35MM Film Look Lightroom Presets: Quick and Easy Guide in 2025

Written by: Alexa Starr

Last updated: 12/1/24

Learn how to achieve a vintage, grainy look for your digital photos using Lightroom presets.

This guide provides step-by-step instructions on applying the 35mm film effect and discusses the benefits and limitations of using presets.

Elevate your photography game with this timeless and classic effect.

Lightroom Film Effect

You have a few options to achieve a vintage film look in Lightroom.

You can use presets and adjustments for a desired film effect or experiment with color grading techniques.

Film presets enhance the mood and tone of your photos, giving them the aesthetics of classic film photography.

Explore Lightroom settings to create your perfect film look.

What is the 35mm Film Effect?

The 35mm film effect allows you to recreate the iconic look of traditional film in your digital photos.

By adding grain, adjusting saturation and colors, you can achieve a timeless and nostalgic vibe.

Experiment with different film presets to find your perfect match and enhance your images with the warmth and character of film photography.

Digital 35mm Film Effect

Enhance your photos with a classic film aesthetic using professional-quality images.

The 35mm film effect adds depth and nostalgia, giving them a cinematic look that makes them stand out on social media and in your portfolio.

Use Lightroom's editing tools, like color grading and basic panels, to achieve this look.

Experiment with presets and adjustments for creative and fun effects.

Film Effect Lightroom Presets

Enhance your photos with Lightroom presets for a quick and effortless film effect.

Customize and fine-tune these pre-made presets to make them your own.

Explore the wide range of film effect options available online, including the effects panel, to find the perfect look for your photos.

Applying presets to multiple photos is easy, ensuring a cohesive and consistent style.

So, have fun experimenting with different presets to discover your signature film look!

Lightroom Presets Overview

Lightroom presets simplify your editing workflow by providing one-click solutions for applying different film looks to your photos.

With a variety of preset packs available, you can achieve consistent results and save time.

Customize your images by starting with presets and making additional adjustments.

Lightroom offers various tools to help you achieve the desired film look, from the basic panel to the color grading panel.

Don't forget to add social sharing buttons to your edited photos for easy sharing on social media platforms.

Popular Film Effect Lightroom Presets

Achieve the signature colors and tones of iconic film stocks like Kodak and Fujifilm.

Choose from vintage, black and white, or matte looks with preset packs.

Experiment with the aesthetic of classic film photography easily.

Give your images that 'filmic' charm with just a few clicks using a film camera.

How can I achieve a film look in Lightroom?

To achieve a film look in Lightroom, adjust the tone curve to create a matte effect. Increase contrast and reduce saturation for a more vintage feel. Experiment with grain and vignetting to add texture and depth. Finally, apply a film-inspired preset to complete the look.

Step 1: Choosing the Right Photo

When choosing a photo for the film effect in Lightroom, start by considering the lighting and composition.

Look for photos with suitable lighting and an interesting composition that will enhance the film effect.

Additionally, think about the subject matter and the mood you want to convey.

Photos with rich colors or textures can benefit from the film effect, showcasing its nuances.

Make sure the photo has enough detail to bring out the desired effect.

Don't hesitate to experiment with different photos to find the perfect fit for the film look.

Step 2: Applying a Suitable Preset

To enhance your photo with a film effect in Adobe Lightroom, follow these steps:

• Browse through your preset library and find one that aligns with your vision.
• Apply the preset to your photo and see how it transforms the look.
• Adjust the intensity and tint to achieve the desired result.
• Experiment with different presets to find the one that complements your original image.

As you explore the world of presets, remember to save your favorite ones for future use.

Building your own collection of go-to presets will save you time in the future and ensure consistency in your editing process.

So, go ahead, have a lot of fun browsing through your preset library, and let your creativity shine with the help of Lightroom!

Step 3: Adjusting Basic Settings for Exposure and Contrast

To achieve a film-like aesthetic for your photo, start by selecting a suitable image and applying a 35mm film preset.

Then, fine-tune the basic settings for exposure and contrast.

Balance the brightness and darkness through exposure adjustments, ensuring perfect exposure.

Make spot adjustments to enhance details or correct imperfections. Adjust the contrast to add definition and visual impact.

Use the tone curve adjustment in Lightroom to control highlights, shadows, and mid-tones.

This allows you to make targeted edits and enhance the film effect.

Also, adjust the white balance for desired color temperature, impacting mood and atmosphere.

Step 4: Customizing the Tone Curve

To create a 35mm film effect in Lightroom, customize the tone curve.

This powerful tool allows you to adjust brightness, contrast, and tonal range.

Start by creating an "S" shape on the tone curve to add contrast to mid-tones while preserving detail in highlights and shadows.

Experiment with RGB channels to mimic specific film stocks' color cast.

Play around with settings until you achieve the desired result.

The tone curve lets you add your own creative touch and customize the film effect.

Step 5: Manipulating Colors with HSL

Now let's dive into Step 5 of creating the film look in Lightroom: Manipulating Colors with HSL.

HSL stands for Hue, Saturation, and Luminance.

In Lightroom, the HSL panel gives you full control over the colors in your image.

With the Hue slider, you can change the color of a specific element to create a desired effect.

Saturation allows you to adjust the intensity of a color, while Luminance affects its brightness.

These adjustments are perfect for achieving a vintage or retro look in your photos.

Step 6: Creating a Split-Toning Effect

Adjust the Hue and Saturation sliders for highlights and shadows in the Split Toning panel to create a split toning effect in Lightroom.

Experiment with colors and saturation levels to achieve your desired look, such as warm tones in the highlights and cool tones in the shadows.

Have fun exploring split toning to create a unique film-inspired effect.

Step 7: Adding Grain for that Authentic Film Look

Adding grain is essential for achieving an authentic 35mm film look in Lightroom.

Lightroom offers various options, including the Grain slider and the Grain Effect tool.

Experiment with different levels of grain to find the ideal balance between authenticity and visual appeal.

Avoid adding excessive grain, as it can make your photos appear noisy or blurry.

Once you've determined the right level of grain, consider adjusting contrast, saturation, and other settings to enhance the film effect.

Step 8: Final Touches and Exporting the Photo

To achieve the desired 35mm film effect in your photo, adjust the exposure, contrast, and saturation.

For an authentic film feel, add the grain effect to add texture.

You can also use vignetting to emphasize the subject and create a vintage vibe.

Once you're satisfied with your edits, export the photo in JPEG or TIFF format.

Share your edited photos with friends or showcase them on social media.

Have fun experimenting with different settings in Lightroom to create unique film looks.

Is it necessary to use presets for creating a film look in Lightroom?

Using presets is not necessary for achieving a film look in Lightroom.

Manual adjustments of settings like contrast, exposure, and color balance can also help achieve the desired effect.

However, presets can save time and provide a starting point for customization.

Experiment with both approaches to find what works best for your workflow.

Benefits of Using Presets

Presets in photo editing offer several benefits.

They provide a quick and easy way to achieve a specific look or style for your photos, saving you time and allowing you to focus on other aspects of photography.

Presets also maintain consistency throughout your portfolio or series of photos, creating a cohesive look.

Additionally, presets can serve as a valuable learning tool, offering insights into different editing techniques. Many preset creators offer tutorials and educational materials to improve your skills.

Presets offer a convenient solution for achieving desired photo looks, saving time, maintaining consistency, and providing learning opportunities.

Incorporating presets into your workflow enhances your photo editing experience and effortlessly helps you achieve professional-looking results.

Preset Limitations

Presets are a good starting point, but don't rely on them completely for a unique look.

Understanding photography and editing techniques is crucial for achieving desired results.

Experimenting and customizing is key to creating a distinct style that reflects your preferences.

Also, presets may not work well with all photos, so adjust settings as needed.

Creating your own presets can save time and help develop a consistent style.

Tips for Enhancing Photos with 35mm Film Effect

Experimenting with film presets is key to finding your preferred style.

Adjust the intensity of the effect for a subtle or bold look.

Take inspiration from analog photography techniques to achieve an authentic film aesthetic.

Consider the dominant colors in your photo to ensure they complement each other.

Share your film-inspired photos on social media for feedback and engagement.

How do we further customize the film effect for unique results?

To achieve unique results with the film effect, you can fine-tune specific colors using the HSL panel.

Experiment with different tone curve adjustments and combine presets or adjustments for a custom look.

Play with vignettes and other effects to add depth, and don't be afraid to break the rules and try unconventional edits.

How do I make my pictures look like old digital cameras?

Ways to achieve a vintage digital camera look:

1. Add grain/noise to the image
2. Reduce image resolution
3. Lower color depth (fewer colors)
4. Increase contrast slightly
5. Add chromatic aberration
6. Apply slight blur
7. Reduce color saturation
8. Add JPEG compression artifacts
9. Create slight color shifts
10. Use a date stamp overlay
11. Add subtle pixelation
12. Apply a slight vignette effect

Popular editing apps for this effect:

• VSCO
• Huji
• Dazz Cam
• 1998 Cam
• PREQUEL
• RNI Films

You can also use Photoshop or similar editing software to manually adjust these parameters.

How to get vintage look in Lightroom?

Steps to create a vintage look in Lightroom:

1. Basic adjustments:

• Decrease Contrast slightly
• Lower Highlights
• Raise Shadows
• Add slight Clarity
• Reduce Vibrance

2. Tone Curve adjustments:

• Create an S-curve
• Slightly lift the shadows portion
• Add fade by raising the bottom left point

3. Split Toning/Color Grading:

• Add warm tones (yellow/orange) to highlights
• Add cool tones (blue/teal) to shadows
• Keep saturation subtle (10-20%)

4. Color adjustments:

• Reduce overall saturation
• Shift blues slightly toward teal
• Warm up yellows and oranges
• Desaturate greens slightly

5. Effects:

• Add grain (amount 15-25)
• Add slight vignetting
• Reduce texture slightly

6. HSL adjustments:

• Decrease blue luminance
• Increase yellow luminance
• Reduce purple/magenta saturation

7. Optional enhancements:

• Add slight blur in the Effects panel
• Use calibration panel to fine-tune primary colors
• Apply subtle post-crop vignetting

Save as preset for future use.

How to get old film look in Lightroom?

Create a vintage film look in Lightroom using these adjustments:

Basic Panel:

1. Decrease Contrast slightly
2. Lower Highlights
3. Raise Shadows
4. Reduce Clarity
5. Add slight Dehaze

Tone Curve:

1. Create an S-curve
2. Slightly lift the shadows
3. Fade blacks by raising the bottom left point

HSL Panel:

1. Reduce Saturation overall
2. Shift Blues slightly toward Aqua
3. Warm up Yellows and Oranges

Split Toning/Color Grading:

1. Add warm tones to Highlights (yellow/orange)
2. Add cool tones to Shadows (blue/teal)

Grain:

1. Add film grain (Amount: 25-40)
2. Size: 40-50
3. Roughness: 50-60

Calibration:

1. Adjust Red Primary hue slightly
2. Reduce Blue Primary saturation

Optional:

1. Slightly reduce Sharpness
2. Add subtle Post-Crop Vignetting
3. Use Matte effect by lifting blacks in Tone Curve

How to edit photos in vintage look?

Steps to create vintage photo effects:

1. Basic adjustments:

• Reduce saturation (30-50%)
• Lower contrast slightly
• Add warmth to temperature
• Increase shadows

2. Color modifications:

• Split-toning: Add yellow/brown to highlights
• Add blue/purple to shadows
• Fade blacks slightly
• Boost yellow and orange tones
• Reduce blues and greens

3. Add effects:

• Light grain or noise
• Subtle vignette
• Slight blur
• Film scratches (optional)

Popular apps/software:

• VSCO
• Adobe Lightroom
• Snapseed
• RNI Films
• Afterlight

Quick presets:

• Sepia tone filter
• Matte effect
• Cross processing
• Faded film look
• Light leaks

Additional touches:

• Round corners
• White border
• Date stamp
• Dust and scratches
• Texture overlay

Different vintage eras:

• 1950s: High contrast, black and white
• 1960s: Saturated colors, light leaks
• 1970s: Warm tones, faded look
• 1980s: Strong colors, slight blur
• 1990s: Muted tones, grain effect

What are film look Lightroom presets?

Film look presets are digital filters that simulate the appearance of analog film photography, including color tones, grain patterns, and contrast characteristics of specific film stocks.

How does digital film grain differ from actual film grain?

Digital film grain is a simulated effect that attempts to replicate analog film grain patterns. While actual film grain is created by silver halide crystals during chemical processing, digital grain is algorithmically generated.

What is RNI Films and vintage cameras digital photography?

RNI (Really Nice Images) Films is a collection of premium Lightroom presets that accurately emulate classic film stocks by replicating their color profiles, tonality, and grain characteristics.

Why do some film presets create color shifts?

Color shifts in film presets mimic the unique color reproduction characteristics of different film stocks. For example, Fujifilm stocks often emphasize greens, while Kodak films tend to enhance warm tones.

What is Dazz Cam?

Dazz Cam is a mobile app that simulates vintage camera effects, including film grain, light leaks, and date stamps typically found in old point-and-shoot cameras. Download Dazz cams by search "Dazz Cam" on the app store.

How can you make digital photos look more authentically film-like?

Combine film presets with grain adjustment, slight color shifts, reduced contrast, subtle vignetting, and highlight rolloff adjustments to create more authentic film-like results.

What features should you look for in film simulation presets?

Quality film presets should include adjustable grain intensity, accurate color profiles, tone curve adjustments, highlight/shadow balance controls, and the ability to fine-tune individual parameters.

How do film presets handle skin tones?

Good film presets maintain natural skin tones while applying film characteristics, often incorporating subtle warmth and softness similar to popular portrait film stocks like Portra 400.

Can film presets compensate for poor exposure?

While film presets can help adjust exposure issues, they work best with properly exposed images. Unlike actual film, which has natural latitude, digital presets cannot fully recover poor exposure photos.

What's the difference between consumer and professional film presets?

Professional film presets typically offer more accurate color science, refined grain patterns, greater customization options, and better preservation of image quality compared to consumer-grade presets.

 

Conclusion

To enhance your digital photography with a vintage touch, use the 35mm film effect in Lightroom.

This effect replicates classic film photography, giving your images a unique and timeless aesthetic.

By understanding its importance, you can elevate your editing skills.

Lightroom presets designed for the film effect save time and provide a quick way to achieve the desired look.

Customize the effect to suit your style by adjusting settings, manipulating colors, and adding grain for an authentic film look.

While presets offer convenience, don't limit yourself to them.

Experiment and create your interpretations of the film effect.

So grab your camera, dive into Lightroom, and let the 35mm film effect enhance your digital photographs with timeless beauty.