The Best 35mm Film

You can think of film as the “last man standing” format. If you’ve ever used a roll of 35mm film, you know just how big this little rectangle of plastic is compared to our other digital formats. Sure, the technology that makes the image on a slide or filmstrip possible is no longer around, but 35mm film is still alive and well, albeit in a different form.

But what do you need to know when choosing the best 35mm film and how to choose the right one that can give you the vibe you want in the photos you take? Keep reading this buying guide, we bet you can find helpful information you are looking for. 

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: KODAK Color Plus 200

• Best Color Negative Film: KODAK GOLD 200

• Best Black-and-White: Ilford HP5 Plus

• Best Slide Film: Kodak Ektachrome E100G

• Best for Shooting in Low Light: Professional Portra 800 Color

• Best Budget: FUJIFILM 200

What to Consider When Choosing a 35mm Film?

Type of 35mm Film 

Color Negative Film

Color negative film is the most popular type because it's now the one that's most widely accessible, the typical example of this type is KODAK Color Plus 200. When you capture images with this kind of film, you will see the colors on it inverted. The majority of photographic shops can reasonably develop color-negative (C-41) prints for you at an affordable price compared to other types.

If you really adore taking black and white pictures, you'll be happy to learn that black and white film is inexpensive and simple to obtain. Kodak, Lford, and Fuji are the three leading manufacturers of black and white films. You can try each one to discover the ideal film for you. The best pick we want to recommend to you is Ilford HP5 Plus.

Slide Film

Slide film (a.k.a color reversal film, or transparency film) like the Kodak Ektachrome E100G is a positive film which is undoubtedly the most costly kind of film available. So, you shouldn't begin here. Slide film has the benefit of allowing you to view the image you took just like a regular photograph on the film. This positive color film can occasionally be more difficult to get, and not all photography stores and labs are able to process this film.

Film Speed

The "film speed" in film photography is the ISO (International Standards Organization), the measurement of a film's sensitivity to light. The ISO is also equal to ASA (American Standards Association) ratings (ASA). So you can see either one of these terms in a film or film camera.

Slow-speed films often refer to films with ISO levels between 100 and 200, like the Kodak Pro Image 100. These speeds are perfect for photographing motionless things and outdoor landscapes. In addition, if the weather is exceptionally sunny, they might be a wonderful option. The film catches detail better because it takes longer to absorb light. So, you should photograph with the lowest ISO setting if you intend to enlarge such photos.

Medium film speed is ISO 400, take the Fujifilm Superia X-TRA 400 as an example. This works in indoor lighting settings, cloudy days, and any mixture of the two. This speed rating is perhaps the ideal for overall use. It's not suitable for motion photos or really bright days, though.

Fast film speed, for example: ISO 800 like the Kodak PORTA 800, offers great light sensitivity. It works well for low-light conditions or moving scenes. But it is too grainy to be enlarged. A bright sunny day will make the photograph look overexposed so don't use it for that day.

You might see on each film box, they will have a certain ISO rating. Some call that "box speed", which indicates the recommended ISO for that particular film. This number is only true when the film is on date. When the film expires, the sensitivity to light rating decreases. 

Exposure Count

Last but not least, pay attention to the exposure count. This indicates the number of pictures your selected film will let you capture. Typically, a film roll has 24 or 36EX (like FUJIFILM 200), some might be 12. You will pay the same for processing a film roll of a certain type regardless of exposure count, so let's choose one with at least 24 counts! 

35mm Film FAQs

1. Do 35mm films expire?

All film has a lifespan, so to ensure the photos you take will look good, we advise keeping your film in the refrigerator. You may still use expired film; in fact, buying rolls of expired or soon-to-expire film is an excellent way to save money on rolls. However, with time, the colors start to fade and the quality starts to decline. Even if your film is outdated, the best approach to preserve its quality is to keep it preserved in a cool environment.

2. Can the same film be shot twice?

Double shooting a film is relatively easy to achieve with older manual cameras since they let you stay in the same frame between photographs. However, more recent cameras include a shutter cocking lever and a film advance mechanism that work together to prohibit capturing more than one picture in a single frame.

3. Will 35mm film be harmed by X-RAY?

Film can be quickly damaged by the X-ray scan when checking luggage at the airport, and adjustments cannot be done at the processing lab. We usually advise having your film hand-checked, particularly if your trip plans demand several x-ray scans.

Final Thought

Shooting film offers a lot of fun for any analog photographer, and one of the reasons we do this is because the choice of film can completely alter the mood of the pictures you produce. The recommended film below is not all you can pick, there are a wide range of options out there that can meet your needs. Experimenting with different films of any kind can help you pick the favorite 35mm film.