Harman Phoenix II 200 .
Harman has always been known as a top notch producer of black and white film so when it released Phoenix 200 in 2023 there was a lot of excitement. That film ultimately proved to be an introductory step and was replaced with an improved emulsion in 2025. It was not an incremental improvement; it was fundamental: finer grain, smoother contrast, wider exposure latitude, better highlight and shadow retention and more natural colours.
It certainly is a more refined film. The colours are cool and distinctive — more pastel than punchy — and contrast is controlled. It can be used in a range of situations from travel to architecture, portraiture to landscapes — but it rewards good light and careful metering. It might not be the first choice for any of these subjects, but give it a bright day and a little attention and it delivers.
There are a few things to note. It is grainy and the halation is certainly present. This means it’s not your bog standard colour film — it’s a film with oodles of character but does not scream for attention. It’s not for everyone, but there are photographers who love this film for its character and that it looks distinctive. This doesn’t look like Kodak film, and for some, that’s the whole point.
- + Street photography in good daylight — the grain and halation add character
- + Travel in bright conditions — versatile across subjects when given good light
- + Fine art and creative projects where you want a distinctive look
- − Low light or indoor work — choose CineStill 800T or Portra/Ektacolor Pro 800
- − Vivid, saturated colour — choose Ektar 100
- − Push or pull flexibility — choose Portra/Ektacolor Pro 400 (colour)
more from their film.
Phoenix II is ISO 200 but Harman's own testing found it performs best rated between EI 100 and 200 depending on the scene's brightness and contrast. Grain in 35mm is pronounced — expect a crunchy, textured look that is part of the film's character. In 120, grain reads as noticeably finer at typical output sizes. Latitude is asymmetric: Phoenix II handles slight overexposure well, but underexposure is punishing — even one stop under can shift colours dramatically toward brown and muddy green. Meter for midtones and err a third to two-thirds of a stop toward overexposure. Bracketing is recommended until you know the film.
Contrast is medium — deeper than Portra or Gold but not extreme. Colours are cool and subdued with a pastel palette; saturation sits below Gold or Ektar. The lack of an orange mask gives the negatives a distinctive purplish cast, and colour rendition is unconventional — green-leaning with cooler tones. Halation around bright highlights is pronounced and golden in character. Scanning requires care: the absent orange mask means most scanner profiles need adjustment, and the SP3000 in particular benefits from a custom channel. For exposures beyond one second, the reciprocity formula is adjusted time = metered time^1.31.
Store unexposed film in a cool, dry place between 10 and 20°C. Fridge or freezer storage is fine — allow the film to fully acclimatise before loading. Process promptly after exposure.