FAQ

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Film

Does 35m develop disposables?

  • Yes, we develop disposable cameras. Disposable cameras contain film and are for one time use.

Why did my roll turn out blank?

  • Most of the time, the reason is that the roll simply was not loaded properly into the camera. Proper loading takes practice and oftentimes requires at least one instance of improper loading to learn from. Everyone who has ever picked up a film camera has received, or is very likely to receive, a blank roll due to improper loading. If there was no problem with loading the film, then the next likely reason is camera malfunction. For most point-and-shoot cameras, this could mean it is time to replace the battery. For mechanical cameras, this could mean the shutter spring can be malfunctioning. It is always recommended to test the full operation of the camera before loading film into it.

How long does it take to develop film?

  • We offer turnaround time of same-day or next-day, depending on when you drop off and how many rolls we have already received for the day.

Why are my pictures so dark?

  • It may be that your images were underexposed or shot in the dark or under shade without flash. Film reacts to light so if there is not enough light to expose the image the picture will come out dark.

I dropped off a roll of 36 exposures, what happened to the rest of the images?

  • You have received a lower number of exposures that were underexposed. If they were underexposed they may appear blank (black in this case)

Why does black and white film cost more to develop than color film?

  • Developing black and white film requires different chemistry and more labor and technical expertise than developing color film.

How do I drop off my film?

  • You can drop off film at our window during open hours. If we are closed, we also have a 24/7 Film Drop option, and you can drop off film through our mail slot located on our front door. Please see instructions for Film Drop.

Can I ship my film, and if so, where?

  • Yes you can ship your film to us for developing. Please include your contact information. Our mailing address is:
    35m Pro
    15133 Ventura Blvd.
    Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

What is develop only?

  • This is when the customer only wants the film to be developed into negatives. This does not include digital scans or prints.

Can I rush my film order?

  • Yes, we can. This means that your order will be placed in front of the line and most likely be done within 2 hours.

Can I cancel my film order?

  • If your film has not gone through development, yes.

My film is stuck in my camera, can I bring it to 35m to take a look?

  • Yes, we can help you take out the film roll from your camera.

Can I push or pull my film in development?

  • For black and white film, yes, we can push and pull film. However, for color film we unfortunately cannot.

Does 35m sell film?

  • Yes we currently sell many different film stocks at our store.

How do I get my film negatives back?

  • Customers can request us to keep the film negatives for pick up after they have been developed. 35m will hold negatives for up to 1 month before securely destroying them. Customer can also request to have their negatives shipped to their desired address.

I have old/expired film, can you still develop them?

  • Yes, we can develop old/expired film. However, if the film is extremely old or noticeably in bad condition, we will not run the rolls through our processors because it can lead to potentially ruining the chemistry. Please note that many expired film rolls will often have significant color shifts that can make the image hard to make out sometimes.

What is Film?

  • Photographic film is a strip of plastic with a gelatin emulsion on the surface that contains light-sensitive silver halide crystals. When the shutter of a camera is released, the silver halide emulsion on the film is exposed to light, and an invisible latent image is imprinted onto the film. This image can then be chemically developed into a visible negative image on the film.

What is Film developing?

  • Once the film has been exposed, the next step is to develop the film. Chemical developer is used to convert the invisible latent image in the emulsion layer into a visible negative image that is now permanent and insensitive to light. This allows the user to handle the film under direct light without exposing the film further.

What is Film speed?

  • Film speed refers to the number next to the name of the film, e.g. Portra 400. The higher the number, the more sensitive the film is to light. This means that Portra 800 is better suited for low-light situations, whereas Portra 160 is better suited for daylight situations. It is also important to understand the relationship between film speed and grain size. The
    higher the film speed, the grainier the film. Low speed films tend to have finer grain, and high speed films tend to have coarser grain.

Can you process E6/positive film?

  • Yes, the turnaround time for E6 will be 1-2 weeks.

What is an exposure?

  • An exposure refers to an image that was captured on film. Remember, in order to capture any image on film, the camera must expose the film to light. A 36-exposure film roll means that you can potentially take 36 photos on the film. Exposure also refers to how much light the camera is allowing to hit the film, as determined by shutter speed and lens aperture.

Scan

What is the turn-around time for my film scans?

  • Color C-41 : 1-2 days
  • B&W : 1-2 days
  • E-6: 1-2 weeks

I can’t find my digital film scans in my email inbox. What should I do?

  • Sometimes the email can be sent to your spam inbox, please check your spam email. If it is not in your spam inbox, please give us a call at (818) 501-1234.

How would I receive my scanned film images?

  • You will receive an e-mail containing a download link that is password-protected.

What is dust spotting?

  • Dust spotting is the removal of dust by our lab technicians on the digital scan in very apparent locations. This can include dust on the face or body or could be the removal of very conspicuous marks on the image. This does not mean removing the noise in images.

What is film scanning?

  • Once your film has been developed, we can scan the negatives to provide digital copies of your photos. Technicians operating the film scanners make color and density adjustments to produce the best-looking photographs from the negatives.

I have developed film, can you scan it?

  • Yes we can scan already developed film. Prices will vary depending on whether you bring us a full roll or cut strips of negatives.

What scanners does 35m use?

  • We use Noritsu HS-1800 commercial film scanners to provide you with the high quality scans and fast turnaround times.

What if I have an image to scan that is larger than 8x10?

  • Unfortunately we cannot flatbed scan prints or documents that are larger than 11×14. However, we can photograph the image digitally and send you the digital image.

Can film be scanned and emailed to me unedited?

  • Technically there is no un-edited scan. The internal software on our scanners will automatically make adjustments to give as neutral an image as possible. However, the software is not perfect, so our scan technicians will make some final adjustments to make sure the image looks as good as possible. If you have specific requests (e.g. low contrast, higher saturation, warmer/cooler tones, etc.), please let us know when you drop off your film, and we will do our best to accommodate your requests.

What kind of film can the lab develop and scan?

  • We develop 35mm, 120, 220, APS, 110 film, and disposable cameras. Please note, scans for 110 film will have to be flatbed scans, which will cost more.

What type of file are my scans delivered as?

  • We normally send out Jpeg files. If you need TIFF files, we charge extra $20/roll.

Print

Before I do a large print, how can I tell how the colors came out? Can I see a test print?

  • Yes, we recommend printing a test strip. Test strips will cost between $25 per strip. Each strip for large prints will be a minimum of 8 inches in height.

What is a proof sheet?

  • A proof sheet shows all your exposures from a single film roll. This is a good way to easily view and compare your images and select individual photos for printing or scanning at higher resolution.

What is a Chromogenic Print?

  • A chromogenic print is a print in which light-sensitive paper is carefully exposed to light, and then undergoes a chemical process to convert the latent image into a final print.

If I would like something printed, what kind of files should I send 35m?

  • Our printers print using RGB/ sRGB format. Please send us files with this color format. If the file is not this format, the colors may print differently.

How should I send print files to 35M Pro?

  • Print files can be sent to via e-mail to print@35mpro.com. If sending multiple images, please upload files onto WeTransfer and send files together as one download link. We receive a lot of emails in one day and wouldn’t want your files to get lost.

How long does it take to print with 35M Pro?

  • RA-4 Prints take about 1-2 days
  • Commercial Inkjet and Fine Art Prints take about a week.

Framing

What is the turnaround time for a custom frame job?

  • Depending on the complexity of the order, on average it takes a week after receiving payment.

What frames does 35m have available in store?

  • Currently in our shop we have both standard black and white frames. The smallest frame is 4×6 and the largest is 12×18.

Where can I see and choose my custom frame moulding?

  • Our custom frame mouldings are viewable in our physical store.

Creative Studio

If I rent the space, what kind of equipment is available for me to use?

We have Profoto lights, colored backdrops, apple crates, backdrop holders, and more. Please see our Creative Studio page for more details.

General Information

Covid-19 update

Our store hours are 9am-4pm Monday – Friday and 10am-3pm on Saturdays. We have a window open to process film drop-offs. We are allowing 1 person into our shop depending on the queue and the complexity of the order being placed (applies primarily to print and frame orders). We will be doing temperature checks. We will be posting more updates as soon as possible.

Does 35m fix or clean cameras?

Unfortunately, we do not fix cameras. However, we can take a look to see where the issues might be and could direct you to some places we recommend.

Do you have any current discounts or sales?

As a small film lab we do not offer discounts. However, if you do participate in our photo wall, you will be automatically placed into a raffle. Winner of the photo wall raffle wins 1 roll of free developing, scans, and prints.

Does 35m sell gift cards?

Yes we do, please ask for our lab manager in our physical location to assist you.

35M Pro Limit of Liability

Submitting any tangible or electronic media, image, data, file, card, disc, device, film, print, slide or negative for any purpose, such as processing, printing, duplication, alteration, enlargement, storage, transmission, or other handling, constitutes an AGREEMENT that any loss or damage to it by our company, subsidiary or agents, even though by our negligence or other fault, will only entitle you to replacement with an equivalent quantity/size, of unexposed photographic film or electronic media, and processing of the replacement media. Except for such replacement, our acceptance of the media, image, data, file, card, disc, device, film, print, slide or negative is without other liability, and recovery for any incidental or consequential damage is excluded. No express or implied warranty is provided.