Questions, Frequently Asked

Order Placement and Prep

  • Orders are placed using an online store, similar to many other online shopping experiences.

    1. Head over to our online order entry store.

    2. Select the services you need, based on the type of film you shot.

    3. Pay careful attention to whatever modifiers you may want, such as film borders, scan resolution, or pushing and pulling.

    4. Be sure any rolls needing special attention, are marked in real life on the roll.

    5. Use the check-out page to finalize your order.

    6. Shipping and handling of the film will be settled at the check out stage.

    Be sure to record the first four digits of your order number, and leave that, plus your name, with your film. We need a way to match the orders to the film.

  • Take your film and place it in a protective bag, we always prefer biodegradable options. On a piece of paper write down the name you used on your order, and the first four digits of your order number and include it in the bag.

    You can mail your film to:

    Northeast Photographic

    1326 Washington Street, Bath Maine 04530

    If you prefer to drop off your film, you can do so 24/7 using our exterior drop boxes. Just be sure to include that name and order number mentioned above.

  • You can either select pick up/drop off at the order level, or apply “pick up and drop off” as a “shipping method” at checkout. In either case, there is no fee.

  • Place an order online for your specific services first. After that, collect your film in a bag with your name and the first four digits of your order number.

    When you drive up to Northeast Photographic, you will see a black mailbox and a beige mail-drop trunk. You may leave your film inside the trunk or rather, use the slot in the door.

  • When you are ready to come pick up your film, just send us an email letting us know when you’d like to stop by. We will pull your order, prep it for pick up, and leave it in our exterior customer pick up box. This is available 24/7 for your convenience. Your order is NOT automatically placed there.

    We will keep your order for 30 days, after which time it will be considered abandoned.

    If we do not get a pick up request within 30 days, we reserve the right to dispose of the film without warning to you.

  • Yes!

    We charge a flat return shipping fee. We do not store orders to accumulate for batch shipment due to a lack of storage space and other logistical challenges.

    We build in some time to correct issues, so one to two weeks will pass from scan delivery to return shipping. You will not immediately receive a shipping notification after scan delivery, this is completely normal. If you need your film back right away, just let us know!

    You can also opt to have your film discarded.

  • Millions of rolls travel safely through USPS every year, and lost packages are exceptionally rare. Virtually all transit issues stem from weak or improper packaging tearing open in sorting equipment. You can ensure your film arrives safely by using a padded mailer or sturdy box, sealing your rolls inside a ziplock bag, and always opting for a tracked shipping method.

  • Do NOT use paper envelopes. Package your film in secure “bubble” type mailers or even better, rigid boxes. Use a service that can be tracked such as Priority Mail. Flat Rate boxes are great for sending in film!

  • Yes! We have a rewards program that is based in points. For every $10 spent, you earn 1 point. After 50 points, you receive a coupon code worth 10% off any future order. The entire system is tracked automatically by Square when you place an order and sign up for an account.

    The points are a way for us to reward those of you who support us the most! Unlike other labs who offer discounts to influencers and high profile photographers, we offer that benefit to everyone who loves film like we do. Many wedding photographers who place large orders effectively get 10% off every order throughout the year.

    The points are use it or lose it however, and they expire after 1 year.

  • Terms of Service (TOS) for Northeast Photographic

    1. General Agreement

    By submitting film, negatives, prints, or other photographic materials to Northeast Photographic (“we,” “our,” or “the Lab”) via shipping, walk-in, or 24/7 drop box, you (“the Customer”) agree to the following terms and conditions.

    2. Customer Responsibilities & 24/7 Access

    * Packaging: The Customer is responsible for proper, secure packaging and labeling of film and materials prior to shipping or dropping off.

    * Transit & Drop-Off Security: The Customer assumes all risk of loss or damage to film or materials in transit to and from the Lab.

    * Unattended Drop & Pickup: While our exterior 24/7 drop box and pickup boxes are secure, items deposited in or staged within exterior boxes are stored at the Customer’s risk until physically checked in by Lab staff or retrieved by the Customer.

    3. Liability for Film and Materials

    * Handle with Care: While we handle all film and materials with the utmost professional care, Northeast Photographic is not liable for damage, loss, or delays caused by shipping carriers, accidents, acts of nature, or equipment failure.

    * Limitation of Liability: The Lab’s maximum liability for lost, stolen, or damaged film during processing, scanning, handling, or transit is strictly limited to the retail replacement cost of an equivalent roll of unexposed film. The Lab assumes no responsibility for the actual, commercial, or sentimental value of the images.

    * Accessories & AirTags: The Lab is not responsible for non-film items submitted with orders, including special packaging, film canisters, Ziploc bags, or tracking devices (such as Apple AirTags). We will attempt to return these items when feasible, but no compensation or replacement will be provided if lost or discarded.

    * Blank or Severely Degraded Film: Chemical processing fees apply to all submitted film regardless of image yield, exposure errors, light leaks, or film age degradation.

    4. Turnaround Times

    Estimated turnaround times provided on our site or invoices are estimates and not legal guarantees. Delays may occur due to seasonal workload, custom scan workflows, equipment maintenance, or supply chain disruptions.

    5. Payment Terms

    Payment in full is required before completed orders are released, shipped, or placed in after-hours pickup boxes. Prices are subject to change without notice.

    6. Digital Files Policy

    * Download Window: Delivered digital scans will remain available for the Customer to download via their delivery link for 30 days from the date of completion.

    * No Archival Guarantee: The Lab does not guarantee the retention, backup, or archiving of digital assets once a job has been delivered. The Customer is solely responsible for downloading and backing up their files immediately upon delivery. Files may be purged from Lab storage at any time following delivery.

    * Software Compatibility: The Lab is not responsible for file software incompatibility on third-party user devices.

    7. Unclaimed Physical Property & Abandonment

    Physical items (including cut negatives, mounted slides, prints, and submitted materials) that remain unpaid or uncollected for 30 days from the date of order completion will be considered abandoned. The Lab reserves the right to dispose of or discard abandoned physical property without further notice, liability, or refund.

    8. Copyright & Acceptable Content

    The Customer warrants that they own the copyright or possess full legal authorization for all images submitted for processing, scanning, or printing. The Customer agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Northeast Photographic against any legal claims or liabilities arising from copyright infringement. The Lab reserves the right to refuse service for materials that violate state or federal laws.

    9. Returns and Refunds

    Due to the custom chemical and digital nature of photographic processing and scanning, all sales are final. Refunds, credits, or reprocessing passes may be offered solely at the Lab’s discretion in the event of a clear operational error made by the Lab.

    10. Governing Law

    These Terms of Service shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Maine.

Film Handling and Scanning

  • For C-41 color negatives (35mm, 120, 220, and sheet film), we use a brand-new Colenta RT 30cm 4-track processor running Kodak Flexicolor chemistry. Most labs today run on 20-year-old refurbished equipment or compact minilabs. Minilabs save space and water by skipping a real water wash, using recirculated stabilizer baths instead—which leaves chemical residue on the film over time. Our Colenta uses submerged roller racks and continuous fresh water wash stages, which yield exceptionally stable negatives for long term storage, to say nothing of perfect color and contrast.


    For Black & White, we run a brand-new Colenta RT processor running Ilford Ilfotec RT chemistry. The 6-tank setup provides dedicated development, stop, fix, and multi-stage water wash cycles. This lets us run both rolls and sheet film through automated roller transport with tight temperature control plus replenishment for archive stable negatives and perfect consistency.


    For E-6 slide film, we use our automated Jobo ATL-2500 rotary processor with Kodak 6-bath chemistry. The full 6-bath process (rather than 3-bath shorthand kits) uses separate reversal, bleach, and fix stages to deliver true color accuracy, clean whites, and deep dMax blacks on chromes.

  • Rather than forcing every roll through a single machine, we operate a specialized fleet of production, dedicated optical, and camera-based scanning setups tailored to specific formats, emulsions, and creative goals:

    • Fuji Frontier SP3000: Famous for punchy contrast, iconic color rendition, and optional expanded-gate overscan borders on 35mm and 120 film.

    • Noritsu HS1800: Delivers true-to-life color accuracy, neutral shadow detail, and format versatility from 35mm up to 6x17 medium format panoramas.

    • Aura 35: A dedicated 35mm scanner featuring a modern 4150 PPI optical engine for exceptionally detailed and accurate scans. The modern CMOS sensor ensures effectively noise free scans.

    • Nikon Coolscan 5000ED & 9000ED: Dedicated 4000 PPI optical scanners with hardware Digital ICE dust removal for 35mm slides, roll film, and archive scanning.

    • Creo Eversmart Supreme II: Our flagship CCD scanner for sheet film, fluid mounting, and massive resolution files suitable for prints measured in feet.

    • Hasselblad / Cambo Reproduction Rig: A 100-megapixel Hasselblad X2D II mounted to a Cambo RBC technical body with a Linos Inspec 105mm lens for custom camera-based digitization and specialty reprography.

  • 35mm Scans (Aura 35, Noritsu HS1800 & Fuji Frontier)

    • 35mm Standard: 3130 x 2075 px (~6.5 MP) — Excellent for web, social media, and prints up to 8x12”+

    • 35mm XL (Aura 35 & Noritsu HS1800): 6774 x 4492 px (~30 MP) — High-detail 4150 PPI scan, ideal for large prints up to 16x24” to 20x30”+

    • 35mm Frontier XL: 5444 x 3647 px (~19 MP) — Iconic Frontier color palette, ideal for prints up to 12x18” to 16x24”+

    (A note on 35mm scanning: File size isn't the only factor in image quality. We utilize our Aura 35 setup for 35mm because its modern 4150 PPI optical sensor produces significantly cleaner noise performance in deep shadows, sharper per-pixel rendering, and superior micro-contrast compared to older lab line-scanners.)
    Medium Format & Panoramic Scans (Noritsu HS1800)

    • 6x4.5: 4847 x 3647 px (~17 MP)

    • 6x6: 4760 x 4760 px (~23 MP)

    • 6x7: 5902 x 4815 px (~28 MP)

    • 6x9: 7139 x 4903 px (~35 MP)

    • 35mm Panorama (XPan / 6x17): 10920 x 3989 px (~43 MP)

    For large format sheet film, fluid mounting, or museum-grade archival files exceeding 60 to 100+ Megapixels, see our Advanced Scans page featuring our Creo Eversmart Supreme II and Nikon Coolscans.

  • Simple Scans are the best choice for most users! Your film is processed and scanned to your specifications. Basic adjustments are made in-scanner, but you will have to rotate, crop, and edit to taste.

    Pro Scans are processed and scanned to with much greater attention paid to color and consistency. The scans are rotated and finished prior to delivery. The real advantage of a pro scan is for busy wedding and portrait photographers for whom time is money.

    We do not do extensive post production edits, so 95% of the process is completed in-scanner, even with Pro Scans.

  • B&W Pro Scans include rotation, color cast neutralization, software dusting, and cure adjustment when needed. We do not dust film by hand, but use a piece of software that does a good job of eliminating most obvious dust particles.

    We still recommend Ilford XP2 Super for dust free scans if you are a busy pro shooter. It’s purpose built for this application.

  • We do not have an auto-sleever, and think that film is best placed in archival envelopes or print-file pages. Therefore we do not cut film.

  • Yes! If you have un-cut rolls we will provide Simple Scan level services at a reduced price over the standard dev + scan service.

    If you have cut film, we charge $5 per strip inserted into the scanner. This price is true regardless of the number of frames scanned on the strip. One frame, $5. 6 frames, $5.

    You can order Simple Scan, full borders, or XL resolution, but not Pro Scans.

  • Our Fuji Frontier has a special mask which enlarges the gate out beyond the true edges of your recorded image. The result of this is a rough black border around your frame. This is a very traditional darkroom look, and is an amazing creative tool for showing the tactility of film!

  • We can process 220, and do not charge an additional fee for it.

    We cannot process 110 or Advantix

  • Yes we do! Please select the disposable camera option in our online order system.

  • We send you gallery via Pic-Time. From here you can view your scans, download them, and even order prints! If you got TIFF files, we use FromSmash.

  • Advanced Scans utilize our Creo/Scitex Eversmart Supreme II scanner, to create a high end scan of your film or print original. These high bit rate, high resolution scans are the best choice for your very best work, which is going to be printed at large scale. For more information, please click here. (Link coming soon!)

  • We have designed an affordable yet high quality large format dev + scan service, which should enable you to shoot more sheets without sweating the bill quite so much.

    We can handle 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10 with our EXPERT series Jobo drums. The film is gently handled and then hang-dried.

    Scans are made at ‘proof’ resolutions on our Eversmart Supreme II.

    When you want to go larger, please ask about Advanced Scans.

  • Short answer, yes.

    Long answer…until you make a print, the pixel dimensions of your scan are the important metric. If your scan is 3000x2000 pixels, then that number is the true resolution of the image. The PPI or DPI metric only applies to a printed version. A when you change the DPI metric in Photoshop you will notice the output size of the image adjusting up or down. So that 3000x2000 pixel image will be tiny at 600DPI, and huge at 72DPI. However, for proper photographic image quality, you typically want to make your prints at between 240-360DPI. If you really want a large print at 300DPI, you should ensure that you have a scan of high pixel resolution, such as our XL scan size.

    If you have scanned film before you may have encountered software that uses DPI as a resolution setting. The reason for this is that you are generally selecting a physical area, such as a 24x36mm patch of a frame of 35mm film. You then tell the software you wish to scan that area at a very high DPI number, like 5000. This is kind of the reverse of the printing process, which is why you use the DPI metric to create a digital image. Again, in the end, the output pixel dimensions are what determines the resolution of the image.

Printing and Other Questions

  • Yes! You can add on prints to most of our develop and scan service, and we even have services that are totally old school, which omit the scans altogether. A surprising number of people just want the prints, and we are happy to provide.

  • We recommend working with our friends at Paper Tides for all high end printing needs.

  • Our darkroom is not available for rental at this time, but you can order silver gelatin prints to be custom made.

  • No one can process Kodachrome film anymore sadly. Kodak discontinued the chemistry necessary to do so. It can apparently be processed into a B&W negative but we do not offer this service.

  • No, we wanted to offer this service but the effort was ultimately unsuccessful. There are a variety of mail order cine labs you can find online, in pretty much every region of the USA.

  • We are a team of 3, and for flexibility we do not keep set hours. Typically someone is in the shop from 11-4 M-Thursday, but if you want to come by, make arrangements in advance over email. If someone is working alone, they’re going to lock the door to enable darkroom use.