In 2026, shooting 35mm doesn't have to be a luxury hobby. While professional stocks like Portra 400 have become "special occasion" rolls, there is a thriving market of budget-friendly emulsions that still deliver that unmistakable analog soul.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned shooter looking to feed a hungry film camera, here are the best affordable 35mm film stocks available right now.

The Black and White Value Staples 

If you want to maximise your shot count per pound spent, black and white is the smartest move. Plus, shooting B&W helps you focus purely on light and composition.

Kentmere Pan 200 (from £4.75): Produced by the same team as Ilford, this is the best value roll in the shop. It’s sharp, snappy, and perfect for those who shoot high volumes of street photography.

Ilford HP5 Plus (from £7.45): The legendary "do-it-all" film. Its massive exposure latitude means even if you're a bit off with your settings, the film will likely save you. It’s a staple for a reason.

Foma Ortho 400 (from £9.00): For the creative experimentalist. As an orthochromatic film, it renders reds as deep blacks and blues as bright whites, giving your photos a dramatic, 1940s "film-noir" aesthetic. And don't worry, processing Ortho films are the same as any B&W films.

The Kodak "Consumer" Classics

If you are looking for some colour film, here are the Kodak "consumer" classics. These three rolls are the absolute backbone of affordable colour photography. They’re reliable, forgiving, and offer that unmistakable warm palette.

Kodak ColorPlus 200 (from £8.99): The true entry-point hero. It’s a bit more "raw" than its siblings, with a lovely vintage grain and a warm, slightly reddish tint in the shadows. It’s perfect for that 90s family album aesthetic.

Kodak Gold 200 (from £8.75): Our absolute best-seller. It’s optimised for daylight and delivers those famous, saturated golden tones. If the sun is out, this should be in your camera.

Kodak UltraMax 400 (from £9.45): The UK weather specialist. Because we often deal with grey skies, the extra stop of light sensitivity in UltraMax 400 makes it far more versatile for indoor shooting or overcast afternoons compared to the 200-speed options.

The real secret to getting the best for you money when buying film is thinking ahead. Buying individual rolls is fine, but checking for 3-packs or 5-packs (especially for Kodak Gold or Kodak Ultramax) can often shave a significant amount off the price per roll.

The Ultimate Budget Hack: Bulk Loading

If you’ve moved past the "beginner" stage and want to bring your costs down to the absolute minimum, it’s time to talk about Bulk Film. Instead of buying individual plastic canisters, you buy a long 30.5-metre (100ft) roll and load it into reusable canisters yourself using a loader.

Here are the three bulk rolls we recommend most for the value-conscious shooter:

Fomapan 200 - B&W 35mm Bulk Film: The "creative" workhorse. This film has a unique T-grain structure that provides a more modern look than other Foma stocks. Buying it in bulk brings your cost per roll down to roughly £3.50, which is unbeatable in today’s market.

Fomapan 400 - B&W 35mm Bulk Film: The "action" choice. If you shoot high-speed street or low-light scenes, the 400-speed Foma is a gritty, high-contrast dream. In bulk, it’s one of the most economical ways to shoot 400-speed film in the UK.

Ilford HP5 Plus - B&W 35mm Bulk Film: The pro's choice for saving money. While the upfront cost of an HP5 100ft roll is higher, it works out to a massive saving compared to buying 18–20 individual boxes. It's the most reliable B&W stock in the world, now at a fraction of the retail price.

The Trade-off: The only downside of bulk film is the initial investment. You'll need to purchase a bulk loader. However, if you have a 3D printer, there are fantastic open-source designs available online to create your own bulk loader. 3D printing your own gear is a great way to skip that initial cost and start saving on your first 100ft roll.

Complete the Journey with the Lab

Once you've finished shooting, the journey doesn't end there. We provide expert on-site processing and scanning to bring your images to life.

• C-41 Colour: We offer a fast 2-3 day turnaround!

• Black & White: processing and scanning in 3-5 days.

• Pro Scanning: We use Noritsu and Frontier scanners to ensure your "budget" film looks like a professional gallery piece.

And remember that all UK orders over £50 qualify for Free Tracked Shipping. Whether you're grabbing a stack of Kentmere or committing to a 100ft bulk roll of Fomapan, loading up your fridge in one go is the easiest way to cut out the "postage tax."