Best 35mm Film for Beginners in Australia (2026 Guide)

by store irohas in News

If you have just picked up a film camera, choosing your first roll of 35mm film can feel harder than it should. The right film will make your first results much more enjoyable. The wrong one can leave you with underexposed frames, muddy colours, or 36 shots that do not look the way you imagined.

This guide covers the best 35mm film for beginners in Australia, including the best colour film, the best black and white film, and how to choose the right stock for Australian light. If you are looking for an easy place to start in 2026, this is it.

Quick Picks: Best 35mm Film for Beginners

Best For Film Stock Why We Recommend It
Best overall beginner film Irohas Straya 400 Flexible ISO 400 film designed for Australian light and everyday shooting.
Best Kodak film for sunny days Kodak Gold 200 Warm colour, fine grain and a classic daylight film look.
Best for changing light Kodak Ultramax 400 ISO 400 gives beginners more flexibility in shade, cloudy weather and flash photos.
Best for portraits Kodak Portra 400 Natural skin tones, soft colour and excellent exposure latitude.

How to Choose the Best 35mm Film for Beginners

Before choosing a film stock, focus on four things: ISO, colour versus black and white, budget, and where you plan to shoot.

1. ISO and film speed

ISO 200 is best for bright outdoor light. ISO 400 is more flexible for mixed light, overcast weather, shade, and indoor use. For most beginners in Australia, ISO 400 is the safer starting point.

2. Colour or black and white

Most beginners start with colour negative film because it is forgiving and easy to get processed. Black and white film is also beginner-friendly, but it creates a different look focused on contrast, texture, and mood.

3. Budget

There are still solid beginner-friendly films at different price points. It often makes sense to start with one flexible film, learn how it behaves, then branch out.

4. Where you are shooting

Bright beach days, travel, street shooting, indoor gatherings, and cloudy afternoons all reward different film stocks. Matching the film to your light is one of the easiest ways to improve your results.

Best Colour 35mm Film for Beginners in Australia

Irohas Straya 400 — Best Overall Beginner Film

Irohas Straya 400 is the strongest place to start if you are shooting in Australia. It is a flexible ISO 400 colour negative film designed around the kind of bright, contrasty light you get across Australian cities, beaches, and summer afternoons.

For beginners, the main advantage is simple: it is easier to use across more situations. You get warm, vibrant colour, enough speed for mixed light, and a film stock that feels well suited to everyday Australian shooting.

Best for: Beginners in Australia, warm colour, versatile everyday shooting.

Irohas Straya 400 35mm film
Irohas Straya 400 — 35mm (36 exp)
ISO 400 · Colour negative · Made for Australia
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After shooting: Irohas Straya 400 is a C-41 colour negative film, so you can develop and scan it with Irohas Photo in Melbourne, Sydney or Perth, or mail your roll Australia-wide.

Kodak Gold 200 — Best Kodak Film for Sunny Days

Kodak Gold 200 is one of the most recognisable beginner films for a reason. It gives you warm colour, fine grain, and that classic film look many people want from their first few rolls.

It performs best in bright daylight, which makes it ideal for travel, beach days, and outdoor weekend shooting.

Best for: Daylight, travel, outdoor portraits, everyday sunshine shooting.

Kodak Gold 200 35mm film
Kodak Gold 200 — 35mm (36 exp)
ISO 200 · Warm tones · Best in daylight
→

After shooting: Kodak Gold 200 is a C-41 colour negative film, so you can develop and scan it with Irohas Photo in Melbourne, Sydney or Perth, or mail your roll Australia-wide.

Kodak Ultramax 400 — Best for Changing Light

Kodak Ultramax 400 is a strong option if you want one film that can handle a bit of everything. The ISO 400 speed makes it more forgiving in mixed light, and the colours stay bold and lively.

Best for: Mixed lighting, street photography, general everyday shooting.

Kodak Ultramax 400 35mm film
Kodak Ultramax 400 — 35mm (36 exp)
ISO 400 · Punchy colour · All-purpose
→

After shooting: Kodak Ultramax 400 is a C-41 colour negative film, so you can develop and scan it with Irohas Photo in Melbourne, Sydney or Perth, or mail your roll Australia-wide.

Kodak Portra 400 — Best for Portraits

Kodak Portra 400 is popular for a reason: it gives you soft colour, natural skin tones, and generous exposure latitude. If you want a beginner film that still feels refined, this is a strong portrait option.

Best for: Portraits, soft colour, flattering skin tones.

Kodak Portra 400 35mm film
Kodak Portra 400 — 35mm (36 exp)
ISO 400 · Natural skin tones · Excellent latitude
→

After shooting: Kodak Portra 400 is a C-41 colour negative film, so you can develop and scan it with Irohas Photo in Melbourne, Sydney or Perth, or mail your roll Australia-wide.

What Should Beginners Do After Finishing a Roll?

After finishing your first 35mm roll, rewind it fully before opening your camera. Then bring or mail the roll to a film lab for developing and scanning. Developing creates the negatives, while scanning gives you digital files you can view, edit and share.

Irohas Photo develops and scans 35mm film in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, with mail-in film developing available across Australia.

Best Black and White 35mm Film for Beginners

If you want to start with black and white, Ilford HP5 Plus 400, Kodak T-Max 400, and Ilford Delta 400 are all good beginner-friendly options depending on whether you want flexibility, sharpness, or smoother portrait tones.

Where to Buy 35mm Film in Australia

The easiest way to buy 35mm film in Australia is through a specialist retailer that stores film properly and keeps a focused range in stock. Start with the 35mm film collection if you want to compare beginner-friendly options in one place.

Where to Get 35mm Film Developed in Australia

Once you finish your roll, the next step is getting it developed properly. Irohas Photo offers professional film processing services and accepts mail-in orders from across Australia.

  • Melbourne: GL, 15 McKillop Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
  • Sydney: B, 398-402 Sussex St, Haymarket NSW 2000
  • Perth: Shop 202, 72 St Georges Terrace, Perth CBD WA 6000

If you are not near a store, use the mail-in film service to send your rolls from anywhere in Australia.

Tags: 35mm australia beginner black-and-white colour-film film-guide film-stock
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