Film comparison
Adox CHS 100 II vs Ilford FP4 Plus
- FP4 Plus is 0.3 stops faster (ISO 125 vs 100).
- CHS 100 II is more forgiving of exposure errors.
- FP4 Plus is cheaper in 35mm (about £8.00 vs £10.00).
Side by side
| CHS 100 II | FP4 Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Adox | Ilford |
| Type | Black & white | Black & white |
| Box speed | ISO 100 | ISO 125 |
| Process | B&W | B&W |
| Formats | 35mm, 120, 4x5, 8x10 | 35mm, 120, 4x5, 8x10 |
| Grain | Fine | Fine |
| Contrast | Medium | Medium |
| Latitude | Excellent | Good |
| Saturation | — | — |
| Price, 35mm | about £10.00 | about £8.00 |
| Price, 120 | about £9.00 | about £7.00 |
| Availability | Current | Current |
Rows that differ are in bold. Prices are typical UK prices and change often.
How they look
- CHS 100 II
- Orthopanchromatic with reduced red sensitivity for better portrait skin tones. 1960s aesthetic with two-emulsion single-layer coating. Can be reversal processed. Avoid tanning developers.
- FP4 Plus
- Often considered a benchmark for medium speed B&W. Notable sharpness and fine grain. Well-suited for high-quality enlargements.
Which suits what
Better pick: CHS 100 II
Portraits, Classic look, Reversal processing
Both work well
—
Better pick: FP4 Plus
Landscapes, Studio portraits, Bright conditions
Long exposures (reciprocity)
| Metered | CHS 100 II | FP4 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 1s | 1s | 1s |
| 10s | 27s | 18s |
| 30s | 2m | 1m 13s |
| 2m | 13m | 6m 57s |
Corrected exposure from each film’s published reciprocity data. Reciprocity calculator
Developing both
Developers with published times for both films: