(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

When my sister-in-law surprised me with a roll of Harman Phoenix 200, I was so excited because I’d honestly never heard of it before! And I spend a LOT of time scrolling through shopping pages of film, deciding what to try out next. Not to mention, 200-400 is my favorite range of ISO when it comes to film, so I knew it was going to be a fun test. I brought the film roll with me on my recent trip to Portugal and tried it out with my Minolta Hi-Matic AF2. I actually just posted a full review of this camera on my YouTube channel and blog, so make sure to check those out!

I wanted to share my personal thoughts on the Harman Phoenix 200 film and share my full roll of images with you, so you can decide for yourself if you’d want to give it a shot!

I found the film to be super saturated and contrasty, which a LOT of film shooters are always on the hunt for. It definitely has that retro film vibe and is very grainy, which makes the images look unmistakably film-y. I actually found myself removing contrast in post-processing, which was definitely a different experience for me! I’m usually adding contrast and saturation to my film scans!

I also shot the majority of the film on the wrong ISO setting on my camera (400 instead of 200), which I think might have increased the grain and contrast effects on the film. I’m hoping to try this film out again soon and see if that made a impact on my final results! I found the film to do surprisingly well in low-light for a 200 speed film. It’s also nice that the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 has an f/2.8 lens, which probably also helped me out in that department.

And of course, I tried out a few multiple exposures by rewinding the film a little and creating some overlapping images. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know it’s a must for me to try creating multiple exposures with every camera I’m reviewing!

Overall, I found Harman Phoenix 200 to be a very unique film. I’m not used to such high contrast and it’s not necessarily my style, but it was a fun challenge for me. I think I’ll try it out one more time before deciding on my final verdict. But I tend to lean towards less grain and contrast, so that I can add it in later if I choose to. I do think that this film is eye-catching and undoubtedly film, which is great for the Gen Z vibes that everyone seems to love these days. As a millennial, I’m not sure it fits my aesthetic, but to each their own! I’m mostly just thrilled that my photos turned out at all, because I had never used the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 before and the camera was half-broken when I brought it with me to Portugal. I know that these photos are going to remain super special to me, because my first rolls of film with new cameras always stick out in my mind. Especially if I’m traveling in a new country.

I’d love to know your thoughts on the film! So far, I’ve gotten great feedback on these images and I’m learning that the majority of the world loves high saturation and contrast! I guess I’m just a weirdo!

Make sure to check out my other blog post, The Best Color Film for 35 mm Cameras if you’re on the hunt for other 35 mm films to try out.

If you found this post helpful or if you’d like to see more of my work, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards cameras, film & processing. Find out more here!

If you have any questions, I’m always happy to help! You can contact me here, or leave a comment below! Thanks so much for stopping by! You can also check out my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :) Have a lovely day!

WHERE TO BUY HARMAN PHOENIX 200 FILM

Amazon

Adorama

WHERE TO BUY THE MINOLTA HI-MATIC AF2:

Amazon

KEH Camera

<3 Myles Katherine

(click to enlarge)

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

Before my trip to Portugal, I pulled together all of the cameras in my house (I think I’m getting close to 100 cameras in my collection now!) and dug through them to find a camera I hadn’t used yet. I always like to take at least one camera on my trips that is a bit of a mystery, just to challenge myself and to get inspired. It’s so exciting to send my film off for processing when I get home, but its especially exciting when it’s a camera I’ve never used before. As I was digging through my boxes of cameras, I came across the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 and noticed that it had a 2.8 lens on it. I was immediately interested. Any lens with an aperture of 2.8 or wider is a camera I’m interested in.

However, right away I noticed that it wasn’t working. I opened the battery compartment only to find some serious corrosion. I spent the day with a pile of q-tips and rubbing alcohol, scraping off as much corrosion as possible. Eventually, I began to hear the camera make high-pitched sounds when I put some fresh batteries in and I knew I was getting somewhere. The shutter still wasn’t working but for some reason, whenever I flipped the camera upside down, the shutter would go off. I still don’t know why that worked, but the more I clicked the shutter release button, the more it started firing. Finally, I felt convinced that it was working enough to trust it with a roll of film.

I was still super nervous the whole time I was shooting with it in Portugal because I didn’t have time to run through a test roll before my trip. But the shutter seemed quick enough to know that I was at least getting something. I was pleasantly surprised when I got my film back from the lab in the mail. My photos had turned out! I still have some learning to do with this camera, and unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get the flash to work still. I think it might be a bit of a lost cause. But I’m just thrilled that my photos turned out at all! And I truly enjoyed using it throughout the trip. I wanted to share a few of the reasons why I love this camera so far and then share all of my favorite photos from Portugal! I also just posted a video about the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 on my YouTube channel so make sure to check it out and subscribe to see more of our Portugal adventures!

5 REASONS WHY THE MINOLTA HI-MATIC AF2 IS A PERFECT TRAVEL CAMERA

It’s a Point-and-Shoot Camera
You can’t really get more convenient than a point-and-shoot camera for traveling. They are quick and easy with little to no learning curve. Anyone can use this camera. If you’re a beginner film photographer, this camera is absolutely perfect for you.
It has a 38mm Lens
In my opinion, a lens that’s anywhere from 24-40mm is a great length for travel photography. You’re able to get wide shots of buildings and architecture, but you could also get a little closer in for a portrait.
It’s Compact and Basic
Since the lens is a fixed length, it doesn’t take up a ton of space in your bag like a camera with a detachable lens would. It’s super sturdy with no extra parts or awkward accessories. And since it includes a flash, you don’t need to add one of those on either. I’m super sad my flash doesn’t work, but maybe I’ll come across a Hi-Matic AF2 with a working flash one of these days. :)
It’s Fully AutoFocus
When I’m traveling, it’s hard to work with manual focus film cameras. Sometimes I just don’t have the time to stand there and try to get the focus perfected. My family members are rushing me along, impatient with all of my picture-taking. Or I’m trying to get a photo of a bicyclist or moving subject while they aren’t paying attention. AutoFocus cameras like the Hi-Matic AF2 make street photography so much easier. And especially since it’s relatively small, it’s pretty inconspicuous and makes it easier to get away with taking pictures of strangers.
It Takes 35mm Film
The great thing about 35mm film cameras is that it’s easy to find 35mm film in almost every city. Sometimes, when I’m shooting with my 120 cameras, I’ll run out of film and have a hard time finding a camera store that carries 120 film. But 35mm is a pretty universal film format. I’ve never had trouble finding extra 35mm film on my trips.

As you can tell, I’m loving the camera so far. I’m a little bummed because I had the ISO setting on 400 instead of 200 for one of my film rolls, so the images turned out a little grainier than I’d hoped. But the film stock I used, Harman Phoenix 200, is also known for it’s grainy and high-contrast look, so maybe it’s just a combo of the film stock and ISO setting that I’m not used to. But I know a lot of film photographers actually aim for that sort of look so I guess it just depends on the person! I usually tend to like my photos a little less grainy and more sharp. But to each their own!

Here are a few film brands I recommend using for 35mm film cameras. Or you can check out my blog post, The Best Color Film for 35 mm Cameras. You can also check out my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

35MM FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

WHERE TO BUY THE MINOLTA HI-MATIC AF2:

Amazon

KEH Camera

FILM I USED FOR THE SAMPLE PHOTOS:

Kodak UltraMax 400 35mm film:

Amazon

Adorama

Harman Phoenix 200 35mm film:

Amazon

Adorama

If you enjoyed reading this post and would like to support my work, check out my Patreon and get early access to my YouTube videos, plus seasonal prints and other fun gifts!

And of course, I wanted to share all of my favorite photos from our Portugal trip using the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a lovely day!

<3 Myles Katherine

(click to enlarge)