RE: [APML] Film Destroyed

["Ulrich C. Beinert" <analemma@gmx.de>]

Hi,

I'd like to add my comments here, too, having worked in a photo store
myself. I don't know how things are in the US, but here in Germany, the
stores you bring the film to for developing usually don't do the
processing on the spot (unless they have a minilab). The films go to a
big lab every night and return the next morning (or a few days later,
depending on what you're having done).

So, if that's the case, the guy you're standing across from and giving a
hard time to when your film has just been destroyed most likely has
*nothing* at all to do with its processing! As for the guys in the lab,
Robert pretty much sums it up - there's no reason those people would
purposely want to ruin your film.

Yes, I've had it happen to me - on several occasions, with different
labs, and yes, it was always *those* shots that were rarest. Auroras,
eclipses, you get the point....

The store I worked at switched labs *regularly*, because *every* lab had
their problems. In the end, we realized that there were always going to
be mistakes made, and though it was always hard explaining to the
customers why it was *their* film that had been damaged, that's the way
it was. No one ruins your film on purpose. 

At one point, I started developing my films myself - that way, if
anything went wrong, the only person I could be angry with was myself.
It's too much work now, though, so I'd agree with a previous post that
said don't fill up your film all the way - have it developed after one
night's work. With film that's no longer manufactured, this could be a
problem. In this case, you could consider doing the developing yourself
and always developing the "used" part of the film (and cutting a new
leader for the rest of the film - in the dark, of course).

With films that are still stocked by photo stores - I'd really say the
price of film is the smallest expense in our hobby. Have it developed
after a night's work!

Regards,
Ulrich

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