Kodak has overtaken Fujifilm to become the most-used film brand among photographers responding to FilmFocus' latest survey, as new figures suggest that the analog revival is continuing despite the ever-increasing cost of shooting film.
The 2025 Survey on the Current State of Film Photography gathered 1,337 valid responses, up considerably from 802 respondents in the previous year's survey.
Conducted between November 30 and December 31, 2025, the Japan-focused research found that 71% of respondents had used Kodak film during the previous year, narrowly placing it ahead of Fujifilm at 68%.
That reverses the positions seen in 2024, when Fujifilm led with 84% usage compared with Kodak's 81%.
However, perhaps the more interesting story is that usage of almost every major film brand has fallen.
Ilford dropped from 52% to 41%, while Lomography fell from 38% to 30%, with photographers seemingly becoming more selective about the films they buy.
The average number of major brands used by each photographer fell from 3.0 to 2.2, while Kentmere – included as a survey option for the first time – was already being used by 16% of respondents.
With black-and-white film often costing less than color negative film, affordability appears to be playing an increasingly important role.
Despite those rising costs, however, photographers do not appear ready to abandon film.
The average 35mm photographer used around 13.9 rolls during the year, almost identical to the 13.7 rolls recorded previously, while 120 users averaged 7.0 rolls compared with 6.9 the year before.
In total, 28% of respondents said they were shooting film more frequently, compared with 26% who said they were using it less. Cost was once again by far the biggest reason for reducing film use, cited by 62% of those shooting less.
The results also suggest that newer photographers are helping to keep the format alive. Among people who had been shooting film for less than a year, 49% said their usage had increased, while only 6% said it had decreased.
The opposite was true among photographers with more than a decade of experience, where 40% reported shooting less film.
Buying or acquiring a new film camera was the most common reason for increasing film use, with cameras such as the Pentax 17 specifically mentioned by respondents as helping to bring people into – or back into – analog photography.
There are plenty of other encouraging signs for film photography, too. Some 95% of respondents had shot at least a single roll of 35mm film during the year, while 53% had used 120 film.
Color negative remained the most popular type at 82%, followed by black-and-white at a substantial 61%.
And when choosing where to have those rolls processed, photographers still value results over simply finding the cheapest option, with 41% saying developing and scanning quality was their biggest priority compared with 24% choosing price.
Kodak may have taken the top spot from Fujifilm this year, but the wider takeaway is arguably even more important: photographers are adapting to higher prices rather than giving up on film altogether.
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