Why Kodak Gold 200 Is Still My Favorite Film Stock In 2024

I know it’s only January, but I can confidently say that after shooting film all last year — Kodak Gold 200 is the superior and my absolute go-to film stock for any film shoot.

That can sound blasphemous to my Portra lovers, but hear me out. My name is Jojo, and I’ve been an avid film shooter for about 7 years. You can catch me with my Canon A1 on most days or, if I’m feeling crazy, my Pentax 645. I love to shoot everything from portraits to landscapes and editorials. With my sporadic shooting style, I’ve gone through many different film styles to see which is the most versatile and can keep up with changing lighting conditions while maintaining image quality.

After searching for the past couple of years, I can confidently say that Kodak Gold 200 delivers quality across the board and beautifully crafted images ranging from landscapes to portraits and everything in between. Being a color-negative film, Gold 200 contains warm tones that cut through with just the right amount of contrast.

In 2023, I started focusing on shooting more film portraits, 35mm and 120 medium format film, and quickly noticed the warm punch that Gold 200 gave my subjects.

I spent most of the year doing natural lighting portraits, ranging from early morning to blue hour and everything in between. I wanted my film to feel warm without my harsh highlights and shadows too deep. That “sweet spot” is what I was constantly chasing. When I started using Kodak Gold 200, I was immediately impressed with the skin tones. Whether my lighting was harsh or dimmed, my subjects always had a soft warmth to them, and if the lighting were proper, the highlights would also subtly glow around them. It gave me the confidence to shoot in all conditions, keeping in mind I would still have to meter my subject correctly. It’s also a stock that can hold up well if you push it or pull it one or two stops. The more you become familiar with it, the more you’ll find yourself experimenting with it, and it will make you realize the true versatility of the film.

Last year was also a big road trip year for me, which obviously meant one thing — landscapes. I can firmly say that all of my landscapes from now on will be shot on Gold 200. For 120 medium format, the stock is one of the best for outdoor scenery and sweeping dynamic range, if not the best. The colors punch without overpowering each other and almost work in unison. Blues and greens become slightly warmer, giving a nostalgic feeling; however, the highlights keep it feeling sharp and modern. The yellows shine like golden rays across your scans, and you don’t lose much detail in the shadows.

If you choose to edit your film photos, you could lift the shadows slightly and keep the detail and sharpness, which was a big plus for me. I would shoot at Blue Hour on certain days and be beyond satisfied with how the stock handled its blues. It doesn’t muddle them into one big glob. Instead, it keeps the various shades visible, almost like a gradient.

Overall, this year will be filled with more Gold 200 work, and I can’t wait to push this stock more and see what awesome images I can create with it.

"The kind of film stock gives me the confidence to shoot in all conditions."

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