Kodak Portra 400 .
Kodak Portra 400 might be the most versatile of the Portra range simply because it sits between the 160 and 800. If you're not sure what kind of light you'll be dealing with, it's a safe bet. It can comfortably be pushed or pulled 1-2 stops which gives you flexibility if you need it. Indoors or outdoors Portra 400 shines.
Its lineage goes back to Kodak's Vericolor line from the 1970s. When Kodak released this emulsion in 1998 it had a specific target market: weddings and portraiture. It renders all skin tones naturally and became the go-to film for photographers shooting people. If you're a photographer looking for natural colour, fine grain and less saturated film, the Portra line is an easy choice.
It's a great film to pack for a weekend away if you're not quite sure what you'll shoot. It's versatile. It's not just a film for shooting people.
Portra 400 is also available as Ektacolor Pro 400. Exactly the same film, just rebranded. If you're likely to be shooting with plenty of available light Portra 160 is a good option. If light is limited or you want a bit more pop in your colours, consider Portra 800.
- + Portraits - family, weddings, studio
- + Scenes with variable light
- + Architecture where there is colour
- − Scenes where you want more colour saturation - instead choose Portra 800
- − When you want the lowest grain in the Portra range - choose 160
- − A cheap roll - instead choose Gold 200
more from their film.
Portra 400 is a daylight-balanced film rated ISO 400, and Kodak claims it as the world's finest-grain 400-speed colour negative. In 35mm, grain is visible but genuinely fine for a 400-speed film — the Print Grain Index sits above the visible threshold at 4x6 and rises at enlargement. In 120, grain sits right at the visible threshold at 4x6 and remains well controlled at 8x10 — a meaningful step finer than the same stock in 35mm. Exposure latitude is generous on the overexposure side. No reciprocity correction is needed for exposures between 1/10,000 sec and 1 second; beyond that, the TDS recommends testing under your conditions.
The manufacturer's data sheet does not publish push or pull development times, but Portra 400 handles both well in practice. Labs report good results pushed to +1 and +2 stops, with the expected trade-offs: increased contrast, more visible grain, and less shadow detail. If you need shadow retention, overexposing at box speed and developing normally is more forgiving than pushing. Pulling is rarely necessary — Portra 400's overexposure latitude is wide enough that 1-2 stops over at normal development looks great without needing reduced processing. Negatives scan cleanly on flatbed, dedicated film, or drum scanners with no reported quirks.
If you've refrigerated or frozen your film, allow it to warm to room temperature before opening. For 35mm, that's about 1¼ hours from the fridge or 1½ hours from the freezer. 120 warms up faster: about 45 minutes from the fridge or 1 hour from the freezer. Expose promptly after shooting and process as soon as practical.