F . A . Q
Why does production 'turn around' vary? This was the simplest solution to complicated quality-control, financial & technical issues. The dr5 line is a custom designed in-house produced process. In other words, we have our own chem lab in-house, to mix our chemistry, as well as a one-of-a-kind made-for-us processor. Today's lab production needs to be managed differently. Besides our standard QC house policies [We will not run film unless the line is spot-on], the huge cost increases of running the lab & process, forced us to make some drastic changes in our practice. If we did not take these measures our clients would be looking at a rather large rate increase. So, we made these changes FOR YOU! Simply, we have found the line much easier to maintain the higher the volume run is. Some weeks we run everyday. But on the slower weeks or months we gang the film orders up to have a higher volume runs, making dr5 more consistent for you and easier for us to maintain quality without much down-time for QC reasons. Film volumes have gone quite haywire since the digital takeover of commercial imaging. We can no longer guess when our busy or slow months will happen. As a cost saving measure our turn time will depend on volume. We can always run your film anytime that is required. Rush fees will apply.
AN ADDITIONAL NOTE ON PRODUCTION: dr5 is a highly specialized photo-process. We give absolute attention to excellence. On some occasions you might experience delays in service. There are reasons this might occur. Our leading amount of delay in services is Quality control related. WE WILL NOT sacrifice getting orders out if Quality is compromised. Please be patient if this occurs.
Why is the other lab cheaper? We get this question from time to time and we can only guess that is comes from the 2 other remaining global labs that process the scala film; MAINPHOTO & ARKA, it is just short of insulting to us. We will 1st state that if you have to call us and ask this question it would be clear you would prefer a lesser quality SCALA processing, and the succeeding answers will explain... To date dr5 has not knocked these 2 other scala labs personally but the time has now come to put some misnomers to rest. The dr5 lab is not associated with these other labs in any way. The dr5-lab reversal -processes most all B&W films, not just scala-film. To our knowledge ARKA is the only of the 2 that uses an old stock of the original SCALA chemistry. We are unsure if A&O [bought out AGFA-photochem] is making fresh chems for them. MAINPHOTO is not using the AGFA chemistry at all and we get new clients from them on a continuous basis due to poor quality. "HOW CAN THESE LABS SELL PROCESSING CHEAPER THAN DR5 PROCESSING?" The simple answer is, they can't! These labs have the same expenses as we do. While we have an expensive custom process to maintain, their overhead is much higher! The trick, "and they have tricked you", is they are selling the remaining film stock at a ridiculously high price. The labs gets a kick-back from the sale of the film. This is the reason the processing looks so attractive. Once the scala film is gone these labs will not be able to run any other B&W film. The AGFA process was rigged to be run for this film type alone. dr5 runs almost all B&W films, @ 3-5$ a roll +dr5-process is actually less costly than either of the other 2 labs. dr5 will/can reverse process film superior to either of these other labs, including the scala film, or we will run your next job free.
Why
is dr5 so expensive? Simply put, dr5 is NOT expensive. We would be happy to fully explain any and all aspects related to our production costs. We feel that ignorance in this regard hurts us as a service. Rest assured that dr5-lab does not gouge our clients. We have made many sacrifices for our clients to keep down our rates. @ dr5-chrome
we are doing our best to keep expenses down,of which our costs have gone up
some 200+% since 911. If you value our traditional services, this mentality will surly cause us to discontinue our services altogether.
dr5 is Less costly than most other forms of film development and simple questions & math will answer most all of your cost related questions. The dr5 lab provides superior result, better customer service, at a substantial cost savings [film+print+processing]. PLEASE do not call us to say dr5 is too expensive. We can not help the folks that don't take the time to understand dr5's benefits, cost advantages and superior quality over other means of processing. Questions are always acceptable and welcome but there is little tolerance for blatant Ignorance here at the lab. Yes,
you could likely find film processing services for less, but not better quality.
Why do i need a B&W transparency? There are many answers to this question. Truth is, if you have a bathroom-darkroom and you want to make B&W prints in your spare time, dr5 may not be for you. IF YOU ARE GOING STRAIGHT TO SCAN a transparency is a must! Your best film scan will be from the positive, not a negative. dr5 has a unique high image-quality, the best possible quality from most all current B&W films. There is a great misconception that you will have a difficult time printing a B&W or color slide, NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH ! The new style photo-machines, like the FUJI FRONTIER, LIGHTJET, ETC.. are able to print from ANY medium, negatives, positives or digital files. Small prints are as easily obtained from slides as they are from neg's, AT THE SAME COST. Though R-prints no longer exist, CIBACHROME is still the best direct from positive print available.
If you are a contact printer dr5 is a must for shooting originals! Producing enlarged neg's from a dr5 original bypasses an entire step for the contact printer. If you have negatives already the dr5 process produces the best "interpositive" you will ever see. Also high-end LVT, LIGHTJET or CRT digital negatives can be produced. This procedure has proven to be the best reproduction quality for producing negatives from the scanned film, and the good ol' INTERNEG is always an option. Only you can determine how best to capture your images. dr5 offers an extremely versatile archival image that is easily translated to any forum.
I'm
having trouble scanning dr5 chromes. This statement simply doesn't make sense. If
you or the digital-lab are having problems scanning dr5 chromes, something is defiantly NOT wrong with the chromes! The
biggest culprit/issue is the color management, it is best TURNED OFF. Labs like WESTCOAST IMAGING or other similar shops that say there is no advantage to dr5 chromes, or they want to charge you extra, its just as well you go somewhere else,,
THEY DONT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING in this regard. The major perk of dr5 chromes is how easy they are to scan over a standard negative. A negative cannot compete with a correctly exposed dr5 image.
Negatives or chromes: There are a few debates across the web about which is best in post. In our eyes and just about everyone else's eyes, Transparencies are hands-down your best bet if you are going to scan your film! There really is no debate or argument. Sure, there are folks out there that can scan negatives well. Even so, A positive will be your best translation to digital from film, without question, color or B&W.
Digital or dr5 ? There is no debate in this regard. Digital capture has it's place. Digital is not dr5, film or photography.
About outdated & improperly stored films: Do not use out dated or improperly stored films. There are several reasons; Out of date films sometime render a low dmax. the same holds true for E6 films. Out of date or improperly stored films should be avoided. Also, the following problems can be attributed to dr5; Film swelling, causing reticulation or very soft emulsions causing easy scratching, or the emulsion to let go of the film base. Spotting, white or black: Films that render these problems have emulsions that are damaged in one way or another. Spots are caused by the emulsion becoming too old & tough for the chemistry to properly process. Mottling in some emulsions can also occur.
About Cibachrome [Ilfochrome] & scanning/RGB-cymk reproduction: This is one of our biggest questions & client issues. dr5 monotone images reproduce without any color-crossover problems. Ilfochrome, a color material, will print dr5 chromes without color cross. If you have shot scala in the past and have experienced greens in the blacks or magentas in the highlights of the print, it is likely a Light-reversal-AGFA machine + poorly maintained chemistry, the same issues apply to scanning. If you are having difficulties with a dr5 processed chrome scanning in RGB/CYMK and can not get "complete gray", your scanner or computers color management must be off, this will usually solve all color issues. dr5 itself does not and will not produce these problems.
About shipping: go here. An unfortunate necessity.
Is SCALA a slide film? NO. Scala-film, made by AGFA, is not a "slide" film. It is sold as such for marketing only. Scala-film is a "TRUE" B&W orthochromatic clear-base film. It is a B&W neg-film optimized to be reversed. Is dr5 the SCALA process? NO. dr5 like the scala process, is a TRUE B&W reversal process. the differences in the 2 processes are extreme. SCALA-FILM is processed to a higher standard in dr5, a 10-15% QUALITY IMPROVEMENT over the AGFA process and 20% over old SCALA-labs using a replacement chemistry. Is the dr5-lab an official SCALA processor? There are no "official" SCALA lab, regardless what MAIN-PHOTO or any other scala only lab says. No one is using the official AGFA chemistry, it no longer is available. We will leave it up to you who processes SCALA film best. You don't have to use SCALA film to obtain B&W slides.
Is dr5 the Kodak kit process? dr5 is not the Kodak process kit. dr5 is not E6. dr5 is a totally custom designed process invented by David Wood. dr5 produces unparalleled tonal range, sharpness and an infinite amount of process variables utilizing over '25' film type's.
This is now chrome: The films you shoot for dr5 are totally new films in every sense. They are now chrome films. It is important you understand that the negative films you normally use are no longer B&W negatives! Your normal NEGATIVE exposure compensations do not apply here. Exceptions are the recommended high exposure latitude films. If you are not certain of exposure. See the FILM REVIEW section of this website for film by film info.
About
different emulsion #'s: As
e6, dr5 is as sensitive to emulsion changes. B&W films actually have
a higher rate of shift in different emulsions, you just don't notice
them processed as a negative.
What makes dr5 better? The dr5 process produces the best tonal range you'll see on film, up to 12 stops (some films). Its formulation produces extreme detail in
the blackest blacks and the whitest whites, while utilizing the panchromatic
properties and enhancement of orthochromatic B&W film. Another
key is the superior
D-MAX. At normal development, TXP will produce
a 4.70 d-max. E6 will read apx. 3.10. The
scans
from the processed film are superior and sharpness is 4-5 fold its
negative counter-part. There is also an infinite range
of
custom
possibilities, over 25 film choices,, with all giving individual unique
exceptional results. Chromes that can be duped printed & scanned
with superior quality. A general reminder; dr5 is a totally new process. It is not like anything currently on the market. There are some generalities
when comparing dr5 to other processes. Push or pull, or increasing and decreasing contrast.
Besides this, all other comparisons do not apply. Go here FACT FILLED TECH PAGE for more info.
Archival qualities. dr5chromes are totally archival. More so than the best B&W fiber based prints or negatives.
TX
? TXP ?: If you didn't know, the Tri-X lines of
films 'in
the different sizes' are entirely different emulsions. TXP-120/220, TX-35/120 [TXT - now discontinued-4x5/8x10], all are different.
Why doesn't dr5 push
and pull like e6? & exposure index.. This is a good question but complicated to answer,. dr5 is formulated
to enhance 'existing'
B&W films. Though reversible, these films were not
designed to be reversed, they are negative films. Each film type
that
can be run through dr5 reacts differently not only to normal
development, but especially to pushes and pulls. Some films will increase
and decrease evenly. Others will only lighten or darken in the highlights
& increase or decrease in contrast and dynamic range. Our best advice
is to test the film types you are interested in.
Shoot several rolls all normal. Push some of them and pull some of
them.
Try increasing or decreasing the ios's. Development times are established for
normal, push & pull. Your exposure index may differ from ours
depending on how you meter for exposure, shoot as a transparency, not a negative. Pushes and pulls will also differ depending on; the film type you use,
your iso, your subject i.e.; high or low key... Each film tested has
its established process numbers. The iso you use, "is"
the iso that film becomes.. We strongly urge a thorough test of the film
type you decide to use, As with establishing where normal is
for you [if that varies from our numbers]. You must also discover
where
and how your film type responds to iso changes. The process never changes, only
you can determine what film type and shooting iso will be satisfactory
for you. Example: if our ½ stop push does not seem ½stop to you than simply
say you need it pushed more.
What is Developer-1
& Developer-2 ? Without an additional cost, you
have '2' developer choices, developer 1-neutral & developer 2-sepia. The neutral developer 1 renders a near
B&W image. The ilford films tend to be cooler than the Kodak films.
The developer 2-sepia developer renders the cooler films a mild sepia/brown
while the warmer based films are golden-brown/black. The contrast holds
in either developer. Some films are '1' developer type films. They can only be
run in #1 or #2. See the film review for further info.
Exposure &
tonal latitude. The tonal & exposure latitude varies from film type to film type. dr5 produces up
to a '12 stop' tonal range in some films.
This is in part, due to the chemical makeup of dr5.
With most films the process will render details
in the blackest blacks and the whitest whites. Exposure latitude also varies from film to film. Tri-x &
Hp5 being the widest, to PX, TMY & DELTA-100 having the least exposure
latitude. This simply means that you must correctly expose your film
when using the low exposure latitude films. THE
ZONE SYSTEM: If you use the zone system, it will only
be effective in a general sense. The tonal range is far beyond the
'zones'
capabilities. Use the ZONE SYSTEM for general purposes and expose the
film for highlights AS YOU WOULD ANY CHROME FILM.
How can I change
the contrast? Basically the contrast is increased or decreased by changing your ISO
or pushing and pulling the film. The normal iso range is what we consider
'normal' for that particular film under the 2 types of developers. If
you prefer your chromes with a little more contrast, simply increase
your iso. The films that change contrast well are;TXP,
TP, TXT, TMX, DELTA100, MACCO FILMS, PAN-F & EFKE-FILMS. Other films will lighten and darken but don't have dramatic contrast swings.
Although, experimentation on your own is encouraged.
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What are the most noticeable effects of push/pulling the film? Push or pulling the film has different
results depending on which film you use. Overall,
push/pull will change the contrast; increase the highlights and CHANGE
color tone.
The amount of tone/shift
will depend on the film and the amount of push or pull. It is important, for normal results, to
expose the film at the recommended speeds, then experiment from there.
Why is a '1/2'stop
push/pull not a 1/2 stop? This depends soul on the film type. Example; DELTA100 needs twice the process push compared to HP5.
My film is fogged? dr5 renders regular B&W neg. film up
to 5 times more improved than it's negative processed counter. The
most common fog for dr5 is the rebate edge. Treat any film for
the process like you would any high sensitive film type. DONOT
subject "the shot roll[120-220]"
film to direct light when loading or unloading your camera [this problem doesn't apply to 35mm]. We have seen film fogged clear through the paper. BE
CAREFUL! Load all films in the deep shade. Don't
expose the rolls to direct sun light, hot lights, bright Quartz model
lamps, strobe and especially a light box. While we want you to be more
careful, dr5 is
not overly sensitive. Only film sitting in the stated conditions
will render fog. Some cameras do not roll 120 film taut enough, resulting in rebate edge fog. Be sure that you or your camera
is not the problem.
Bleaching explained. Bleaching is the process of lightening dr5-processed film. There are several formulas
for bleaching. There is a standard bleach that will just lighten the
film overall. Bleaching can also create special effects, 'look
here', where a solarization effect is created. Contact
us for details on what to do to achieve this look. There are specifics
when exposing the film. Your final image will vary. Experimentation
is a must. Please note! Bleaching is a risk. It is not predictable.
If all the factors involved are identical, roll to roll will be close
but not exact. We offer several
bleaching recipes to our clients free of charge, for those who want to experiment on their own. Just ask!
