P3D Re: Foto Labs

[Dan Shelley <dshelley@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bob_Maxey@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> I might suggest to everyone that the next time they pick up their film,
> they look at all the pictures. If there is a legitimate problem with the
> quality of the printing, do not accept them. Make them print them over, and
> over and over again... as many times as it takes to get what you pay for,
> not what the "Photolab" forces upon you. 

I recently did just that! For my last set of APEC III stereo cards, I
ordered 45 copies of the print of the right image and 45 copies of the
print of the left image. I showed them (and left them there for future
reference) original prints to make sure I got the same color and
brightness, etc. 

When I came back the next day, one set was printed close to corectly,
and the other was hideously off in several ways. I was told this
occurred when one tech did half the order then went on dinner break and
another filled in for the second half. (90 prints printed so far...)

I explained why they were all "bad", and they argued that only one set
was bad enough to merit a re-print. I was under a time crunch, so I
agreed to let them re-print the others to match that and I was going to
call it good anyway... 

After wandering the store for the next 15 minutes, I came back to find
that the second set of 45 prints did indeed match the first set of 45
prints, BUT I very quickly noticed that it was the same exact print... I
now had 90 copies of one image. (135 prints printed so far...)

At this point, I pulled out the reference prints again and reverted to
my original request of them. I wanted 45 of each that matched the
originals. They finally agreed. 30 minutes of walking the store (I
needed them that night...) later, I picked up my correct (90) images.
(225 prints printed so far...) 

I have had a long string of sucess with this lab, and always with one
Tech, Maggie. I will only work with her in the future as the others just
don't seem to get it... 
 
Dan Shelley
dshelley@xxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.dddesign.com/3dbydan

PS - This same lab tech who printed the second set of identical prints
also lost an entire set of negatives I left there the week before. They
magically re-appeared a few days later, but... =(