Tuesday 26 April 2011

Dear Penn Camera: I will never have you develop my film again

Just got back from picking up some developed black and white film from Penn Camera.  Rolls of random film (and they were RANDOM) I had found during our move, rolls that could have been 6 years old or from last summer.  And it turns out they were both.

So I was extremely excited to see the photos.  I had no idea what they could have been, was well aware most of them would be duds, but excited nonetheless.  And when I got there, I had to wait a while because silly people were actually buying camera stuff at the store, and then I finally was helped and they wanted 89 DOLLARS to develop my five rolls of film and ok whatever, I know black and white film is unusual and therefore more annoying maybe to process but geez.  I didn't even ask you to cut the film strips!  saving you at least 15 minutes of effort!

And I controlled myself all the way back to my office where I promptly tore into the photos.  AND THEY WERE SO POORLY DEVELOPED!  If I wanted that much dust and crap on my negs I would have developed them myself in my goddamn basement you stupid clowns, I wouldn't have shelled out equiv of new shoes for them!?!!!?!?!?  grrrrrrrr and I KNOW that it wasn't just a dirty lens because the dust and hairs move in every frame!  What ever happened to professional pride?  Come on guys! and to be honest I am most disappointed because they did the prints for me after I came back from my fellowship in Spain and they were beautiful, just gorgeously developed, and I know they can do better.  sigh.

well.

after all that, there is one photo I must share with you, because to my mind it is just so perfect, and almost saved the idiots who botched my film.

All of my loves, together in one frame, at the beach.  How perfectly delightful.

Ok.  I will try and move on now.  I have pinned this photo to my wall at work, and I will look at it whenever I feel the murderous rages coming back on.

5 comments:

  1. awww no!! that is ballz. I have had them develop lots of b/w film for me and no problems yet. but once is all it takes, that is really a shame.

    BUT that picture on the beach! so perfect!

    how many exposures were the rolls? was it regular 35mm? I'm looking at an order form right this minute, for Dwayne's photo, looks like 1 set of 24-exp. 35mm is $6.95. $9 for 36 exposures. shipping is $4.50 for the first roll, $0.50 for each add'l. seems like a better deal than penn?

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  2. regular 35mm, 36 exposures. They charged me a variable amount per roll based on the number of actual photos, versus shots to wind the film (although tragically there are 4 photos I paid of of Brandon from neck to abdomen standing outside Sagrada Famiglia, which they apparently thought I wanted.)but the average was about $16.25. I will definitely be looking into Dwayne's photo!! That is, if I ever get off my butt and start shooting for real again.

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  3. Take them back, talk to a supervisor, and have them re-developed. If the negatives aren't damaged, they should be able to get you better prints.

    Or let me do it. I'll raise hell. ::nods::

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  4. I seriously considered taking them back and demanding either a reprint or a significant cost reduction. The negs themselves should be fine, and I don't think any of the crud on the prints are actual scratches thank god.

    sigh. I am really mostly talk though, I really hate dealing with customer service issues.

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  5. oh yeah me too! cvs totally destroyed half of the pics from my underwater camera I had taken to Antigua. totally could have taken them back for a refund of some kind, but never got around to it!! so dumb. glad you took them back to Penn.

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