Film Developing, Melbourne AU: The BEST Places

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Film developing in Melbourne is not the large industry it once was, but there are still a handful of excellent photo labs available, all ready to handle disposable camera developing, 35mm, and 120 film developing.

Looking at reviews, it can be tough to find somewhere reputable that develops film in Melbourne. Do you trust the one-star reviews, the five-star reviews, or neither?

I’ve looked for examples of people who regularly use these services to get an idea of which are the top Melbourne, Australia film labs, and which you can trust with your film.

So, if you want to know where to develop film in Melbourne, then read on for the full low-down.



The Best Places for Film Developing in Melbourne

All of these locations are excellent choices to develop 35mm film in Melbourne – you shouldn’t take the positions given as fixed.


Pro Lab

Address: 209 Toorak Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141
Phone: 3 9826 0391
C-41 (Color) E-6 (Slide) B&W
120 (Medium Format) Large Format APS
Rated 4.6
from 112 reviews

What Do Their Customers Say?

I’ve only recently started using film and they’re always happy to give me tips and advice. The developing is great.

Google Reviews

A small place where the guys are willing to chat and help you out with your film needs, Pro Lab cover all bases from developing to printing and framing.

Judging by the reviews, this seems to be one of the friendliest film labs in the Melbourne area, and is ideal for standard 35mm film developing.


Halide Express

Address: Shop 5A/200 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: 480 024 684
C-41 (Color) E-6 (Slide) B&W
120 (Medium Format) Large Format APS
Rated 5
from 22 reviews
Website / Instagram

What Do Their Customers Say?

ou’ll find an experienced team ready to quickly process a variety of film stocks, they offer different development for those shooting non C41 prices film.

Google Reviews

In Melbourne’s China town, Halide Express cover everything you might want from a film lab apart from large format processing.

They offer 24-hour turnaround on 35mm and 120mm C-41 developing and scanning, and same day for developing only. You can also get E-6 developed, although prepare to wait a couple of weeks for it.


Photobee

Address: 161 Glenferrie Rd, Malvern VIC 3144
Phone: 3 9500 9222
C-41 (Color) E-6 (Slide) B&W
120 (Medium Format) Large Format APS
Rated 4.3
from 68 reviews
Website / Instagram

What Do Their Customers Say?

Wow really great spot for photo development. Received my digital link in 4 hours and it was a great price too.

Google Reviews

Photobee are mainly a photo printing and framing shop, with a very wide range of framing choices, but also offer standard photo developing with a very quick turnaround.

They are also open 7 days a week, although with limited hours on Sunday.


The Photo Shop

Address: 215 Bay St, Port Melbourne VIC 3207
Phone: 3 9646 2515
C-41 (Color) E-6 (Slide) B&W
120 (Medium Format) Large Format APS
Rated 4.7
from 44 reviews
Website / Instagram

What Do Their Customers Say?

I find the team here, great! helpful, professional and reasonably pricedustomer quote

Google Reviews

The Photo Shop are one of the best places to go for high-end photo printing in Melbourne, with plenty of strong examples of their work on display.

Processing is only for standard 35mm film, with the Photo Shop only really a good option for you if you also want to make use of their printing services.


Open Lab

Address: 7 Easey St, Collingwood VIC 3066
Phone: 404 931 390
C-41 (Color) E-6 (Slide) B&W
120 (Medium Format) Large Format APS
Rated 5
from 8 reviews
Website / Instagram

What Do Their Customers Say?

there is no film lab in Victoria that matches the vibe and community that Open Lab provides, as well as some of the most kind and well informed staff I know.

Google Reviews

Open Lab are different from the other film labs in Melbourne in that they help you to develop your film by yourself!

No experience with developing is needed – just turn up during opening hours and they will show you how to develop your 35mm C-41 film roll within 30 minutes, and then scan it.

If you’re happy, you can join as a member and access the lab whenever you like to develop your own film.

They will also develop more complex film for you, but the access to be able to do this yourself is pretty special.


Work In Process

Address: Level 1/226 Johnston St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: 3 9193 7430
C-41 (Color) E-6 (Slide) B&W
120 (Medium Format) Large Format APS
Rated 5
from 180 reviews
Website

What Do Their Customers Say?

I have been taking film photos for about 3 years now and safe to say that WIP is the best lab in terms of their developing, scans, and quality.

Google Reviews

One of the few photo labs that processes large format 4×5 film, Work In Progress do developing and then scanning with their Hasselblad Imacon Flextight 848, probably the best negative scanner available apart from a drum scanner, but don’t cover E-6 film.

They do offer pushing and pulling, and will post your negatives back to you for an extra fee.


Ikigai Film Lab

Address: 62 Albemarle St, Williamstown North VIC 3016
C-41 (Color) E-6 (Slide) B&W
120 (Medium Format) Large Format APS
Rated 4.9
from 299 reviews
Website / Instagram

What Do Their Customers Say?

I’ve sent E6, C41, and black and white film to them and all have looked great.

Google Reviews

Ikigai Film Lab cover most film developing, with only large format being a hole in their offerings.

They have a mail-in service for those on the wrong side of Melbourne, and also offer drop-off locations in Sydney, Canberra and the Central Coast if you’re out of town and don’t want to trust your precious film to the mail man.

They use Frontier and Noritsu scanners, which are pretty standard in most film labs, although at the lower end of quality when compared to the Imacon 848.


FilmNeverDie

Address: 6 Watertank Way, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: 3 8899 7586
C-41 (Color) E-6 (Slide) B&W
120 (Medium Format) Large Format APS
Rated 4.7
from 362 reviews
Website / Instagram

What Do Their Customers Say?

Developing all sort of negatives, 35, 120 black & white and colour is what they deliver on the daily basis. They produce their own brand film negative roles, not to be found elsewhere.

Google Reviews

With plenty of film dropboxes around the city, you can get your film to FilmNeverDie without expensive postage costs. Better yet, the dropboxes are attached to vending machines which dispense fresh film, meaning you’re never going to run out.

They develop and scan film for a very fair price for the area, including developing ECN-2 cine film, but don’t make any prints.


CPL Digital

Address: 117 Thistlethwaite St, South Melbourne VIC 3205
Phone: 3 8376 8376
C-41 (Color) E-6 (Slide) B&W
120 (Medium Format) Large Format APS
Rated 4.5
from 25 reviews
Website / Instagram

What Do Their Customers Say?

Professional, high quality photographic services taken care of by very friendly, helpful staff.

Google Reviews

CPL Digital offer a wide range of fine art printing, mounting and framing, and also cover basic film processing.

They will process B&W 4×5 large format images, but don’t do these as C-41, and processing costs are a little higher than neighbouring labs.


Photo Production House

Address: 245 High St, Prahran VIC 3181
Phone: 3 9529 6282
C-41 (Color) E-6 (Slide) B&W
120 (Medium Format) Large Format APS
Rated 4.2
from 54 reviews
Instagram

What Do Their Customers Say?

Best film processing and amazing assortment of cameras to buy … also great customer service!!!

Google Reviews

Processing film on-site for over 25 years, Photo Production House have limited weekend opening hours, but are good for film processing in the Prahran area.


Other Places to Develop Film in Melbourne

Halide Supply

Address: 24 Peel St, Collingwood VIC 3066
Phone: 466 464 703
Rated 4.9
from 104 reviews
Website / Instagram

Vanbar Imaging

Address: 450 Gore St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: 3 9417 5666
Rated 4.4
from 172 reviews
Website

Photo Barn Burwood

Address: 19/172 Burwood Hwy, Burwood East VIC 3151
Phone: 3 9802 0400
Rated 4.7
from 152 reviews
Website

Photo Color – Kodak Express.

Address: Warringal Shopping Centre, Shop 24/56 Burgundy St, Heidelberg VIC 3084
Phone: 3 9459 5004
Rated 4.4
from 44 reviews
Website

PhotoXpert

Address: Shop 1156/175 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood VIC 3134
Phone: 3 9876 8117
Rated 3.3
from 24 reviews
Website / Instagram

Film Developing Melbourne Map

Here’s the best places for film developing in Melbourne on a larger map of the area.


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Follow Tim Daniels:

Hi, I'm Tim Daniels, photographer and photo trainer, founder of Lapse of the Shutter and creator of the totally free Lightroom Develop System. I've travelled to (probably) 30 countries over the last few years, taking photos and licensing them around the world, and creating lots of free photography learning resources. Read More ...

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