I have a Pentax 110 SLR and have gotten great prints in the past. I have started shooting with it again for fun. I am not very happy with the 110 film processing I have gotten pack from the lab (Clark). I am trying to find a lab that does quality 110 film developing. I don’t know of any local lab that still does 110 film in house. Everyone sends it out now to another lab. For example if I take it to Ritz Photo where is their 110 film developed? There is no point in shopping around for a local lab if they all send it out to the same XYZ lab. As far as mail order labs I know of Clark / York (same lab different name) and Dwayne’s. Who else can I try? Does anyone else have a favorite for 110 film. I will even consider a Mom and Pop operation if they still do 110 film in house. I am not really interested in stories of labs that messed up 110 film. I just need a list and I will try them out myself and post the results.
I think Rocky Mountain Photo (or Film?).com. They are a little spendy, but can do a lot of older film types. Is Ritz still around? The one in my town went out of business when they went banko. I think you'll have a difficult time finding many labs these days, let alone a mom or pop that will send it out.
When you go to the website, just go to the top of the page, where it says "order forms" and go to "Color Negative Film" and then "Develop and Print." You can print an order form, and you'll see options for 35mm or 110 film.
Just fill out the form and mail it to them with your film. They will develop 110 film for very cheap. I've sent a few 110 catridges to them, and they do a decent job. The negatives look clean, with no scratches or spots...but the prints are so-so. Not bad, but not wonderful. Probably about the best you can expect from 110 film anyway.
They are VERY fast...usually I get my pictures back in about 6 days. And if you put your email address on the order form, they'll send you an email when they ship your pictures.
By the way, Larry...I'll bet that when you drop off film in the send-out box at Walmart, it's probably just going to Dwayne's Photo anyway. A lot of the stuff that people drop off at Walmart and just "magically" get their film developed is probably going to Dwayne's. ---- EDIT: I just noticed that you said you HAD used Dwayne's Photo. Sorry about that! I didn't notice that. I feel silly for writing all that now. Well, maybe someone else who uses 110 film will find it helpful!
Chris,
Thanks for your detailed reply. Perhaps I should give Dwayne's another try. Perhaps it was just a bad day when I tried them.
Anyone else, PLEASE keep sending in comments.
I roll my own 110 bw. I recently bought a film slitter from goathill in Denver (see Subclub.org). I carefully pried open a few 110 cartridges (info on the web). I had to overcome the sprocket hole issues on my Kodak Pocket Instamatic 60. I found a couple of Yankee Clipper development tanks that hold 16mm film. I made a cardboard 16mm film holder for my epson perfection 2400 flatbed scanner and I am in business! My Kodak is limited to ISO 100, but I plan to get other 110s and 16mm cameras in the near future. -Bob
The cartidges, with notch to avoid lever camera uses to determin if film is in camera. Thanks to backing paper, the cartridges need not be super light tight (nor the camera).