Film Ferrania: Made in Italy; Coming Soon…for Real Now
Nov 13, 2025
David Prochnow
Our resident “how-to” project editor, David Prochnow, lives on the Gulf Coast of the United States in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He brings his expertise at making our photography projects accessible to everyone, from a lengthy stint acting as the Contributing How-To Editor with Popular Science magazine. While you don’t have to actually build each of his projects, reading about these adventures will contribute to your continued overall appreciation of do-it-yourself photography. A collection of David’s best Popular Science projects can be found in the book, “The Big Book of Hacks,” Edited by Doug Cantor.
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No other name in the production of film emulsions stirs the emotions of photographers more than Film Ferrania. Products like the infamous P30 with its high silver content, no grain, and viscerally-rich contrast are legendary in the film industry and highly sought after by savvy photographers.
While you can learn the complete history of Film Ferrania at The Darkroom, its current history is much more exciting for today’s photographer. In a recent corporate news statement, it was revealed that, “…we’re working hard to bring the full range of Ferrania black-and-white products back to market as soon as possible, and new products will follow. We’ll keep you updated on that.”
Waiting on the Edge of Forever
In addition to this vague, but encouraging, endorsement of a commitment to the production of emulsions, like P30 film, Film Ferrania stated that there are stores that currently sell P30 stock. In this context, there are two distinct flavors of this ISO 80-rated film: Ferrania P30 (Cinema) and Ferrania P30 (MkII).
The Ferrania P30 (Cinema) is the 2016-vintage OG emulsion. This is an historically accurate film that carries on the 1950s high-contrast, low red sensitivity heritage.
Conversely, the Ferrania P30 (MkII) is the modern, updated incarnation of the OG film. Based on photographer feedback, Film Ferrania formulated this Mark II version with a “smoother tonal transition,” “richer shadow detail,” and a greater latitude in both exposure and development. This is the variety that is currently being sold by Freestyle Photo & Imaging for $13.99 per 35mm, 36-exposure roll. This is a “must buy” for every film photographer.
Furthermore, another emulsion, Ferrania Orto, is available from Film Photography Project. This blue-light sensitive, orthochromatic ISO 50 film is derived from a classic formula and priced at $12.99 per roll.
The acknowledgement of an updated film emulsion, along with its verified sale in an online store, bodes well for the future of Film Ferrania. In fact, according to an earlier press release from August 2025, a forward-looking statement said, “By the end of this year, our classic Ferrania black and white films will return to the market in their authentic quality.” That future prediction is now reality. And the best way to show your support for this resurrection is to buy Ferrania P30 (MkII)…right now.
Enjoy.
David Prochnow
Our resident “how-to” project editor, David Prochnow, lives on the Gulf Coast of the United States in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He brings his expertise at making our photography projects accessible to everyone, from a lengthy stint acting as the Contributing How-To Editor with Popular Science magazine. While you don’t have to actually build each of his projects, reading about these adventures will contribute to your continued overall appreciation of do-it-yourself photography. A collection of David’s best Popular Science projects can be found in the book, “The Big Book of Hacks,” Edited by Doug Cantor.
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