Film Processing

• Develop & Scan: whether you’re a seasoned photographer or a casual shooter, this service delivers carefully processed film with high-quality, color-corrected scans.
• Develop Only: if you don't want to deal with the stinky process of developing your film and are one of the lucky few to have a scanner at home.
• Scan Only: if your film is already developed and you just need it digitised.

Contrary to popular belief, negatives are not your bad pictures. They are the actual roll of film after development. Keep them for archival purposes and or troubleshooting camera issues.

The film canister shows its processing type in small print. We develop C-41 (most color film) and black and white. If your canister says E-6 or ECN-2, we no longer process those — get in touch and we'll point you somewhere that does.

Three ways:

• Buy a prepaid label from us. Add one to your order and we'll email you a link right after checkout to enter your address, pick USPS or UPS, and print the label.
• Ship it yourself with any carrier, to 1704 N Nebraska Ave, Tampa, FL 33602. Use a padded mailer or small box rather than a paper envelope, and keep your tracking number.
• Drop it off at our Tampa location in person, in the drop box between our two front doors, or in the drop box in the back parking lot.

Whichever you choose, include your name and order number with your film.

Add a label to your order and pick the package size that fits what you're sending. Right after checkout we'll email you a private link: enter the address you're shipping from, choose USPS or UPS, and your label is generated on the spot. We email you a copy too, so you don't have to print it straight away.

Right now, yes. Your label arrives as an 8.5×11 sheet with a cut line for a home printer, and a bare 4×6 for a thermal label printer.

If you don't have a printer, choose UPS. Any UPS Store can print the label for you from the email we send. Most charge a small fee. Just bring your package and show them the email.

Going with USPS? You'll need to print it before you go. Public libraries and print shops will print a PDF for a small fee. Forward them the email. USPS counters and self-service kiosks can't print our labels for you yet.

We're working on adding scannable QR codes, which will let both carriers print at the counter. Not available yet.

One tip when you do print: choose Actual size rather than "Fit to page", or the barcode may not scan.

Get in touch and we'll sort it out. The quickest way is our contact page. You can also email hello@coastalfilmlab.com, or give us a call during opening hours.

Worth checking your spam folder first. The label email sometimes lands there.

Yes. You can buy a shipping label on its own at any point. Just order one here and you'll get the same link by email. It doesn't need to be bought at the same time as your developing.

Pick whichever is more convenient for you. There's no difference in how we handle your order either way. Choose the carrier whose drop-off is closest or easiest to get to.

Your package can go to any USPS or UPS location, depending on which carrier you selected when you generated the label.

Two clocks, and they're different lengths:

• The link we email you is good for 14 days. That's your window to enter your address and generate the label.
• Once generated, the label is good for 30 days.

If you haven't used it within 30 days we cancel the label, the carrier refunds us, and we refund you. Nothing for you to chase.

So if you change your mind and decide to drop off or ship your own instead, you don't need to do anything — just let it expire and the refund follows.

No — one label covers one box or mailer. If you're sending more than one package, you'll need a label for each.

Labels are also US domestic only. If you're shipping from outside the US, get in touch and we'll help you work out the best way to send your film.

Yes, always. Write your name and order number on a slip of paper and put it inside the package with your film, even when you've used one of our labels. It's how your film gets matched to your order when it's checked in.

Carriers weigh every package. If yours comes in over the weight your label covers, they charge us an adjustment fee after delivery, and we'll invoice you for it.

You can avoid this entirely by sizing up when you're between sizes — the difference in label price is almost always less than an adjustment fee.

No — those are two separate trips. A prepaid label covers your film coming to us. If you'd like your negatives returned afterwards, choose a return shipping option at checkout. If you select Discard Negatives or plan to collect them in person, there's nothing extra to pay.

It's rare, but it does happen. If your film never reaches us, we'll refund your order in full: the developing, the scanning, and the shipping label.

What we can't do is cover the film itself or the images on it. There's no insurance that replaces exposed film, so we can only refund the services we weren't able to carry out. It's the one real risk of mailing film, and it's why we recommend packing carefully and holding on to your tracking number.

We will upload your pictures to Google Drive and provide you with a link via email to an order folder containing your film rolls.

Your scans stay in that folder for 1 year from the day we deliver them. Download them and keep your own backup before then. After a year we remove the folder, and we can't get it back for you.

Your scans stay in Google Drive for 1 year from the day we deliver them. That is the same on every order and every service we offer.

Download your files and keep your own backup well before the year is up. Once it is, we remove the folder and we can't recover it for you.

You have 30 days to collect your negatives from our store. The clock starts when we email you to say they're ready for pickup, not when you placed the order.

To request mail delivery instead, contact admin@coastalfilmlab.com.