Film Review—Hanalogital Opal
Unique textures and unexpected colours for surreal abstract photographs
Why I Picked Up Opal Hanalogital film
I had no intention of trying Hanalogital at first—honestly, I thought their films looked pretty horrible. But for some reason, I felt drawn to Opal (and Charoite) with their weird, surreal skies and pinks. When I had a day to shoot some sunflowers, I decided to give Opal a go. I also took along a roll of black-and-white film for a completely different look to compare. The sample photos of Opal from the creator made me think of summer days, and I wanted something a bit abstract and ‘arty’ for my walls. Did it work out? Let’s see…
Hanalogital Opal film: the Specs
The base film of my roll was Kodak GC 400—bright, punchy, with high exposure latitude, strong saturation, and medium to high contrast. It’s worth noting that Hanalogital likely uses cheaper films like Kodak Gold, Ultramax, or possibly expired stocks. Don’t expect professional-grade film. Personally, I recommend using a camera with automatic DX coding. If I’d set mine to 200, I doubt I would’ve gotten the rich colors I did.
Hanalogital films could be rated anywhere between 200 and 800 ISO, with 24 or 36 exposures, and what you get is random. If you want to know what the base film was, you’ll need to keep the negatives. This randomness affects your final photos, so keep that in mind.
Important: Check if your lab will develop these films. Many won’t, since Hanalogital films require separate development. Analogue Wonderland offers this service, but you’ll need to pay an extra £5 for ‘film soup’ processing (2024 prices).
ANALOGUE WOnDERLAND
Analogue Wonderland are a UK-based lab that offer a wide variety of films including Hanalogital Opal. They sell out fast though, so it’s worth signing up to be notified when it comes back in stock.
They also offer developing for film souped films, you’ll need to select this as an additional extra when you select your developing options.
Hanalogital Opal film: Who Makes this Film?
Hanalogital is a niche brand specializing in experimental film, particularly film soup. The creator, Hanna (reportedly based in Germany), is an analogue photographer and artist who experiments by soaking film in various substances before it’s shot. This process alters the chemistry of the film, resulting in unpredictable, abstract effects—everything from wild color shifts to unexpected textures and distortions.
Hanalogital’s approach celebrates unpredictability and imperfection. In a digital world of control and precision, Hanna embraces the chaos of chemical reactions, pushing photographers to accept each shot as an experiment. If you like control, this might not be the film for you.
Out and about—How I used Hanalogital Opal film
As mentioned, my main subject was a sunflower field at Castle Farm, Kent. It was late summer with a pale blue sky—a perfect day for photos. I alternated between a Canon EOS 30 with an EF 50mm f/1.4 and a 100mm f/2.8. I shot at ISO 400, aiming for a range of wide, mid, and close-up shots of the sunflowers, exposing mostly for the shadows.
Surprisingly, I had 36 exposures instead of the 27 I thought, so I used the extra frames for a night music gig and a daytime street shot. The gig was at The Pantiles, with contrasting magenta and orange lighting, and the street shots were a simple test to see how Opal handled urban environments.
The Results: Hanalogital Opal
When I got the results back, I was stunned by how green the images were—something I hadn’t seen in other reviews. It made me wonder if others simply curate these out. Some of my shots were almost duotone: green and white. In some photos you could see where possibly, bleach, had burnt holes in the film.
The prettiest effects appeared in photos with lots of sky, and in my opinion, ‘big’ sky shots are where this film comes into its own. However, the night shots were almost entirely green, with no natural colors remaining. Opal seems to work best on simple compositions—like one flower against a sky. The macro shots revealed details I hadn’t seen through my digital camera or black-and-white film.
I also included a dud shot of a rooftop with bikes and sky, where I should have exposed for the shadows—no detail in the sky, blown highlights, and filled-in shadows. For this film, forget about retaining sky detail; focus on exposing for the darkest areas. I’ve included some original photos of the band I shot so you can see how much the blacks and shadows fill in.
I had Analogue Wonderland develop the film, and I requested premium TIFF scans to allow for some adjustments in post-production. I mainly fixed distracting horizons and lifted shadows slightly, but overall, I left the scans as they were.
Final thoughts on Hanalogital Opal
This is a true “marmite” film—you’ll either love or hate it. A friend of mine saw the results and said, “What the hell is that?!”—it’s not for everyone. I loved the abstract quality of the macro shots, but I’m not sure I’d want that green cast in many situations.
If you’re hoping for dreamy, surreal effects, expect only a few “keepers.” Most of your shots could end up green, or some other colour, so it’s not ideal for anyone seeking consistent results. It’s much more Vivienne Westwood than Chanel—bold, chaotic, and unexpected. There’s something exciting about the randomness, like a Secret Santa gift—you might be pleasantly surprised, or you might be disappointed.
If you’re shooting an important event, bring a second camera with a more reliable film (I used Fuji Neopan Acros II 100, a solid black-and-white choice) or go digital as a backup. Expect nothing, and you might get lucky.
Would I Use This Film Again?
Initially, I thought no—but within 24 hours, I’d bought a roll of Hanalogital’s ‘Oopsie’ because it’s black and white, and I’m clearly a sucker for experimental film. Sometimes, you just have to embrace the unpredictability.
What 3 Words for this film?
- Surreal: The unusual, dreamlike colors and unexpected skies.
- Abstract: Its bold, unconventional color shifts.
- Experimental: The unpredictable results you get from film soup
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