Recently I've had my 35mm C-41 work run at CostCo. They run their test strips through about an hour before they open. The last batch was a series of watershed landscape shots for a lawsuit against a property developer. I used sample roll of Portra 400UC free from Kodak. Not only did the lab do a fine job, the combination of Fuji chemistry and the 400UC film was just about perfect. The prints on Fuji Crystal Archive paper reproduced an incredible range of greens -- precisely what I'd hoped to capture. It will take a few more test rolls of the 400UC before I'm willing to use it routinely. But early morning processing at CostCo is a definite winner. Bill -----Original Message----- From: Russell Baker <rebphoto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Jun 1, 2004 8:39 AM To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: Singing the Blues Hi Gang.............. Very often I use the Mini Lab at Sam's Club to make prints from my digital files. I have done all the color correction (or convert to gray scale) and image sizing in PS 7 so all they have to do is print the files. The price is right and they usually do a good job. However........ When I bring them a B&W (gray scale) file sometimes they get it right and sometimes is comes our blue/purple. By the way, I always burn my Color and B&W onto separate CD's to make things less confusing. I have mentioned to them that these are B&W files and to make sure to set their printer for B&W. They do seem to be aware that they have to set the printer different for B&W. The Manger. of the Dept. seems to have good luck in reprinting them and getting them to come out correctly. Does anybody here know what I can tell the folks behind the counter to do when the occasional prints comes out blue/purple. The last set of files I took to them were horrible and the Manger. wasn't going to be back for a few days so I ended up at the custom lab paying three times as much! Lets not let this get into a debate about Mini Labs vs. Custom Labs. I know that the Mini Lab can do the job when it is set properly! Thanks...... Russ R.E. Baker Photography rebphoto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Feed a Cat... Starve a Fever........
