This section offers answers to the most asked questions about our services.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Does U-Photo Still Develop Traditional Camera Film?
Sadly, no! Due to the unprecedented decline in demand for these services over the last two decades, U-Photo ceased processing roll and sheet camera films way back in the fall of 2012.
If you still shoot film or want to experiment with this classic medium, click on this link: www.ishootfujifilm.com to locate a lab in your area that MAY still offer film processing services. These labs may stop offering processing services at any time, so be sure to contact them directly to confirm that they are still offering this service.
Although we no longer develop film, we still offer a range of scanning services that will allow us to offer high-quality prints from previously processed color or black & white negatives and color slides, so if you are still interested in shooting film and can get it developed, we are happy to provide you with these services.
Have you considered setting up a home darkroom and developing your own film? You can start with Black & White negative film and master the skills to create your own masterpieces. We offer many of the necessary supplies in our Best Tech Gear Online Store.
Can I Get Merchandise Listed on the U-Photo Shop at your Beltsville Location?
All of the merchandise offered by our BEST TECH GEAR shop is shipped directly to you from your local AMAZON Fulfillment Center. In many cases, with PRIME delivery, items arrive within one or two days.
Some of the specialty imaging and framing products available from our site are fulfilled by other companies located throughout the USA and will usually ship by USPS or FedEx Ground. Shipping times may take up to a week or more, depending on where you are located.
We do not stock any merchandise at our Beltsville location where we specialize in hand-crafted photographic and digital imaging products and framing services. We are available to answer your questions about many of the products we offer in our SHOP.
Before we add items to our SHOP, they are carefully evaluated for quality, function, price, and actual customer reviews, which we limit to four stars or better ratings. We have personally used some of these products and based on our own experience, have included them in our SHOP.
AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER
U-Photo is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. When readers click on links to these products on our site and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
How long will it take to complete my print, scan, or framing order?
Orders placed through our Photo Factory gateway will be filled in the order that they are received. We will email you when it’s ready. Turnaround times are subject to order volume and are estimated, not guaranteed.
Orders placed in person at our Beltsville shop will be quoted turnaround when the order is placed. You can schedule our “concierge” service where we meet with you one-on-one, and in many cases, complete your order while you wait. Appointments must be scheduled in advance.
Service | Normal | Rush * |
Photo Prints up to 12"x18" | 1-3 Working Days | Available |
Archival Pro & Fine Art Prints | 2-3 Working Days | Available |
Canvas Gallery Wraps | 7-10 Working Days | Available in Many Sizes |
Custom Framing & Matting | 5-10 Working Days | Available in Some Styles |
Greeting Cards & Calendars | 1-3 Working Days | Available |
Scan Prints or Film (Less than 50 Frames) | 5-7 Working Days | Available, Subject to Qty |
Scan Prints or Film (50 Frames or More) | 7-14 Working Days | N/A |
*Subject to order volume. Rush charges may apply.
Will you let me know when my order is ready?
When your order is completed, we’ll let you know! Orders that have been placed online will receive an email. In-person orders dropped at our shop will receive a phone call immediately upon completion. Make sure to provide a current phone number (preferably a cell number) and email address when placing your order.
When will my on-line order be shipped?
Completed orders will typically go out by the following business day after completion. Orders that are shipped locally by USPS First Class or Priority Mail usually arrive within 1-2 days. In other parts of the country, you may need to allow up to 7 regular business days for USPS delivery.
We can also ship orders by FedEx, (Ground or Overnight) and UPS at additional cost. We can provide these charges on request.
Can I get "Same-Day" printing?
We produce silver-based photo printing once a week, usually on Tuesdays. Orders placed before 3:00 pm on production days can be ready for pick up, by appointment, between 4:30 pm and 6:00 pm that day, subject to the workload. Regardless, you will receive a phone call or automated email to let you know your work is ready for pickup.
Make certain to ask for “SAME DAY PRINTING” when placing your order so that we can assign it a priority. You can also schedule a face-to-face “Concierge Service” appointment, in advance, and we try to complete your order during the visit. Please note that there may be an additional charge for this premium service which includes one-on-one consultation on your project.
How long will you keep my order around once it is complete?
Can I drop off an order to your shop in person?
Is it O.K. for me to e-mail images for printing?
Can I upload my order by using an FTP client?
Absolutely! We recommend using our FTP server to transfer RAW, PSD, TIF, and bulk JPEG images for corrective processing. You will need an FTP software client to connect to our server so that you can transfer virtually any number, size, or type of file.
We recommend applications like FileZilla, Fetch, Cyberduck, or similar program. Once you have completed your FTP file transfer, you’ll need to contact us so that we’ll know to download your images and begin work on your job. Once we have successfully retrieved your files, we delete them from the server.
Call us at 301-937-5510, EXT 1, or toll-free at 800-362-5959 so that we may verify the upload. For a FREE download of the FileZilla client please use the link below. Make sure you download the CLIENT software for your system.
How do you handle Color Correction or Matching?
What do you mean by a "calibrated monitor"?
We recommend that all photographers utilize an external Monitor Calibration Device to get reliable, consistent results from their digital workflow. Think of it this way… would you buy a new watch and then NOT set it to the correct local time? It’s the same kind of thing with your computer monitor. Even a brand new monitor will probably not produce accurate results without calibration, which must include the measurement of the ambient lighting in your working space.
What kind of Monitor Calibration System do you recommend?
Systems from several manufacturers are available that do a fine job. We have tried several and we now use and recommend one of the Datacolor Spyder expert calibration systems. These are available through our Amazon Affiliate Store by clicking on the link above. These devices will help you calibrate your screen so that it will display images to an industry-standard brightness, contrast, and color balance.
How to get our Standard Color Reference File?
To check your display, download our monitor calibration file at the bottom of this page by right-clicking then selecting “Save Image As”. This is the same file we use to check our own workstation monitors after they have been calibrated. Once you have this image on your device, just open it with a program like PhotoShop.
We can supply you with a free standard reference print that has been made from this file. Ask for one of these the next time you stop by or request one to be included with an online order.
For color-critical work, we recommend that you submit a reference print and have us produce a test print for approval of quantity print orders. When you compare this sample photo with the image on your monitor, you will be able to visually determine how close they match.