Kodak UltraMax 400

Known/rumored respoolings: Fujifilm 400 (per kosmofoto.com; also see above discussion of Kodak Gold 200). To be sure, Fujifilm’s consumer-grade color negative films on the market today are not the same as what Fujifilm manufactured into the late 2010s or early 2020s. In 2023, Fujifilm refreshed its packaging for Fujifilm 400 perhaps as a result of its apparent use of a third party, most likely Kodak, to produce that film stock. Although I’m always a little hesitant to believe internet rumors, I think in this case they are true: Fujifilm 400 appears to be rebadged Kodak UltraMax 400.

Observations: The beauty in shooting a low-priced color film lies in its easy-going nature. When you know your per-frame cost is cheaper than what higher-grade film stocks offer, sometimes the creative juices flow a little better. With Kodak UltraMax 400, you have the added benefit of a well-performing color negative film stock with good but not overwhelming saturation and decent sharpness. Kodak UltraMax 400 might have slightly more grain than Kodak Gold 200, but in all honesty I have a hard time telling the difference between the two.

Further reading: bluemooncameracodex.com, alexluyckx.com