Kodak Ektar 100 Review: Landscape Film with Slide-Film Saturation
The first time I scanned a roll of Ektar 100, I thought my lab had cranked the saturation slider to maximum. They hadn't. Those electric blues, impossibly vivid greens, and punchy yellows were straight from the film. Ektar doesn't render the world as you see it. It renders it more vibrant, more alive, more intense.
Verdict (TL;DR)
Ultra-saturated color negative film with the finest grain available, designed for landscape and travel photography where vivid colors and extreme sharpness matter more than flattering skin tones.
Who it's for
Landscape photographers, architecture shooters, and travel photographers who want slide-film saturation with the latitude and scanning flexibility of color negative film, and can work around problematic skin tone rendering.
Background & Context (What Is This Film?)
Introduced in 2008 by Kodak, Ektar 100 sits in the Professional film category alongside Portra. Available in 35mm, 120, 4×5, and 8×10 formats, this ISO 100 color negative uses C-41 processing. Kodak claims "World's Finest Grain" for any color negative film. Uses T-grain emulsion technology for maximum sharpness and minimal grain. Optimized for scanning with extraordinary enlargement capability. Daylight-balanced at 5500K. Intended for landscape, travel, outdoor, fashion, and product photography. Notably absent: portraits.
Image Characteristics (What Do Photos Look Like?)
Color & Tone
Ektar 100's color palette is aggressive. Blues come out electric and deep. Skies punch with intensity that makes Portra look muted. Greens explode with saturation, grass rendered in almost neon intensity. Yellows and oranges glow. Reds lean magenta-red rather than orange-red.
In landscapes, images pop straight from the scanner. No saturation boost needed. Tungsten light renders very warm and orange. Overcast days maintain surprising intensity, though the film truly shines in bright sun where colors reach maximum saturation.
The catch: skin tones. Lighter skin renders red to orange. Darker skin tones fare better but still take on unusual warmth. This limits portrait applications unless you embrace the stylized look or plan extensive color correction.
Contrast & Dynamic Range
Ektar delivers slide-film-like contrast. Deep shadows, bright highlights, punchy midtones. Around 9 stops of dynamic range with gentle shoulder rolloff. You can overexpose by +2 stops and maintain detail in bright areas. Underexposure by more than -1 stop causes shadows to block up and shift blue.
Meter for midtones or shadows and let highlights take care of themselves. The film's latitude forgives overexposure beautifully. Snow scenes and bright beaches maintain texture even when pushed bright. Underexposed shadows shift blue-cyan, requiring color correction in scanning.
Grain & Sharpness
Kodak's "World's Finest Grain" claim holds up. At ISO 100 with T-grain technology, Ektar resolves incredible detail. In 35mm, grain is nearly invisible up to 11×14 prints. In 120 medium format, virtually grainless.
Sharpness is exceptional. One of the sharpest color negative films available. Fine details and edges render with crisp definition. Your lens and scanner become the limiting factors, not the film. Compared to Portra 400, Ektar feels almost clinical. Ektar's fine grain makes it ideal for large prints, tight crops, and detail-critical work.
How to Shoot It (Getting the Best Results)
Box Speed, Pushing & Pulling
Ektar 100 performs best at box speed (ISO 100). Some prefer rating at 80 (slight overexposure) for denser negatives with more shadow detail.
Pushing to 200 (+1 stop) increases contrast and saturation with minimal grain increase. Colors become almost surreal. Good for bright conditions when you need extra speed. Pushing to 400 (+2 stops) is extreme. Grain becomes noticeable, contrast harsh, and shadows shift cyan-blue.
Pulling isn't common since it's already slow at ISO 100. If you want muted tones, shoot Portra instead.
Ideal Lighting & Metering
Ektar loves bright sun. That's where saturated colors and fine grain truly shine. Meter for midtones or shadows and let the film's highlight latitude handle bright areas. Overexposure by +1 to +2 stops is safe, creating denser negatives that scan beautifully.
Overcast days work but colors lose punch. In open shade, expect blue shift in shadows. Low light is challenging at ISO 100 without a tripod. Watch for reciprocity failure beyond 1 second. Indoor tungsten light renders very warm and orange.
Camera & Lens Pairings
Ektar's fine grain makes it perfect for 35mm cameras with sharp lenses (Zeiss, Leica, high-end Canon or Nikon glass). In medium format, Ektar becomes virtually grainless. ISO 100 speed means you'll need good light or fast lenses. Point-and-shoots struggle in anything but bright conditions. SLRs with fast primes excel. Ektar has DX coding for auto-exposure cameras.
When This Film Shines (And When It Doesn't)
**Best for:** Landscape photography (vivid skies, saturated foliage), architecture photography (fine detail, punchy colors), travel photography (vibrant scenes, cultural colors), natural light photography in bright conditions, product photography (accurate color, fine detail), outdoor scenes with blue skies and greenery, large prints requiring fine grain, cityscape photography with colorful subjects.
**Struggles with:** Portrait photography (red-orange skin tones), low light without tripod (ISO 100 too slow), night photography (long exposures cause reciprocity failure), mixed lighting indoors (tungsten renders very orange), subjects requiring flattering skin rendering, situations needing muted or natural colors.
Comparisons & Alternatives
If you're considering Ektar 100, you're probably also eyeing Portra 160 and Provia 100F. Portra 160 offers fine grain with muted, pastel colors and flattering skin tones. Provia 100F is slide film with similar saturation but only 5 stops of dynamic range. Ektar sits between them: slide-film saturation with negative film latitude.
Choose Ektar 100 if you value vivid colors and ultra-fine grain. Choose Portra 160 for portraits and natural skin rendering. Choose Provia 100F for even more saturation, accepting tight exposure tolerance. Ektar is the choice for landscape and travel work where color intensity and sharpness define success.
| Film | Why choose it | Where it loses vs Ektar 100 | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portra 160 | Natural skin tones, flattering portraits, professional weddings | Less saturated colors, softer contrast, less punch | $12-14 per roll |
| Portra 400 | Versatile speed, good in varied light, better skin tones | More grain, less saturated, less sharp | $13-15 per roll |
| Provia 100F | Slide film with even more saturation, true blacks, projection | Tight exposure latitude (±½ stop), specialty E-6 processing, less forgiving | $14-16 per roll |
The Bottom Line
Buy it if
If you shoot landscapes and want the finest grain with slide-film colors, Ektar justifies its price at $11-13 per roll
Skip it if
Not worth it for portraits where Portra serves better
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ektar 100 worth it in 2025?
In 2025, Ektar 100 costs around $11-13 per roll. It's worth it for landscape and architecture photographers who need ultra-fine grain and vivid colors, but if skin tone rendering is important, Portra 400 might be a better choice at similar price. In short, if you're shooting landscapes, travel, or architecture where color intensity and sharpness matter most, Ektar 100 will deliver; for portraits or mixed shooting, save money with Portra 400's versatility.
Ektar 100 vs Portra 400 – which is better?
Comparing Ektar 100 to Portra 400: Ektar offers ultra-saturated colors and finer grain, while Portra has natural skin tones and better versatility. Choose Ektar if you're shooting landscapes and architecture where vivid colors and maximum sharpness matter; choose Portra if you're shooting portraits, weddings, or mixed subjects where flattering skin rendering and speed are more important.
Can you push Ektar 100? What about pulling?
Yes, Ektar 100 pushes well to 200 (+1 stop). Expect increased contrast, even more saturation, and minimal grain increase. Pushing +2 stops to 400 is doable but extreme, with noticeable grain and color shifts (cyan-blue shadows). Pulling isn't common because Ektar is already slow at ISO 100, but rating at 80 and pulling slightly gives denser negatives with flatter contrast. For best results, shoot at box speed or push +1 stop maximum.
What cameras pair best with Ektar 100?
Ektar 100's fine grain makes it ideal for 35mm cameras with sharp lenses (Zeiss, Leica, high-end Canon or Nikon glass). Pair with SLRs or rangefinders that have fast lenses (f/1.4 to f/2.8) to handle the ISO 100 speed in varied light. In 120 medium format, Ektar becomes virtually grainless. Avoid point-and-shoots with slow lenses unless you're shooting in bright sun.
How does Ektar 100 handle landscape photography?
Ektar 100 excels at landscape photography. The ultra-saturated colors make blue skies electric and green foliage vivid. Fine grain allows large prints and tight crops of distant details. Excellent highlight latitude handles bright skies without blowing out. Punchy contrast creates depth in scenes. Best shot in bright sun where colors reach maximum intensity. Overcast days work but lose some saturation. This is the landscape film.
Does Ektar 100 scan well?
Ektar 100 scans well but can be tricky. The high saturation and contrast can confuse auto-scan algorithms, sometimes resulting in flat scans or blue-cyan shadows. Home scanning with Ektar-specific profiles (Negative Lab Pro, SilverFast) gives best results. Most labs handle it fine, but you may need to request manual color correction. The fine grain means scans are exceptionally sharp. Watch for blue cast in underexposed shadows and correct in post if needed.
What's the shelf life of Ektar 100? Does it need refrigeration?
Ektar 100 has a shelf life of 2-3 years if stored cool and dry. For long-term storage (3+ years), refrigerate at 55°F (13°C) or colder to slow aging. Let film warm to room temp for 2-3 hours before loading to avoid condensation. Expired Ektar shifts colors (often toward green or cyan) and loses saturation, becoming less punchy. For best results, buy from professional sources and shoot fresh film within a year of purchase.
Why do my Ektar 100 scans look flat or have blue shadows?
Flat scans or blue-cyan shadows are common with Ektar 100 due to its high saturation and contrast confusing auto-scan software. The film's color characteristics differ from Portra, which most scanners are calibrated for. Solutions: request manual scanning from your lab with Ektar-specific profiles, or home scan with software like Negative Lab Pro that handles Ektar's color signature better. Underexposure makes blue shadows worse. Overexpose slightly (+½ to +1 stop) for cleaner shadows that scan better.
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