What Colour Film Should I Use?

A One-Stop Shop Guide To the Top 5 Colour Films For Different ProjecTs

Kodak Ektar 100

Ektar 100, introduced by Kodak in 2008, is a colour negative film renowned for its exceptionally high colour saturation and sharpness. It offers an ISO speed rating of 100, making it ideal for shooting in strong light conditions. Ektar's ultra-vivid colour reproduction and remarkably fine grain make it a top choice for nature photographers, travel enthusiasts, and anyone seeking to capture rich, vibrant colours. The emulsion is also well-regarded for its wide exposure latitude, providing versatility across different lighting conditions.

Kodak Portra 400

First released in 1998 and improved over the years, Kodak's Portra 400 is a professional-grade colour negative film prized for its natural skin tones and soft colour palette. With an ISO of 400, Portra is a versatile film for various lighting situations. Its fine grain and beautiful colour reproduction make it a popular choice for portrait and fashion photography. The film's wide exposure latitude also allows for great results even when over or underexposed.

Fujichrome Provia 100F

Provia 100F, manufactured by Fujifilm, is a professional daylight-balanced colour reversal film with an ISO rating of 100. Renowned for its moderate colour saturation and contrast, it provides excellent detail rendition and grain structure, yielding crisp and clear images. It's particularly favoured by photographers for landscape and nature photography due to its ability to capture subtle details and tones. It also offers a broader latitude than most slide films, which aids in handling diverse lighting conditions.

Fujichrome Velvia 50

Fujichrome Velvia 50, also produced by Fujifilm, is a professional slide film celebrated for its ultra-high color saturation and contrast. With an ISO rating of 50, it's best used in bright lighting conditions. It's praised for its superb rendition of vibrant colours, making it a go-to for landscape and nature photographers seeking vivid, almost surrealistic, image quality. Velvia 50, however, has a narrow exposure latitude requiring precise metering.

Cinestill 800T

Cinestill 800T is a unique colour negative film with a tungsten balance, designed for low light and night-time photography. The film, with an ISO of 800, is a repurposed motion picture film, creating cinematic aesthetics in still photography. Its halation effect, created by the removal of the anti-halation layer, lends a distinct dreamy glow around bright lights in a scene. Despite its relative graininess, it excels in rendering warm and rich colours under artificial lighting.