Why are Slide -> Print more expensive than Neg->Print?

[ckiang]

Hi,

Most labs use a digital minilab to print negatives and slides. The film is scanned and then traditionally printed. As far as I understand, the same minilab is used.

So, why are slide -> print more expensive than neg -> print?

Regards
CK

 

[mpenza]

because it requires more care and expertise to do so?

digital prints are also expensive at 50cents per 4R and the shops don't need to do any scanning.

 

[Kit]

Yes its expensive and no; nobody; absolutely nobody can do a decent job when it comes to slides to prints. I'll quit ranting.........

 

[Kho King]

For me, I think is the supply and demand. More people using negative than positive. When more printing from negative compare to positive...then most shop will have negative printing machine instead of positive one. Furthermore...when they do more negative printing, their skill improve from time to time...but not so on positive. So...they have to charge lower on negative because of competition.

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by Kho King
For me, I think is the supply and demand. More people using negative than positive. When more printing from negative compare to positive...then most shop will have negative printing machine instead of positive one. Furthermore...when they do more negative printing, their skill improve from time to time...but not so on positive. So...they have to charge lower on negative because of competition.

Thing is, it IS the SAME machine. E.g. for Fuji digital labs, the Frontier 350/370 is used for negative, slides and digital images! So, shouldn't slides and digital images be at the same cost as negs?

Regards
CK

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by Kit
Yes its expensive and no; nobody; absolutely nobody can do a decent job when it comes to slides to prints. I'll quit ranting.........

Just saw someone's 8x12s printed for Colour Lab, they looked pretty good. Hmm.... yet to give the famous FotoHub a try.

Regards
CK

 

[Kho King]

Originally posted by ckiang


Thing is, it IS the SAME machine. E.g. for Fuji digital labs, the Frontier 350/370 is used for negative, slides and digital images! So, shouldn't slides and digital images be at the same cost as negs?

Regards
CK

Haha...I see. Ok, the reason I can think of is because mostly only professional are using positive, so the shop don't mind charging more and those pro still have to come back. You see...if they charge more for negative...people will go to other shops because it is widely available. So, they have to make their negative develope price competitive...thus cheaper. For positive, they are just giving in the reasonable price to get back what they invest in their digital machine. I heard the Fuji Frontier machine cost few hundred thousands.

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by Kho King


Haha...I see. Ok, the reason I can think of is because mostly only professional are using positive, so the shop don't mind charging more and those pro still have to come back. You see...if they charge more for negative...people will go to other shops because it is widely available. So, they have to make their negative develope price competitive...thus cheaper. For positive, they are just giving in the reasonable price to get back what they invest in their digital machine. I heard the Fuji Frontier machine cost few hundred thousands.

Yup. A Fuji Frontier 350 digital minilab costs S$350,000. That's what I am told by the lab I frequent.

Regards
CK