Until recently, it was nearly impossible getting the Fuji pro 400H here in Israel. Well, at least if by buying at local shops and not, say, through B&H. So when Rea’s printhouse announced it was starting to offer it - I jumped on the opportunity to give this film a try.
Having never shot on it before, only watching some comparison videos on YouTube, I was really excited to try it out and see the results myself. Like all, I do like Kodak’s Portra 400; however, I sometimes find it lacking, and wanted to see if the Pro 400H can be another option to consider when shooting color.
Unsurprisingly, the results are skewed towards the “cold” end of the spectrum, with the blues and greens dominating. This is compared to the much warmer Portra 400.
When looking at exterior shots, I actually find it to represent reality really well, with the colors on the scan matching the true colors I’ve seen with my own eyes. This gives the film a certain edge over Portra, if you want to capture a scene as naturally as possible, perhaps. Or when aiming to get a cooler, almost “milky” feel to the image.
The first two images here are from a new project I am working on, set around Neve Tzedek Tower.
I intentionally wanted to try the 400H on this series. I felt the cooler colors will better serve the tones of the building, as well as the message of the project, which is to show how the tower is dominating the scene from wherever you’re looking.
Seeing the results, I think I will definitely continue with the 400H on this project.
For interiors, however, I find its lack of warmth as a disadvantage over Portra, as it does not capture the warm lights and tones associated, at least to me, with the feeling of being home.
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All shots were taken with a Mamiya 645 Pro and an 80mm lens. Photos have been edited a bit with Photoshop to fix slight exposure issues and color balance.
