NON-Cobra related.... FILM photography question

[289fia_cobra]

My daughter is going to be taking a black and white film photography class in Philadelphia next semester.

My wife has an old 1970's 35mm camera that "works" but I've been told it may require a refresh as springs and such may need to be replaced and pivot points lubed.

In any event, I was hoping some of you have suggestions on the following:

1) Where in the South Bay, should I take the camera for service (Japanese brand, not a Minolta but starts with a M)

2) Who still develops film?

TIA,

Herman

[Steve1979]

San Jose Camera was the last of the ones I can remember that might be able to service an old 35mm, if they are still around. If not, San Jose State might have a photography class she could walk into and ask the instructor.
Walgreens, Longs and photo express might still develop film.

Steve

[Ron61]

Steve,

I have several 35 MM cameras including a high priced Nikon SLR and the last time I asked about even buying film up here they told me none of the stores handled it any more and that if I had any to be developed I would have to send it to some place in Southern Calif. I think it was. And to get any work done on one of the cameras it had to be sent back to the manufacturer which may or may not still fix them. So here I sit with several thousand dollars worth of cameras, lens , and accessories that are only good for a museum one of these days as they are all like new.

Ron

[lemans24]

Procamera in Charlottesville Va can fix just about anything
Film is going away I have been an advertising photog
for 25yrs Canon digital is so much better than film Most
of the labs have closed

[Don]

Precision Camera....a number of the major camera manufacturers, including 35mm, has Precision perform their warranty work. On the east coast, CVS, COSTCO, Walgreens develop print film. No Kodachrome etc slides as Kodak no longer supplies the chemicals for their slide film.

Contact Information:
Customer Service Phone: 800-665-6515
Customer Service Phone Hours:
Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM ET – 8:00 PM PT
Saturday: 9:00 AM ET – 2:00 PM ET

Precision Camera West
11500 Rojas Drive, Suite A
El Paso, TX 79936
Western US Lobby Business Hours
Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM MT – 5:00 PM MT

Ship Repairs To:
Precision Camera & Video Repair
11500 Rojas Drive, Suite J
El Paso, TX 79936

Precision Camera - Digital Camera Repair, Video Camera Repair

[CSX7070]

Hello! My wife is the photo studio manager for Hallmark Cards....She went to Art Center in Pasadena (Chip Foose was a classmate).

She recommends a Hasselblad camera...you can get an older 5000 series. That is what she used...and still uses today!

WB

[twobjshelbys]

First, any major camera store should be able to send any camera for repairs or point you to someone who will do it. The description is vague and if it starts with M but isn't Minolta maybe it's Mamiya? I had a Minolta before I concluded their lens offerings weren't very comprehensive and switched to a Nikon F2 in about 1972 and have stayed every since. I added a 8008 for motor drive capability and used it on 3 Grand Canyon river trips.

If you can't find a repair place try the Nikon USA site. In their repair section they have a comprehensive list of third party repair facilities. Most of them that can handle an old mechanical Nikon can work on almost any brand of older 35mm cameras.

One thing you will run into in B&W film developing is that most stores won't do it unless you use the film that is compatible with the color film processes. [I never used such a beast - it's sacreligous]. Classic B&W film like Plus-X or Tri-X can be developed fairly easily at home with some fairly inexpensive developing tanks. Chances are the college will have darkroom facilities for this. The purpose of a B&W class is to teach exposure and contrast control.

Hasselblad makes a wonderful camera but it is a 2-1/4 x 2-1/4 (6cm x 6cm) format film. The enlargements from this size negative are truly awe inspiring. I had a Mamiya 6x7 SLR. The difference is that Hasselblads use a leaf shutter in the lens and the Mamiyas have a SLR-like shutter in the body. The medium format SLRs are noisy though and not good for weddings. I also had a Yaschica TLR (Twin Lens Reflex) which I thought was the best but had limited lenses but did a really good job on scenics. Mamiya also made a TLR that had some add on lenses. Some of the older Hasselblads and Mamiya SLRs can take digital backs but wow they are pricey ($10K+).

The up side of medium format is image quality. The down side is that the remaining 120 format film is "pro" and hard to get except at major camera stores [and usually stored in the refrigerator).

For your exercise I'd stay with 35mm...

Good Luck!

[twobjshelbys]

Kodak has discontinued sale and processing of Kodachrome. Ektachrome is still available. Anyone want a 35mm slide projector and about 40 slide trays? I'm scanning all of my slides and negatives to digital format. The Coolscan 9000 (if you can find one) is awesome!

[Don]

Dwayne's Photo in Parsons KS, another mail source for processing film, including 35MM & E-6


Slide Film Processing

Dwayne's offers processing for Ektachrome and other E6 process compatible films.

Please note: Kodachrome processing has ended, as of Dec 30, 2010. We were the only remaining Kodak certified processor of Kodachrome in the world. We know of no other resource to process Kodachrome film.

We also offer processing for discontinued types of slide film including E-6 126, 110 & 127 film. See Discontinued Film Processing for details. We offer push and pull processing for E-6 film.

Processing for Ektachrome 64T and 100D movie film is also available and detailed here.

Color film developing 135, 110, 120, 220, APS - Kodachrome and Ektachrome slide film and movie film - Black and white film

Kodachrome slide film developing - Ektachrome slide film developing - Kodak certified service - Dwayne's Photo Service

[289fia_cobra]

Everyone: THANKS for the places/links.
Daughter is back home and she'll fill me in on the specifics of what they expect her to do and/or have for next years class.