{"id":23521,"date":"2026-07-28T20:42:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T03:42:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/?p=23521"},"modified":"2026-07-28T20:42:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T03:42:36","slug":"best-film-labs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/?p=23521","title":{"rendered":"Best Film Labs of 2026: Where to Develop Film (Pro, Budget &#038; By Format)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>This guide is published by The Icon, a professional film lab in Los Angeles. We&#8217;re one of the labs on this list, and we&#8217;re upfront about that &#8211; but the right lab for you depends on what you shoot, where you live, and what matters most.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Shooting film in 2026 isn&#8217;t just a passing trend. For many photographers, it&#8217;s simply how they create. Whether you&#8217;re capturing portraits on medium format, documenting your travels with 35mm film, or preparing gallery-quality prints for an exhibition, the film developing labs you choose can have just as much impact on the final result as the camera in your hands.<\/p>\n<p>We built this list around what each lab actually does well &#8211; chemistry and scanning quality, format range, turnaround, and how their own customers talk about them, rather than follower counts.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"margin:1.5em 0 0.6em\">Quick Answer: Best Film Processing Labs at a Glance<\/h2>\n<ul style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 1.2em;padding-left:1.6em\">\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Best for professionals &amp; fine art:<\/strong> The Icon (Los Angeles) gives dip-and-dunk processing, Imacon and Drum scanning, museum-quality darkroom, large format C-prints and fine-art pigment printing<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Best for being local to the Southern US:<\/strong> Indie Film Lab offers per-frame correction, broad specialty-format support<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Best on the West Coast US:<\/strong> The Icon provides walk-in and mail-in, LA-based, fast local turnaround. Shipping to and from West Coast location is also quick.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Best for being local to the East Coast US:<\/strong> Gelatin Labs offers GelForm in-scanner styles, NJ\/NYC drop-off.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Best for NYC \/ membership model:<\/strong> Nice Film Club gives frame-by-frame scanning, rush service.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Best budget option:<\/strong> Memphis Film Lab starts from ~$6\u201310\/roll<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Best for rare &amp; vintage formats:<\/strong> Dwayne&#8217;s Photo offers 110, 126, 127, disc film, and movie film<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Best for cinema film:<\/strong> FotoKem provides 16mm, 35mm, 65\/70mm, and Hollywood post house<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Best for Super 8 &amp; 16mm (indie\/consumer):<\/strong> Pro8mm provides process and scan at 4K\u20136.5K, plus cameras and film<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Best value:<\/strong> The Darkroom starts from ~$14\/roll for standard development with standard scans included. Comparable options at The Icon start at $16 and Richard Photo Lab at $23.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Best for the US Mountain Region:<\/strong> theFINDlab &#8211; tiered Auto ($14) to Custom ($19) scanning with Mastin Labs collaboration<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Best for large-format &amp; specialty work:<\/strong> The Icon offers 35mm through 8&#215;10 sheet film, E-6 in-house, four scanner types, archiving, restoration, with printing up to 64&#215;120.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"margin:1.5em 0 0.6em\">What Makes a Great Film Lab<\/h2>\n<p>Every laboratory doesn&#8217;t need to achieve perfection, but those who have achieved certain levels of excellence possess a few things in common. Quality chemistry that is refreshed and retested regularly, rather than just topping up the old one. Options for scanning that are not limited to an automatic choice, thus allowing you to use different settings depending on whether you have a portrait or a landscape negative. Realistic turnaround times. And most importantly, being honest about the services that your lab cannot provide, the labs that try to be everything to everyone are usually the ones you hear complaints about.<\/p>\n<p>With that in mind, here&#8217;s how the labs on this list stack up, category by category.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"margin:1.5em 0 0.6em\">The Best Film Developing Labs in US (2026)<\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"margin:1.4em 0 0.4em\">1. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/\">The Icon<\/a> (Los Angeles, CA)<\/h3>\n<p>The Icon (Los Angeles, CA) has been serving photographers since 1999 and remains one of the few U.S. labs offering a complete analog workflow under one roof. This lab offers the development of 35mm or 120, and sheet film up to 8\u00d710 in C-41, E-6, and B&amp;W chemistry, while also offering scanning services through Noritsu, Imacon Flextight, drum and flatbed scanners. While film services and darkroom printing may be its most common service, it also offers museum-quality fine art printing services for which the lab has become famous. In addition to the walk-in and national mail-in options offered by the lab, it charges about $10-$20 per roll, while turnaround time is usually 3-4 business days.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:1.4em 0 0.4em\">2. The Darkroom (San Clemente, CA)<\/h3>\n<p>The Darkroom (San Clemente, CA) has been developing film since 1976 and is among the most convenient of mail-in lab facilities in America. It develops 35mm, 120, 110, 126, APS film, disposable cameras, and sheet films through C-41, E-6, and black and white processes, and uses Noritsu scanners. Prices begin from about $13-$14 per roll. Normal turnaround is 2-4 business days. It offers free prepaid shipping, and its mobile app makes sending films for development very convenient. It is an ideal lab facility for photographers looking for affordable services.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:1.4em 0 0.4em\">3. theFINDlab (Orem, UT)<\/h3>\n<p>The FINDlab (Orem, UT) specializes in 35mm, 120, and 4\u00d75 film, providing services for C-41, E-6, and black &amp; white film developing. The pricing offered by the FINDlab is based on tiers, starting from $14 for Auto scans and $19 for Custom scans, while the turnaround time usually takes 2\u20135 days. What makes the FINDlab stand out is that it provides photographers with the freedom of choice regarding their scans, either going with the cheaper option of automated scans or the Custom scans done using Mastin Labs&#8217; technology.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:1.4em 0 0.4em\">4. Indie Film Lab (Montgomery, AL)<\/h3>\n<p>Indie Film Lab (Montgomery, AL) has provided services for photographers since 2011 till date and provides processing of 35mm, 120, 220, sheet film, and other special film formats with C-41, E-6, and B&amp;W chemicals. Using Frontier and Noritsu scanners, prices start at $21 per roll and delivery time is about 5-10 business days via mail-in service. Initially favored by wedding photographers, Indie Film Lab has since earned the trust of portrait, editorial, and commercial photographers for its per-frame color correction, consistent results, and ability to handle a wide range of film formats.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:1.4em 0 0.4em\">5. Gelatin Labs (Maplewood, NJ)<\/h3>\n<p>Since 2018, Gelatin Labs (Maplewood, NJ) has been working for photographers in terms of developing 35mm, 120, 110, and APS film in C-41, black &amp; white, and ECN-2 chemistry. The company uses Noritsu and Frontier scanners and has prices starting from $24 per roll. Turnaround time varies from 1 to 10 business days based on the level of service selected. In addition to mail-in services and drop-offs available in NJ, NYC, and DC, the main feature of Gelatin Labs is its GelForm scanning styles that give more creative freedom regarding color and contrast.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:1.4em 0 0.4em\">6. Richard Photo Lab (Santa Clarita, CA)<\/h3>\n<p>Richard Photo Lab (Santa Clarita, CA) has been a well-known company specializing in the development of films since 1970, with its 35 mm to large-format sheet film processing service for C-41, E-6 and black and white films. They provide top-notch Noritsu and Frontier scans with prices ranging from about $23 per roll and have a turnaround time of 3-5 days. Richard Photo Lab is most famous with photographers involved in weddings and portraiture because of their frame-by-frame color corrections done by an experienced operator to maintain consistency.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:1.4em 0 0.4em\">7. Nice Film Club (Brooklyn, NY)<\/h3>\n<p>Nice Film Club (Brooklyn, NY) has been serving photographers&#8217; needs since 2020, developing 35mm, 120, and half-frame film via C-41, black &amp; white, and ECN-2 chemistry, along with Noritsu HS-1800 scanning. The price range is around $10\u201318 per roll, with a rapid 1-3 business days turnaround period.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:1.4em 0 0.4em\">8. Memphis Film Lab (Cleveland, OH)<\/h3>\n<p>Memphis Film Lab (Cleveland, OH) specializes in 35mm and 120 film, offering C-41, E-6, and black &amp; white processing with pricing starting around $6\u201310 per roll and bulk discounts on orders of 10+ rolls. While its 2\u20134 week mail-in turnaround is slower than many competitors, it has earned a strong reputation for delivering high-quality scans at budget-friendly prices. Its combination of affordability, reliable results, and volume discounts makes it an excellent choice for photographers shooting film on a budget.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:1.4em 0 0.4em\">9. Dwayne&#8217;s Photo (Parsons, KS)<\/h3>\n<p>Dwayne&#8217;s Photo (Parsons, KS) has been processing film since 1956, using C-41 and black &amp; white chemistry of 110, 126, 127, disc film, and movies. Prices start at $6 per roll and have a 5-12 days mail-in processing time period, making Dwayne&#8217;s Photo one of the best photo processing labs for rare or outdated film formats. Known for handling formats that many modern labs no longer accept, Dwayne&#8217;s Photo makes a special place in the history of photography, being the only lab to develop Kodachrome in the whole world until its discontinuation in 2010.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:1.4em 0 0.4em\">Notable Mentions<\/h3>\n<h4 style=\"margin:1.3em 0 0.4em\">FotoKem (Burbank, CA)<\/h4>\n<p>Since 1963, FotoKem (Burbank, California) has served as the leading company in motion picture film processing and specializes in film processing for 16mm, 35mm, and 65\/70mm motion picture films. The lab was designed to serve the needs of studios and takes its projects in by either mail-in or studio intake and not consumer drop-offs. This lab is different from other labs in the sense that it only serves cinema film processing needs and nothing else.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin:1.3em 0 0.4em\">Pro8mm (Burbank, CA)<\/h4>\n<p>Pro8mm (Burbank, CA) has specialized in motion-picture film since 1973, developing and scanning Super 8, 16mm, and Super 16 films using motion picture color negative processing and 4K-6.5K scanning services. Available via a mail-in service, this lab is designed for the needs of indie filmmakers and hobbyists who want quality film processing, scanning, and digitization. Unlike the studio-oriented facilities like FotoKem, Pro8mm provides better access to individuals and students.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"margin:1.5em 0 0.6em\">Quick Comparison of All 11 Labs at a Glance<\/h2>\n<table style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0.5em 0 1.5em;border-collapse:collapse;width:100%\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f5f5f5\">Lab<\/th>\n<th style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f5f5f5\">Location<\/th>\n<th style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f5f5f5\">From-Price<\/th>\n<th style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f5f5f5\">Turnaround<\/th>\n<th style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f5f5f5\">Scanner<\/th>\n<th style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f5f5f5\">Formats<\/th>\n<th style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f5f5f5\">Best For<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">The Icon<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Los Angeles, CA<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">~$10\u201320\/roll<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">3\u20134 days<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Noritsu, Imacon, drum, flatbed<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">35mm\u20138&#215;10 sheet<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Pro &amp; fine art, West Coast<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Richard Photo Lab<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Santa Clarita, CA<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">~$23+\/roll<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">3\u20135 days<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Noritsu + Frontier<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">35mm\u2013large format<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Wedding &amp; portrait<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">The Darkroom<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">San Clemente, CA<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">~$13\u201314\/roll<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">2\u20134 days<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Noritsu<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">35mm, 120, 110, 126, APS<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Value\/convenience<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">theFINDlab<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Orem, UT<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">$14\u201319\/roll<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">2\u20135 days<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Noritsu<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">35mm, 120, 4&#215;5<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Customizable scans<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Indie Film Lab<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Montgomery, AL<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">~$21\/roll<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">5\u201310 days<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Frontier + Noritsu<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">35mm, 120, 220, specialty<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">South\/enthusiast pros<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Gelatin Labs<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Maplewood, NJ<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">~$24\/roll<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">1\u201310 days<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Noritsu + Frontier<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">35mm, 120, 110, APS<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">East Coast, scan control<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Nice Film Club<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Brooklyn, NY<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">~$10\u201318\/roll<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">1\u20133 days<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Noritsu HS-1800<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">35mm, 120, half-frame<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">NYC \/ membership<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Memphis Film Lab<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Cleveland, OH<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">~$6\u201310\/roll<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">2\u20134 weeks<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Standard<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">35mm, 120<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Budget<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Dwayne&#8217;s Photo<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Parsons, KS<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">~$6\/roll<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">5\u201312 days<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">In-house<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">110, 126, 127, disc, movie film<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Rare &amp; vintage formats<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">FotoKem<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Burbank, CA<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Quote-based<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Project-based<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Cinema scanning<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">16mm, 35mm, 65\/70mm<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Motion-picture \/ cinema<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Pro8mm<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Burbank, CA<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Quote-based<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Project-based<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">4K\u20136.5K scan<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Super 8, 16mm, Super 16<\/td>\n<td style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;border:1px solid #ddd;padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Super 8 &amp; 16mm (indie)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 style=\"margin:1.5em 0 0.6em\">How to Choose the Right Film Lab for You<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Budget:<\/strong> Memphis Film Lab and Dwayne&#8217;s Photo have the lowest per-roll pricing, whereas The Darkroom offers the best balance of low cost and fast, convenient service.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Speed:<\/strong> The ICON, Nice Film Club, The Darkroom, and Gelatin Labs&#8217; rush services have the quickest turnaround times. Memphis Film Lab will be your trade-off for its cost \u2013 it takes 2-4 weeks to process.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Per-frame color correction:<\/strong> If maintaining a consistent hand-corrected look is of greater importance than time and cost, then Richard Photo Lab and Indie Film Lab would serve as the benchmarks.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Format compatibility:<\/strong> The Icon and Richard Photo Lab handle large-format sheet film, the FINDlab covers 4&#215;5, and Dwayne&#8217;s is the specialist for formats like 110, 126, and disc film.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> If you&#8217;re in or around Los Angeles, The Icon lets you skip shipping entirely with walk-in drop-off to find a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/film-services\/35-mm-film-development\/\">35mm film developing lab<\/a>. East Coast shooters have Gelatin Labs and Nice Film Club as local options; everyone else has reliable mail-in service from nearly every lab on this list.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"margin:1.5em 0 0.6em\">Shooting Something We Don&#8217;t Process? Here&#8217;s Who to Use<\/h2>\n<p>Being a good lab also means being honest about what&#8217;s outside our lane. Here&#8217;s where we send photographers when they show up with something The Icon doesn&#8217;t handle:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 1.2em;padding-left:1.6em\">\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Super 8 \/ 8mm \/ 16mm movie film:<\/strong> FotoKem for professional and studio-level cinema work, and Pro8mm for accessible, indie, and home-movie processing plus camera sales. Dwayne&#8217;s Photo is a budget option for consumer movie film.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Rare or obsolete still formats &#8211; 110, 126, 127, disc film, APS:<\/strong> Dwayne&#8217;s Photo is the lab that still handles formats most others simply won&#8217;t touch.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>ECN-2 raw motion-picture film with remjet:<\/strong> Gelatin Labs and Nice Film Club both run ECN-2 chemistry regularly. Remjet backing requires handling most labs decline, so it&#8217;s worth confirming with any lab before sending a roll.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-family:Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif;margin:0 0 0.5em\"><strong>Kodachrome:<\/strong> Nobody produces it as a color positive film &#8211; Kodak stopped producing the K-14 chemicals in 2010, and no laboratory that currently accepts Kodachrome for development is capable of developing it in color.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"margin:1.5em 0 0.6em\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h4 style=\"margin:1.3em 0 0.4em\">What is the best film lab for professional photographers?<\/h4>\n<p>For most professionals, The Icon, a photo lab for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/film-services\/film-processing-developing\/\">film developing<\/a>, stands out for its full in-house workflow, dip-and-dunk processing, E-6, large-format sheet film, and museum-quality darkroom and fine-art printing under one roof.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin:1.3em 0 0.4em\">Where is the best place to develop film in Los Angeles or on the West Coast?<\/h4>\n<p>The Icon, based in LA&#8217;s Miracle Mile, is the strongest West Coast option that offers both walk-in and mail-in service, E-6 processing, and full printing. Richard Photo Lab, in nearby Santa Clarita, is the go-to alternative for wedding and portrait photographers specifically.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin:1.3em 0 0.4em\">What is the cheapest place to develop film by mail?<\/h4>\n<p>Memphis Film Lab and Dwayne&#8217;s Photo have the lowest per-roll pricing of the labs on this list, starting around $6\u201310 per roll. The tradeoff is turnaround, Memphis typically runs 2\u20134 weeks rather than a few days.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin:1.3em 0 0.4em\">What is the best film lab on the East Coast?<\/h4>\n<p>Gelatin Labs (Maplewood, NJ, with NYC and DC drop-off) and Nice Film Club (Brooklyn, NY) are the strongest East Coast options, each offering local drop-off, fast turnaround, and ECN-2 chemistry that many labs don&#8217;t run.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin:1.3em 0 0.4em\">Where can I get Super 8, 8mm, or 16mm movie film developed?<\/h4>\n<p>FotoKem in Burbank handles professional and studio-level cinema film (16mm, 35mm, 65\/70mm). Pro8mm, also in Burbank, is the more accessible option for indie filmmakers and home-movie shooters, with processing and scanning up to 6.5K.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin:1.3em 0 0.4em\">What lab develops 110, 126, or disc film?<\/h4>\n<p>Dwayne&#8217;s Photo in Parsons, Kansas, is the specialist for these discontinued still formats, along with 127 film formats that most modern labs, including The Icon, don&#8217;t process.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin:1.3em 0 0.4em\">Does anyone still develop Kodachrome?<\/h4>\n<p>No. Kodak discontinued the K-14 chemistry Kodachrome requires in 2010, and no lab in the world still processes it as a true color positive. Some labs, including Dwayne&#8217;s Photo, will run old Kodachrome rolls through black-and-white chemistry instead, though the results are black and white, not the original color.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin:1.3em 0 0.4em\">How much does it cost to develop a roll of film in 2026?<\/h4>\n<p>Pricing varies widely by lab and service level. Budget options like Memphis Film Lab and Dwayne&#8217;s Photo start around $6\u201310 per roll, mid-range labs like The Icon and The Darkroom run roughly $10\u201320 per roll, and labs offering per-frame color correction, like Richard Photo Lab, start around $23 and up.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin:1.3em 0 0.4em\">How long does mail-in film developing take?<\/h4>\n<p>Turnaround ranges from about 1\u20133 business days at faster labs like Nice Film Club, The Icon, and The Darkroom, to 5\u201310 days at labs doing per-frame correction like Indie Film Lab, up to 2\u20134 weeks at budget labs like Memphis Film Lab. Shipping time to and from the lab is separate from processing turnaround.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin:1.3em 0 0.4em\">Noritsu vs. Frontier vs. drum scan, which should I choose?<\/h4>\n<p>Noritsu and Frontier scanners are the industry standard for everyday color and black-and-white rolls, and are what most labs on this list use. A drum scan captures more resolution and tonal range, which matters for large prints or fine-art work, but costs more and takes longer. For a typical roll destined for social media or a small print, Noritsu or Frontier is plenty.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"margin:1.5em 0 0.6em\">The Right Film Lab Is the One Built for What You Shoot<\/h2>\n<p>Every lab on this list earned its place for a specific reason &#8211; price, speed, format range, or a particular kind of finishing work. If your process stops at a scan, several labs here will serve you well. If it continues through exhibition prints, large-format negatives, or an archive you want to trust for decades, that&#8217;s the work The Icon is built around, from our lab in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This guide is published by The Icon, a professional film lab in Los Angeles. We&#8217;re one of the labs on this list, and we&#8217;re upfront about that &#8211; but the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13567,"featured_media":23523,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[114,121],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-film-developing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13567"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23521"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23525,"href":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23521\/revisions\/23525"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/23523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iconla.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}