on their price list, but once you did that the large lab processed it just fine. Worked out for something like 3-4€/film.
 
In Holland one roll of color film through the same process would cost you roughly $60. But then again, we're all insanely rich here, so that's just peanuts.

Geez, Phantomas?! Where are you having your stuff developed and printed?
At my local shop I pay 4.95 Euro per roll of 135 or 120 film for development only, (2 Euro more for B/W sent to the lab).

Their printing service cost vary from 0.25 euro per print budget, to 0.60 euro for a 13x18cm print using their 1-hour service.

Nowhere near 60 Bucks!



Irony means "Sort of like Iron", right?
 
Just got back my Send Out only from Walmart for this week and really think I may have to consider a darkroom or give up Medium Format.

Stop complaining, the only place I can get medium format development here in Johannesburg, South Africa, costs me over $8.00 per roll (development only). And I love shooting E-6 slide film in my 6x17cm Linhof, so that's $4.00 per photo! 6x7cm is a bit cheaper per photo, but still ridiculous.

That's why, sublime as Provia/Velvia is in the format, I shoot 99% black and white and print in the darkroom.
 
Now what really irks me is that in this city of 260,000 or so people the last lab that would crossprocess my E-6 films just closed down a month ago. I have a large photo store next door with a Frontier, but they won't take E-6, saying that it spoils their chemistry.
 
I think processing of a roll (color) costs me roughly €4-5 (slide is more). I haven't done printing in a long time. But I remember a few years ago you could have your film processed and printed double for the same price. Not complaining, sort of another excuse to shoot B&W and develop at home.
 
We need Walmart here in Europe...

No we don't, and if we did I'm sure they would already have succeeded in their attempts. ;)

...but in all honesty colour processing can be expensive in Europe, especially in a small place with limited options like Luxembourg. I found a local independent with great prices and they process MF in-house instead of sending it out. They also provide film and advice for my home B&W processing. We need to support such businesses by frequenting them and recommending them.
 
Ok... It Is My Perverse Sense Of Humor!!

Ok... It Is My Perverse Sense Of Humor!!

Yeah, but the problem is you have to go into a Wal-Mart! Just can't support them--even at 16 cents an image. Damn.

Yes, I do mean a bit of sarcasm in this original post. I am pleased with the Walmart Send Out Only film service.

And yes, the pricing can be inconsistent, but even at it's highest, it's lower than the next best option, which in my town is NONE.

And yes, no one in the store knows squat about it. That's my bliss. I take the roll in, drop it in the hole in the SOO kiosk with no comment, and my only communication is when they call me and when I give them my name when I pick it up.

And yes, I do understand that some people have negative feelings toward Walmart and won't shop there. I applaud this type of commitment when I feel it may actually be productive. However, since some of you don't go to Walmart, let me say that the current economy has swelled the ranks of shoppers at Walmart stores, as well as improved the caliber of shopper you will find in the store.

You may be surprised at how many of your friends and neighbors are starting to show up in the aisles of Walmart.

It's no longer just the store where Trolls work and shop.
 
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Seriously, I was hoping that the original post was a sarcastic one. Here in Copenhagen, the only quote I got was around 6.70euro for negative development, no scans or prints. Therefore, I just went out and ordered a Tetenal c-41 kit. Even by processing myself I don`t think I'm going that cheap.
 
walmart lost my negative, never use their service again.
another time they c-41 dev my 135mm slide even though I clearly write "send out only, do not dev in house" on the envelope. I even told them to send it out when I handed them my negatives.
 
That has nothing to do with why I don't like to shop at Walmart. :D

Seconded.

For example, when I buy a steak, I don't want anything else on the list of ingredients. I neglected to check, and bought an alleged steak anyway. As far as I recall, it contained 8% 'solution' (this was in Selma, Alabama). I assume the 'solution' contained water, sugar, salt and papain.

Because I'd not checked I barbecued it anyway. Even the dogs wouldn't eat it.

Cheers,

R.
 
We need Walmart here in Europe...

They tried it in Germany between 1997 and 2006. Estimations say that they lost at least 4 billion Euros in that period. They didn't manage to offer attractive service for us and they had a lot of trouble with German labour law because their internal ethic standards stood in contrast to German law. No one was sad when they left.
 
to australian users: where do you guys get it processed, seems so expensive. in sa, it ranges from 5 bucks to 12 bucks for a roll of c41/e6 120 film.
 
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