[rollei_list] Independent film labs and photo stores

Mike,

I was just dealing with all this - death, taxes and the finial days of film.

We have lost 4 relatively large camera stores in NW New Jersey during the
past year (that I know of) - some that were in existence for over 50 years.
There are only two left in driving distance - one is small and does a lousy
processing job and I expect it to die this year.  The other is located over
the border in PA and is dedicated to digital output more so than film
processing.  They only handle 35mm film and I wonder how long they will
continue to do so.

I am a 'filmophile' amateur but like the big boys I am going to start
mailing out to a dedicated film color lab for all my 120 and 4x5 color
negatives - perhaps yours. Its either that or I start processing color film
at home which may well become a viable option as I have been doing B&W. I am
using my Toyo 45A 4x5 more and more these days and just bought a Fujifilm
Quickload holder so to use their Quickload packaged film.  I like Fugifilm
and this will make it easy to send out.  Hereto I have been "driving" my old
Fidelity film holders and 120 roll film over to the camera store with the
lousy processing (dirt and streaks on the negs).

I see large format as being the last film holdout and predict more and more
of us baby boomers will gravitate to it - hell, you can 'see' the stuff on
the screen and the mandatory tripod holds the thing steady.  Actually, I
think I read somewhere that LF camera sales are on the increase.  Not a huge
photographic market share - but enough to support it's supporting industry
for my lifetime at least - I hope.  Aaah, you never know, digital film backs
may drop in price like large flat HDTV's but I somehow doubt it.        

I think 35mm film will follow as the drugstore will soon be the only place
left.  I don't trust local Wally World and drugstore processing in that it's
all happy snaps.  Would you trust someone with acne and raging hormones to
change the chemistry and clean the processor?

I use an Epson V750 scanner and an Epson R2400 printer for general output
but I would like to have a professional help with what I feel is my good
stuff.  I have not worked with a mail to color lab before and am not sure
how wishes are communicated in this case.

What's housing and taxes go for out there :)?  I just retired and
can't/don't want to afford NJ.

Rob     

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