Best Film for the Canon AE-1 (With Sample Photos)

Updated August 2026. We first wrote this guide in 2020, and a lot has changed since then. Film costs more, developing costs more, and Fujifilm C200 is no longer a film we'd tell you to go hunting for. We've updated the practical information while keeping all of our original sample photos.

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The Canon AE-1 is still one of the easiest vintage film cameras to get into. It has shutter priority to help while you're learning, works with Canon FD lenses, and gives you enough manual control to keep things interesting once you get comfortable with it.

If you just picked one up, the next question is what film to load. Every sample photo in this article was shot on our own camera, so you can actually see what these films looked like for us instead of relying on stock photos or manufacturer examples.

One quick note before we start: this guide is for the original AE-1. If you have the AE-1 Program, these film recommendations still apply. We cover the differences between the two cameras in our Canon AE-1 Program review.

What is the best film for the Canon AE-1?

If you want one film to start with, we'd go with Kodak Gold 200.

It's affordable compared with most color film, easy to find, and gives you the warm colors that made us fall in love with shooting film in the first place. ISO 200 is also a good fit for the AE-1 if most of your shooting is outdoors during the day.

Here's how our favorites compare:

Film	Type	ISO	Look	Typical price*	Best for
Kodak Gold 200	Color negative	200	Warm, nostalgic colors	~$9	Everyday photography
Kodak ColorPlus 200	Color negative	200	Softer, slightly more muted colors	~$8–10	Affordable everyday film
Kodak Portra 400	Color negative	400	Natural colors and skin tones	~$17–25	Portraits, travel, lower light
Ilford HP5 Plus	Black and white	400	Classic black and white	~$10–13	Black-and-white photography

Prices are approximate as of August 2026 and vary by retailer and pack size.

1. Kodak Gold 200

If we were loading an AE-1 for the first time today, this is the roll we'd reach for.

Gold 200 is still one of the more affordable color films that's easy to find, and we love the warm, nostalgic look it gives everyday scenes. It works especially well for travel, landscapes, and late-afternoon light.

ISO 200 is also a comfortable match for the AE-1. Its fastest shutter speed is 1/1000, so a slower film gives you a little more room in bright daylight if you want to shoot at wider apertures.

Gold 200 runs about $9 per roll as of August 2026, with multipacks sometimes bringing the per-roll cost down.

We took a deeper look at the film, including how it performed at Mount Rainier, in our Kodak Gold 200 review.

ISO (ASA): 200
How we like to shoot it: slightly overexposed. Try metering around 100 to 160 ISO.

2. Kodak ColorPlus 200

Kodak ColorPlus 200 is the other budget Kodak color film we've shot quite a bit with this camera.

Compared with Gold, we find the colors a little flatter and more muted. It has an older, slightly less polished look that works really well for certain scenes. When we first wrote this guide, ColorPlus was reliably cheaper than Gold. That gap has mostly disappeared, so now we'd choose between the two based more on the look you prefer.

As of August 2026, ColorPlus is generally around $8 to $10 per roll.

You can see more examples in our Kodak ColorPlus 200 review.

ISO (ASA): 200
How we like to shoot it: slightly overexposed. Try metering around 100 ISO.

3. Kodak Portra 400

Kodak Portra 400 is still our favorite film to shoot, although it's also easily the most expensive option here.

We keep coming back to it because of the natural colors, especially with people, and how much detail it holds. It's the roll we tend to save for trips, special occasions, and photos we really care about getting right.

ISO 400 also gives you more flexibility in shade, overcast weather, and indoors. The tradeoff on the AE-1 is that its 1/1000 top shutter speed can push you toward smaller apertures on a very bright day. If you love shooting wide open in full sun, ISO 200 is easier to work with.

Portra has gotten much more expensive since we first wrote this article. As of August 2026, expect roughly $17 per roll when buying a five-pack and $20 or more for a single roll. That's why we tend to treat it as our special-occasion film and use Gold or ColorPlus more casually.

ISO (ASA): 400
How we like to shoot it: about one stop overexposed. We often meter it around 200 ISO, although box speed works well too.

4. Ilford HP5 Plus

If you want to try black and white with your AE-1, Ilford HP5 Plus is an easy place to start.

It's forgiving, has a classic black-and-white look, and gives you plenty of flexibility if you want to push it to 800 or 1600 in lower light. Just make sure your lab knows if you've pushed the roll.

Black and white is also how we first got into developing film ourselves. We started with a simple monobath setup and found the whole process much less intimidating than we expected.

HP5 Plus generally runs around $10 to $13 per roll as of August 2026.

We have more sample photos and thoughts in our Ilford HP5 Plus review.

One reader also recommended Fomapan 100 in the comments as a high-detail, higher-contrast black-and-white option. We haven't shot it ourselves, but it's another affordable stock to look into if you want to branch out.

ISO (ASA): 400
How we like to shoot it: box speed at 400, or pushed to 800 or 1600 when needed.

What happened to Fujifilm C200?

When we first wrote this article, Fujifilm C200 was one of our five picks, and we shot quite a bit of it. That's why we're keeping all of those original sample photos here. We liked the cooler palette and the way reds often shifted toward a more muted orange-red compared with the Kodak films.

The original C200 we shot is no longer the film we'd recommend going out of your way to buy in the US. Fujifilm's current 200-speed color film sold here is not the same stock as the older Japanese C200 we used for these photos. If you find older rolls branded C200 for sale, pay attention to the expiration date and how they were stored.

If you mainly liked C200 as an inexpensive ISO 200 option, we'd buy Kodak Gold 200 today instead.

Another film to consider: Kodak UltraMax 400

Kodak UltraMax 400 is worth considering if you want an affordable color film with more speed than Gold or ColorPlus.

We've shot and reviewed UltraMax before, but the sample galleries on this page are not UltraMax photos from our AE-1. You can see our photos and full thoughts in our Kodak UltraMax 400 review.

ISO 400 can be handy in shade, cloudy Pacific Northwest weather, or anywhere ISO 200 starts to feel limiting.

Choosing film for the Canon AE-1

The AE-1 takes standard 35mm film, so you have a lot of options. A few things about this camera are especially useful to know when you're choosing a roll.

The AE-1 won't fire without a battery

Unlike fully mechanical cameras from the same era, the AE-1's shutter is electronically controlled. Without a working battery, the shutter won't fire, even in manual mode.

The camera uses a single 6V battery, commonly sold as a 4LR44 or 4SR44/PX28. We keep a spare with our film gear because a dead battery is an easy way to lose a day of shooting.

Remember to set the ASA (ISO) dial

The AE-1 doesn't read film speed automatically. When you load a new roll, set the ASA dial to match it: 200 for Gold or ColorPlus, 400 for Portra or HP5.

It's a small step, but forgetting it can throw off the meter for an entire roll.

Shutter priority is useful while you're learning

One reason the AE-1 is beginner-friendly is its shutter-priority mode. You choose the shutter speed and the camera selects the aperture. You can still switch to full manual control whenever you want.

The meter and shutter both depend on the battery, so it's worth checking it before a trip.

ISO 200 vs. ISO 400

For bright daytime shooting, we usually reach for ISO 200 film in the AE-1. Its 1/1000 maximum shutter speed means slower film gives you more flexibility in full sun.

ISO 400 makes more sense in shade, cloudy weather, or indoors. Neither is universally better. It depends on where you expect to shoot.

Color negative film gives you some room for error

If you're still getting used to the AE-1's meter, color negative films like Gold, ColorPlus, and Portra are fairly forgiving of small exposure mistakes. We especially like giving Portra extra light, which is why we often meter it around 200.

How much does it cost to develop film?

Buying the roll is only part of the cost. Developing and scanning have both gotten more expensive since we first wrote this guide.

As of August 2026, these are three mail-in labs we originally recommended and checked again for this update:

• The Shot on Film Store in Seattle: $19.90 per roll for color develop and scan, and $23.90 for hand-developed black and white. They developed and scanned all of the color sample photos in this post.
• The Darkroom in Southern California: develop and scan starts around $14 per roll, with flat-rate round-trip shipping.
• Blue Moon Camera in Portland: $27 per roll for color develop and scan, and $30.75 for black and white.

Shipping can add quite a bit, so if you're mailing film, it usually makes more sense to save up a few rolls and send them together.

A $9 roll can easily end up costing around $25 to $35 once developing and scanning are included. That's a big reason we use cheaper stocks for everyday shooting and save Portra for the rolls that matter more to us.

If you've ever wanted to try developing at home, black and white is where we started. It needs fewer chemicals and was more approachable than we expected.

Where to buy 35mm film

We'd stick with established photo retailers or a local camera shop whenever possible.

B&H, Adorama, and Freestyle Photo regularly carry 35mm film online. Marketplace listings deserve a little more caution, especially when the seller doesn't clearly show the expiration date or say how the film was stored. That matters even more with older or discontinued stocks such as the original Fujifilm C200.

Canon AE-1 film FAQ

What film does the Canon AE-1 use?

The Canon AE-1 uses standard 35mm (135) film. Color negative, black and white, and slide film all work.

Can you use 400 ISO film in a Canon AE-1?

Yes. Kodak Portra 400, Kodak UltraMax 400, and Ilford HP5 Plus all work. Set the ASA dial to 400 when you load the roll.

Does the Canon AE-1 work without a battery?

No. The shutter is electronically controlled, so the camera won't fire without a working 6V battery.

Is film for the AE-1 and AE-1 Program the same?

Yes. Both cameras use standard 35mm film, so the recommendations in this guide apply to both. The differences are in the cameras themselves, which we cover in our Canon AE-1 Program review. If you need battery information for the Program, we have a separate guide for that.

Our favorite film for the Canon AE-1

If you're buying your first roll, we'd start with Kodak Gold 200. It's affordable, easy to find, and gives you the warm look we still associate with some of our favorite film photos.

After that, experiment. ColorPlus has a slightly different look for similar money, Portra is the roll we'd save for a trip or something special, and HP5 Plus is a great way into black and white.

What we like most about the AE-1 is that it can be the camera you keep around for ordinary life. Those everyday photos have a funny way of becoming the ones you care about most later.

If you shoot a Pentax instead, we also have a guide to the best film for the Pentax K1000.

What's your favorite film to shoot with your AE-1? We'd love to hear about it in the comments.