I needed specifically passport photos for Greece. These are different dimensions than US passports. I did an online search and found this location that was walking distance from my office. I confirmed by phone that they offered passport photos for Europe and that no appointment was needed, just walk in during their open hours. I arrived later that day and was impressed at how quickly and professionally they processed my passport photos for Greece. I got 4 for $20 even, and they were cut to the exact size (you have to cut them yourself at CVS and are expensive at $17.99 for the really low quality you are getting), and they provided a mini manila envelope to store them. The little envelope fit perfectly in my wallet. I was really pleased, especially as I had had a prior subpar experience at CVS trying to get these photos. Additionally, Luster provides a plethora of other photo services, so good to keep them in mind for such things. read more

Been going to Luster to develop film for years! Photos come to you by email always within a day or less. Print images also come out so well! They usually have a couple of 35mm film options Kodak and Fuji mostly! read more

I have been going here for 5 years and go to Cherry everytime. Staff is very kind and pleasant.

Great local photo lab. In addition to printing they sell and process BW film and instant cameras. read more

Luster Photo & Digital - Great selection of 35mm film, color and BW - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - New York, New York

A great spot for film development and scanning -- they're a well-oiled joint and offer a good value for their pricing. I've gotten several disposable cameras and film rolls developed here -- never had to wait more than 24 hours. They either upload onto a USB you bring or you can pay a few bucks extra to get a WeTransfer link. I love supporting this local neighborhood shop, and will continue doing so! read more

Luster Photo & Digital - Film Photo -- Snowman - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - New York, New York

dropped off 4 rolls of film around 4:30 pm and received the WeTransfer with my scans about four hours later at 8:30pm. Literally the fasted turn around EVER in the past 14 years that I have been processing film in NYC. It is a little pricey but the scans are fantastic and delivery is speedy (not to compare with other film labs that literally lost my film completely ::bushwick darkroom::). Also, friendly service. They have a good system and crew here! Very trusted. read more

Highest recommendation for Luster. All my experiences here have been courteous & helpful with a quick turnaround & great results. Love the old-school feel of the place. So glad it's here! read more

Fastest turnaround I've experienced with a photo lab. Great quality every time. Highest marks!

Needed help with a couple of disposable cameras, super fast developing to prints! Quality work. Nice guys. Would definitely recommend!

The price is fair, the staff can be a little rude. I can look past that as it's in a convenient location close to the park. I like that they are open 4 days out of the week. I've had my film developed with a contact sheet and I was impressed with the quality and quick turnaround. I will visit again next time I'm in the area. This place seems reliable for the most part read more

$26 to get 1 roll of black and white is outrageous. No wonder people aren't shooting film anymore.

I went here to get a roll of 35mm film developed and was super pleased! I had prints and scans ready in less than 24 hours which was an incredible turnaround time, and I thought the price was pretty reasonable especially for NYC. Staff was really helpful too. read more

I've been coming to Luster since my old lab in midtown (Sunshine Color Lab) shut down. I've developed rolls here and had a few prints done over the years. I went by today to purchase some film, and thought I heard the woman say one price, but when I looked at my itemized receipt and saw that my total was almost $50 for 4 rolls, 2 of the rolls being $14. It wasn't a situation where I got home and realized, I wasn't even halfway down the block before I turned around and got back in line. I wanted to ask for a refund because I've never paid that much for a Kodak Portra roll, anywhere, ever. And I figured $30 for 2 rolls i'd spend another $20 to get the 5 roll pack. When I got to the window, I was met with instant rejection, and rigidity on their no refund on film policy. I let them know that I understand the policy, but it hadn't even been a full 2 minutes since I made my purchase and was back at the window. I told them that I misheard the total, and that the cost of the film was way too high. I let them know that I didn't ask for the price of the Portra before purchasing because I've never paid more than $9/$10 and assumed it would be around that price. I hoped that they'd make an exception since I JUST purchased. I went back and forth with one of the guys who works there, the whole time the woman who sold me the film said nothing. I asked for the manager, and they made a call and I was informed that I could only return film that was packaged in a box, Portra isn't. I'm not to trying to be above the law or break the rules of any business, but I do believe in being reasonable with customers. They didn't have to be that strict about it not issuing me a refund given that I just bought the rolls. If it was an issue of exposing or damaging the film and returning it which he tried to make a case for, again, I was back in less that a MINUTE. They've always been super kind, but today made me feel different about spending $ there. So many other places to buy film. read more

Fast & stellar quality for developing film. My new favorite go-to. Very reliable and great service!

High morale Black and white developing Family run They know what they are doing I would go back there I have confidence in them read more

Have been going here since I was a photography student in undergrad- has allllllways been super speedy and does thorough work. Never had any issues or complaints (knock on wood) and will continue to use them out of their consistency and quality read more

This is really not a review about their service, but about the lining up rule, I didn't come here often but every time ppl are lining up along the building next to the store, not blocking the sidewalk (see my pics below). And today this lady maybe came here for the first time, and completely ignored me, who is standing there waiting for my turn as the next person waiting to be serviced, and started forming her own line in the middle of the sidewalk, I thought she will figure that out soon so I cotinue looking at my phone for a while, and then when I check again, to my anger, other ppl all stand behind her ....... I just want to describe what I encountered today but I don't really think there is any solution to this. read more

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I went in to ask a question about missing files on my digital camera, the man working actually saved my life, worked through finding them for me for 30 minutes and asked for nothing in return. So smart and nice! Will be coming back for all my questions, business, and developing film. Thank you so so much! read more

Luster really is a gem. Fast service, very professional and helpful. The quality of work is consistent and high. I don't go anywhere else for 35mm film development. read more

Best in the business. Amazing quality, high res scans, fast turnarounds, and very knowledgeable staff. I just wish they were open on Sundays :( My loyalty lies with them and I'll be coming here from here on out. read more

Poor service and quality. I have been a customer of this photo place and the quality of the pictures have declined over the years. They seem to be using outdated technology. Just another place where their concern is charging you, but not delivering quality. read more

Great scans from a knowledgeable staff. I've used this lab for 5 years and always get great results.

Hands down the best place to get you film processed in manhattan. Incredible turn around time and unmatched professionalism. Thank you Luster Photo. read more

Luster Photo & Digital - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - New York, New York

Definitely a place I would reccomend quality wise. It was my first ever time shooting film and I wanted to see if this place was as good as the other reviews claimed. I was not disappointed at all! The service was quick and easy; I bought another film roll (portra 400) for a decent price; I got the scans later on the same day (paid extra for email delivery). If you've never been here, I'd say give it a shot and see if you appreciate it as much as I did! read more

Luster Photo & Digital - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - New York, New York

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I cannot emphasize enough how amazing this place is. Had my prints ready in 24 hours, while I'm used to waiting weeks to get my film developed. The prints are also the best quality Ive ever had, and they let you bring in a USB for them to upload the digital scans of the photos, which is amazing. Their staff is so nice and this will definitely be where I get my film developed in the city from now on. read more

Luster turned my crappy Holga photos into wonderful prints! They were very friendly, and willing to help me pick out exactly what I wanted. Luster is not cheep, but the results are really really worth it. For four rolls of 120 film to be processed, printed, and scanned was $120. But like I said, it was worth it! This is my new lab of choice. read more

Luster Photo & Digital - from Google Maps - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - New York, New York

this place is simply the BEST! I will never ever take my film anywhere else. Maximum quality, and fast service. I usually wait max 24 hours for my scans to be emailed to me. And to top it off every single person I've spoken to who works here is super nice. Only downside is they're closed sundays :/ read more

I've called on Luster twice in the past month for photo printing and processing. I love that this place exists. You walk in, and the place smells like fixer, like real film being developed and real pictures being printed. How I miss this smell! They have a great lab right there. They develop disposable cameras in less than a day! But even for 21st century processes, this place is the bomb. I emailed a bunch of wedding JPGs and ordered a selection of 5x7 and 8x10 pics and they were ready in an hour. I have done the cvs photo printing thing and this is much better quality. They care about pictures! read more

I've just switched to Luster recently after bouncing around other local labs. Not only is the quality amazing in my film scans, but they also offer the quickest service of anywhere I've been! (Same or next day). Every time I've been in, I've been helped with respect and friendliness. I could not be happier with my experience here, thank you! read more

Amazing, fast service. Happy to see a small business thriving and I will gladly bring all of my film here.

Save your money and don't come here. Costs $20 per roll to get scans "onto a CD" and when requested a WeTransfer file instead was charged $3 more per roll! Walked out of there spending $50+ on 2 rolls. Could've went to good ole Eliz and gotten 4 rolls developed for the same price. I would've been less upset with the service if I received my scans the time they were supposed to arrive. Got my color film roll back same day which is why I gave 2 stars, however, I called back about my B&W roll the morning after they said it would be ready by 6pm and all I get was a "they meant to say ready by today not yesterday." And then 2 hours later I received the scans aka the typical sign of your film being uncared for and forgotten. Film is costly as it is, go elsewhere for your developing needs. read more

I had some C-41 and E-6 processing (without prints or scans) done here on a recent trip and thought they did a great job at a reasonable cost. The slide film was mailed back to me at home and the C-41 was ready the next day. They also have a selection of films at reasonable prices per roll, fresh from the fridge. read more

First and foremost, great service and reasonably priced. Had a roll of 35mm/24exp film developed, and all was great. Quick turnaround, about an hour. Will definitely be back for my 35mm developing/printing needs. read more

I am a SmugMug member and am generally happy with their better printers' output, but I had a deadline that precluded me from going that route. So I started researching printing options in NYC. There are many great options, but I was turned on to Luster by Yelp reviewers' emphasis on attentive, friendly and professional customer service in addition to general agreement on the high quality of their prints. I am glad that in this case the Yelp reviewers were right. I showed up 10 minutes before their opening time, but was invited in by the proprietor, Xiang, who is a very professional and good-natured person. Xiang and I discussed the best way to proceed with my JPEG files, given that I wanted to fit them into the atypically (European) sized Ikea frames. I printed pictures that were15.75"x19.75", 11.75"x15.75", 9.75"x20", and 7.5"x9.5", as well as a number of straightforward sizes (8"x10" and 5"x7"). Xiang let me make some crop corrections to my files right there on his Mac, showing me quickly how to set them up so that they would be easy for him to cut to fit my frames exactly. And he told me my prints would be ready for pickup the next morning. I ended up picking up the completed job /that night/. I was presented with each of my prints and given a chance to review the work. I am truly pleased with the results. The color pops, has real energy to it, and best of all I feel that I'm seeing (and feeling) that these prints convey what I saw and felt in the images. The color QUALITY is excellent. Coming home and placing the art in the frames confirmed that Luster's staff were careful about cutting my prints. Everything fit perfectly. The next morning I submitted a second job digitally around 10:15am and the job was ready for pickup at 1am. Wow! I would never expect that kind of service on a regular basis, but it seems to me that this is a shop focused on delivering the best possible turnaround times it can, which I very much appreciate. I would have paid a steep premium and still only received prints in 3-4 days from most online vendors, and in many cases I'd still have to tackle the cutting. I would say Luster's pricing is competitive with high quality online vendors and very competitive with other printers in the city. I am thrilled to have discovered Luster Photo and Digital and will certainly return, especially to print larger and atypically sized photographs. Such a positive experience! I highly recommend that you put this place at the top of your list. read more

My first experience has been pretty unfortunate and I don't think I'm going to repeat it. I took eight 120 rolls for developing here and two 35mm for developing and scanning. When I dropped them I made clear to not cut the negatives. I know that for some weird reason, photo labs tend to cut strips of 4-frames and my archival pages are designed for 6 frames stripes which is the common format in Europe. And also that is a format that works for me better when it comes to scanning. Despite my request they cut the 35mm negatives into 4 frames stripes. When I told them that that wasn't what I wanted they just said that there wasn't any note saying that... They never offered me any compensation. I hate to say this but I won't go back here and I will keep looking for another photo lab which listens to their clients requests. read more

Luster came to the rescue when I needed a rush job to have negatives digitalized . Not only was the job done well, but they were kind and accommodating and despite being on a busy Monday, did the job quickly. They were efficient and reassuring. I never have to worry when dealing with Luster on Ave A, they are intelligent and competent. read more

Overpriced with completely robotic and cold customer service. Unfriendly to regulars, with no understanding of nuances in customer service or human behavior. Nice prints but not worth the pricing and somewhat friendly service sometimes. I stopped going to them months ago, but I doubt things have changed. read more

I used to work at a record store, so I feel like I understand the mentality of a niche stronghold like Luster. It can't be easy competing in a tiny, competitive marketplace like photo finishing; the big names on the west side are tough to make inroads against. That said, I go out of my way twice a week to drop off at this place. What makes Luster special is their attention to small details in your experience with them--how many negatives in a strip, the cut and finish of your prints, the time you arrive to pick up, the time they spend with you on prints--and their consistently friendly service. It makes you almost take for granted that their work is outstanding. Walk into one of the midtown labs (or a record store, for that matter) and see what a siege mentality will do to people who run specialty shops. Then take a step back and check out Luster. read more

Printed two rolls of 120 and they were perfect. I even got a cute little box to put them in. I also bought two rolls of ektar (120) in store and they were a little expensive - but I was too lazy to walk anywhere else and they were fresh in the fridge. Guy in the store was super nice, will go again! read more

I mostly shoot medium format and do cross-processing with my film, so my review is mostly based on my experiences with those services. Luster have handled every order of mine flawlessly. They do all of their developing, including cross-processing in-house, which is almost unheard of in this day and age. And to top it off, same day pick-up is available for regular processing when they are not too busy. I've dropped off a few rolls 2 hours before closing time and gotten them back the same night. They do B&W processing once a day, so if you miss the deadline then it will have to be next day pick up. For printing, I've only gotten c-prints from them so I can't comment on it too much, but galleries get $10k+ prints from them, if that indicates anything. I used to use their scanning service too before I got my own dedicated film scanner. Film scanning is an art itself, a great scan takes a lot of time and attention. There's only so much can be done when bulk scanning, so don't expect too much if you are not getting a drum scan. Their pricing is not on the cheap side, but is definitely reasonable for a pro lab. read more