LuckyPan SHD 400 film B&W 135/120 Film - Bundle of Three Sets

The Lucky Film brand goes back to 1958, as China Lucky Film Corp.  Based in Baoding, China, Lucky produces a variety of industrial and x-ray films, as well as consumer emulsions. In 2003, Eastman Kodak partnered with Lucky to produce C-41 films and to upgrade the Lucky production facilities, with Kodak backing out of the agreement in 2007.  My guess is that Kodak saw how quickly digital was overtaking the industry, and that having more film production elsewhere would hurt their bottom line.  Meanwhile, I think Lucky films were available to consumers in China for quite some time afterwards.

https://www.lomography.com/films/871917722-lucky-shd-400/photos

My first exposure (ha!) to Lucky films was in 2004, when some of the Lucky films became available in the US market.  I don’t recall where I bought the film, but it was probably online, and I have my negatives from 2005, when I first started shooting with it.   At the time, the opinion of many photographers was that the Lucky  b&w films were second-tier, compared to those from Kodak, Fujifilm, Agfa, and Ilford.  Of course, for anyone looking for a bargain, the Lucky films were a bit cheaper, and they offered something a little different.  My negatives from 2005 clearly have “LUCKY SHD400 NEW” on the film rebate, as shown below.  I wonder of the "new" designation was due to the newer coating machinery that Kodak invested in.

https://randomphoto.blogspot.com/2024/05/luckypan-shd-400-film.html

https://splendid.nz/blogs/news/luckypan-shd400-review-by-dustynegs?srsltid=AfmBOoroMAG93x_241u-zb2GJIFsfejF2yTcwLt9TMJPv8klKQ9PhFr7

400 ISO black and white film is a highly versatile and adaptable film stock, ideal for a variety of shooting conditions, including environments with fluctuating light levels. The "400 ISO" refers to the film's sensitivity to light, indicating that it performs well in both medium to low light conditions as well as in bright settings.

Features:

• Versatility: 400 ISO black and white film is favored by photographers for its ability to deliver good results across different lighting conditions. Whether it's indoor, overcast, or in brightly lit outdoor scenarios, it captures images with rich detail.
• Grain Texture: Compared to lower sensitivity films, ISO 400 film typically exhibits a more pronounced grain texture, adding a unique aesthetic and feel to photos, especially noticeable in enlargements.
• Latitude: This type of film generally offers good exposure latitude, meaning it can produce acceptable results even when exposures are not perfectly accurate.
• Contrast and Tonal Range: 400 ISO black and white film provides good contrast while retaining a wide range of grays and details, making it well-suited for capturing scenes with a broad dynamic range.