If you are just getting into film photography, the number of options at the camera shop or online can feel overwhelming before you have even loaded your first roll.
Kodak or Fujifilm? ISO 200 or 400? Color or black and white? Consumer film or professional emulsion? Each one seems to come with strong opinions from people who have been shooting film for years, which is not especially helpful when you are standing there just trying to buy something and go shoot.
Here is a straightforward breakdown of the films worth trying as a beginner in 2026 — what each one does, what conditions it works best in, and what the results actually look like. No jargon. No film snobbery. Just honest information so you can pick one and start.
Start With ISO 400 — Here Is Why
Before we get into specific films, the most important decision is ISO speed. ISO determines how sensitive the film is to light. A lower number means less sensitive — better in bright conditions, finer grain. A higher number means more sensitive — handles lower light, more pronounced grain.
For a first roll, ISO 400 is the right starting point for almost everyone. It is versatile enough to handle outdoor light, window light indoors, and overcast days without requiring you to make extreme exposure decisions. It forgives the learning curve. If you are not sure what conditions you will be shooting in, load ISO 400.
With that established, here are the films worth knowing about.
Kodak UltraMax 400
This is the film I recommend most often to beginners, and for good reason. It is widely available, consistently priced, and produces warm, rich colors that look flattering across a wide range of subjects — portraits, outdoor scenes, everyday life.
The grain is present but not aggressive at ISO 400. Skin tones render warmly and naturally. Highlights roll off smoothly. It is a forgiving film that rewards even imperfect exposures with pleasing results, which matters a lot when you are still figuring out exposure on film.
If you can only buy one film for your first roll, this is the one.
Kodak Gold 200
Kodak Gold is a slower film at ISO 200, which means it works best in brighter light — outdoor shooting in good light, near a window with natural light coming in. In lower light it starts to struggle without flash.
What it gives you in exchange for that limitation is beautiful warm tones and slightly finer grain than UltraMax. If you are shooting primarily outdoors on sunny or partly cloudy days and you want rich, warm color, Gold 200 is an excellent choice. It also tends to be slightly more affordable than UltraMax, which matters when you are buying multiple rolls to practice with.
Kodak ColorPlus 200
ColorPlus is the most affordable Kodak color film and it shows up in camera shops and online at a price point that makes practicing less financially stressful. The results are good — warm tones, decent color rendition, acceptable grain for a 200 speed film.
It is not the most sophisticated film on this list, but it is the one that lets you run ten rolls through a camera while you are learning without worrying about cost. For pure practice volume, ColorPlus 200 is a smart choice.
Fujifilm Superia X-TRA 400
Where Kodak films tend toward warm tones, Fujifilm’s color films lean cooler and slightly more neutral. Superia X-TRA 400 produces clean, crisp colors with a slightly different character than the Kodak options — greens tend to be punchier, blues are cleaner, skin tones are accurate but less warm.
If you prefer cooler, more neutral color rendering over the warmth that Kodak films produce, Fujifilm is your direction. Neither is better — they are different aesthetic choices, and trying one roll of each is the most direct way to understand which you naturally prefer.
Ilford HP5 Plus 400 — For Black and White
If you want to try black and white film, Ilford HP5 Plus is the standard recommendation for beginners and experienced photographers alike. It is ISO 400, extremely forgiving of exposure variations, produces beautiful tonal range from deep blacks to clean whites, and the grain has a character that many photographers actively seek out.
Black and white removes color from the equation entirely, which forces you to see in terms of light, shadow, tone, and texture. It is a genuinely educational exercise for any photographer. HP5 Plus is the most beginner-friendly way into that territory.
What to Avoid for Now
There are films that are beloved by experienced photographers that are not ideal starting points. Slide film — also called reversal film — requires precise exposure and is significantly less forgiving than color negative film. It is also more expensive to develop. Leave it for after you have a feel for exposure on film.
Very expired film has an aesthetic appeal but unpredictable results. Not for your first roll. Very fast films at ISO 800 or higher produce heavy grain that can obscure whether your exposure and focus decisions were actually correct. Learn on something more forgiving first.
The Honest Answer
The best film for a beginner is the one you actually load and shoot. The differences between these films matter, but they matter less than getting a roll through the camera, sending it to the lab, and seeing what you made.
Pick one. Load it. Shoot it. Then try a different one next time and notice what changes.
If you want a simple, organized starting point for everything around your first roll — beyond just the film choice — the free 35mm Starter Checklist covers what to check on your camera before you load, what to know while you’re shooting, and how to get your roll developed without the guesswork.
The best film is the one that is in your camera right now.