Properly exposing Ilford hp5+

[ChrisP]

I'm leaving for a canoe trip on Wednesday for about a week and forgot to do my experiments first. Now I'm out of time.

I want to shoot most of it on hp5+. So far I've mostly used film indoors pushed to like 1600. This situation probably calls for the opposite. I'll probably pull it to around 200 most of the time because i'm expecting good light.

Now usually when I shoot during the day with digital I meter the sky and than add 2 EV to that. That gets the sky exposed with just a few little spots blown out that I can recover if need be (I shoot with an E-3 so DR is not its strongest point, although I find it very adequate). How should I expose the Hp5? Can I do something similar? Meter the sky than add a few stops? If so how many can I add?

I plan on shootin it in my Pentax MX, developing myself in d-76 and than scanning on my epson 4490. Really my question is mostly just how much over exposure range does Hp5+ have?

Thanks in advance,
Chris

 

[Roger Hicks]

. Really my question is mostly just how much over exposure range does Hp5+ have?

Thanks in advance,
Chris

Dear Chris,

Lots. Quit piddling around with sky readings (all but worthless). Set the meter at 200 and 'favour the shadows' (read from the slightly darker parts of the subject rather than the lighter ones). Then develop scantily (recommended time or up to 20% less) and you'll have (a) good shadow detail and (b) a thinnish, flattish nergative suitable for scanning.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Pete B]

Blast a test roll off in the morning and develop a third of it when you're back. You'll still have some left to alter development if need be. Then move on to your trip's films.
Pete

 

[venchka]

What Roger said. I have had very good results with HP5+ exposed at E.I. 250 developed in Xtol 1:3 for 10 minutes @ 68F (more less) & continuous agitiation. In fact, I like the film so much, that I have amassed a stash of 100+ sheets of 4x5 HP5+ waiting to see the light of day or night.

 

[f16sunshine]

Again another voice for just go for it. This film has lot's of latitude. In 35mm I rate it often at 100. Simply reduce times 15-20% and reduce agitation a bit more if the highlights are very far away from the mid shadows. If you plan to scan only (no wet print) you have even more latitude to scoop out good detail. Lovely film for nice grain.

 

[robbeiflex]

+1 for shooting HP5+ at 200, I've had great results with it in both LC29 and XTOL.

 

[ChrisP]

Thanks

Thanks

Thanks everyone,
Haven't shot film in a while. I forgot a few things
1) film doesn't really care about highlights, I expose for the shadows (got to used to digital I guess)
2) I can always compensate for mistakes by changing developement time.

Sometimes I forget how forgiving the stuff that comes in those little canisters is.

Thanks!

 

[FrankS]

Thanks everyone,
Haven't shot film in a while. I forgot a few things
1) film doesn't really care about highlights, I expose for the shadows (got to used to digital I guess)
2) I can always compensate for mistakes by changing developement time.

Sometimes I forget how forgiving the stuff that comes in those little canisters is.

Thanks!

Film is like God in a can. 🙂

 

[Mark A. Fisher]

"Expose for the Shadows, Develop for the Highlights" An old adage that still rings true, at least in my experience.

 

[mahleu]

Totally agree with this advice. Not sure why people do this or meter off their palm.

Well your palm is normally a similar colour to your face so you can meter that without having to go up to someone in the street with a light meter. It's like a gray card but you can't leave it at home...

 

[craygc]

Well your palm is normally a similar colour to your face so you can meter that without having to go up to someone in the street with a light meter. It's like a gray card but you can't leave it at home...

...but you forgot to mention then add one stop to the reading :bang:

 

[shadowfox]

Film is like God in a can. 🙂

I like that, Frank 😀

 

[robbeiflex]

+1 for shooting HP5+ at 200, I've had great results with it in both LC29 and XTOL.

 

[tlitody]

Well your palm is normally a similar colour to your face so you can meter that without having to go up to someone in the street with a light meter. It's like a gray card but you can't leave it at home...

Not true for a lot of people and at different times of the year. When was the last time you had a sun tan on the palms of your hand that was as much as your face?

 

[johnamazement]

I almost always rate HP5 at 200, then Xtol 1:1 for 10 minutes. It gives a lovely range of tones and nice grain.

 

[Pablito]

I shoot it at 400 and favor the shadows in the reading, then develop normally. But I like meaty negs for wet printing in a diffusion enlarger. If your primary goal is scanning, then you want the thinner negs.

 

[Brian Legge]

I found HP5 much less forgiving about highlights than TriX. The film seems to build contrast very quickly.

My best roll with it was shot at 100-250, with reduced development. Here are a few specific combos:

HP5+, shot at 200 with shadows placed in IV (ie closer to shooting it at 100)
HC-110(h)
7.5 minutes, 30 seconds initial, 2 inversions over 10 seconds per minute.

Hp5+, shot at 250
Rodinal 1:50, 30 seconds initial agitation, two slow inversions per minute and a half

HP5+
DDX, 1:3, 12 minutes. Thirty seconds initial agitation, 10 seconds per minute (ie very over developed, probably a 3-4 stop push as I accidentally used XTOL development times)

I could never get speed close to 400 but I'm big on shadow detail. This is a good example of what I got any time I tried shooting it at 400. If anyone has done better, I'd love to know how:

HP5+
HC-110(b)
5:00 minutes, 30 seconds seconds initial, 3 inversions over 15 seconds the remainder

Does anyone have some XTOL examples and info they can share? I'm planning to try replacing my use of DDX and HC110 with XTOL soon.

 

[FrankS]

Film loves you!


(sorry)

 

[johnamazement]

Does anyone have some XTOL examples and info they can share?

Here you go: HP5+ @200 in Xtol 1:1 at 20°C for 10 minutes with standard Kodak agitation (5 seconds every 30)

 

[EliasK]

135 HP5+ @400, Rodinal 1+150, 1 hour stand