Harman

Harman Announces Phoenix II Color Film and We’re Stoked

Harman Announces Phoenix II Color Film and We’re Stoked Film is (thankfully) not dead. That’s the message from Harman, as today they announced the release of their latest film emulsion, Phoenix II. Back in 2023, Harman produced its first color negative film, and today’s announcement reminds us that their foray into color isn’t a one-off but a serious attempt to create something unique specifically for photographers. The Phoenix II film stock is available as a 36-exposure ISO 200 emulsion in 35mm or in 120 formats, edge numbered one to 19. It produces a stronger contrast, more balanced color, and finer grain than its predecessor, but keeps all of the character that made the original special. Compared to traditional color films (like a Kodak Gold 200 or Fujifilm Superia 400), it may produce images that lend themselves to high contrast, cooler tones, but from the samples Harman provided, I’m really loving the feeling they elicit. They sit somewhere between nostalgic and cinematic without being heavy-handed either way. Harman’s Phoenix II can be processed in C41 chemicals, which should make it easy and relatively inexpensive, unlike some cine film stocks that require special processing or more expensive E-6 processing. For me, the exciting part of this announcement is the fact that there are companies that are still seriously pushing the boundaries of film. Finding new and innovative processes and in turn, giving photographers a new set of tools to work with. Even if you’re not a pro, the more options available to hobbyists or simply the artistically curious, the more likely we are to see innovation in art. And there’s no downside to that. A recent conversation about some of the boredom I’ve had with new digital cameras revealed what I’ve known for years—most digital sensors are made by Sony, and this has made the resulting images kind of monotonous. In my opinion, analog film continues to capture viewers’ attention and imagination because of its organic nature—no two film stocks are alike, and even the same film stock can look wildly different over time. I’m excited by this bit of news, and while I might not make a dime from the images I make with Phoenix II, I hope that it will help me create images that are not only unique but also timeless.
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Film is (thankfully) not dead. That’s the message from Harman, as today they announced the release of their latest film emulsion, Phoenix II. Back in 2023, Harman produced its first color negative film, and today’s announcement reminds us that their foray into color isn’t a one-off but a serious attempt to create something unique specifically for photographers.

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