Why does Black and White prints cost more than Colour prints?

[chaotic]

Does any know why Black and White prints are more expensive than Colour prints? Most labs I have been will charge about 5 cents higher. It's just beyond common sense, so there must be some reason behind it.

 

[kex]

when the demand is low,the price will go up lor.
especially for darkroom prints.

 

[chaotic]

i am referring to normal lab prints. not darkroom prints.

 

[justarius]

The FDI lab I go to charges me the same for printing and developing of B&W prints (true B&W, not C41 process....)

 

[chaotic]

which FDI lab does darkroom printing for BnW at the same price? I would love to know!

C41 is a developing process. are you referring to printing or developing? I am a little confused.

 

[ckiang]

What are you printing from? Film or digital? In any case I don't remember the labs I go to charging more to print B&W onto normal colour paper. You can try Colour Lab PhotoFinishing @ Adelphi or Beatiful Memories @ Stamford House.

Regards
CK

 

[justarius]

which FDI lab does darkroom printing for BnW at the same price? I would love to know!

C41 is a developing process. are you referring to printing or developing? I am a little confused.

I'm referring to developing. The printing I believe is digital, ie FDI, and not true silver prints.

 

[chaotic]

i am referring to printing from black and white c41 film. (eg. t400cn)

BM doesn't charge more because they already charge the normal price. I am referring to the discount ones, they usually give the discounts for colour but not black and white prints.

 

[kex]

optical B&W print = $1? optical color print = 30cts
Digital color print = 30cts Digital B&W = more?

 

[ed9119]

I assume you mean BW prints from FDI to be digitally printed with color paper

most shops use it as a gimmick to charge more because they have to tune the printer to print out grayscale and tune it back to its color profile after printing your images. Konota and a few other labs dont charge any differently between digitally printed BW or color prints

otherwise, if you compare traditional darkroom BW printing with enlarger on light sensitive BW paper then yes its more expensive

 

[chaotic]

optical B&W print = $1? optical color print = 30cts
Digital color print = 30cts Digital B&W = more?

yup 5 cents more.. it's not consistent but some labs do that. Just wondering if it's majority or minority.

 

[ckiang]

I assume you mean BW prints from FDI to be digitally printed with color paper

most shops use it as a gimmick to charge more because they have to tune the printer to print out grayscale and tune it back to its color profile after printing your images. Konota and a few other labs dont charge any differently between digitally printed BW or color prints

otherwise, if you compare traditional darkroom BW printing with enlarger on light sensitive BW paper then yes its more expensive

Not really true (contrary to what they claim). I printed 4 8x12s at Beautiful Memories, one of them being a B&W image and all the owner needed to do is to send the images over to the Frontier. No other adjustments done (I asked for none anyway). And their B&W is prefectly neutral.

So for those shops who charge more, it's just an excuse to do so. Just like charging more for borders.

Regards
CK

 

[showtime]

The FDI lab I go to charges me the same for printing and developing of B&W prints (true B&W, not C41 process....)

FDI is a digital lab. they scan your true bw negs and then print from there...

 

[justarius]

FDI is a digital lab. they scan your true bw negs and then print from there...

yes I know. I'm just pointing that out in case people mistake my statement for true B&W printing...