revised March 20, 2002
Literally hundreds of consumers have posted messages in our online forum about Clark Color Labs. Most of the comments fall into four broad categories:

People Trying to Contact Clark
There is really only one Clark Color Lab - with a whole bunch of postal mail boxes around the country. People naturally think Clark has a photo lab near them. Mail is picked up from those PO Boxes and forwarded to Clark by courier.

Clark Color Lab is the mail order subsidiary of District Photo in Beltsville, Maryland. No matter where you send your order, all film is processed at the following location: Clark Color Labs, 10501 Rhode Island Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705-2389. The toll free number (unverified) is reported to be 800-332-6567. Another phone number is (301) 937-5300 and the fax is (301) 937-5627.

A reader reports their phone numbers have changed.
Washington, DC - 301/595-5300
Beltsville, MD - 301/289-2122

Clark Color Laboratories has a web site and provides an online form for contacting them. Please write them directly. The ACE Index has no connection with Clark Labs.

District Photo is also the parent company of York Photo. This mail order photofinisher also uses post office boxes in eleven US cities to gather orders for forwarding to York Photo Labs in Parkersburg, West Virginia.

People Complaining About Clark
We've read hundreds of anecdotes from consumers who have used Clark Photo Labs. (See ACE's Message Forum for the latest.) Some tell of lost or missing film, scratched negatives, damaged film sprockets, bad prints, floppy disks which are either empty or can't be opened, others report getting back someone else's pictures instead of theirs, etc.

By far, the largest single complaint about Clark is an inability to contact the company about processing which hasn't come back yet, or a problem with an order recently received.

If you mailed film to Clark and haven't received your order, the first thing you must determine is whether they cashed your check. If not, Clark Labs most likely did not receive the film. Blame the post office.

If Clark (or any lab) loses your film, you'll need a detailed description of exactly what is on the negatives to help them in their search.

Please do not post messages about Clark Color Labs in our forum. We have repeatedly answered the question "How do I contact Clark?" There is nothing more we can do. The volume of messages requires that some must be removed. This leads to accusations of censorship. ACE is a business, not a support group.

People Thinking We Are Clark
Please don't write and claim we've cashed your check and ask us where your film is. The ACE Index has no connection with Clark Color Labs, except to be in the position of having hundreds of people post their Clark experiences in our user forum.

People Praising Clark
Surprising as it may seem to some, we've had a fair number of Clark customers relating positive experiences. Even many of the people with complaints have started their letters with the statement "I have been using Clark for many years and have never had a problem with their service until now...." Here's a recent letter:

"I have to tell you I got a response from e-mail I sent to Clark with a phone number to call (or a request for me to e-mail them my phone number and they would call me.) I just got off the phone with their customer service department. They were very helpful and are going ahead and developing my 6 rolls of film that arrived there without a check (that I had enclosed of course) at no charge to me! The one envelope arrived ripped, and three rolls of film arrived without an envelope or instructions (thank goodness for the labels they sent me to put on each roll of film!) So everyone can complain all they want about Clark, but as I see it, they are bending over backwards to resolve this for me." - Carole

People use mail order film processors because of the convenience. Clark is one of the highest volume, least expensive mail order photo labs in the country.

(See Avoiding Problems with All Photo Labs.)