Film isnโt dead, but it’s been through a lot. The last 15 years have seen film sales fall off a cliff, producers like Kodak and Fujifilm have been thrown into a sink-or-swim situation, and other once-great film manufacturers like Agfa have faded into obscurity.
Products in the Guide
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Kodak Portra 400 (5-Pack)
Best All-Around Color Negative 35mm Film
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Kodak Professional Ektar 100
Sharpest 35mm Color Negative Film
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Fujifilm Fujicolor C200 (3-pack)
Best 35mm Film for Beginners
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Fujifilm Fujichrome Provia 100F
Best All-Around Color Reversal 35mm Film
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Fujifilm Fujichrome Velvia 100
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Kodak Professional Tri-X 400
Best Black and White 35mm Film
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Ilford Delta 3200
Best Black and White 35mm Film for Low Light
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Ilford PanF 50
Best High Resolution Black and White 35mm Film
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Foma Fomapan Foma 100
Best Budget Black and White 35mm Film
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But even as Kodak cut its iconic Kodachrome and Fuji concentrated its efforts into a few select films, thereโs been a resurgence in use. Adopters and re-adopters alike have cited renewed joy for photography, minimized post-processing, pleasantly surprising results and the relatively low cost of camera equipment (compared to equivalent digital cameras) as reasons theyโve picked up celluloid again.
While the number of great film stocks has changed a lot over the past few years, there are a number of great options that are all available in the classic 35mm format (and some on 120 rolls as well). Here are the best places to start.
Why Is 35mm the Film Standard?
The vast majority of film cameras today shoot 35mm film, which is a standard of film that has been around for over 100 years. This format continues to be immensely popular for a number of reasons. It’s small, compact and comes in a canister that’s transportable and easy for photographers to load (unlike larger film formats like 120). Each canister carries 24 or 36 exposures, which is quite a lot in comparison. There is a wide variety of types of 35mm film to choose from, including monochrome, color or another with a special effect. And, maybe most importantly, it’s relatively inexpensive.