FAQ
Scanning
Do you develop disposables or XPan?
Yes, both come under normal '35mm' services (no extra charges)
Do you do 'develop only'?
No, we no longer offer this service sorry.
'Large' scan or 'Medium' scan size. Which should I choose?
This depends on what you intend to do with the images and the importance of them.
We recommend Large sized scans if you plan on printing larger than 6x9" or when the highest quality scan is required.
We recommend Medium sized scans if you don't plan on printing larger than 6x9", perfect for just uploading straight to the internet.
TIFF VS JPEG. What's the difference?
TIFF is a completely lossless format, meaning that receiving TIFF scans from us will ensure you'll get every bit of detail that came out of our scanner and the absolute best quality we can provide. You then have the freedom to edit and tweak the scans to your liking and resave and resize your files as many times as you like without any degradation. The only downside is the TIFF size will be around 50mb per file.
JPEG is a lossy, compressed format. When receiving JPEGs from us, the files are only compressed once which results in high quality images that once opened are almost identical to a TIFF file to the eye. However data has still been lost, so further editing is less effective and each time the file is resaved it results in further degradation of the quality. The upside is the JPEG size will only be around 2mb per file.
What size are your scans?
Approximate sizes in pixels, depending on scanner choice:
Large Scan Sizes:
35mm - 5444 x 3649px (Frontier)
6774 x 4492px (Noritsu)
Medium Format (Frontier):
6x4.5 - 4889 x 3649px
6x6 - 3649 x 3649px
6x7 - 4559 x 3649px
6x9 - 5444 x 3646px
Medium Format (Noritsu):
6x4.5 - 4824 x 3533px
6x6 - 4832 x 4760px
6x7 - 4815 x 5902px
6x8 - 4903 x 6610px
6x9 - 4903 x 7139px
Medium Scan Sizes
35mm - 3130 x 2075px (Frontier & Noritsu)
Medium Format
Only 'Large' scan size files provided for 120
What scanners do you use/ Fuji vs Noritsu?
We use both the Fuji Frontier SP-3000 and the Noritsu HS-1800.
We tested a lot of scanners and found the Fuji not only gave sharp high resolution scans but it also retains highlights amazingly and renders colours in a beautifully natural way. Our scanner has 'Digital ICE', which uses infrared technology to ensure your scans are always dust free.
The Noritsu really excels for black and white and E6. It also offers more muted 'life like' colours and higher resoltion, detail and depth compared to the Frontier. An alternative choice when ultimate detail is required.
Can you give a specific look to my scans?
We can definitely try and help, put as much detail in the comments box on the order form as you feel you need.
Can you provide completely 'flat' scans?
Yes and no. If you instruct us to in the comments box we can run your film through our scanner without any adjustments but we don't recommend this as it will result in colour casts and improperly exposed scans.
We recommend asking for 'neutral' scans. We will then scan your film with a neutral colour balance in mind, with priority given to preserving details. This will provide you with the perfect base scan to work from.
Developing
What chemicals do you use for processing?
Kodak Flexicolor for colour and Xtol for black and white.
We use control strips to ensure our processing is always well within professional specs.
Can you process Slide/Transparency film?
No, we don't sorry!
Can you push film?
Yes, we can push colour and B&W by as many stops as you'd like (although we don't recommend going over 3!).
We can also pull B&W. Contact us if you are unsure about whether to do this or need any advice.
What is 'pushing'?
To push film is to simply leave the film in developer for longer than the standard time. This over develops the film which can help compensate for underexposure. For example, if you found your 400 ISO film was too slow for your light conditions, you could shoot as if it was 800 ISO. This would in effect under expose the film by 1 stop. We could then compensate for this by leaving it in the developer for slightly longer, the equivalent of 1 stop. Each stop a film is pushed results in an increase of grain and contrast and a slight change of colour.
Pushing 1 stop can be very effective without a hugely noticeable change to the films characteristics, whilst pushing 3 stops will be quite noticeable.
Can you cross process film?
Yes, we can process colour slide film in C41 chemicals for no extra charge. Although if you ask for scans, be prepared for crazy looking results! Depending on the film stock, results range from super contrasty and saturated to colour casts.
Postage
Where do I send my film?
Please send film to:
Exposure Film Lab
Unit 13, Beech Business Park
Tillington Road
Hereford
HR4 9QJ
UK
What are your turnaround times?
For up to 20 rolls, we aim to dispatch scans between 4-5 business days (Monday to Friday, not including public holidays) from receiving your rolls. 20+ rolls is between 5-7 business days.
Add 1 extra day for BW film.
Often times will be shorter but if we're unusually busy they'll be an announcement bar on the front page with the current estimation.
What are the return postage options?
Standard postage is Royal Mail 1st class (1-3 days, including Saturdays). You can also upgrade your order to 'Signed For' in the 'shipping' section on checkout, if you need extra reassurance..
Standard postage prices, per order (no matter how many rolls):
UK - £2.50 or Free for orders over £25
EU - £4.50
International - £6.
'Signed For' prices, per order:
UK - £3.50
Can you store my negatives for me?
Yes, if your order is under the £25 free postage threshold, you can find the free storage option under 'Pickup' next to 'Shipping'.
If you have an order with return postage and want your stored negatives sent back with it, just request us to in the 'Additional details' section in 'Scan Preferences'.
Can you upload scans for me?
Yes, we do this for all scans via wetransfer straight to your email address.