Fully agree with your statements around the tactile experience in using a real camera. Even more so a fully mechanical one. Curiously, many of the improvements HP5+ gained over its plus-less predecessor were apparently tailored for press photographers (Photo Pro issue 4, 1989). Pushability up to ISO 3200 was one of them. So was the slightly finer grain and a bit more shadow detail than its fierce competitor for the press market, Kodak Tri-X . Some people just prefer that more dramatic Daido Moriyama look. You can get contrast with HP5 Plus in the right light. You could push it – up to ISO 3200 according to Ilford – for more contrast too. But if you’re going to do that for the contrast alone, why not just buy a film with more contrast in the first place? When Ilford describe the differences between their Delta and Plus lines, they mention how films in the latter are good for beginners or those still learning – which is all of us, to be fair. They can handle under or overexposure and can be pushed and pulled all over too. A lot of shots did come out on the flatter side as advertised, but when I found myself in environments with good light and shadow too, the HP5 Plus did give me that contrast. It’s said to have very good dynamic range, which means you can trust it whenever you find yourself in a similar spot.

Shop with us to get your hands on a roll of this exceptional film. NB: sometimes called Ilford HP5+ 35mm film I can’t speak from experience when it comes to developing HP5 Plus, but I can point you in the right direction for the information needed to do so yourself. The processing chart is right here, the massive dev chart entry is right here, and the general data sheet is right here.In 1939, this was replaced by HP2, an ISO 200 offering. This only lasted for two years until being superseded by the imaginatively titled HP3 in 1941, which was rated at different speeds depending on when in its life cycle you bought it. Don’t forget to look at our HP5 at 1600 we mentioned earlier. Finally, you can see the results with Pyro developer in our HP5 400 In Pyro 510 review. Ilford’s other famous range is Delta which uses newer (est. 1990) technology with finer grain at the cost of a narrower dynamic range and a smaller margin of error for development times. HP5 is an Ilford film, which means it is manufactured here in the UK in Cheshire and ships directly to us, fresh from the factory. It is ISO 400 which means it can be shot in normal British weather, whether that is its autumn, winter, spring or summer. ISO 400 can definitely be shot outdoors, but one of the reasons that it is so loved is because it can be pushed and pulled, and still get fantastic results in terms of grain, contrast and final image. I developed using the same formula I do for other box speed films; two reel tank with 600ml cold water, 8ml rodinal, agitation for the first twenty seconds, stand for half an hour, one inversion and some horizontal “spins”, and then stand again for forty minutes. Stop-rinse with cold water, and then a double bath fix. I usually fix for a while and sort of leave it after the initial inversions, and for expired films I feel like the fix stage cannot be overdone. The longer I leave the fix the better the results feel, although this may be in my mind.

I think also talk of “developing at 800” might be a bit confusing. You can’t really develop at an ISO – the development process doesn’t care what ISO the film is rated at. You either develop as per the normal instructions, or you push or pull by a number of stops – regardless of the film speed. When you’re pushing film this far, most film developing recipes will tell you to Stand to Develop, or Semi-Stand Develop your negatives. Stand developing is when you use a highly diluted developer, and gently agitate the solution for the first minute, and then leave the solution to sit undisturbed for the remainder of the development process. Semi-stand is a similar process but with additional gentle agitation every half hour or so. Take a look at this guide to learn how agitation methods can change the look and feel of film. Kentmere offers a more classic look from being less perfect (vs. TMax), having more visible grain and lower contrast. Kodak TMax 400 is very modern and smooth looking from the fine T-grain structure. T-Max 400 is the best 400 speed film, especially in 35mm film format in terms of resolving power and look for my taste. That said TMax is so perfect it can look almost digital especially in 120 film format. I do quite like the classic look of film photography so Kentmere 400 will suit my needs in many instances and especially for low light. More Kentmere sample photos exposure rolls can help you make your mind up about a film without committing to a full roll of 36 exposures. A full roll of film may take you a while to finish, and this is great for when you have a project or specific idea in mind that you need a lot of images for. However, if you are simply testing a film, or want to experiment by trying a favourite film in a new way, 24 exposure is the faster and more cost effective way to go.And let’s not forget that ISO 400 rating gives you plenty of speed to shoot in the potentially ever-changing lighting conditions out in the street too. A new bottle of DD-X lasts only 6 months after opening, and it requires much more developer per roll than many of its rival liquid developer solutions. DD-X uses a standard 1+4 dilution (1 part developer: 4 parts water), requiring 100ml for each roll of 120, or 2 rolls of 35mm film. HC-110 is far more economical. Its standard dilution A is 1+15 (31.25ml), and the favorite Dilution B using 1+31 dilution, or 15.625ml of developer. This means a single 1L bottle of DD-X can develop 10 rolls, (with no developer re-use for maximum quality), while HC-110 can develop between 32 and 64 rolls. Developer I far prefer the grain on HP5 Plus to the overbearing style I got with Ilford Pan 400. I found it to be noticeably sharper than Kentmere 400, although that’s not surprising given Kentmere is the budget brand from Harman, the company behind Ilford.

Film grain can appear smooth or sharp. Smooth grain will fade from view while taking some detail away also. Sharp grain may help reveal some fine elements in your images. Grain sharpness can change depending on the developer though the film itself plays a significant role in its appearance. Want to see some of the different ways you can use Ilford HP5 400? We have put together some of our favourite HP5 400 shots by our customers – you can see them here.So my experience here is that color films (as you note) are a complete waste of time. You never know what you’re going to get, and the chance that the random colors will be pleasing is small. As with Tri-X, HP5+’s grain is present, yet not overwhelming . It neither muddies the image nor takes away from fine detail. Up to now, this doesn’t sound like the kind of film I’d particularly want to shoot much of. Medium contrast, grain not overbearing but not the cleanest, ISO 400 like so many others… It all sounds a bit middle-of-the-road. I haven’t gone down that rabbit hole myself, but people do report good results from doing so elsewhere. Judging by the results it gave me and for the price at which it did, I have to say I like it quite a bit. There’s no question I’d shoot it again.

You can also push it to 1600 speed while maintaining good detail and resolution, and after shooting it you will be able to use a wide range of home developing chemicals to nail your ideal aesthetic. Video Review There have been so many times that I’ve wanted to take my camera along with me for evening walks or to go hang out with friends, but all I’ve got on the shelf is a bunch of HP5. At ISO 400, it’s good for daytime or golden hour, but it’s not fast enough to handhold when the light fades. The good news is there’s no film out there that can’t be pushed, but how far can you really push an ISO 400 film before it just looks bad? The original Kentmere 400 film box branding said “Kentmere 400” on the side (white box and cassette label). The new branding reads “Pan 400” on one side and it has a pink-purple box design. (“Kentmere” is written on the other side). If Kentmere 400 becomes known as Pan 400 it is very easy to confuse this film with the Ilford Pan 400. They are different film from my own testing but no wonder people get confused! I thought I would mention it. AGFA Photo APX 400 vs Kentmere 400When you’re using Rodinal large pushes, though, there is a point where it creates too much grain. If you’re underexposing film more than 3 stops, like pushing HP5+ to ISO 6400 (+5 stops) or 12,800 (+6 stops), there comes a point where not enough grains receive proper exposure to make an image, resulting in a huge loss of detail in the shadows of an image. So the developer and fixer will wash away the unexposed grains. This process leaves unexposed holes in between the large grains, causing the negative to appear grainier according to this document written by Kodak scientists about the invention of T-Grain films. See part one of my High EI Shootout for examples and thoughts on HP5 PLUS shot at and developed for EI 12800. If you would like to see examples shot and developed for EI 25600, please visit part two of my High EI Shootout. A part three at EI 51200 is coming. CONTRAST CHARACTERISTICS This sequentially numbered HP range has remained at ISO 400 ever since, through the 1970s and 1980s in the form of HP4 and HP5, and on to today with the introduction of HP5 Plus in 1989. The HP5+ performed a bit worse, even when using the same approach as the Delta 400, with a +1 adjustment and consistent development methods. There wasn’t a lot of detail to be found in any of my results from this, so I adjusted the development to accommodate for a stronger dilution to see if that would bring out a bit more from the emulsion. Expired HP5+ You can now buy 35mm Kentmere film in the UK and Europe too. As mentioned, originally it was only available in the US.