I think I’ve only shot a few rolls of Ilford HP5 at box speed (400) and I much prefer the prints when it’s pushed 2 stops. Ilford HP5 is the 35mm black and white film I’ve used the most and generally prefer it over Tri X and Agfa APX and even Fuji’s Acros 100. Of course, I like to mix things up and always like to try new or different films so I don’t shoot anything exclusively.
Ilford describes Ilford HP 5 as a great film for beginners and those returning to film because of it’s wide exposure latitude. I can’t really dispute this, I don’t know how many rolls of this I’ve shot, probably close to 100, and 99% of the shots are usable in terms of exposure so I guess that’s right, although 99% of all my film photos are what I would call acceptable in terms of exposure. When you have a light meter on the Leica M6 or MP, why would you take a shot without using it?
Anyway, here’s some samples of Ilford HP5, almost all shot with the Leica MP + 35 Summicron V4 or Leica M6 + 35 Summicron V3, pushed 2 stops to 1600. I shot a couple of rolls through the Contax T3 but you can’t push or pull film through that (unless you diddle with the code on the film). To me, Ilford HP5 Plus is quite a bit cleaner looking than Tri-X yet still maintains that classic film look. It’s ideal for street photography and pushed to 1600 it makes photographing the dark dingy streets of somewhere like Sham Shui Po much easier than say with a 100 speed film.
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