Shooting Expired Kodak Vericolor III (VPS 6006) in Boulder, CO

Everything You Need to Know About Kodak Vericolor III

Kodak Vericolor III film was a professional color negative film produced by Kodak that was popular in the 1970s and 1980s and was an ancestor of the Kodak Portra 160 film we use today. It was known for its excellent color reproduction and fine grain, making it a favorite of many professional and amateur photographers.

The film was developed using Kodak's proprietary dye coupler technology, which allowed the film to produce more accurate and vibrant colors. It was daylight balanced and had a film speed of ISO 160, which made it suitable for a wide range of lighting conditions, with flash, or on sunny days. However, Kodak’s own data sheet notes that many photographers preferred to rate the film at ISO 125.

One of the key features of Kodak Vericolor III film was its ability to produce accurate skin tones. It is said that photographers appreciated this aspect of the film, as it made it easier to capture natural-looking portraits. The film also had good shadow detail, which allowed photographers to capture a wide range of tonal values in their images.

One of the challenges of using Kodak Vericolor III film was that it required careful exposure to get the best results. The film had a narrow exposure latitude, which meant that it was important to get the exposure right in-camera to avoid under- or over-exposure. However, with proper technique and a good understanding of the film's characteristics, it was possible to produce stunning images with Kodak Vericolor III.

One of the advantages of Kodak Vericolor III film over other color films of the time was its versatility. It could be used for a wide range of subjects, from landscapes and architecture to portraits and action shots. It was also popular for use in fashion and commercial photography, as its accurate color reproduction made it well-suited for these applications.

In the darkroom, Kodak Vericolor III film was relatively easy to work with. It had good color balance and could be easily printed on a variety of papers. It was also compatible with a range of processing chemicals, making it accessible to photographers regardless of their preferred darkroom setup.

Kodak Vericolor III film was eventually phased out in the late 1980s as newer film technologies emerged. However, it remains a popular choice among film photographers to this day, and many photographers still swear by its excellent color reproduction and fine grain. I can imagine that there are dozens (DOZENS!) of photographers who still have bricks of icy Vericolor taking up frozen real estate next to their ice cube trays and microwave dinners.

All in all, Kodak Vericolor III film was a popular and respected color negative film that was known for its excellent color reproduction and fine grain. Its versatility and accurate skin tones made it a favorite of many photographers, and it remained a popular choice until it was phased out in the late 1980s. Despite the rise of digital photography, Kodak Vericolor III film continues to be appreciated by film enthusiasts for its unique look and characteristics.

What Replaced Kodak Vericolor III?

Vericolor III wasn’t the first color negative film that Kodak cancelled. And it wasn’t the last. Before Vericolor, there was Ektacolor. After, there was Portra NC and Portra VC. Today, there are a handful of films still available from what used to be Kodak (today it’s a spun-off Kodak Alaris, which doesn’t much matter to you when it comes to film availability). Here are the film stocks still available from Kodak that are close to what Vericolor III offered.

Kodak Portra 160: this color negative film with is the closest you’ll get to Vericolor III. It is known for producing natural skin tones and vibrant colors.
Kodak Portra 400: Portra 400 is popular for its versatility and ability to produce detailed, sharp images in a range of lighting conditions. If you need more light sensitivity, this is what you should get.
Kodak Ektar 100: Photographers either love or hate Ektar 100. It is a professional film known for producing extremely fine grain and vibrant, saturated colors. Best results are achieved when overexposing the film.
Kodak ProImage 100: While ProImage 100 is designed for use in professional photography, I personally don’t find it to be that great. It’s an ISO 160 film despite the prominent 100 in its name. If you choose to shoot it, plan to do so on a sunny day and slightly overexposed. Maybe the 100 is a suggested rating?
Kodak ColorPlus 200: A consumer-grade color negative film other than Kodak Gold 200 with a much better color profile and slightly less saturation. Trust me on this - it’s versatile and produces great results for the money. Best value film by far!

How I Shot Expired Kodak Vericolor III

Charlie and I were driving around Boulder, Colorado and ended up at the Lost Gulch Overlook. It was fairly sunny and I decided that this would be the perfect moment to try the film. The trees at the lookout created some really nice natural frames for some of the visitors and vistas.

Since I didn’t know the expiration date on it, I had a hard time deciding on whether to rate the film ISO 64 or 50 but ended up going with 50 to give myself more wiggle room.

When I got the film processed, the negative came back green. I’ve never handled a green negative before and knew that the photos were going to have a weird magenta cast on them. Some forum searching let me know that “it be like that sometimes” when it comes to really old film. Foggy green mess, but it was my foggy green mess. There was also a weird sort of gradient on either side which, if I’m not mistaken could have been due to light leaks or just the way that the film was stored. Did I mention that it was already loaded in the film back that I have bought used? Yeah. Mystery film at its finest.

In any case, I wasn’t too disappointed with the results, all things considered. All 12 shots are below. Check them out. I have two more rolls that I plan to shoot in the near future that I plan to rate at ISO 25 and 64 on a sunny day to see what I get.