Problems with having photos processed

[Stephen Coates]

After the recent discussion about films, I was wondering if anyone here has ever had any problems with getting there films (or maybe even digital photos) processed?

Recently, I had 4 photos on my digital camera that I want printed. So I took them to ASDA. Later that evening, they telephones me to say that someone had put a bad CD into the system and my photos had been lost, so I had to go and put my photos back on their system. I also asked them to put my slides onto a CD for me. There was a little bit of confusion with this, because it was slide film that had been developed, but had not been mounted. They decided that they put them into the machine the same way as negatives.

So, I go back on Sunday to collect my digital prints and CD, and I get the digital ones, but they could not do the CD due to a problem with the machine. They said they'd telephone me when it's ready.

Now, I got a phone call this morning from Asda, saying that they can not do my CD because my photos are not negatives.

I don't know whether that is because they don't have any common sense, or whether the machine that they have can ONLY deal with mounted slides and negatives. Does anyone have any recomendations on film scanners so I can do it myself?

Other than that I don't think I have ever had any problems with photos.

[AlexJ]

You've got to remember that in most supermarkets, the photo guy is really just a general member of staff that knows how to use 'the photo machine'. Give them anything that isn't 35mm/APS film or .jpg digital photos and chances are they won't have a clue.

I have had problems in the past getting films developed, plenty of photos have come back with quality control stickers on them but that was usually down to using a cheapo disposable camera.

[Harrison]

I recommend you instead find your local Kodak store and give them a visit. They will be much more clued up and might even be able to do your prints and CD while you wait. In the past I've found them to be very helpful and good.

Or go to a branch of Jessops as they are pretty good too.

Trying to get a supermarket photolab to do anything out of the ordinary is a tall order as Alex said.

They probably got confused with the slide film as their automatic film scanner is probably expecting negatives so if they scan you slide film through it the software were end up inverting the colours, producing a negative picture. That is easy to fix at home yourself but a store such as Kodak should be able to do what you wish without such hassles.

[Stephen Coates]

I have never had a problem with Asda for normal negative film. In fact, they are my prefered choice of shop for normal film.

I'll get Harrison Cameras to do it for me. They are a nice little shop who will know what they are doing (I took the film there to be developed).

I have never had photos with quality control stickers on though. What sort of photos have they appeared on? I have had plenty of crap photos, mostly ones which have come from my Kodak Star EF. I don't think it winds the film on properly for some reason. I'll have to investigate, although there isn't much that can go wrong with it when you have to wind it on manually.

[Harrison]

"Harrison Cameras". If the name is anything to go by then they should be great! :thumbs: :lol:

[AlexJ]

I have never had photos with quality control stickers on though. What sort of photos have they appeared on?

Ones which the colour hasn't come out correctly (e.g. all red photo), where the film didn't develop properly (usually on photos 25,26 etc. of a 24 exposure film) or where the film hasn't wound properly and the photos are split over frames (so you get some of a photo on the end of one frame and then another part of it on the start of another).

[Stephen Coates]

"Harrison Cameras". If the name is anything to go by then they should be great! :thumbs: :lol:

lol

We've not had any trouble with them in the past. They have a nice little shop, and the printed the very big photgraph that we have in our living room.

http://www.harrisoncameras.co.uk/

[Stephen Coates]

Does anyone know how stores like ASDA go about actually printing the photos?

A few years ago, the envolopes that they put the photos in said that they use 'the latest digital technologies' and both digital and film prints are done on Fuji Crystal archive paper.

All the 6x4 prints which I have had from asda I have found to be very good, but when I had a few digital photos done a few weeks ago and just now had my holiday photos done at 7x5, I was slightly dissapointed with the quality. Although it could just be the film. The photos are OK, but I think I will take some of the negatives to other places and get some more prints made to do some comparisons. Starange, because some 6x4 reprints that I had done at ASDA recently look btter than the original prints that I had made 10 years ago.

I also quite fancy having an SLR now as well.

[AlexJ]

With the digital photos at 7x5 it could be the photos were too small, although you should be OK at that size with 3MP+. If you had the same problem with film, could well be their equipment having trouble doing them to that size.

[TiredOfLife]

I look forward to Ste posting about his problems after the visit to Harrisons.

[Harrison]

I fully expect him to get exemplary service and top quality results. ;)

[Stephen Coates]

They are actually a very good shop, so I'm sure I will get good service.

I will be continuing to print all my digital photos myself though now. I have determined that original Canon ink cartridges + good paper = a very nice photograph.