Harman Phoenix - 35mm Film

The results from this film are pretty extreme in terms of colour and exposure. I love experimental film but I doubt this will be for everyone. These shots were taken on a Harman EZ35 point and shoot which the film was packaged with, and the results are exciting, but would clearly be dramatically different on camera with more control.

I used two rolls of this film in New York over Christmas and New Year. It is extremely contrasty with somewhat whacky colours. I had a very low "keeper" count as mostly I was photographing in bright sunshine with deep shadows. I quite like the effect in some of the shots but in general I think it would be best on overcast days with more even light. The blocking-up of the shadows and the burning out of the highlights in many of the shots rather spoilt the images, and something with a much wider exposure latitude would have worked better. In the right light it would be a fun film to use, but one needs to be aware of its limitations. I would also err on the side of extra exposure, perhaps rating it at 125 rather than 200.

It's definitely a unique film, the shots I did certainly had a more warm tone to them, with a punchy contrast, although I'd recommend slightly overexposing these shots as they can come out a bit dark. Think this is definitely a film which suits street/architecture due to it's unique look. Overall a unique film, and one that I would probably shoot again.

Variety is the spice of life, and these photos came out varied as can be from one roll of film shot in one day. I am new to film photography and no other film, so far, has sparked as much excitement upon viewing the freshly processed photos as this. I could easily devour a whole crate of Harman Phoenix in no time flat if money and time were no object. I am in love with this film.
I would highly recommend to spark a little fun and creativity from beginner to pro, mixing it up is always fun.

As many have said, this isn't the most reliable film stock out there. Benefits from over-exposing, lots of greens but somehow still quite a warm look to the scans. Shadows tend to cave in on themselves, so I don't use this unless it's nice and sunny out, and it's not particularly sharp for a 200 speed, BUT, if you want a super vibey look, probably the kind of look most people you get as standard from shooting film, then this can be a real fun one to experiment with. It's definitely not for every situation, but I like to keep a roll or two in the fridge in case I fancy getting super creative.