Can Wal-Mart Develop your 120 film? Yes, but…

Bennett Campbell is an excellent photographer, you can visit his website and see his photographs.  He also made a comment on my previous blog post about whether, when it comes to my recent kick for film photography, I’m possibly setting myself up for failure – things like my problem with CVS ruining a roll of black and white film, or the whole Rocky Mountain Film Lab debacle.

First off, I’ve only been working with film photography for a few months.  I’m still learning all the tricks and tips and the like.  As for where I send my stuff for development, my Kodachrome has to go to Dwayne’s Photo, they are the only place in the world that can develop the iconic slide film – and at the end of the year, even they will stop developing the brand.  When shooting regular C-41 color film that I expect normal prints from, I’ll use any photo processing joint (although my preference is for Ritz Camera in Crossgates Mall, they do a decent job).  As for my other films, whether they involve straight black-and-white non-C-41 process, E-6 slide processing, “sprocket hole” photography,  efke film, 127 vest pocket film – those will go to McGreevy Pro Lab in downtown Albany.

But I also want other options.  And I read online that there is a way that the retailing giant Wal-Mart can be instructed on how to develop 120 medium-format film, so long as you give them all the directions necessary ahead of time.  I want to see what my options are – and if those options work, then I want to share them with all of you.

So again, another experiment.  I loaded the Holga with a roll of Fuji 120 format film, and took some pictures around the neighborhood – nothing earth-shattering or contest-winning, just some flowers and foliage shots.

Then I took the film out of the camera and headed off to Wally World.

There’s something you need to be aware of if you’re going to have any film that isn’t your standard 35mm C-41 processed film developed by Wal-Mart.  They’ll do it – well, they won’t do it in the store, but they’ll send it to someone who can.

If you want to get medium-format (120) film developed at a Wal-Mart, here’s what you have to do.  A lot of it is pre-preparation, so make sure you take care of all of this.

After you’ve taken your photographs, go to your local Wal-Mart and grab a few of their photograph preparation envelopes.  You’ll only need one for now; save the other ones for when you get home and you want to shoot more 120 film.

Don’t even bother asking the Wal-Mart employee if they can develop 120 film.  They will look at you as if you have just asked them to explain the final episode of Lost.  Just ask for the envelopes.

At the top of the envelope, put down your name and contact information.  Also at the top of the envelope, write the words “SEND OUT ONLY.” This ensures that Wal-Mart will send your film out to a processing plant and that the person behind the counter won’t try to develop the pictures themselves.

Check the box marked “Special Instructions” and write the following:

120 FILM

C-41 PROCESSING ONLY

You can check another box if you want any prints.  If you don’t do this, all the processing plant is going to do is develop the film and send you back a strip of negatives.  If you have a scanner capable of handling negatives, great.  If not, you’ll want to check the box so that prints can be made.

Then drop your roll of exposed film in the envelope and seal it.  Save your customer receipt – that’s the best way to keep track of where your film is.

Drop the roll of film in the Wal-Mart drop box.  It’s going to take about 2 weeks for your film to get developed, but better that they take a few weeks to get it done right than to have someone “try” to develop it there and ruin the pictures.

I dropped my roll off at Wal-Mart, and two weeks later one of their employees called me and said that the film was developed and that I could pick it up at their store at any time.

You see, if it’s a 35mm C-41 film, Wal-Mart will process it right in the store.  But for less common formats (127 film, E-6 processing), Wal-Mart will send the film to a Fuji processing plant, and I think the closest one of those is in South Carolina.  And if you drop off Kodachrome at Wal-Mart, they’ll just send it to Dwayne’s Photo – and I can do that by myself.

So if you don’t mind waiting two weeks for your 120 film to be shipped out and processed and sent back, Wal-Mart will work in a pinch.

That, or just send it to McGreevy Photo Lab in downtown Albany already.