Reflx Lab 320D Review: Kodak 250D AHU Motion Picture Film (5207)

Analog Film Review

Reflx Lab 320D Review: Kodak 250D AHU Motion Picture Film (5207)

September 21, 2025

Not long ago, I tried the latest Kodak 500T AHU film (HERE), which uses Kodak’s newest technology to eliminate the need for a remjet layer. Without remjet, film shooters can process it in the traditional C-41 chemistry, and at the same time enjoy higher contrast compared to the film’s native ECN-2 development. That alone makes it exciting. When I heard about their second lineup—Reflx Lab 320D, a respooled Kodak 250D AHU film also equipped with the new AHU layer—I couldn’t wait to try it.

At first glance, the “D” in 320D stands for daylight balance. Shoot it during the day and the look is neutral, but once you reach sunset, the film shifts into golden tones, giving you that warm glow. Indoors, that warmth increases further, wrapping everything in a cozy hue.

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Kodak 250D Vision 3 Motion Picture Color Negative Film (5207) – AHU

I’ve always been a big fan of Kodak 250D processed in ECN-2. It’s one of the most balanced and neutral films, and I always carry a few rolls with me when I travel. But when it comes to 400D, the remjet-removed version, I hesitate. The halation during the day holds me back; I prefer clean images where I can bring out the details I want to highlight. For that reason, 320D feels like the perfect solution.

Halation is that red halo around highlights, caused by light reflecting inside the film base. At night, halation can look cool—sometimes cinematic, even futuristic. But for documentary work, it can be distracting. It’s like Coca-Cola with all its variations: zero, diet, cherry, vanilla. Fun for a while, but sometimes you just want the original Coke. With film, sometimes nothing beats the “original flavor.”

Exploring the AHU Innovation

Kodak introduced the AHU layer in their Vision 3 250D film, and it’s a real innovation. Previously, motion picture film relied on a carbon black remjet layer to prevent halos, resist static, and protect the film from scratches in high-speed cameras and projectors. The catch was that this remjet layer made processing more complicated—you had to remove it if you wanted to develop in C-41 or ECN-2, which was a headache for still photographers.

The new AHU layer solves that. Instead of a removable coating, AHU is a gel-based layer tucked beneath the emulsion, loaded with silver and other ingredients designed to survive the bleach stage of processing. It cuts static, improves scratch resistance, and controls halation—all without remjet. Best of all, it washes away during development, leaving a cleaner workflow for scanning and printing.

According to early feedback online, if your camera has a black film gate or backing, you may not even notice halation at all (which usually appears more with reflective backings). More tests and experiences will reveal how consistent this is.

Reflx Lab 320D – Kodak 250D AHU

Rex from Reflx Lab suggests rating it at ISO 320 when cross-processed in standard C-41, which is what most labs use. Normally, without remjet, you’d be advised to shoot at ISO 400, but 320 appears to give the most accurate results. If your camera doesn’t offer ISO 320, shooting at 400 is fine—it just yields a bit more contrast and deeper tones.

The beauty here is that with the AHU layer, 250D can now be processed like Kodak Portra 400 in C-41 chemistry. It looks very much like 400D, only without remjet, and crucially, without the halation that plagues 400D.

Kodak 250D AHU vs Kodak Portra 400

I haven’t done a strict side-by-side test yet, but I can already say this: it’s not the same as Kodak Portra 400.

In daylight, 250D AHU has significantly higher contrast than Portra 400. The highlights also render warmer, giving a less neutral look. Greens and blues appear more intense than in Portra, which makes 250D AHU feel bolder.

Sharpness is another difference—Portra 400 is definitely sharper. When printing at Photo Spectrum, I noticed that the grain structure of motion picture film isn’t as well-suited for stills. Compared to Portra, the grain looks softer, less distinct, almost blurry. Portra’s structure and sharpness are superior.

Shadows on 250D AHU sometimes carry a hint of magenta, while skin tones are more accurate with Portra. That said, I’m curious to try Kodak 500T AHU with a warming filter—it might get closer to Portra’s look than 250D AHU does.

Best Situations to Use Reflx Lab 320D

I recommend using 320D during the day, outdoors, or around sunset. It delivers a lovely summer vibe. The deep blues remind me of Wong Kar Wai’s Happy Together, with skies and oceans intensified beyond what the eye naturally sees. The highlight recovery is excellent, pulling details out of clouds and giving water a luminous depth.

Lab scans, however, often lean toward green and yellow. Highlights can skew yellowish instead of neutral white or grey. For instance, concrete floors that should look grey sometimes pick up a yellow tint. I shot a roll with the Contax G Hologon 16mm f/8 and noticed this firsthand.

The film inherits the strong latitude of the original 250D, which means it handles high-contrast scenes very well. Shooting at f/8 with strong backlight at sunset, I was impressed by how gracefully it held both shadow and highlight detail.

On bright days, 320D reminds me more of Kodak Ektar 100 than Portra 160 or 400. The higher contrast from C-41 processing makes it punchier, with shadows leaning slightly magenta.

I shot one roll at Nam Sang Wai, Hong Kong’s last riverboat crossing. Villagers take a five-minute ferry ride across the river, paddled by hand instead of rope. This spot is sentimental to me—it was the first field trip I took with friends when I began shooting film. That day was sweltering, and I paired 320D with the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 28mm f/2 ASPH VM to see how well it held up. Even in harsh light, the film delivered beautiful tonal transitions.

Final Thoughts

These are only my first impressions after a couple of rolls, but I’m impressed. I hope Reflx Lab continues to release 320D alongside 500T AHU.

Halation has its place—at night it can create futuristic, cinematic effects—but during the day, it often distracts from the scene I want to capture. For daytime documentary work, I want clean, accurate results. With the new 250D AHU film, I finally get to enjoy the “original flavor” of 250D in C-41, with the higher contrast I’ve been looking for.

For me, that’s reason enough to keep shooting it.