[dietrichepp]

Tip from the pros: if the pictures are irreplaceable, then divide them in half. Send half to the developer. If it gets ruined, you've only ruined half.

This is how wedding photographers who shot on film avoided getting sued into oblivion by angry brides (and yes, there are many, many photographers who have been sued into oblivion by angry brides, contract or no contract).

[AnimalMuppet]

Yeah. I figured that out from losing my honeymoon pictures...

:-<

[madaxe_again]

Or alternately learn to do manual colour positive processing. It's really not hard, and with a big tank you can do half a dozen 120 reels at a time.

[dietrichepp]

YMMV, the machines are very consistent, it takes some serious discipline to match that consistency at home, and you can get color casts accidentally. The C-41 chemicals are also a bit more unfriendly and more difficult to dispose of properly (not sure about positive). So these days I only do non-chromogenic film at home, but I might have made a different choice in the 1990s.

Speaking of which, Kodak doesn't even make E-6 film any more.

[madaxe_again]

Indeed. I've a freezer stuffed with fuji e6 120 and 5x4, and chems for processing.

C41 is a pain in the ass and I only bothered a few times - but with a little practice you can develop positive film perfectly at home - all about being able to work blind, and having a series of tubs at the right temperatures. Admittedly my first few tries ended up with lomo quality from a rollei!