Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/06/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Just found out that of two recent film packages sent on Monday, June 23 by Priority Mail from Bryn Mawr PA to Kansas and Phoenix, one took five days and the other arrived late today (making seven days). At least they arrived intact! I asked my local postmaster if they strapped the parcels to a gimpy snail. He strongly suggested that I use the tracking system (an extra 60 cents) next time, which would allow him to personally investigate any delays. Have to admit that he did want to help. Also, I'll be taking other LUGgers advice to use the USPS small parcel, which seems to cause less consternation than the envelopes. Jim Shulman Bryn Mawr, PA Who remembers getting six cent first-class letters from Chicago in one day. -----Original Message----- From: Jim Shulman [mailto:jshul@comcast.net] Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2008 12:03 PM To: 'Leica Users Group' Subject: US Pestulance (Postal) Service One of the more recent frustrating aspects of an unhealthy attachment to film photography has nothing to do with the rising price of film or the delay between image capture and image viewing: it's the US Postal Service. Over the past few months I've had unconscionable delays (and on one occasion, as loss) in film shipments, both to and from labs. These have included: ruptured envelopes (using the USPS's envelopes provided for Priority Mail), delays of up to a month, and in one case film just MIA (fortunately it was a test roll of a new camera and lens, so nothing monumental was lost--if you could consider anything I shoot to be monumental.) In almost all cases I've double-wrapped my film--the film goes into one USPS envelope, and that envelope into a larger one. All is Tyvek-encased, taped to a fare-thee-well, and yet still moves with the speed of Lincoln's funeral cortege at a premium rate. The strange part is that I've just started having this problem during the past few months. For years I sent film zipping back and forth across the country at lightning speed, without complications. For those few remaining analog fans, has anyone else experienced similar recent problems? Jim Shulman Bryn Mawr, PA Whose tacky 8mm color movies of the Mermaid Parade finally made it to the lab after a SIX DAY JOURNEY AT PRIORITY MAIL RATES.