A friend turned me on to the National Geographic Lab for E-6 processing. They claim that , when possible, all the photojournalist at NG use this lab. Have not tried them yet, but have a few dozen rolls to send next month. I will keep you posted once I have received them. They do "Dip and Dunk", processing, so can see that positively effecting the final product.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/labs/

-- Anam Alpenia (aalpenia@dasar.com), April 11, 2002

Answers

It is indeed a very good lab, though I did run in to a NG photographer yesterday picking up some work at Chrome on Q Street in Georgetown.

-- Donald Brewster (dpbrewster@prodigy.net), April 11, 2002.

I use the Nat'l Geo's lab all the time, although I use Chrome in Georgetown & Black & White in Arlington, too. However, I don't shoot slides, so I have no opinion on Nat'l Geo's ability to process E-6. FWIW, I've found that the different labs do better w/different emulsions. Nat'l Geo tends to do best w/mainstream Kodak & Fuji films (e.g., I had to give them the recommended developing times for Agfa APX 400) & they no longer do traditional C-41 contacts (only the computer-generated Frontier-type). Chrome is similar but they can get a little overwhelmed @ times. Black & White, not surprisingly, does the best w/B&W, particularly for specialized or difficult jobs (e.g., pushing, pulling, etc., & they're the only lab in the area that I'm aware of that processes Tech Pan).

-- Chris Chen (Wash., DC) (furcafe@NOSPAMcris.com), April 11, 2002.