Lucky Film, a renowned Chinese brand with a rich history in photographic film, also the OEM factory for Eastman Kodak, once held a prominent place in the market. However, the rise of digital cameras nearly two decades ago led to the cessation of their consumer film production. Despite this shift, Lucky continued manufacturing surveillance film for military use.
Now a subsidiary of China Aerospace Corporation (China's equivalent of NASA), Lucky has pivoted to advanced materials manufacturing, focusing on products like medical imaging films and components for solar batteries.
With the recent resurgence in film photography, Lucky has reentered the consumer market. Last year, they relaunched their black-and-white SHD100 and SHD400 films, available in both 135 and 120 formats.
Excitingly, Lucky is also working on a color film project. Producing color film is a complex process requiring over 100 ingredients, some of which are no longer readily available. To overcome reliance on patented raw materials from Kodak, Lucky has assembled a team of chemists to reverse-engineer alternatives. Currently, they’re close to finalizing the last missing component.
According to a contact from Reflx Lab who recently visited Lucky Film's headquarters in Hebei, China, the new color film is expected to hit the market in Q2 2025. It’s projected to be the most affordable color film available, potentially disrupting the market and addressing the global shortage of color film.
Reflx Lab will keep a close eye on developments from Hebei and provide updates on Lucky’s color film project. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about this exciting breakthrough in the world of analog photography.
