Harman proves film is not dead with a brand-new wallet-friendly 35mm camera film

Kentmere Pan 200
(Image credit: Harman)

Harman, the company behind the popular Ilford and Kentmere film brands, has pulled the wrapper off Kentmere Pan 200 – an all-new ISO200 black-and-white emulsion aimed squarely at shooters who crave punchy tones without punishing their wallets.

At ISO200, Kentmere’s latest sits in that Goldilocks sensitivity zone – fast enough for handheld street work, fine-grained enough for detailed work and enlargements.

Like its Kentmere 100 and 400 siblings, Pan 200 is produced on the same UK-based production lines as Ilford’s premium films, but trims out some of the silver content to keep costs accessible for students and budget-conscious shooters.

Yet the company is still promising “enhanced contrast, pleasing, well-controlled grain and good sharpness”.

Its arrival couldn’t be better timed. Film is still enjoying a renaissance, with reports of new generations of photographers snapping up point-and-shoots and 35mm compacts, and social feeds are awash with grain-lovers' vacation snaps and disposable camera candids. We even saw a brand new film camera launched last year in the shape of the Pentax 17.

Yet that boom has come at a price. Fujifilm and Kodak have recently jacked certain film prices way up, blaming raw materials and logistics costs.

However, Kentmere has always been one of the cheapest films you can get – and thankfully, Kentmere Pan 200 lands without any price increase. It is set to launch for the same price as Kentmere 100 and 400 – currently $7.95 / £5.50 (Australian pricing to be confirmed) for a 35mm roll of 36 exposures.

Kentmere Pan 200 will also be available in 35 mm (24 and 36-exposure) DX-coded rolls, 100-ft bulk, and 120 rolls – covering everything from thrift-store point-and-shoots to medium-format workhorses.

Kentmere black-and-white films are panchromatic, making them suitable for darkroom printing. They can be developed using various black-and-white film developers.

If you can’t wait to get your hands on the latest emulsion, check out some sample photos below to see what it’s capable of.

You might also like...

Check out more film options in our guide to the best film for 35mm cameras, or if you need a film camera, take a look at our guide to some of the best film cameras for classic models on the second-hand market.

Gareth Bevan
Reviews Editor

Gareth is a photographer based in London, working as a freelance photographer and videographer for the past several years, having the privilege to shoot for some household names. With work focusing on fashion, portrait and lifestyle content creation, he has developed a range of skills covering everything from editorial shoots to social media videos. Outside of work, he has a personal passion for travel and nature photography, with a devotion to sustainability and environmental causes.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.