Dmitri’s Comment

Dmitri Jul 16, ‘25

Harman updates Phoenix 200 (II) with finer grain, improved colour accuracy, and wider dynamic range. Ilford/Harman’s first colour film since the 1960s, this emulsion is a significant departure from the portfolio of black-and-white films, papers, an…

One of the key upgrades to Harman Phoenix is the contrast control and dynamic range extension.

Dynamic range is roughly the ability of film to simultaneously show detail in shadows and highlights. Films with low dynamic range may struggle to display details in both shadows and highlights in high-contrast scenes, even when the exposure is spot on. (More about dynamic range: analog.cafe/r/dynamic-rang…).

Low dynamic range isn’t necessarily a bad thing. For example, slide films are known for their low DR; while that does make shooting such films more difficult, they produce striking high contrast without the need to make any adjustments after scanning.

But when it comes to colour-negative films, traditional films like Kodak Portra 800 can have up to 12.5 stops of DR (analog.cafe/r/kodak-portra…), which would yield lower contrast but greater flexibility and ease of use.

Phoenix II, according to the datasheet, improves this piece of their emulsion by extending the dynamic range slightly, potentially making it an easier film to shoot.