ORWO has revealed its first brand new colour film for decades in the shape of WOLFEN NC500 – a limited edition 500 ASA, 36-exposure, C41 print film.

According to ORWO, ‘At the core of our new colour film lies a unique chemical formula based on the wonderful and legendary Agfa stock last used in the Oscar-winning film Out of Africa. Famous for their greens, de-saturated shadows and enhanced grains, these are all aspects that we are embracing for our new addition.’

The WOLFEN NC500 film is based on Agfa’s XT320 colour cinema film, which was used in shooting movies such as Out of Africa, Last of the Mohicans and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

A night scene shot on ORWO WOLFEN NC500 colour print film

A night scene shot on ORWO WOLFEN NC500 colour print film

ORWO has said that with NC500 it is, ‘not trying to imitate current stocks available on the market, we are creating an alternative, something with different characteristics and a different palette.’  

The WOLFEN NC500 colour film will be produced at ORWO’s Bitterfeld-Wolfen site, where film has been manufactured since 1910.


ORWO WOLFEN NC500 price – 6 June 2022 UPDATE

Since AP first ran news of the new ORWO NC500 C41 colour print film, on 31 May 2022, it has now emerged that the film will be sold at a price of £13 per roll.

What still remains unclear is exactly how many rolls of WOLFEN NC500 colour film will be produced in its limited edition production run, but we’ll advise on that if and when we get more information.

You can now order ORWO WOLFEN NC500 here.


ORWO black-and-white films

The news of the C41 colour film comes under a month after ORWO revealed it had made its first new 35mm films in 50 years in the shape of its WOLFEN NP100 black-and-white negative film.

Like WOLFEN NC500, WOLFEN NP100 has been made available on a strictly limited edition run of 36 exposure rolls.

A picture shot on ORWO WOLFEN NC500 colour print film

A picture shot on ORWO WOLFEN NC500 colour print film

ORWO also previously revealed it was introducing WOLFEN NP400 film – a 400 ASA, 36 exposure, black-and-white photographic film.

The new WOLFEN films are part of a new era in ORWO’s history, following a February 2022 management financial restructuring to stave off the rumoured threat of insolvency.

The return of ORWO to 35mm film production was just the latest in series of 2022 announcements about new films, including Kodak GOLD 200’s comeback in 120 format, the launch of CineStill 400Dynamic film and the news of the first all-new slide film since 2005.

Ordering & availability

Pre-orders for WOLFEN NC500 will launch on 1 June 2022 via the ORWO Film Online Shop, with shipping expected to begin in July 2022.

A portrait shot on ORWO WOLFEN NC500 colour print film

A portrait shot on ORWO WOLFEN NC500 colour print film

About ORWO

ORWO was founded in 1909 in Wolfen, Germany, as an offshoot of AGFA, so it has a history of making film for more than a century.

To find out more about the company and its products go to the ORWO website.


Related articles:

ORWO makes its first new 35mm films in 50 years!

FuguFilm 400 – first all-new slide film since 2005

Kodak GOLD 200 makes comeback in 120 format

CineStill reveals 400Dynamic film in 35mm and 120 formats


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