NEW Color Film in 2026: OptiColor 200 Film Photography Review 🎞️

calebknueven
23 minutes ago
3 min read

Film Photography Gets a New Color Film in 2026

Well well well… we asked, and we received. Film photography is getting a new color film in 2026, and it goes by the name OptiColor 200. Any time a new color film hits the market, my ears perk up—and my cameras start sweating. Knowing there was a fresh film photography emulsion out there that I hadn’t yet run through my light‑tight box made me deeply uncomfortable. So naturally, I had to shoot it.

OptiColor 200 is available in both 35mm film and 120 medium format, which already makes it more exciting than most modern film releases. More formats means more photographers get to play, and that’s always a win in the analog photography world.

A street‑scene photograph of an outdoor Asian-themed market alley with white buildings featuring red-tiled roofs, red lanterns strung across the space, a closed brown roll‑up shop door on the left, a red pagoda‑styled storefront on the right displaying clothing and mannequins, and a person in dark clothing walking in the middle distance on cracked asphalt; shot with Opticolor film.

What Is OptiColor 200? (And Why Film Photographers Care)

Let’s get this out of the way: OptiColor 200 is a new emulsion, not a repackaged or relabeled film stock. Repackaging has existed forever in film photography—and I’m not mad at it—but this isn’t that.

OptiColor comes from Optik Oldschool, a Germany‑based brand bringing new life into analog photography. The film itself is coated by Inoviscoat, a manufacturer with serious film credentials, including work with Polaroid, ADOX, Lomography, and ORWO. That pedigree matters when we’re talking about modern film stocks.

The emulsion is based on Wolfen NC 200, but with one very important change: an orange film base.

Why the Orange Film Base Matters in Film Photography

In the world of film photography scanning, the film base matters—a lot. Many newer color films struggle with lab scans because they use green or purple bases. Most lab scanners were designed decades ago around orange‑masked color negative film.

That’s why films like Phoenix 200 sometimes get a bad reputation from labs, even though they look great when camera scanned. OptiColor’s orange base plays nicely with these older scanners, making it easier for labs to deliver consistent color.

If you rely on lab scanning, this alone makes OptiColor a compelling new color film option.

Shooting OptiColor 200: Film Photography in the Real World

When testing new film stocks, I like to start just before golden hour and push into blue hour. It’s the perfect way to stress‑test exposure latitude, color rendering, and low‑light performance.

I shot OptiColor 200 in both 35mm film and 120 medium format, rating it at box speed with no funky business. Chinatown gave me everything I wanted: bold reds, blues, greens, neon lights, and high‑contrast scenes.

What I noticed immediately was how this film handles contrast. In punchy lighting, colors become more vivid. In softer scenes, the palette leans muted—but still very easy on the eyes. Grain is present, especially in 35mm, but it feels intentional and very film‑forward.

And yes—grain is good. Grain tells people you’re a real film photographer.

A low-angle nighttime photograph of an Asian-style pagoda-style roof with a curved, upturned eave outlined in green neon tubing and a wooden signboard framed in yellow neon lighting; the signboard displays gold Chinese characters on a black background, and the image was shot with Opticolor film.

35mm vs 120 Film on OptiColor 200

Between formats, the look stays surprisingly consistent. 35mm film shows more visible grain, while 120 film holds slightly more shadow detail—but both share the same color characteristics.

Interestingly, the 120 grain structure feels closer to 35mm than what you’d expect from medium format. I’ve seen this before with other modern films, and honestly? I’m not mad about it. If you love texture in your film photography, OptiColor delivers.

Blue Hour, Neon, and Night Photography on Film

Where OptiColor really shines is from blue hour into night photography. Cool shadows, warm highlights, and neon colors all play incredibly well together. Reds go hard. Highlights hold beautifully. Shadows lean slightly cool, which creates a great balance against warm city light.

For a 200‑speed color film, I was surprised how long I could shoot handheld without a tripod. In the right environment, this film absolutely hangs.

A courtyard scene with a concrete plaza leading to two buildings: on the left, a white storefront with black awning labeled “JADE TREE IMPORTERS” (address 516) decorated with string lights and red paper lanterns; on the right, a gray building with a red curved entrance gate labeled “CHUNG KING COURT” (address 502) and additional lanterns overhead; the photo was shot with Opticolor film.

A street‑level view of an empty courtyard lined with three storefronts: on the left, “Yoo’s Gifts Shop” with black metal security gates; in the center, “Li Yuen Import Co. Oriental Goods Wearing Apparel Chinaware” with a green tiled base and open doorway; on the right, a building with a blue dragon mural and a sign reading “… Co. Arts & Gifts” adorned with red lanterns strung overhead. The photo was shot on Opticolor film.

Daylight Film Photography and Lab Scans

The next day, I shot OptiColor 200 in full daylight around Echo Park Lake and had the roll lab scanned. The results were slightly more desaturated than expected—but consistent with the scenes I shot.

With a small boost in warmth and vibrance, the files open up nicely. This film has room to move, whether you scan at home or rely on a lab.

A street‑level photograph of a beige concrete parking garage entrance with the word “PARKING” in large, raised letters on the front façade. The garage has graffiti reading “ESSO” on the left side of the wall. A red STOP sign is mounted on a metal pole next to a white barrier arm at the driveway entrance, with a modern black building visible in the background to the right. The image was shot with Opticolor film.

A vibrant outdoor flea market scene shot on Opticolor film, showing white canopy tents lining an alley with racks of vintage clothing on both sides. In the foreground, a woman with brown hair, black glasses, a light denim jacket, white shirt and black pants stands with one hand on her hip, looking at the camera. Behind her, another woman with dark curly hair in a black outfit walks toward the left, holding a white plastic bag. A red umbrella shades a right-side clothing rack. In the background, a large white sign reads “TAIX” in red letters above a smaller banner announcing “OPEN XMAS EVE 5–9 PM RESERVE NOW.”

Final Thoughts on This New Color Film

So—is OptiColor 200 worth shooting? For me, absolutely.

This new color film delivers classic film photography vibes: visible grain, pleasing color, solid highlight retention, and respectable latitude if you expose carefully. It reminds me of Phoenix 200, but in a more natural, subtle way—and with better lab‑scanning compatibility.

If you love film photography and want to try something new in 2026, OptiColor is worth a roll.

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