Very convenient!!!
Written: Apr 13 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: boxed, mounted, no trip to store necessary, cheap!
Cons: 2 weeks for sending/processing/delivery, mounted wrong side out, hard to find mailer.
The Bottom Line: you can save lots of money by using this mailer.
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| junkot's Full Review: Fujichrome Slide Mailer 36 Exp |
I knew about mailer for processing regular photo film, but I didn't about mailer for slide processing like this. I learned about this prepaid slide processing mailer when I was shopping at photo supply store online. I read description of this mailer and decided to purchase one. I really don't think quality of most famous brand films are so different, but I still like products that are made in my country(Japan), so that's why my films are Fuji, but I live in USA. it's difficult to find stores I can order photo developping & prints by Fuji processing in USA. (In Japan, Fuji is everywhere and most trusted film like Kodak in USA).
Anyway, the price of this mailer was $3.99(one envelope). I wondered if the price really covered everything because it was very cheap. I used to work at a camera shop in Japan, it was over 10 years ago, the price of Fujichrome processing(mounted with plastic sleeves and comes with plastic box) was 1,200-1,500 Yen(=$12-15) per roll, so $3.99 for 36 exp is unbelievable price to me. Recently I learned that a grocery store I often go had Fuji processing service. I checked their price for slide processing. For your information, the grocery store's price for slide processing is $5.89 for 24 exp and $7.79 for 36 exp (and plus state sales tax and I have to pay for bus 2 round trip(one-when I drop film at the store. two-when I pick up slide). by adding all those cost, maybe it becomes the same as Japanese price for slide processing). But by using this mailer, no sales tax, no bus fare. the only fee not included in the mailer price is postage to send film to the lab, but it's only 60 cents. so actual cost I paid for slide processing was $3.99 + 0.60=$4.59 it's still cheaper that store price for 24 exp slide processing.
It took about 2 weeks(one week if you order at store). I live in CO and the Fujicolor lab address on the mailer was AZ, so not so far. I mailed film on March 29 and I got slide back on April 11. they were mounted(paper mount) and in a small paper box. since the price was so cheap, I didn't expect it, so I was so happy with what I got. But my slides were mounted all wrong side out.(I think it was because one of the objects in my slide was a painting with a question mark in Arabic that's opposite to normal question mark we are familiar with). if you worry about it, you should enclose a note to let lab people not to mount wrong side out when you send a film.
I really liked this mailer and would like to use again, but there is a problem. not many stores carry this mailer products. I purchased at Adorama.com(photo supply store in NY), but like I said, I purchased only one last time I shopped. shipping fee for shopping at Adorama web site cost $8,45/first 1 lbs (from NY-CO, they said minimum $7.50 or so, means at least $7.50 for everybody even people who lives in Buffalo, NY have to pay $7.50 for shipping even ordering one mailer). I don't want to order mailers if shipping fee cost that much. I sure must have had to buy more than one last time I ordered. I'll have to wait until nexttime I need to buy films at Adorama. I don't know if mailer products are available at offline stores, I don't think many of them do particularly the stores who have their own in-store photo lab 'cause they want us to buy films at their store and want us to return the store with film for developping. (I really regret that I didn't buy mailer more than one at Adorama).
When you are not sure if you took pictures well, this mailer is very good. (like when you are not sure if you used flash), because processing fee is cheap. (if you pay $7.79 for processing and if your slide was all black....). I hope my opinions are helpful.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID: junkot
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Reviews written: 230
Trusted by: 3 members
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