Kodak Gold v Kodak ColourPlus: Do you really need to choose one?

Introduction:

Before you read any further this isn’t going to be one of those technical comparisons which leave you feeling even more confused than when you first started reading, it’s purely my personal preferences of the two films and how they can both be a good asset to your film arsenal.

First things first, although this may go against the title of this blog I don’t think you should be choosing one or the other based on which one you think is better. Both these films have different characteristics which make them a very good choice in different environments depending on subject, lighting, time of year etc… I think the right thing to do is to have both these film emulsions at your disposal.

I have been shooting both these films for a while now and honestly love both of them. Colourplus has a real nostalgic charm with photos that remind of the days where I would look back at my parents and grandparents photo albums of their childhood before digital cameras were invented. Gold however has a beautiful warm tone which used in the right conditions can evoke a strong nostalgic feeling of summer evenings spent with friends and family.

Kodak ColourPlus Kodak Gold

Colour:

Both these films offer different colour saturations. As the name suggests Kodak Gold offers a subtle warm saturation that is rich in colour especially in daylight. Colourplus on the other hand offers  are more subdued, providing a vintage or retro feel. This film delivers natural skin tones and is less saturated, giving photos a softer, more nostalgic appearance. Depending on the look you are after will depend on which colour rendition you personally prefer. Personally I love the way Kodak Gold’s colours pop especially on a summers evening just before sunset. Whereas I love using Colourplus during the winter months where everything feels that bit darker it is brilliant for bringing out those natural colours.

Versatility:

Both Gold and Colourplus have an ISO speed of 200 meaning they are perfect for daylight use in natural light outdoors. I have found both these films especially Kodak Gold struggles indoors where the light is a bit dimmer. If you plan on using a flash then both these films will provide a decent service, however if you’re just shooting at low light with no flash personally I would always go for colourplus as I have found it is a more forgiving film in low light situations.

Kodak ColourPlus Kodak Gold

Price:

The price of these films in recent years have boomed just like almost every other film emulsion. If you want to buy these films new the best price that I have got them for in the UK is around £9 for on roll of Kodak Gold (35mm) and £8 for Kodak Colourplus (35mm), however if you buy them in a multipack then they can be slightly cheaper. (I get my film from www.analoguewonderland.com as I have found they tend to offer the best prices!)  When comparing to films such as Portra 400 or 800 which will set you back around £20, these prices look like a bargain. Obviously if you were to buy the more expensive Portra 400 then your photos may have that professional edge. But I really don’t believe that the results you get from portra are over twice as good as the two films in question. For me I’d pick either of these two films over portra any day as an avid casual photographer the sense of anxiety when using expensive films is just not worth it. (Secret Word: Emulsion)

Conclusion:

Both these films offer very good results and are perfect for not only new photographers but also photographers with many years experience. If you’re not too bothered about pin perfect sharpness or almost no grain (which I find bizarre as that is one the beauties of shooting film) then honestly I’d get both if you can. They both have superb qualities, what I would say is have a think about what type of photography you shoot or want to shoot and make your decision based on that. I always have my fridge stocked with both these films as I love the differences they both offer.

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The Anablogue.

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