Film photography has made a huge comeback in recent years. Some photographers have even given up all their digital goods for a full investment in analog. There is a depth in analog that you will never be able to achieve with digital. There are colors and tones that Lightroom presets envy on a daily basis.
Even though it may seem that many photographers are trading-in SD cards for film rolls, film itself is suffering right now. Every couple of months more film stock is lost, and what we have left is only a small fraction; not to mention that it seems impossible to find a decent place to develop film that isn’t 25 miles away from your home.
Pop Photo compiled a list of 12 rolls of film that need to be tried out before the source runs dry, so I’ve gathered 5 of my favorite films that every analog camera should have on its bucket list.
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Perfect film if you want that added little extra fine grain of texture, saturated colors and great latitude. If you accidentally over or underexpose the film by a few stops, the Kodak Portra 400 will definitely handle it and still look good. Great film for capturing portraits.
The fine grain and contrast on the Kodak T-Max 400 gives your crystal clear photos. If you want a more realistic touch with your photography, this would be the go-to black and white film for your spool.
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic film with much versatility, although some might say it’s for film photography students, the Tri-X has nice tonal response, perfect sized grain, and superb contrast. If you want that old-school look, this film will meet all your needs. Now, make sure to use it before it expires, as this one doesn’t create artsy looking photographs after that date.
Kodak Ektar 100
Type: Color negative film
Price: $5.50 per 36-exposure roll
The Kodak Ektar 100 gives out a nice vibrant color, especially in red and blue tones. Go-to film for landscape and architecture photography, your photos will definitely pop. Not a suggested film for beginners to try, as the exposure needs to be spot-on, and doesn’t handle underexposing well. Best to bring a light meter with you when using it.
Get out and enjoy the sun with the Lomography Color 100 Negative Film, smooth grain and strong contrast of colors. Great experimental film to add flash with, creating some artsy blown-out effects.
What rolls of film do you shoot with that you would recommend others to try out?
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