Shooting Cinestill 400D with Kyler Steele

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Film photography has seen a resurgence in popularity recently, and for good reason. The timeless quality and unique characteristics of film create images that are truly one-of-a-kind. So many film stocks have gone away over the years, which is why we were so excited when Cinestill announced the release of their new daylight balanced, 400 speed color negative film: Cinestill 400D. In this video, Kyler Steele and Braedon Flynn explore the city of Philadelphia shooting 400D, alongside some Kodak Portra 400 for a comparison and share their experience shooting with them on a variety of cameras.
Cinestill is known for their repurposed motion picture film, specifically Kodak Vision3 5213. This film produces a cinematic look, with high contrast and vibrant colors. It's especially well-suited for shooting in low light conditions, thanks to its Tungsten-balanced emulsion. That was the 50T and 800T. Now with the 400D, we have a daylight balanced film from Cinestill.
Kodak Portra 400, on the other hand, is a more traditional film stock. It's known for its natural skin tones, fine grain, and overall versatility. It's a great choice for both portrait and landscape photography, and can be used in a wide range of lighting conditions.
We set out to compare these two films on a variety of cameras, including a Mamiya 7, Contax G1, Nikon F, and Leica M2. Our goal was to give viewers a sense of how the films performed in real-world shooting scenarios, walking around a busy downtown area.
Our first stop was a subway station, where we shot a variety of subjects on both films. The Cinestill 400D produced images with bold, saturated colors and high contrast. The Kodak Portra 400, on the other hand, had a softer, more muted look with more natural skin tones. It was clear that each film had its own unique character.
We continued through the city, where we shot some portraits and city scapes. Once again, the differences between the two films were apparent. We'd love to hear your responses in the comments below about what you saw as the differences as well as what you liked or didn't like about the the two films.
As we walked around the city, we switched between cameras and films, shooting a variety of subjects and scenes. One thing that became clear was that the choice of camera can also have a big impact on the final image. For example, the Mamiya 7 has big, fat, juicy negatives at 6x7 vs the 35mm format photos.
Overall, we found that both Cinestill 400D and Kodak Portra 400 are excellent film stocks, each with their unique characteristics. We make these videos so you can compare the results and make your own photographic decisions. We hope it helps you decide to play with a different format camera or shoot film that is out of your norm. Let us know what you think!
No matter which film you choose, shooting with film is a rewarding experience that allows you to create truly unique images. So grab your favorite camera, load up some film, and start shooting!

[@keybladesss]

i like how he added "m2 black paint" as if that made a difference lol i wish people would start saying the lens they are shooting on when it comes to comparing film since thats really what effects the look more than the camera itself

[@KylerSteele]

Had such a great time! Please come back to the east coast to shoot some more!

[@FilmSupplyClub]

You're the man Kyler! So fun shooting around with you.

[@joelhypponen]

Amazing! That 400D looks so good

[@FilmSupplyClub]

What's up Joel! Miss you in these videos. I need to come visit again

[@francisbombus3949]

Love that vid! Styling, colors, pics, vibe an of course the Nikon F ✌🏼

[@throughjacobphoto]

Good stuff as always

[@Brause_Market]

loved it

[@Heycameraman]

2:35 Curious why the Contax camera doesn’t show any of the halation in a lot of these shots??

[@SterlingSigurdsen]

The cine 400 looks flatter. Portra definitely saturated more. Just tried some Ektachrome looking forward to seeing the out come. Have this now and saving my Ektar for thanksgiving.

[@jmg1223]

very interesting its difficult choice between the two

[@21monking]

Still haven't had the chance to shoot this stock yet but it looks great! what specific 50mm lens was on that nikon f? thanks

[@720JC]

Awesome vid! At a glance the Contax G1 shots look a lot sharper than the F, do you think it's because of the film grain or because the contax lenses are just sharper?

[@tobycunningham797]

Hi enjoyed the video but I do have three suggestions, first for those of us not in the know when you have a guest perhaps you could do a bit of an introduction, who are they, what do they shoot etc, next rather than random shooting have a challenge or theme, which might be pre-existing, and thirdly, spend more time on the images, they were up so fast I couldn’t keep up and I would rather watch all the way through a longer vlog than continuously pausing or rewinding to compare the images. Just my thoughts, keep up the good work!

[@markmuller3086]

Fun video! Question: I watched your Zone system exposure video you made about 2 yrs ago in Orange. I didn’t see a spot meter in this Philadelphia shoot. Do you NOT use a spot meter in most of your street photography? How to you meter?

[@FilmSupplyClub]

Great question. A spot meter is most helpful when shooting landscapes or a scene that won't be rapidly moving as you're moving - or if the subjects are moving. When traveling, it's also hard to bring all the gear everywhere. For color film, metering for the shadows is best. A spot meter would work great if you were shooting street...and took overall ratings in the direction you're planning to shoot, then set your exposures and fire away. I hope that helps a bit.