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Colour negative · Natural

Kodak Portra 800

Portra's fastest: skin tones after the sun sets.

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Planned media

Flattering skin and warm, glowing backlight from a fast still-photo colour negative, seen as a scan. Original vs Ashigrain.

Kodak Portra 800

stock
Kodak Portra 800
mode
Scan
film_format
35mm still (135)
Exposure index
800
Daylight
Introduced
2000
In production
Process
C-41
Prints on
Scan

About the film

Kodak Portra 800 is the fastest member of Kodak Professional’s Portra family of colour negatives, which Kodak built around natural skin tones for portrait, wedding and fashion work.

In 2006 the family ran from 160NC and 160VC through 400NC and 400VC to 800, the NC films for natural colour and low contrast and the VC films for vivid colour, and Kodak recommended 800 for long lenses, action and low light. Kodak says it improved Portra 800 early in 2006, before re-engineering the 160 and 400 films for finer grain later that year. Among the technologies Kodak lists are T-Grain emulsions, development accelerators that raise speed without adding grain, and antenna-dye sensitisation, which binds a second layer of dye to the sensitising dye so that each crystal absorbs more light. Kodak publishes curves for pushing it one and two stops, to EI 1600 and 3200, and claims best-in-class underexposure latitude. In 2006 it came in 35 mm, 120 and 220; today Kodak lists 135 and 120. Its current data sheet, of 2016, and its product page come from Kodak Alaris, which uses the Kodak marks under licence from Eastman Kodak Company and still sells the film.

Sources for this history
  1. KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 800 Film Technical Data, Kodak Alaris Inc.
  2. KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 160NC, 160VC, 400NC, 400VC, and 800 Films Technical Data, Eastman Kodak Company
  3. KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 160NC, 160VC, 400NC, 400VC, and 800 Films Technical Data (January 2008), Eastman Kodak Company
  4. Questions & Answers: What's new with KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA Film?, Eastman Kodak Company
  5. KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 800 Film, Kodak Alaris Inc.
  6. Kodak technical documents index, 125px.com
  7. KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 800 Film Technical Data, E-2528 (March 2000), archived, Eastman Kodak Company
  8. KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 800 Film (product page, archived April 2000), Eastman Kodak Company
  9. KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 800 Film: Ordering (archived May 2000), Eastman Kodak Company

The look

Kodak Portra 800 is a daylight still-photo colour negative rated EI 800, the fastest of Kodak's portrait films, with Kodak's push curves for EI 1600 and 3200. Expect natural skin, moderate saturation and deep underexposure latitude. It starts as a scan; for printing it uses Kodak 2383 by default or any other print film.

Planned media

Pushed one stop to EI 1600 on Kodak's own push curve: more contrast and more grain, still kind to skin.

Kodak Portra 800

stock
Kodak Portra 800
mode
Scan
film_format
35mm still (135)
push_pull_stops
1
ei
1600

Planned media

Soft window light on skin: gentle tones and colour that flatters faces.

Kodak Portra 800

stock
Kodak Portra 800
mode
Scan
film_format
35mm still (135)

Best for

  1. Golden-hour and dusk portraits
  2. Weddings and events pushed to EI 1600
  3. Long-lens portraits in fading light

Among the films

FilmSpeedGrain, RMS σD · lower is finerYears made
Technicolor Process IITechnicolor Process II−5⅔ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 16−5⅔ stops.0201922
DS-5MDS-5M−4⅓ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 40−4⅓ stops.0051979
Kodak Aerochrome III 1443Kodak Aerochrome III 1443−4⅓ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 40−4⅓ stops.0242001
Kodak Vision3 50DKodak Vision3 50DMade since 2011, in production · −4 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 50−4 stops.0052011–
Fujifilm Velvia 50Fujifilm Velvia 50Made since 2007, in production · −4 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 50−4 stops.0092007–
Agfa Agfacolor Ultra 50Agfa Agfacolor Ultra 50−4 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 50−4 stops.0051995
Kodak Kodachrome 64Kodak Kodachrome 64Made 1974–2009 · −3⅔ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 64−3⅔ stops.0121974–2009
Fujifilm Fujichrome 64T Type IIFujifilm Fujichrome 64T Type II−3⅔ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 64−3⅔ stops.0102002
Ilford Ortho PlusIlford Ortho PlusMade since 1997, in production · −3⅓ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 80−3⅓ stops.0151997–
Polaroid Type 669Polaroid Type 669−3⅓ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 80−3⅓ stops.0241981
Svema LN-9Svema LN-9−3 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 95−3 stops.0071988
Fujifilm Astia 100FFujifilm Astia 100FMade 2003–2012 · −3 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain the sameEI 100−3 stops.0082003–12
Agfa Agfachrome RSX II 100Agfa Agfachrome RSX II 100−3 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 100−3 stops.0121998
Agfa Agfacolor Optima II 100Agfa Agfacolor Optima II 100−3 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 100−3 stops.0051998
Kodak Ektar 100Kodak Ektar 100Made since 2008, in production · −3 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 100−3 stops.0052008–
Kodak Ektachrome 100DKodak Ektachrome 100DMade since 2018, in production · −3 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 100−3 stops.0142018–
Fomapan R 100Fomapan R 100Made since 1980, in production · −3 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 100−3 stops.0221980–
NK-2NK-2−3 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 100−3 stops.0131980
Fujifilm FP-100CFujifilm FP-100CMade 1992–2016 · −3 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 100−3 stops.0231992–2016
Eastman Color Negative 5247Eastman Color Negative 5247−2⅔ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 125−2⅔ stops.0051983
Agfa Agfacolor Portrait XPS 160Agfa Agfacolor Portrait XPS 160−2⅓ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 160−2⅓ stops.0071995
Kodak Vision3 200TKodak Vision3 200TMade since 2010, in production · −2 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 200−2 stops.0072010–
Kodak Tri-X Reversal 7266Kodak Tri-X Reversal 7266Made since 2003, in production · −2 stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 200−2 stops.0252003–
Kodak Vision3 250DKodak Vision3 250DMade since 2009, in production · −1⅔ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 250−1⅔ stops.0072009–
Fujifilm Eterna 250DFujifilm Eterna 250DMade 2005–2013 · −1⅔ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 250−1⅔ stops.0042005–13
Kodak Aerocolor IV 2460Kodak Aerocolor IV 2460Made since 2009, in production · −1⅔ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 250−1⅔ stops.0132009–
Eastman Double-X 5222Eastman Double-X 5222Made since 1960, in production · −1⅔ stops vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 250−1⅔ stops.0151960–
Fujifilm Pro 400HFujifilm Pro 400HMade 2004–2021 · −1 stop vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 400−1 stop.0042004–21
Kodak Vision3 500TKodak Vision3 500TMade since 2007, in production · −⅔ stop vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 500−⅔ stop.0072007–
Kodak Vision2 Expression 500TKodak Vision2 Expression 500T−⅔ stop vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 500−⅔ stop.0092003
Fujifilm Eterna 500Fujifilm Eterna 500Made 2004–2013 · −⅔ stop vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 500−⅔ stop.0042004–13
Fujifilm Eterna Vivid 500Fujifilm Eterna Vivid 500Made 2009–2013 · −⅔ stop vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain finerEI 500−⅔ stop.0042009–13
Kodak Portra 800Kodak Portra 800Made since 2000, in production · this filmEI 800this film.0082000–
Kodak T-Max P3200Kodak T-Max P3200Made since 1988, in production · same speed vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 800same speed.0191988–
Kodak Ektachrome P1600Kodak Ektachrome P1600+1 stop vs Kodak Portra 800 · grain coarserEI 1600+1 stop.0381999

Science & sources

Kodak Portra 800 calibration chart: OriginalKodak Portra 800 calibration chart: Processed
Synthetic test chart (grey ramp, ColorChecker, hue sweep, point highlights) before and after the full Ashigrain pipeline: scan branch, Super 35 4-perf, default controls, exposure +0.00 stops to match the original's mid-grey, frame 0.

A daylight-balanced still-photo colour negative rated at EI 800, with Kodak's published push curves for EI 1600 and 3200. It defaults to a scan rather than a print. Its grain and individual dye shapes are borrowed from Kodak Vision3 films, because the datasheet does not publish them.

Response curves and the evidence behind the model

Compare manufacturer data with the Ashigrain model on the same axes. This shows the calibration to source curves; comparison with photographed film is a separate question.

Characteristic response

Density against log H (lux-seconds) for channels R, G, B. R circles, G squares, B triangles, N diamonds; filled markers and solid lines are digitised, open markers and dashed lines are simulated: digitised and simulated.−4.0−3.0−2.0−1.00.01.0log H (lux-seconds)0.01.02.03.0Density

RMS granularity

RMS granularity (σD) against Density for channels R, G, B. R circles, G squares, B triangles, N diamonds; filled markers and solid lines are datasheet-based, open markers and dashed lines are simulated: datasheet-based and simulated.0.00.51.01.52.0Density0.00.010.020.030.04RMS granularity (σD)

Density variation (σD). Where the datasheet gives a single grain value, the response away from that point is an approximation.

ChannelDensityDatasheet-based σDModel σD
R0.30.0090410.009327
G0.30.0113760.011775
B0.30.0302760.031326
R0.60.0066460.006857
G0.60.0088640.009174
B0.60.0223230.023097
R10.0064360.00664
G10.0075590.007824
B10.0191680.019832
R1.50.0055550.005731
G1.50.0076730.007942
B1.50.0198810.02057
B20.0122510.012676

Model limits

These images show the film model in use. Spectral response, lighting and viewing conditions include approximations, while halation, bloom, grain size, weave and flicker are not fully measured for each film. A real film capture also depends on development and print timing.

  • The model assumes custom lighting spectra, camera metering and the spectral reflectance inferred from fixed-white-balance footage. These inputs are not measurements of the film.
  • The model calculates colour-print timing and scan balance for arbitrary lighting. Scanner colour balance is expressed without a standard physical unit.
  • The spectral transmission of the conversion filter the source prescribes (80A for daylight films under tungsten, 85 for tungsten films in daylight) is modelled, not supplied by the source.
  • The sheet prints only a Print Grain Index, which Kodak says cannot be compared with RMS granularity. Grain is proxied from Kodak Vision3 500T (5219), so the granularity values shown are that film's, not measurements of Portra 800.
  • Only a midscale neutral and a minimum-density spectrum are printed, not separate cyan, magenta and yellow dye spectra. The individual dye shapes are borrowed from Kodak Vision3 250D (5207), a proxy rather than this film's dyes.
  • Push 1 (EI 1600) and Push 2 (EI 3200) use Kodak's published push curves. Other push amounts, interlayer effects and grain size are approximations.
  • The characteristic response beyond log H −3.74 to 0.26 is extrapolated.
  • No antihalation layer is named; an undercoat is assumed. Halation strength, radius, layer weights and bloom are not measured.
  • The default output is a scan, following the sheet's scanning guidance. Scan balance has no standard unit and is modelled.
  • Printed on Kodak 2383, printer-light timing on this film can differ slightly from the full spectral calculation.
  • This preview approximates the printer lamp and filter spectra and the Status A grey target. The source does not provide the spectral data or laboratory target needed to calibrate them.

Film guide: assumptions and practical choices

Sources

  1. Exposure index: KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 800 Film Technical Data, E-4040, Revised 2-16, p. 2
  2. Process: KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 800 Film Technical Data, E-4040, Revised 2-16, p. 3
  3. Characteristic curves: KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 800 Film Technical Data, E-4040, Revised 2-16, p. 4

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