Need info on developing u/w pictures

[dancingtortuga]

I'm looking for recommendations on where I should get my u/w pictures developed. Have a basic "inexpensive" 35mm with which I got some decent shots in Cozumel & Fla. Had those films developed @ local CVS. Just got back from Bonaire & would like to see if getting my film developed elsewhere would help me get better colors etc. Should I go to a local photo shop? Should I send my films off & if so where to? Hope to upgrade to digital in the future: love reading all the helpful info you all have to offer!!

 

[Dee]

dancingtortuga once bubbled...
I'm looking for recommendations on where I should get my u/w pictures developed. Have a basic "inexpensive" 35mm with which I got some decent shots in Cozumel & Fla. Had those films developed @ local CVS. Just got back from Bonaire & would like to see if getting my film developed elsewhere would help me get better colors etc. Should I go to a local photo shop? Should I send my films off & if so where to? Hope to upgrade to digital in the future: love reading all the helpful info you all have to offer!!

I sometimes took my film to a local photo shop or to Eckerds because they did the processing and printing right there. One common problem is the person who is printing the pictures probably has no clue as to the colors underwater. They've never seen the aqua color of water in Cozumel, or the deep true blue of the Gulf. I took some photos that were correct with me and showed them to the person doing the printing, even left the pictures for reference. This way they pay attention rather than just hitting an automatic color button and return later to turn the machine off! They are more than eager to please if they know what you expect.

Just before I went digital, the girl at Eckerds had just finished her OW class....she fell in love with underwater by printing my pictures!

 

[Fly N Dive]

kodak has a new way of developing negs. that reduces the blue so pics come out like you saw them. i don't know if you are lucky and have a LDS that can send them away for it. its more expensive, but worht it. here look for yourself Here

 

[dancingtortuga]

Thanks for the suggestions! Unfortunately no LDS in my "state" much less locally. Any "mail-order" developing places recommended?

 

[Dee]

Kodaks Sea Processing isn't a 'new way of developing'. It's simply a method of printing u/w pictures using a set formula of print settings, usually higer in reds than normal. It doesn't guarantee good results.

Wal-Mart, Costco, some Eckerds, etc. all have 'mail-order' photo services. It helps to write UNDERWATER on the outside of the envelope or put it in the instructions. They'll usually use the same print formula the Sea Processing does.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

I continue to use slide film for my underwater photography. I recently had it developed by a local photo shop:
Quick Stop Photo

These people did a great job of developing the slides, and scanning them into their system. I then accessed them over the internet, and had prints developed. Because they had the original slide to compare, the colors were very well done. My photos are in cold water (Puget Sound) and therefore always have a green cast.

SeaRat

PS--The photo was taken at 1/8th second, F-5.6 using a Canon F-1N with a 24mm lens behind a dome port in a Ikelite housing. This is a combined strobe/natural light photo to get the background into the photo.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

For these photos, I used FujiFilm Provia 100F Daylight film. This one is a bit better, as the diver was moving more slowly trying to get close to the fish (probably a flathead sole, Hippoglossoides elassodon. Again, the combined strobe/natural light allowed the background of the oil dock pilings to be shown. The slow shutter speed necessitated holding the camera very still, but underwater that is much easier than on the surface, and not as critical with the very wide-angle of the 24 mm lens under the dome port.

It is probable that your camera system would not allow this exposure, but the use of slide film will help your lab find the "real" colors that you saw. I prefer the Fuji films as they seem to give more intense colors underwater. Kodak's films are good, but I don't like the rendation of the Kodachrome in either fresh or salt water that we have in the Pacific Northwest.

SeaRat