Since 2013, CineStill film stocks have delivered advanced motion picture technology to the modern analog stills photographer. They’ve graced the covers of magazines, albums, billboards, and earned their way into the camera bags of film shooters the world over. For those new to the family, here’s a quick overview of what makes our film stocks special, with examples of how they can be used, by photographers you should really be following.

CineStill 800T

Our first and most recognized offering, 800Tungsten is a high-speed color negative film. It’s designed for challenging, low-light, or mixed-light situations, rendering more true-to-life colors that require less editing than daylight-balanced films shot in the 3200K-balanced lighting conditions. The image below is a great example of the kinds of accurate colors and skin tones you can achieve under pretty sparse lighting.

The film's signature halation can appear as red-colored blooming around in-focus, overexposed highlights. When used effectively, it can add a very unique look to your photos. Cityscapes full of artificial lights are fan-favorite places to lean into the phenomenon. Halation can be tamed a bit by using a diffusion filter, reducing exposure, or throwing bright highlights out of focus, if you should be so inclined.

Don’t be afraid to shoot 800Tungsten in daylight, however. Generous exposure latitude makes it a great all-arounder. An 85 filter can help warm up the cooler tone created by shooting a tungsten-balanced film in daylight, though you’ll have to account for the fact that the filter blocks some light. If you don’t have an 85 filter handy, it’s not particularly difficult to add some warmth in the scanning process or with post-processing software. Pro tip, overexposing reduces the amount of editing necessary to balance the color in post.

You can process your 800Tungsten in standard C-41 chemistry at your nearest film lab or at home with our Cs41 “Color Simplified” Kit, and it can be push-processed up to 3 stops for those fast-action/very low light shoots. In the image below, ISO 1600 and a one-stop push in processing were needed to achieve a shutter speed that would stop the snowboarder mid-air with no motion blur.

OVERVIEW:

• EI 800 color negative film
• 3200K balanced
• Designed for challenging, low-light scenarios
• Halation can occur around in-focus, overexposed highlights
• Formats: 35mm (DX coded factory metal cassettes) and 120 Medium Format (factory spools with moisture-activated adhesive seal)

CineStill 400D

Brought to life by an industry-record-setting crowdfunding campaign in 2022, 400Dynamic is our newest film stock! It is a daylight-balanced color negative film known for its unparalleled versatility, extremely wide exposure latitude, and rich, neutral color rendition. The image blow shows how much detail can be retained in both the highlights and shadows.

For low-light situations, 400Dynamic can be push-processed up to 3 stops in standard C-41 chemistry. It’s also unique in the CineStill lineup in having a process surviving anti-static coatings, which reduces the risk of static discharge. Like 800Tungsten, in-focus, overexposed highlights may exhibit some halation.

The crowdfunding campaign also offered a unique opportunity to release one of our films in 4x5 sheet film, something we hadn’t done since the limited edition 800Tungsten 4x5 stretch goal tiers of our 2016 Indiegogo campaign. It’s now a permanent addition to the product line, and we’re so grateful to our backers for helping us make it a reality. Just look how beautiful this stock renders in large format!

OVERVIEW:

• EI 400 color negative film
• Extremely wide exposure latitude
• Daylight color balance, neutral tone
• Halation can occur around in-focus, overexposed highlights
• Formats: 35mm (DX coded factory metal cassettes), 120 (factory spools with moisture-activated adhesive seal), and 4x5 (25 sheets per box)

CineStill 50D

The sleeper hit of the color stocks, 50Daylight is low-speed color negative film that has the honor of being the highest resolution/finest grain color negative film on the market. As the resolution of scans grows ever higher with digital camera scanning, 50Daylight shooters can enjoy the benefits of much bigger enlargements. By the way, print your work!

Don’t let such a slow film speed scare you. CineStill 50Daylight allows you to make the most of the shallow depth of field offered by your fast lenses and medium format cameras by unlocking the ability to shooting at wide apertures in bright light.

It’s a great option for landscapes, portraiture, studio work, or anything where you want to capture all of the beautiful little details. The film’s exposure latitude is also very impressive. The image below shows how well it handles the particularly tricky task of retaining detail in highly reflective snow and clouds.

OVERVIEW:

• EI 50 color negative film
• High resolution and very fine grain
• Daylight color balance, neutral tone
• Formats: 35mm (DX coded factory metal cassettes), 120 (factory spools with moisture-activated adhesive seal)

CineStill BwXX

Hollywood had it right all along. BwXX is a classic, panchromatic B&W negative film for both outdoor and studio use. It has a variable speed (EI 200-800), and can be push processed to control contrast, ensuring you won’t miss that decisive moment.

Impressively versatile to fit the varied needs of directors and cinematographers, this film delivers rich blacks, a broad tonal range, high sharpness, and a fine grain structure. Especially when paired with our D96 B&W Motion Picture Film Developer or Df96 “Developer+Fix” B&W Monobath. It is an excellent choice for those seeking a classic, cinematic B&W film stock.

In 2021, CineStill was proud to release this coveted emulsion in true 120 medium format for the first time ever. 6x7 shooters have the extra-special benefit of exposing negatives very similar in size to the massive 70mm IMAX “15-perf horizontal” used in Oppenheimer (2023).

Other iconic movies filmed on this classic B&W motion picture film emulsion include: Malcolm & Marie (2021), The Lighthouse (2019), Frantz (2016), Aferim! (2015), American Horror Story (2011-2017), I'm Not There (2007), Casino Royale (2006), Cinderella Man (2005), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Memento (2000), Schindler's List (1993), Kafka (1991), Stranger Than Paradise (1984), Raging Bull (1980), Manhattan (1979), and many many more.

OVERVIEW:

• Variable speed (EI 200-800)
• Classic, cinematic of look of Hollywood B&W movies
• Broad tonal range, high sharpness, fine grain
• Formats: 35mm (DX coded factory metal cassettes) and 120 (factory spools with moisture-activated adhesive seal).

Whether you’re capturing unforgettable concert memories in a dimly-lit venue, the summit you’ve been training to reach for months, or channeling your favorite Oscar-winning cinematographer, CineStill has a film stock for you. Check out our full collection here. If you have any questions, our passionate customer support team is here to help. Email us at support@cinestillfilm.com