Kodak Portra 400 vs UltraMax 400: is Portra worth the extra?

Portra 400 or UltraMax 400? I've shot a lot of both over the years and it's a classic film dilemma, usually for someone with one of each in their film case deciding which route to go down! 😅 Here's the short answer. Choose Kodak Portra 400 when the roll really matters: people, weddings, tricky light, and photos you'll want to print big. Choose Kodak UltraMax 400 for everything else: everyday shooting, travel, grey UK days and that warm, punchy Kodak look, for a lot less per frame. Both are ISO 400 Kodak colour films, so the real Portra 400 vs UltraMax question is look, forgiveness and price. Here's how they compare, with real photos from our community!

Portra 400 vs UltraMax 400 at a glance 👀

Both films are the same speed and both are developed in the standard colour process (C-41), so they'll go in the same camera on the same day. The differences are in what comes back.

Same wedding, two films: how the colours compare 💍

The best way to see the difference is the same light on both films, and one of our community did exactly that (thank you Alex!)

Alex shot a wedding with a roll of each and reviewed both. Same venue, same evening, same... chandeliers ✨

Photo: Alex L. on Kodak Portra 400

Photo: Alex L. on Kodak UltraMax 400

Look at the walls. On Portra the cream paintwork stays cream and the shadows stay neutral. On UltraMax the whole room turns golden, the reds get richer, and the shadows go darker and moodier. Neither is "wrong": it's the difference between a faithful record and a warm memory. 🕯️

Here's how Alex sums up Portra:

"If you need a bit more exposure latitude than UltraMax but still want 400 speed or if you don't want the baked in colour profile of the golden hued consumer grade Kodaks or the cooler toned Fujicolours then this is your guy." – Alex L.

And UltraMax:

"If you want something to throw in your camera and not worry about then it is this." – Alex L.

Skin tones: why portrait photographers pay for Portra 🧑

Portra was made for photographing people (the clue's in the name!), and it shows. Skin comes out smooth and natural rather than orange, and Kodak describes it as having the world's finest grain of any high-speed colour negative film (see Kodak's Portra 400 technical data sheet). That's why it's the go-to for weddings, family shoots and anyone who'll be printing portraits.

Photo: @lkm.jpeg on Kodak Portra 400

Liam shot his first wedding on it (the first wedding he shot film at...not HIS first wedding if you know what I mean 😂)

"It handled everything from bright moments to overcast skies really well, the colours are beautiful, and the skin tones are exactly what I was hoping for." – Liam K.

Photo: @frecklephotography on Kodak Portra 400

"I LOVE Kodak Portra 400 for it's clean skin tones and flex in lower light." – Emma L.

UltraMax does people well too, especially in sunshine or with flash. It just adds its own warmth, which some people love and some find a bit much on skin. If your photos are mostly of friends in the pub, UltraMax's warmth can be very flattering! 🍻

Which is more forgiving? Exposure latitude explained 🎯

Exposure latitude is how far you can get the exposure wrong and still get a good photo. Portra is famously tolerant of overexposure: give it too much light and it still holds detail in skies and skin. That's why lots of photographers rate it at ISO 200 on purpose for brighter, cleaner colour.

"Love Portra 400 for the good skin tones in all sorts of lighting, its flexibility and the fact that you can abuse it a bit and still get a good photo." – Simon D.

UltraMax is forgiving too, which is why we recommend it to beginners and for point-and-shoot cameras with simple metering. Where it struggles is underexposure: dark shadows can turn muddy and green, and grain gets more noticeable. Give it plenty of light and it's very happy. ☀️

Photo: @glynd_08 on Kodak UltraMax 400

"Easy to use film with generous exposure tolerance." – Glyn D.

Is Portra 400 worth the extra? Price per frame 💷

Let's be honest, this is the bit everyone's really asking about! At the time of writing (November 2026), a 36-exposure roll of Portra 400 works out at roughly 50p a frame, and UltraMax at roughly 30p a frame. So Portra costs around two-thirds more per shot. Prices change, so check the Portra 400 and UltraMax 400 pages for today's price.

But film is only part of the cost. Developing and scanning cost the same for either film, so once you add those in, the gap per finished photo gets a lot smaller. If a roll is a once-off (a wedding, a big trip, a new baby), that extra cost per photo is very small for the best chance of getting the shot 👶

Our community is honest about it too:

"It also doesn't require the second mortgage that Portra 400 needs." – Tom P., on UltraMax

Photo: Tom P. (flickr.com/photos/tompagenet) on Kodak UltraMax 400

"If it wasn't so expensive I'd definitely be making this my go-to stock." – Ben G. on Portra 400

Photo: Ben Gentry on Kodak Portra 400

My rule of thumb: if you'd be gutted to get a so-so result, it's worth the Portra. If you're shooting for fun, practising, or burning through rolls on holiday, UltraMax gives you far more photos for your money 🙌

Which is best for you? 🤔

Choose Kodak Portra 400 if…

• you're photographing people, especially weddings, portraits and family
• the light will be mixed or hard to judge
• you want natural colour that's easy to edit, or prints you'll hang on the wall
• you shoot medium format too: Portra 400 also comes in 120

Choose Kodak UltraMax 400 if…

• you're new to film or using a point-and-shoot
• it's everyday shooting, travel or street photography
• you love warm, saturated, classic Kodak colour
• you want more rolls for your money, especially through a grey UK winter

Photo: Alex L. on Kodak UltraMax 400

Still not sure? Shoot a roll of each on the same day and compare. It's the quickest way to learn which look is yours! Want to see more first? Search Portra 400 or UltraMax on our Wall of Inspiration to see real photos from our community on each.

FAQ

Is Portra 400 better than UltraMax 400?

For skin tones, fine grain and exposure latitude, yes. UltraMax gives warmer, punchier colour for much less per frame, so it's the better choice for everyday shooting.

Is UltraMax 400 good for portraits?

Yes, especially in good light or with flash. Skin comes out warmer than on Kodak Portra 400, which suits some people more than others.

Can I develop Portra 400 and UltraMax 400 together?

Yes. Both are C-41 colour negative films, so they're developed in the same process and cost the same to develop at the WonderLab.

Is Portra 400 good for beginners?

Yes. Its wide latitude makes it very forgiving, but Kodak UltraMax 400 is easier on the wallet while you learn.

Should I shoot Portra 400 at box speed?

ISO 400 works well. Many photographers rate it at ISO 200 for brighter, cleaner colour, because it handles overexposure so well.

So, is Portra worth the extra? For the rolls that matter most, absolutely. For everything else, UltraMax is one of the best-value films going. Grab a roll of Kodak Portra 400 or Kodak UltraMax 400, and when you're done, send it to the WonderLab with free tracked shipping to the lab. 🧪

Want to go deeper? Read our full Kodak Portra 400 review and Kodak UltraMax 400 review, see how UltraMax stacks up against its cheaper sibling in Kodak UltraMax vs Kodak Gold, or compare the whole family in our guide to Portra 160, 400 and 800.

Happy Shooting! 🎞️