Five Common ASA/ISO Ratings for 35mm Color Film

Kodak Elite Chrome Film. Image courtesy of Kodak

You probably had experienced this scenario before: you walk into a photo store and ask the sales clerk for some color film for your 35mm camera. Then, the clerk asks you a question that stumps you: ”What kind of film do you need sir? ISO 100 or 200?”. Not knowing what to pick, you just say ”Ah..umm.okay, anything would do. Just gimme the cheapest.”

Okay, so what do these numbers mean? Do they have an effect on the type of picture you’re gonna take? Is there a proper film type for particular type of shoot? That’s what I’m gonna to shed light on. Well, at least I’ll try. Here we go.

There are a number of different film types for 35mm film cameras. Without properly selecting what you would need for a photo shoot, then chances are a number of your shots won’t turn out the way you’d like them to. There are five film speeds available that are commercially available to us, the everyday shooter. These are 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600. The numbers you just read refer to an ASA/ISO rating. Simply put, these ratings refer to the film’s sensitivity to light. The higher the number, the more sensitive to light. The more sensitive to light, lesser time for exposure us required.

It’s easy to identify each – you can see these numbers right on the label. To check if you have the right film on your hand, all you need to do is check the package. If you’re lucky enough, some brands even have a short instruction about which film is best for which occasion. The numbers that you see on the film is the speed of the film based on how…grainy the film is and how long the shutter would need to be open. In short, it has something to deal with exposure. For example, when you’re watching an F1 race live, you don’t want a slow film on your camera: you want a fast film so that you can take crisp and clear action shots. So choosing the right film is really important because it affects the quality of your shots. But enough of the jabber – here’s what the numbers mean:

1. 100 – this kind of film us best suited for everyday, simple outdoor shots.  This film produces excellent photos taken outdoors under a clear, very sunny sky. One thing to remember when using this film is the where the source of light is coming from. You also would need to keep in mind the quality of light.  This film would require the shutter of your camera for a bit of time as this ASA/ISO 100 films are not that sensitive to light so long exposures are required (compared to it’s faster siblings). You need to be careful in avoiding hand movements or shakes while you’re pressing the shutter button because a slight movement might bring about a blur in your shot. You can use this film to take photos of your plans, trees, farm animals under a bright sunny sky or is best for portrait photography under good light. Amongst the five, this is the most common i.e. you can find at a general store or someplace in Greenland that sells film for 35mm cameras.
2. 200– Okay, you’re probably thinking that since this type of film is only 100-up from the one above, this is the same film Well, not quite. While you do still need to be careful of the light source and all that stuff, this film is a bit more versatile since you can use these in outdoor shots where there is only partial sunlight. You can also use these for indoor shots taken with a flash. This film is best for taking pictures of people. No, not for studio-grade portraits but for good casual photos that are posed, like the one’s you take during your class reunions or birthday parties. This film is the film recommended to amateur photographers since it is very versatile and is not expensive.
3. 400 – If you’re gonna take pictures of a run-and-gun basketball game or a take action photos during race day, this is the film you need to bring. You can also use this for indoor photos taken with a flash, but the results won’t really be that good since this is best used for action photography or for any photo shoot where you need to capture the action as it happens every fraction of a second. You can also use this for taking bright, sunny day pictures but you’d be better off with the 200 in doing that kind of shot. Using this film, the shutter door is open only for a very short period of time so if you handled your camera well, you would have a crisp and clear action shot after the film has been developed.
4. 800 – the 800 is kinda advanced compared to the 400 but kinda similar to the 400. I’m not making any sense, am I? Okay, let me clarify. For one thing, it is rare you can find an 800 film at your neighborhood photo supply since no causal or amateur photographer buys this kind of film often. Another is that this is 2x as expensive as the 400. But is it worth the price? Well….it depends. While the 800 is a very good film for action photography, taken under bright lighting conditions it is more reliable for taking photos at night time or under low-light conditions It goes without saying that you need to use your flash. However, the effective range of your flash is only about 8 – 10 meters so the best night-time or low-light shots are taken in close-up. For action photos taken under partly-cloudy conditions, this is the film you would need. Don’t use this film for still-life photos because your picture would turn out a bit blurred.
5. 1600 – If you want to take some photos under really, as in really, low-light conditions, then this is the film you’d need. However, this film is the most expensive of the lot. This film can turn out dramatic photos taken during night-time without flash under very, very low-light conditions – like you kids having fun while playing hind and seek, or of the full moon covered by a thin layer of clouds. While you can take photos with this film using a flash, it is not advisable since it would brighten the setting to make it look like you took the photo during daytime. Like the 800, it is rare that you’d find this film at your neighborhood photo supply store. You’d have to really go to a specialized store that sells photographic supplies to get this film.

Since we’re now experiencing a boon on digital cameras, not many photography supply stores now carry 35mm film. Five years ago, ASA/ISO 800 film was being sold at the photography supply stores at the mall I frequent. Now, I’d be lucky to get an ASA/ISO 400 film. Anyways, those who trumpet the death of film would definitely be put off by the news that Kodak has released a new brand of 35mm film: Ektar. So for those of you who still prefer to shoot film or love to shoot using film, don’t sweat it: 35mm film would still be present for the foreseeable future.

Happy shooting!