Film specifications#
- Manufacturer
- Rollei
- Film
- Redbird
- Speed
- 400
- Process
- C-41
- Formats
- 135-36
- Base
- Polyester (PET)
- Made in
- Belgium
- Status
- In production
Character & history#
A reverse-rolled 'creative' color negative film. The redscale effect is achieved by exposing through the base of the film which gives extremely warm red, yellow and orange tones. Re-introduced in 2018.
Description adapted from Wikipedia’s “List of photographic films” (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Exposure guide at ISO 400#
Sunny 16 for this film: f/16 at 1/400 s in bright sun. Negative film tolerates 2–3 stops of overexposure; slide film needs accuracy within about ⅓–½ stop.
| Light | f/2 | f/4 | f/8 | f/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV 16 · Snow / beach, bright sun | — | — | — | 1/1000 s |
| EV 15 · Bright sun | — | — | 1/2000 s | 1/500 s |
| EV 14 · Hazy sun | — | — | 1/1000 s | 1/250 s |
| EV 13 · Cloudy-bright | — | 1/2000 s | 1/500 s | 1/125 s |
| EV 12 · Overcast / open shade | — | 1/1000 s | 1/250 s | 1/60 s |
| EV 10 · Sunset | 1/1000 s | 1/250 s | 1/60 s | 1/15 s |
| EV 8 · Bright interior | 1/250 s | 1/60 s | 1/15 s | 1/4 s |
| EV 5 · Home interior at night | 1/30 s | 1/8 s | 0.5 s | 2 s |
| EV 3 · City street at night | 1/8 s | 0.5 s | 2 s | 8 s |
Push & pull options#
Tell your lab how many stops you pushed or pulled so development is adjusted for the whole roll.
| Adjustment | Rate the film at | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Pull 1 stop | EI 200 | Lower contrast, finer grain |
| Push 1 stop | EI 800 | More contrast and grain |
| Push 2 stops | EI 1,600 | Strong contrast, coarse grain, blocked shadows |
| Push 3 stops | EI 3,200 | Strong contrast, coarse grain, blocked shadows |
Long exposures#
Most films suffer reciprocity failure beyond about 1 second: they need more exposure than the meter says. As a rule of thumb add ⅓–1 stop for 1–10 s and 1–2 stops beyond 10 s for older emulsions; modern T-grain films (and Fuji Acros) need much less. Check the manufacturer's datasheet.
Similar films#
Other color negative film around ISO 400.
- AgfaPhoto Color 400 ISO 400
- CineStill 400D ISO 400
- Flic Film Aurora 400 ISO 400
- Fujifilm 400 ISO 400
- Fujifilm Fujicolor Superia Premium 400 ISO 400
- Ilford Ilfocolor 400 Plus Vintage tone ISO 400
- Ilford Ilfocolor 400 Vintage tone ISO 400
- Kodak Portra 400 (Ektacolor Pro 400) ISO 400
- Kodak UltraMax 400 ISO 400
- Kono! Kolorit 400 Tungsten ISO 400
- Kono! Rotwild 400 ISO 400
- Lomography Color Negative 400 ISO 400
- Lomography LomoChrome Color '92 ISO 400
- Lomography LomoChrome Color '92 Sun-kissed ISO 400
- Lucky C400 ISO 400
- Original Wolfen NC 400 ISO 400
- Original Wolfen NC 500 ISO 400
- Shanghai Shenguang 400 ISO 400
More Rollei films#
Frequently asked questions#
What ISO is Rollei Redbird?
400 — set your meter to ISO 400 for box speed.
Is Rollei Redbird still made?
Yes, it is currently in production (2018-).
How do I develop Rollei Redbird?
C-41 process. Standard colour-negative chemistry available at almost every lab and in home kits (Tetenal/Cinestill Cs41).
Is Rollei Redbird available in 35mm?
Yes — formats: 135-36.
Sources & licences#
- Wikipedia: List of photographic films — CC BY-SA 4.0
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources