Rollei RPX 100 — 135 black and white film, 36 exp, ISO 100

Rollei RPX 100 is a black and white negative film, a 135 cassette of 36 frames, ISO 100, standard black and white processing. It is a plain general-purpose film from the RPX line: no particular character, no tricks, and noticeably cheaper than the name-brand emulsions in its class.

How the picture looks

RPX is an honest working film with even, classic grain and predictable tonality. The maker states outright that its resolution, sharpness, fine grain and halation protection are lower than the more expensive emulsions — Ilford FP4+, Ilford Delta 100, ADOX CHS 100 II, Fujifilm Neopan Acros II, Kodak T-Max 100. That is exactly why it costs less. At postcard size, in a scan for the web and across most real subjects, you have to go looking for the difference.

Exposure

Exposure holds no surprises: the nominal ISO 100 behaves as printed on the box, and any modern meter reading can be taken at face value. It can be pushed — look up the development time for the higher rating in Rollei's datasheet; beyond that it asks nothing special of your technique.

What to shoot on it

The maker recommends it across a wide range of subjects: portraits, landscape, architecture. It is an everyday film for decent light — when you want a normal, recognisable black and white frame without paying premium-emulsion money for it.

Processing

It develops in every common developer. A useful tip from the maker for anyone developing at home: the Kentmere 100 times can be used as-is. The film is forgiving of small errors — exactly what you want when learning to develop your own, without the fear of ruining expensive material.

How it compares

Its nearest neighbours on the shelf and in price are Kentmere 100 and Fomapan 100; the more expensive alternatives the maker measures itself against are Ilford FP4+, Ilford Delta 100, ADOX CHS 100 II, Fujifilm Neopan Acros II, Kodak T-Max 100. It differs from Rollei Retro and Superpan fundamentally: those are aerial emulsions with steep contrast and infrared reach, this is an ordinary, quiet film you load and shoot.