Ilford XP2

Donald Qualls · Mar 10, 2021

Well, worth remembering XP2 Super is sold in 120 as well as 35mm. Wish they'd make it in 4x5, though that might be too spendy for those of us who still occasionally misload a sheet...

However, from my limited experience, the grain in B&W chemistry is comparable to that of Delta 400, perhaps not quite as fine as T-Max 400.

Raghu Kuvempunagar · Mar 10, 2021

Donald Qualls said:
Wish they'd make it in 4x5

+1

Auer · Mar 11, 2021

Gave it a shot in a Lab-Box with D76 1:1, 15 mins constant agitation at 68F. 2 min stop, 2 min Fix with Cinestill F96.

Donald Qualls · Mar 11, 2021

Can't tell about grain in a scan that fits on the screen, really, but clearly you have tones and shadow detail. Shot at box speed?

Auer · Mar 11, 2021

Donald Qualls said:
Can't tell about grain in a scan that fits on the screen, really, but clearly you have tones and shadow detail. Shot at box speed?

Yeah, 400 ISO. Not sure how to categorize grain here, smooth? I scan at 2400 for my use mostly.
Gonna order some 120 too.

Donald Qualls · Mar 11, 2021

I love the stuff in 120. Bleach bypass gives me a pretty honest 800 speed film for my folders. Makes f/3.5 seem okay for indoors available light.

Auer · Mar 11, 2021

Donald Qualls said:
I love the stuff in 120. Bleach bypass gives me a pretty honest 800 speed film for my folders. Makes f/3.5 seem okay for indoors available light.

You use C41? I'm tempted to try Cinestills CS-41 kit with XP2..

Donald Qualls · Mar 11, 2021

I've used the Cs41 kit, it works fine, but don't count on it to get beyond the listed capacity or bottle life. I lost a roll of Fuji NHG800 that way.

Another option would be a mix-your-own 2-batch C-41 developer (I have the Dignan formula, but it's on my home computer and I'm at work). It can produce color shifts and crossover, but none of that happens with XP2 Super. CD-4 isn't expensive, and there's nothing else to speak of in it. Some sulfite, a little potassium bromide, as I recall, and the Bath B is just sodium carbonate in water. Bath A is also reusable, with a very long life, because it doesn't get oxidized.

Juan Valdenebro · Mar 11, 2021

Hi Auer,
The image looks great!
Have you tried EI200 and EI100 to get cleaner shadows under direct sunlight too?
I didn't know that film can be developed with B&W developers... Thanks!

Auer · Mar 11, 2021

Juan Valdenebro said:
Hi Auer,
The image looks great!
Have you tried EI200 and EI100 to get cleaner shadows under direct sunlight too?
I didn't know that film can be developed with B&W developers... Thanks!

I just started, that was from my first roll

Check out http://drmoss.ca/xp2.htm by @drmoss_ca
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/ilford-xp2.175066/#post-2278259

Lots of others like @Donald Qualls have experiences as well with XP2 and B&W chems.

Donald Qualls · Mar 11, 2021

Auer said:
Lots of others like @Donald Qualls have experiences as well with XP2 and B&W chems.

I will say this: if I'm just after a B&W silver image, XP2 isn't what I'll shoot due to cost; I can use .EDU Ultra 400 (aka Fomapan 400) for about half the price per frame. There are, however, things XP2 Super does well that cubic-grain films like Fomapan 400 don't -- not to mention some things XP2 Super can do that Fomapan flat out can't, even badly. Pushing beyond one stop, XP2 does FAR better than Fomapan. Fine grain, no contest (matters a lot more in 35mm or slit down to 16mm than in medium format). EI 800 with grain like Fomapan 100 at box speed is, IMO, where the Ilford C-41 product really shines. Nothing else in today's market (outside Asian, anyway) can do that, at any price -- and that doesn't happen in B&W chemistry, only with C-41 and bleach bypass.

This reminds me, I need to get some XP2 Super in 120 when I get paid. Been out for a while, and I've been wanting to try it in my BCB pinhole camera (I should put a roll through my Ondu, while I'm waiting...).

Auer · Mar 12, 2021

Slight sky streaks at the lower end, I'll figure it out..other than that I'm pleased for a first try for me.
Nikon N70 | Nikon AF Nikkor ƒ/4-5.6/70-300mm ED | Ilford XP2 Super 400
D76 1:1, 15 mins constant agitation at 68F. 2 min stop, 2 min Fix with Cinestill F96.

Auer · Mar 14, 2021

pentaxuser · Mar 14, 2021

Always difficult to judge from a screen but most if not all pics I have seen from XP2 Super in b&w chemicals seem to be pretty grain free. Given that for many, b&w is easier to do than C41 then unless the grain is appreciably worse than that of a print from a C41 produced negative then that makes b&w the obvious choice, doesn't it

Interestingly, at least for me, was trawling through the section on Ilford Photo last night that over the space of a couple of years has included stories, articles on XP2 Super being developed in b&w. The pictures on Ilford have to be prints on Ilford paper or at least I haven't seen any on other paper so what the viewer looks at are actual prints, some of which are at 1600 and again while a screen may disguise grain they all looked pretty good to me

pentaxuser

Auer · Mar 14, 2021

pentaxuser said:
Always difficult to judge from a screen but most if not all pics I have seen from XP2 Super in b&w chemicals seem to be pretty grain free. Given that for many b&w is easier to do than C41 then unless the grain is appreciably worse than that of a print from a C41 produced negative then that makes b&w the obvious choice, doesn't it

Interestingly, at least for me, was trawling through the section on Ilford Photo last night that over the space of a couple of years has included stories, articles on XP2 Super being developed in b&w. The pictures on Ilford have to be prints on Ilford paper or at least I haven't seen any on other paper so what the viewer loos at are actual prints, some of which are at 1600 and again while a screen may disguise grain they all looked pretty good to me

pentaxuser

It's a different look for sure, the most "un-film like" film I ever used as far a grain goes.

Gonna try some low light exposures next, when I get a chance.

Raghu Kuvempunagar · Mar 14, 2021

pentaxuser said:
Given that for many b&w is easier to do than C41 then unless the grain is appreciably worse than that of a print from a C41 produced negative then that makes b&w the obvious choice, doesn't it

If you need true speed of 400 or want usable results at 800/1600 by push processing, C41 is still the best option. OTOH if you treat XP2 Super as a medium speed film then it is an excellent choice for B&W processing.

Kodachromeguy · Mar 14, 2021

Auer said:
It's a different look for sure, the most "un-film like" film I ever used as far a grain goes.

Gonna try some low light exposures next, when I get a chance.

Here are some 2003 XP2 frames that I took in two old mill buildings in Lewiston, Maine. These were mostly 1-sec. exposures. I recently discovered that the negatives were fading, so something was wrong when they were developed originally (not fixed adequately?).

https://worldofdecay.blogspot.com/2020/10/architecture-from-our-industrial-past.html

I have only used XP2 once since then. It is not my style, but I admire its fine grain.

Auer · Mar 14, 2021

Kodachromeguy said:
Here are some 2003 XP2 frames that I took in two old mill buildings in Lewiston, Maine. These were mostly 1-sec. exposures. I recently discovered that the negatives were fading, so something was wrong when they were developed originally (not fixed adequately?).

https://worldofdecay.blogspot.com/2020/10/architecture-from-our-industrial-past.html

I have only used XP2 once since then. It is not my style, but I admire its fine grain.

How was this developed?

Kodachromeguy · Mar 14, 2021

Auer said:
How was this developed?

These were developed in C41 at a local lab (no longer extant).

Auer · Mar 19, 2021

Nikon N70 | Nikon AF Nikkor ƒ/4-5.6/70-300mm ED | Ilford XP2 Super 400 | Kodak D76

Auer · Mar 21, 2021

Donald Qualls said:
This reminds me, I need to get some XP2 Super in 120 when I get paid. Been out for a while, and I've been wanting to try it in my BCB pinhole camera (I should put a roll through my Ondu, while I'm waiting...).

I just ordered a bunch in 120, does it dry fairly flat?

ParkerSmithPhoto · Mar 21, 2021

Recently, I printed a roll of XP2 35mm negs from 20 years ago, these were processed C-41.

Comparing them to Kodak T400CN, the Kodak is deep orange, and as you might guess these negs are like trying to print a safelight.

The XP2 negative is a pleasant purple, and prints easily with terrific tonality.

If I was in London and ran out of FP4 and all I could get was XP2, I'd be totally comfortable shooting it. It's a great film.

Donald Qualls · Mar 22, 2021

Auer said:
I just ordered a bunch in 120, does it dry fairly flat?

Been a while since I processed XP2 Super in 120, but I think I recall nice flat negatives. Most modern C-41 films dry pretty flat.

ParkerSmithPhoto said:
Comparing them to Kodak T400CN, the Kodak is deep orange, and as you might guess these negs are like trying to print a safelight.

Kodak was aiming their product at being optically printed in the same machines that produced color prints, so they put the same orange mask in to provide color correction and get a neutral image on RA-4 color paper.

Ilford, by contrast, aimed their product at home darkroom printing, and made it so it worked on the silver image papers they make and sell.

pentaxuser · Mar 22, 2021

If it is of any help, I had some XP2 Super developed by a lab for me many years ago and the film came back perfectly flat as well so I see no reason to doubt that the nature of this film is to dry flat

pentaxuser

Auer · Mar 23, 2021

ISO 800, D76

Ilford XP2

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