From what I’ve heard, alot of the photo labs in Taipei really aren’t up to par, especially when it comes to developing black and white negatives.
Does anyone know of, or better yet, has used a photo lab in Taipei that does a good job developing black and white film?
Are the labs generally ok when it comes to color film?
Dont know where you heard that? Taiwan has a floursihing photog community, and in my experiences, I have never had a bad experience.
Do a search on these forums, this topic has been covered many times before.
“Jazz” is not bad. Many designers, magazines and photographers have their films developed there.
The address: No. 433, Sec. 2, Ba-de Rd., not far from Taiwan Adventist Hospital.
Had some pics developed at Jazz, much better than the photo shop near my apartment but reprints had a very different color balance from the first prints - so not much of a consistency there.
Really depends how picky you are…I’ve only had a photo place muck up once with the color balance noticiably. Haven’t done black and white before though.
The Fuji lab in Tienmou on Chung Shan N. Rd Section 7 has been there for a long time and the owner is used to dealing with foreigners. Also Leeta on Section 6 (on the same side as the American School).
I mentioned this in another thread, but I’ll say it again here. My good friend who was the Asian rep for Lomo cameras swears by the place on the south side of Xinyi Road just east of Anhe Road. He does all sorts of artsy-fartsy stuff that requires more expertise than the average photo lab can provide, and he says he’s never been let down by this place. I’ve been going there without complaint ever since he recommended it to me, but then again, my needs are much more plebian than his. :beatnik:
[quote=“B.B.”]“Jazz” is not bad. Many designers, magazines and photographers have their films developed there.
The address: No. 433, Sec. 2, Ba-de Rd., not far from Taiwan Adventist Hospital.[/quote]
Don’t agree. Jazz used to be good, but for the last few years it’s been terrible – very cha bu duo indeed. I wouldn’t recommend it.
I think this is the first time I have disagreed with Sandy… for my own purposes it is always good… I have several pro photog friends that use Jazz exclusively and never complain. What are your gripes specifically Sandman… just curious.
Well, the reason I stopped using them was that I got the impression that non-professionals were no longer welcome and there was a very definite drop-off in overall quality, both of negs and prints, plus godawful, sneering service.
Later, however, I found out that nearly all the pros I know refuse to use them – a friend of mine who works for “The Earth” magazine and “National Geographic” doesn’t rate them at all these days, while our own Blueface (also a pro) wouldn’t give them the steam off his piss.
Of course, YMMV.
Ok, understand. The service is horrible I agree. Friends who snap for Vogue, various action mags (surf, bike etc) and a few others love them. Each to their own.
So, where do you and your friends go now? I am always keen to try new places.
As a matter of fact, I had similar experience as Rascal’s at Jazz with my negatives. Many years ago I worked for a magazine, and at that time, as far as I know, the magazine and many designers/photographers still had their films or slides processed at Jazz. After I posted last time in this thread, however, I asked a photographer where he has his films developed. Jazz? He said Jazz is like a mall now. He usually takes his films to private labs. Guess my impression about Jazz is a bit out-of-date. 
I still take my films and negatives there though. Maybe I should change a shop.
Another good place is 恆昶, which is at the south side of Xinyi and near Tonghua Street(通化街). I only had my negatives developed there once, but satisfied with the result. But once-off experience really can’t tell much. If it’s the shop which is endorsed by a professonal, I’ll give it another shot next time.
my travels nearly finished, i am going through taipei on the way back to canada and would appreciate some sound advice. i am planning to have photos developed in taiwan as it is much cheaper than in canada. could someone please recomend a reputable developer that is on the mrt line, that does consistent, high quality development and enlargement. i would be more than willing to pay more for good, reliable service. i have had some nightmare dealings with some taiwanese developers and any insight you cats could provide would be really fantastic. thanks. jsc
I recommend Jazz, and not Zone 5 as Zone 5 f**ked up a set of my slides and made me go through hell and back to get my money back. And they kept the slides!
Jazz I have had no problem with.
Jazz is at the corner of Fuxing and Ba De, which is your MRT reference. Go east on Ba De and there is a crossing just with a 7-11 on one side and Jazz on the other. Jazz is quite big and you should be able to see it after walking for 2 mins east on Ba De.
A roll of 35mm slide film is NT$70 to develop and mount. Don’t know how much negative film is. Probably the same to develop. They have always done a good job for me and maybe other people like Zone 5 but I’ll never set foot in there as long as I live.
Comrade Stalin of course would have said the exact opposite. He actually is a photographer and Jazz mucked up a set of his photos. But I reckon Jazz will do you fine. With negatives its all in the printing anyway, and Jazz can hand print them if you want. I reckon the C41 process is the same wherever you go, and probably E6 too (slides) if the truth were to be told…
Actually there is no MRT at Fuxing-Bade, the closest is Fuxing-Nanjing or Zhongxiao-Fuxing (Sogo). The shop is not at the corner exactly, rather along Bade road in the middle between Fuxing and Dunhua on the North side (more or less opposite the Taiwan Adventist hospital).
If you come from Fuxing pass the fire station, if you approach from Dunhua it’s after the Burger King.
I was staggered at Zone 5’s attitude. Anyone can make the boo-boo of not rinsing the slides enough (but they are “professionals”) but they seemed determined to waste my time.
The truth is that professionals do not shoot 35mm film any more and if you’re not doing two thousand US a month in medium format with them they don’t want to know you. That’s the impression I get from Jazz, too. But Jazz have done a fair bit of stuff for me recently and always done it right.
Frankly, if the wee man on the corner did E6 I’d use him just as quick as any of these so-called “professionals”.
And Jazz had Velvia 100 (RVP 100) last month when it came out and Zone 5 had never heard of it. Yaa Boo.
Edit: negatives are almost always printed by a machine which auto-exposes and auto-colourifies the prints making it all a bit of a lottery. I stopped shooting them years ago not because I’m any good at taking photos or some sort of an expert, but because I could find nowhere which would make nice prints. Likely the same in Taiwan. So I shoot Fuji slide film, Velvia or Provia. I’ve had very good results with this approach (except for my complaint noted above) and Jazz will still expose slides onto photographic paper by hand (rather expensive).
I advise shooting several test rolls and assessing the labs yourself. That’s what I did, rather than risk important stuff when you don’t know what they’re like. (Slides only cost about NT$70-odd a roll to process and mount so it’s not as expensive as it sounds.)
so an off shoot to my original question (which was answered adequately, thank you all)… does anyone know any lab that can print on matte paper? i have tried to articulate this concept on other occasions, but every place i have been says they only do glossy prints… matte is just a personal preference…thank you…jsc
I’ve done at Calvin-K: between Far Eastern Hotel and Heping E. Rd. (02-2378-5868)