Kodak Ektacolor Pro and Ektapan: Is Your Portra Rebranded?

 8 min read

Kodak Ektacolor Pro Overview: A New Name for a Familiar Film

Kodak Ektacolor Pro landed in March 2026, and it confused a lot of film shooters overnight. The short answer clears up most of the worry: Ektacolor Pro is the beloved Kodak Portra line under a new name. Its black-and-white sibling, Ektapan, is the classic T-Max line renamed. Same emulsions, same look, different boxes. For example, if you shoot Portra 400 today, you already know how Ektacolor Pro 400 behaves.

This guide speaks to film photographers standing in front of a shelf, unsure what to grab. You want three answers: what these films are, why Kodak changed the names, and whether anything about the film itself has shifted. Below, you get each answer with verified detail. If you prefer the analog look without loading a roll, our guide to the film look without film covers a digital route instead.

Here is the reassuring part. Fundamentally, the change is about business and branding, not chemistry. Eastman Kodak, the company making the film, reclaimed the right to sell it directly. Because a separate company controls the old names, Kodak reached into its own history for new ones. As a result, the rolls in the box stay the same product photographers have trusted for years.

What Kodak Ektacolor Pro and Ektapan Are

Eastman Kodak released six film stocks on March 24, 2026. Specifically, three are color negative films under the Ektacolor Pro name, and three are black-and-white films under the Ektapan name. The speeds and formats line up exactly with the Portra and T-Max lines they replace, which is the clearest sign of a rebrand rather than a new formula.

The marketing language seals it. Eastman Kodak calls Ektacolor Pro 400 the world’s sharpest and finest-grain 400-speed color negative film. Kodak Alaris makes the identical claim about Kodak Portra 400. When two products carry the same speeds, formats, and superlatives, you are looking at one film with two labels.

Why Kodak Renamed Portra and T-Max

The answer traces back to a corporate split, not a new factory. Specifically, in 2012 Kodak went through a restructuring splitting the brand into two companies. Eastman Kodak kept the manufacturing plant in Rochester, the patents, and the research work. Meanwhile, Kodak Alaris, owned by a UK pension fund, received a long-term license for branding, packaging, and consumer sales. For over a decade, the arrangement was simple: Eastman made the film, and Alaris sold it.

Names became the sticking point. Kodak Alaris holds the trademarks to Portra and T-Max, so Eastman Kodak cannot print those names on its own boxes. Therefore, after reclaiming distribution, it reached into Kodak’s deep history for names it controls. For example, Ektacolor once labeled Kodak’s commercial printing papers, while Ektapan was a classic black-and-white film. Both names carry heritage, and both sidestep the Alaris trademarks cleanly.

This Kodak film rebrand did not happen all at once. Eastman Kodak began reclaiming distribution in September 2025 with Kodacolor 100 and 200. Gold, UltraMax, Ektar, Tri-X, and Ektachrome followed over the next several months. Notably, Ektar and Tri-X kept their names because those names were not exclusive to Alaris. The March 2026 launch of Ektacolor Pro and Ektapan completed the homecoming, moving the last major professional stocks back under the Eastman Kodak roof.

This shift is not a clean break, however. Kodak Alaris still manages certain traditional lines, so both companies now reach the market at the same time. In practice, both labels share a shelf for a while. Over time, though, Eastman Kodak’s direct releases are expected to become the main supply.

Is the Film Any Different?

No meaningful difference exists between the old rolls and the new ones. The emulsion is identical, because the same Eastman Kodak plant coats it either way. Instead, what changes is the box art and the company handling logistics. One roll travels through Eastman Kodak distribution, and the other moves through Kodak Alaris, yet both come off the same production line.

Likewise, your results will not shift when you switch labels. Ektacolor Pro 400 exposes, scans, and prints the way Kodak Portra 400 always has. Ektapan 400 behaves like T-Max 400 in the developer. As a result, you do not need to relearn metering, adjust your lab instructions, or rebuild your presets. If your favorite look came from Portra 160, the same look now lives in an Ektacolor Pro 160 box.

Labs handle both the same way as well. Because the developing chemistry has not changed, standard C-41 processing works for Ektacolor Pro exactly as it did for Portra, and normal black-and-white development covers Ektapan. Consequently, your usual lab needs no special instructions beyond the film speed you shot.

Pricing: What You Pay Now

Pricing is where the rebrand delivers a small, welcome surprise. For years, Portra prices climbed steadily, frustrating many film shooters. However, the Ektacolor Pro launch reversed some of the trend. A 35mm roll of Ektacolor Pro 160 starts at $16.99, while a five-pack of 120 runs $64.95.

The faster stock costs more, as expected. For instance, Ektacolor Pro 800 sells for $19.95 per 36-exposure roll in 35mm and $89.95 for a five-roll pack of 120. Compared with recent Portra pricing, these numbers land lower rather than higher. As PetaPixel reported, the launch reverses years of Portra price increases. Therefore, for anyone shooting several rolls a month, the reduction adds up across a year. Even so, film remains a premium way to shoot, so buy the speeds you regularly use.

Should You Buy Kodak Ektacolor Pro or Stick With Portra?

Buy whichever sits on the shelf for less. Since Ektacolor Pro and Kodak Portra are the same film, the only real differences are price and availability. Right now Ektacolor Pro often costs a little less, so it makes a smart default. However, if your local shop stocks Portra at a good price, grab it without a second thought.

Availability will shift during the transition. As Eastman Kodak ramps up Ektacolor Pro and Ektapan, some retailers will clear remaining Portra and T-Max stock, sometimes at a discount. Watch both labels and buy on price. For film-curious shooters weighing a hybrid setup, cameras like the X100V pair digital convenience with film-style output, as our film-inspired cameras like the X100V review explains.

One practical tip helps during the changeover. Tell your lab which film you shot using either name, since developing chemistry stays the same for Ektacolor Pro and Portra. If you buy secondhand bodies to shoot these stocks, our guide to buying used film gear walks through grading and warranties.

Retailers matter here too. Some shops list the film under the new names already, while others still display Portra and T-Max boxes. Therefore, a quick search under both names finds the best price and stock during the transition. Meanwhile, expired-price deals on the old labels are worth grabbing whenever they appear.

Final Verdict

Kodak Ektacolor Pro is good news dressed as a confusing headline. Photographers feared a discontinued Portra or a reformulated film, yet neither happened. In short, Eastman Kodak simply brought its professional stocks back under its own distribution, using historic names it owns. The film you love keeps coming, now with a more stable supply chain behind it.

The trade-off is short-term confusion at the counter. For a while, two names will describe the same product, so some shoppers will overpay out of habit or hesitation. Still, learn the pairing once, and the confusion disappears. Ektacolor Pro equals Portra, and Ektapan equals T-Max.

Value here is real, not marketing spin. The same emulsion at a slightly lower price is a genuine win for film photographers after years of increases. Ultimately, buy the label costing less, shoot it exactly as before, and enjoy watching Eastman Kodak invest in analog rather than retreat from it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kodak Ektacolor Pro the same as Portra?

Yes. Kodak Ektacolor Pro is the Kodak Portra line under a new name. The speeds, formats, and image quality match exactly, because Eastman Kodak coats the same emulsion. Only the box and the distributor differ.

What is Ektapan film?

Ektapan film is the black-and-white counterpart to Ektacolor Pro. It is the Kodak T-Max line renamed, offered in ISO 100, 400, and P3200. Ektapan develops and scans exactly like T-Max.

Why did Kodak rename Portra and T-Max?

Kodak Alaris owns the trademarks to the Portra and T-Max names. When Eastman Kodak reclaimed film distribution, it needed names it controls, so it revived the historic Ektacolor and Ektapan brands. This Kodak film rebrand avoids the Alaris trademarks.

How much does Kodak Ektacolor Pro cost?

A 35mm roll of Ektacolor Pro 160 starts at $16.99, with a five-pack of 120 at $64.95. The 800-speed version runs $19.95 per 35mm roll and $89.95 for a five-roll 120 pack. These prices sit below recent Kodak Portra pricing.

Who is Kodak Alaris?

Kodak Alaris is a separate company created in the 2012 Kodak restructuring and owned by a UK pension fund. It held the license to brand and sell Kodak consumer film for over a decade, while Eastman Kodak manufactured it.

Should I stockpile Portra before it disappears?

No urgent need exists. Eastman Kodak keeps making the film as Ektacolor Pro, so supply continues. Buy normally, watch both labels, and choose whichever costs less at the time.