Most photographers pay far more attention to cameras and lenses, and even to tripods and accessories, than they do to film. Hardware is glamorous, exciting, and expensive. Film on the other hand, is…well…just film.

Everyone knows in a general sort of way that films have improved over the years, but few people really pay very much attention to the improvements. They choose a film that they are happy with (or they may buy on price alone), and they go right on using it, sometimes for years on end. They dream of a new super-zoom, or maybe an ultra-fast 300mm lens for sport, but they don’t fantasise about what a new film could do for their photography.

Anyone who takes more than a minimum of pictures will, however, spend far more on film in the course of a photographic lifetime than they ever spend on equipment. If you can afford it, there is much pleasure to be gained exotic cameras and lenses available; but ultimately there is only one reason for owning all those cameras and lenses, and that is to take pictures. If you don’t take pictures, you are not a photographer. You may be a camera collector, or an historian, or even (perish the thought!) someone who regards cameras as an investment; but until you put a roll of film in at least one of your cameras, and press the button, you ain’t a photographer.

Given the cost and importance of film, therefore, we really ought to pay more attention to it; and when we do, we find that there is a lot more to it than we thought. There is the question of film speed, of course; and then there is sharpness; and grain; and contrast; and exposure latitude; and (for colour films) saturation and colour balance. (Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz – The Film Book)