Kodak Gold vs. Portra: Side by Side Film Comparison
Kodak’s array of film stocks has been paired with cameras of all types throughout the decades. Kodak’s Portra film is the reigning professional film of choice from pro to novice film photographers, whereas its more affordable Gold 200 counterpart is a more accessible film, catering to warm tones and golden hour.
You may be at a crossroads deciding which film you want to pop into your camera — what are the differing factors between the films and how can they deliver for you? Well, look no further than our quick guide on Kodak Gold vs. Portra!
Want more photography tips? Join our mailing list below, and check out our several other film photography guides and preset guides.
Give your photography the film treatment with these Kodak Portra and Kodak Gold Lightroom Presets!
- Free Summer Portra Preset | Full Pack: Ultimate Portra Preset Pack
- Free Tinted Kodak Gold Preset | Full Pack: Ultimate Kodak Gold Preset Pack
Kodak Gold 200
Kodak’s Gold 200, as its name implies, is all about gold, oranges, yellows, and everything in between. It’s made to capture the warmth around you and reproduces imagery with beautiful tones meant for golden hour, warmly-lit portraits, and overall warm color palettes.
The 200 ISO of Kodak Gold does mean that it’s a film hungry for light. It needs lots of natural light, or artificial light from flash or studio lights. Shadows come out dark and high contrast, with some details being lost. This combo of low exposure latitude and limiting dynamic range might be off-putting, but are actual traits that photographers admire about the film stock.
Between Gold and Portra, Gold 200 is most comparable to Portra’s lower ISO 160 film. It lacks in exposure latitude, but excels in warm color reproduction and creating dramatic shadows. If these are all attributes you’re looking for, then Kodak Gold 200 is for you!
Check out Kodak Gold 200:
- Gold 200 35mm Film: Get it on Amazon | Get it on Moment
- Gold 200 Medium Format (120) Film: Get it on Moment
Images via @expiredbren, @wilmwavecherry and @lx2.film
Kodak Portra 160
Kodak Portra, the brand’s most popular film line, serves as professional film used by all and made famous due to its color reproduction and versatility.
The versatility in question is thanks to Portra’s wide exposure latitude, which can adjust in changing lighting conditions from daylight to night, and indoor to outdoor. It’s a film which photographers feel comfortable with over- and underexposing to achieve darkened or lightened results.
The Portra line starts off with the low ISO Portra 160. Known for its ultra fine grain and all the good things that come with the Portra formula, Portra 160 captures fine details – whether it be with portrait photos, nature, or landscapes. Your colors will be reproduced in Portra’s signature punchy tones, balanced highlights, and detailed shadows. Tones within Portra lean towards gold-yellow hues, and tints giving off a similar warmth to Gold 200. Portra is designed to work in many conditions, and 160 is its fine-detailed starting point.
If those Portra prices are looking steep – check out these Portra alternatives and Portra presets.
Check out Kodak Portra 160:
- Portra 160 35mm Film: Get it on Amazon | Get it on Moment
- Portra 160 Medium Format (120) Film: Get it on Amazon | Get it on Moment
- Portra 160 Large Format Film: Get it on Amazon
Images via @hugotordjman, @albertgenatophoto.yo, and @little_people
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 160 is the most comparable to Gold 200, but we thought we’d throw in Portra 400 as a notable contender. Portra 400 is the midpoint between its other 160 and 800 speed offerings. This film is meant to be a bit more versatile in light settings, and can be used from the daytime into the later minutes of golden hour sunsets.
Portra 400’s grain is a bit more evident than 160’s fine grain, but this will mostly be pronounced in photos where light is low. If you get the exposure right, you can achieve a finer grain look.
The same color reproduction of Portra 160 is used here, just with more of a wider exposure latitude.
If you love the Portra 400 look and want to apply it to your digital photography – check out these Portra 400 Lightroom presets!
Check out Kodak Portra 400:
- Portra 400 35mm Film: Get it on Amazon | Get it on Moment
- Portra 400 Medium Format (120) Film: Get it on Amazon | Get it on Moment
- Portra 400 Large Format Film: Get it on Amazon | Get it on Moment
Images via @goldmoony, @phamuelphoto, and @jakeinez
Kodak Portra 800
Kodak Portra 800 is the fastest and most sensitive Portra film — its ISO of 800 is two stops above that of Gold’s 200 ISO.
Portra 800 is prominently used in low-light situations or shoots that involve some dynamic movement. The high ISO’s light sensitivity allows you to capture photos where light isn’t abundant, whether it be an indoor shoot, or outdoor dusk hours. The high ISO also allows you to capture action and speed, as it enables you to shoot at higher shutter speeds without risking underexposure.
Portra 800’s grain comes in at the most noticeable when compared to its lower ISO counterparts. Although grain comes with higher ISO, it’s really only notable in low-light photos, whereas well-lit photos result in a much finer grain look. It’s just a matter of dialing in your exposure right!
Lastly, the same color reproduction of Portra 160 is used here with wider exposure latitude. One thing to mention is Portra 800’s popularity with overexposure resulting in unique pastel tones.
Check out Kodak Portra 160:
- Portra 800 35mm Film: Get it on Amazon
- Portra 800 Medium Format (120) Film: Get it on Amazon
Images via @nick.le, @portra_papi, and @jakeinez
Which of these two Kodak film greats do you prefer? Are you Team Gold or Team Portra? Let us know in the comments below!
Gridfiti is supported by its audience – when you buy something using the retail links in our posts, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read more about our affiliate disclaimer.
10 Nature Lightroom Presets (Outdoors, Hiking & More)
From the beauty of forests and rugged texture of mountains to the calming vastness of beaches, nature photography showcases our planet’s most stunning landscapes. When it comes to editing these scenes, Lightroom presets can be used to enhance your photography by bringing out the rich colors, textures, and elements that make your nature photos unique.
Whether you’re shooting during golden hour, capturing the misty morning of a forest, or dealing with bright midday sun, nature photography comes with its own set of challenges.
Presets help streamline your editing process and ensure your nature photos always look their best — and we’ve gathered the best for you to pick from. Check out our round-up of nature Lightroom presets to take your nature photos to the next level!Read more
The Ultimate Billionaire Morning Routine List
Billionaires worldwide know that one of the keys to success is a consistent morning routine, which sets them up to continue growing their sizeable fortunes. While replicating a billionaire's routine won't make you a billionaire overnight, it can improve your mindset, change your habits, and supercharge your productivity.
But what exactly does a billionaire's morning routine look like? And what are the top activities billionaires include in their AM schedules?
Keep scrolling for the ultimate billionaire morning routine list!Read more
11 Wes Anderson Lightroom Presets & Filters
Wes Anderson’s films are famous for their distinctive visual style, characterized by vibrant color palettes, soft film texture, and meticulously created symmetry — there’s no other director creating visual scenes like Wes.
Bringing his style over to your photography is easier than ever, thanks to the widely available Lightroom editing options inspired by some of Wes’ most iconic films. All it takes is capturing photos of vibrant settings (ideally with symmetry) and applying a preset!
Whether you want to give your camping trip the Moonrise Kingdom look, or apply the Grand Budapest colors to photos of your European summer, we’ve put together a round-up of the best Wes Anderson Lightroom presets to turn your photos into film scenes!Read more
The 15 Best Beach Lightroom Presets
Tired of spending hours perfecting the edits to your beach photos? These presets will give your tropical vacation photos the proper mix of an earthy and vibrant beach look, while keeping edits cohesive across photos. Choose from a multitude of looks, ranging in textures, vibrancy, and overall color palette choices – check out our picks for the best beach Lightroom presets!
Read more
The 16 Best & Free Notion Wedding Planning Templates in 2024
There are so many wedding planners and apps out there — but if you’re looking for something that’s super powerful and customizable, Notion is a great choice!
We’ve rounded-up the best Notion wedding planning templates from expert event planners and real couples to help you prepare for your wedding day, bridal shower, bachelorette party, and even day-to-day married life!Read more
12+ Aesthetic Online Countdown Timer Websites & Videos (Full Screen)
Whether you’re cooking, writing an exam, attending an event, or blocking out time to focus – a timer is essential to keep you on track when you need it the most. Physical timers aren’t as easily accessible as digital timers, and it’s way easier to use an online timer on your phone, tablet, or laptop.
There are so many online timer apps and websites out there, but only a handful of aesthetic countdown timers that you’ll actually want to keep on your screen. Add some color and life to your daily timer with any of these aesthetic online countdown timers!Read more
13 Aesthetic Online Stopwatch Timers & Videos
Online timers are valuable tools for tracking your work hours, keeping yourself motivated, and analyzing your daily activities. But is your current online stopwatch giving your pause for thought? If your current time tracker is really ticking you off, check out these aesthetic online stopwatch timers and videos!Read more
12 Brain Dump Worksheets & Templates (PDFs, Printables & More)
Thousands of thoughts enter and leave our brains every day — and between work, personal life, or even school, it’s both overwhelming and impossible to try and retain them all. Putting all those thoughts, ideas, and to-dos to paper via brain dumping is such a simple and powerful way to clear your mental clutter and boost productivity.
To help you get started, we’ve rounded up some of the best brain dump worksheets and templates, whether you’re on the hunt for printable PDFs, or editable digital templates for your tablet or computer!Read more
Does Pomodoro Work for ADHD? 5 Big Benefits & Tips
The Pomodoro technique is a productivity method developed to improve efficiency and focus. This method cuts your day into set intervals separated by short and long breaks, which can help you zero in on one task, make your task list more manageable, and add structure to your day.
Traditionally, Pomodoro intervals are 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. After 4 work intervals, take a longer 25-minute break. (For a deeper dive into how it works, check out our comprehensive guide on the Pomodoro technique.)
Many people swear by the Pomodoro technique for productivity — but does Pomodoro work for ADHD? Keep reading to learn how the Pomodoro technique can help you get things done in a way that works with your ADHD brain!Read more
