A Surprisingly Moody Kodak Film
Every once in a while, Kodak drops something that immediately sends the film internet into detective mode. On October 1st, they announced two brand-new film stocks—Kodak Color 100 and Kodak Color 200—and almost instantly the speculation began. Are these rebrands? Old emulsions in new boxes? Something entirely new?
Kodak has said these films come from existing Kodak sub-brands, which suggests we’ve seen some version of them before—but exactly what they are remains a bit of a mystery. Rather than guess, I figured the best thing to do was simple: load up a roll, head out into the world, and see what it actually looks like.
First Look: Familiar, But Different
I picked up a roll of Kodak Color 200, and right away the packaging caught my eye. It’s unmistakably Kodak, but slightly off-script. The black stripe is new, and overall it feels like a subtle branding shift—different enough to notice, but not so different that it feels disconnected from the Kodak identity.
There’s nothing on the box that hints at what this film might be based on, which honestly just adds to the intrigue.
I’ll admit up front: I’m not a huge fan of Kodak Gold 200. I’ve shot it in both 35mm and 120, and while it’s perfectly usable, it rarely excites me. Ultramax 400, on the other hand, is a film I genuinely enjoy. So going into this, I was curious—and maybe a little hopeful—that Kodak Color 200 might land somewhere closer to Ultramax than Gold.
Taking It Out Into the City
I loaded the roll into my Practica Super TL3 with a Mir-1 lens and headed out into Philadelphia. I metered carefully, but the conditions weren’t exactly cooperative. It was one of those classic Philly days where the sky can’t make up its mind—cloudy one minute, bright sun the next. As a result, some frames ended up more over- or underexposed than I’d planned, but honestly, that turned out to be a good thing. It gave the film a chance to show how it behaves across a range of exposures.
Once the film was developed and scanned, some clear patterns started to emerge.
What the Film Wants to Do
The first shots, including the Rocky statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, showed a generally pleasing exposure with vibrant greens and a slightly bright sky. Right away, the color palette felt familiar—in a good way. My first thought was Ultramax. Not identical, but adjacent.
In an overexposed frame taken earlier in the roll (thanks to accidentally leaving my camera set for flash), the film leaned into yellow and creamy highlights, washing out greens in a way that again felt very Ultramax-adjacent. Personally, I like that look, so this didn’t bother me at all.
As I moved around the Art Museum steps and along the Ben Franklin Parkway, I noticed something interesting starting to happen. The grain was minimal—as you’d expect from a 200-speed film—but there was a consistent undertone showing up in the shadows and darker areas.
A slate blue.
It wasn’t overpowering, but it was persistent. In underexposed frames, especially, this cool blue tone crept into the shadows and midtones. At first I wondered if it was just the light—it was a gloomy, hazy morning—but the more frames I looked at, the more it felt like a characteristic of the film itself.
Underexposure, Overexposure, and Everything In Between
Some of the most revealing shots were the imperfect ones. In underexposed images—buildings near the museum, views down the Parkway, and details at the Waterworks—the slate blue undertone became more pronounced. Instead of turning muddy or aggressively green, the shadows stayed cool and moody in a way I actually found really appealing.
In high dynamic range scenes—bright skies paired with deep shadows—the film held together surprisingly well. Highlights blew out where you’d expect them to, but midtones and shadow detail stayed readable. Greens remained vibrant, yellows popped, and blues consistently carried that cool, slightly muted character.
Looking back toward the skyline from the Waterworks and later from the Ben Franklin Bridge, the film’s color priorities became clearer:
Greens and yellows really shine
Blues feel natural and slightly cool
Reds and bricks lean a bit washed out, especially in flat or variable light
That last point is worth noting. Brick buildings and red tones didn’t have quite the punch you’d get from something like Portra, but they weren’t unpleasant—just softer and less saturated.
How It Handles People
I also caught a few frames with people in them, including a couple taking wedding photos near the Waterworks. Skin tones held up well overall—pleasant, warm, and natural—though they leaned slightly toward yellow rather than red. Again, some of that likely comes down to lighting conditions, but nothing looked strange or unusable.
So… What Is This Film, Really?
After a full roll, my takeaway is this: Kodak Color 200 feels like a bridge.
In overexposed shots, it flirts with Ultramax-style warmth and brightness. In underexposed areas, it introduces this slate blue, moody character that gives images a slightly mysterious edge. In well-exposed frames, greens and yellows dominate in a way that feels very “classic Kodak,” but with a gentler hand than Gold.
Compared directly to Kodak Gold 200, I personally find this film far more interesting and usable. Gold has never inspired me much, while this film consistently made me stop and look closer—even when the exposure wasn’t perfect.
Final Thoughts: Would I Shoot It Again?
Absolutely.
If I were to rate it, I’d probably land around a 6 or 7 out of 10. It’s not replacing Portra or HP5 for me, but it easily earns a spot above Gold and alongside films I’m happy to shoot casually without overthinking.
As a general-purpose, outdoor-friendly 200-speed film, Kodak Color 200 feels like a strong option—especially if you enjoy cooler shadows, vibrant greens, and a slightly cinematic mood. I’m especially curious to see how it behaves on a brighter, more consistent day, and how the 100-speed version compares.
If you’ve shot Kodak Color 100 or 200, I’d love to hear what you saw. Maybe the slate blue thing is just my Philly weather talking—or maybe it’s exactly what this film wants to be.
Either way, I’ll be buying more and finding out.