Picking your first film stock is overwhelming. There are hundreds of options and everyone has an opinion. Here's the honest breakdown after years of shooting:

1. Kodak Gold 200 — The everyday workhorse. Warm tones, forgiving exposure latitude, and cheap enough to burn through without stress. Shoot it in daylight and you'll understand why film has a look digital can't replicate.

2. Ilford HP5 Plus 400 — The black & white standard. Push it to 1600 for gritty street shots or shoot it at box speed for beautiful midtones. If you only ever shoot one B&W stock, make it this one.

3. Kodak Portra 400 — The portrait king. Skin tones that make digital shooters jealous. More expensive, but the results speak for themselves. Worth every penny for anything involving people.

4. Fujifilm Superia 400 — Cool tones, punchy greens, and that distinctly "Fuji" look. It's being discontinued in some markets, so stock up while you can.

5. Kodak Tri-X 400 — The legend. Contrasty, gritty, full of character. Every iconic street photographer from the last 60 years has shot this at some point.

Start with one roll. Shoot the whole thing in a weekend. Get it developed and scanned. That moment when you see your first roll back — nothing in photography compares.

We stock all of these and more. Come check out the collection.