frequently asked questionS
Quick Links
General Information
WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS?
We are open M-F 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM. We are closed Sunday.
WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?
Our address is 5450 Wilshire Blvd, in the miracle mile district of Los Angeles, CA.
DO YOU HAVE A PARKING LOT?
Yes, we do! It is located on cochran ave, next to the Bank of America lot (look for The Icon sign above the lot)
WHERE IS THE NIGHT DROP AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
The night drop is located behind the building in the alley. It looks like a big mail slot on our back door. To use our night drop, place your film in a package with complete instructions and your name and phone number. We will contact you in the morning with any questions or to collect payment if you do not have a card on file with us.
DO YOU PROVIDE FRAMING SERVICES?
We do not do any framing in house, but can potentially partner with local framers on a project-by-project basis. Please inquire with customer service if you have framing needs.
WHEN WILL MY ORDER BE READY?
Our turnaround times vary for each service and can change based on quantity, scope, and our current workload.
Online orders will receive a notification when the order is ready.
In-store orders will have a due date specified on the receipt.
HAVE YOU RECEIVED MY FILM?
If you mailed your film to us using a prepaid mailer, you will receive an email notification once your order is in production meaning that we have received the film and have started processing it.
DO YOU STILL HAVE MY NEGATIVES/FILES?
We only store the film/prints for a maximum of 30 days. After that, we will dispose of the material at any time. Please arrange to pick up your physical assets or have them shipped.
All digital files are deleted from our servers after 14 days.
Film Information
WHAT TYPES OF FILM CAN YOU PROCESS?
We process all standard C41, Black and White, and E6 film.
We can process 35mm, 110mm, 120mm, 220mm, 4×5, 5×7, 8×10, and 11×14 film.
We are not able to process film that requires different chemistry including K-14 (kodachrome), E-4, or black-and-white reversal film. We do not process motion picture film.
DO YOU SELL FILM?
Yes! In-store only, we now sell a selection of 35mm & 120mm color, black and white, and E6 film. Inquire with customer service for details.
WHAT ARE YOUR TURNAROUND TIMES ON FILM SERVICES?
The listed turnaround times are based on when we receive your film or negatives until we ship your order back to you or have it ready for in-store pickup. Turnaround times do not account for shipping time to or from us. If you ship something to us, please account for the added shipping time.
For VALUE Film Services, turnaround times are 6 to 10 business days from the business day we receive your film or negatives until the business day we ship your order back to you or have it ready for in-store pickup. Business days exclude Sundays, Major Holidays, and scheduled operational maintenance periods.
For STANDARD Film Services, turnaround times are 3 business days from the business day we receive your film or negatives until the business day we ship your order back to you or have it ready for in-store pickup. Business days exclude Sundays, Major Holidays, and scheduled operational maintenance periods.
HOW LONG CAN I KEEP A ROLL OF FILM BEFORE DEVELOPING?
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUSHING AND PULLING?
Printing and Papers
WHAT TYPE OF PRINTERS DO YOU HAVE?
- Noritsu Printer
- Lightjet Chromagenic Printer
- Pigment Inkjet Printer
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND USING THE NORITSU PRINTER FOR?
The Noritsu printer can make standard sized photo prints from your negatives or digital files from Wallet sized (2.5” x 3.5”) up to 12” x 36” on luster, glossy, matte/satin surfaces – even metallic. Quick Prints on the Noritsu printer are a great, low-cost option for prints to frame, or to give to friends and family!
WHAT OPTIONS DO YOU GET WITH PRINTS AND/OR PAPER TYPES WHEN USING THE NORITSU PRINTER?
The Noritsu printer uses Fuji Crystal Archive Super Type C chromogenic paper in luster, glossy, matte/satin surfaces, and can automatically add a white border to your images if you choose.
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND USING THE LIGHTJET CHOMAGENIC PRINTER FOR?
If you’re shooting with a digital camera, or if you have film that has been scanned, our Gretag Lightjet 430 printer can print on color photographic paper from 4” x 6” up to 48” x 120”. The Icon prints on Fuji Crystal Archive Super Type C paper in Glossy, Luster, and Matte/Satin.
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND USING THE PIGMENT INKJET PRINTER FOR?
Using our large scale Epson Printers from your digital files, we offer a variety of papers by Canson, Epson, Hahnemühle and Moab, some of which allow for prints up to 62” x 120”. Pigment Inkjet prints can really enhance your artistic vision for your prints, lending heft and furthering your image’s message
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND USING DARKROOM PRINTS FOR?
Darkroom printing is a traditional method of creating photographic prints from film negatives. It involves the use of a darkroom, which is a light-tight room or space where photographic materials can be handled without being exposed to light. Darkroom printing provides a sumptuous look and feel to any photo.
WHAT OPTIONS DO YOU GET WITH PRINTS AND/OR PAPER TYPES WHEN USING DARKROOM PRINTING?
The Icon offers traditional darkroom prints from both color negatives and black and white negatives.
For B&W negatives we offer prints on RC (Resin Coated) papers and Fiber papers in matte or glossy surfaces.
On Fiber papers we offer a variety of paper surfaces ranging from Warm to Cool tones.
Color darkroom prints are offered on Fuji Crystal Archive Super.
All darkroom prints are available up to 20″x24″ print size.
WHAT PAPER TYPES DO YOU CARRY?
WHAT ARE YOUR TURNAROUND TIMES FOR PRO PRINTS?
The listed turnaround times are based on when we receive your order until we ship it back to you or have it ready for in-store pickup. Turnaround times do not account for shipping time to or from us. If you ship something to us, please account for the added shipping time.
For VALUE Pro Print Services, turnaround times are 6 to 10 business days from the business day we receive your order until the business day we ship your order back to you or have it ready for in-store pickup. Business days exclude Sundays, Major Holidays, and scheduled operational maintenance periods.
For STANDARD Pro Print Services, turnaround times are 3 business days* from the business day we receive your order until the business day we ship your order back to you or have it ready for in-store pickup. Business days exclude Sundays, Major Holidays, and scheduled operational maintenance periods.
*for large-volume print orders, the turnaround time may be longer.
Ordering Online
CAN I CHANGE MY ORDER AFTER I SUBMIT IT?
Any orders that have already entered the processing stage cannot be changed. If it has not entered processing, we allow any changes that do not result in a refund. You will receive emails with status updates about your order.
CAN I CANCEL MY ORDER?
Once an order has been submitted it cannot be cancelled.
WHAT IS YOUR REFUND POLICY?
There are no refunds. For special circumstances, credit will be applied in the form of a coupon or credit to your online account to be used towards a future purchase.
CAN I USE THE ONLINE DISCOUNT IN-STORE?
The online discount will only apply to orders placed online.
Scanning
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND USING THE EPSON FF-680W FASTFOTO FOR?
Everybody has a book or box full of hundreds of family photographic prints – the problem is how to archive them all before they fade to oblivion or fall apart from handling, without breaking the bank. The Icon’s ‘Shoebox Scanning’ service is the ideal solution.
We can scan large quantities of prints from wallet sized prints to 8.5” x 11” at prices designed for large quantities.
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND USING THE EPSON EXPRESSION 12000XL FLATBED SCANNER FOR?
With a maximum scanning area of 12” x 17”, our professional-grade flatbed scanner and experienced staff members can capture amazing detail from your reflective artwork, be it a new or vintage photograph or original artwork. Perfect in combination with our Retouching service for when you have an older print that’s seen better days, or for a piece of personal artwork you want to make larger.
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND USING THE NORITSU QSS-3411 SCANNER FOR?
In addition to conventional darkroom contact sheets, Noritsu scans are a quick and cost effective way to see what you’ve shot when shooting film. Suitable for sharing on the web and social media or making modestly sized prints.
WHAT DO YOU RECOMEND USING THE IMACON FLEXTIGHT X5 SCANNER FOR?
The Flextight X5 scanner, by Hasselblad, produces excellent, near drum scan quality files at a fraction of the drum scan cost. Ideal for editorial, portfolio, retouching, web use or large printing, the X5 scanner has a dynamic range of up to 4.9 and a maximum non-interpolated optical resolution of 8000 dpi for 135mm, 3200 dpi for 120 film and +2000 dpi for 4×5 film, ensuring your color negatives, black & white negatives, and chromes are scanned for optimal quality.
The largest size this scanner can accommodate is 4×5 film, and for smaller film we can only accept current standard film sizes/frames such as 35mm, 6×4.5, 6×6, 6×7 and 6×9. For non-standard size film such as 110, 126, Advantix, or other film sizes it would have to be on the Crosfield Drum Scanner.
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND USING THE CROSFIELD CELSIS 6200 DRUM SCANNER FOR?
Priced per single image, a Drum scan captures the full tonal range and detail in any original. Ideal for capturing your image to retouch and larger size reproduction, we scan film from 35mm up to 8×10” as well as non standard film sizes such as 110, 126 and panoramic.
The entire frame of any format – including rebate or borders – can be scanned! This service includes manual adjustments for color and exposure, and will be a reasonable match to originals or unmanipulated photographic samples.
WHAT ARE THE SCAN AND PIXEL DIMENSIONS OF DIGITAL PRINTS FROM DRUM, IMACON, AND FLATBED SCANNERS?
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND USING THE EPSON FF-680W FASTFOTO FOR?
Film Size
Scan Size
Rounded
72 DPI JPEGs
Pixel Count
Approximate
Print Size
@ 300 DPI
Approximate
Print Size
@ 200 DPI
35mm
Low Res
5 MB
1093 x 1650
4 x 6
6 x 9
Med Res
18 MB
2048 x 3089
8 x 10
10 x 15
High Res
85 MB
4492 x 6774
15 x 22
23 x 34
120mm (6x4.5)
Low Res
5 MB
1220 x 1678
4 x 6
6 x 8
Med Res
16 MB
2048 x 2796
8 x 10
11 x 14
High Res
48 MB
3533 x 4824
12 x 16
17 x 24
120mm (6x6)
Low Res
5 MB
1331 x 1350
4 x 6
7 x 7
Med Res
12 MB
2048 x 2078
8 x 10
11 x 11
High Res
65 MB
4760 x 4832
16 x 16
24 x 24
120mm (6x7)
Low Res
5 MB
1229 x 1506
4 x 6
6 x 7
Med Res
14 MB
2048 x 2510
8 x 10
11 x 13
High Res
80 MB
4815 x 5902
16 x 20
24 x 30
120mm (6x9)
Low Res
5 MB
1133 x 1650
4 x 6
6 x 9
Med Res
17 MB
2048 x 2982
8 x 10
11 x 15
High Res
100 MB
4903 x 7139
20 x 24
25 x 36
Photo Books from Fine Art Albums
HOW DO I ORDER AN ALBUM ONLINE?
Our online ordering system makes ordering fast, easy and convenient. To save your books for future reference, register as a user on our books site.
DO YOU COLOR CORRECT FILES?
We do not color correct your files.
WHAT IS THE CORRECT FILE RESOLUTION AND COLOR SPACE?
All files must be of 300 DPI and should be in sRGB color mode.
WHAT PAPER SURFACES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE LAB?
For Luster surface Fuji Professional, For Metallic Surface Kodak endura.
WHAT IS THE TURN AROUND TIME FOR AN ALBUM (PRINT AND BIND)?
2 to 3 weeks depending on cover option or gilding. Please add 1 to 2 weeks for gilding or speciality covers
HOW MANY IMAGES SHOULD I UPLOAD FOR AN ALBUM?
For 30side/15page: 80-90 images
For 40side/20page: 110-120 images.
For 50side/25page: 140-150 images.
HOW MANY DIFFERENT ALBUMS DO YOU HAVE?
We offer the Slim album and the Modern album.
4 types of designer cover Albums : Metal Cover, Acrylic Cover, Vegan Leather, and Image wrap.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT CAMEO STYLES AVAILABLE?
Inset Cameo, Raised Cameo and Cut-out Cameo.
HOW MANY COLORS DO YOU HAVE FOR GILDING?
3 colors: Black, Silver and Gold.
IS THE ALBUM SEAMLESS?
We produce both type of albums, Seamless(Flush Mount Album) and Cut Style(Coffee Table Album).
CAN I CHANGE THE SHIPPING ADDRESS ONCE I GET THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL THAT MY ORDER IS READY FOR DELIVERY?
No, you can not change the shipping address after you get “order is ready for delivery” email, you can change shipping address till status shows “In cover phase”
ONCE THE ‘READY FOR DELIVERY’ EMAIL IS RECEIVED, HOW LONG AFTER THAT DO YOU SHIP THE ALBUM?
We ship either same day or with in next 24 business hours.
DO YOU INCLUDE INVOICES WITH YOUR SHIPMENTS?
Your invoice will be mailed with the album to you by accounting department at the time when the album is shipped.
WHAT IS THE METHOD FOR SENDING THE ALBUM ORDER?
Our preferred method is upload the images through our online ordering system.
AFTER HOW MANY DAYS/MONTHS WILL ORDER GET FREEZE/INACTIVE?
For print & bind order if it is on hold for more then 1 month then order will become inactive and we will not be responsible for the data of that particular order.
WHAT IS THE MINIMUM MARGIN TO BE LEFT IF I AM DESIGNING THE ALBUM?
With gilding 0.75inch safe margin and 3/8 inch safe margin without gilding. To View Safe Margin Pages Please Click here
WHY IS MY ORDER LATE?
We make every effort to meet our posted production times. In some cases, however, we may experience problems beyond our control.
Our turnaround time is 15-20 business days unless you order gliding or special covers.
Glossary of Terms
ARCHIVAL
Archival is one of the more ambiguous words in the photo art world. Ansel Adams defined it as the ability of a print to last 100 years with little perceptible change. The Society of American Archivists defines Archival Media as “resistant to deterioration or loss of quality, allowing for a long life expectancy when kept in controlled conditions.” Storage and display conditions, materials, and how they are used, affect the lifespan of a photograph. Most manufacturers claim their materials are archival. Independent testing of photographic longevity is more reliable.
BOKEH
Pronounced as the word “bow” followed by “kay” or rhyme with the word okay. But don’t stress on correct pronunciation of this Japanese language word for fuzzy or blurry. Bokeh is affected by the f-stop, focal length, and type of lens. Creating out-of-focus areas in Photoshop is not the same quality as in-camera occurring bokeh.
C-PRINT OR CHROMOGENIC PRINT
A photo print is created on light-sensitive color paper traditionally from a color negative, but now C-prints can be created from a digital file (see Digital-C print). This still widely used process was popularized in the sixties for snapshots and commercial use. In the early 1990’s galleries and museums readily began to show C-prints and continue to do so to this day. The archival quality of this paper suffers if processed incorrectly. C-Prints are sometimes incorrectly confused with Cibachrome.
CHROMOGENIC
Color-negative film and C-prints are chromogenic materials. The word is rooted in the Greek and Latin words for color and creation. The color dyes in chromogenic materials are formed during the photographic developing process. See C-print.
CMYK COLOR
Short for Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Black. This color model is designed for large offset printing presses but cannot inherently produce all colors correctly. Photographers get better results working in RGB. Digital-C and inkjet printers are designed for RGB input. Of interesting note, inkjet is an expanded CMYK process but associated printer software handles RGB files better. See RGB and LAB.
COLOR CORRECTION
The act of altering the color, density, and contrast of a digital or analog image. Color correction is a learned skill. Not everyone can color correct well. Seven percent of men and less than a half percent of women have at least mild color blindness. Not to be confused with “color management.”
COLOR MANAGEMENT
The applied process and ensemble of technology ensure consistent, accurate, and predictable results when printing digital photographs. Good color management requires the correct use of ICC profiles and monitor calibration.
COLOR PROFILE
An information file intended to keep color consistent between devices such as your monitor and a printer. Misapplied and missing profiles will lead to mismatched colors. Profiles are applied to equipment and software to keep color uniform. Proper use of color profiles is a crucial part of color management.
COLOR TEMPERATURE
Measured in Kelvin degrees. An incandescent household 40-watt bulb is approximately 2900K, light from the midday sun with no clouds is 5500K, and candle flame can be as low as 1000K. The higher the number the cooler or bluer the light. Photos for commercial use are viewed under artificially created 5500K light. It may be advantageous to view prints under warmer light if shown in a gallery or museum. Correct monitor color temperature settings are a crucial part of color management. Final print color should be analyzed under the same conditions under which they will be shown whenever
DIGITAL C-PRINT
A C-print made with a digital photographic printer such as a Chromira. Other examples of digital-C printing equipment are Lightjet, Lambda and Polielettronica. Sometimes the brand name of the equipment has been used to describe the print process. Equipment quality has evolved. ZBE-Chromira is the only company still producing and innovating digital-C printers.
DPI
The resolution of a digital print is expressed in Dots Per Inch, or DPI. Not to be confused with PPI which refers to onscreen resolution.
DRUM SCANNER
Drum scanners create digital files from a negative, transparent or print. A few models will outperform the current Flextight-Imacon scanners, but only if the drum scanner operator is highly skilled. Unfortunately, it is rare to find such a technician. Art objects and unique prints should not be drum scanned, as the drum rotation can damage fragile materials.
FLEXTIGHT SCANNER
Imacon Flextight scanners have incredible resolution and graphic range. Imacon scanners were re-branded and cosmetic changes were made after Hasselblad and Imacon combined into one company. Imacon-Flextight scans sometimes get a bad rap because of operator ignorance of the fine points of the software. Just like all drum scans, Imacon-Flextight scans require specific work in Photoshop to be usable.
GAMUT
The limitations of a given color space or device. Gamut errors result from bad profiles or working techniques. Gamut increases as printing technology advances, but wider gamut prints do not always equal better print quality.
GICLÉE
Pronounced zhee-CLAY, this marketing term applies to high-quality inkjet prints. Giclée prints are archival pigment prints made with inkjet equipment. The word was coined by Jack Duganne in 1991, an early fine-art inkjet printer.
JPEG or JPG
This file format for images is commonly used to display photos online because the file size is smaller. Jpeg files do not have the inherent optimal quality of TIF or PSD files, but may still be good for printing if saved as a “highest quality” jpg.
LAB COLOR
Correctly referred to as L-A-B, not the word lab. Stands for Lightness and opposing colors A and B channels. It is based on the function of the human eye. Some photographers feel they have better control in LAB, while most initially find it perplexing to work with. It is useful in specific situations to enhance contrast and increase the color palette of an image. See RGB and CMYK.
LUX
A measurement of light, derived from the Latin word for light.
METAMERISM
The phenomenon in which colors match under one light source but do not match under another source. Metamerism can occur with inkjet prints but does not occur with digital C-prints. Pigment reaction to ultraviolet light is the cause of metamerism.
PRINT READY
A file entirely prepared by the client and submitted to a photo lab “ready to go”. Print ready files give photographers more control over print quality. Other terms for print-ready include pre-flight and direct-to-print. Print ready philosophy only works if the photo lab is capable of consistent accurate printing.
RGB COLOR
Short for Red-Green-Blue, RGB is the dominant color model in the photographic industry. RGB allows for more color control than CMYK. See LAB and CMYK.
RIP
Short for Raster Image Processor. RIPs are software that makes an image file understandable to a printer. Print drivers included with all computers and printers are simple RIPs. Optimum results are achieved on professional-grade printers with third-party expensive RIP software.
SATURATION
The intensity of a given color. A total lack of saturation results in gray-scale images. Digital capture and scanning often tend to be oversaturated, especially for skin tones.
SOFT PROOFING
The technique of using your monitor as a proofing device instead of making a test print. In theory, a soft proof shows on the monitor exactly what a final print will look like. Quality calibrated monitors and good color management make soft proofing possible. Soft proofing eliminates the need for test prints for most people.
TIF or TIFF
Tagged Image File Format. An uncompressed image file format. Newer technologies have allowed for LZW compression of tifs. LZW compression will make files smaller with no image quality loss.
About The Icon
The Icon opened its doors in the sunny Miracle Mile district of Los Angeles over 25 years ago. Since its inception, The Icon has grown from a local photo lab into an international destination for photographers that seek high-quality services.
