Where can I get a good lab?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Where can I get a good lab?

Posted: 7/18/2008 2:01:50 PM EDT

I am having trouble getting a quality enlargement to 20X30 from a slide. I don't understand what's so hard about this? I just got a lab that sent it blurry. It looked horrible. I asked and they said that they just can it.

Where can I get a good lab? St. Louis or anywere in North America. I just want this done.

Posted: 7/18/2008 2:20:33 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
I am having trouble getting a quality enlargement to 20X30 from a slide. I don't understand what's so hard about this? I just got a lab that sent it blurry. It looked horrible. I asked and they said that they just can it.

Where can I get a good lab? St. Louis or anywere in North America. I just want this done.

20x30 is a tall order from a 35mm slide. Yeah, but that's quite an enlargement from a small source.

Probably your best bet is westcoast imaging. I have had good luck with them previously.

Posted: 7/18/2008 3:00:51 PM EDT

[#2]

20x30 is an enormous enlargement from a 35mm slide.
What you are seeing is probably magnification of blur in the shot compounded by enlarged film grain.

My suggestion would be to settle for a smaller print or pony up big dough for a custom lab to do a print or digitaly enhance your slide.
It will be custom printed by a human and not machine processed.
You will pay for this personal attention.

A big city lab can handle this and yes we're talking L.A., NYC or a similar market.
You can also try calling Kodak.

Posted: 7/18/2008 4:34:18 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
20x30 is an enormous enlargement from a 35mm slide.
What you are seeing is probably magnification of blur in the shot compounded by enlarged film grain.

My suggestion would be to settle for a smaller print or pony up big dough for a custom lab to do a print or digitaly enhance your slide.
It will be custom printed by a human and not machine processed.
You will pay for this personal attention.

A big city lab can handle this and yes we're talking L.A., NYC or a similar market.
You can also try calling Kodak.

I think I will call Kodak. The print that they made was horrible. Even the manager said so when he saw it. I realize that it is a major enlargement, but I have seen it done better from a digital picture at the same size.

Posted: 7/18/2008 5:42:32 PM EDT

[#4]

Digital is a different game.

Posted: 7/18/2008 5:49:18 PM EDT

[#5]

Posted: 7/18/2008 5:52:36 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
www.zeek.net/i/dragon.jpg

Dolarhyde is that you?

(BTW he worked in a motion picture film lab)

Posted: 7/18/2008 7:08:23 PM EDT

[#7]

At 20"x30" print size from a 35mm if you can't see the film grain clearly on the enlargement edge to edge then it isn't as sharp as it could be.

I'd offer to do it for you but I'm not working at the lab anymore and the bag of special tricks that I had developed for using those scanners left with me. You can't stuff years of hands on experience into some hours of training.

The print that they made was horrible. Even the manager said so when he saw it. I realize that it is a major enlargement, but I have seen it done better from a digital picture at the same size.

If the manager agreed didn't they suggest doing it over or did they say that was as good as they do?

Posted: 7/18/2008 9:38:18 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
At 20"x30" print size from a 35mm if you can't see the film grain clearly on the enlargement edge to edge then it isn't as sharp as it could be.

I'd offer to do it for you but I'm not working at the lab anymore and the bag of special tricks that I had developed for using those scanners left with me. You can't stuff years of hands on experience into some hours of training.

The print that they made was horrible. Even the manager said so when he saw it. I realize that it is a major enlargement, but I have seen it done better from a digital picture at the same size.

If the manager agreed didn't they suggest doing it over or did they say that was as good as they do?

They said that is as good as it gets. At least they were honest and didn't string me along again.

I called Pacific Color today asking for you only to find out you left. Hopefully you moved on to bigger and better things! Would you suggest sending it there or is there another place you suggest?

Posted: 7/18/2008 10:19:39 PM EDT

[#9]

We'll have to see if I go somewhere bigger and better; I was laid off my last day was June 30th. www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=121&t=725251
I did sub contract there last week filling in while the guy who had to take over film processing was on vacation.

A couple of things I saw going on after the recent changes make me say do not send a one of a kind irreplaceable piece of film there until they get it straightened out. When/if they get squared away it should be fine.

If you can get a good scan made something around 4000x6000 (20x30@200DPI) you can send the file on CD or use online ordering like ROES to anyplace you'd like.

Depending on the dynamic range of your image you may want two or three scans made and use them to make a composite image for printing (One of those tricks that won't get done there anymore unless the customer pays for a huge upcharge and even then it will be done begrudgingly)

Posted: 7/19/2008 7:51:14 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
We'll have to see if I go somewhere bigger and better; I was laid off my last day was June 30th. www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=121&t=725251
I did sub contract there last week filling in while the guy who had to take over film processing was on vacation.

A couple of things I saw going on after the recent changes make me say do not send a one of a kind irreplaceable piece of film there until they get it straightened out. When/if they get squared away it should be fine.

If you can get a good scan made something around 4000x6000 (20x30@200DPI) you can send the file on CD or use online ordering like ROES to anyplace you'd like.

Depending on the dynamic range of your image you may want two or three scans made and use them to make a composite image for printing (One of those tricks that won't get done there anymore unless the customer pays for a huge upcharge and even then it will be done begrudgingly)

Wow - sorry to hear that. I will just keep searching for someone to do it.

Posted: 7/19/2008 9:42:05 AM EDT

[#11]

I would start by getting it digital and go from there

you should have no trouble getting to 20x30

Posted: 7/19/2008 10:59:29 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

Quoted:
www.zeek.net/i/dragon.jpg

Dolarhyde is that you?

(BTW he worked in a motion picture film lab)

I thought he did both....

Posted: 7/19/2008 12:16:57 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
I would start by getting it digital and go from there

you should have no trouble getting to 20x30

Well I have the picture that I took digitally. I just always thought that slide was better because it held more detail. Here is the digital picture that I took with the Canon 30D 17-40L @17

Posted: 7/19/2008 2:00:44 PM EDT

[#14]

is 1600 x 1066 the original size?

Posted: 7/19/2008 5:10:22 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
is 1600 x 1066 the original size?

No I put it in TinyPic because I am lazy.

Posted: 7/19/2008 5:17:29 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

Well I have the picture that I took digitally. I just always thought that slide was better because it held more detail. Here is the digital picture that I took with the Canon 30D 17-40L @17
i33.tinypic.com/voy82f.jpg

It might but as you found you can't get that detail to print at a lab that just pushes a button or one doesn't care.

If the whites will hold that image will really pop if it's printed on Endura Metallic

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Where can I get a good lab?

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