GuidesBy FilmFocus
Film Developing and Scanning Basics: What to Ask for When You've Finished a Roll
This is an AI translation of an article originally published in Japanese. If anything reads oddly, the Japanese original is the authoritative version.
Once you've shot a roll in a Utsurundesu (写ルンです) disposable or a film camera, the film isn't a photo yet. You need to take it to a lab to be "developed," and then order "scanning" or "prints" as needed before you can actually look at your pictures. This article sorts out the terms and pricing that tend to trip up people taking film to a lab for the first time.
Developing, scanning and printing are separate services
At most labs, the following three are charged separately. If you don't know this and ask for "developing only," all you'll get back is the negatives (the film itself), and you won't be able to view your photos on your phone.
- Developing: Processing the film with chemicals so the images become visible. Nothing else can happen until this is done.
- Scanning (digitizing): Reading the developed film with a scanner to turn it into image files. You need this if you want to view your photos on a phone or computer. How you receive them varies by lab: CD-R, USB drive, download link, sent via LINE, and so on.
- Prints: Printing onto paper. You choose a size, such as L size, when you order.
In other words, if you want to "see the photos I took on my phone," you'll be ordering two things: developing + scanning. FilmFocus's lab detail pages list the combined "developing + scanning" price because that total is closest to what you'll actually pay.
Typical prices
As of 2026, the rough going rate per roll of 35mm (135) film is around ¥600–¥1,300 for developing and around ¥600–¥1,200 for scanning. Combined, that comes to roughly ¥1,300–¥2,500 per roll.
Even for 35mm, shops with their own processing machine on site (in-house processing) tend to be cheaper and faster, while drop-off shops that send film out to an external lab tend to take longer. Medium format (120), black-and-white and reversal film can only be handled by a limited number of labs, and prices are higher.
Turnaround time
At a shop with an in-store processor, 35mm color negative film can sometimes be ready in as little as an hour. Black-and-white and reversal, on the other hand, are often outsourced to specialist labs, and one to two weeks is normal. If you send film by mail, add the shipping time in both directions.
If you're in a hurry, choose a lab that explicitly advertises "same-day service" or "ready in as little as X minutes," and check the cutoff time for drop-offs to be sure.
You can also order by mail
If there's no lab near you, or if you particularly like a certain lab's results, you can use a lab that accepts film by mail. Most have you fill out an order form on their official website or a paper order sheet, then send the film in an envelope or small box.
Who pays for shipping and how film is returned varies by lab, so check before you order. On FilmFocus, our comparison of mail-order film developing labs lists the prices and turnaround times of labs that accept film by mail.
Things to check before you send your film
- Whether your film is color negative, black-and-white or reversal (see the difference between negative and reversal film)
- Whether you need scanning, and if so, how you want to receive the files (CD / USB / download / LINE)
- Whether you want your negatives returned (some labs charge less if you don't)
- When you want it back, and the shop's drop-off cutoff time
You can compare the prices, turnaround times and mail-order availability of the labs we list on our film developing lab directory.