Kodak Portra 800 Film Review, Sample Photos, 35mm and 120 | All About Film

I started using Portra 800 in December 2015 and wrapped up the photos for this video in January 2023. Portra 800 has given me photos from a lot of different subjects in different lighting and different conditions. And, generally, I’ve been pleased with it most of the time. But I definitely have a strong preference with this film for some subjects and some lighting. People and animals in daylight work very well to my eye. Similar subjects in warm lighting can be recorded decently well. Landscapes and similar works doesn’t benefit from the Portra 800 look.

Porta is a specialist film and what it does well it does very well. It’s not great as a generalist and many subjects don’t benefit from what it offers. That said, portraits, weddings, events, animals, and other photos where the subject has a face will generally be rendered well on Portra 800. That said, if you take Portra 800 out of its environment it can perform fine, but not to its best. It’s sort of like a heart surgeon could probably perform a kidney operation, but it’s not truly their wheelhouse. Portra 800 is a specialist and it likes being where it’s strongest.

Kodak Portra 800 film is a versatile and much loved photographic film stock known for its outstanding performance in a wide range of shooting conditions. This comprehensive YouTube video provides a detailed analysis of the technical aspects and captivating results offered by Kodak Portra 800 in both 35mm and 120 formats. As part of the All About Film series, this video aims to provide students and film enthusiasts with valuable insights, facts, and educational content.

The review delves into the remarkable characteristics that make Kodak Portra 800 a favored choice among photographers. Throughout the video, the analysis focuses on various essential aspects of Kodak Portra 800. Topics covered include contrast, grain, dynamic range, scanability, spectral sensitivity, and reciprocity failure. Each of these features is explored, highlighting how they contribute to the overall performance and image quality of the film stock. The review incorporates sample photos captured using Kodak Portra 800, allowing viewers to witness firsthand the film's remarkable capabilities and stunning visual results.

In addition to technical details, practical tips and insights are shared to aid viewers in optimizing their experience when working with Kodak Portra 800. The content is meticulously designed to engage the primary audience of students and film enthusiasts, providing them with valuable information, facts, and educational content about this popular film stock.

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Video Index:
0:00 - Intro
0:13 - Skip the Intro
0:45 - Best Tips, Tricks, and Practices
5:00 - Image Characteristics
7:11 - Spectral Sensitivity
8:10 - Reciprocity Failure
9:16 - Development Latitude
10:32 - Closing Narrative

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[davecarrera]

Wonderful & honest breakdown of the pros and cons of Portra 800.

[craigfouche]

Thank you so much for this episode David!

[smallbatchsessions]

Hey great review. The details were very helpful and seemed spot on with your photo examples.
Thanks

[TubaSolotheHiker]

Great video. Thank you for providing so many sample images. That was all very helpful in just seeing what Portra does in certain environments.

[lighturpl]

I'm glad you mentioned the grain, because it something I really noticed when using it. I had a number of sunset photos which were really unusably grainy.

[dallassrexrode]

literally just shot portra 800 last week great video!

[jmguitarnavy]

I love your detailed analyses of film stocks! I'd love to see you talk about some sadly discontinued stocks (like Fuji Reala 100, Fuji Sensia 100, the whole superia line in general, etc)

[nothingaroundus_]

Portra 800 is my favorite film, I agree with the things you said. Regarding its colour spectrum, I would say it is noticably cooler in the shadows (cyan and green), the rest parts of the photos are always on point. It is the only film that can pull together a blue hour shot in my opinion, which I am madly chasing.

[alexanderpopov]

I totally agree with your thesis. Also use this film exclusively for portraits and in 120 format, besides that personally prefer color tonality and skin tones of 800th to other Potras. Portra 800 has that nice yellowish hue to the image.

[jeremymudd]

Spot-on! Excellent review. Totally agree with everything you said. I like the grain on Portra 800 better than Cinestill 800T, but sadly 800T wins in terms of color and sharpness. I just can't stand that darn halation/blooming.

[GTXTi-dbxu]

I love Portra 800, I just wish it would come in packs of 5.

[androoy.p]

In your scans some of the ladscape photos have a redish tinge that weirly remind me of Ektar.
Do you color balance your photos?

[av.punk.]

As much as I love portra 160 for my portrature contracts, having shot a few concerts on 800, I'm gonna have to stick to Cinestill 800T for concerts. Just gives me more punchy colours every time

[ArthurJS]

I don’t get it. Why would people want to shoot ISO 800 film in broad daylight? Are you shooting at different speeds? If so, you’re awfully vague in the video.