Ilford HP5 Plus

HP5 Plus is a forgiving 400-speed film with medium contrast and a broad tonal range. It is not chasing perfect smoothness. It gives you a useful negative in a lot of different light.

How it behaves

Shoot it at 400 for the most open shadows and easiest negatives. It responds well to push processing when light gets scarce, and it pushes to 1600 or 3200 well. Rate and develop the whole roll consistently, because contrast builds with the push. It is very flexible across developers.

Questions people ask

Can you push HP5 Plus?

Yes. It responds well to push processing and pushes to 1600 or 3200. Contrast builds as you push.

Is HP5 Plus good for beginners?

Yes. The latitude is five star, so it forgives exposure slips, which is why students learn on it.

HP5 Plus or Tri-X 400?

Both are classic 400 speed films. HP5 has a slightly softer contrast curve than Tri-X and slightly finer grain to most eyes.