Film specifications#
- Manufacturer
- ORWO
- Film
- NC 20
- Speed
- 80
- Process
- ORWO 5166 / 5168
- Formats
- Kassette 16
- Base
- Triacetate
- Made in
- GDR
- Status
- Discontinued
Character & history#
General purpose masked color negative film balanced for 4200K. Produced in Kassette 16 format, similar but not identical to 110 format.
Description adapted from Wikipedia’s “List of discontinued photographic films” (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Exposure guide at ISO 80#
Sunny 16 for this film: f/16 at 1/80 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 | — | 1/3200 s | 1/800 s | 1/200 s |
| EV 15 · Bright sun | — | 1/1600 s | 1/400 s | 1/100 s |
| EV 14 · Hazy sun | 1/3200 s | 1/800 s | 1/200 s | 1/50 s |
| EV 13 · Cloudy-bright | 1/1600 s | 1/400 s | 1/100 s | 1/25 s |
| EV 12 · Overcast / open shade | 1/800 s | 1/200 s | 1/50 s | 1/13 s |
| EV 10 · Sunset | 1/200 s | 1/50 s | 1/13 s | 0.3 s |
| EV 8 · Bright interior | 1/50 s | 1/13 s | 0.3 s | 1.3 s |
| EV 5 · Home interior at night | 1/6 s | 0.6 s | 2.5 s | 10 s |
| EV 3 · City street at night | 0.6 s | 2.5 s | 10 s | 30 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 40 | Lower contrast, finer grain |
| Push 1 stop | EI 160 | More contrast and grain |
| Push 2 stops | EI 320 | Strong contrast, coarse grain, blocked shadows |
| Push 3 stops | EI 640 | 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 80.
- CatLABS X FILM 100 Color ISO 100
- Film Photography Project Basic color film ISO 100
- Film Washi 'X' ISO 100
- Flic Film Elektra 100 ISO 100
- Fujifilm Fujicolor 100 ISO 100
- Kodak Ektar 100 ISO 100
- Kodak Kodacolor 100 ISO 100
- Kodak ProImage 100 ISO 100
- Lomography Color Negative 100 ISO 100
- Lomography LomoChrome Metropolis XR ISO 100
- Lomography LomoChrome Purple XR ISO 100
- Lomography LomoChrome Turquoise XR ISO 100
- Optik Oldschool SantaColor 100 ISO 100
- Rera Cool 100 ISO 100
- Silberra Color 100 ISO 100
- Agfa Agfacolor 80L Professional ISO 80 · disc.
- Agfa Agfacolor 80S Professional ISO 80 · disc.
- Agfa Agfacolor CNS ISO 80 · disc.
More ORWO films#
Frequently asked questions#
What ISO is ORWO NC 20?
80 — set your meter to ISO 80 for box speed.
Is ORWO NC 20 still made?
No, it has been discontinued (1978–1990).
How do I develop ORWO NC 20?
ORWO 5166 / 5168 process.
Is ORWO NC 20 available in 35mm?
Not according to our data — formats: Kassette 16.
Sources & licences#
- Wikipedia: List of discontinued photographic films — CC BY-SA 4.0
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources