Kodak Vision3 250D for Photography: A Unique Film Experience

Update (September 2017): I’ve shared additional thoughts and new photos using Kodak Vision3 250D. You can check them out here.

Kodak Vision3 is a negative film originally designed for motion pictures. The Taiwanese company Bokkeh repackages these original film rolls into 35mm cartridges, making them compatible with photographic cameras. In addition to various Kodak cinema films, Bokkeh also offers Fujifilm options. You can explore their offerings on this website (link in Chinese).

About a year ago, I tested Fujicolor Reala 500D, but the results were underwhelming, possibly because the film was expired. This time, I did more thorough research and found that Kodak is still producing the Vision3 films. I decided to give it a try, hoping the film in the cartridge was fresh.

Costs of Kodak Vision3 in Taiwan

Fortunately, Kodak Vision3 is quite affordable in Taiwan. A single roll costs only 100 NT$ (about 3 €), making it much cheaper than regular color negative film. However, the film requires processing at a special lab to remove the rem-jet layer, which can be a bit of a hassle. For me, it took a week to get the negatives back, which is considerably longer than the typical one-hour turnaround for regular film. Additionally, the development costs are double those of standard film. Despite this, the overall cost is still lower than buying and processing regular film, making Kodak Vision3 an intriguing alternative.

Below is a table detailing the costs I encountered.

For this test, I used two rolls of film in two different cameras (Olympus 35DC and Minolta Dynax 505si Super). Most of the photos were taken on sunny days, with a few captured on cloudy or rainy days.

I previously shared some additional photos in an earlier post, which you can view here.

Image Quality

The results were quite pleasing. The film is very fine-grained, and when exposed correctly, the grain is hardly noticeable. However, if underexposed, the grain becomes much more prominent.

One aspect I particularly appreciate is the accurate and well-balanced color reproduction. The colors are neither oversaturated nor muted—they strike a perfect balance for my taste. No single color dominates the scene, and on a bright, sunny day, the colors are vibrant and impressive. However, the downside is that on a gray and rainy day, the colors tend to look dull and muted.

Drawbacks of Using Kodak Vision3

Unfortunately, there were some drawbacks with this film. I’m not entirely sure what caused some of these issues.

Damaged Frames

Two frames were damaged, showing a brownish crescent-shaped mark.

Problems with Rem-Jet Layer Removal

Most of the frames were plagued by white speckles, particularly noticeable in the blue sky. While less obvious in other parts of the image, the speckles were still present. I’m confident this isn’t dust from scanning, as I didn’t encounter this issue with other negatives before or after. Some of the speckles might be dust on the negative or the scanner’s glass plate, but I suspect the rem-jet layer removal wasn’t done properly. With some post-processing effort, the speckles can be removed, especially from uniform areas like the sky.

Lost Frames Due to Pre-Exposure

Another slight annoyance is that the company packs just enough film for 36 exposures, but it’s challenging to get all 36 usable shots. Typically, the first two or three frames are lost during film loading.

Additionally, the last two frames were already exposed during bulk loading, resulting in lost images. The last frame was completely lost, and about one-third of the next-to-last frame was pre-exposed, leaving me with only two-thirds of the image.

Since this occurred with both rolls of film and the patterns were similar, I believe this is a common issue. Now I understand that this is more of a 34-exposure film, or even less. To be safe, it’s better to avoid exposing the last two frames.

Pros

• Affordable
• Fine-grained
• Excellent color reproduction

Cons

• Requires processing at a special lab to remove the rem-jet layer
• No information about the film’s expiration date
• Bulk loading results in fewer usable frames than stated

Conclusions on Kodak Vision3 Cinema Film

Kodak Vision3 is an interesting alternative to standard photographic film. I’m impressed with its color reproduction, especially in bright sunlight. The colors are well-balanced, saturated, and still look natural. For an ISO 250 film, the grain is very fine. However, the film also has some drawbacks, which should be considered. If you can accept these limitations, this film can be a fun choice. But if you’re looking for consistency and reliability, regular photographic film might be a better option. Despite the drawbacks and the ‘quality lottery,’ I’ve ordered two more rolls and am eagerly waiting for summer to explore the colors of this film further.

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