China Lucky Film’s forthcoming colour film will be released later this month, according to reports from China.
Photographic brand Reflx Lab published an Instagram post on Wednesday (2 July) announcing the film’s unveiling at a forthcoming photographing industry event in China.
The post read: “China Lucky will launch its 200iso color film in Shanghai Vision & Image 2025 exhibition during 7.17-7.19. The retail price (36EXP) will be around US$7 in China, making it the cheapest color film, though Chinese consumers expect it to be cheaper than that.
“They will make 10,000 rolls in the first batch and gradually increase the production. We hope they will release color film bulk rolls too so we can respool them and sell them at cheaper price. Stay tuned for sample images of this new film.”
The new film’s name and packaging design has not yet been confirmed.
China Lucky Film was historically China’s biggest producer of films since the 1960s, and released a number of colour films in the 2000s following investment from Eastman Kodak.
The new film, which was first teased last year, will likely be cheaper than Kodak’s colour films which it comes to market.
The image Reflx Lab included in its Instagram post showed the film in a 234-frame roll, but in response to a comment, it said that the test film in question had been rolled into a legacy 24-frame cassette from previous production, but that the forthcoming film would be available in 36-frame rolls.
The forthcoming China Lucky Film launch comes amid other colour films hitting the market.
ORWO’s forthcoming NC200 film – not yet released – has already been rebranded via German film lab Optik Oldschool and boutique film brand KONO!.
Harman Technology, the home of Ilford and Kentmere black-and-white films, has followed up the release of its first full in-house colour film, Phoenix 200, with a redscale version in both 35mm and 120 called Red.
Another Chinese brand, Light Lens Lab, has also released details of an ambitious film project which is expected to include colour films.
I'm a New Zealander who has been living in London since the mid-1990s, shooting film seriously since the year 2000. Kosmo Foto was launched in 2012 and has since become a film brand, with the release of my first films Kosmo Foto Mono 35mm (2017) and Kosmo Foto Mono 120 (2019).
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