Kodak ColorPlus 200 is supposedly the cheapest fresh C41 film you can buy. That’s certainly why I picked it, when I needed a few rolls recently. So what’s it like?
I’ve always loved the look of Kodak Portra. It has a special color about it. The ColorPlus does not look exactly like Portra. I’d say ColorPlus is a bit more realistic in its color rendition, there’s a bit more punch to ColorPlus.
I don’t mind it in the least, but it’s something to know when you pick films.
There’s obviously also the fact that Portra is a lot pricier than ColorPlus.
Supposedly, ColorPlus shares some heritage with Kodak Gold, but it’s not been developed like Gold, to keep production cost down. One might guess therefore that it may look a bit more classic.
The grain in the ColorPlus is a bit more pronounced than I would expect for a 200 film, I’d say. But it’s not too noticeable. And, let’s be honest, one reason for shooting film is the look of the grain, which is not at all the same (look) as noise in digital. Perhaps that’s also an effect of it being an older emulsion.
Others have pointed out that ColorPlus does better with a bit more light (exposure) rather than too little light. That’s quite a common view of analog film in general, and the opposite of digital, which generally retains less detail in highlights compared to shadows. And I’d agree with that regarding the ColorPlus. So the adage “expose for the shadows” certainly applies.
