Kentmere Pan 400 Black and White Negative 120 Film

Kentmere Pan 400 (120) — a low-cost way to practice medium format

The gist: An affordable ISO 400 medium format film that lets a hobbyist or career-changing photographer build medium format skills without burning through a premium film budget.

• ISO 400, 120 format: versatile enough for indoor portrait sessions or overcast outdoor shoots.
• Good exposure latitude: more forgiving of pushing than Kentmere Pan 100, useful while still learning to meter medium format.
• Smooth tonal range: even grey tones with balanced shadow and highlight detail, per published reviews.
• Budget-friendly: one of the cheapest 120 stocks available, roughly $1–2 less per roll than HP5/FP4.

Parallax Photographic Co-op’s published review calls the results a “smooth look” with good contrast and “room to increase it in printing or on screen,” recommending it especially for “beginners starting with medium format.”

Best for: photographers building medium format skills or a portfolio on a limited budget. Skip it if: you need premium, fine-grain results for high-end client prints — a slower professional stock will serve better. Runs ~$7 — check the current price before buying.