Liability

Effective · July 30, 2026 · Last updated · July 30, 2026

1 · How developing, scanning & printing work

We handle customer materials carefully. Developing, scanning and printing involve physical materials, chemistry and equipment, so some factors cannot be completely controlled.

Careful procedure is most of the job: consistent chemistry, maintained machines, checked temperatures, a photographer's eye on the scans before they go out. That's what a lab is for, and it's why the great majority of work runs without incident. What follows is an honest account of the parts that sit outside that control — not a warning, just the shape of the medium.

2 · Factors outside our control

Some conditions arrive with the film, long before it reaches us. Grouped roughly, they include:

• In camera — camera or shutter malfunction, exposure problems, loading mistakes, incorrect rewinding, light leaks.
• The film itself — expired stock, physically damaged film, unknown prior storage or handling, non-standard or experimental materials, incorrect film identification.
• Environment and transit — heat, water, humidity, airport X-ray or CT scanner exposure, contamination including remjet.
• Order information — film submitted under the wrong process, or instructions that don't match the material.

Where one of these is the cause, it isn't a Graination service failure — but we'll tell you what we're seeing on the negative, because knowing which of these it was is usually worth more than an apology.

3 · Normal variation vs a service error

Scanning and printing involve interpretation as well as measurement, and it's worth separating three different things.

Pre-existing issues — bad exposure, a camera fault, damaged film, a light leak. These came in with the roll.

Normal technical and aesthetic variation — colour, contrast, density, crop, grain rendering, sharpening, dust visibility, and differences between scanners, monitors, printers, papers and viewing light. Reasonable variation of this kind isn't automatically a service failure. If a scan isn't reading the way you want it to, tell us — that's a conversation, not a complaint.

An actual service error on our part — this we don't disclaim. Nothing in this policy reduces Graination's obligation to provide its services to the standard required by applicable law.

4 · Irreplaceable materials

Exposed film, negatives, slides, photographs, original artwork and other materials submitted to Graination may be unique or irreplaceable. We know, and it shapes how the lab is run.

5 · If something goes wrong

If you believe an issue was caused by our developing, scanning, printing or handling of your materials, contact us as soon as reasonably possible so we can investigate. Early looks tell us more — negatives, files and processing records are all easier to read close to the event.

Please include your order number, a description of what you're seeing, and supporting photographs or files where they'd help.

Where we determine that an issue was caused by us, we'll review the circumstances in good faith and work with you toward a fair resolution. Depending on the situation, that might include:

• correcting the work;
• re-scanning or reprinting;
• re-performing a service where that's possible;
• a refund or partial refund;
• replacement film or product;
• store credit;
• another reasonable solution we agree on.

Which of these fits depends on what happened, so we don't publish a fixed compensation chart — a re-scan solves some problems completely and others not at all.

Indirect and consequential value. To the extent permitted by law, Graination isn't responsible for indirect, consequential, speculative, sentimental or lost-opportunity losses that aren't legally recoverable. The value attached to a set of images can reach well beyond the price of the service, and we're a lab rather than an insurer of that value. Rights that can't legally be excluded are always preserved.

6 · Events outside reasonable control

Some events genuinely sit outside a lab's control: major power or utility failure, fire, flood, severe weather, natural disaster, building emergency, government restriction, major carrier disruption, and sudden equipment failure despite reasonable maintenance. Where one of these delays or prevents performance, we aren't responsible for the resulting delay — though we'll communicate and work through it with you.

This doesn't cover ordinary planning, routine staffing shortages or preventable maintenance failures, and it doesn't apply where Graination failed to exercise the standard of care required by law.

7 · Your legal rights

Nothing in this policy removes or limits any right or remedy that cannot legally be waived, including rights under Ontario consumer protection law.

8 · Contact

• Graination Inc.
• BSMT-204 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2C2, Canada
• contact@graination.ca · (647) 426-1277

This page explains how we handle responsibility for your materials. The full Terms & Conditions cover all orders.