4mo ago
I went back and forth about posting this. It took me six weeks to write something I felt was fair and accurate. After two years with Nice Film Club, I feel compelled to share our experience in case it helps inform other professional film photographers. I started sending film to NFC in December 2023. My last order was mid-December 2025. In that time, they processed approximately 1,600 rolls of our film. We maintained the Super Nice membership and renewed it on December 27, 2025 at $4,999.99 for 2026, a $4,000 increase. In early 2024, I requested flat scans with no default color adjustments after receiving scans that clearly had preset color applied. They confirmed flat scans were not an issue. By summer 2024, I repeatedly raised documented concerns about significant color inconsistencies between adjacent frames on the same roll. These were measurable shifts in temperature and tint between exposures taken seconds apart under identical lighting. For months, I was told the scans were flat and that this was “just how film is.” I was even told I might've been the problem. After months of detailed emails with roll numbers and frame comparisons, I was informed in November 2024 that there had been a color calibration issue and my scans were not flat as requested. Guess I wasn't the problem after all. Through 2025, the pattern continued. Color would improve temporarily, then inconsistencies returned. Duplicate rolls were uploaded and mislabeled. Some rolls were never uploaded at all. We also experienced repeated mishandling of medium format 120 negatives. We paid to have every roll professionally cut and sleeved, yet frames were often left exposed in sleeves, defeating archival protection. On multiple occasions there were visible fingerprints on the negatives. I have a degree in art conservation. Proper handling and archival integrity are non-negotiable to me. As a woman in this industry, I experienced a consistent difference in treatment. When I raised concerns independently, they were minimized. When my husband joined calls or raised the same concerns, tone and urgency shifted noticeably. Communication was frequently directed primarily to him, even when I was clearly included. Historically, 4K TIFF scans were the only TIFF size offered and were included. After renewing at $5,000, I discovered TIFFs had been tiered into 2K and 4K, and 4K now required an additional fee. I did not find clear written notice that renewing the Super Nice tier meant losing the TIFF resolution previously included. Based on projected 2026 volume, this represented an additional estimated $3,200 per year on top of the membership. I called the owner and laid out the numbers. I was told to stop speaking mid-sentence and that I would not find comparable service elsewhere. When the owner offered to refund the membership, I said that might be appropriate but that I needed to back up personal rolls first. I had not provided written cancellation or verbal confirmation terminating the membership. Within seconds of saying I would consider it, I was told every roll associated with my account had been deleted. Approximately 1,600 rolls. This occurred after payment for the 2026 membership had already been accepted and before any refund had been initiated. Deleting archived files mid-dispute, without written cancellation and while a paid membership was still active, created immediate panic. When I reacted, I was told that if I was “lucky” some rolls might still be available briefly and “sucks to suck.” After the call, the owner contacted my partner and stated that all calls are recorded. At no point in our two-year relationship were we informed at the beginning of calls that recording was taking place. Files were later offered to be restored if we signed a non-disclosure agreement. We declined. Since leaving NFC, I have moved my business to a different lab that meets my needs and treats me with respect. The difference in scan consistency and handling has been undeniable.
