Ilford HP5 Plus — 10.2×12.7 cm (4×5") black and white sheet film, 100 sheets, ISO 400

Ilford HP5 Plus is a fast black and white sheet film in 10.2×12.7 cm (4×5 inch), 100 sheets to the box, ISO 400. With FP4+ it is the other half of Ilford's classic pairing, and alongside Kodak Tri-X it is the film a great deal of the world's photojournalism was shot on.

How the picture looks

A sturdy, dependable picture: manageable contrast, good maximum density, expressive grain that never falls apart. HP5+ is neither the sharpest nor the finest grained — that is not its business. Its business is a confident negative in any conditions, and a tonality that forgives both light and the lack of it.

What to shoot on it

Large-format portraiture, reportage and documentary work, interiors, overcast days and indoors — anywhere ISO 100 has run out. On a sheet, ISO 400 means you can stop down to f/22 and still shoot at a workable shutter speed.

How to shoot it

Nominally ISO 400, but its trump card is headroom: the supplier notes HP5+ can be pushed as far as EI 3200 with matching development. That makes it the only sensible choice for shooting in the dark on large format. Sheet film is loaded into holders (double-sided, two sheets each) in complete darkness — you need a darkroom or a roomy changing bag. One sheet is one frame, and that changes how you shoot: exposure is worked out in advance, composition is built on the ground glass, and every frame costs time. The box holds 100 sheets — roughly €4.40 a frame.

Processing and scanning

Every classic developer — ID-11, D-76, Microphen for pushing, HC-110, Rodinal. Times are in Ilford's datasheet, pushed ratings included. When pushing, remember the general rule: speed is bought from the shadows, so do not expect detail in the darkest parts of the frame.

How it compares

Its direct rival is Kodak Tri-X 320 in sheets, which we also stock: a slightly different tonal curve and grain character, the same class. Kodak T-Max 400 (now sold as Ektapan PRO 400) is sharper and finer grained but pricier and harder. For an everyday working ISO 400, HP5+ is hard to beat on price against reliability.