Harman Phoenix

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a photo of some cherry blossoms taken on a bright spring day. the colours are deeply saturated and pink.

Harman Phoenix!

in december 2023, harman released the first uk made brand new emulsion. unlike other films which are made from other film stocks, phoenix was devised from emulsion to cassette entirely from scratch. and on a whim as i was looking for colour film for my medium format camera (not the easiest thing to do if you're on a budget), i found it on sale in 120 format and picked myself up a roll.

i was blown away.

a double exposed photo. one shot is of a tall brutalist block of flats. the other is of cherry blossoms. together, it looks otherworldly.

a double exposed photo. one shot is of a tall brutalist block of flats. the other is of a cherry blossom tree. together, it looks otherworldly.

a double exposed photo. one shot is of a tall brutalist block of flats. the other is of cherry blossoms. together, it looks otherworldly.

this is not your average colour film. it's contrasty as hell, it's punchy and bold. the colours - especially reds - hit you in the face. if you're looking for true to life colour or muted tones and a usual contrast, this isn't the film for you. which is fine! there's plenty of films out there already handling that. 

what phoenix is, compared to the classical symphonic conductor you might get with an expensive kodak portra, is a grungy punk rocker. it doesn't care for realism. it wants you to feel something and create something new and bold.

i could go on and on.

a double exposed photo. one shot is of an angular gothic building, providing a silhouette. the other is a selection of blank gravestones in the lot of a gravestone engraver.

the reason i'm writing a blog post on this is that harman have, 18 months later, come out with Phoenix II. this new emulsion will, sadly, be replacing my beloved phoenix and promised to have ironed out a lot of the kinks of the OG - more true to life colours, finer grain, better contrast. and my lorde i'm in two minds.

first off, i ADORE phoenix. i've shot two rolls on my lubitel 2 (a 63 year old TLR camera which takes 120 film) - so here's a note for you. i've heard that phoenix in 35mm is grainy as HECK. 120 film is a larger format than 35mm, so the grain is smaller by comparison. i look at these photos on this page and grain is barely noticeable. in 35mm expect some grain; if i ever shoot this film in 35mm i'll let you know how i get on. 

it's hard to fall in love with something that isn't long for this world. i guess i'll have to save up and grab some while stocks last.

a double exposure. one shot is of the glasgow tower at the science centre, a tall thin metal structure. the other is of a pile of thick heavy ropes.

a double exposed shot of an overgrown bridge with graffiti on the walls. the other shot is of wildflowers and leaves, making it look like the concrete bridge is a field of foliage.

a double exposed shot. one is of a view from the middle of a bridge over the river clyde. the other is the view from the other side. combined, the buildings and bridges in the distance look ghostly and transparent.



of course, i have ordered some phoenix II and can't wait to give it a go. so i wanted to post this first with some of the photos i've taken on the OG phoenix so i can compare them to the brand new film.

so that's it! phoenix, i love you. i can't wait to try out your new sibling. until then, i'm gonna keep shooting.

we need more of this. companies experimenting, coming out with weird and wonderful films. the main downside to me is the price; it's not a novelty per se, but it is a weird film and has a price point that might put off both beginners AND people who want a consistent and reliable film. knowing they take that money and reinvest it straight into R&D for new films is comforting, but yeah, as a beginner i'd be more likely to pick up a reliable kodak gold or kentmere pan than take a risk.

a church in the background is partially obscured by a cherry blossom tree in the foreground.

a triple exposed selfie. there are three ghostly versions of me, against a soft orange.

if you are feeling daring and have a few extra pennies, and you want to experiment or just see how your local area looks in all its weird glory, i recommend phoenix a whole bunch. again, i've only tried it thus far in 120, i have heard in 35mm it gets reeeeeal grainy. all i can say is, they're not making any more of this film, so grab some while it lasts (if you're unsure it's the red box, not the blue, that's the new one)

and finally, if you're buying film in the uk, i can't recommend Analogue Wonderland enough. they sell all sorts of weird and wonderful film, including Phoenix AND Phoenix II in 35mm and 120, and if you follow that link and buy literally anything you'll get a coupon for a FREE roll of Kentmere Pan 400 in 35mm, a decent quality black and white film. and when you've finished your roll, send it off to Gulabi - they're cheap, provide high quality scans, and they're super fast too. 

a double exposure, both of the silhouetted tree branches and leaves as seen through the closed blinds. one shot is sharp and focused, the other is more soft-focused and forms a frame around the first shot.


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