Available Film Supply Is Somewhat Limited Now
As I began my research to find film for the upcoming project of shooting with an actual
retro camera from the 80's, I wasn't surprised at the lack of availability, variety of types and price of
35mm slide film. With the so-called resurgence in shooting with film, you would think there would also be several options in finding
available fresh film.
There are plenty more alternate film makers now but I didn't go into more depth since films like Cinestill are in the basically same price range as Kodak and Fuji. Since it will be scanned and color tweaked before printing, the old way of saying a film had a certain look is obsolete now. If its not printed through an enlarger or beam of light, it will not have "that look" of a certain type of film.
There is still one actual camera store in town although not like the camera stores of the 80's. They do have an inventory of assorted films and offer C-41 Processing but they outsource E-6 processing. I begin the search Online to see what is available in new fresh film before going to ebay or buying out of date film. And it did not take long for my jaw to hit the ground when I saw the prices of Ektachrome with Fuji reversal film even higher priced.
C-41 process color print film cost much less but I have never liked color print film, probably because I have always processed my own E-6 slide films, both Kodak and Fuji. While I'm not sure I will process this "Last Roll" of film, I will still research both a E-6 chemistry kit and a commercial processor. With the added option to have all 36 images scanned to a digital file also makes me lean towards a commercial processor instead of me processing and scanning.
I didn't mind the $8.49 price on the Kodak Gold but having to pay $24.99 for a roll of fresh Ektachrome has me debating film choice even more. Aside from the price of color reversal film, it's the ASA that has me not wanting to shoot quite as eagerly. I haven't shot at ASA/ISO 100 since the days of film. And even then I mostly shot ASA 400 but the only Ektachrome 400 available will be decades out of date.
The next thing to research will be processing cost or cost of E-6 kit to process myself. After just a few minutes of researching E-6 processing kits, I also realized this is going to be "The Last Roll", a special series of works from the last roll of film I will most likely ever shoot again. Just like the last time I processed E-6, it was way too long between rolls I would shoot and the chemistry wont last that long. I again, do not want to spend 30-100 dollars on chemistry to only use once which finalized that I will have it commercially processed and scanned.
Locally, the Knoxville Film Lab offers both film and processing services. Since Processing alone would be $38, I went back to google for the next option. Next on the list is The Darkroom which would develop and provide "super" (6774 x 4492 pixels) scans for $26 and when combined to the $24 price for film.... you have Fifty Bucks tied up in 36 shots. One more search lands me at Dwayne's Photo with processing and "Ultra Hi Resolution" (6774 x 4492 pixels) scans for only $20, but that still makes the project total roughly $44 for 36 shots.
Is It Time To Consider Color Negative Instead of Color Reversal?
Since its gonna cost about $50.00 to shoot, develop and scan a 36 exposure roll of Ektachrome, I may want to see if the price difference overall will be worth shooting negative film instead. A plus to shooting color negative film is gonna be the availability of ISO speeds above the 100 thats available in Ektachrome.
Fresh Color Print film can be found from a cost of $7 a roll and up which is $17 less than Color Slide Film. And as for the processing, it cost about $6 more for slide film. Scans would cost the same in either film which makes shooting a roll of color print film for around $27 for 36 large scans.
With the higher ISO speed and lower cost of film and processing, it's very tempting to go with a roll of color negative for The Last Roll project. With Kodak offering Ektacolor Pro 800 and Portra 800 compared to Ektachrome 100, it's looking more like color negative film for the project based on ISO availability.
As I took into account the various subjects and stuff I shoot, I knew ASA 100 film wasn't gonna work for me. I ended up getting a roll of the Ektacolor Pro 800 from Midwest Photo, which was $26 with shipping. I will handle the process of figuring out the lab for processing after I manage to shoot the 36 exposures.
I even ordered a new battery for the camera in hopes that the meter will be as accurate as it was in the 80's when it was my daily camera I carried everywhere. It should be quite the fun adventure/project.
In the end my research for Finding Film In 2026 has turned about to be a bit disappointing for me or anyone wanting to shoot "color" 35mm film. Black & White films are plentiful and chemistry has so many options to go with. But no matter what... if you buy a roll, have it processes and scanned, you will be looking at a 30-40 dollar hit and for only 36 shots. Which is the primary reason for my decision to do The Last Roll project.
Shooting Film On A Budget
Although this roll of film cost me $18 plus shipping, you can find print film for as low as $7 and processing is anywhere from $6 and up. It's the cost of shipping and if you want the lab to scan the negatives or not that can make or break the budget for getting 36 images. As for me I know how much time and extra work just to get the image on the computer that I would rather the lab scan them and of course that just about doubles the cost overall.
Without getting any prints or scans, you can shoot & process a roll of 36 exposures for $15-20. It's not until you want to shoot color reversal film or upper end color negative films, then add in the price of scanning and you will spend more. When I shot black & white film I always scanned the negatives myself since I had processed the film. I typically could shoot a roll of expired Tri-X for under ten bucks and print any frames if I felt the desire to see the image in print..
Probably the biggest drawback to shooting film in 2026, is availability of purchasing in your town, if not then the shipping cost will possibly cause you not to shoot as much film. But you can indeed find a good range of color print film and Ektachrome 100 Online and absorb the cost of shipping into the fun. Processing is also readily available Online with slide film costing about $6 more in processing.
Although film cameras haven't been mainstream in twenty five years but you can still find film cameras for sale at very reasonable prices. If you don't want high speed film or slide film, then you can get by for less than twenty bucks to shoot and process a roll. The big variables in price are getting the lab to make your scans, getting prints or slide film processing.
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