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Overview of service
As with all other pictures saved in your Shutterfly account, pictures from scanned film can be viewed, enhanced, shared, and printed. To use Shutterfly's film scanning service, you must first order film mailers from the Shutterfly site. Once you receive your postage-paid mailer(s), simply place one roll of APS (ADVANTIX®) or 35mm film (or a single-use camera) into your mailer and drop your mailer in a mailbox. Shutterfly will receive your film, scan your pictures and add them to your Shutterfly account. Once your pictures are available to be viewed & ordered, we will notify you via email. Your negatives will be returned to you separately.

Shutterfly currently accepts only undeveloped APS (ADVANTIX®) and C-41 compatible 35mm film. We do not accept processed 35mm negatives or previously-processed APS (ADVANTIX®) film. Additionally, we do not accept other formats such as 110, 120, or 126 cartridge film; black and white film; disposable digital cameras; or slide (transparency) film.

One way to make sure that your film type is correct is to check the film canister. If it says C-41 or CN-16 for Fuji, and AP-70 for AGFA, your film is okay to send in to Shutterfly for processing.

(Please note that Shutterfly cannot guarantee the return of film that we do not process.)

Your film will be scanned at a resolution of 1536 × 1024 pixels (35mm) and 1536 × 862 (APS "ADVANTIX®"). This resolution is sufficient for printing pictures up to 8 × 10 inches.

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Ordering film mailers and film mailer/print bundles
To order film mailers, go to our 'Order film mailers' page. You can get to this page at any time by signing in to your account, clicking 'Add pictures' and then clicking the 'Request film mailers' link that is on the right-hand side.

When you are on the film mailer page, fill in the appropriate address information and number of mailers you would like. (Please note that film mailers can only be sent to U.S. addresses. Please also note that each of your rolls of film must be submitted in its own mailer.)

On this page, you can also request film mailer/print bundles at a price that is discounted from their separate purchase price; please note that this only credits your account with prints and that prints are not sent to you automatically -- you must still order them and pay any associated shipping charges.

Your film mailers are typically sent out within 24 hours of your order. We send them by first-class mail, and they will take from 2-10 days to reach you, depending upon the U.S. Postal Service.

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Types of film accepted
Shutterfly currently accepts only undeveloped APS (ADVANTIX®) and C-41 compatible 35mm film. We do not accept processed 35mm negatives or previously-processed APS (ADVANTIX®) film, or digital disposable cameras.

Additionally, we do not accept other formats such as 110, 120, or 126 cartridge film; black and white film; Ilford XP2 (even if marked "C-41"); or slide (transparency) film.

Don't know what "C-41 compatible" means? C-41 is a term used to reference the Kodak developing process for most color negative film. It is synonymous with CN-16 (Fuji) and AP-70 (Agfa).

One way to make sure that your film type is correct is to check the film canister. If it says C-41 (or CN-16 for Fuji, or AP-70 for AGFA), your film is okay to send in to Shutterfly for processing. Most 35mm film rolls commonly available are C-41 compatible.

Please be cautious when sending in Seattle Film Works film. Though most Seattle Film Works film is C-41 compatible, some older rolls are made from movie stock and cannot be processed by Shutterfly. To tell if your Seattle Film Works film is C-41 compatible, please look for "Process C-41" on the canister. You can also examine the leader strip. If it is brownish and has rectangular sprocket holes, it is C-41 compatible. If it is black and has rounded sprocket holes, it is movie film and should not be sent in for processing.

Please note that Shutterfly cannot guarantee the return of film that we are unable to process.

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Submitting film
Simply place one roll of APS (ADVANTIX®) or 35mm film, or a single-use camera into each postage-paid Shutterfly mailer and drop your mailer in a mailbox. Shutterfly will receive your film and scan your pictures into your Shutterfly account.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please note that due to the highly-automated nature of our process, we can ONLY accept film submitted with our mailers, as they contain a bar-coded label that links the film to your account. For the same reason too, it is important to include only one roll of film per mailer. Any film not submitted in its own mailer will be returned unprocessed. To order film mailers, log into your account and go to 'Add pictures'. To avoid processing delays please mail your film only in the envelopes provided. Sending mailers in Priority or Express mail envelopes may cause processing delays due to the way mail is handled.

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Film processing time
If you are ordering film mailers, we usually send them out the next business day after you order. The US Postal Service usually delivers them to you within a few days.

If you already have mailers and are using them to send in film, film mailers generally arrive at Shutterfly 3 to 5 days after you mail them (but may take longer depending on the US Postal system, particularly during holiday periods).

Once we receive them, they are developed, scanned, and posted online usually within 24 hours. At that time, you will automatically receive an email letting you know that your pictures are ready to be viewed in your Shutterfly account. (Your negatives will then be mailed back to you by USPS regular mail.)

Please keep in mind that although most film rolls go through the postal system quickly, they often do need to be hand-canceled by the US Postal Service and this could delay their reaching our lab. For your protection, you may wish to purchase a tracking number from the post office when you send film to us.

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Cost of service
Our basic film scanning service costs $3.99 per roll. For this fee, you will receive one prepaid mailer which can be used to send in one roll of film. Upon receiving your film in the mailer, we will process and scan your film, add your pictures to your Shutterfly account, return your negatives, and notify you by email that your pictures are ready for viewing. You can then order prints at your leisure. Please note that the cost of prints is not included in the $3.99 processing fee.

On the film mailer request page, you can also order film mailer/print bundles - where you receive one prepaid film mailer (with all the services mentioned above), plus print credits. Please note that this only credits your account with prints, and that prints are not sent to you automatically - you must still order them and pay any associated shipping charges.

There are two film mailer bundles available: one for $8.39, which includes a film mailer and 20 4×6 prints (a $9.79 value); and one for $9.99, which includes a film mailer and 30 4×6 prints (a $12.69 value).

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