Kodak Portra 400 vs Ektar 100: Which Colour Negative Should You Shoot?
Portra 400 and Ektar 100 are Kodak's two most-loved colour negatives, but they behave very differently. A practical comparison for skin tones, grain, latitude and scanning.
The short answer
Shoot Portra 400 when the light is unpredictable, the subject is people, or you want forgiving skin tones and enormous exposure latitude. Shoot Ektar 100 when the light is controlled, you want maximum sharpness and saturated colour, and you can afford a slower shutter speed.
They are both Kodak colour negatives, and that is roughly where the similarity ends.
Colour and skin tones
Portra 400 was designed for portraits. Its palette is warm but restrained, and skin tones stay believable whether the subject is pale, olive or deep-toned. Highlights roll off gently, which is why wedding and editorial photographers have trusted it for two decades.
Ektar 100 is the opposite personality: high saturation, strong reds, punchy contrast and a look closer to slide film than to a consumer negative. Landscapes, architecture and graphic subjects love it. Faces can go slightly ruddy under warm light, and the contrast leaves less room to recover.
If your roll is mostly people, Portra is the safer choice. If your roll is mostly places and things, Ektar rewards you.
Grain and sharpness
Ektar 100 is the finest-grained colour negative Kodak makes. At ISO 100 in good light, 35mm scans can look almost medium-format digital. Portra 400 is a stop-and-a-bit faster, and its grain is finer than its speed suggests, but under a loupe Ektar still wins on pure detail.
The trade-off is speed. Ektar at ISO 100 is two stops slower than Portra 400, which matters at dusk, indoors or when you want a small aperture for depth of field.
Latitude and metering
This is where Portra 400 earns its reputation. Overexpose it by two or three stops and it simply gets denser and slightly softer; the highlights hold. Underexposure is less forgiving, but a stop under is still usable. For backlit scenes and mixed indoor light it is close to foolproof.
Ektar has noticeably less latitude. It likes correct exposure and punishes underexposure quickly, turning shadows into blocked-up mud. Treat it like a slide film: meter for the shadows, avoid extremes, and do not count on saving a badly exposed frame in post.
Portra 400 in practice
- Meter for the shadows and let highlights fall where they may.
- Push to 800 or 1600 without hesitation when the light drops; the colour holds.
- Ideal for weddings, travel, documentary and any backlit portrait.
- Pair it with the exposure calculator to keep equivalent exposures straight.
Ektar 100 in practice
- Use it in daylight or on a tripod; ISO 100 needs light.
- Expose for the shadows and protect the highlights.
- Best for landscape, architecture, product and graphic colour.
- Bracket long exposures and check the reciprocity calculator.
Verdict
| Question | Portra 400 | Ektar 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Best subject | People | Places, things |
| Grain | Fine for ISO 400 | The finest available |
| Latitude | Very wide | Moderate |
| Saturation | Restrained | High |
| Pushability | Excellent | Limited |
| Price tier | Higher | Higher |
If you only buy one premium colour negative, buy Portra 400: it flatters more situations. Add Ektar 100 for the days when the light is generous and you want maximum bite.