Ilford FP4+ vs Kentmere 100: which is the better black and white film stock?

[@PictorialPlanet-]

Thoroughly enjoyed your review. Thank you.

[@patternsinsand]

@@PictorialPlanet- thanks for watching too

[@AlexMakuch]

Thanks for the comparison! And lovely shots/drone footage :)

[@patternsinsand]

Thanks, Alex!

[@isabelcorazon3723]

Informative, cheeky, fun and well produced! More please :)

[@JFredick]

Awesome video and great sarcasm to boot. I want to try Kentmere 100 in 120 format. Thank you for your refreshing insight.

[@patternsinsand]

Thanks, glad you found it useful!

[@devroombagchus7460]

Thanks! I have learned a lot. Also thanks for the wonderful images. One note. A trap I frequently fall into is that “which is the better…, cannot be answered. It should be followed by “for…”. Budget and subject play an important role. Especially when prices of film keep going up. Thanks to you, I know that probably Kentmere is the “better” film, now that I have retired.

[@patternsinsand]

Good point. What's better for one circumstance isn't true for another!

[@DavidL5star]

Nice comparison. I have recently compared the two films and given the price differential here in the UK - Kentmere is roughly 50% of Ilford - I struggle to see the difference.

[@patternsinsand]

Yes, my last couple of bulk rolls have been Kentmere 100. Not half the price here in Australia but enough of a difference in cost, without much in the way of perceptible loss in quality. It's a great film.

[@marknicholson5293]

Good to know. Thanks

[@adamgabriel730]

Great videos!

[@patternsinsand]

Thanks, Adam!

[@FJWoods007]

Very nice video. Just ordered five boxes of Kentmere 100 in 120, and look forward to seeing how that holds up against Tri-X, as I'm done with Foma as well.

[@patternsinsand]

I've hard some people say Foma is ok if you overexpose it but that doesn't help with some of the flaws and inconsistencies in the emulsion. I haven't used Tri-X in years. I remember it was easier to get a punchier print in the darkroom but these days I love the slightly flatter profile of Kentmere - gives a lot of flexibility in scanning. And it's a LOT cheaper!

[@lelandfitz1762]

@@patternsinsand Any opinion on Agfa APX 100? Just asking because it really is a lot cheaper than Ilford.

[@patternsinsand]

@@lelandfitz1762It's a great film. I've heard it's actually the same as Kentmere 100 and Rollei RPX 100. I'm not sure how true that is but it definitely has similar tonality, grain and flexibility. Definitely a step up from Fomapan in my experience - good quality control and consistent results.

[@lelandfitz1762]

@@patternsinsand Thank you for the info and your quick response!

[@devroombagchus7460]

Thanks a lot. I use HP5, but I’ll try Kentmere 400. Why do you add “stock” after film. For me, it means that you have loads of it.

[@patternsinsand]

I wish! Using 'stock' in terms of film that is readily available for sale :)

[@Yosser70]

“Film stock” is a term picked up from movie making, which just refers to what film is being used. It doesn’t really have anything to do with photography film but guess it means the same thing.

[@iainmc9859]

Okay, its running up to Christmas in Scotland, leaden skies, slushy ground with only my cat for company. You made me laugh, so I subscribed. I reckon I can't tell the difference between the two films as development and real world lighting conditions tend to negate out any other variables. I'm peed off because a photoshoot tomorrow has just been cancelled because people don't like getting cold (I blame digital photography) so I've got no plans until Christmas Day. Say hello to my cousins in Sydney, the Maguires, if you bump into them 😉

[@patternsinsand]

Sounds like it could be a great opportunity for some indoor still life photography. 35 degrees here in Perth todat (yes, a different Perth). If I find myself 4000km away, on the other side of the continent and bump into the McGuires, I'll definitely say hello!

[@mikhaillinberg9568]

Thanks for the review. It’s a pity that the same shots were not taken on different films. To make the comparison clearer. I would also like to add Delta 100 and Fomapan 200 here.👍

[@patternsinsand]

Might have to do a follow-up review, though I've had a few bad experiences with Foma film and tend to leave that one alone/

[@northof-62]

Just ordered 10 Kentmere 400s. Probably some more grains in them. Miss the Tri-X @200 ASA - Microdol-X combo.

[@jbliborio]

I like Ilford FP4, it's one of my favorite but I'll try Kentmere.

[@patternsinsand]

I'm sure you won't be disappointed. It has most of the benefits of FP4 - they just skimped a bit on the silver!

[@CJBradley]

I'm waiting for some K100x36 to arrive in the post, it seemed like a good alternative to more expensive B&W films out there at £19.50 for a three pack and already I'm encouraged watching your video. Thank's / Subbded.!

[@patternsinsand]

These days I only ever bother with FP4 if I can get it for the same price as K100.

[@srdjanbasaric517]

With this type of photography, you're always on the edge of knife. My recommendation is Agfapan 100 + Microdol x. The water for the developer must be ph7, the developer at 20 C. If you want more details, dilute the developer 1:4, then develop over 20 min. turn the dose gently 4 times every minute. I don't think that Microdol is made anymore, but there is a substitute for sure. Ilford's Perceptol, I don't know if it is still produced, is a bad substitute. If I make a mistake, I apologize in advance, all my knowledge is from more than 20 years ago.

[@patternsinsand]

Yes, I think Microdol is hard to find but I've seen Perceptol around and have heard it's great for fine grain development. Might have to compare it to Xtol some time!

[@srdjanbasaric517]

@@patternsinsand Try it, but don't dilute it. I tried and got nothing.

[@patternsinsand]

@@srdjanbasaric517 Thanks for the advice. Obviously not a very forgiving developer!

[@misterleary]

Actually Agfapan 100 is nowadays Kentmere 100. Agfa doesn't produce films for years now. It's just the brand name.

[@srdjanbasaric517]

@@misterleary The only thing I know is that the entire Agfa line for the production of film and paper was bought by Cheks, that was almost 30 years ago. I don't know what happened next, I had a little break in photography. :)

[@blazerbarrel2]

Fp4 for sure , doesn’t block up , white creamy skin tone if you want it , fine traditional grain , controllable gray scale !

[@patternsinsand]

FP4 is probably the most versatile, simply because it doesn't skimp on silver. I was positively surprised by Kentmere. All things being equal (cost) I'd still pick FP4 but I wouldn't be ashamed to run Kentmere through my camera for all but the most critical jobs!

[@danienelphoto]

Love FP4. I've never tried Kentmere, but I HATED Kentmere fibre based papers back in the days when I was still printing. It was flatter than a hunger striking prisoner's backside. I wouldn't mind giving a cheaper FP4 a go, though.

[@patternsinsand]

Give the film a chance :) It stands up well and I have a roll of it in my bulk loader now.

[@WithCielo]

Thank you this was very helpful!

[@patternsinsand]

You're welcome. Happy new year!

[@williamburkholder769]

Very entertaining. Do you make silver prints, or do you scan your images with a scanner, or macro photograph them with a camera?

[@patternsinsand]

Thanks, William. I have access to a film scanner which gives a great result. A bit slower than a flatbed or macro but macro photography is a bit fiddly to set up. I don't print enough, though I can print at work. That's just laziness.

[@50mmnikonainikkor55]

Formapan 100 .Cheap and cheerful.

[@patternsinsand]

I've found foma to be a bit less reliable but any cheep and cheerful film is a blessing

[@gavinjenkins899]

Although it would certainly be boring to do the whole video this way, I think you should still include an actual controlled example when doing head to heads. Surely you own two of at least some lens, like 2 nifty 50s or something, to slap on for one shot of the car before heading out to the real shoot or something, exactly the same.

[@patternsinsand]

Recently got my hands on a second 50mm Nikon f/1.8 AFD that came with a camera body. Good idea!

[@lesliewalters3896]

Yes ! Photograph loads of shit. I wish I had done this when I was twenty. Stuff that was commonplace then is worth gold now. Click it before you lose it !

[@patternsinsand]

Thanks Leslie, I like to think I’m a consummate shit photographer

[@andyvan5692]

at 0:11 great joke, pun, whatever you call it; another one is: if you ate a dirty piece of chicken would it taste "fowl"?

[@patternsinsand]

You joke but I might end up using that!

[@tazkforcealpha]

But please, no more ass details comparisons

[@YallaMoussa]

Great videos!

[@patternsinsand]

Thanks!