Kodak is “back” with “new” color film. For the first time in more than a decade, Eastman Kodak will sell its own film in an attempt to help settle swinging film prices

The original Eastman Kodak brand behind the iconic Kodak name will once again be selling 35mm film for still photography. In a post on Instagram on October 01, Eastman Kodak announced the Kodacolor 100 and Kodacolor 200 135 format film, marking the first time in more than a decade that Eastman Kodak will sell the film directly to distributors.

Eastman Kodak has continued to manufacture film in the digital era, but during bankruptcy proceedings in 2013, Kodak Alaris became an entirely separate entity. Through the years, Eastman Kodak has continued to manufacture film, but Kodak Alaris was the exclusive distributor, selling the film to retailers. Eastman Kodak manufactures the film for still photography, as well as film for video, but Kodak Alaris was the exclusive distributor for Kodak-branded still photo film.

The Kodacolor 100 and Kodacolor 200 are the first films that Eastman Kodak has sold directly to distributors, rather than through the separate Kodak Alaris, in more than a decade. The launch isn’t necessarily a “new” film, however. In the Instagram post, Kodak notes that “these films are sub-brands of existing Kodak films and offer the same high quality you’ve come to expect from Kodak.”

While the launch of Kodacolor 100 and Kodacolor 200 doesn’t create a new film emulsion not already on the market, the launch implies that Kodak has managed to get at least some distribution rights back from Kodak Alaris.

That change could potentially help create more stability in the film market. “For the first time in over a decade, Kodak will sell these films directly to distributors, in an effort to increase supply and help create greater stability in a market where prices have fluctuated,” the company wrote.

Eastman Kodak says the move was made possible by a recent factory shutdown that upgraded the company’s manufacturing in order to help keep up with demand.

Kodak didn't say which existing film the Kodacolor comes from. Kodak describes both Kodacolor options as having "fine grain, saturated colors, high sharpness, wide exposure latitude, and consistent color reproduction." The difference between the two is the ISO. Kodacolor 100 is a slow film for bright conditions, and Kodacolor 200 is a medium-speed film.

The announcement is likely a welcome sign for fans, as Eastman Kodak recently shared that it needed to settle a pension in order to settle a debt, causing rumors and uncertainty over the company’s future, despite its statement that settling a pension would result in “a stronger balance sheet than we have had in years.”

In addition to the separation between the original Eastman Kodak and Kodak Alaris, the Kodak name is also licensed out to other companies. Popular products like the Kodak Charmera and the Kodak PixPro line are made by third-party companies.

Kodak says that the Kodacolor films will come first to the US and Canada and be available both online and in-store at photo retailers.

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