Guide by Cesar · Updated October 2026
Kodak Gold settings, for Lightroom.
Kodak Gold 200 is Kodak's everyday color film, the one behind so many warm, golden family snapshots. Here are the Lightroom settings that get you close, what makes the film look that way, and eight presets that do it in one tap.
What makes it Kodak Gold
Warm, golden and a little nostalgic.
Kodak Gold 200 is an ISO 200 color negative film, cheap and easy to find, made for everyday photos in good light. Four things give it away.
Golden light
Everything leans warm, especially in sun. Whites turn creamy yellow and late light glows.
Rich warm colors
Yellows, oranges and reds come out bold. Greens lean toward olive, so foliage feels warm too.
A bit of punch
It has more contrast and color than a portrait film like Portra, with shadows that stay a little soft.
Grain you can see
The grain shows more than on pro films. It's part of the snapshot feel, so don't clean it all away.
The settings
Six steps in Lightroom.
Each step shows the panel it happens in, set to my starting numbers. Every photo starts from different light, so adjust to taste. In Classic, the same sliders are in Basic, Tone Curve, HSL and Color Grading.
1. Warm it up
In Color, move Temp warmer until white looks golden. Go a little further than feels natural, since Gold runs warm.
ColorWhite Balance
2. Set the light
In Light, add a little Contrast, lower Highlights and raise Shadows, so the sky keeps its color and faces stay open.
Light
3. Soften the blacks
In the curve, drag the bottom-left point up a little, so black turns into a deep brown-gray instead of pure black.
Curvein Light
4. Push the warm colors
In the Color Mixer, raise Red and Yellow saturation, then shift Green toward yellow and lower its saturation a little.
Color Mixerin Color
Red
Yellow
Green
5. Add grain
In Effects, add grain, a bit more than you'd use for Portra. Size can stay where it is.
EffectsGrain
6. Save it as a preset
In Presets, open the three dots menu and choose Create Preset, so the next photo takes one tap.
Presets
The shortcut
Or one tap, with Kodak Gold.
My Kodak Gold pack has eight takes on the look, each for its own light. Kodak Classic is the everyday one, with warm light and deep blue skies. Max Balanced is for bright days, Cool for indoors and Ultra for dusk.
They're one-click presets for Lightroom on your phone, desktop or Classic. Pick a look, then adjust exposure or white balance to taste.
Questions
Good to know before you start.
Are these the same as Kodak Gold film?
No. They're my own looks, inspired by how Kodak Gold renders light and color. Sombra isn't made or endorsed by Kodak, and Kodak Gold is Kodak's name.
Kodak Gold or Portra 400?
Gold is warmer and punchier, with more grain, and suits everyday snapshots. Portra is softer and kinder to skin, which is why people shoot it for portraits. Here's the Portra 400 guide.
Do the presets work on phone photos?
Yes, in the free Lightroom mobile app. They work on the phone's regular photos and on raw ones.
Why doesn't my photo look exactly like film?
Film doesn't look the same twice either. The light, the lab and the scan all change it. A look gets you close, and small exposure or white balance tweaks do the rest.
