Film Processing in ITALY vs US
 

I hear that film processing (35mm)in Italy is more expensive than in the US...is this true? If so, how much more expensive (e.g. 36exposure 35mm film)? <BR><BR>Do you have any recommendations for photo processing shops around Florence?<BR><BR>What about APS film?<BR><BR>thanks for your time...<BR><BR><BR>

I would also like to know this one since I would prefer to develop my film in Florence and Venice, rather than risk having it ruined in an x-ray machine on the way home.<BR><BR>

I had my film developed (one hour for each roll) right on the main ped. street in Florence (in an eyeglass shop). They came out so clear and the colors were so bright that they put my US developed film to shame, and for about the same price.<BR>It is on the street that passes from the Duomo to Piazza del Signora about half way down on the right.

Thanks, Nocinonut...great news. Anyone have any suggestions for Venice, as well?

Don't know about Italy, but when we priced overnight processing in Munich and Bamberg, Germany it was about double the cost of one hour processing in the US. I'd be certain that you have the price per roll and for your entire job down in writing first in case of a language misunderstanding.

In Italy prices vary a lot. I have found both very costly and very cheap prices everywhere. The best advice is to have your film developed far from the main touristc areas, where you are more likely to find very high prices.

thanks everyone! alice, i was hoping to get a reply from you (since you live there and all)...I'll be based in Florence for a few months so I'll look around for a good photo shop. <BR><BR>Any other info would be great!!! <BR>THank YOU!!!

While in Italy, think about mailing your film to a US processor. You'll avoid airport x-rays and have your photos delivered to your door.

Thanks for the advise, Patg.<BR><BR>I thought of doing the mail in thing, since that's what I typically do anyhow (there's no processing where I live). But, my fear is always having the film get lost in the mail and then my whole trip is gone...&quot;poof.&quot; At least in pictures. That's why I try to develop travel photos before I leave my destination.<BR>

It would not be such a good idea to mail your film to the USA, why do it when Italian film processing is so much better than the US anyway? Just have it developed while you are still there, that way if you have to retake a picture you are there already. I did this when I noticed I cropped off a piece of David, so I went back and took a better shot.<BR>I will post tomorrow the place I used for developing, I put it in in the afternoon and picked it up the next day, prices were good too (this was in Firenze).

Thanks Nocinout....it would be appreciated.<BR><BR>I agree, that's one of the other reasons I develop while in Europe...you can alway retake if necessary. However, the airfare back to retake can cost a bit more than developing anywhere. 13 rolls of my first European adventure got eatin by the developing machine in the US....ugh. And, it was many years before I was able to go again.<BR><BR>

I guess it's partly a matter of luck, but when we had also film developed and prints made in Florence, the results were pretty bad. We took it back and just got a shrug of the shoulders. We had reprints made in the US and they came out fine.

Rufus: is you were unsatisfied of the results, you may have asked the lab to reprint them or asked your negaties back and paid only the negative developing, leaving the prints at the lab. I have done it a few weeks ago, when a lab printed my pictures in the wrong format: I just refused to take the prints and had them reprinted. They were angry, but I was angrier! ^_^

They flat refused--wouldn't give me my negatives unless I paid. So I had to choose between giving up my negatives or getting into an altercation with the police or tourist board or some other third party involved. I wasn't going to get into a fistfight over it. It wasn't worth a few bucks to lose time on the trip.

I think you should get it done where you are, but it doesn't make much of a difference. The quality is not &quot;better&quot; in Italy, because the machines and chemicals are the exact same ones that are all made in Japan, and used by just about everyone around the world. Kodak doesn't make &quot;extra bright&quot; chemicals just for us.<BR>It is expensive here though, if you know that at Costco or Walmart will do a roll of 36 for around 10$ while here it can cost 3 times that. Also note that here in Italy, the standard size is often 5X7, not 4X6.<BR>Hope I helped you out.

Rufus: you should have called a policeman, IMHO. The can't force you to accept a badly done job. I have a small business, I am a typesetter, if I do not do my job proprely the clients don't pay me: why shops should do any different?

Alice--it wasn't worth the time. If I lived there, I would have, but there was no &quot;should&quot; about it in this case.

Rufus:<BR><BR>My &quot;should&quot; was probably not the right choice of verb, I _should_ have written &quot;might&quot;.

I don't like the quality of walmart or a drug store when developing my film, I always take mine to a photo lab, so I guess I do pay more. But to me it is worth it, I don't want to skimp when it comes to pictures I can't retake. I spend so much on a trip, why skimp when it comes to film developing, it is part of the trip, like a grande finale, if I wait until I get home.<BR><BR>But, craisin, here is where I got my film developed in Florence, I can't guarantee of course that you will have the same experience, but you can check them out:<BR>It is Foto Ottica Guidoreni on Via S. Maria 41R.<BR>Have a great trip, and take lots of photo memories! <BR> <BR>

thank you soooo much for the responses...nocinonut, I really appreciate the address, I'll check it out!<BR><BR>can't wait to go, can't wait to go!!!