Receiving Cartridges in UK from Labs Abroad

Post by **oslobeach** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:20 pm

Hi

Just wanted to ask any UK based Super 8 people who they've had the quickest turn-around from when getting carts back from processing. Dwayne's or Nanolab?

Thanks

OB

Post by **RichardB** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 2:17 pm

The first time I used Dwaynes the turnaround was exactly 2 weeks, the second time it was about 5 weeks - no idea why. I used Nanolab too recently, the turnaround was about 2 1/2 weeks.

Post by **Angus** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 7:18 pm

I haven't tried Nanolab yet but I may well try the 160 Ektachrome at some point this year.

With Dwayne's I've used them four times from the UK and the slowest turnaround was two weeks...fastest, almost unbelievably, was 9 days I think.

International post can be fickle. Dwaynes email me whenever they recieve an order, so I know it can take from 3-7 days for my package to arrive with them....I also know that post from the USA to Europe can take anything from 4 days to 4 weeks even when airmail is stipulated.

Don't forget Andec in Berlin. I've used them on several occasions, turnaround for Ektachrome and B&W is around 2 weeks, less if you time it right (they process one or two days a week).

I mailed 3 carts of 64T to Dwayne's yesterday...will let you know how it goes!

Post by **Muckymuck** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:08 pm

Both Andec and Nanolab have tied on their quickest processing turnround for me- 8 days. Nanolab works out slightly cheaper based on the exchange rate.

Post by **oslobeach** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:50 pm

Thanks for the info guys

Post by **Angus** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:25 pm

Well 1 week on and Dwaynes recieved my package.

They say there's only one cart in there, and it looks like the package was deliberately opened and re-seeled.

US customs playing silly buggers?

Post by **StoneBuilder** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:29 am

Angus - if the damage to your packet was deliberate, then it would have occurred in New York, on the way in, near the X-ray scanners. If the damage was accidental then it would have happened by Royal Mail, in the sorting office, on the way to a plane. Both losses are covered, to the value of the film, and to a maximum of thirty five quid, under the postal rules - you need a claim form from the Post Office and a lot of persistence. And thanks for the advance warning!

Post by aj » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:43 am

X-ray seems like an obsession for film users. Postal packages are NOT x-rayed routinely. Not here, not in UK not in USA. The quantities are way too big. Who is going to watch all these screens???

Since the packages are considered a threat to planes they are no longer sent using passenger planes. I do not make this up. This is from statements by postal services.

Only suspect parcels are inspected. By customs and these look for contrabande like illegal substances (drugs etc) or goods.

Post by **StoneBuilder** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:38 am

Yes, the mail sacks are carried through the planes in large aluminium containers - a little like space landers. It wouldn't be too difficult to track through the mail services enrolment listings and to find the job description and title for the posties scanning sacks of post with the X-ray machines. The proportion scanned to the total conveyed should be a matter of speculation perhaps but when confronting a scanning postman with the question of metal film tins, just this last Christmas, he replied 'oh, we can see through them'. I wonder how the transatlantic mail is screened for scanning, in New York, and how to avoid - or rather keep avoiding - that screen. After it's been developed, in Kansas, they can X-ray it as much as they like.

Post by **oslobeach** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:52 am

Posted two carts to Nanolab yesterday. Hope they get there intact.

Post by **Angus** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:52 pm

I've never had this happen before, though I must admit just lately I have had letters get lost in the Royal Mail.

I am half hoping that it was a packing mistake by me and that my carts were found in the postbox...there's half a chance I can get them back if that was the case.

Anyway I have started the process with the Royal Mail. At least their form asks the exact location of the postbox I used, so if the postman found some strange black cartridges with Kodak on them I'm in with a chance!

Post by **RichardB** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:09 pm

Did you put your address on the carts? I always put my address on both the cartridges and the foil they came in when I send them off, in case something like this happens.

Post by **Will2** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:12 pm

StoneBuilder wrote:Both losses are covered, to the value of the film, and to a maximum of thirty five quid, under the postal rules - you need a claim form from the Post Office and a lot of persistence. And thanks for the advance warning!

Yes, and the 5 hours of your time it will take to file the claim is worth less than the $15 for the cartridge. But it's the principle of the matter, right?

Post by **Angus** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:27 pm

RichardB wrote:Did you put your address on the carts? I always put my address on both the cartridges and the foil they came in when I send them off, in case something like this happens.

No I didn't but I had the thought yesterday that it would be a good idea. Some years ago I used a mail order 35mm lab and they provided stickers with my member number and postcode for the 35mm cassettes in case they got lost in the postal system...that jumped into my mind - would have been really useful to have had my address on the carts. Next time...

In response to Will2 there is an online form to fill out and print, then mail to a freepost address....whole process took under 10 minutes. Now the waiting begins...

So a recommendation...as Richard says....put your address (or in the UK postcode and house number at least) on the carts. It must drastically improve the chance of them being returned if they become lost.

Post by **Angus** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 2:24 pm

OK an update.

My single film arrived back from Dwaynes today. They were good enough to return the packaging I sent it to them in.

It has DEFINATELY been tampered with, opened and resealed. THere is a piece of wide sticky tape (like packing tape) that I did NOT place on it, and two white stickies that look like sticky labels. The customs form is missing yet the address label I attached in exactly the same way as the customs form is still there despite distress to the envelope.

I have to say I am mightily annoyed. Who the hell would do that? I know if a package becomes damaged in the UK mail system the law says the post office have to reseal it with a note to the effect that it was damaged. UK customs may only examine an incoming package if they have reason to suspect it contains something of interest to them, and again they have to apply a notice to the effect that they did so. If any part of the contents is removed customs must inform the addressee.

I would assume there are similar laws in the USA. US customs have not informed Dwayne's or myself that they examined my package so I assume they did not. And in all honesty I cannot even see the most paranoid customs inspector being interested in my holiday reels...not that s/he would know what was on them until they were sent to a lab - and that's where they were going anyway!!!

So. Anyone else ever had anything like this happen? Who the hell opened my package, took out two exposed but unprocessed carts, removed the customs declaration and then resealed it???

Grrrr.