Today I had my first roll of color film developed in 20 years. While at the lab I picked up a roll of ILFORD XP2 ISO 400 using the C41 process for developing. If you have experience with this film can you post a pic for me, please? Also, any tips or recommendations shooting it.
Anytime someone mentions XP2 I seem to prick up my ears! If you have any interest in developing it in B&W chemicals you might look at the link in my sig. I use it rated anywhere between 100 and 1600 and develop in HC-110. It also comes out rather nicely at 200 in Diafine. In fact, most people recommend shooting it at 200 as that is probably its actual sensitivity (and the C-41 process is tolerant enough to cope with using it at 400, which I suspect Ilford chose mostly for marketing purposes.).
Anytime someone mentions XP2 I seem to prick up my ears! If you have any interest in developing it in B&W chemicals you might look at the link in my sig. I use it rated anywhere between 100 and 1600 and develop in HC-110. It also comes out rather nicely at 200 in Diafine. In fact, most people recommend shooting it at 200 as that is probably its actual sensitivity (and the C-41 process is tolerant enough to cope with using it at 400, which I suspect Ilford chose mostly for marketing purposes.).
Thanks for the reply. Have you ever had this film developed in C41 process? Your pics remind me of old school Tri x Pan 400 as far as the contrast goes. Its many years since I've shot any so its hard to remember.
While at the lab I picked up a roll of ILFORD XP2 ISO 400 using the C41 process for developing. If you have experience with this film can you post a pic for me, please?
This one is XP2 Super lab developed in C41 and then printed with an enlarger:
Exposed using side window light, incident metered at 400.
IIRC I adjusted the light by adjusting the blinds, in order to achieve pleasing separation with the background wall.
Then I printed it on Ilford Multigrade IV RC, making choices to emphasize the texture and luminance of the dying petals.
It was entered in a long ago darkroom print contest run by Ilford/Harman for APUG (as we then were) members.
Despite being shipped half way around the world, it did well in the contest. I guess they forgave me using Kodak chemicals in the printing darkroom.
The film is capable of really nice, subtle textures and tonalities. It is a joy to darkroom print if that is what you are seeking.
By now, even the last stocks should be sold out - the film is no longer produced. I last bought 40 rolls (120) in the UK about two years ago to freeze it. But Ilford XP2 Super will definitely give the same results; AFAIK it's the same emulsion.
Thanks for the reply. Have you ever had this film developed in C41 process? Your pics remind me of old school Tri x Pan 400 as far as the contrast goes. Its many years since I've shot any so its hard to remember.
This is XP2 developed with a Unicolor C-41 presskit:
One of the advantages of pulling it to 200 or 100 and a quick development in HC-110 is that you can tame the film's tendency to be contrasty in C-41. And being a bit on the lazy side I don't enjoy the extra bother of C-41 developing, never mind the increased cost!
XP2 Super gives low contrast negatives when developed normally in C41 process. Hence it works great for high contrast scenes. To get more contrast one needs to do bleach bypass. In B&W negative development process, the film builds contrast quickly and pull processing really helps in taming the contrast.
It depends on the scene and what you want to do with the negatives. Isn't it? If you can get hold of it, please read the chapters on zone system in @RalphLambrecht's Way Beyond Monochrome book. There's good data on XP2 Super there and good advice on its use.
XP-2 Super is (IMO) the most versatile B&W film in today's market. In native C-41 processing, it can be exposed from EI 50 to EI 800 without push or pull processing and give acceptable image quality; it pushes well, can be bleach bypassed to gain 2/3 to 1 stop of actual speed (also offsetting the "too soft" character some complain about), or it can be processed in B&W chemistry including Df96 or other monobath (extra time recommended in monobath to ensure full fixing -- approximately one stop loss of speed in B&W) with almost no image degradation. It can be printed in a B&W darkroom without special handling, but it also prints well on RA-4 (may require a rather heavy filter pack to replace the orange of the common C-41 mask).
In my experience XP2 does not have an orange base coulor. I have developed in C41 and B&W and apart from a slight magenta cast to the film base on some occasions it is otherwise quite clear.
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