Critique Welcomed Harmon Phoenix Film

[Brian Moore]

I recently shot a roll of Harmon Phoenix color film. This is a film that is pretty new to the market of available emulsions and I believe it is Harmon's first film release. (Certainly it is their first color film.) When I bought it I just thought it would be nice to try something new. I didn't realize until after I processed the negatives that there something fundamentally different about the film. Instead of the typical orange/red color of color negatives, these were blue. Turns out the Harmon Phoenix has no anti-halation layer (which, in normal color films, at least as I understand it, is intended to limit the bleed or glow of light from bright areas of an image to darker areas).

Thoughts about the film:

-Heavy grain
-Lacks exposure latitude
-Seems prone to color shifts

I subsequently read that this film was for limited release. People have speculated that its experimental and that a 2nd version might have different qualities. I don't know. I do know it doesn't work well with my normal shooting style. That is to say that if I shot it again I would be less cavalier in my attitude to exposure settings. I'd use a light meter for sure.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Brian, despite the strangeness of this film, I think you have taken some extraordinary pictures with it. You have to understand how much the film limits your freedom of expression, I mean if every picture has a very strong imprint due to the film it can eventually become a boring experience. In these photos the interesting choice of subjects and framing seems to me to marry very effectively with the characteristics of the film. They are all astounding photos, and for my taste I particularly like HARMON PHOENIX OM2N 0015, HARMON PHOENIX OM2N 0038, HARMON PHOENIX OM2N 0030, HARMON PHOENIX OM2N 0039. But the humanity expressed through the first one and the last one is also noteworthy

 

[Paul Taylor]

I have a few rolls of it in 120 that I haven't gotten around to shooting yet. I have made sure to watch quite a few videos on it - and the recommended scanning / processing methods as it is different than "normal" film. I didn't buy any of the 35mm due to it being too grainy - but the 120 samples I have seen look really interesting so I figured I would buy a few rolls and give it a go.

Great pics, regardless of the film!

 

[Brian Moore]

Brian, despite the strangeness of this film, I think you have taken some extraordinary pictures with it. You have to understand how much the film limits your freedom of expression, I mean if every picture has a very strong imprint due to the film it can eventually become a boring experience. In these photos the interesting choice of subjects and framing seems to me to marry very effectively with the characteristics of the film. They are all astounding photos, and for my taste I particularly like HARMON PHOENIX OM2N 0015, HARMON PHOENIX OM2N 0038, HARMON PHOENIX OM2N 0030, HARMON PHOENIX OM2N 0039. But the humanity expressed through the first one and the last one is also noteworthy

Gianluca, thanks as always for your carefully thought out comments. I think my favorite of this bunch is 009 so it's interesting to get other opinions on what appeals. Thank you!

 

[Brian Moore]

I have a few rolls of it in 120 that I haven't gotten around to shooting yet. I have made sure to watch quite a few videos on it - and the recommended scanning / processing methods as it is different than "normal" film. I didn't buy any of the 35mm due to it being too grainy - but the 120 samples I have seen look really interesting so I figured I would buy a few rolls and give it a go.

Great pics, regardless of the film!

Thank you Paul. Much appreciated. I'm glad you mentioned the 120; if it's less grainy than the 35mm then I'm likely to buy a roll and shoot it. I'll check out some images on Flickr.

 

[Julian Tanase]

Haven't used the Harman Phoenix (it's Harman, not Harmon, as far as I know) colour film. From what I have seen online so far, not much loss from my part, and anyways I do not shoot much colour film. But I understand that the 120 version of it is much more stable and less grainy. So I guess it's worth a try.

I really like the last 4 shots, indeed very nice. If I was to be picky, I would choose the photo no. 4, dramatic as it is. Looking forward to see the next ones in MF format.

 

[Brian Moore]

Haven't used the Harman Phoenix (it's Harman, not Harmon, as far as I know) colour film. From what I have seen online so far, not much loss from my part, and anyways I do not shoot much colour film. But I understand that the 120 version of it is much more stable and less grainy. So I guess it's worth a try.

I really like the last 4 shots, indeed very nice. If I was to be picky, I would choose the photo no. 4, dramatic as it is. Looking forward to see the next ones in MF format.

Thanks for your comments, Julian. Much appreciated. By the way you’re right about the spelling. Thanks.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Wow. Film aside, these are fantastic, wonderful foties! Really superb. As regards the film, some of the shots benefit by it, some not. If you had more rolls, you would learn when to use its qualities and when not to. I still can’t get over some of these shots, Brian, among your best for a while.

 

[Brian Moore]

Wow. Film aside, these are fantastic, wonderful foties! Really superb. As regards the film, some of the shots benefit by it, some not. If you had more rolls, you would learn when to use its qualities and when not to. I still can’t get over some of these shots, Brian, among your best for a while.

Thanks a lot, Rob. Really appreciate that. Over the past few days the look has grown on me a bit. Two days ago I was doubtful that I'd shoot another roll in 35mm. Now I'm not so sure. Perhaps you're right about learning how and when to shoot the film. I'd definitely pay more attention to what my camer's light meter recommended. Thanks again, Rob!

 

[Wes Hall]

Thanks a lot, Rob. Really appreciate that. Over the past few days the look has grown on me a bit. Two days ago I was doubtful that I'd shoot another roll in 35mm. Now I'm not so sure. Perhaps you're right about learning how and when to shoot the film. I'd definitely pay more attention to what my camer's light meter recommended. Thanks again, Rob!

I've enjoyed my experiments with Phoenix in 35mm, specifically for the unusual colour shifts under different conditions, and have a roll of 120 that I'm saving. Thought I'd share a couple here Brian as I experienced similar effects to yours.

 

[Ralph Turner]

Although I couldn't claim to have seen a huge number of images from this film (and none, as yet, of my own), of the ones I have seen, these must be some of the best. There's an almost dream-like quality to them, of wistful memories of a family holiday or similar. Difficult to pick a favorite. I was amused by seeing the figure sat on the cannon in the first, having their picture taken, adding an extra element of that sense of fond reminiscences. The two looking across the estuary are wonderfully dramatic, that yacht couldn't have been moored in a better spot. The last two have a magic of their own. Thanks for sharing, Brian.

 

[Brian Moore]

I've enjoyed my experiments with Phoenix in 35mm, specifically for the unusual colour shifts under different conditions, and have a roll of 120 that I'm saving. Thought I'd share a couple here Brian as I experienced similar effects to yours.View attachment 20726View attachment 20725View attachment 20724

Thanks for your comments Wes. It’s an interesting emulsion to be sure. The look (or looks) it acquires is growing on me. I think I’m going to shoot some more of it. I like the colors you’ve got out of your shots here. And that’s an interesting portrait in the first shot.

 

[Brian Moore]

Although I couldn't claim to have seen a huge number of images from this film (and none, as yet, of my own), of the ones I have seen, these must be some of the best. There's an almost dream-like quality to them, of wistful memories of a family holiday or similar. Difficult to pick a favorite. I was amused by seeing the figure sat on the cannon in the first, having their picture taken, adding an extra element of that sense of fond reminiscences. The two looking across the estuary are wonderfully dramatic, that yacht couldn't have been moored in a better spot. The last two have a magic of their own. Thanks for sharing, Brian.

I appreciate your comments, Ralph. Thank you.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

Brian, despite the strangeness of this film, I think you have taken some extraordinary pictures with it. You have to understand how much the film limits your freedom of expression, I mean if every picture has a very strong imprint due to the film it can eventually become a boring experience. In these photos the interesting choice of subjects and framing seems to me to marry very effectively with the characteristics of the film. They are all astounding photos, and for my taste I particularly like HARMON PHOENIX OM2N 0015, HARMON PHOENIX OM2N 0038, HARMON PHOENIX OM2N 0030, HARMON PHOENIX OM2N 0039. But the humanity expressed through the first one and the last one is also noteworthy

Please do not give him too much rope regarding freedom; he'll go haywire.

 

[Brian Moore]

Please do not give him too much rope regarding freedom; he'll go haywire.

Dammit Ivar I’m already haywire!

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

Dammit Ivar I’m already haywire!

I was just polite.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I have a roll of it on its way to me

 

[Gary Ayala]

The color shifts seem unpredictable ... I would prefer for the unpredictability to be on the outside of the camera ... not the inside. (That being said, the sepia toned photos resulting from shooting into the light source ... are wonderful.)

 

[Paul Taylor]

I have shot a roll in 120 through my Bronica EC - now waiting to have time to develop it (I have 3 or 4 rolls of color I need to develop...)

 

[Paul Taylor]

I finally developed the test roll I shot with my Bronica EC w/ Nikon 75mmf2.8 lens (I need to buy more lenses for this thing, lol.)

I developed these with Cinestill c41 two-part chemicals. (developer at 102 degrees F for 3.5 mins, Bleach/Fix for 8 mins) Scanned with my Lumix G9 w/ Olympus 30mm Macro. Used Lightroom + Negative lab pro with no adjustments outside the "standard" conversion. I shot the roll at ISO 160 per what a few of the popular youtubers suggest and the next roll I think I will shoot it at 100 or so.

I am really happy and really like the colors when the scene is within the dynamic range of this film. However, as many noted this film isn't great with shadow detail. Overall though - I am glad I have 4 or 5 more rolls of it kicking around in the film fridge. It kind of reminds me of Ultramax 400 in it's rendition of color and I really like that film stock. I also like the grain with the developer I used. Here are some of the better shots from the roll.

Purposely shot into the light to see halation :

This is a metal tree at a library