Kedrick: 11 - An Exploration of 35mm Film Stocks

Good afternoon to my companions! Today, on the eve of my 30th birthday, I thought for a moment about writing something introspective about my 20s. Maybe a moment for each year or something. But that's a lot of effort, and that idea just popped into my head now. The timing of this blog's due date is pure coincidence (maybe). Just know that I've thoroughly enjoyed this past decade that spans three years of college, living in a new city (and state) for the last seven years, making new friends, getting engaged, and getting married to my beautiful wife! Truthfully, the current season of my life began long before my 30th birthday and really started back when I met Lizzie in February 2022. My early 30s won't look very different from my late 20s, which is a terrific thing!! 

But I digress. The purpose of this blog is to both inform you all and document the results of my rigorous tests over the last five months. I want to tell you about some different 35mm film stocks. One of my favorite things about shooting film is how you can get a distinct & unique feel within your photos by shooting different types of film in different conditions. It takes away a lot of the post-processing Lightroom work because you really want to just let the features of each film stock shine without touching anything up too much!

What will follow is a description of each film stock I've tested, some picture samples (I've tried to include mostly photos taken with my Nikon, but some were taken with other cameras), and my overall thoughts on the film and its value for the price (even though the prices vary by a few dollars, it adds up). The only important technical jargon that you need to know is what ISO is. ISO is the sensitivity of the film to light, and it's represented by a numerical value. The lower the number, the less sensitive it is to light, which means you need to either expose the film to more harsh light (a bright sunny day) or expose it longer (let that shutter stay open for a while). Different film stocks have different ISOs, and that value informs when you should use each. ISO also impacts how much grain the film stock has. Films with a 100 ISO will have a much finer grain (less obvious grain) than 400 speed films.

The People's Champs

We're starting with the heavy hitters, folks. These film stocks have become tried and true. They also represent the best bang for your buck. Anyone looking to explore the world of film photography for the first time would do well to use these.

Kodak Ultramax 400

For a cheap color film stock, you do not need to look further than the undisputed People's Champ of 35mm color still photography, Ultramax. I love love love this film, and you can almost always pick up a 3-pack from B&H for $27. It performs incredibly well on point-and-shoot cameras, is insanely versatile (can handle a lot of different lighting conditions), and has that classic film grain that people shoot film for. It has high vibrance, contrast, and saturation, which can be a con for some people, but it's a pro in my book. I love shooting reds with this film.

ATL skyline with my Nikon

Shout out contrast

Punchy point-and-shoot

Great shadows

Ilford HP5

One of the two kings of black and white film. Although B&W film tends to be more expensive to develop, it is also much cheaper ($9/roll). The way I describe this film vs other black and white films is that HP5 offers more of a "grayscale" feel than pure black and white. This feature makes it the most consistent, in my opinion, but keep in mind I've only tested the two most common types of B&W film.

One of the my favorite pics

 

Another favorite with my Nikon and some HP5

Life-affirming

Kodak Tri-X 400

The other half of the black and white empire. Tri-X is punchy as hell. High contrast and a very clean, pure black and white film stock. My favorite fun fact about Tri-X is that this photo by Jim Marshall was taken with it. It's also around $9/roll and looks so good for that price, it's insane. Black and white photography is one of the main selling points of shooting with 35mm film, and I need to use it more!! This film has a coarser grain than HP5, which can be a good or bad thing based on personal preference. I've only shot this film once so far, which is a definite blind spot.

My first favorite photo. From my point-and-shoot in SF!

...also SF

Kodak Pro Image 100

The Photo Spot guy put me on to this film stock when I tried to buy a different 100 speed film, Kodak Ektachrome, which is one of two Kodak films I haven't shot yet! Ektachrome is famous for its extremely rich saturation. Pro Image represents a middle ground between that high saturation and the more "lifelike" colors that Kodak Portra's line offers (their "professional" film). At a price point of $10.50 per roll, it also offers excellent value. I have only shot this type once in Cozumel, but I will be going back to it.

An all-time classic

Handsome guy

Fun with double exposures

Kodak Gold 200

This one is my least favorite of this category, but the value is undeniable. You can pick up a 3-pack for around $25, which is the best value in the dang business. Candidly, I have probably sold this one short, but that's more because of my love for the rich saturation and versatility that Ultramax offers at a very similar price point. This film stock is at its best when you're taking golden hour photos since it already has a tinge of gold, hence the name. Or when you just want an affordable film with a finer grain that can handle some harsh lighting conditions.

Favorite from the only time I shot Gold with my Nikon

Thanks for the lighting shout, Q

Love those greens

The Professional & Specialty Corner

Unlike the People's Champs, these are either 1. more expensive per roll or 2. more limited in usage scenarios. They all have an important place in the film world and can give you some of the best pictures you'll ever take, but aren't necessarily budget-friendly picks!

Kodak Portra 400

This is the People's Champ but for pros. It has all the great features of Ultramax but with less saturation and a much finer grain. Both of those things can be a good thing, especially when photographing people. This type of film is the best there is at photographing realistic skin tones, hence its name being based on the word portrait. At a cost of around $15/roll (most of the time you have to buy 5 rolls for $75), it's more expensive than a People's Champ, but generally speaking, it's easily worth it. Best for special occasions like a fun trip or visiting a new city. The only roll I shot with this film stock using my Nikon was when I found out I had a light leak, so I haven't the chance to take a special picture with this yet. I used it to test my new point-and-shoot I found in a Minnesota vintage shop, though!!

Downtown Alexandria

The cabin from the lake

Companions!

Kodak Portra 160

I shot this for the first time in Minnesota and was obsessed with the results. One of the best rolls I've ever shot! The grain is so dang fine, but still very present. The colors are lifelike yet dreamy. It's at a similar price point as Portra 400 (this one is a little cheaper at $14/roll), but again, it's worth it for special occasions, like a fun sunny trip to the lake!

Instant all-timer status

Sunsets on the lake

Portrait of a Companion

CineStill 400D

This film is Kodak motion picture film but respooled into film for still photography. They also take off the "RemJet" layer so it can be processed the same way typical 35mm film is processed. This comes into play more when we look at 800T. 400D is a daylight-balanced film that can be purchased at the same price as Portra 400, which is sadly its main drawback. As much as I liked this film the first time I tried it, I don't think it can match the versatility of Portra. Still, it's super cool to shoot on motion picture stock, and the film makes it much more stylized than Portra. As if your photos are from a movie!

The Skyway at sunet

My favorite shot of the Chacchoben Mayan ruins.

Two thumbs up!

CineStill 800T

This one is special. The crowd favorite for night photography! Due to the removal of the RemJet layer, this film creates a "halation" effect when you shoot lights, which can be both good and bad. It's very good when distant light turns into a "bulb" of sorts, but not good when your subject is words that become a blobby mess. You also can't shoot this film stock during the day without the colors coming out extremely cool (very blue and green). That didn't stop me from trying that to see what it looked like, though! And you can get around that by buying a lens filter. Although its uses are more limited, when you shoot this in the right conditions, you'll get some of the best photos you'll ever take. I'll be shooting this one in the future.

Fireworks on film!

An excellent example of the halation effect is the lights above the pumps

Perfect example of the cool daytime colors contrasted against the warm-colored house!

 

If you've read this far, I appreciate your time, and I hope you learned something new. Let me know your thoughts on anything I've said or what your favorite samples were! I look forward to speaking with you all again soon.