120 Film on a Budget | 5 of my Favorite Affordable 120 Medium Format Film Rolls

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Shooting film is expensive. I’m not gonna lie, I spend most of my extra money on film. As a photographer though, I’m more than okay with that. There’s really nothing else in the world I’d rather spend my money on! But I can understand that if photography was just a hobby, it’s hard to justify spending so much money on film and processing. Especially if you’re interested in shooting medium format, the price-point goes up even higher because you’re paying just as much as 35mm, but for less images on a roll. Over the years, I’ve priced out dozens of film brands and I wanted to share the ones that I keep going back to time and time again. These 120 films are a great balance of quality and affordability. I’m extremely tight with my money ( I get it from my dad!) so I’m always on the lookout for a good deal. Keep in mind that it usually helps to buy in bulk too, since you’ll be saving on shipping costs. I also keep an eye out for sales, particularly during Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend and other major holidays. But regardless of deals and discounts, these 5 different 120 films are typically available at a lower price that their competitors, and you still get great images!

Plus, there have been whispers of 120 film slowly dying, which is the saddest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Medium format film is absolutely incredible and so so special. I’ll do everything I can to keep it alive, even if that means buying it all myself and spending my life savings on it! But maybe you guys and gals can help me out in saving 120 film by buying some yourself! Let’s save 120 film together! Please!

Anyway, here are 5 of my favorite affordable 120 medium format film brands!

1. KODAK GOLD 200

Kodak Gold 200 is surprisingly affordable for the quality that you get. I always bring a roll of it with me on every beach vacation or any time I want my images to have a golden tone. It’s super duper sharp too and has become one of the main 120 films that I use consistently. For a 200 speed film, it does decently well in low light and is perfectly saturated. I find to be one of the easiest films to tweak during scanning too, so I’m able to alter it and adjust the tones if I decide to make my images a little cooler or warmer. I scan all of my film myself with a Epson Perfection v750 scanner so I have a lot more control than if my film lab scanned it for me. I love this film and as long as it stays this affordable, I’ll always have it in my camera bag! I have this feeling that Kodak may raise the price in the future so I’d grab it while you can!

WHERE TO BUY

Amazon

Adorama

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2. LOMOGRAPHY COLOR 100 OR 400

Lomography Color 120 films comes in two different film speeds, 100 and 400. I typically have both of these in my arsenal because it’s super saturated and fun! I find it to be bright and colorful, which is very helpful when shooting with cameras like a Holga or Diana F+. Toy cameras always benefit from a little extra color and sharpness. The 100 speed film is going to be a bit sharper, but just remember that you’ll need more light. I recommend only shooting the 100 speed film in bright sunlight or with a bright flash. The 400 speed film is more versatile and better for cloudy days or lower light. If you’re going to be in a dark environment and really need some leeway, they also have an 800 ISO film. I don’t typically go for 800 speed films because it’s just a bit too grainy for me. I shoot with a lot of toy cameras and I’m already fighting to make those images as sharp as possible so the extra grain doesn’t tend to help! You’ll notice there isn’t a huge difference in the 100 and 400 ISO films, so I included samples of both below.

WHERE TO BUY

LOMOGRAPHY COLOR 100 120 FILM

eBay

KEH Camera

LOMOGRAPHY COLOR 400 120 FILM

Amazon

Adorama


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3. LOMOGRAPHY LOMOCHROME METROPOLIS 100-400

Lomography Lomochrome Metropolis is more of a funky, unusual film that might be fun if you’re looking for something different! It’s known for it’s slightly desaturated look and strong contrast. I love that it has a vintage vibe to it that works well with toy cameras. I’ve only used this film a few times so far but I’m excited to try it with some of my other medium format cameras. It has an extended ISO range of 100-400 so you can work with this film in lots of different kinds of conditions to experience different results!

WHERE TO BUY

eBay

Adorama

4. LOMOGRAPHY LADY GREY BLACK & WHITE FILM

I had to throw in a few black and white films because that’s what I truly love the most! I don’t shoot black and white as often anymore because I like to have the option of color and black and white. I can always turn my color photos black and white in post-processing, but it doesn’t work the other way around! I find Lady Grey to be very retro and aged-looking, which I think is perfect for a black and white film. It has quite a bit of graininess to it, but I don’t mind grain as much with black and white photography. It adds character and emotion, in my opinion!

WHERE TO BUY

Amazon

eBay

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5. LOMOGRAPHY BLACK AND WHITE POTSDAM KINO B&W 120 ISO 100

Potsdam Kino 100 is another black and white film by Lomography, and this one has more of an overall grey tone in the highlights, causing it to seem more muted. I find it to have more of a cinematic quality to it though, which is so beautiful and dreamy! I found it just a little harder to get that stark contrast and those extra deep blacks than with the Lady Grey film.

WHERE TO BUY

Adorama

eBay

(click to enlarge images)

If you found this post helpful or if you’d like to see more of my work, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards cameras, film & processing. Find out more here!

If you have any questions, I’m always happy to help! You can contact me here, or leave a comment below! I’d love to know what your favorite 120 films are! Thanks so much for stopping by! You can also check out my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :) Have a lovely day!

<3 Myles Katherine

Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 35 mm Film Camera Review with Example Photos in Nazaré, Portugal | The Perfect Point-and-Shoot Camera for Traveling

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

Before my trip to Portugal, I pulled together all of the cameras in my house (I think I’m getting close to 100 cameras in my collection now!) and dug through them to find a camera I hadn’t used yet. I always like to take at least one camera on my trips that is a bit of a mystery, just to challenge myself and to get inspired. It’s so exciting to send my film off for processing when I get home, but its especially exciting when it’s a camera I’ve never used before. As I was digging through my boxes of cameras, I came across the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 and noticed that it had a 2.8 lens on it. I was immediately interested. Any lens with an aperture of 2.8 or wider is a camera I’m interested in.

However, right away I noticed that it wasn’t working. I opened the battery compartment only to find some serious corrosion. I spent the day with a pile of q-tips and rubbing alcohol, scraping off as much corrosion as possible. Eventually, I began to hear the camera make high-pitched sounds when I put some fresh batteries in and I knew I was getting somewhere. The shutter still wasn’t working but for some reason, whenever I flipped the camera upside down, the shutter would go off. I still don’t know why that worked, but the more I clicked the shutter release button, the more it started firing. Finally, I felt convinced that it was working enough to trust it with a roll of film.

I was still super nervous the whole time I was shooting with it in Portugal because I didn’t have time to run through a test roll before my trip. But the shutter seemed quick enough to know that I was at least getting something. I was pleasantly surprised when I got my film back from the lab in the mail. My photos had turned out! I still have some learning to do with this camera, and unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get the flash to work still. I think it might be a bit of a lost cause. But I’m just thrilled that my photos turned out at all! And I truly enjoyed using it throughout the trip. I wanted to share a few of the reasons why I love this camera so far and then share all of my favorite photos from Portugal! I also just posted a video about the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 on my YouTube channel so make sure to check it out and subscribe to see more of our Portugal adventures!

5 REASONS WHY THE MINOLTA HI-MATIC AF2 IS A PERFECT TRAVEL CAMERA

  1. It’s a Point-and-Shoot Camera

    You can’t really get more convenient than a point-and-shoot camera for traveling. They are quick and easy with little to no learning curve. Anyone can use this camera. If you’re a beginner film photographer, this camera is absolutely perfect for you.

  2. It has a 38mm Lens

    In my opinion, a lens that’s anywhere from 24-40mm is a great length for travel photography. You’re able to get wide shots of buildings and architecture, but you could also get a little closer in for a portrait.

  3. It’s Compact and Basic

    Since the lens is a fixed length, it doesn’t take up a ton of space in your bag like a camera with a detachable lens would. It’s super sturdy with no extra parts or awkward accessories. And since it includes a flash, you don’t need to add one of those on either. I’m super sad my flash doesn’t work, but maybe I’ll come across a Hi-Matic AF2 with a working flash one of these days. :)

  4. It’s Fully AutoFocus

    When I’m traveling, it’s hard to work with manual focus film cameras. Sometimes I just don’t have the time to stand there and try to get the focus perfected. My family members are rushing me along, impatient with all of my picture-taking. Or I’m trying to get a photo of a bicyclist or moving subject while they aren’t paying attention. AutoFocus cameras like the Hi-Matic AF2 make street photography so much easier. And especially since it’s relatively small, it’s pretty inconspicuous and makes it easier to get away with taking pictures of strangers.

  5. It Takes 35mm Film

    The great thing about 35mm film cameras is that it’s easy to find 35mm film in almost every city. Sometimes, when I’m shooting with my 120 cameras, I’ll run out of film and have a hard time finding a camera store that carries 120 film. But 35mm is a pretty universal film format. I’ve never had trouble finding extra 35mm film on my trips.

As you can tell, I’m loving the camera so far. I’m a little bummed because I had the ISO setting on 400 instead of 200 for one of my film rolls, so the images turned out a little grainier than I’d hoped. But the film stock I used, Harman Phoenix 200, is also known for it’s grainy and high-contrast look, so maybe it’s just a combo of the film stock and ISO setting that I’m not used to. But I know a lot of film photographers actually aim for that sort of look so I guess it just depends on the person! I usually tend to like my photos a little less grainy and more sharp. But to each their own!

Here are a few film brands I recommend using for 35mm film cameras. Or you can check out my blog post, The Best Color Film for 35 mm Cameras. You can also check out my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

35MM FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

Kodak Gold 200

Lomography Color 400

Lomography Color 100

Kodak Portra 160

Kodak Portra 400

Kodak Colorplus 200


WHERE TO BUY THE MINOLTA HI-MATIC AF2:

Amazon

KEH Camera


FILM I USED FOR THE SAMPLE PHOTOS:

Kodak UltraMax 400 35mm film:

Amazon

Adorama

Harman Phoenix 200 35mm film:

Amazon

Adorama

If you enjoyed reading this post and would like to support my work, check out my Patreon and get early access to my YouTube videos, plus seasonal prints and other fun gifts!

And of course, I wanted to share all of my favorite photos from our Portugal trip using the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a lovely day!

<3 Myles Katherine


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