Which Film Should I Buy? Ask Our Wall of Inspiration 📸

Which film should I buy? The most common question I get when folks come into AW or join a photowalk! And my advice is always the same...."it depends" 😂 But I know that's really annoying so instead let's start with what you want to shoot, not the film!  And from today you can type it into our new Wall of Inspiration (golden hour by the sea, foggy woods, your dog) and you'll see real photos our customers took on film, each with the film it was shot on and a button to add it to your basket. Hurrah! Here's how to use it, four searches to try, and how to get your own photos on the wall.

Prefer to watch? I show you the Wall of Inspiration in action in this short video:

Which film should I buy? Start with what you want to shoot 📸

Film names don't tell you much on their own. "Gold", "UltraMax", "HP5", "800T"… unless you've shot them, it's hard to know which one will give you the look you're after, and social media is NOT a reliable source of truth. For many things...

So instead let's turn to the people who know best: actual real life film shooters! Over the years thousands of you have left reviews with photos on AW specifically to help others understand what's possible. But until now they've generally been padlocked to each film's page. The Wall of Inspiration puts thousands of those photos into one search bar. So instead of reading about grain and colour, you can see what a film actually does with the exact thing you want to shoot, in real light, on real cameras.

And they're the real thing. As I said when I first showed it off: "These are all real film photos shot by real film photographers." No AI, just film, and every photographer is credited with a link straight to their Instagram or website. 📷

Open the Wall of Inspiration →

How to use the Wall of Inspiration 🔍

1. Say what you want to shoot. Type anything into the search box ("sunset", "trains", "Portra portraits") or tap one of the ideas underneath it. Not sure? Hit Inspire me.
2. Look at six photos. You'll get six customer photos that match. Want more? Tap Show me six more, or Surprise me for something different!
3. Open the ones you love. Tap a photo to see it bigger, read the customer's review word for word, and follow the photographer with See more from this photographer.
4. See the film it was shot on. Every photo shows its film, the price today and an Add to basket button, so you can go from idea to film in two taps.
5. Get it developed. When you've shot your roll, the "Shot it? We'll develop it" panel shows you how to send it to the WonderLab, and when your scans would be ready if it reached us today.

The results are picked fresh each time, so the same search won't show you the same six photos twice. At least...it shouldn't do 🤞🏼 Try it a few times and you'll soon notice which films keep coming up for the subjects you love.

One thing to bear in mind: the same film can look quite different from one photo to the next. It depends on many things including how it was developed and scanned so look at a few photos before you decide.

Four searches to try (and what they tell you) 🎞️

Here are four of my default ideas on the page, with one photo each from what came up. Tap the search to see the wall's latest six 😅

1. "Golden hour by the sea"

Photo: @Boxiopath on Kodak Gold 200

Warm, glowing light is where Kodak Gold 200 shines. It pushes sunsets towards honey and gold, and at ISO 200 (the film's sensitivity to light) it's happiest when there's plenty of light about. Golden hour, the hour after sunrise and before sunset, gives it exactly that. 🌅

"This film is great if the weather is good, definitely recommend for situations with lots of daylight." – @Boxiopath

2. "Foggy woods"

Photo: @sam_winton on Ilford HP5 Plus 120

Hello November! Fog strips a scene back to shapes and tones, which is why black and white suits it so well. Ilford HP5 Plus is a 400-speed film, so it copes with grey, murky mornings, and it's forgiving if your exposure isn't spot on. This one was shot on 120 (medium format); it comes in 35mm too. 🌫️

"Bestseller for a reason, fantastic in 35mm and even better in 120, and at a very reasonable price!" – @sam_winton

3. "Dogs"

Photo: @jorjaisobel on Kodak UltraMax 400

Don't @ me cat folk, I'll do something just for you soon!

Dogs don't sit still, so you want a faster film that lets you use a quicker shutter speed. Kodak UltraMax 400 gives you that, with bright, punchy colour, and it's one of the easiest films to start with. 🐶

"Just starting to dabble with film, and find this fairly easy to use and its a good starter film - haven't got the most exciting camera (just something found in a charity shop) and its still producing some nice photos" – @jorjaisobel

4. "Night on CineStill 800T"

Photo: @tenjaecion on CineStill 800T

What's cool is that you can of course search by film as well as by subject. CineStill 800T is made for artificial light: it's balanced for tungsten bulbs, rated at ISO 800, and gives bright lights that famous red glow (halation). Shop windows, neon and wet streets are its natural home. ✨

"But also do not discount this film for portrait/landscape/street photography as it produces moody tones like in those old retro cop shows." – @tenjaecion

What film speed do I need? A quick guide

When you've found a look you love, check the film speed (the ISO number in its name) against the light you'll be shooting in. Note: this assumes no flash, and a reasonably basic camera. If you have a fancier set-up (and a Keks flash!) then you'll have many more options.

If you're still torn, our guide Which 35mm Film Should I Use? picks a film for every situation, and our best black and white films covers the monochrome side. 👍

Shot it? We'll develop it 🧪

Every photo on the wall started as a roll of film, and lots of them were developed right here at the WonderLab. When you've finished your roll, book 35mm film development or 120 film development with free tracked shipping to the lab, and your scans arrive straight in your account.

The panel on the Wall of Inspiration shows when your scans would be ready if your film reached us today, and you can follow your roll all the way with our Development Tracker.

How do I get my photos and IG profile on the Wall of Inspiration? 🙌

1. Leave a review of the film you shot (use the link in the review email we send after your order, or the reviews section on the film's product page).
2. Add your favourite photos from the roll.
3. Say Yes to "Can AW feature your photos?"
4. Pop your Instagram handle or website in the credit box, so people can find more of your work.

We add new photos every week, after running some safety checks (just in case) so please be patient. It might be a few days before you can find them on the page.

FAQ

Which film should I buy as a beginner?

Kodak UltraMax 400 is the easiest start for most people, because it copes with most light. If you'll mostly shoot in bright sun, Kodak Gold 200 is a great choice.

What is the Wall of Inspiration?

A free search on our website with thousands of photos taken by our customers on film. Type what you want to shoot and it shows you real photos and the film each one was shot on.

How often is the Wall of Inspiration updated?

Every week. We add new photos from customers who left a photo review and said yes to featuring.

Can I use the photos myself?

No. Customers have given Analogue Wonderland permission to show them, but they still belong to the photographers. Follow the photographer's link if you'd like to see more of their work.

So, which film should you buy? The one that's already shot the kind of photo you want to take! 🤩 Head to the Wall of Inspiration, search for whatever you love shooting, and see where it takes you. When you're back with your roll, the WonderLab is ready for it.

Happy Shooting! 🎞️