How do you make HP5 sing out loud?

[OurManInTangier]

Hi,

I've just got myself a 10 roll brick of Ilford's HP5 400, a film I know is rated highly by many photographers both here and elsewhere. This is the first time I'll have used this film since the mid nineties when I was at university, it was our stock film but I just never managed to get a look from it that I was happy with, essentially I couldn't tame the grain. Thankfully my understanding of developing techniques, some improved patience and nearly twenty years of experience has improved my general technique but the 'fear' is there; what if I still only get clumpy great grain and cloudy 'blurgh' greys?!😱

So. How do you get the best out of your rolls of HP5? Any favoured EI rating? Developer? Processing technique? Is there any particular style or subject matter that particularly suits this film and finally...what examples can you show? (not that this part is in any way scientific, just fun and a chance to show off a bit) If you show me yours I'll show you mine...no matter how crappy, flat and grainy they appear (mine that is😀)

 

[Keith]

I really only seem to get the look I want from HP5+ in 120 with Rodinal 50+1

In 135 it seems a little grainy with Rodinal and too flat with Xtol ... these are the only developers I use.

 

[Peter_S]

Try to push it to ISO 800, dev. in HC-110B following Ilford's suggested times. I prefer Neopan 400 for ISO 400 over HP5+, but really like HP5+ at ISO800.

 

[Johann Espiritu]

I develop mine in D-76 and get creamy results. (I hope that doesn't confuse you more.)

 

[anjoca76]

I usually shoot it box speed and soup in D76 1+1. I think it's a terrific film with minimal grain and nice tone.

 

[Michael Markey]

Hi Simon.
I`ve never been able to get as good a result as Keith .
The best I`ve had is when I`ve sent it to Ilford 🙂

But at £6.99 a pop its an expensive option.

Michael

 

[OurManInTangier]

In 135 it seems a little grainy with Rodinal and too flat with Xtol ... these are the only developers I use.

I haven't used Rodinal since I first went digital Rf and was never overly pleased with the results I got with my TriX (though I'm aware this was down to me entirely.) Was your photograph 120 or 135 Keith? Either way it simply doesn't compare with the dross I was getting at Uni at doesn't seem especially grainy.

Try to push it to ISO 800, dev. in HC-110B following Ilford's suggested times. I prefer Neopan 400 for ISO 400 over HP5+, but really like HP5+ at ISO800.

I'm currently using HC-110 as my dev as I work my way through various films and speeds to find two or three that I like and want to work with (and can afford to shoot alot of🙂,) so its good to know you use it and are happy with it alongside HP5 albeit pushed HP5. I'll give it a go pushed up to 800 & 1600 to see how we get on but I'm also interested in a slight pull to E.I.320 as I'm sure alot of users say this gives them slightly better negs(?!)

Johann & anjoca76 - any particular reason for liking the D76 over any other developers? My HC-110 is, admittedly, a case of using a good general purpose developer that is cheap and long lasting. Once I'm comfortable with the HC-110 I'll be happy to experiment with other developers and specialised combinations so the info is very useful for the future and to bear in mind if I'm not keen on the look of HP5 in HC-110.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Probably not much help to you, but I developed a few rolls of HP5 shot at ISO400 a few months back in Fujifilm Super Prodol developer and it turned out great. If I didn't already have over 100 rolls of Neopan 400 in the fridge I would have bought more. One example below 🙂


Tuulikki lines up a shot in the studio by jonmanjiro, on Flickr

 

[Mablo]

I'm all ears just handling a HP5+ bulk roll I'm about to load today. Like Keith I use Xtol and Rodinal but I think I'll try my HP5+ with undiluted Xtol first at box speed and see what it looks like.

A great shot of Tuulikki, Jonmanjiro!

 

[OurManInTangier]

Hi Michael,

Yep, that's an option that will soon make my wife notice we're not going out quite so often, the romantic flowers have dried up and the holiday is off. Although ready access to the bathroom once again may help to assuage some of the money fears!

 

[Keith]

That was 120 Simon ... with Rodinal. I think this is why I really like 120 film generally ... with Rodinal you get the bite but the grain isn't an issue.

I do like Hp5+ pushed to 1600 and developed in Xtol ...

 

[OurManInTangier]

Probably not much help to you, but I developed a few rolls of HP5 shot at ISO400 a few months back in Fujifilm Super Prodol developer and it turned out great. If I didn't already have over 100 rolls of Neopan 400 in the fridge I would have bought more. One example below 🙂


Tuulikki lines up a shot in the studio by jonmanjiro, on Flickr

That's a new name to me Jon. looks like it gives decent results too...or perhaps its simply hitting home quite how much of a mess I've made of HP5 in the past!

A lovely shot simply because it reminds me of my time working in the Photo Unit with other photographers and bits of kit lying around, a constant and faint whiff of fixer in the air and a huge amount of fun - being a freelancer working from home can be alot less fun!

 

[jonmanjiro]

That's a new name to me Jon. looks like it gives decent results too...or perhaps its simply hitting home quite how much of a mess I've made of HP5 in the past!

A lovely shot simply because it reminds me of my time working in the Photo Unit with other photographers and bits of kit lying around, a constant and faint whiff of fixer in the air and a huge amount of fun - being a freelancer working from home can be alot less fun!

Its Fujifilm's standard B&W film developer in Japan, Simon. I've heard some people say its similar to D76 but with slightly finer grain. I use it for everything including non-Fuji films and always get very satisfactory results. Probably not an economical option, but Japan Exposures has it for sale here:

http://www.japanexposures.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=123

 

[OurManInTangier]

I keep hearing so many good things about HP5 pushed to 1600 or so. Having pushed some Kentmere 400 to E.I.1600 recently I'd be intrigued to compare the two side by side.

A bit like Mablo, I'm about to load up and go out - its bitterly cold, heavy grey clouds with a high chance of snow, so we'll see how both me and the HP5 go.

 

[OurManInTangier]

Its Fujifilm's standard B&W film developer in Japan, Simon. I've heard some people say its similar to D76 but with slightly finer grain. I use it for everything including non-Fuji films and always get very satisfactory results. Probably not an economical option, but Japan Exposures has it for sale here:

http://www.japanexposures.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=123

So this works out at around 50 rolls of 135mm per five litres (or per sachet) and around 12p per film, that isn't shocking but I haven't actually done the math on my HC-110 (I'm guessing I'll get alot more films through, but I did expect that to be quite alot more expensive than it seems.)

It also sounds like I may have to try D76 at some point.

 

[sircarl]

I'm with Keith on HP5 in 120 size -- have gotten very good results with Rodinal, with little apparent grain. In 35mm Ilford's Perceptol is my usual developer. Grain almost non-existent, as long as you don't mind the speed loss.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

For another fly in the soup, try it with Pyrocat HD. The pyro stain is grain-masking, among other things. Use the Massive Dev Chart (http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php) as a starting point.

 

[Olivier S.]

In D-76 stock 12 mn and it sings...

 

[John Bragg]

Hi Simon. This is an interesting thread. I am also trying to make HP5 work in HC-110. My first attempt was a film I developed for my other half. My initial recipe was 12 mins @ 2oC in HC-110 dilution H semi stand. I thought it needed more exposure so the second roll is going to be rated at ei200 instead of box speed. I think this will make better use of the long straight line curve that HP5 produces and give more shadow detail. I am enjoying the process of working up a recipe from scratch since my other half is adamant she wants her own look in her work, so I haven't taken the easy route and just given her my way of using Tri-X.

 

[sepiareverb]

Keith nailed it with 120 HP5+ @800 in Rodinal 1:50, a really stunning tonality with that combo:

For 135 at 400 I like HC-110b and DD-X, but Studionol has become my preferred choice, now sold as R09 Special.

HP5 is quite able to look very different in different developers. I'd say shop around till you get what you want out of it.

in 8x10, at 800 in Rodinal:

in 35mm, at 800 in HC-110b:

and at 400 in HC-110b: