Mapping the New Eastman Kodak Film Range

At the end of August there was suddenly a LOT of new Kodak film packaging flying around Europe! Some of it had the same name as the films we know and love – Gold, UltraMax, Tri-X – and some had names that were recognisable but not as immediately familiar – Ektacolor, Kodacolor, Ektapan. So is this new packaging replacing the old? (No) Are the iconic Portra films about to disappear from shelves? (Also no) And if not – what is going on??

American readers have been living this brave new world for a while now, but with some conflicting information (and misinformation) swirling on Instagram I think it might be fun to summarise what’s happening!

And our first step is to go back 150 years in time…

The History

Kodak – officially known as Eastman Kodak – was founded in America in the late 1880s by George Eastman and Henry Strong. I feel like we often focus on George Eastman, so here’s a photo of Henry instead. Strong in both name and facial hair.

Kodak became THE key North American film manufacturer throughout the 20th Century – competing with European companies like Ilford, Ferrania, Foma and the Japanese giant Fujifilm. They also researched, developed and produced iconic cameras like the Brownie and the Instamatic, and their ‘Kodak Moment’ marketing would have spawned a million memes in the Internet age.

Flash-forward to the 2000s and the advent of digital photography began to cause financial problems for both Kodak. Unfortunately bankruptcy hit Kodak in 2012 with an insolvency deal that allowed them to continue trading and restructure their debts to avoid all-out collapse. As part of this restructure the distribution of Kodak’s “still film photography” – different from the “moving film photography” a.k.a. Movie a.k.a. Hollywood – was moved to a separate entity called ‘Kodak Alaris’, based in Hertfordshire, England. Why England? Because one of Eastman Kodak’s biggest creditors was the Kodak UK Pension Fund!

The expectation was that Kodak Alaris could continue to distribute still film around the world for the remaining years that film existed (!) and their profits would pay off the last of the money owed to the Pension Fund.

Cut to 2026 and the forecast demise of film photography has turned out to be happily and totally incorrect.

Human nature and the subliminal love of physical objects, the growing distaste for digital tech creeping into our lives (AI YUCK), and a passionate community of small labs, retailers and darkrooms around the world have combined to grow the global film photography market.

Now I cannot say exactly what’s changed in the legal relationship between Eastman Kodak and Kodak Alaris – I doubt anyone who isn’t familiar with the documents can – but clearly something has happened. Either a clause has elapsed, there’s been a renegotiation, or a new commercial partnership has been formed.

Regardless of the reasoning – EKC have begun to manufacture and distribute still photography once more, alongside the continued relationship with Kodak Alaris.

Busting common myths based on internet discussions I’ve been brought into:

• Does this new film replace the old ones? NO they co-exist
• I’ve heard Kodak Alaris is a ‘bad’ company and we should support Eastman Kodak as much as possible? Kodak Alaris has spent the past 14 years building, supporting and maintaining a global network of film distributors, retailers, communities that’s allowed film photography to survive – I really can’t fault that. As for ‘which corporate structure is morally ‘better’’…ummmm private equity versus private shareholders…. that feels like a random rabbit hole to go down? #boycottAmazon is probably a better place to start!
• Are they the same emulsions? It certainly looks like it – but neither company will officially confirm, which is fair enough – and their right. The good news is that more people trying to sell their film should create some healthy competition for everyone interested in shooting film.

Frankly EKC launching new and familiar product names in all-new, ‘uniform’ packaging is a really big deal – signalling that EKC’s renewed investment (in more than just 35mm format too) is continuing to give photographers more reasons to keep shooting film.

I also hope that it supports their movie film business – which is actually where a lot of the volume comes from. Wes Anderson makes Asteroid City so that I can take out-of-focus photos of my friends in a pub!

Watch More here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DdHA0jmok-U/

So, how has this new range landed?

Late 2025 saw KODACOLOR land in the UK and Analogue Wonderland customers were among the first to get their hands on the film in Europe.

Then early in 2026 we saw EKTAPAN and EKTACOLOR PRO land with a limited offering. With this in mind, after these initial teases, we would have expected perhaps another top-selling offering coming out from EKC but the next move was to drop a wide choice across multiple emulsions and formats!

From the staples of GOLD and ULTRAMAX to the absolute beauties of EKTAR and EKTACHROME and then the monochrome powerhouse of TRI-X – we were spoilt for choice and as we now head towards the autumn months we get to fully embrace all of the speeds to see the year out in true EKC style.

How does the range pan out?

We’ve mapped out the product range based on family, colour, formats, ISO, starting prices and grades so you can see the vast array of choices now available to you from Eastman Kodak and available to buy direct from Analogue Wonderland in the UK.

Please note that Grade is a way for Kodak to signal their films – a legacy from the days when all professional photography was analogue. These days that line is blurred (for example I have seen countless professional assignments come through our lab completed with Gold) but we’ve left it in for those of you who remember the 80s!

Film is continuing to endure

Now I know I’m likely preaching to the converted – but forgive me taking a moment to celebrate! The more AI is being rammed down our throats, the more people seem to be craving something ‘real’, tangible and a little slower. Analogue hobbies are enjoying a resurgence, with younger generations embracing everything from vinyl and physical media to crafts and, of course, film photography.

We all know that film forces you to pause, compose and commit. You don’t take 47 versions of the same photograph and pick one later (unless you used a half-frame camera in the pub after a couple too many drinks #beentheredonethat) – you make the photograph, then wait to see what you’ve created. That anticipation is part of the magic. In recent years, the UK has seen a renewed interest in film among younger photographers, with 35mm cameras and film becoming an intentional alternative to the instant, endlessly editable world of smartphone photography – let alone the increase of ‘AI Slop’ that’s bloating the internet. (Side note – I cannot WAIT for this madness to end. I can only hope and pray that the perpetrators of this particular bubble get prosecuted in a way that previous generations of financial snake-oil salesmen have not…)

For me this is what makes Eastman Kodak’s new films very exciting – it flies counter to the narrative in the news and reminds us that there’s continued endurance for analogue photography. Shaped by new and old photographers who are choosing to shoot film because they genuinely enjoy the experience and the results.

So! Get involved! Pick your new EKC stock (this link includes Hamish’s £5 referral voucher too!), load a roll (or two, or three) and see what you can make with it.

You could discover your next favourite film and if you get your hands on one of these early, you’ll have the added satisfaction of knowing you were there at the beginning of a rather exciting new chapter!

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