Kodak Portra 160 Praised as the Best Fine-Grain Color Negative Film

In a Film Friday review, Kodak Portra 160 is declared a more perfect film than Portra 400 and 800. The film, originally introduced in 1998 alongside Portra 400 and 800, was initially available in NC (neutral color) and VC (vivid color) variants, with a brief UC (ultra color) version. In 2010/2011, Kodak merged NC and VC into a single film, incorporating new grain technology and scanner optimization. In early 2026, Eastman Kodak released Portra films rebranded as Ektacolor Pro, though they remain the same emulsions. Portra 160, the lowest ISO of the Portra line, offers significantly finer grain than Portra 400, with a print grain index of 28 in a 4x6 print, just above the visual threshold of 25. It excels in portraiture, delivering pleasing skin tones, and performs well in landscapes, cityscapes, and still life. Its latitude is forgiving, especially in harsh sunlight, and it can be overexposed by up to nine stops and still yield a recoverable image. The film is available in 35mm, 120, 4x5, and 8x10 formats, and Film For Classics respools it onto 620 and 127 spools. It is engineered for consistency with Portra 400 and 800, allowing easy mixing. However, it is not ideal for long exposures, with reciprocity failure requiring compensation beyond one second. The review recommends shooting at box speed and pushing one stop for added contrast. The film is on sale for Film Friday at Blue Moon Camera and Machine in Portland, Oregon.