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First Roll Of Harman Phoenix 200 Film Review

Hey folks! It’s been ages since I last blogged about my film photography adventures, but here I am in 2024, kicking things off with a fresh roll of Harman Phoenix 200 film. This was my first ever dance with Harman Phoenix 200 – a color-negative film that I’ve been dying to try, especially for some high-fashion street portraits I’ve been dreaming up in Kuala Lumpur.

Now, let me be honest – I didn’t have a clue how this film would behave in different lights. So, I stuck with the basics and shot it at its box speed, ISO 200. From what I gathered, this film loves the spotlight – or more specifically, sunny daylight. But hey, I couldn’t just leave those last few shots unused, right? So, I hit the streets at night to see what magic I could capture under the city lights, especially hunting down those tungsten vibes. I was super curious about its halation effect – it’s supposed to be similar to the CineStill 800T film, which I haven’t tried yet. But those sample pics on Harman’s official Instagram? Tantalizing!

I snagged this film roll on Shopee for about RM80 and, as usual, dropped it off at Darkroom8 for processing. Those guys are one of my go-to film labs in Malaysia since they’re right around the corner from me.

Shoot High Fashion Portraits With Harman Phoenix 200 Film

Harman Phoenix 200 Portrait Red Rose
Contax G1 // Carl Zeiss Planar T* 45mm f2 - Kuala Lumpur, March 2024

And the colors, oh the colors! The portraits came out with this high-contrast, super punchy look that just screams ‘high fashion’. I was shooting in what turned out to be just the right light to catch those amazing highlights and shadows. I’m always buzzing with excitement shooting film because you never really know what you’re gonna get till it’s developed. I’ve been around the block with Kodak Vision3 500T, Kodak Gold, Fujifilm Superia, you name it. But this was a whole new ball game.

I tried to keep my expectations in check, fully expecting a mixed bag of results. For the high fashion shots, I played around with apertures from f2 to f8, keeping an eye on the shutter speed in my trusty Contax G1. If the light was blasting, I’d dial down the aperture to keep things crisp and avoid any motion blur.

Low-Light Street Photography With Harman Phoenix 200 Film

Harman Phoenix Film Night Photography
Contax G1 // Carl Zeiss Planar T* 45mm f2 - Kuala Lumpur, March 2024

Night shooting with the Harman Phoenix 200 film was a whole different story. I won’t lie – there were some shaky, blurry shots. Low-light street photography isn’t exactly my forte, but I gave it a shot, aiming for well-lit spots, just like with my other nighttime film escapades.

The verdict? Nah… Not suitable for night or low-light environment. No sky-high expectations, just some good old film fun. And hey, you should check out one of my best low-light shots with Kodak Vision3 500T, also snapped with my Contax G1.

Final Thoughts About The Harman Phoenix 200 Film

Harman Phoenix 200 Sample
Contax G1 // Carl Zeiss Planar T* 45mm f2 - Kuala Lumpur, March 2024

As for the Harman Phoenix 200 film, it’s great for experimental stuff. Tweaking the ISO settings, like dropping it to ISO 160 or lower, can really change up the contrast and overall look. I stuck to the safe side for this first roll, but who knows? Maybe I’ll get more adventurous with roll number two. For the extreme high contrast and dark shadows, I might want to suggest to try shoot at ISO 160 if you have this roll. The high film grain is still acceptable.

So, what’s your take on the Harman Phoenix 200? Have you given it a whirl? Drop your thoughts and experiences in the comments – I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time, happy shooting with Harman Phoenix 200! 📸✨

Harman Phoenix 200 Film Samples

Harman Phoenix Street Photography
Contax G1 // Carl Zeiss Planar T* 45mm f2 - Kuala Lumpur, March 2024
Harman Phoenix Film Reflection
Contax G1 // Carl Zeiss Planar T* 45mm f2 - Kuala Lumpur, March 2024
Harman Phoenix 200 Film Sample
Contax G1 // Carl Zeiss Planar T* 45mm f2 - Kuala Lumpur, March 2024
Harman Phoenix 200 Portrait
Contax G1 // Carl Zeiss Planar T* 45mm f2 - Kuala Lumpur, March 2024 - @sandy.chl
Harman Phoenix Film High Fashion Portrait
Contax G1 // Carl Zeiss Planar T* 45mm f2 - Kuala Lumpur, March 2024
Harman Phoenix 200 Film Low Light
Contax G1 // Carl Zeiss Planar T* 45mm f2 - Kuala Lumpur, March 2024
Harman Phoenix Night Photography Test
Contax G1 // Carl Zeiss Planar T* 45mm f2 - Kuala Lumpur, March 2024
Harman Phoenix 200 Film Kuala Lumpur
Contax G1 // Carl Zeiss Planar T* 45mm f2 - Kuala Lumpur, March 2024
Harman Phoenix 200 Film Portrait
Contax G1 // Carl Zeiss Planar T* 45mm f2 - Kuala Lumpur, March 2024
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