Kodak Sea Processing
Extract from Kodaks' website... Appropriately called Kodak Sea Processing, the patented photofinishing
process uses a blend of digital and traditional silver halide technology to
optimize underwater prints, putting the same life and color in the print that
the photographer saw on the dive. Kodak Sea Processing will be available through
select North American dive specialty shops in mid-June.
As a long time photo industry professional I was amused when I first read
this. Patented photofinishing processes - Kodak has loads of them but one for
underwater photographers - what a load of rubbish!
There ain’t no gizmo that develops film especially for underwater
photographers - nor one that makes prints especially for underwater
photographers. It struck me as a cynical marketing ploy to encourage you to send
your films to them.
Sea & Sea apparently endorse this service and have it prominently displayed on their site.
What the connection is with them is unclear.
The problem related to printing underwater photographs from negatives is not
specific to underwater photography. It is known in the trade as Color Failure.
It occurs for instance, on a shot of a person wearing a red dress is sitting on
a green lawn. Machine printers basically get fooled by the extremes of colors
and will spit out prints that look unnatural.
Underwater images taken without flash present a classic Color Failure
scenario. Most minilabs will spit out something far too cyan when reading
negatives shot underwater without flash. If you used a
strobe and the subject is dominant in the frame then you don’t need to do
anything.
I’ve seen every machine printer at all the recent PMA shows and can say
that there is still no substitute for a trained operator overriding the machine
from time to time! Modern minilabs are pretty clever but I defy any to color
correct a negative shot U/W at 100". Not even the photographer has a
reference to what the "right" color is.
When I ran a lab I lost count of the number of films we processed and printed
with underwater subjects – neg and slide. We were popular because we were
underwater photographers too and so knew the subject matter and took a bit of
extra care. If that is what Kodak Sea processing is about then all well and
good. Just say that! If there is something more implied then perhaps someone at Kodak could
fill me in and I will eat humble pie.
In the meantime take your negative films to Walgreens (or whoever) and ask
them to do a test first (on one representative print). They’ll probably charge
but it’s worth it. If they’re any good they won’t mind doing some manual
corrections. My minilab manager always took cyan out (which adds red). If it
goes too red then take Magenta out.
If you have experience of Kodak Sea Processing please tell us
Benny Sutton Editor
For full story go to…
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/consumer/sea/index.shtml
PS
If you shoot on transparency it is somewhat easier to get satisfactory (hand)
prints (in that the operative who may not be a diver and would not know what it
should look like) can see the actual color for matching. Plus your slide
shooters tend to have a strobe! PPS
We have had some feedback on this story, mostly all negative!
a while back i was trying my hand at u/w photog. tried their "processing and
guess what. not only did they "lose" a few rolls of film...some of the so called
"lost rools" turned up on someone elses web site. what i got back wasn't worth
the effort or the irritiation to send them out. i'm stationed in hawaii and
right now i do ok with the walmart developing. it's more in your technichal
ability to get a good underwater pic than some great sales gimmick to make your
pics better laytah steveTM2(SS)PORTERUSS CHARLOTTE SSN-766
It is so funny that you wrote an article regarding the special "Kodak Sea
Processing". I could speak for my horrible experience with this film developing.
I basically got the same results when I got film developed at Kmart. What a scam
by Kodak. I realized that I just got ripped off by this developing. I now know
what Kodak is saying about there Sea Processing is a bunch of crap. If you are
interested in seeing some of the picture, let me know. KODAK SEA PROCESSING IS A
SCAM...
Paul Farto
Camera Used
SL515
Reefmaster RC
However, Sue Ann
Hackworth writes...
I have had a good experience with the sea
processing. I had used the service and was pretty happy with it, but
thought it was expensive. My next trip I took the pictures to Savon &
they came out horribly (even though they assured me they could handle the
underwater photos and would adjust them, etc.). I then took them to Ritz,
which did a better job -- then just to see I sent 2 rolls to the Kodak sea
processing and they came out great. I think the difference is that there
is someone looking at the pictures and adjusting them as you said. I also
included a note with one of the rolls of film because we had a dark shot
of some spotted eagle rays that I really wanted and Savon and Ritz
wouldn't even try to print it. Kodak sea processing not only did a good
job of getting a decent picture, they also gave me 2 more copies of that
picture at different zoom ins. I thought that was really nice - they
didn't charge me any extra either. I have since sent more film to them and
every roll has come out great. I guess if you have a photo lab where the
people are good at what they do and will process your photos individually
instead of just turning on the machine, then you don't need to bother with
Kodak sea processing. I haven't been able to find anyone like that here -
so I just pay the price for the better
pictures.
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