Current lead time for Dev & Scan services is 2 - 4 business days, starting the following day after we receive your negatives. Check here for regular updates.
Every roll is developed by hand in a Jobo rotary film processor. These developing systems use constant rotary agitation and precise temperature control to deliver highly repeatable, semi-automated film development. Your film is carefully hand-loaded onto a reel in a darkroom bag and inserted into the processing drum before being developed. We use the chemicals in a “one-shot” fashion to ensure they’re never exhausted and are working at full strength (chemicals are used for one batch of development only and then disposed of ethically with local hazardous waste collection sites).·
Hand-loaded – no scratches on your film
Precise temperature control
Continuous agitation – evenly developed
One-shot chemical use (immediately discarded after use)
We use a DSLR scanning setup with a Sony ~60mp full-frame sensor and dedicated macro lens to provide superior image quality, color depth, and grain rendition. This method is also capable of providing finer detail in your scans than traditional auto-scanners like the Fuji Frontier or Noritsu that most other labs use. DSLR scanning is also significantly more labor intensive, which is why it is not preferred by quick-turnaround labs.
We provide XL size scans (9000 x 6000px for 35mm) as standard. This provides larger file size JPEG and TIFF files which contain more data for post-processing techniques. If you’re not having us provide you with premium post-processing, you’ll still receive files with a superior amount of depth to edit yourself if that’s your preference.
Those wanting the highest-tier scans can choose the 4-Shot Pixel Shift option at checkout.
We provide a few options for image inversion (post-scanning editing), depending on if you’re planning to edit yourself or if you would prefer us to send you finalized images ready to print/post/submit to your customers. With any option, we’re still personally hand-editing each frame of your film to ensure your images are true to the film stock and representative of the time, money, and effort you spent shooting.
If you’re an amateur or just starting out with film, we’ll work with you to produce the image you had in your head when you clicked the shutter. We work with you to grow your shooting style. If there’s a problem with your film, or you’re not getting the results you want, we’ll help troubleshoot the issue, just reach out; after-order support is included with your purchase. If you want a specific editing style, we can cater to that too. We want to help you elevate your images.
If you’re an industry professional, we’ve got your back. We’re set up to send unconverted raw scan files or converted flat TIFFs, just let us know your preference in the “Post Processing” drop down. Don’t see an option you’re used to? Get in contact, we’re eager to accommodate our professional clients.
FREE SHIPPING.
We have a few options to get you rolling with Mountain Film Lab. Here’s how it works:
Inbound shipping: Add a shipping label/QR code add-on product to your cart when you’re placing your order. It’s $4.99 if you don’t meet the threshold, but it’s free if you order at least (3) Develop and Scan rolls at the same time. It’ll automatically update in your cart at check out. We’ll then email you a prepaid label to print, put on your box, and drop off at your nearest Post Office or USPS blue box. You can even go online to get USPS to pick it up from your home mailbox for free on their route. How convenient!
Use the QR code option if you don’t want to print. You can take your code in your email to USPS with your package, and they’ll print your prepaid label for you before shipping it to us.
Negative return shipping: If your order totals $65+ before tax, your negative return shipping is free. It’ll automatically update at checkout. We ship you another prepaid label in the negative return box, so you can send us your next round for free.
There’s more:
After your first order is completed, and if you’ve got negatives to return, we always ship them back with a prepaid label to our lab. Our return boxes are completely reusable, and are 200lb test crushproof triple wall sides and double wall front and bottom; they’re good for a few rounds of shipping.
That’s right, once you start with us, we’ll handle inbound and return shipping free-of-charge if you’re ordering over $65 per order. It’s our way of saying thanks for being such a great customer.
If you don’t have a sufficient box to send us your film, you can also purchase one here. It comes with prepaid inbound shipping straight to our lab, so just pack it up and get it to USPS.