Best film: our picks of the best 35mm film, roll film, and sheet film for your camera

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Kodak Porta 400 35mm film

(Image credit: Gareth Bevan / Future)

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1. Best 35mm film
2. Best 120 film
3. Best sheet film
How to choose

When it comes to choosing the best film for your camera, the sheer amount of options can be confusing, Of course, film comes in different formats, and each provides its own look, too.

In order to narrow down the choice, we've rounded up the best 35mm film, roll film for medium format cameras, and sheet film for large format cameras so that you can reignite your love for (or discover) analog photography.

There's been a resurgence in film photography in recent times. It's not just experienced or traditional film shooters who are looking to buy analog camera systems and films. Thanks to a rise in the vintage look and analog trends, curious digital shooters are exploring the magic of film photography too.

While the best mirrorless cameras and the best medium format cameras are great pieces of kit offering advanced technologies such as Animal Eye AF, Wifi photo transfer, and built-in HDR modes, the ability to view images instantly takes away any excitement. There's an element of surprise to shooting film that you just don't get with digital photography, something romantic. Sure, it's a practice that definitely takes more patience and understanding than digital photography, but when you get it right the end result is so worth it.

To start with, analog photography is more physical than its modern, digital counterpart. You can actually hear and feel the camera working, from winding on film to hearing the satisfying clunk of the mechanical shutter. Although there are so many different film cameras to choose from, it's not hard to choose the correct film for your camera. After deciding on the right format, you'll also have to think about the aesthetic, which varies in tone and contrast – it's the original equivalent of picking an Instagram filter. Some of the best Fujifilm cameras even come with film simulation modes that are based on some of the best-known films such as Velvia and Provia. 

We've rounded up the best films you can buy for a 35mm camera (equivalent to a full-frame camera in digital photography terms), a medium format camera, or even a large format camera. From old classics to newer and more experimental artisan film, there's plenty for you to choose from.

To see our list of favorite films, click on the format you want below and it will direct you to the correct location. 

Best 35mm films  
Best 120 roll films for medium-format cameras  
Best sheet films for large-format cameras

So, what film types are out there, what film cameras are supported, and what should you look for?

The Quick List

Best 35mm film

With so many 35mm films on the market, we've had to be really selective about which ones we include. Some have stood the test of time while others are complete newcomers that offer funky colors to completely change the look of your image. To make this guide easy to navigate we've split it into three sections: color negative, black and white, and color transparency film. 35mm is often referred to as '135' so if you see that number instead, just remember we mean 35mm film!

35mm color negative film

(Image credit: Gareth Bevan / Future)
Best for bright colors and low contrast

Specifications

Type: Color negative
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 36
Speed : ISO 400
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
Perfect for skin tones
+
Flexible for lighting conditions

Reasons to avoid

-
Only comes in packs of three or five

Portra 400 film has gained a passionate following amongst the film community thanks to its flexibility when shooting in different lighting conditions and its beautifully rendered grain and colors. The only downside with Kodak Portra 400 is that it's only sold in packs of three or five, so you can't officially buy a single roll to experiment with (although you might be able to find single rolls on eBay, be warned that they will have been taken out of their official packaging). However, it's such a good quality film that we can almost guarantee you won't be disappointed.

See our full Kodak Portra 400 review.

Kodak Ektar 100

Sharp, fine-grained and modern all purpose color neg film

Specifications

Type: Color negative
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 36
Speed: ISO 100
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
Ultra fine grain
+
High saturation
+
Regular C-41 processing

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive

Kodak claims the world's finest grain for a color-negative film, thanks to its T-Grain technology. This film also boasts high saturation and sharpness, and Kodak says it's ideal for scanning and enlarging. Its rendition looks ideal for commercial and landscape photography, and it's cheaper than shooting transparency film.

(Image credit: Future)
Best all purpose Fujifilm stock

Specifications

Type: Color negative
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 36
Speed: ISO 400
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
Versatile film with good dynamic range
+
Minimal grain
+
Great sharpness
+
Easy to buy

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive for standard film
-
Can produce overly magenta hues
-
More muted colors than others

Fujifilm Superia X-TRA 400 is one of the most readily available films and is one of the few remaining in Fujifilm's very diminished options. It has been significantly affected by recent price gouges, but is it still worth it though? The answer would be yes.

Very versatile, the film handles indoor and outdoor lighting admirably, and when properly exposed exhibits very minimal and smooth grain. The colors are muted compared to other films, but with a heavy magenta tint and a much cooler palette that might not be to everyone's liking.

Read our full Fujifilm Superia X-TRA 400 review.

Kodak Portra 160 Professional

Popular with portrait photographers for its smooth and subtle skintones

Specifications

Type: Color negative
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 36
Speed: ISO 160
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
Optimised for portraits
+
Designed with scanning in mind
+
Regular C-41 processing
+
Available in lots of sizes

Reasons to avoid

-
Empty List

Kodak says Portra 160 is designed with fine grain for scanning and enlargement in a digital workflow. It's one of three films in the Portra family (there are Portra 400 and 800 variants too) and it's designed for smooth and natural skin tones, and for a variety of work from portraits and fashion to commercial photography.

(Image credit: Kodak)

Kodak UltraMax 400

The most popular all-round color print film

Specifications

Type: Color negative
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 24 or 36
Speed: ISO 400
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
Saturated colors
+
Regular C-41 processing
+
Available in 24- and 36-exposure rolls

Reasons to avoid

-
Empty List

This is one of the most widely-available color print films available today - with an ISO400 speed that makes it a sensible choice for a wide variety of subjects. The film has a wide exposure latitude; this is particularly useful when using this with old cameras where you can't guarantee the metering - or with basic models that have no built-in metering at all. As we have come to expect from Kodak mass-market films, Ultramax offers rich colors and punch contrast that many photographers love.

(Image credit: Kodak)

Kodak ColorPlus 200

The most popular all-round color print film

Specifications

Type: Color negative
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 24 or 36
Speed: ISO 200
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
Saturated colors
+
Regular C-41 processing
+
Available in 24- and 36-exposure rolls

Reasons to avoid

-
Empty List

This is a very similar film in terms of looks and uses as Kodak Ultramax - the key difference is that it is a stop slower, with an ISO rating of 200. As such, this is the better choice of the two if you are shooting in bright outdoor conditions - as this should give marginally less grain than its ISO400 sibling. Widely available - and if you shop around this should be more affordable than many other color print films on the market (but do note that 24-exposure rolls can cost as much as a 36-exposure one!).

35mm black and white film

(Image credit: Gareth Bevan / Digital Camera World)
A classic black-and-white choice

Specifications

Type: Black and white
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 36
Speed: ISO 400
Chemistry: Black and white

Reasons to buy

+
Classic B&W film
+
Fast and versatile
+
Can be pushed to ISO 3200

Reasons to avoid

-
None

Ilford's latest version of its classic fast film can be developed in traditional black-and-white chemistry. It is a great all-round film, suitable for those who just want to try monochrome – or for those who are looking for a film that will respond well to push processing for lowlight use. 

Read our full Ilford HP5 Plus review

Kodak TRI-X 400

Iconic 'documentary' film that still appeals today

Specifications

Type: Black and white
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 36
Speed: ISO 400
Chemistry: Black and white

Reasons to buy

+
Iconic status
+
Tolerant and versatile
+
Grainy, gritty look

Reasons to avoid

-
Too grainy for fine art types

What can you say about Kodak Tri-X? Made famous by a generation of documentary and war photographers, it's pretty tolerant of exposure variations and push/pull processing and produces strong gritty images with good detail rendition. Maybe a bit rough and ready for today's tastes, but it still has 'the look'.

(Image credit: Gareth Bevan / Digital Camera World)
It's the black and white film you can get developed at your local print lab

Specifications

Type: Black and white
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 36
Speed: ISO 400
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
Ultra fine grain
+
Wide exposure latitude
+
Regular C-41 processing

Reasons to avoid

-
Dye grain not silver grain

Ilford's XP1 'chromogenic' film caused quite a stir when it first appeared, offering black and white photographers the exposure latitude and easy lab processing of color negative film, with smoother, finer grain than other ISO 400 mono films. The updated XP2S is still an interesting option for 35mm black and white fans who like latitude and not grain!

(Image credit: Gareth Bevan / Digital Camera World)

Lomography Lady Grey

Bringing you rich black and white tones

Specifications

Type: Black and white
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 36
Speed: ISO 400
Chemistry: Black and white

Reasons to buy

+
Fast B&W film
+
Great branding

Reasons to avoid

-
Only sold in triple roll packs

Lomography is one of the main driving forces behind the film photography revival. And as well as producing its own range of beautifully-designed Lomo cameras, it also has a range of films too. This black-and-white film has been given a twist with imaginative branding – and is sold in three-roll packs.

35mm transparency film

Fujifilm Velvia 50 135 36

Availability is becoming patchy, but it's a classic everyone should try once

Specifications

Type: Color transparency
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 36
Speed: ISO 50
Chemistry: E-6

Reasons to buy

+
Super-saturated colors
+
Fine grain and resolution

Reasons to avoid

-
Not exactly subtle
-
Getting expensive

Velvia has gained a reputation as the world's richest, most super-saturated, and sharpest color transparency film ever. Kodachrome used to carry that crown, but it looks positively restrained by comparison. Not everyone loves Velvia 50's strong colors and contrasts, but it's now gained immortality among Fujifilm's digital Film Simulation modes.

See also Best slide viewers

Kodak Ektachrome E100 135-36

Supersaturated colors Kodak-style, now that Kodachrome is gone

Specifications

Type: Color transparency
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 36
Speed: ISO 100
Chemistry: E-6

Reasons to buy

+
Kodak T-Grain technology
+
E-6 processing

Reasons to avoid

-
Not always easy to find
-
Expensive!

This film has just been revived by Kodak (the new Kodak film-making spin-off following the break-up of the old company). It offers the same ISO rating as Velvia 100, but you might find it has slightly less exaggerated colors. It uses the same generic E-6 transparency processing chemistry, though, so getting your films developed shouldn't be a problem.

Fujifilm Velvia 100 135 36

Like Velvia 50, but a stop faster and a bit more usable

Specifications

Type: Color transparency
Format: 35mm
Exposures: 36
Speed: ISO 100

Reasons to buy

+
Super-saturated colors
+
Faster than Velvia 50

Reasons to avoid

-
Not terribly natural-looking
-
Getting expensive

Velvia 100 arrived as Velvia 50's more responsible, more usable sibling. It's one f-stop faster, which makes it a fraction easier to use if the light's not good, and the colors are perhaps a bit more natural-looking than Velvia 50's, but there's not much in it. Both films use widely-available E-6 processing, unlike the other old favorite, Kodachrome.

Best Film: 120 roll film

The medium format film market is surprisingly healthy, and the 120 roll film format is relatively inexpensive. It's versatile too, as some cameras use it for 6cm x 6cm square images, narrower 6cm x 4.5cm negatives or wider 6cm x 7cm or even 6cm x 9cm shots. Again, we've organized these films into color negative, black and white and color transparency films.

Medium format color negative film

Kodak Ektar 100 120 (5 pack)

Kodak Ektar 100 120 (5 pack)

Sharp, saturated, fine-grained alternative to transparency film

Specifications

Type: Color negative
Format: 120
Exposures: 12
Speed: ISO 100
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
Ultra fine grain
+
High saturation
+
Regular C-41 processing
+
Not too expensive

Reasons to avoid

-
Empty List

This is the same Extar 100 film available in 35mm format, but this time on 120 roll film. Its combination of fine grain (T-Grain), high saturation and sharpness should make it good for all kinds of commercial work, and an alternative to transparency film for landscapes, scenic shoots and travel.

Kodak Portra 160 Professional 120 (5 pack)

Kodak Portra 160 Professional 120 (5 pack)

Still a serious proposition for commercial portrait photographers

Specifications

Type: Color negative
Format: 120
Exposures: 12
Speed: **ISO:** 160
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
Optimised for portraits
+
Designed with scanning in mind
+
Regular C-41 processing
+
Available in lots of sizes

Reasons to avoid

-
Empty List

Kodak Portra 160 is a good choice for medium format portrait photographers, being optimised for smooth and natural-looking skintones. If ISO 160 is too slow, there are ISO 400 and ISO 800 versions too, though as ever with faster films, grain becomes an issue much sooner than it does with digital sensors.

Lomography Redscale XR 50200 120 (3 pack)

Lomography Redscale XR 50200 120 (3 pack)

Shoot this and you'll see red, plus a bit of orange and yellow, we're told

Specifications

Type: Color negative
Format: 120
Exposures: 12
Speed: ISO 50-200
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
Instant lo-fi/retro look
+
Variable ISO rating
+
Regular C-41 processing

Reasons to avoid

-
Specialised!

You can get Lomography's distinctive yellow/orange/red colour shifts in a medium format version of its Redscale XR 50200 film. This could be ideal if you're going for a strong retro vibe and you're experimenting with an old medium format TLR, for example, or one of Lomography's own cameras.

(Image credit: Kodak)

Kodak Portra 800 120

Color print film for lowlight action photography

Specifications

Type: Color negative
Format: 120
Speed: ISO 800
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
High ISO rating
+
Regular C-41 processing

Reasons to avoid

-
Only available in packs of five

It is the high ISO rating that is the attraction of this Portrait color negative film. This is particularly useful for those shooting gigs or theater productions - and for sporting events. The film has more noticeable grain than films with an ISO of 400 or slower - so should only be used for subjects where a long exposure or a tripod are not an option.

Medium format black and white film

Ilford FP4 Plus 120

Ilford FP4 Plus 120

Ilford's classic medium-speed emulsion for fine-art photographers

Specifications

Type: Black and white
Format: 120
Exposures: 12
Speed: ISO 125
Chemistry: Black and white

Reasons to buy

+
Fine grain
+
Legendary tonality
+
Sharp and contrasty

Reasons to avoid

-
Not Ilford's latest film tech

Ilford FP4 Plus is an evolution of a film that's been a favourite among scenic photographers for decades. It's an all-rounder, offering reasonable speed, good contrast and definition and pretty fine grain – though its characteristics will depend on which of many available developers you use with it.

Best film: Ilford SFX200 120

Ilford SFX200 120

Infra-red without all the hassle of dealing with real infra-red film foibles

Specifications

Type: Black and white
Format: 120
Exposures: 12
Speed: ISO 200
Chemistry: Black and white

Reasons to buy

+
Infra-red effect
+
Reasonable speed
+
Regular processing

Reasons to avoid

-
Best with a deep red filter

The effect isn't quite the same as Kodak's long-gone HIE infra-red film, but Ilford SFX200 does have extended red sensitivity and, when used with a deep red filter, can produce attractive infra-red images. It's easier to load and handle than Kodak's film, too, needing no special handling precautions. It's worth noting that although this film is still available at some retailers, it has now been discontinued by Ilford so it won't be around forever.

Medium format transparency film

Fujichrome Velvia 50 120 (5 pack)

Fujichrome Velvia 50 120 (5 pack)

The marmite of film, some love the super-saturated colors and others hate it

Specifications

Type: Color transparency
Format: 120
Exposures: 12
Speed: ISO 50
Chemistry: E-6

Reasons to buy

+
Super-saturated colors
+
Fine grain and resolution

Reasons to avoid

-
Not exactly natural-looking
-
Slow speed can be a handicap

At 50 ISO you're going to want to use a tripod to shoot with Velvia 50. Although more commonly known as 35mm slide film, it's also available in 120mm medium format film as packs of five. The 35mm version is rather expensive but the medium format version doesn't seem like bad value at all.

Best film: Best sheet Film

If you thought that large format film was scarce by now, you'll be pleasantly surprised! Again, there are more films out there than we have space to list, so we've picked a few highlights to give you a flavor of what you can get. Processing sheet film is trickier than with smaller formats, but we figure if you've got the dedication and skill to handle a large format camera you're not going to be daunted by the processing. 

We've picked the 'universal' 5 x 4-inch format for our buying links, but note that may of these films are available in larger sizes too, up to 10 x 8 inch and beyond! Be aware that while large format film is easy enough to get in the US, you might have to resort to some international shopping in other territories.

Color negative sheet film

Kodak Ektar 100 5 x 4" (10 sheets)

You could say it's like the Velvia of the colour neg world

Specifications

Type: Color negative
Format: 5" x 4", 10" x 8"
ISO: 100
Exposures: 10
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
Ultra fine grain
+
High saturation
+
Regular C-41 processing
+
Versatile

Reasons to avoid

-
Empty List

Kodak's fine grain color negative film with high saturation and sharpness is available in large format sheet film sizes too. With the advent of digital imaging and tools for colour negative film masking, large format photographers are not necessarily restricted to just transparency or black and white film.

Kodak Portra 160 4" x 5" (10 Sheets)

Kodak's portrait color neg films span 35mm right up to large format

Specifications

Type: Color negative
Format: 5" x 4"
Exposures: 10
Speed: ISO 160
Chemistry: C-41

Reasons to buy

+
Optimized for portraits
+
Designed with scanning in mind
+
Regular C-41 processing
+
Available in lots of sizes

Reasons to avoid

-
Empty List

Large-format portrait photographers have a ready-made film in Portra 160. There are ISO 400 and 800 versions too, but if you're working with a large format camera you're hardly likely to be running around taking handheld shots via available light, so the ISO 160 version looks the best best for quality.

Black and white sheet film

Ilford Delta 100 Professional 4" x 5" (25 Sheets)

Ilford Delta 100 Professional 4" x 5" (25 Sheets)

A fine emulsion for fine art photographers working with large-format cameras

Specifications

Type: Black and white
Format: 5" x 4", 7" x 5", 20" x 12"
ISO: 100
Exposures: 25
Chemistry: Black and white

Reasons to buy

+
Medium speed
+
Very fine grain
+
Sharp and contrasty
+
Variable ISO rating

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive

Ilford Delta 100 comes in sizes from 35mm through medium format and right up to sheet film size. The Delta range is like a more modern, finer-grained replacement for Ilford's classic black and white films like FP4, though many photographers still prefer the look of the older product and you can still buy both.

Ilford FP4 Plus 4" x 5" (25 Sheets)

Ilford FP4 Plus 4" x 5" (25 Sheets)

Ilford's classic medium speed large format sheet film looks as good as ever

Specifications

Type: Black and white
Format: 5" x 4", 7" x 5", 10"x 8", 14" x 11", 20" x 14"
ISO: 125
Exposures: 25
Chemistry: Black and white

Reasons to buy

+
Fine grain
+
Legendary tonality
+
Sharp and contrasty

Reasons to avoid

-
Not Ilford's latest film tech

This is the same FP4 Plus offered in medium format and 35mm sizes, though when used in large format cameras its fine grain pattern will be far less visible and you can concentrate instead on its tonal qualities. You have a choice of developers, including Ilford ID11, Kodak D-76) the same thing or various liquid concentrates.

Kodak Professional T-Max 100 4" x 5" (10 Sheets)

Kodak Professional T-Max 100 4" x 5" (10 Sheets)

Kodak's T-Grain technology brings grain you can't see but quality you can

Specifications

Type: Black and white
Format: 5" x 4"
ISO: 100
Exposures: 10
Chemistry: Black and white

Reasons to buy

+
Fine grain
+
Adjustable development
+
Sharp and contrasty
+
High resolving power

Reasons to avoid

-
Empty List

Kodak Professional T-Max 100 is like the Kodak equivalent of Ilford's Delta 100 film, boasting very fine grain, thanks to Kodak's T-Grain technology. In fact, Kodak says it's the finest-grain film of its speed in the world. Yes, another one. Don't worry, this was what they argued about in the days before autofocus speed comparisons.

Kodak Professional Tri-X 320 4" x 5" (10 Sheets)

Kodak Professional Tri-X 320 4" x 5" (10 Sheets)

Perfect for portraits, interiors and bright environments

Specifications

Type: Black and white
Format: 5" x 4", 7" x 5", 10" x 8"
ISO: 320
Exposures: 50
Chemistry: Black and white

Reasons to buy

+
Versatile
+
Good for portraits and interiors
+
Easily adjustable processing

Reasons to avoid

-
Grainier than ISO 100 films

Interestingly, the large format Tri-X is rated at a slightly lower speed than the 35mm version. It's recommended for portraits, indoor photography and situations with high brightness ranges – this is a classic virtue of faster black and white films that can often offset their increased grain for pictorial photography.

How to choose the best film

What best film types can you get?

Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.

Film can be split into three main types: color negative film, black and white negative film and transparency (slide film).

Color negative film: this is one of the most popular types of film and is widely available from specialist camera shops as well as Amazon. The film is developed using a process called C-41 which is available in all labs and is particularly useful for digitizing film as it easily handles the orange mask and negative tones of a color negative. 

Black and white negative film: images without color are often deemed a more arty choice and black and white shooting is popular among film enthusiasts. It can be easily processed at home which is why film students and anyone who wants to develop themselves might choose to shoot with it – although it's a much more involved process than sending it off to a lab.

Transparency film or slide film: used to be a favorite option for professionals, as there wasn't an intermediate printing stage to lower the quality and add to the cost. You could also easily send off slides to editors and picture libraries. Because this isn't as popular today, however, the range of transparency films is a little more limited than it used to be. All slide film is developed using the E-6 process that's widely available in labs.

What types of film camera are there?

You can read our massive Best film cameras guide to find out more, but generally they split into three types: 35mm, medium format and large format cameras. 35mm cameras are the most common, so that's what we'll start with, but medium format cameras are popular too as they offer better quality from their larger negatives and easier high-quality scanning with a flatbed scanner. 

Large format cameras are specialized tools used by particularly dedicated photographers. The cameras are expensive, unwieldy and more complex to set up. The film is supplied in sheets and has to be pre-loaded into holders for swapping plates out in the field. Every exposure is an occasion, but that's part of the charm (that and the extraordinary image quality) for fans of large format cameras.

Sebastian Oakley
Ecommerce Editor

For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. Originally specializing in Equestrianism, his visuals have been used by the leading names in the equestrian industry such as The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), The Jockey Club, Horse & Hound, and many more for various advertising campaigns, books, and pre/post-event highlights.


He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts, holds a Foundation Degree in Equitation Science, and is a Master of Arts in Publishing.  He is a member of Nikon NPS and has been a Nikon user since the film days using a Nikon F5 and saw the digital transition with Nikon's D series cameras and is still to this day the youngest member to be elected into BEWA, The British Equestrian Writers' Association. 


He is familiar with and shows great interest in street, medium, and large format photography with products by Leica, Phase One, Hasselblad, Alpa, and Sinar. Sebastian has also used many cinema cameras from the likes of Sony, RED, ARRI, and everything in between. He now spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2 shooting Street photography or general life as he sees it, usually in Black and White.