I’ve been very keen to write about this topic, because whether I like it not, high ISO film is often an inescapable fact-of-film-life here in Ireland & UK, as it’s habitually cloudy and overcast.
So over the last 2 years, I’ve amassed enough real-world photos & experience to offer some help & guidance on high ISO 35mm negatives. I hope this blog post helps !
The Contestants
Now, when I say high ISO, I mean anything above ISO 200 … so that rules out all the usual bunch of Gold’s, Ektars, colourful Lomo’s, etc. I’ll be honest and say that being an amateur photographer, budget is an important part of the film negative decision process too.
To that end here’s the five contestants I have to hand:
| 35mm Film Name & Brand | Film ISO / Speed | Approx. Retail Price 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuji Superia | 400 | €9-€11 |
| Kodak Ultramax | 400 | €10-€12 |
| Kodak Portra 400 | 400 | €14-€16 |
| Lomography Color Negative 800 | 800 | €14-€20 |
| Fuji Pro 400H | 400 | €15-€25 |
The first disclaimer is that I never got an opportunity to photograph the same subject in the same lighting, and make precise pixel-to-pixel comparisons. That said, I’m not shy about shooting in low-light, night and tough high-contrast situations, so I’ve got a solid understanding of how the films behave.
Fuji Superia
So this is cheapest of the bunch, but wow does it packs a punch, I’m very impressed with how this 35mm film handles itself. On a trip to Paris, it handled dark interiors with ease, catching surprising amounts of details, and very acceptable dynamic range 💯.
| ISO Rating | 400 |
| Colour Tone | Tends to be be a little be a colder blue in tones, with accents of yellows |
| Grain | Very smooth and very fine, looks like an ISO 200 film not 400 |
| Details & Edges | Fantastic details and great edge sharpness |
Kodak Ultramax
This is the high ISO film stock practically all of us start with, as it’s familiar and ubiquitous. It’s genuinely great for those walk-about photos on overcast days, and interestingly enough pretty good for flash photography, with pleasing skin-tones 📷.
| ISO Rating | 400 |
| Colour Tone | Tends to be a somewhat yellow, with blues taking on a cyan accent |
| Grain | Very noticeable especially in skies & clouds, while not entirely off-putting, it’s definitely something you will not be able to ignore |
| Details & Sharpness | Nice details and very good sharpness |
Kodak Portra 400
The image quality, as you’d expect from Kodak Portra 400, genuinely lives up to the hype – it’s quite phenomenal. I’ve put this film in punishing light situations and it’s never let me down – the dynamic range is great.
That said, it’s not the best choice for daylight landscape photography, as the colours are very warm, and need tweaking in post process – unless you’re photographing sunsets 😉
| ISO Rating | 400 |
| Colour Tone | Tends to be a very yellow with accents of orange |
| Grain | Superior fine grain, almost like ISO 100 film – quite amazing really |
| Details & Sharpness | Simply superb details and excellent edge sharpness |
Lomography 800
Now this recent addition to my 35mm film journey has surprised me the most – the versatility of box-speed, 800, colour, film is something never to be ignored. For me, this film has made the impossible possible – capturing images handheld, that I wouldnt have dreamt of !
Now make no mistake, the grain is noticeable, however, it’s very similar to Kodak Ultramax and manageable.
| ISO Rating | 800 |
| Colour Tone | Tends to have accents of blue and yellow. I would also add that it has punchy colours at night, but less so during the day. |
| Grain | Very noticeable in featureless areas, similar to Kodak UltraMax, and something you will not be able to ignore |
| Details & Sharpness | Good details and pleasant edge sharpness |
Fuji Pro 400h
I found this now-discontinued film, to be in the same league as Kodak Portra 400 – the image quality is simply stunning, considering it’s ISO 400. In addition, as I’m more of a landscape photographer, the dynamic range is fantastic, and colour tones of 400h are definitely more suited to forests & mountains, than Portra 400.
| ISO Rating | 400 |
| Colour Tone | Tends to be have green accents and hints of yellow. |
| Grain | Similar to Kodak Portra 400, superior fine grain, almost like ISO 100 film |
| Details & Sharpness | Simply superb details and excellent edge sharpness |
Conclusion
Considering it’s 2022 there’s still a useful array of high ISO colour film available for everybody, suitable for all styles of photography and budget. It’s simply all about figuring out how much you want to spend, and whether your choice will give you the best flexibility & image style.
I hope these insights, from my own personal experience, helps somewhat. Until my next post, keep shooting film !
Paul
Irish Analog Adventures 