Ilford XP2 Review - "The Colour B&W Film"

[@fredbarron8582]

I've used a few rolls of this film lately, I like it, it is really easy to get good exposure. One thing I've found is I get the best results in bright contrasty light, it doesn't look so good on overcast days or low key scenes.

[@AnalogueWonderland]

ah ok, that's good insight - thanks for sharing fred!

[@slug6663]

recently shot this film and i’m really pleased with the flexibility. i don’t home process and use high street labs mosty, so i was pretty upset when i learnt things like FP4 cost more than double and take even longer. but the guy told me about xp2 so i won’t go back! the more you know! nice channel defo got a sub from me mate 🤝

[@AnalogueWonderland]

ah thanks buddy! 😊 Glad you've found a new shooting companion with XP2!

[@jeanforthewin]

have you got good results with XP2 and developing at high street shops?

[@slug6663]

@@jeanforthewin luckily my local lab just happens to be pretty decent and the guy who runs it seems to have a fair bit of experience so i get pretty good scans imo. but for example the snappy snaps in sutton i wouldn’t go in there for anything if it was free

[@hefanstill]

I never knew that you could chop and change the ISO with XP2. It's my favourite film, so I can't wait to get back out and do some experimenting

[@AnalogueWonderland]

ah that's the fun of film! Always something new to try 😊

[@morgantitterington1974]

Going to order some of this film looks fantastic on landscapes!

[@AnalogueWonderland]

For sure!!

[@ianhobbs]

Most of my photography is now done with full frame DSLR cameras. But I still like using film. I first used this kind of film in 1981 and it was called XP1 and was developed with the C41 colour negative process. Ilford XP2 Super is the latest version of this kind of film. In this video we get a brilliant review of the film. I recently shot two 35mm rolls of XP2 in two my cameras. A Nikon f5 and a Zenit EM and film responded well in both cameras. I don’t have a darkroom now. So I get digital copy made of my films with the developed negatives. This video explains everything you need to know about this kind of film.

[@alexjj]

XP2 was my first B&W film. Mostly picked it because of the C41 developing but then loved the look, and how it can be used in such a variety of situations. Makes for a great all rounder, although some might find it a little too grainy for their tastes.

[@AnalogueWonderland]

Ah there we go! Yes the flexibility in different situations is a massive XP2 bonus point

[@luzr6613]

First time here... really cool. Well presented with all the clarity i could hope for. Lkd&Subd. Thanks for your efforts and all the best from a cabin in a swamp in a rainforest in New Zealand.

[@Larpy1933]

I’d say your review here reveals that your understanding of the product is quite deep. I’ve exposed my first roll at EI 100,200,400,800 and it’ll go for machine-development. Next one: same range of EI and develop it at home in Pyrocat HD w/ minimal agitation (and varying development times). I want to see if one method is preferable over the other. All in 120 format using a TLR (C220). Thanks for this video.

[@AnalogueWonderland]

Thank you 🙏 Sounds like there's lots of experimentation to be had, glad you're enjoying the film!

[@SinaFarhat]

Thanks for the info!

[@AnalogueWonderland]

You bet! :-)

[@roberttaylor8488]

I've shot XP2 Super in both 35 and medium format and wasn't overly impressed choosing to use "normal" B&W films and developers. However that said after watching your video and seeing some examples I think I'd better give it another chance. As another person commented about full manual and no light meter I can see much potential in this film for my "classic" cameras. Thanks for your review it was a bit of an eye opener for me.

[@AnalogueWonderland]

That's wonderful to hear Robert - thank you! Absolutely the goal with these videos 😊

[@breathestrongcycling3672]

So it sounds like the perfect film for my old full manual, no light meter, Zenit B 👍

[@AnalogueWonderland]

Pretty much! :-D

[@hamshanksproductions7161]

Let's cut to the chase. It's a brilliant film.

[@AnalogueWonderland]

It sure is!

[@stevecurzon5979]

I have used XP2 for a number of years and loved it. But did you know that you can very successfully develop xp2 super in B&W chemistry? Seriously, try it in HC-110. From 50 to 1600iso. 👍

[@talleyrand9442]

@@stevecurzon5979 wow thanks. I was wondering about that. Have four rolls in the freezer and no c41 chemistry currently. Might have to try it out. Thank you!

[@stevecurzon5979]

@@talleyrand9442 Cool, go for it! HC-110 is recommended but other chemicals are available 😊

[@talleyrand9442]

@@stevecurzon5979 i wonder if you can shoot it at different exposures on the same roll like you can when developing in c41. But developed in black and white chemistry.

[@stevecurzon5979]

@@talleyrand9442 nope, I don’t think so. You have latitude, but only insofar as what iso you decide to develop at in b&w chemistry.

[@AnalogueWonderland]

Absolutely! I didn't want to get too confusing in the short video but totally - and some of the results I've seen in HC-110 are STUNNING :-D

[@charles205ifaction]

V nice article. I've always had a feeling that XP2 reacts differently to other B/W films when you use coloured filters - in particular, it really doesn't seem to like orange filters! Is this something other people have found, and if so is there a rational explanation? Or have I just been unlucky/inept?

[@AnalogueWonderland]

I've never noticed that - but I'm not very good at remembering my filters when out and about. Hopefully someone else can shed some light!

[@Ilfordphoto]

Hi Charles. You should be able to use filters with XP2S in the same way as you would with any other black and white film. The following excerpt is from our technical data sheet. 'The exposure increase in daylight may vary with the angle of the sun and the time of day. In the late afternoon or the winter months, when daylight contains more red light, green and blue filters may need slightly more exposure than usual. Cameras with through-the-lens metering will usually adjust the exposure automatically when using filters. With some automatic exposure cameras, the correction given for deep red and orange filters can produce negatives under exposed by as much as 1½ stops' www.ilfordphoto.com/amfile/file/download/file/1909/product/703/

[@aminmotin]

Very informative and interesting video! It's a long time since I used XP2, but I must say back in the day I never really took to it. I don't quite know why - it just didn't do it for me. I guess using Tri-X first for a long time before ever seeing this fancy newcomer with chromogenic properties made me a bit stuck in the past, but there was something in the rendering of XP2 that I always found characterless. Of course that probably says more about my technique than anything else, but maybe it's time to give it another go and see what it produces for me these days!

[@AnalogueWonderland]

No that's totally fair! It will give you a very different look to Tri-X - less grain, less contrast - and if that isn't what floats your boat then fair enough :-) For me it's going to be one for learning how to control, for those situations I need something that'll cope with super contrast

[@Ilfordphoto]

You should definitely give it another try:)

[@aminmotin]

@@Ilfordphoto Since I have a small, but nice collection of film cameras "aching" to be used (after lockdown) I think I will try it again. I probably didn't use it enough all those years ago to learn how to get the best out of it.

[@aminmotin]

@@AnalogueWonderland You make great points about the dynamic range and contrast control. And I've just realised that our tastes change over the years so what I loved/hated back then I might not today!

[@Ilfordphoto]

@@aminmotin Brilliant!

[@davidstrom653]

I have shot several 120 rolls and developed in Rodinal 1:100 stand 70 min and great negatives ( shot at 400 ISO) love this film

[@timrpbrown]

I have developed XP2 in rodinal a few times and liked the effect - quite contrasty but not sure how it would behave if you're using ISO other than 400

[@b6983832]

I shoot quite a lot of color film and print RA-4 in my darkroom, so developing in C-41 is not a problem. This film has a very different look compared to classic black and white film, such as FP4, HP5 or Kodak Tri-X. It is not the look I normally want from a b&w film, but technically speaking. this film is very good.

[@risingsetting]

100 photos I shot on Ilford XP2 (after buying it from you guys!): kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6PXlWmMobSFpdk Thank you, love this stuff.

[@mkshffr4936]

Can one request pull processing on this type of film for use in simple box type cameras? The latitude is great but at ASA 400 the sunny exposure on say a Kodak Duaflex will over exposed by at least 4 stops.

[@AnalogueWonderland]

hiya! Sorry for the late reply, that would be a question for the lab team! Please email [e-mail] 😁

[@62smarty]

XP2-400 is my absolute favourate b/w film... because it isn't a real b/w film. I'm born in 1962 and shot lots of Kodachrome 25 and 64. And this was also a "special b/w slide film 😉". The XP2-400 is a great film with the exact amount of contrast I want. If I'm in Asia again (fu..ing Covid), I will use it again. Every C41 lab can develop and scan it.

[@andreasschaefer8613]

I shot XP-2 for long years in the 80's, it was my fav film this days. If you can't develop B/W-film on your own, the XP-2 is king, because the c-41 process ist standard and the same all over the world, so you can be sure to get the results you want. Now I'm back analog, buying my fav Camera, a Nikon FA again and ordered a few rolls XP-2. But first my FA has to get new light-sealings and mirror-damper, that's normal for an over 30 years old lady. I would not change to analog completely, I'm a real digital fan, I say I shot digital like analog (what means I always have a limited number of virtual film rolls, so I really think on, if I use the shutter release or not), but for romantic and moody shots I will use the FA and XP-2 and I think I will like it again.

[@dflf]

Is it similar to Kodak BW400cn?

[@srfurley]

Kodak made two different chromogenic black and white films and I cannot remember which one CN-400 was. One was similar to XP1 and XP2 and was intended for darkroom printing on normal black and white paper. The other had an orange colour to mimic the integral masking on colour negative films and was intended to give better results when printed on colour papers in high street mini-labs, which generally did not have calibrations for black and white films at the time. Both of the Kodak films were discontinued long ago. I think you would get pretty similar results with CP2 Super to you did with the Kodak film. I’m not going to say that either is better, any difference that there is would be a matter of personal preference.

[@mikek2218]

XP2 looks even better when developed in B&W chemistry.

[@VariTimo]

Dyes are not in the chemicals, they’re in the films.