Stop pushing new shooters toward 400 speed color film, it's a crutch and it makes everyone's photos look the same

Grant Palmer · 2026-09-22T17:20:04.033749+00:00

I've been running a Saturday intro to film class at the community center in Tacoma for about 3 years now, 8 to 10 people a session. Without fail, half the class shows up with a roll of Portra 400 and a Canon AE-1 they paid $180 for on eBay. I get it, it's what the YouTube videos tell you to buy. But 400 speed color film is doing two bad things at once. It hides exposure mistakes so you never actually learn to meter, and it forces that washed out pastel look onto everything whether the scene calls for it or not. I started handing out rolls of HP5 and a $25 handheld meter instead, and the difference in 4 sessions was night and day. People were actually thinking about light. So my question is, what film do you put in a beginner's hands, and do you catch heat for it like I do?

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Stop pushing new shooters toward 400 speed color film, it's a crutch and it makes everyone's photos look the same | Analog Camera Club - HW Forums