Kodak’s Ektapan Revival: What This Means for Your Film Workflow

I’ve been watching Kodak’s recent comeback with genuine excitement, and their latest announcement didn’t disappoint. The company just brought back one of their most legendary film stocks—Ektapan—and they’re doing it in a way that actually matters for working photographers.

A Legendary Name Returns

For those of us who appreciate film’s tactile history, Ektapan is basically the Beatles reunion we didn’t know we needed. This panchromatic black-and-white film is arriving in three ISO options: 100, 400, and P3200. That’s a pretty brilliant range. Whether you’re shooting in bright daylight or pushing the boundaries in low light, Kodak’s giving you flexibility across the speed spectrum.

The really smart move? They’re offering these in both 135 (35mm) and 120 (medium format) options. As someone who edits scans from both formats regularly, I can tell you this matters. It means more people can experiment with Ektapan’s particular character.

Why This Matters for Your Lightroom Workflow

Here’s what gets me excited from an editing perspective: every film stock has a distinct personality when you’re working with scans. Ektapan brings that classic Kodak aesthetic—slightly warm blacks, excellent tonal separation, and a natural grain structure that feels organic rather than aggressive.

When these scans hit your Lightroom library, you’re working with files that respond beautifully to subtle adjustments. The tonal curve is forgiving, which means you don’t need to be aggressive with your blacks and whites sliders. Instead, you can focus on the midtones where Ektapan’s magic really lives.

Building Your Color Grading Approach

Even though we’re talking about black-and-white film, I approach scanning and editing with color grading principles in mind. The shadow and highlight recovery tools in Lightroom become your best friends here. Ektapan’s continuous-tone nature means you’re getting smooth transitions between tones—not those harsh digitized jumps you sometimes see with other stocks.

For those pushing the P3200 speed, expect more pronounced grain. But that’s not a problem; it’s character. Your grain sliders in the Detail panel will become important tools for managing that aesthetic.

What’s Next?

The fact that Kodak’s actively expanding their film lineup suggests they’re betting on film’s staying power. For those of us in the digital editing space, that’s validation that film workflows aren’t disappearing—they’re evolving.

Whether you’re a seasoned film shooter or someone curious about adding film to your creative process, Ektapan’s return gives you a proven tool with real heritage behind it. The editing journey from camera to screen just got a little more interesting.