Frequently Asked Questions

We process B&W Reversal films in photographic (35mm / 120) and motion picture formats (Super 8, 8mm and 16mm formats).

These are processed by hand.

We also offer processing of ECN2 and E6 motion picture films, but these are sent to Kodak and John Salim Photographic respectively for machine processing and then scanned in-house.

B&W Reversal is a specialised process using a highly acidic bleach bath step to remove all of the silver from 1st development, including in most cases the silver-based backing applied to reversal films.

This is a tricky process highly dependent on bleach concentration as well as temperature and different emulsions have different softnesses making them more susceptible to this step.

Coupled with the general variability of hand processing, this can mean results vary with some issues with bleach completion and emulsion softness creeping in on occasion.

We try and balance the steps with the varied film emulsions we get and get generally great results but please bear this in mind when ordering as we consider B&W Reversal hand processing as being experimental in nature!

For the absolute best results, we always recommend looking at Machine Processing which is only available at Andec in Berlin.

For motion picutre / cine films we use our FilmFabriek HDS+ 5.4k scanner.

This amazing archival grade scanner caters to 16mm, 8mm, Super 8 and 9.5mm with optical and magnetic capture where relevant.

Our scanner also has the ability to scan Wet Gate which is useful for any films that have light scratching.

Finally, this scanner allows us to scan varying bit depths (8-bit, 10-bit and 12-bit) which enables us to cater to various delivery formats.

Our primary photo scanner is the Pakon F135+ that gives us great quality up to 6mp and allows us to scan B&W Reversal as an additional feature not found in most commercial lab scanners.

We also utilise our Konica R1 lab scanner as this provides high resolution scans up to 35mp and caters to 120 and mounted slide formats.

For large-batch slide scanning, we use our Nikon LS-5000 with dedicated slide mount that gives impeccable 24mp scans.

Our primary photo lab printer for 6x4 'standard' prints is the Fujifilm ASK 2500 dye sublimation printer giving great 300dpi prints on Fuji roll paper.

Our gallery-quality Canon PRO 200S is used for 6x4 up to A3+ prints on varying paper options (Glossy, Matte, Lustre) and is our absolute finest quality with genuine Canon inks that are fade resistant for up to 100 years!

We don't have a guaranteed turn around time and at times backlogs can occur usually with our B&W Reversal processing as it is a long process.

The B&W Reversal process is not a 1-hour process-to-scan process, taking a long time to prep, process, dry and scan. We are also limited by the capacity of our tanks, particularly with our limited availability Lomo tank(s).

Our outsourced processing of motion picture ECN2/E6 is dependent on any backlogs in those labs which can fluctuate between 1-6 weeks in peak periods.

Overall, we aim to turn films around as quick as we possibly can.

Our approach to Photo Prints is to enable you to see your files beforehand, which we upload to your order.

From there, you can order prints in the sizes you would like per-image.

We mainly sell re-spooled films either from expired or fresh bulk stocks.

These are machine re-spooled in high-quality steel canisters with labels and DX-Codes (for non 100 ISO films) ensuring the highest possible quality outside the film manufacturers themselves!

We are looking into sourcing motion picture film for sale and hope to offer this soon!

We provide two main routes to get your files both via your order page.

1) Where file sizes are small, we provide uploads direct to your order where you can download or for photo files can order prints direct.

2) For larger files we upload these to our secure Dropbox and provide a link on your order.

In both cases, we guarantee these files for 30days.

For cine scans with large resolutions and bit depths, we require an SSD with at least a USB 3.0 connection particularly for 12-bit or any resolution above 4k as file sizes can be very large!

If in doubt, please message us!