For Photographers

For Photographers: Comparing Film Stocks

By February 1stOctober 18th, 2020No Comments

When I first began shooting film, I could see difference between different sets of photos, but I found it hard to to discern which difference were to be attributed to the film stock, which were caused by differences in lighting circumstances, which elements were impacted by the exposure methods, and what parts of the photo were determined by the way the film had been scanned. The difference between film stocks is subtle. If you’re new to film and noticing big difference between sets of film scans, you are likely experiencing inconsistency in exposure, lighting, or scanning.

Let’s talk a little bit about a few of the different film stocks, when shot and processed under similar coniditions:

Fuji 400h
Consistently balmy with a tinge of peachy pink. At f/2 on the Contax, creamy and pastel. The Jose Villa look if that’s what you love. I shoot it rated at 200 or sometimes even lower.

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Portra 800
I always love this stock, especially when there is limited light. Per my Color PAC with RPL, the lab knows that I want the images I shoot on this stock to match my Fuji as closely as possible, but you can see that it’s a tiny bit warmer which can be quite beautiful. I shoot Portra 800 rated at 640 or 400, mostly indoors or at dusk or twilight.

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Ilford XP2 (400 speed)
I love this versatile color negative black and white. It looks great pushed, even up to 3200.

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Delta 3200
Soft and grainy. Timeless and sweet.

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Portra 400
This stock tends to be a bit sharper and more contrasty. It’s warm and smooth. Digital shooters who switch to film often love this one. It works well shot at box speed or just a little overexposed (rated around 320).

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