Walmart sells film, but we don't recommend them for developing...

Walmart sells film but we don’t recommend having them develop your film as their scans are low res and worst of all, they don't return the negatives!
We offer easy online ordering, with three scan options, prints options, and we always retune the negatives!! TheDarkroom.com
#film #filmphotography #analogphotography #thedarkroomlab #filmlab #walmart #singleusecamera #disposablecamera #35mm

[@Nedski42YT]

My neighbor made the same mistake with CVS. They brought the exposed roll of film to the CVS right down the street. Maybe they didn't know that CVS also does NOT return negatives. They also didn't know that the film is sent to a regional developer in another state so it took close to three weeks to get the photos back. They got them back with a note that there were "no exposures" on the roll so the film was not scanned of course. However without the negatives there was no way to see if the entire roll was under or over exposed.

[@usernamehandle]

Was actually hoping we'd be able to see some photos...

[@RickMahoney2013]

I can’t believe that Walmart or anyone else who develops you film would want to keep the negatives they are your property and belong to you so that makes that stealing. That is Bullshit.

[@scottplumer3668]

If they make it clear that you won't get them back, then it isn't stealing, but it's also just lazy. People who still shoot film tend to be enthusiasts, so they would definitely want them back. I can't see them doing that much volume where it's that much of an issue to not return them. Just another reason not to shop at Wal Mart.

[@IceBergs]

@@scottplumer3668 Walmart associate here. The film is overnighted to Fuji in North Carolina and they do the processing and scanning. Fuji used to have local reps that would come daily to pick up and drop off film to be developed locally. Fuji stopped this service and it turn so were negatives being returned. I would never process film this way anyways and I tell customers to go to a local lab instead (it costs LESS and negatives are returned and normal scans yield nearly 3000x2000 images) The envelops you fill out states in big text that negatives will not be returned. The only time they are returned is when you drop off film either 35 or 120 to be scanned it is then returned which makes little sense.

[@jordanlaine7412]

It's not stealing if you give it to them. They don't want to send you negs back because it is likely that they don't have the infrastructure set up for that and it's infinitely cheaper to trash them after the scan.

[@vuitheirt4704]

@@scottplumer3668 I get mine developed through walgreens who dont return the negatives, it sucks but it's just not practical for me to send out a roll of film through the mail it's just more expensive and takes longer

[@AdamBuker]

So the lab that Walmart uses (most likely Fuji but I haven't worked for Walmart in many years) probably keeps the negatives to recycle and recover the silver that's still present in the crystals that form the image. Back when Walmart used to have the 1-hr photo labs, we had a machine that we would filter waste chemistry from that would help recover silver particles from it as well as make it to where the waste chemistry would meet EPA regulations to be safe enough to go into the sewer.