Best place to buy 35mm film

Hi guys, title says it all really, I've decided to have a go at using film, (not doing the developing myself!), so if anyone can give me any advice on places to buy/develop film it will be much appreciated. Ben

A little while ago, Boots were doing 36 exp slide film @ £7.99 with a 3 for offer as well.

If you go for that, remember that you have to send it from a post office as a "small package" with postage about £1.50 instead of just sticking a first class stamp on the return envelope. I sent a film last year whith about a 10 day turn-around.

Regards

A 10 day turnaround is like going back to the dark days of the 1970s when a simple D&P package would take 3 weeks from that lab in Stevenage that Dixons used.

How can we stand the suspense waiting so long?

Anyway, how was the quality of the film you sent? Was the colour good?

I think it was an old Fuji emulsion (tell-tale made in Japan?) where I might have expected strong greens, but it was a long time since I last shot slides. The colour was fairly neutral I suppose (didn't it used to be that Kodak had strong reds, Fuji green, Agfa blue?).

Encouraging results I think you would say, as it was the first film I'd shot on my MZ6.

My local Boots is still running this promotion, I'd assume they all are. It's decent film IMO.

I suspect the ten day turn-around is due to there being only one lab left processing the stuff. They've probably decided that this is enough to meet demand.

Best deal I have found recently is at Poundland.
Kodak ColorPlus 24exp-ASA200 for - you guessed -£1. Have not had it processed yet, so I don't know how it compares with my normal Fuji.

Processing: I go to my local camera shop who have some expensive Kodak machines in back. I think it's worth hunting for a professional processer, rather than going to the counter in your supermarket, and handing the cassette to a gum-chewing 16-year old with half a GCSE and no interest.
Geoff

I was very surprised on a recent trip to Cardiff to see that the Asda in Cardiff Bay still has a one hour photo lab. The staff didn't look like your average shelf stackers either, so if I lived closer I'd be inclined to give them a go.

This should read 3 for 2 in case you hadn't guessed.

I have heard people recommending Peak Imaging for b/w and non process paid slides.

I will probably try Peak Imaging later in the year when I can stand the financial hit of shooting a couple of rolls of colour 120 film. They offer a negatives + CD service which sounds ideal, and will apparently spend time tweaking your images during processing to get the exposure spot on.

Buying film: Silverprint.

D&P, good quality: Peak Imaging or The Darkroom UK.

B&W D&P: I am just trying one roll with Ilford using there special Focus on Imaging offer envelope...

K.

I second Silverprint for buying film - very wide stock, although I am in London and use waterloo station everyday (which is broadly where silverprint is) so it is very convenient. They also do B/W film processing and offer what I reckon is a very good service.

I have used the Ilford lab as well for developing and scanning and have had no complaints either - although I am now able to do my own scans. The only disadvantage I have found with the ilford lab is the large envelope the films come back in - I shouldn't complain because the film is well protected but the envelope doesn't fit through the letterbox so I normally have a saturday morning pilgrimage to the sorting office to pick up the undelivered envelope...

Regards

Went to Poundland and bought 5 rolls Kodak ColorPlus 24exp-ASA200 as suggested by DoctorJeff all with expiry dates 2013-14 so will use these to see how I get on. I'll give Boots a shot at the developing, mainly for convenience, but if I really get into this film lark I'll definately try a few rolls of the more exotic stuff and one of the premier developers. Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions, just got to work out how to wind it on now! Ben.

I recommend Peak - used them for about 8-9 years, never had cause to complain.. used Transpacolor and Colab before that...The Colab shop in Peterborough used to have a bizarre discount scheme I never fathomed, always spent a lot less money than I was expecting...

Silverprint must check

I get my Kodak Elitechrome Extracolour from Karstadt in Luebeck - 5 rolls plus free processing for €25