Film Archives - Page 2 of 3

Fuji Superia X-Tra 400 Color Negative Film

The ISO 400 film from Fujifilm, also known as Superia X-Tra, was considered a universal high-speed film during the era of film photography. It performed exceptionally well in many compact cameras with smaller apertures, and was versatile for both indoor and outdoor settings, whether for street photography or everyday gatherings. Fujifilm emphasizes that the X-Tra film has an extra layer of light-sensitive emulsion, which greatly improves its latitude and produces more natural color transitions.

Generally, color films have three emulsion layers – cyan, magenta, and yellow. However, the X-Tra film has an additional blue-sensitive layer, which significantly enhances its tolerance and allows for more delicate images in both bright and low-light conditions.

Compared to Fujifilm C200, the Superia X-Tra 400 film has an advantage in latitude and color reproduction, but its overall contrast is not outstanding since it is a high-cost performance film. It is positioned for family use, with a focus on natural skin tone reproduction. Personally, I really like its indoor performance – the colors are especially natural, and the film captures images with great precision.

The Fujifilm Superia X-Tra 400 is a high-speed film that produces fresh and natural-looking images, making it suitable for shooting situations that focus on people. Unfortunately, Fujifilm recently announced that they will stop producing this film, causing its stock prices to increase significantly.

Kodak Tri-x 400TX Black & White Film

kodak tri-x 400TX ＋ leica 21 f3.4 super angulon

Kodak Tri-X 400TX, the legendary black and white film, is included with the Leica 100th Anniversary Limited Edition M100 kit, which comprises of a Leica M-A and a Leica M Monochrom. Known as “the film that can be developed in water,” it is highly regarded in the photography industry and was favored by news reporters and Magnum photographers in the past. Its high dynamic range makes it especially useful for capturing candid and street photography, where there may not be time to adjust aperture and shutter speed.

While it has a wide dynamic range, it does not emphasize high and low lights, but rather has significant mid-tone contrast. This makes it suitable for both low and high contrast lenses. Although it may not be the sharpest film, it is still known for its sharpness.

One disadvantage of Kodak Tri-X 400TX is that its film base tends to curl, which makes it difficult to scan, especially with flatbed scanners like the Epson V series. However, the advantage of this curl is that the emulsion surface shrinks inward, reducing the risk of scratches and damage.

Fujicolor C200 Color Negative Film

Fuji C200 continues to be produced and is priced very affordably, making it a highly popular choice among film enthusiasts. Its fresh and elegant style is widely appreciated, although its consumer-grade film tolerates underexposure less well than professional-grade film, which can result in the loss of dark details. Nevertheless, the distinct taste of color negative film, including Fuji C200’s unique character, sets it apart from digital cameras. Interestingly, C200 is particularly adept at capturing clouds with layers, which I have found challenging to achieve with digital cameras. Furthermore, its resolution in sunlight is impressive, making it an excellent choice for summer photography, as it can capture delicate and warm details with ease.

It’s a great all around film for everyday shooting.  Great vividness across the entire spectrum, including vibrant reds, blues and yellows. Sharp depiction of all aspects of the subject from over all from to textural details. Beautiful, natural skin-tones rendition. Fine grain for a medium-speed film, providing consistently high quality even in enlargements. Accurate color reproduction even under fluorescent lights.

Best Budget Film
35mm format, ASA 200
Color print film
4 rolls of 24 exposures
CN-16 or C-41 processing

FUJICOLOR NATURA 1600 35MM FILM Advanced Film

FUJICOLOR NATURA 1600 35MM FILM +leica z2x

This film is exclusively available for purchase in Japan. It boasts an ISO rating of 1600, which can be expanded to 3200, making it quite impressive. The fact that film can achieve such high speeds is a blessing for lenses with small apertures.

Moonlight camera with moonlight film

The Fuji Natura camera, which is equipped with a 24mm lens and an f/1.9 aperture, is ideal for low-light situations, and it can automatically adjust to ISO 3200 when used with the Natura ISO 1600 film. This film can be used with any camera, either at ISO 1600 or 3200.

Indoor film

This film is well-suited for indoor and outdoor photography, particularly when used with pocket cameras, which tend to have smaller apertures. I often use this ISO 1600 film with my pocket camera for shooting at night or in low-light indoor settings.

Noise

To be honest, the grain of this ISO 1600 color film is not excessive, especially in low-light conditions. I actually like the grain, as it adds character to the images and is different from digital noise, which is often considered a nuisance. Additionally, Fuji has done an excellent job of managing the grain, resulting in a clean and textured look.

Color

Digital high ISO settings can often result in loss of color accuracy or saturation, but this is not a problem with film. The colors on the Fuji Natura 1600 film are vibrant and beautiful, with fewer visible grains under sunlight. The film performs well in both indoor and outdoor settings, producing vivid and lasting colors.

Film Format:	35 mm
Film Type:	Color Negative Film
ISO:	1600
Development:	C41 Color Negative Processing
Exposures:	36
The Fujifilm Natura 1600 35mm film is perfect for shooters who are looking for a reliable 35mm high speed film.

Lomography x-pro 200

Novel Aromas

In the decade when traditional film production declined and many companies went bankrupt in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Lomography, a trendy form of photography, became immensely popular among young people worldwide. However, it was not until around 2012, when photography filters and a deluge of Lomo-style apps flooded the market for smartphones, that Lomography’s rampant growth was truly challenged.

Today, people can easily switch to various Lomo filters on their phones, without realizing that the exaggerated colors they admire actually come from Lomo film. Few people now seem to intentionally experiment with Lomo film, except for software engineers who need to simulate Lomo effects.

Warm Currents in the Air

What defines true Lomo photography? My conclusion is that at least one of the following must be present: a plastic camera body, expired film, or cross-processed slide film. Lomo cameras have cute plastic bodies that leak light and can use pinhole or plastic lenses to produce unexpectedly artistic effects. Expired color film can also create vintage or surreal colors, and some Lomo enthusiasts enjoy collecting various expired rolls. All slide film can actually be cross-processed, and this process yields an astonishing impact on contrast, grain, and colors, giving rise to a unique artistic effect.

Lomography X-Pro 200 is a slide film that can be processed as a color negative (C-41) film, producing true Lomo photography. The film’s name, X-Pro, indicates that cross-processing is required to achieve Lomo effects. The cross-processed X-Pro 200 yields a healthy skin tone, rich teal, aged indigo, rough grain, and countless other emotional sensations that defy description.

Perfect Artworks or Perfect Feelings

Sadly, Lomography X-Pro 200 is now difficult to find, and if it is discontinued, it will be a great loss for many Lomo enthusiasts who cherish this film.

Stock up on the Lomography X-Pro Slide 200 135 format slide film for whacked out colors, huge contrast and insane saturation.
Film Type:	attribute_value_Color Slide Film
ISO:	200
DX code	No:
Development:	attribute_value_Cross Processing - C-41, Regular Processing - E6
Exposures:	12
Pack Size:	3

Kentmere Pan 400 Black and White Film

ISO 400 black and white film is a popular choice for capturing human subjects due to its high tolerance and larger grains. Kodak Tri-X 400 has gained a devoted following for its ability to handle push processing, allowing it to be used at ISO 800 or even pushed to ISO 3200. However, Kentmere 400, the film we are discussing today, is best used at its rated ISO 400 and should not be pushed beyond that. Its pricing reflects this recommendation.

Regarding Kentmere’s contrast, the film’s manufacturer remains a mystery, with some speculating it could be Ilford due to their shared UK base. Nonetheless, Ilford’s PAN 400 is considered to be of superior quality compared to Kentmere. Kentmere struggles with low-light situations and tends to produce deep blacks, leading to an overall high contrast look that can make images appear harsh, particularly when shooting with high contrast lenses or in high contrast scenes. Personally, I find it best to avoid using Kentmere in bright noon sunlight.

On the other hand, Kentmere 400 performs exceptionally well for indoor and subway portraits, creating a clean, bright look reminiscent of its white packaging. It appears to have a built-in half-stop yellow filter effect and also handles foggy weather with ease.

Kodak Proimage 100 Color Negative Film

I used to have a beautiful dream of making everyone I photographed look more beautiful than they really were. Achieving this is actually not difficult with Kodak Proimage film, which is excellent for capturing portraits with warm, healthy-looking skin tones. What’s more, this film is also reasonably priced!

A good portrait film should have several key features, such as warm tones that whiten the skin, fine grain that enhances detail, and excellent exposure latitude that allows for shallow depth of field. In all these aspects, Kodak Proimage performs exceptionally well. Kodak is renowned for its mastery of color, especially when it comes to capturing skin tones. The colors in Proimage are harmonious and transparent, creating a peaceful and comfortable atmosphere.

One of the outstanding qualities of Proimage is its well-balanced colors that never overpower the subject, resembling the soft hues of watercolor paintings. The colors are transparent and vibrant without being oily, reminiscent of a jar of colorful candies. Besides portraits, Proimage is also perfect for capturing landscapes and street scenes, creating a transparent and watercolor-like feel. Street scenes captured with Proimage exude a peaceful and calming ambiance, which is quite different from the vibrant and colorful look of Kodak Ultramax 400.

While Proimage’s ISO 100 film is ideal for capturing images in bright daylight, it can also be used at night with good results, thanks to its professional-grade quality and high tolerance for different lighting situations. Nonetheless, given its ISO 100 rating, it’s still advisable to use it during daytime shoots whenever possible.

flesh-tone reproduction, color accuracy, and saturation.
Intended for room temperature storage.
Excellent latent-image keeping characteristics.
Printing characteristics similar to those of Kodak gold films.
The film of choice for portrait and social photographers.

Kentmere 100 film from the UK

Kentmere 100 film has an average tolerance at best and can only be considered satisfactory. Choosing a film can be about selecting a particular style, and having all films be the same would be uninteresting. Street photographers reportedly appreciate the grain in this film.

When discussing black and white film, the development process is closely related. When I refer to the film’s tolerance and contrast, it’s based on my personal development habits and compared to other films.

While some people can use this film to create beautiful grayscale images through technical means, overall, Kentmere’s film has slightly high contrast, coarse grain, and a lower tolerance. Highlights are prone to overexposure, and shadows may be too dark. The contrast level is relatively high, and many people nowadays pursue a high-contrast effect, such as Daido Moriyama’s style.

35mm, ISO 100, medium contrast, black & white film. Suitable for most applications in good lighting conditions.

Medium speed ISO 100
Fine grain and good sharpness
Broad tonal range with good contrast
35mm cassettes and bulk lengths available

Kodak ULTRAMAX 400 Color Negative Film My First choice!

Using film in this day and age is a poetic act – without applause, everything depends on oneself. Judging from its packaging, this roll of film should perform exceptionally well with blue tones, owing to its blue-colored box. The film is versatile and easy to develop, providing excellent imaging in low-light situations and capable of producing beautiful photos with ordinary cameras. As a high-speed ISO400 film, it is well-suited for capturing moving objects with fast shutter speeds. The film exhibits vivid colors, high contrast, fine grains, and is particularly well-suited for portrait photography.

For a film with high latitude, some photographers intentionally “push” the UltraMax film to ISO25, creating a warm tone effect. Additionally, the ISO400 film can also be used as an ISO6400 film when necessary.

As most of my shooting time is spent on the road in the early morning and evening, I require a film with a high speed rating. While increasing the shutter speed can be achieved with a large aperture lens, this film can activate many small aperture lenses, including zoom PS pocket cameras.

Kodak has demonstrated great expertise in color photography, even with a film like UltraMax that is designed for speed.

This offer is for 3 24 exposure rolls of Kodak Color Print Film ISO 400.
Great pictures in sunlight or low light, in action or still; The world"s most versatile 400-speed film choice.
Great pictures in a wide range of lighting conditions; Better pictures in low light; Sharper pictures with moving subjects; Extended flash range for better flash pictures; Reduced effect of "camera shake"; Better depth of focus capabilities.
Bright, vibrant prints; Consistent color under most lighting conditions.