Film photographers are good at waiting: for development, for drying, for scans. But the HARMAN Griffin 200 story is testing even that patience. The name, packaging, and sample frames are already all over the internet, yet the manufacturer still hasn't said anything official.
I get the impatience because I feel it too. HARMAN, you've got me curious. Now I'd really like to hear from you about the Griffin 200.
Disclaimer. Everything written here about Griffin 200 comes from public sources and leaks. I can't verify it and take no responsibility for its accuracy. I'm not a HARMAN distributor and have no access to the company's internal information. The assessments and conclusions are my personal opinion — and in my opinion HARMAN is deliberately teasing the film community and building hype around the new film.
How the Harman Griffin 200 got out
On 9 October, a Swiss photo retailer put up a Griffin 200 product page with a description, specifications, packaging shots, and sample frames. The page came down quickly, but the Wayback Machine had already captured an archive copy.
From there it went the usual way: specialist forums and English-speaking film communities picked it up, and links to listings at other shops started to appear. A datasheet even showed up briefly on HARMAN's own site — and disappeared just as fast. Forum posters named 15 October as the announcement date.
So I found myself in a situation every fan of new releases knows: enough information to want to try the film, too little to talk about it with confidence.
Harman Griffin 200 specs from the retailer's listing
Here is what the Swiss retailer's page said (my translation from German):
Type | Color negative film |
Speed | ISO 200 |
Process | C-41 |
Format listed | 35mm, 36 exposures; some sample frames are labeled 120 |
Made in | United Kingdom, by HARMAN |
Positioning | HARMAN's first mainstream color film for everyday shooting |
The listing promised particular quality in color, contrast, sharpness, scanning, and exposure latitude, and described the film as a bridge between HARMAN's experimental films and other makers' traditional color negatives.
This is the retailer's copy, not the manufacturer's. HARMAN must provide the final specifications.
The everyday-film promise is what grabs me most. Phoenix, Phoenix II, Red and Switch Azure are films with character, but HARMAN itself calls them experimental. Its FAQ says that as the color project progresses, its new films are expected to become less experimental. Griffin looks like the next step in that direction — but for now that is my expectation, not a fact.
I want to understand its character: how it renders skin, how it handles bright sun, what it shows in the shadows, whether it keeps HARMAN's recognizable look, and how predictable the lab results will be.
When will Harman Griffin 200 be released? The launch is on pause
A few days before the expected announcement, HARMAN Photo posted on its social channels that field trials had highlighted a potential issue with the product it had been "not-so-subtly teasing". The company wants what ends up in photographers' hands to perform exactly as it should, so it is pressing pause to investigate and fix it — and it promised something exciting is still coming.
The post doesn't name Griffin, and it doesn't say what the trials found. The link to the film seems obvious from the context, but it remains an assumption.
I respect that. When you load a roll, you trust it with frames that may exist only once, so an extra check before release is the right call. Still, I'd like more certainty — at least a rough idea of when to expect the next update.
Why there's so much guessing
Some forum posters think the leak may have been deliberate: the teasers, the shop listings and the sample frames lined up a little too neatly. There is no evidence for that, but personally I find it plausible: it looks like HARMAN is deliberately teasing photographers and building hype. That's my opinion, not a fact. It's also too early to talk about artificial scarcity: nobody knows the sales schedule or the supply volumes yet.
What I can describe precisely is my own reaction: I want to try it. As a photographer and the person behind the film at FilmLabStore, I want to understand who the new stock suits, which subjects to trust it with, and what to tell someone picking it up for the first time. The longer I have to piece the answers together from other people's listings and comments, the more I want one detailed statement from HARMAN.
Sample frames shot on Harman Griffin 200
Sample frames credited to named photographers appeared alongside the listing. In the discussions, some people see a resemblance to Phoenix, others a more conventional color palette. I enjoy looking at them, but I'll draw conclusions from my own negatives: a fair assessment needs the shooting, development, scanning, and editing conditions, and nobody has published those.
Below are frames from the retailer's page archive copy. I haven't independently verified that they were shot on Griffin 200.
The announcement I'm waiting for
HARMAN, the interest is already there. I'd really like to know:
What Griffin 200 is and where it sits in your range.
How it differs from Phoenix and Phoenix II in image character.
Which specifications are final and what you recommend for exposure, development, and scanning.
How far along the preparation is and when to expect the next update.
How you plan the launch and supply once the film is ready.
A press release like that would give photographers, shops,s and labs a common starting point. We could discuss Griffin based on your words rather than guesses. I'm happy to wait as long as it takes to get the film right — I want the wait to come with a clear official context.
A personal note: my distribution request was turned down
There's one more reason I'm writing about this so directly. HARMAN Photo, through Stephen Bamber, declined to work with me on distributing its products. I'm a little disappointed — but I'm not giving up.
Beyond HARMAN, plenty of great films remain: some are already in the film catalog, and more will follow. While Griffin is on pause, the closest thing I have to it is Phoenix II.
Harman Griffin 200 FAQ
When will Harman Griffin 200 be released?
There is no official date. Forums expected an announcement on 15 October, but HARMAN paused the release after field trials and hasn't named a new date.
What are the Harman Griffin 200 specs?
According to the Swiss retailer's listing: color negative film, ISO 200, C-41, 35 mm,m 36 exposures, made in the UK. Some sample frames are labeled 120. The final specs have to come from HARMAN.
How does Griffin 200 differ from Phoenix?
Officially, nobody knows yet. The retailer described Griffin as a mainstream everyday film, while HARMAN itself calls Phoenix and Phoenix II experimental.
Where can I buy Harman Griffin 200?
Nowhere yet: the film hasn't been officially released. As soon as HARMAN releases it, I'll post about it. Meanwhile, you can try Phoenix II.
HARMAN, you've got me curious. Now give photographers an official press release — I really want to meet Griffin 200.