I also shot a roll of Harman Phoenix II

I am not above being influenced, but also I am still trying out a whole lot of film stocks and finding stuff that I like. Several weeks of YouTube and IG posts about Phoenix II I got my single 120 roll delivered in the post.

Side Note: Just in case someone is accidentally actually reading this, a) sorry, but also b) film manufacturing in 2025 incredibly over simplified: Kodak in the US is manufacturing basically all the colour film going around. Harman in the UK is manufacturing B&W (including Ilford film). There are other pockets of manufacturing in Europe and Japan, but it is very small in comparison. A lot of the films on this list are actually Kodak. Harman have invested a bunch in research and development in making a new colour film. Their first release was Phoenix in 2023. Phoenix II is their second release of a new colour film. It is pretty affordable, supports continued research and development into what hopefully will be Phoenix III in a year or so - so why not try it out for fun 😁 Also, I am not qualified to “review” film, this is just me prattling on about what I like or didn’t like from the film.

This is only the second roll of 120 I’ve shot in Franka Solida II.

Did I learn anything from the first time? No. Foreshadowing

Did I enjoy it? Yes.

The neighbour’s yuccas

I have mentioned I really like the colours from Kodak Gold and 250D, and the first roll of film I shot in the folding camera was Kodak Gold. Phoenix II definitely has a different colour palette, and I do really like the way it renders blues and greens. It is definitely a lot cooler than Kodak Gold.

Will I ever learn to focus this thing? Franka Solida II - f5.6, 150sec exposure - Haraman Phoenix II (@ ISO160) processed in ECN-2

Even knowing the focus distance markings on the lens are in feet and looking at the hyperfocus scale on the lens I still failed completely to get the carillon in focus. It isn’t motion blur - I can see the railings on the bridge come into focus about half way across the lake. I like the colour of the blue on the carillon, and the halations around the highlights. I just wish it was in focus. I should have stopped down more (although then I would have brought the focus even further forward, still relying on the hyperfocal marks on the lens) and would have end up with like a 5 minute exposure.

So, if I don’t rely on hyperfocal distances, I can focus? Franka Solida II - f8, 1/300 - Haraman Phoenix II (@ ISO160) processed in ECN-2

I really like that the blue in the sky that came through despite the cloud cover, and the way the bits of green pop out.

National Museum of Australia. Franka Solida II - f11, 1/125 - Haraman Phoenix II (@ ISO160) processed in ECN-2

I also shot this scene on B&W with a couple of different coloured filters, hoping they’d make the loop pop against the cloudy sky. Are they light leaks? Ohh yes. The rest of the film gets worse, much worse. I failed to tightly roll the film onto the take up spool when I finished it / it was failing to roll correctly the whole time I was shooting 😒

A tree. Franka Solida II - f8, 1/125 - Haraman Phoenix II (@ ISO160) processed in ECN-2

On the way to lunch with mum we drove past this vacant block in the inner-north of Canberra, a rare site, and it had this great tree on it. So, after lunch I drove back past it to grab a photo. I really thought I had centred the tree in the frame, not sure how I got it that far off, I also thought it filled more of the frame 😂 Also, the light leaks … maybe an edit?

Same tree. Franka Solida II - f8, 1/125 - Haraman Phoenix II (@ ISO160) processed in ECN-2

Nah. Not sure I captured what I wanted. Focus is soft, again. Lacks contrast, the tree doesn’t pop at all, even if the green grass does.

Mum. Franka Solida II - f8, 1/125 - Haraman Phoenix II (@ ISO160) processed in ECN-2

We are nearing the end end of the roll and the light leaks only get worse 😂

But I like the photo. I like the exposure and the greens. I think it is even in focus.

So, what did I learn?

I like the square image format, but I need to get better at framing things up correctly, and composing images with it in mind from the beginning.

These markings are complete lies. The apertures are accurate enough based on exposure, but the hyperfocal distance markers are just meaningless. All lies

I need to learn how to load the 120 rolls better - I think I was doomed from the outset. I could blame the camera, it isn’t the easiest thing to load, but it is ultimately my fault. (Rolling on the roll that is in there now feels different already.)

Phoenix II processed in ECN-2 works really well - Shaka1277 is right on that. If you have ECN-2 chemicals around absolutely process this film in ECN-2. Exposing at ISO160 and ECN-2 results in very little grain, just need to watch the highlights a little more than you would with something like Kodak Gold.

I can see how the purple base of the film would make lab scanning hard, but scanning at home I didn’t have any issues. White balance, Negative Lab Pro, all defaults. I mean, scanning 120 at home is still not easy. Tripods. Awkward film holders. Far too much dust.

Phoenix II 120

I didn’t really like many of the photos off this roll. The first frame at the carillon might have worked out ok if it was focused. The one of the yuccas I actually like. The contrast of the green and blue and it was sharp.

There were a few other photos on the roll that I could see what I was trying to do, but didn’t achieve what I set out to capture. I was rushing. I was excited to get through the roll and see how the images turned out. This is stupid because I was rushing during individual frames, and I should have taken my time. I have (an out of focus) shot of a road at the arboretum, and all I needed to do was to walk 20m up the road and adjust the framing for a MUCH better photo, but I didn’t. I rushed. I took the image where I was standing, even though I was using a tripod 😒

A few days later there is a roll of Kodak Gold 120 in the camera, I have taken 4 frames on the roll so far. I need to get back to being more purposeful, especially with the 120 film. I mean, I have a roll of TMax 400 that has been in one camera for 2 months now? I am waiting for the right conditions for a photo, and I am OK with continuing to wait. I am very eager to finish the roll, but I can wait, and maybe I should have with this roll of Phoenix II.

Is Phoenix II a good film? Again, entirely unqualified. I like the blues and the greens. I like the contrast against something like Kodak Gold. I could see myself trying another roll sometime. But it cost more than Kodak Gold, and quite a bit more than Kodak ColorPlus. Maybe I should try it in 35mm? But being unable to buy it locally, shipping a single roll of film basically doubles the cost.

Either way, happy Harman are continuing to invest in the project and provide more options for people. Maybe Phoenix III will have even more improved dynamic range, and maybe it will come down in price a little and provide some much needed competition in the market.