The 35mm film landscape in 2026 is richer than it's been in decades. Between legacy stalwarts, reformulated classics, and genuinely new emulsions, photographers have real choices — and those choices matter. Different stocks render colors, grain, and contrast in meaningfully different ways that can't be fully replicated in post-processing.
This comparison focuses on practical shooting characteristics for each stock. All prices are approximate retail in the US market.
Note: Film prices have been fluctuating significantly in recent years. Prices listed are approximate as of April 2026. Please check current prices before purchasing.
Color Negative Film (C-41)
Color negative film is processed in the same C-41 chemistry regardless of manufacturer, making it easy to lab or self-develop. The differences are entirely in the emulsion.
Kodak Gold 200
Price: ~$10–12 per roll | ISO: 200
The reformulated Kodak Gold 200 — relaunched in 35mm after years of availability only in other markets — has become a favorite for its warm, saturated palette. Shadows lean amber, skin tones glow, and saturated scenes take on a distinctly vintage quality. It's not the most neutral stock, but that's precisely the point. Best in bright daylight; struggles a bit in overcast conditions where its warmth can feel muddy.
Best for: Outdoor portraits, travel, everyday life in good light
Kodak ColorPlus 200
Price: ~$7–9 per roll | ISO: 200
The budget option in Kodak's lineup, ColorPlus 200 is essentially a consumer-grade version of older Kodak formulas. Colors are warm but slightly less saturated than Gold. Grain is moderate for ISO 200. For the price, it consistently punches above its weight. If you're shooting casually and want to keep costs manageable, this is the stock to reach for.
Best for: Casual shooting, beginners, high-volume practice
Kodak Ultramax 400
Price: ~$15 per roll | ISO: 400
Ultramax is Kodak's reliable all-rounder. The colors are warm without being extreme — a bit of amber in the shadows, natural skin tones, slightly saturated reds and greens. At ISO 400, it handles varied lighting conditions well and produces a grain structure that's visible but pleasing. One of the most forgiving films on the market: you can overexpose it by 2–3 stops and still get clean results.
Best for: Everyday shooting, mixed lighting, the default choice when you're not sure what to load
Kodak Portra 400
Price: ~$15–17 per roll ($70–80 for a 5-pack) | ISO: 400
The gold standard for portrait and wedding photographers, Portra 400 offers exceptional grain — remarkably fine for a 400-speed film — and a color palette engineered around accurate, flattering skin tones. Where Ultramax pushes saturation, Portra leans toward fidelity and subtlety. The tonal range is wide, and the film handles overexposure gracefully (many photographers rate it at ISO 200–320 deliberately). This is the stock you reach for when results truly matter.
Best for: Portrait work, weddings, events, any situation where skin tone accuracy is critical
Kodak Ektacolor Pro
Price: Starting at ~$16.99 per roll | ISO: 400
Introduced in 2026 as a rebrand of the Portra line, Kodak Ektacolor Pro carries forward the same exceptional emulsion characteristics that made Portra the go-to for professional portrait and wedding work. If you're familiar with Portra, expect the same fine grain, accurate skin tones, and wide exposure latitude — just under a new name. As of this writing, Ektacolor Pro has not yet shipped — we're looking forward to trying it when it becomes available.
Best for: Professional portrait work, events, wherever Portra 400 was your previous choice
Kodak Portra 160
Price: ~$16–20 per roll | ISO: 160
Everything Portra 400 does well, Portra 160 does with even finer grain and slightly richer shadow detail. The lower speed limits its usefulness in dim conditions, but in good light — especially golden hour — Portra 160 produces some of the most technically beautiful color negatives available. If you're shooting outdoors with plenty of light and want the maximum quality available in 35mm color negative, this is it.
Best for: Outdoor portraits, editorial work, controlled lighting environments
Fujifilm 400
Price: ~$13–15 per roll | ISO: 400
Fuji's consumer workhorse sits at the cooler, more neutral end of the color spectrum compared to Kodak's offerings. Greens are particularly clean and accurate, blues render naturally, and skin tones are pleasant without the warmth push you get from Kodak stocks. It's slightly less forgiving of overexposure than Ultramax, but the results in properly exposed scenes are excellent. A great choice if you prefer cooler, more neutral color rendition.
Best for: Landscapes, greenery, architecture, photographers who prefer cooler tones
CineStill 800T
Price: ~$16–18 per roll | ISO: 800 (tungsten-balanced)
Cinestill is cinema film re-spooled for still cameras, and it shows. The remjet layer has been removed (which enables standard C-41 processing), but the result is the characteristic halation effect — a reddish glow around bright light sources — that has become a signature look in contemporary film photography. The tungsten balance creates a blue cast in daylight that many find beautiful. At ISO 800, it handles low light impressively.
Best for: Night photography, street scenes with artificial light, anyone who wants that unmistakable cinematic glow
Black-and-White Film
Kodak Tri-X 400
Price: ~$13–15 per roll | ISO: 400
One of the most historically significant films ever made, Tri-X has been in production since 1954. The grain is bold and expressive — what many photographers mean when they talk about "classic film grain." Contrast is high, which suits street photography and journalism. It pushes well to ISO 1600 and even 3200 with characteristic results. If you want your black-and-white images to look like they were shot by a photojournalist in the 1960s, load Tri-X.
Best for: Street photography, documentary, high-contrast scenes
Ilford HP5 Plus 400
Price: ~$10–12 per roll | ISO: 400
The perennial recommendation for black-and-white beginners, HP5 combines wide exposure latitude with a pleasing grain structure that's slightly finer and more even than Tri-X. It can be pushed to ISO 3200 and still produces usable results. The tone curve is somewhat gentler than Tri-X, making it more forgiving in high-contrast situations. An honest, versatile film that excels in almost any situation.
Best for: Beginners, varied conditions, any photographer wanting a reliable all-rounder
Ilford Delta 400
Price: ~$13–15 per roll | ISO: 400
Delta 400 uses Ilford's T-grain technology for a finer, more uniform grain structure than HP5. The result is a cleaner, more modern-looking black-and-white image — less gritty, more polished. Shadow detail is excellent. If you prefer contemporary, technically refined black-and-white results over a classic grainy aesthetic, Delta 400 is worth trying.
Best for: Portraits, controlled environments, photographers who want minimal grain
Kodak T-Max P3200
Price: ~$16–18 per roll | ISO: 3200 (EI)
The fastest film on this list — and genuinely useful for concert photography, dark interiors, and available-light portraits. T-Max P3200 is actually optimized for exposure at ISO 1600–3200 (or higher with push processing), and the grain, while prominent at those speeds, is structured and intentional rather than random. When you need speed above everything else, this is the stock.
Best for: Concert photography, low-light interiors, maximum speed situations
Keeping Track of What You're Shooting
When you're rotating through multiple stocks — testing a few rolls of Portra against Ultramax, or comparing Tri-X to HP5 in the same light — having a record of what you shot and your impressions becomes valuable quickly. Logging your film stocks and shooting conditions in Latent helps you build a personal reference that turns experimentation into systematic knowledge. The stock management workflow tracks each roll from purchase through development, so you have a complete record of what you used and when.
Summary: Which Stock for Which Situation
| Situation | Recommended Stock |
|---|---|
| Budget color shooting | Kodak ColorPlus 200 |
| Versatile everyday color | Kodak Ultramax 400 |
| Portrait / skin tones | Kodak Portra 400 |
| Landscapes / cool tones | Fujifilm 400 |
| Night / artificial light | CineStill 800T |
| Black-and-white beginner | Ilford HP5 Plus 400 |
| Classic gritty grain | Kodak Tri-X 400 |
| Low light / concerts | Kodak T-Max P3200 |
The best film is the one in your camera. Stop comparing and start shooting — your real preferences will emerge through direct experience faster than any comparison chart can predict.