Good B&W film developing?

[photoguy6405]

I have two rolls of B&W (1 35mm, 1 120, both Ilford Delta 3200 as an experiment) that I need developed. I don't care for the results from whoever my local photo store outsources to so I'd like to give someone else a try. Any recommendations?

I'm looking for developing and prints, btw.

I'm going by there today to drop of some color slides... they do fine with those... and will ask which lab they use for B&W so I can avoid them.

Thanks.

[René Damkot]

Why not develop them yourself?
IMO B&W film should be processed to match your enlarger (condenser or diffuser) and personal preference.

I've never had a film that actually reached it's ISO rating for EI.
For instance, I got good results on Tmax 3200, using EI 1600, and developed in Tmax 1+4, 8 minutes at 24º C. Neopan 1600: EI 800, Tmax 1+9, 7 1/2 minutes at 20ºC.

Some more reading: One (http://www.apogeephoto.com/mag2-6/mag2-6mfcalib.shtml), two (http://www.digitaltruth.com/)

[photoguy6405]

I've never developed film, even when I shot film exclusively, and I don't do it enough now to justify it. I used to shoot mostly Kodachrome so I never bothered with all the chemicals and stuff.

[hofajoab]

Developing your own B&W is very easy and you don't need a darkroom. I shoot digital all the time but for fun i sometimes use my old FED4 rangefinder and shoot HP5 from a bulk roll. I think not using a lot of film but doing it all yourself makes it even more fun and satisfying. (of course if you want prints you need a darkroom, enlarger etc etc)

Can't give you any recommendations on good labs though, the ones around here charge way too much for developing B&W, I don't know why!

[DrPablo]

I agree with the above, developing B&W is easy.

That said, sticking it in the mail is easier.

There's a great lab in town here (Greensboro, NC) called Dalmatian which is the best B&W lab I've ever run across. They take mail orders.
http://www.dalmatianlab.com/

When I lived in Boston I'd use Color Services, Inc. in Needham, MA. They're also top notch and they take mail orders.
http://www.colorservicesinc.com/

Finally, J&W labs in Raleigh is known nationally:
http://www.jwphotolabs.com/