Over the previous few weeks I’ve been testing out the newly launched Kodacolor 200, capturing over the course of a long-needed highway journey alongside the Pacific Northwest shoreline, in addition to in New York and through a number of information occasions.
I had initially deliberate to shoot fully on Double X, however I shortly realized that the PNW was meant to be captured in shade. I had a couple of rolls of expired Gold on me, however in the end determined to get one thing new and picked up a handful of rolls of the brand new inventory. For nearly all of my pictures, I used a Hasselblad XPan and a Nikon FA.
After getting the rolls processed, I used to be very shocked at how a lot I beloved it. The shade was proper on, and within the case of our hike by the redwoods the movie did a unbelievable job of capturing each the sunshine and the deep greens of the forest.
There’s been some debate as as to if or not this represents a brand new movie or if it’s merely one other rebadged model of one other inventory—however it didn’t daybreak on me till later why it nonetheless represents an essential transfer on Kodak’s half.
Kodak continues to fabricate a number of skilled and client movie shares, together with Ektar 100, Gold 200, Portra 400, and Tri-X 400. The introduction of Kodacolor 100 and 200, nonetheless, marks a major growth—not solely as a result of they’re new movie shares, however as a result of they characterize a shift in how Kodak manages its movie enterprise.
Unlike most of Kodak’s present movie lineup, which is distributed by Kodak Alaris, the brand new Kodacolor movies fall instantly underneath Eastman Kodak’s management. For the primary time in additional than a decade, Kodak is promoting movie on to distributors, signaling the corporate’s renewed involvement within the business facet of its pictures merchandise. The transfer comes amid a seamless resurgence in analog pictures and rising considerations over movie availability and affordability. By taking again management of gross sales and distribution, Kodak is positioning itself to higher handle provide chains, reply to market demand, and reinforce its presence in an more and more aggressive subject.
While the corporate has not detailed additional plans, the launch of Kodacolor 100 and 200 represents a reinvestment in movie manufacturing and distribution. As a movie hoarder, I’ve excessive hopes that this may imply the typical individual can as soon as once more purchase massive bulk orders of cinema movie. I’ve nonetheless received practically a thousand toes of Double-X sitting in my fridge now, however on the fee I shoot, this received’t final without end. If Kodak have been to supply Kodacolor in 100’ cans, I’d be a cheerful, completely happy man.
Kodacolor has some nice issues going for it. First… properly, it’s low-cost. Or extra precisely, it’s reasonably priced. On high of that, it performs very properly—it has a nice grain construction that isn’t overpowering like Gold might be in sure circumstances. It’s very forgiving, as properly—in the course of the Veterans Day parade I noticed I used to be overexposing by two stops, however it nonetheless gave me some dependable and great exposures.
Overall, I can suggest utilizing it. Whether it’s a rebrand of one other inventory or one thing new means little or no to me; in the end, the one metric that issues is closing publicity.