220 Kodak Portra 400NC: A Photographer's Dream Film

The Allure of Ultra Rare

It’s not often you come across a roll of 220 Kodak Portra 400 (expired 2009), especially one that’s been expired for over a decade. I was lucky enough to find two rolls at a small local market in Thailand. The seller told me they had been stored in a refrigerator the entire time — so naturally, I had to give them a try.

What is 220 Film?

220 film is a longer version of 120 film — it’s the same width and format, but twice the length, allowing for twice as many exposures. However, unlike 120, it has no backing paper throughout the roll (except at the beginning and end), which means it must be used with cameras that support 220 format.

Here’s how many frames you get per roll, depending on your camera format:

• 6x4.5 → 30 frames

• 6x6 → 24 frames

• 6x7 → 20 frames

• 6x9 → 16 frames

For portrait and studio photographers, this extra frame count makes a big difference — less time reloading means smoother sessions and a more connected flow with your subject.

Roll One – Family Test (Mixed Lighting)

The first roll was used to photograph my son in various lighting conditions, both indoors and outdoors. To my surprise, the film still held up beautifully. Colors were vivid, and the grain remained fine and pleasant — soft yet detailed. It reminded me why Portra became such a legendary film in the first place.

Camera: Hasselblad 501CM + Zeiss CF T 80mm f/2.8*, 150mm/4.0

Roll Two – Sexy Art Photo Trip with Puifai

For the second roll, I planned a hotel studio shoot with a lovely model named Puifai. We worked with natural afternoon light streaming through window blinds — a perfect chance to explore light patterns and mood. The results were simply stunning.

The extended length of 220 film allowed me to shoot freely and focus on directing, without needing to pause and reload. The Portra palette shined through: soft pastel tones, warm skin rendering, and just the right amount of contrast. Straight from the scanner, the images already felt complete — no heavy post needed.

Camera: Hasselblad 501CM + Zeiss CF T 80mm f/2.8*

Final Thoughts

• Extremely rare film — If you’re lucky enough to find a well-stored roll of 220 Kodak Portra 400, it’s absolutely worth shooting. The extended roll length is a dream for portrait photographers, and the film’s ability to retain beautiful tones and fine grain well past its expiration shows why Portra is a gold standard.

• Exceptional Skin Tones Even after expiration, Portra 400 maintains its legendary color rendering for skin — soft, warm, and flattering, especially under natural light. Perfect for portraits and fine art nudes.

• Fine Grain and Smooth Texture Grain remains tight and non-intrusive, giving images a clean, elegant look with excellent tonal gradation — particularly impressive for a roll over a decade past expiration.

• Extended Frame Count Being 220 film, it offers double the number of exposures compared to 120. On a 6x6 camera like the Hasselblad 501CM, you get 24 frames — ideal for professional sessions without reloading interruptions.

• Works beautifully with medium format cameras like the Hasselblad 501CM, Pentax67, Mamiya RZ, etc.