Kruitvat 400

The Kruitvat 400 presents itself as a color negative film that was once offered by a Dutch drugstore chain under its own brand. However, the company was not responsible for the production of the film. Until the early 2000s, Kruitvat, which is now part of the A.S. Watson Group, carried this film in its range.

The Kruitvat 400 can be used to create classic color photographs. Its recommended ISO is 400, which makes it suitable for a wide range of shooting situations. The film was primarily aimed at amateur photographers rather than professional photographers.

Development of the film

A Kruitvat 400 that can still be found today can certainly still be used. After full exposure, the film must be developed without first being exposed to light to avoid losing all the shots.

Unlike black-and-white film development, the C-41 development process is standardized and subject to a set procedure. In Germany, the Kruitvat 400 can be submitted for development to major drugstore chains. After processing, film strips with the captured images are obtained.

Scans, prints or prints can be made from the finished negatives. Many developing studios also offer the making of prints as an additional service.

Digitizing

Another option is to digitize the negatives using a scanner. This service is provided by many photo labs, but a home scanner can also be used. The digitized photos can then be shared on various platforms or printed in various formats.

Film formats of the Kruitvat 400

The Kruitvat 400 was offered exclusively in 35mm format and produced within the European Union. One roll of this color film can take 36 pictures, although variants with a lower number of frames were also available. The number of frames is noted on the packaging.

The film cassette is DX encoded and there is an extensive range of suitable 35mm format models available from various manufacturers including Olympus, Rollei and Fujifilm.

A cost-effective alternative is the Kodak Ultramax 400*, which provides reliable color images and is also available in 35mm format.