Great article, and as a man who shoots film and rides road bikes I love the header image. Related: 5 Great 35mm Film Cameras for Beginners! I completely agree that it makes shooting film fun because you’re pretty much guaranteed you’ll get excellent photos. Jack of all trades, but master of none. In photographic terms, this infusion of VISI… It’s also inexpensive and ubiquitous. In the right light, Ultramax certainly does an adequate impression of the famous portrait film when the sun is up and we meter properly. Would you say the same applies to Pro 400H (i.e. (i.e. The difference between Fuji Superia and Kodak Ultramax is minor in the grand scheme of things. I have to say that I’m leaning toward Portra 400 … This post may contain affiliate links. Used to be an absolute film snob to the point it would almost bleed me dry in the days. Overall, I preferred Portra 800 over 160 and 400 in most situations with a strict exception to portraits. Fantastic! Though not as fine-grained as those professional-level films, it’s certainly got enough resolving power to make sharp and smooth images. When the CP crew and I chose our desert island film (the film that we’d each shoot for the rest of our lives if we could only choose one) I picked Ektar, a high-saturation color film from Kodak’s fine Professional line. I honestly expected Portra 160 to shine here but I ho… It’s a general-purpose, daylight-balanced, color negative film with a sensitivity of ISO 400 (27º). In all of these situations and many more, Ultramax has made exceptional photos, its potential only limited by my ability. I have really liked what Svema color 125 does and it works out to a similar price as the consumer stuff does. Challenges: The camera was bought in Germany and this was my first film with it - I was not sure if that camera is OK or it … To see more of Amy’s work, be sure to visit her on her website and Instagram! Kodak Portra 400 120 Roll Film Professional 5 Pack. £8.99 delivery. Ultimately, I love consumer film and always encourage people to shoot it, especially if they’re newer to film. Notice the trees, with the trunks of trees on Superia looking greener and Ultramax being redder, meaning Ultramax has greater distinction between the leaves and the trunk/branches than Superia has. All of this, means versatility. Hold on tight if you want to know how because this might get a bit meandering. It’s developed in standard C-41 chemistry, meaning it can be developed anywhere that film is processed. I still try the pro film occasionally, but for regular use I’ll use Gold 200 or Fujicolor 200. For shots around town, of the family, or everyday life, Kodak Ultramax is hard to beat. Leave your questions about Fuji Superia XTRA 400 and Kodak Ultramax 400 below in the comments, and you can pick up some for yourself on Amazon here: Fuj Superia X-TRA 400 and Kodak Ultramax 400. I’m a huge fan of Superia 400, but I’m not sure I’ve ever used Ultramax. Kodak Ultramax 400 Little Film Blog. I metered for shadows, and the highlights are less blown out on Fuji Superia X-TRA than they are on Kodak Ultramax 400 indicating that Superia XTRA liked having that extra light, while Ultramax did not. When I run out of film midday in Boston’s North End, I can walk into the drug store on Hanover Street and buy Kodak Ultramax 400. I don’t have to worry with Kodak Ultramax, and that has made quite a difference this past year. (As a reminder, I metered once at 400 ISO and set both of my cameras to the same settings.). It’s similar to Portra 160, but with more contrast, saturation and grain. Amy Berge is a regular contributor for Shoot It With Film. It can actually stand toe-to-toe with the best of the so-called Professional emulsions. I ... As a rule, I find that prefer the colours out of consumer films such as Ultramax 400, but I don’t really get on with the higher grain and reduced sense of sharpness I’ve had out of those sorts of films when I’ve shot them in the past. If overexposed, expect to see a yellow color cast, especially in skin tones. Kodak Portra 400 is a pretty new film; especially when you consider how long Kodak as a brand has been around. I’ve also wished that Kodak would take Ultramax 400 and create an Ultramax 100 version with the same color rendition of the 400 but with finer grain that goes along with a 100 speed film. I admit that the chemicals weren’t at their freshest (they had been used to develop 16 rolls beforehand), but these results were extremely consistent with results I get when using fresh chemicals. Find her other articles here, such as How To Develop Black and White Film at Home and Olympus Stylus Epic Point & Shoot Film Camera Review. Grace Rose. I have to say though for me its best shot at lower than box speed or else it can be a tad ‘warm’. Been shooting on kodak gold 200 and found it a bit risky in terms of photo result. Everyone raves about Portra for all around use. Where Kodak Ektar famously ruins lighter skin-tones with garish oranges and reds, Kodak Ultramax 400 renders beautifully when exposed properly. Mike wasn’t wrong. This happens most readily when the film is under-exposed, so make sure to meter correctly or err on the side of (very slight) over-exposure. Ultramax however, I just don’t care (because it’s cheap, lol), I always load it on a point and shoot camera, and shoot anything interesting. Possibly. September 30, 2014 July 22, 2016. Hasselblad 501C + Zeiss Distagon 60mm f3.5 CF + 120 Kodak Portra 400 film portrait Kodak Ektar vs Kodak Portra Skin Tones and Saturation. Kodak Ultramax 400. This site uses cookies to ensure we give you the best experience on our website. £15.21 £ 15. Is Kodak Ultramax as capable of making pretty pictures of people as Kodak’s well-loved Portra? In little city – midwest – America the film scene is dying slowly like an animal struck on a country road in the night. https://shootitwithfilm.com/fuji-superia-400-vs-kodak-ultramax-400 Just bought a pack of Ultramax 400. Shot at box speed (ISO 400) skin tones of all shades are spot on. Kodak Ultramax 400 Review Carlos Garcia. I followed the format of my last film stock comparison between Kodak Tri-X, Kodak TMax 400, and Ilford HP5+ 400 by taking some shots outside, inside, with studio lighting, and of landscapes. Thus, the Kodak Portra 160 can be excellently scanned. I even use them for client work because I have so much love for their punchy colors, high contrast, chunky grain, and overall nostalgic feel. You should try Kodak 400 ultramax – its a little more grainy than portra but has a less less refined colour pallet like the other cheaper films have. Bit late to the party but Lomo color 800 is made by kodak. For me its the great natural tones I love, no crazy oversaturated colours that digital photos tend to display. Now I’m anxious to give it a go. Thank you for this film comparison. The green tint of Superia and red tint in Ultramax also play out in their renderings of the blue channel. Its color rendition is true to life, less punchy and saturated than Fujifilm’s consumer-grade film Superia 400. BTW, I moved to Boston recently, is there any where that can develop films and scan them? Below you will find MY experience with these films, and I would love to hear about yours in the comments. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The most noticeable difference between Fuji Superia and Kodak Ultramax is the in the orange channel. Kodak Portra 400 and CineStill 800T or Kodak VISION3 500T 5219– the film that provides the base for CineStill 800T – are modern photographic films designed to be used as part of a digital workflow. Thanks for the “did you know?” moment on the origin of “jack of all trades”. Next, it can be found everywhere. Shop: FotoServisas Panevezys(fotoservisas.lt) Price: €8 Camera: Olympus OM-2n Lens: Olympus Zuiko 50mm F1.8 Location: Scan: Noritsu at FotoLabas Panevezys (€11.80) Total test price: €19.80 or €0.55 per frame. Reply Mitch Zeissler August 25, 2016 at 3:59 pm. I realize I haven’t touched on grain yet. Ultramax 400 is Kodak’s consumer grade ISO 400 color negative film. Ultramax is part of Kodak’s consumer range of films. Go check it out! I used the same focal lengths for both cameras and used the same settings for both. Kodak Portra 800 is quite possibly my favourite colour negative film. But the last reason to shoot Ultramax, and the most important reason of all, is that it makes making gorgeous photos effortless. He’s spent years researching, collecting, and shooting classic and collectible cameras. Some thing about it is more nostalgic – I believe that’s what my parents shot all of my baby pictures on as well – so definitely not biased here! History shows that Billy boy proved Mr. Greene wrong by producing an unmatched catalog of seminal English literature. Under- and over-exposure can result in mildly unpleasant color shifts. Canon A-1, 50mm, Alaska Jon Graham. Kodak Ultramax 400 Review 1 Share Tweet. I am trying to find something similar to these Kodak films that is available in bulk to roll myself. I shoot Kodak Gold 200 at 100 all the time and it looks great. This film has ISO400 and is a color negative film. I walked around downtown Brickell in Miami Florida and attempted street photography for my first time. Anyway, very well written article! Thanks. Nostalgia is a major goal of the aesthetic of my personal and client work. I rated them both at 400 (even though I usually rate Superia at 200), so I really just had to meter with one camera and set both cameras and shoot away. Amy is a regular contributor here at Shoot It With Film, and you can check out her other articles here, including B&W Film Stock Comparison and Scanning Film Negatives with a DSLR! Would I use it for a paid commercial real-estate gig? There are quite a few labs that process locally, but not so local that you won’t have to mail them away. I like Superia a good amount but the green cast that comes with everything Fuji kind of puts me off of it, if I am honest. I changed into this film during an outing with Lomo Hunters Kuching. I agree that consumer films are great. The information on the film roll is also very helpful, of course. I wanted to compare Fuji Superia and Kodak Ultramax after following my typical steps with my own developing, scanning, and light editing processes. I have shot truckloads of this film, and yes I reckon its a great all rounder – especially for anyone on a budget. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! 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I have noticed differences between them because I shoot with them so often, but I was curious to use Fuji Superia and Kodak Ultramax side-by-side to note the direct comparisons. Great article. My first roll of expired 2009 Kodak Ultramax 400 was taken using my Diana Mini camera. Maybe I need to give it a try one of these days. To get the more saturated colours from Portra 400, I’ve always found I … Ultramax 400 may be a Jack of all trades, but it’s not just a cheap film that makes pretty pictures in most environments. I’ve also wished that Kodak would take Ultramax 400 and create an Ultramax 100 version with the same color rendition of the 400 … rate it at 200)? This day I was looking for cheap film to DIY redscale. Just look at how the film images look! That’s why I read your article. I use Ultramax for all personal projects but it has just a little too much grain for professional use. Many thanks for your support.]. Your lab’s or your own chemicals, scanner, color process, etc, might be wildly different, so take these with a grain of salt. Ultramax 400 is Kodak’s consumer grade ISO 400 color negative film. … A direct alternative to Fujicolor Superia 400 and at a similar price point. 21. While Portra and Provia may be more desirable, their superior performance means nothing if I can’t buy it anywhere. It offers fine grain, deep saturation, and wide exposure latitude, and all of these traits make it well-suited to enlarging, and for digitization through scanning. Great shots. I am going to link to it in my blog. KODAK ULTRA MAX 400 Film KODAK ULTRA MAX 400 Film is a worry-free, easy-to-use high speed film designed for snapshooters. My name is James, and I’m a film snob. I’ve always preferred the colors of Ultramax and have often wished that Kodak would make a professional version with a grain structure like Portra 400. At the time, I was surprised that he’d pick such a boring film. 5.0 out of 5 stars 1. 90. I’m not a big “smooth and sharp” person as I feel the grittiness of film gives a unique character, story, and nostalgia. Then, I use them for film I have souped or sometimes to cross-process. Mike Padua, the founder of Shoot Film Co. and our special guest in that article, chose Kodak Ultramax 400, Kodak’s cheap consumer film. VISION3 500T was baked from the ground up to be a flexible, hybrid process motion picture film capable of handling extreme punishment by filmmakers and Kodak Portra 400 and 160 both have VISION3 DNA as part of their makeup. A quick recap on what that means – the film’s Box Speed or recommended speed is 400 ISO. I’ve always preferred the colors of Ultramax and have often wished that Kodak would make a professional version with a grain structure like Portra 400. Enter the username or e-mail you used in your profile. Nikon fm w 50mm f/1.8 Nolan Maurer. In addition to his work here, he’s also the founder of the online camera shop Fstopcameras.com. The reproduction of the colors is restrained and quite refreshing, without really looking cool. I’ve had great luck exposing all of the Fuji consumer color films by a stop. Both are available at CVS/Walgreens/Rite aid, occasionally in overpriced rolls, or even higher … I think I just prefer the ultra max colors and warmer tones. 10 Rolls of Kodak Portra 400 135-36 35mm Film Professional Exposures, Color Negative Film. Notice the wading pool my son is playing in; the blues (especially darker blues) read greener with Superia and more red with Ultramax, creating a more purple effect. As the name implies, it’s intended for portrait photography, but can be used for many other types of photography. Mostly, because there’s not much to say about it. Ian Pirner. But I digress. No matter what your subject, no matter what camera you’re using, and no matter the light, Kodak Ultramax 400 should fit your application. I’ve got rolls of Portra 400, Fuji Pro 400H, and Ektar in 120 format, so I’m ok on that front. But remember that this is a 400 speed film; we should expect that it’s not going to be as smooth as Provia or Ektar. No matter where I’m going, what I’m shooting, or what camera I’m using, I know that when I load a roll of Ultramax I’m going to get as many good photos as my abilities allow. rating 400 film at 200 = 2x exposure time, all else equal) I also find Superia at box speed results in pink skin tones. So, for our Kodak Ultramax 400 film review, we put a roll of Ultramax in our Olympus XA2 and took it out around Brixton in South London. Ektar is good but the red base is its downfall…an Ultramax 100 would be perfect. Kodak still sells Ultramax 400, although it’s not the same film as Kodacolor VR-G 400… Copyright © 2014-2020, F Stop Cameras LLC, All Rights Reserved. You can also see Superia X-TRA is a more light-hungry film in the shot of my youngest son at our window. I’m all about the consumer films. I’d be more likely to use a medium format camera loaded with Portra, and since Ultramax doesn’t come in medium format, well, that’s that. Superia renders those colors (especially seen in the shadows) as greener, while Ultramax renders them as more magenta. I admit I grab for Superia more often because of its punchy colors and “off” tones, but Ultramax’s even tones and truer-to-life coloring (this might be debatable, but I’m going to go ahead and say it) have its own appeal, time, and place in my film repertoire. (Last time was cityscapes, but the goal was to incorporate something without my kiddos in them. Kodak has sold Ultramax 400 under many different names, beginning in 1987 with Kodacolor VR-G 400, rebranded Gold 400 one year later, called simply GC at one point, and finally, in 1997, Kodak settled on Ultramax 400. Would I trust a wedding shoot to Ultramax? And while Kodak Ultramax may fall a bit short of Shakespearian mastery, it comes pretty close. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. Is Kodak Ultramax as capable of making the stunning and vivid landscapes we see from Ektar and Provia? Kodak Ultramax 400 Overview: Kodak Ultramax 400, also known as Kodak Max 400, is a versatile consumer film for 35mm cameras with a decent amount of saturation and grain. The less saturated Portra colours can … To a level that I, personally, looked jaundiced. Ektar and Provia feel like well prepared cuisine, while Ultramax, daily meal maybe. Only 5 left in stock. I found myself perusing the film shelf at a local store. For me, this was about comparing apples to apples. Lighthouse Canon Eos Kodak Ultramax 400 Analog. But we have found (again, a preference) that most color film needs a bit more light so we give it an extra stop. From this set of scans, Ultramax appears to have a little less grain (especially in the highlights), but then again I often expose Superia more than I did here, which results in less noticeable grain. Grace Rose. I might also buy a roll of 35mm Kodak Portra 800 film and/ or perhaps 35mm CineStill 800T film to try. I have been shooting and scanning film on a regular basis for about a year now, so I thought that I would weigh in on the two most widely available cheap films, koduak ultramax 400 and fuji superia 400. If you click on a link and make a purchase, Shoot It With Film may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. (The Nikon N80 has some funny values, but, for all intents and purposes, they were the same settings.). I developed the Fuji Superia and the Kodak Ultramax at the same time in my C-41 powder kit from the Film Photography Store. Join us for weekly film photography inspiration and tutorials. Northeast Photographic and Panopticon Imaging are two. I have always loved UltraMax 400 since I started shooting film again. Konica Autoreflex TC and the Hexanon 40mm – Shooting Bare Bones. film stock comparison between Kodak Tri-X, Kodak TMax 400, and Ilford HP5+ 400, B&W Film Stock Comparisons: Kodak Tri-X vs Ilford HP5 vs Kodak TMax, How To Develop Black and White Film at Home, Olympus Stylus Epic Point & Shoot Film Camera Review. The Kodak Portra 160 is tuned to the reproduction of skin tones in the northwestern culture, he is primarily a portrait film. Ultramax 400 is truly an underrated film stock. Over-exposing Ultramax is just fine, except when doing portraiture. For Fuji, it looks likes the only choice you have is Superia 400. I think it boils down to the fact that I love photography precisely because it’s capturing the memories that would all-too-quickly fade without them. I say we learn to embrace the grain and the character that comes with it, but I admit pixel-peeping never was my thing. And I’ve similarly been going back and forth between Portra 400 and Ektar 100. Perhaps it’s because I prefer slower films for everyday shooting, as it’s easier to get bokeh when you move in close. Ultramax 400 is Kodak’s do-it-all consumer-grade film. Kodak’s Portra 400 is arguably the most popular color negative film stock in the world right now and for good reason. I normally give more exposure to my Fuji Superia X-TRA 400 than I did during this experiment, because I find it’s a rather light-hungry film. … It can give a slight yellow cast. Rob Knight . (Availability info from B&H). Plus If I’m going to get really into a film I don’t want it to be discontinued with little notice (again, looking at you Fujifilm). I’m looking for a cheap all-rounder and I’ve not been impressed with the budget Fuji options so far. ULTRA MAX 400 Film gives you the flexibility you need to take consistently better pictures in more picture taking situations—better low-light picture quality with fewer underexposures, better results with zoom lenses, greater flash range, better "stop … But there are plenty of reasons to shoot Ultramax. For Kodak, you now have the choice of Portra 160, 400, or 800 or Ektar 100. I pulled both rolls into Lightroom to make adjustments to temp and tint, and a little exposure adjustments as I normally would. (Yet again, this is partially due to the fact that Superia likes more light, and that shadowy side of his face could have used some greater exposure.). It was born in 1998 and changed to what it is today in 2010. [Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. Forgot to mention, the opening pic with the Nikon S2(?) Ultramax 400 is a great emulsion. The Best 35mm Film I Shot And Reviewed 12 Rolls. I actually forgot … The term quickly came to stand for a person who engaged superficially in a number of endeavors, but failed to achieve true mastery of any single skill. You said exactly what I’ve been thinking for many, many years. The main feature dividing these two films is whether you prefer the "Kodak look" or the "Fuji look". Now I have to buy some and try it. Thanks again for this very informative article! Hi there, it is a good article, I like it.