Lucky Film film

The History of Lucky Film

Lucky Film Corporation is based in Baoding, Hebei Province, China, and is a genuine film manufacturer, coating its own emulsion rather than rebranding stock from elsewhere. Between 2003 and 2007, Lucky partnered with Kodak to produce colour negative film under the GBR 100, 200 and 400 names, though this line has since been discontinued, with Lucky's colour film production halting around 2012-2014.

Today, Lucky continues to manufacture black and white film, and as of the mid-2020s has spoken publicly about ambitions to revive colour film production, held back mainly by sourcing the specialist raw materials required. As one of the very few remaining vertically integrated film factories left in China, or indeed the world, Lucky occupies a unique position in the industry's history.

Lucky Film's Camera Film Ranges

Lucky's current range is focused entirely on black and white negative film: SHD 100 and SHD 400, both available in 35mm and 120 formats. These are straightforward, affordable black and white stocks aimed at everyday shooting and darkroom printing, offering a genuinely different manufacturing lineage to the more widely known European and Japanese emulsions.

Choosing the Right Lucky Film

For bright conditions and fine detail, SHD 100 is the better choice, while SHD 400 offers more flexibility in lower light or for handheld shooting. As one of the few remaining independently manufactured black and white films on the market, Lucky is worth trying for photographers curious about a different manufacturing heritage. Compare Lucky Film prices on Filmproof.