With the price of film increasing on an almost month by month basis we thought it was important to investigate an entry level option into the film world by reviewing Kodak Gold 200. In this review, we will dive into the this entry-level film and see if it's worth giving a go over the more expensive options in Kodaks lineup.
About the Film
In 1982 Kodak released their Kodacolor-vr line of films. These were their first range of films to ever use the C41 chemistry which is the development chemistry we use today in almost all colour negative films. It came in three varieties, 100, 200, and 400 ISO. Kodak Gold 200 is the modern version of Kodacolor VR-G 200. If you would like to try the original version of Kodacolor VR-G 200, you can shoot a roll of Kodak Colorplus. Kodak Gold 200 is a colour negative film that offers a fine grain structure and vibrant colours. It comes in 35mm and 120 formats. The 35mm rolls come in both 24 exposure or 36 exposure rolls. It is most commonly bought by beginner film photographers as it is usually the cheapest roll of film in the shops. It is very comfortable in most conditions as it has a very large exposure latitude so is forgiving. It is rated as a 200 ISO film leaving it middle of the road when compared to other films. It did used to come in a 100 ISO option but that was discontinued in the late 2000's as film was losing popularity.
Specifications
Film Specs
Type: Colour Negative (C-41)
Film Base: Acetate
Film Speed: ASA-200
Formats Available: 135, 120
Photos Taken With Kodak Gold
My Opinion
I am a massive fan of Kodak Gold 200. I first began using it at the beginning of covid 19 when my local shop used to sell it for only €4 a roll, but unfortunately it's not quite as cheap as it was back then.
It is very ideal for beginners as it is incredibly versatile. I have used it for portraits, landscapes but what I use it for most is documenting trips with friends and holidays.
The Grain
In terms of grain, it is pretty good. It's no Kodak Ektar, but for €11 a roll, that would be unreasonable to expect. You can still achieve very sharp images and grain tends to be an issue if you underexpose the film.
Colour Rendition
I really like the flexibility that you can achieve in the colour rendition with Kodak Gold. Firstly, this is a warm film, which is my preference but the part I like mostly is that by slightly pushing or pulling by a stop you can achieve either very punchy saturated colours or a more pastel palette.
To get the more Kodak Portra pastel look, pull your film one stop
To get the more vibrant saturated colours push the film one stop
Should You Buy It?
In short, YES! absolutely do!
Now for the long answer, For beginners Kodak Gold 200 is the perfect film to learn with as its flexibility allows you to achieve fantastic results even if you slightly underexpose or overexpose you image by accident.
For more experienced photographers, Gold is a great film to experiment with and for taking photographs in social situations. For your more professional work however, I would recommend sticking to something like Kodak Portra or Ektar
Below are a few links to buy this film from us!
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Kodak Gold 200 35mm 36 exposures
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Kodak Gold 200 35mm 24 exposures
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Kodak Gold 200 120 medium format (Out of Stock)