Come fall, we stand in front of the fridge a little longer than usual. Which film should we load before heading out? So we dug through the 5ft.mag film catalog. Out of more than 5,600 photos uploaded by readers, we picked seven films that suit the season, plus two photos shot on each.
The film descriptions are based on what we wrote in the 5ft.mag catalog. We can't tell when each photo was taken, so please think of them as photos that go well with fall, not as "photos taken in fall."
Kodak Gold 200
Yellow leaves call for yellow film
The ginkgo photo at the very top was shot on this film. In the catalog we describe it as having "warm, golden tones." Point it at something already yellow, like ginkgo leaves, and that yellow gets one shade deeper. Results are reliable for the price, which makes it the film we recommend most often to people buying their first roll.
It doesn't have to be autumn foliage. A table with slanting afternoon light is enough for this film to do its job.
See Kodak Gold 200 in the catalog →
Fujifilm C200
For greens that haven't turned yet
Not every fall is yellow and red. Through early October, there's still more green around. Fujifilm C200 keeps cool greens and teals alive. If Kodak runs warm, this one runs a little cool.
The price is light too. It's the cheapest line among Fujifilm's color negative films, so it's easy to toss a roll in for a walk.
See Fujifilm C200 in the catalog →
Harman Phoenix 200
A film for enjoying the red cast on purpose
This is the first color film from Harman, a company known for black-and-white film, released in 2023. It has strong contrast, a red base, and coarse grain. If you expect polite colors, it may catch you off guard.
In fall, that red cast actually fits. The first photo, where the ground of a pine path glows like a sunset, shows it. The photographer wrote, "A lunchtime walk around the office." Even an ordinary walking route looks a little unfamiliar once it passes through this film.
See Harman Phoenix 200 in the catalog →
Lucky Color 200
A Chinese film that's back
Lucky's color negative film from China stopped production in 2012 and returned in the first half of 2025. The traits we list in the catalog are neutral color with a slight red cast, fine grain, and crisp contrast.
Put the first photo, of trees just starting to turn, next to the second, of a street where the leaves have all fallen, and you get early fall and late fall on the same film.
See Lucky Color 200 in the catalog →
Cinestill 400D
For afternoons as the days get shorter
CineStill released this everyday film in 2022. It is faster than the 50D, and its colors are more natural than the 800T. It's the one to pick when you want cinematic color for ordinary scenery.
In fall the sun goes down fast. At ISO 400, you get a bit more breathing room on shutter speed until dusk. The first photo, with the sun setting behind a mountain ridge, gives you a feel for how this film holds sunset light.
See Cinestill 400D in the catalog →
Lomography LomoChrome Color '92
Color, turned up a notch
Lomography released this film in 2023, made to recreate the colors of 1990s movies. It has deep blues, vivid reds, clear yellows, and plenty of grain.
The orange flower bed and the alley strewn with red leaves both have dense, weighty color. It is developed in regular C-41, but the canister has no DX code printed on it. Just remember that with an automatic camera, you have to set the ISO yourself.
See Lomography LomoChrome Color '92 in the catalog →
Kentmere 400
Shooting fall in black and white
Black and white in leaf-peeping season may sound odd. But take the color out and you see more clearly the layers of piled-up leaves and the texture of dry grass.
Kentmere 400 is an entry-level black-and-white film known as a line from an Ilford subsidiary. It's cheaper than HP5 or Delta, and the results are plenty reliable. If this is the fall you try black and white for the first time, it's a fine film to start with.
See Kentmere 400 in the catalog →
What's Your Fall Film?
Narrowing it down to seven left a lot of films out. Portra, Ektar 100, and Velvia all suit fall too. If you have a fall photo shot on a film that isn't on this list, please upload it to the 5ft.mag film pages. We'll be sure to look through them the next time we write a piece like this.
Thank you to the fourteen photographers whose photos appear here. Every one of them agreed, when uploading to 5ft.mag, to have their photos used on the site, on social media, and in the print magazine.
