OneHundred Red in Barcelona
While in Barcelona earlier this year, I swung by Carmencita Film Lab since what I usually do first before walking/riding aimlessly in any city is to check out every bike and camera shop I can find on Google maps. Add to that a few coffee stops along the way and... Yes... That makes me the perfect hipster, minus the mustache.
When I enter any store that sells film, I always ask if they have something local or unique to try. And Carmencita Film Lab did not disappoint by recommending me a film stock that I had no knowledge of: OneHundred Red!
OneHundred Red is the first batch of rolls coming out of Hundred Film, based in the beautiful Valencia region of Spain. At €14 per roll, it's comparable to Kodak Color Plus or Gold, but I feel it's a bit more than that. Produced in the US and spooled in Europe using recycled film canisters, their website is full of helpful tips, and overall they seem very transparent about what they're doing. So when it comes to company ethics and values, they're already checking all the right boxes for me.
HundredRed was born out of a group of friends who got tired of the lack of color film for the past few years. It got its name from the very bright and vibrant red tones yu are supposed to get. I kinda assumed it when I saw the name, but it did create a very interesting shooting experience, since I ended up focusing way more on red details and things around me. And guess what, there is a lot of red in Spain! At 100 ISO, you'll get pretty fine grain and the dynamic range is not huge, but already better than the Harman Phenix I reviewed previously.
The reds are certainly vibrant and eye-catching, although I wouldn't say it’s an overly contrasty film. Shooting the majority of the roll on overcast days didn't help in showcasing its full potential, either. For my personal use, I can easily envision myself using more of it, especially if I want to capture the "pastel/overexposed Portra" aesthetic. The fine grain with just the right amount of “unpredictable”, really made me want to experiment with bike-checks or everyday use but in a Japanese or American landscape. Hundred Film's announcement of a forthcoming 400 ISO version piques my interest, but the release remains uncertain. I guess we’ll just wait and see.
TLDR: Go grab a roll, it’s a lot of fun to shoot.
Roses are red…
🎞: One Hundred Red
📷: Leica M6
📍: Barcelona
