Kodak Gold vs. ColorPlus

In this article: Unconvincing comparisons and Kodak’s cryptic response. My first attempt at comparing Kodak Gold vs. ColorPlus. Refining test equipment and methods. Kodak Gold vs. ColorPlus: grain. Kodak Gold vs. ColorPlus: colours. Kodak Gold vs. ColorPlus: dynamic range and reciprocity failure. Kodak Gold vs. ColorPlus: differences between the physical negatives. Which film is better, Kodak Gold or ColorPlus? Support this blog & get premium features with GOLD memberships!

Kodak Gold and Kodak ColorPlus differ in pricing, availability, and box design. But given that they are both “budget” ISO 200 emulsions in Kodak’s line-up of films, I struggled to understand what the differences are when it comes to the results.

To figure this out once and for all, I teamed up with Daren from LearnFilm.Photography. We performed a series of real-world tests in his Hasselblad 500CM to control for lens, perspective, and exposure inconsistencies seen in others’ comparisons.

Turns out, Gold and ColorPlus’ grain looks identical at 10K DPI, and so do many other properties. There are slight changes in how those films render colours — though they aren’t nearly as clear as the Kodak marketing or the internet lore would suggest.

Below, I break down the results of our experiments and share some practical advice for those stuck deciding between the two films — or any two films.

✪ Watch Daren’s YouTube video comparing those films here or below.