Film Stock Guide

What film stock should I start with as a beginner?

• Kodak Gold 200 — Affordable, warm tones, great in daylight
• Kodak Ultramax 400 — Versatile ISO 400 for varied lighting
• Fujifilm Superia X-TRA 400 — Neutral tones, very forgiving
• Kodak ColorPlus 200 — Budget-friendly with pleasant colors

What's the difference between C-41, E-6, and B&W processing?

• The most common film process — used by Portra, Gold, Ektar, etc.
• Produces negatives that are inverted and orange-masked
• Very forgiving of exposure mistakes (±2 stops)
• Fast, affordable processing

• Used by Provia, Velvia, and Ektachrome
• Produces positive transparencies — what you see is the final image
• Extremely vivid, saturated colors
• Requires precise exposure (less forgiving)

• Used by HP5, Tri-X, T-Max, Delta, etc.
• Produces monochrome negatives with rich tonal range
• Very forgiving and pushable to higher ISOs
• Timeless aesthetic for portraits, street, and documentary

What does ISO mean and which should I choose?

• ISO 50–100: Fine grain, sharpest detail. Best in bright sunlight, studio, or tripod work. (Ektar 100, Velvia 50)
• ISO 200: Good all-around daylight film with moderate grain. (Kodak Gold 200, ColorPlus 200)
• ISO 400: The most versatile — works indoors and outdoors. Slight grain adds character. (Portra 400, HP5, Tri-X)
• ISO 800+: Best for low light, events, night photography. More visible grain. (Portra 800, CineStill 800T)

Can you develop expired film?

• Color shifts, increased grain, and lower contrast are normal and often desirable
• Film stored in cool/cold conditions ages much better than heat-exposed film
• A general rule: overexpose by 1 stop per decade of expiration
• B&W film ages more gracefully than color film
• Slide film (E-6) is the most sensitive to age — expect more dramatic shifts

What film formats do you accept (35mm, 120)?

• The most common format — used in SLRs, rangefinders, and point-and-shoots
• 24x36mm frame size, 24 or 36 exposures per roll
• Comes in canisters with a DX code for automatic ISO detection
• We also accept half-frame 35mm (18x24mm)

• Larger frame size for higher resolution and smoother grain
• Used in cameras like Hasselblad, Mamiya, Pentax 67, Holga
• Frame sizes vary: 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7, 6x9 depending on camera
• Backed with paper — no canister

What film services do you offer?

• Professional film development (C-41, E-6, Black & White, ECN-2)
• Multiple scanning options (Standard 1K, 2K, 4K, and Pro Scans)
• High-quality prints and enlargements
• Convenient mail-in and drop-off options
• Membership plans with substantial savings

What types of film do you develop?

• 35mm and 120 color film (C-41 process)
• 35mm and 120 black & white film
• Disposable cameras (color and B&W)
• Slide film (E-6 process)

• ECN-2 motion picture film (35mm only)
• Expired films
• Half-frame camera film

Do you develop disposable cameras?

What about specialty films like ECN-2?

What do your services cost?

• Film type (C-41, E-6, B&W, ECN-2)
• Scan quality (Standard 1K, 2K, 4K, or Pro Scans)
• Additional services (prints, sleeving, rush processing)

What scanning options do you offer?

• 1000px on the short side
• High-quality JPEG files
• Best for quick review, contact-sheet style sharing, and budget orders
• TIFF unlocks are not available for this tier

• 2000px on the short side (2000x3000 for 35mm)
• High-quality JPEG files
• TIFF files available as upgrade option
• Suitable for most everyday applications

• Approximately 4492x6775px resolution for 35mm
• 16-bit TIFF files included (typically 100MB+ each)
• Enhanced detail retention and editing flexibility
• Supports enlargements up to 16x24"

• 4K resolution with expert color correction
• Individual attention to each frame
• Collaborative revision process
• Chosen by professional photographers

Which scanning option is right for me?

• Want the lowest-cost development and scan option
• Need lightweight files for review or contact-sheet style sharing
• Do not need TIFF unlocks or larger print flexibility

• Share photos primarily on social media
• Make prints 8x10" and smaller
• Prefer the most cost-effective option
• Want flexibility to upgrade to TIFF files later

• Make large prints (11x14" and bigger)
• Do extensive photo editing
• Require maximum detail preservation
• Shoot for client work or portfolios

• Need custom color matching
• Have specific aesthetic requirements
• Shoot professionally or for exhibitions
• Want collaborative editing involvement

What makes Pro Scans special?

• Individual attention to each frame's color and tone
• Custom corrections based on your artistic vision
• Hand-adjusted processing without generic presets

• Submit reference images and specific instructions
• Review initial scans and request adjustments
• Work directly with our scanning technicians

• 4K resolution with 16-bit TIFF files included
• Full dynamic range optimization
• Professional-grade color accuracy

What's your approach to scanning?

• Scanning: Noritsu HS-1800 scanners with daily calibration and color accuracy checks
• Development: Fleet of well-maintained Noritsu V50 roller transport machines
• Chemistry: Fuji chemistry for color processing, Kodak Tmax Developer for black & white

Do you scan half-frame cameras?

Can you scan the film borders?

How do I get my scanned images?

• Scans are automatically tagged and easily searchable
• Organized by order, film roll, ISO, and native process
• Find any specific image instantly with advanced filtering

• Order prints directly from your account with one click
• Generate quick and easy download links for sharing
• Mobile-optimized viewing experience
• Full-resolution files ready for editing or printing

How long do you store my scans?

• Advanced search and filtering capabilities remain active
• All organizational features (by roll, ISO, process) stay functional
• Direct print ordering available throughout storage period
• Professional sharing tools accessible anytime

Do you offer push/pull processing?

• Push Processing: Overdeveloping film shot at higher ISO than its box speed to compensate for underexposure
• Pull Processing: Underdeveloping film shot at lower ISO than its box speed to prevent overexposure

• Low light photography without flash
• Intentional over/underexposure for artistic effect
• Compensating for expired film
• Achieving specific grain characteristics