ILFORD XP2 SUPER 400 - TRY OUT

[@MrFedy1996]

Man, I don't know if you remember me, I'm the guy with 17 meters of ilford fp4 125 iso expired in 1980 you helped in your last video. I just wanna thank you very much, I shoot 1,5 meters of that old film, metering at 10 iso as you suggested me. I developed the film this night (my first ever try doing this) going to bed at 5:00 AM and the result looks amazing to me!! The exposure seems perfect in each frame and the contrast is stronger than i thought. Also, shooting at 10 asa allows me to shoot at f1.4 in daylight, and for me (I love portraits) it's like a dream! As always, congratulation for your videos, which inspire me everytime. You're awesome

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Of course I remember! Nice one. I'll have to try it myself if I can get hold of a 30 year old expired film.

[@davidlewis1787]

Your videos are definitely getting me fired up to get back in the dark room

[@humbledtrader760]

I love your channel. I also like how you keep it light and at the same time teach quite a bit. Thank you.

[@EwaldDieser]

Nice results. Didn't know you could do that. Thanks for the great video!

[@victordesabata]

Hey, just another reminder to you that your channel is amazing. Much appreciated.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thank you. And thanks for watching

[@the92project]

im a new subscriber and I have to say your channel is among the very best KZbin has to offer on the topic - a hidden gem. Keep up the fantastic work!

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thank you. And thanks for subscribing. It's comments like this that make it all worth while. Cheers!

[@chrispickett6069]

XP2 is wonderful stuff , best if over exposed a touch , I think - been enjoying the channel Roger, nice to look back on some of these older films too. Many thanks as always for putting these videos up

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks Chris

[@m00dawg]

Dude I love your videos! Entertaining ("the wife doesn't watch my channel so she's not gonna know", that made me chuckle), interesting and informative. Thanks for these!

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Ha ha. Thanks Tim.

[@markharris5771]

Massive congrats on the 1K subscribers, I’m relatively new to your channel but I think it’s brilliant. You are knowledgable but also down to earth and you definitely don’t come across as superior or talk in terms very few understand, and you often show the full journey. I think this is just the start and your channel is going to get much bigger. Well done! Even though I have a darkroom I always use my black bag, old habit I suppose. The images came out great, they had the good quality book or magazine look to them, really sharp, good contrast whilst keeping the tones. I want to use some now, did you say you developed in Rodinal instead of C-41? Strangely, even though I have plenty, I rarely use speedlights with film and when I do I either use my Miranda or Sunpak, both I’ve had given and they are pretty rubbish compared to my Canon or Yongnuo heads but I have a thing about trying to keep things authentic. I even use a Weston Masters II as my light meter for 35mm, sad I know, but it’s all part of the fun for me and I’m certainly not advocating anyone else should do the same. Another superb video, thank you very much for posting. I have no idea who it was in your daughter’s painting but that doesn’t stop me appreciating her talent, she is very gifted.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks Mark. Kind. I used Rodinal. 1:25, 18 minutes, 5 inversions every minute. Normal stuff. And I used a grade 2.5 filter on the contact and prints. To be honest I don't know why I took the speedlight! I did fancy getting some shadows and fill light in some of the scenes but I must have had the power too high ha ha. I'll let my daughter know. Thanks!

[@markharris5771]

Shoot Film Like a Boss Definitely going to give it a try, thanks for the reply.

[@jbhunter15]

I really enjoy your channel! You have helped me a lot while I am learning to shoot film and especially working in the darkroom. Keep it up!

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks very much Joshua. Keep shooting !

[@jonnoMoto]

Interesting. Didn't know you could do that. Very convenient finding this out as a I found an roll of xp2 in one of my cameras and finished it off last weekend. Now to decide whether to use HC or rodinal.

[@JonnyEnglish-gu1cs]

Here we are in 2021 September your at over 22k sub fantastic keep doing what you do having switched to film again from digital I really enjoy your videos they inspire me to shoot more I have a fridge full of film including XP2

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks Jonny!

[@Andy-pu2iv]

Cool. I'm ancient, and my 20 year old daughter has asked for some film for her birthday because she got into 35mm film cameras a few years ago. So I tried to remember my favourite films from what seems like yesterday. Pan-F is on the list, as is XP-2. As I remember it, XP-2 was a very wide latitude B&W film that could be shot with a cavalier attitude to exposure (within reason) and processed as per colour films. Ah, happy days.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

HP5, FP4, Kodak Tri-x400 are great films for BW photography

[@omnesilere]

I'm surprised they came out at all. It is a c-41 color process film, (sorry I know you're going to get that a lot.) Makes me wonder what would happen if I processed some velvia or ektar in d-76 though haha, might not be as bad as anyone would expect.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Try it out. Just because a film is designed for a C41 process doesn't go to say you can't experiment with it. As long as the images on the roll aren't important to you ! 😁

[@mueslimuncher1950]

I never tried it in black and white dev. but in c41 (lab process) the results are stunning. Big prints are comparable to medium format prints from a slow to medium film. Sharp, contrasty and grain free!

[@mdjmurray]

Your comment on the person in the artwork made me subscribe! Great video, and great painting! -I don’t know who it is either, but it’s still very good!

[@photography.by.James.Wood.Jr.]

I hope this isnt a stupid question... My camera store told me that this film was only C-41 process. You processed it using regular b&w chemicals?

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Yes it is a C41 process film. Made that way so people can shoot black and white and send to a lab for processing and not all labs cater for black and white but C41 is ok. I cross processed it in BW chems.

[@joesasser4421]

Haven’t seen this flavor of Iford before? I Remember when I could buy it in 4x5! Actually I remember XP1, then XP1 Super, then XP2, and now for the longest XP2 Super. Has a fantastic look on its own, is is especially suited for Nikkor lenses. Uses dyes rather than silver. I have some XP1 from the 80s, and still prints up black-blacks, and scans the same. I’m at 4:12. about to watch some more.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

It's a C41 film Joe. In this video I processed it in B&W Chems. Just for fun.

[@pilsplease7561]

4x5 film is readily avaliable. I shoot 4x5 frequently.

[@joesasser4421]

@@pilsplease7561 but I don’t think XP2 Super has been manufactured for decades . Hope I’m wrong

[@pilsplease7561]

@@joesasser4421 Ilford said xp2 was never available in sheet format. I just asked earlier today.

[@joesasser4421]

@@pilsplease7561 I will search through my 30yo B&H catalogs.

[@joesasser4421]

I’ve been using Ilford C41 b/w ever since it was just “XP”, then went to “XP1”, “XP2”, now “XP2 Super”. It’s always had it’s own look, and the blacks are definitely black. Even my negatives from 1984 still look great. I remember it in 4x5 sheets, and I wish it were still available as such. Next time have it processed only, in a shop, and you’ll notice a difference. Also, when C41 processed, you can vary the ASA on the roll, and it’ll all come out fine.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks Joe.

[@scottfreckle237]

I used to use i believe it was called Agfa pan vario XL? years ago which processed as a c41 film but looking recently and don't see it around so went with the xp2

[@retrofocusing]

Cool video, congratulations on hitting the 1K mark. The XP2 is a nice stock, despite the purple tint which manifests on the developed negative. I don't know if I'm correct, but I think it's an inherent characteristic of chromogenic films - instead of working only with metallic silver, a dye coupler is used to create the final image. Love your videos, cheers :)

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks Borys. That makes sense. Never seen purple negs before!

[@philpem]

The purple tint is there for colour correction to ensure a colour printing machine gets the blacks "black". Normally they expect an orange colour cast from the C41 base (which if memory serves is there to colour-correct for the response of RA4 colour paper). The digital minilabs scan the negs into a digital file then digitally remove the orange colour cast before inverting the colours. Practically speaking XP2 has a grey base (which means the light levels through the film are similar to C41) with a slight cool tint -- when that's inverted, it goes fairly warm in the print. The standard procedure on a Frontier minilab was to whack "convert to B&W" if you knew a roll of film was XP2. I'm impressed you got such good prints out of it - and such a good contact sheet. I'd have thought the base would have ruined any hope of that. It certainly does for scans! What you've got there is essentially a black-and-white silver image on the C41 base. Effectively what you'd have got if you skipped the Colour Developer (which forms the dyes) and Bleach (convert exposed and developed silver back to something chemically similar to unexposed silver) phases of a six-bath C41 process.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks Cosmo. That's great info! Very much appreciate this.

[@philpem]

Argh - I just remembered what it does -- it's not a warm tint, it's a sepia tint. But some machines interpret it as a colour cast and try to eliminate it, so it looks odd. Hence why we ran the minilab in hard-B&W mode when we saw "ILFORD XP2 SUPER" along the top of the film

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

What was XP2 like as a B&W print processed in C41?

[@beaupfeifferrecordings]

In style brother watching the footy at the same time as developing I tend to go in a trance when im developing my film and gather my thoughts off what I was shooting on the roll im developing nice film that XP2 will have to try it out some day cheers for the review mate minolta gang out

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Just glad a goal didn't get scored at that time or the chems might have gone all over the place!

[@beaupfeifferrecordings]

LoL

[@raulerrman.5401]

I have the ILFORD SUPER XP2 400 film and I am planning to take photographs of London . Today I got the Kodak Tri X 400 prints developed and printed and I was amazed to find that the prints looked like they were photographed in 70s . I actually want to get that look in Black and white photographs. Does the XP2 400 have the vintage effect in the prints?

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

The Trix 400 is a classic punchy film. I wouldn't say they are made to look vintage. All black and white films have different carachteristis. I haven't used xp2 since this video and I used black and white chemistry to develop the film even though it's a C41 process.

[@humbledtrader760]

Shoot Film Like a Boss would really love a follow up video on your thoughts on the XP2 🙏🏻

[@flavioserci6046]

I've just tried a roll developed in C41. Wow.. it's a fantastic film. I've exposed at 200, 400 and 800 iso. The result has little difference. It is different because seem without grain. I think great for seascapes and sky. I'll try to develop it in D76.

[@vicky197805]

The major problem i face with film photography is dust on negatives how can i be assure to get my negative safe from dust while developing and drying. Please make a video on same

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Dust is always going to be the devil. Luckily I hardly see any on my prints or negs. But I used to... A lot! It's just about working in a dust free environment as much as possible. I load my films in my darkroom. Hardly any dust in there. And hang them to dry in my shower room. Hardly any dust in there. I have loaded film into the tank inside a walk in wardrobe full of clothes! Never encountered any dust spots in the film. Maybe the wash washed it away. I think the worst part is drying. If dust falls on the wet negs maybe hard to get off once dried in. It's all trial and error. Just work away from fabrics and computers or any area that collects dust.

[@richardhill9944]

Just found your videos after looking for the ilford film. Nice detailed videos with a nice few jokes. Agree with you about your daughters portrait 😂. Just wondered why you used flash for the whole day? I’m getting back into film after a long time but hadn’t thought about flash during the day. Prints look great by the way!

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks for the comment. Hope you subbed up! The flash was a moment of madness to be honest. Thought I could add more contrast and shadows but ended up over exposing! As long as I had a few shots to work with that was all I needed.

[@GonzoTheRosarian]

To me this would be the ideal travel B&W film due to its versatility with ISO.

[@soulstart89]

great video. acros has a purple cast when you develop the negative. once you rinse for a extended period of time it becomes clear. could be the same with xp2.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks for that. Maybe it's needs a longer wash. I did the normal 5 minutes. Next time I'll keep this in mind.

[@soulstart89]

no worries. i notice with fuji acros if i dont wash for 15mins i get the exact colour you did. also as you cross processed that could also be a factor. either way you got usable negatives lol

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Yeah I thought it was a cross processing thing. But interesting you've experimented with the wash. I'll put it in the dishwasher next time

[@SuperSomphon]

Many thanks for the video, very informative and nicely shot. If I may make a suggestions, pls watch the sound levels. Your voice is quite low while the b-rolls are loud. Will be subing!

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks. I think my recent videos have better audio levels but let me know. 👍

[@mach_media]

good review, keep em coming

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Andy P Creative Thanks Andy!

[@lloydgarland4667]

Just a thought - purple base on film can have an effect of the final print if it's Ilford's Multigrade. Back in the day, I used to get quite a lot of very purple negatives from TMax 400. TMax back in the day needed more fixing time, and once I realised that, the purple base returned to it's normal grey/blue hue

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

I've often wondered that. If longer fixing clears a purple neg.

[@lloydgarland4667]

@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss Give it a go, but remember that C41 doesn't have a "fixer" as such, it's a bleach/fixer, and those negs probably aren't supposed to be purple. I must point out that I've never used one of the C41 process B&W films, in my day most had access to a darkroom and shot Tri-X or FP4! Getting back into the hobby once again after being gifted a Nikon D7100 and an F90X :)

[@alfepalfe]

Yeah I developed some TMax 400 a few days ago, I put the leader in the fixer first to test it because I knew my fixer was getting old. At first I thought it didn't work at all, nothing at all happened but eventually it started going clear. So I just left my film in there for 10 minutes (which is quite a lot for the fixer I used) and it worked fine, no pink/purple/magenta base.

[@disarmsox]

I quite like this film. Apparently you can expose @ 800 or even 1600 (when there isn't enough light etc) with this and develop as normal.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

I read your can shoot it at 800 and expose like it was 400. I may experiment again with it at some point. I read at 1600 it looks bad, but I guess we can only see for ourselves.

[@catey62]

I've shot a few rolls of XP2 myself and have noticed the same thing, whehter I developed it myself or had it done at my local camera shop. that purplish tinge seems to be a thing with this film. most likely something to do with it being able to be done in C41 chemistry perhaps?

[@Marttyy]

Really like what ilford did with xp2. Opportunity to shoot b&w film and develop as normal c-41 film for like 1.30€ rather than go trough developing or paying extra to someone do it. Would like to see 800/1600 and 100 iso xp2 film

[@Ineedahandle75]

I tried XP-2 but really disliked the magenta cast it gives. Doubt I would use it again.

[@Ineedahandle75]

How to remove the horrendous pink/purple cast??

[@glennburnett6071]

Did you use anything other than Rodinol?

[@regmarkin7644]

The application of XP2 is so that those who do no want to or do not have the capacity to develop their own film can get it done by a colour lab, when such places were prolific on our high streets. The sepia finish is in my view detrimental to good contrast. A better choice would be FP4 @ 200 asa dev’d in x-tol 1+1 or Rodinal 1+25 . For great monochrome work see Tim Rudman’s “Iceland an uneasy calm” where the highlights are intensified and the whole print finished in selenium to intensify the shadows. Get some 123 film from Nick & Trick photo services. It’s the high silver film look that digital cannot get that’s feeding the current enthusiasm. ATB Reg.M RPS

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Thanks Reg. I use Nik&Trick. Nice team. Quality service.

[@julioletran4292]

The regular process of processing xp2 is with c41 chemistry, you cross processed wich is fine i love to process xp2 with rodindal

[@pilsplease7561]

you cant develop this in anything but c-41 it has no dye on the film so you wont get a image without doing c-41 it would be blank. it relies on dye in the c-41 to make the image. Unlike other films

[@mikejerrold2707]

Except you can and it does work.. I developed a roll in Hydofen which is similar to Rodinal and got fantastic results

[@pilsplease7561]

@@mikejerrold2707 even ilford will tell you it won't, the film was not designed nor made for it. You can't develop it in black and white chemicals and to prove a point I roasted one of the 8 rolls I currently had.

[@mikejerrold2707]

@@pilsplease7561 hahah sure thing www.ilfordphoto.com/ilford-xp2-super-in-black-and-white-chemistry/

[@julioletran4292]

@@mikejerrold2707 I know it does work, i have done it several times, the film just came pinkish instead of orange, but other than that it is fine

[@edenelgar4676]

I sat on that same bench when I was in Sandown on my Kirby’s Coach holiday I found Sandown was a boring little town for photo opportunities. This was Peter using Edens Tablet Gadget

[@AndreasGustavsen3]

I accidentally got a roll of xp2 and followed the massive dev recipe of rodinal 1:25 for 18 minutes, but the negs came out totally useless. Overexposed like I have never seen before. Camera settings were also normal so can't blame that either... Is 18 minutes way too long maybe? I would really like this film to work with rodinal...

[@rubenoosterman5349]

I love the look of xp2, it's just really sharp I think. Is this filmed in Sandown btw?

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Yes, Sandown, Isle of Wight

[@Threetails]

I shot a roll of this in Brighton in 2004 and I took some of my best pictures.

[@theoldfilmbloke]

I commented on another of your Videos -- another EXCELLENT one -- how do you get the 'Sound' when you are a long way from Video camera ? ! Also you are BRITISH ( Hums 'God Save The Queen as signing off ) Keep Snapping -- Peter

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Hello Peter. I wear a microphone that I can link later in the edit. :)

[@enriquevera2000]

MAESTRO !!!!!

[@tommorgan3125]

I developed my last roll of XP2 in HC110. Results were fine.

[@plestj]

Great video!! Did your wife ever find out you watched football and developed film at the same time? That was so funny! I read that this film needs to be developed using the C41 color process! Apologies if you already knew this, but I’ve seen other videos where the photographer used that process and the results were stunning. Let me know what you think!

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Yes it's a c41 process film. I believe it was designed for those that wanted to shoot black and white and send their films off to be processed where most common labs only process c41. I havnt tried it since.

[@dingledork62]

Can this film be pushed?

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

I've never tried Bob. I've have not purchased another roll since as I don't develop c41.

[@Zetaphotography]

So Ilford XP 400 Super C41 in BW Chems and you get images

[@irials]

The bull getting "involved" with the cows got a laugh out of me. Do you intentionally keep it rated for all ages or are you always so well spoken?

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

I try to keep it clean Ignacio! 😊

[@ianfrankish5114]

Nice1 👍

[@marklandmontaque180]

I had to like the vid after the klopp joke

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Lol

[@flutgraben13]

Best results @ISO 250 in C-41.

[@mueslimuncher1950]

I know this is a year and a half old, but you really should try this film and have it processed at your local Boots (or whatever) to see it at it's best. It makes 35mm images look like medium format, slow film!

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Cheers Bill. Crosses my mind from time to time. I may just do that

[@risingsetting]

Still watching 4 years later 😄 Here's 100 XP2 photos you inspired me to take: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6PXlWmMobSFpdk Thanks for the vids, keep up the good work.

[@ShootFilmLikeaBoss]

Look good!

[@risingsetting]

@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss thank you so much!

[@BenthamSheila-c8o]

Moore Steven Harris Sandra White Michael

[@jimdailey1018]

Next time why don't you use c41 like it was designed for?. Or take it to a lab. Use it the way it was designed for best results. It's a fantastic film.

[@tomjanowski8584]

You kept saying you were doing "normal" development in Rodinal. C41 is normal.