Popho Luminar 100

The Popho Luminar 100 is a color negative film. The film is sold under the Canadian brand Popho. The film is manufactured by Kodak. Originally developed as Kodak Aerocolor IV 2460 for aerial photography and surveillance purposes, it has recently gained popularity among creative photographers due to its special properties.

Features of the color film

One of the most outstanding features of the Luminar 100 is its remarkably fine grain, especially when developed with reduced contrast. This allows photographers to create images with exceptional sharpness and detail.

In addition, the film offers an impressive dynamic range of up to 10.5 stops. This makes it ideal for high-contrast shots, preserving detail in both the darkest shadows and the brightest highlights.

The color reproduction of the Luminar 100 is known for its neutrality and precision. The colors appear natural and balanced, with a slight tendency toward cooler tones in the highlights and warmer tones in the shadows. This subtle color shift gives the images a unique character and aesthetic.

Another benefit of color film is the lack of an orange masking layer, common to most color negative films. This layer is usually used to compensate for chemical impurities, but can also affect color accuracy.

Because the Luminar 100 does not have such a mask, color interpretation during digitization is simplified and improved color accuracy is possible.

Available Formats

The color film is currently only produced in 35mm format. Larger formats such as medium or large format are not available. However, photographers who prefer larger negatives can use panoramic cameras such as the Hasselblad XPan to capture larger images.

A roll in Canada costs 15 CAD in 2024.

Developing the Popho Luminar 100

The Luminar 100 is typically developed using the C-41 process, the standard process for color negative film. However, for optimal results, Kodak recommends specific development times and temperatures.

For example, developing at 38°C for 3 minutes and 15 seconds can result in even finer grain and an expanded dynamic range. With this type of development, the film should be exposed with an exposure index (EI) of 80.

Popho

Popho is a brand name of the Popho Camera Company of Montreal, Canada.