Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/10

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Subject: Re: [Leica] can't beat the minilab
From: Alan Ball <AlanBall@csi.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 07:19:26 +0100

Nathan,

My most reliable partner right now is Minit Colors on Chaussée de
Waterloo at the Bascule level. A very friendly and competent trio there,
obviously eager to keep regular customers. But i've had very good
experiences with other minilabs such as River (at the Bourse),
Technophot (Chée de Charleroi) and the Minit Colors in Galerie de la
Monnaie downtown. 

Policy of Minit Colors is you do not pay bad prints, even if failure is
due to you (bad focusing, movement blur, bad exposure, etc). You have
the ability to discuss the quality of the settings of the print and to
get them to redo the work on the spot for other contrast or balance
settings. They are usually quite gracious and open to suggestions on
that sensitive matter. The 1-hour service works as well for medium sized
enlargements (20x30 max if I remember well). If you take the member
card, you get a free roll of film of your choice for each roll processed
and printed.

I repeat the service is unbeatable for high quality glossy C41 printing
at standard to medium sizes. While U wait you can work at the office,
work at home or do some shopping, all things that are impossible while
you scan/print at the PC of course.

One caveat: do not do start a nitpicking session at rush hours or peak
days (end of holidays, day after Xmas, etc), the clerks are quite
logically less available...

I'm surprised this reminder of a good old imaging service has not
gathered more interest on the LUG: no way can home C41 color printing be
reliably better or anywhere near more productive than the minilab, not
mentionning the digital home chain, on which I know we disagree...

BTW have you made that inkjet v. Digiprint comparison ? If yes could you
send me the prints by mail for me to take a look at ?

Friendly regards,

Alan

Nathan Wajsman wrote:
> 
> Alan,
> 
> Could you post some of the addresses of these labs?
> 
> Nathan
> 
> Alan Ball wrote:
> 
> > SNIP  A good minilab, with a good processor/printer and
> > cooperative -as well as capable- clerks, and you have one of the best
> > image processing solutions in the world for color prints at a cost of
> > zero investment. The price of 1-hour processing/printing is not the
> > lowest, but remains very affordable.
> >
> > Brussels is not a gigantic high tech city. And I know a few excellent
> > minilabs with great people in this town. I'm sure this is the case in
> > most medium to large towns anywhere in the industrialised world.
> 
> --
> Nathan Wajsman
> Overijse, Belgium
> 
> Photography page:  http://members.tripod.com/~belgiangator/index.html
> Motorcycle page:  http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/downs/1704/index.html