I sent away for a free sampler mailer for film processing(print) from Adorama and thought I would give em' a try. I live in a rural area of Wisconsin and sometimes it's a hassle to make the big drive to my regular lab. I thought the mail thing would be worth checking out. Well after getting the prints back I was really dissapointed. Has anyone ever tried them? I mean there were big hairs, dust all over and scratched beyond belief on the negs! One would think if they are trying to get your bus. they would at least do a primo job on your sample. Just wondering if anyone else does the mail thing and could recommend a good lab.

-- Michael Pry (vila@busynet.net), March 06, 2002

Answers

I used to be a big fan of the Kodak mailers especially when I found someone selling 'em at half price 'cuz he didn't want to use them... but since 9/11 and the antrax scare, mail has been trucked across the continent and turnaround has been abysmal if it ever arrives at all.

-- Douglas Herr (telyt@earthlink.net), March 06, 2002.

Michael,

I have been very happy using the Kodak mailers. The quailty of the work is fine, but like Doug says, it takes forever to get your slides back. So, I am using up my remaining Kodak mailers and am going to try Fuji. Since your much closer to NJ than I am you should have much better luck with turn around.

The Fuji lab is much closer for me and B&H sells their mailers for less than Kodak. A well published pro I spoke to uses the Fuji mailers and told me their quality is at least as good as Kodak. Looks like I am going to find out.

If you find a good lab let us know! Good luck!

-- Scott (PFD261@hotmail.com), March 06, 2002.

i have been quite happy with Adorama for my E-6 35mm and 120 as well as B+w prints. My understanding is that they have dunk + dip processing.

give them another try!!!

-- stuart babcock (stubab@camcomp.com), March 06, 2002.

Doug,

I have used mailers since that fateful day and on average 10-14 days between San Diego and New Jersey, as it was before. I shoot K64 occassionally and so far I've had no problems. The USPS has improved their service greatly since then and as far as I can see it's 75-80% of the pre-9/11 service. And I wouldn't be concerned about the electron beam gear frying your film either, check the USPS site for the low down on this.

-- Dave Doyle (soilsouthlessspam@cox.net), March 06, 2002.

I'm the guy that sold the mailers at half price to Douglas Herr, obviously i didn't like them much... it was slow (my primary complaint), they used cardboard mounts that cut off that covered the edges of the frame (don't like those), and there was always the issue of, if they get lost you are srcrewed and can't talk to somebody in person to explain how improtant they were and that they should keep on looking like you can do in a local lab. Although it isn't much of an issue, I is also nice to invest in my local community - and everything counts.

-- Matthew Geddert (geddert@yahoo.com), March 06, 2002.

i used a fuji mailer once, and the slides came back really dusty, now i just go to the local place and get them done.

-- ken kwok (kk353@yahoo.com), March 07, 2002.

I have been using Fuji and Kodak slide processing mailers for the last ten years or so. I use Kodak mailers primarily for Kodachrome processing, and last year for some rolls of Kodak E100VS film. Kodak mailers go to the Kodak lab in New Jersey. Fuji Velvia and Provia film in mailers go to the Fuji lab in Phoenix, AZ. Quality control seems to be intermittent at both labs, although I have had far more problems with Kodak. Kodachrome films have often come back with muddy colors and stains, obviously due to processing errors. But K64, when processed correctly, is one sharp and beautiful slide film. Dust is a frequent problem with the returned slides. The turnaround time for Fuji is about a week to ten days. For Kodachrome processsing, it is about a month nowadays! So why do I keep on using these mailers? I buy them from B&H and save about 50% compared to having the slides done at the local Wolf Camera store. I shoot several hundred rolls of film every year and I have a limited budget for this hobby! :-) ........................

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), March 07, 2002.

I have used mailers since that fateful day and on average 10-14 days between San Diego and New Jersey, as it was before. I shoot K64 occassionally and so far I've had no problems.

Turnaround between Sacramento and New Jersey has been extremely variable lately, minimum 3 weeks and some have been over a month (and counting).

-- Douglas Herr (telyt@earthlink.net), March 07, 2002.

I live in New Jersey and normally get slides from the Kodak lab in 7-12 days if I use a mailer. (2-3 days if thru the local dealer) The Fuji lab, being in Phoenix, always takes longer--three weeks or more. But the quality has been good from both. Kodak now uses plastic mounts unless you ask for cardboard. B&H also sells mailers for A&S processing for Kodachrome but I have not tried them.

-- Jack Matlock (jfmatlo@attglobal.net), March 07, 2002.

I've never tried Adorama's mailers, but I have had good luck with A&I mailers, for both E-6 and C-41, purchased directly from A&I or from B&H. I've also used Fuji's E-6 mailers and they always seem to have done a good job. I haven't looked in a while, but I know topic has been covered extensively over at www.photo.net.

-- Charles G. Ruberto (charles_ruberto@attglobal.net), March 09, 2002.

I have been useing the A&I mailers that B& H sell out of NY. Awesome service! Quick turn-around, never any dust/damage and nice folks to deal with on phone etc. Highly recommended.

-- Mf Zimicki (74023.1131@compuserve.com), March 11, 2002.

Whoops. I now send all my stuff to them by UPS or Fed-Ex to avoid the US mail scans/irradiation.

-- Mf Zimicki (74023.1131@compuserve.com), March 11, 2002.