Scratches on film just back from Lab.

[Cineski]

Your camera equipment was stolen?!  Regardless, this is the big problem with shooting film.  It took a lot of effort from me to find good labs and I'm extremely thankful that I have labs local to me.  Although I do a lot of work in other states where there's no good labs so it reminds me that if I relocate from LA I'm going to have a lot to deal with.  But my search has lead me to the fact that doing things yourself is the best option with film.  Maybe try developing your own film for a while.  The supplies are easy to get.

[Rob C]

I'd agree to a point: black/whte is okay, but tranny is more demanding both of temperature control and replenishment of chemicals. I wouldn't advise it unless you have a very heavy through-put of work. I used to do it all when employed in an industrial photo-unit, but once I went out on my own I realised I had to stop the colour processing or just lose money on it.

Rob C

[Fine_Art]

Hello all,

Hope your Christmas's have gone well and are revving up for the New Year celebrations?

Just got some film back from the lab and I'd would like to say I'm happy with the results.

I sent off three films x1 colour slide film and x2 400 Ilford B&W.
What I got back was x1 colour film which has got long deep scratches on it and although I have the other two B&W films returned, one of them isn't mine and is of some random very "friendly" looking girl who does't like of wear a lot of clothing.

Needless to say happy is not one of the descriptive words I'd like to use on this occasion.

I have checked the film cassette and can't see any reason that could cause mid film long deep scratches. Besides I have already run through another batch of film through that cassette and had no scratches previously. Hmmmm

What do you guys think? Lab fault or user error?

I'm thinking it's probably the lab as they have been lax enough to send me porn instead of the B&W landscapes I took. I hope they havn't lost my roll.

Pure speculation, what if some temp at that lab realized you had lots of camera equipment (your 'missing' thread)?

[dreidesq]

That had not occurred to me. Though I did think it odd that only the rear windscreen was broken and my equipment was half inched directly from there like someone knew that it was there already or at least been watching us.

There was only a couple of people on that street. One guy spoke to me to tell me that the parking was now free and got in his car a drove off and another guy look liked a taxi driver who was waiting for a customer. Both moments relatively forgettable but probably infinitely important now.

Now I think of it I should go back to the same place a just hide in a corner somewhere to see if someone is lurking about.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

Sorry about everything that happened to you.

Regarding the lab and scratches, a lab in Italy damaged some pictures for me that I could not replace. Something like ten years ago i started getting a lot of inbedded dust and scratches on 120 film developed at the local lab. So I started sending my films to a pro lab by mail. That worked well, but two of my films were lost in transit.

Best regards
Erik

[BernardLanguillier]

one of them isn't mine and is of some random very "friendly" looking girl who does't like of wear a lot of clothing.

Hum... it looks like a good deal to me.

You send out fall colors pics and get naked girls in return, I would personnally keep working with the lab!

Now, it is hard to guess whether the girls will still be naked if the next pics you send are of snowy landscape. Please keep us posted.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Rob C]

Hum... it looks like a good deal to me.

You send out fall colors pics and get naked girls in return, I would personnally keep working with the lab!

Now, it is hard to guess whether the girls will still be naked if the next pics you send are of snowy landscape. Please keep us posted.

Cheers,
Bernard

If there's enough money in it...

;-)

Rob C