If you consider the very best 35mm movie (opens in new tab), you may effectively instantly consider Kodak Portra. That is the movie of the second, massively fashionable on social media and photo-sharing websites similar to Instagram. This reputation has turn into a double-edged sword, one one hand, it’s serving to revitalize the movie pictures business, however on the opposite, it’s pushing movie to increased and better costs as demand grows and provides dwindle.
Kodak Portra 400 is a daylight-balanced coloration movie out there in 35mm, 120, 220, 4×5 in, and 10×8 in codecs. Launched in 1998 primarily for portrait and marriage ceremony use, with its emphasis on nice pores and skin tones. Portra can also be out there in 160 and 800 ISOs.
The trendy model of Kodak Portra 400 was launched in 2010 to switch the earlier Pure Coloration (NC) and Vibrant Coloration (VC) variations, with a extra balanced coloration profile, with an emphasis on producing pure pores and skin tones. Kodak additionally claims a finer grain and improved sharpness over the NC and VC.
The brand new Portra was launched to deal with the fashionable methodology of scanning slides and enhancing and printing the ensuing photos from digital recordsdata. The 2010 Portra affords higher scanning efficiency with higher distinction and coloration saturation for digital printing, whereas the earlier NC and VC variations have been designed with darkroom printing in thoughts.
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Kodak Portra 400 Specs
Pace: 400/27°
Sort: Coloration
Codecs: 35mm, 120, 220, 4×5 in, 10×8 in
Grain: “Very Effective”
Saturation: “Balanced”
Utility: Portraiture, Journey
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Kodak Portra 400 Efficiency
As a movie photographer who principally shoots scenic views and my companions whereas touring, I’ve used Kodak Portra 400 for years because it affords gorgeous coloration copy for out of doors scenes and pores and skin tones. The movie has a reasonably correct and pure coloration profile, with a hotter tone and colours that lean on the extra saturated aspect, with greens and blues tending to ‘pop’ greater than in actuality, however that is no dangerous factor, because the outcomes are implausible. Its rendition of pores and skin tones is great, it has its personal ‘type’ that’s barely creamier than in actuality, however the outcomes are very pleasing.
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Additionally an extremely versatile movie, I really feel very snug overexposing my Portra 400 to get blown-out highlights, the movie handles one or two stops of underneath and over publicity with ease. The movie additionally seems to be very constant, producing dependable photos even in various temperatures and lighting conditions, though finest outcomes are achieved in vibrant daylight, the place this movie actually shines.
This can very a lot rely on the lens used, however the movie’s sharpness in testing was wonderful, with nice distinction all through the picture. The pattern photos have been a mixture of daylight and low gentle ambient lit photos, the movie did effectively in every with very high-quality grain observable at regular viewing distances.
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Kodak Portra 400 Pattern photos
Under are a collection of photos all shot on Kodak Portra 400 movie utilizing a wide range of cameras together with the Canon AE-1, Pentax ME Tremendous, and Canon AF35ML.
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Kodak Portra 400 Verdict
Kodak Portra 400 is maybe essentially the most overhyped movie proper now, however for good purpose. Providing one of many best and most versatile movies to shoot with, with beautiful coloration saturation that may convey out essentially the most in your photos. You may underneath and over-expose the movie to good impact with out ruining the distinction.
Nevertheless the movie is reaching eye-wateringly costly costs as a result of its reputation, and Kodak not having the ability to make sufficient to maintain provides topped up. So extra savvy movie photographers may need to have a look at different color-negative movies that do not fairly have the identical degree or furor round them.
Love capturing movie? You may additionally just like the finest darkroom tools, the finest movie scanners and the finest Lomography cameras.