Harman Phoenix II - 120 Medium Format Colour Negative Film

Phoenix II on a bigger negative, which is where its grain finally calms down.

The same experimental British emulsion as the 35mm, with a great deal more room to breathe.

Harman Phoenix II 120 Film is an ISO 200 colour negative film in 120 medium format, made by Harman Technology in Mobberley, UK, and Harman's second-generation colour film. No orange mask, visible grain and possible halation in high contrast light. Harman recommends rating it between ISO 100 and 200. Standard C-41.

What Makes Harman Phoenix II 120 Habit-Forming

Where the Grain Settles Down

Grain is the thing people most often hold against Phoenix II in 35mm, and reviewers still describe it as chunky even after the improvements over Phoenix I. A 120 frame is several times the area of a 35mm one, so at the same print or scan size the grain is far less noticeable. If the look appealed to you but the texture did not, this is the format to try.

Launched Alongside the 35mm

The original Phoenix arrived in 35mm in December 2023 and only reached 120 the following year. Harman released Phoenix II in both formats at once in July 2025, which suggests medium format shooters are no longer an afterthought. That original emulsion is still made, and now carries a lower box speed as Phoenix 125 in 120.

A Calmer Emulsion

Harman rebuilt the film with new dyes, new couplers and an experimental layer construct. Its own fact file claims more normal contrast and colour balance, finer grain and wider latitude than Phoenix I, while still describing the result as a creative, experimental film.

Purple Negatives

There is no orange mask, so the negatives come out of C-41 looking purplish, and Harman says that is normal. Colours can render unusually compared with conventional films, and scans may need adjusting whether you use a flatbed or send them to a lab.

Halation on a Larger Frame

Phoenix II can produce orange halos around bright light sources in high contrast scenes. The halo spreads over a fixed distance on the film itself, so on a medium format negative it takes up a smaller share of the frame than it does on 35mm.

Fewer Frames, Same Care

A roll of 120 gives between 8 and 16 frames depending on your camera, and Harman says the film still benefits from accurate exposure. Rate it between ISO 100 and 200 as Harman recommends, and meter each frame properly rather than relying on latitude.

Is Harman Phoenix II available in 120?

Yes. Harman released Phoenix II in 120 and 35mm at the same time in July 2025. It is the same ISO 200 colour negative emulsion in both formats, processed in standard C-41, so what you learn shooting one carries across to the other.

Does Harman Phoenix II look different in 120?

The colour and contrast are the same, but the larger negative makes the grain far less prominent at a given print size, and any halation occupies a smaller proportion of the frame. If the 35mm version felt too gritty for you, medium format is worth a roll before you give up on the film.

Best For Medium format photographers who want colour that does not look like Portra, landscapes and portraits where the lighting is under control, and anyone who liked Phoenix in 35mm but wanted less grain. Once you have shot it, send it our way. We develop, scan and print 120 in house. Harman also encourages experiments in E-6 and ECN-2, which we do not process.

Perfect for: Hasselblad and Mamiya owners bored of the usual colour stocks, people who back new British manufacturing, anyone who wants halation without the grain that comes with it in 35mm, and anyone whose dependency now requires a light box large enough for 6x7.

Medium format suits Phoenix II better than 35mm does. The things Harman left in deliberately, the purple base and the halos, survive the move to a larger negative, while the grain that puts some people off becomes a minor detail. For a film this idiosyncratic, 120 may well be where it makes most sense. The version Harman never tamed is Phoenix 125. Also available in the Phoenix II 35mm & 120 bundle. More colour negative film, posted from North Essex.