Film comparison
Kodak Double-X 5222 vs Ilford HP5 Plus
- HP5 Plus is 0.7 stops faster (ISO 400 vs 250).
- HP5 Plus is more forgiving of exposure errors.
- HP5 Plus is cheaper in 35mm (about £7.50 vs £12.00).
Side by side
| Double-X 5222 | HP5 Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Kodak | Ilford |
| Type | Black & white | Black & white |
| Box speed | ISO 250 | ISO 400 |
| Process | B&W | B&W |
| Formats | 35mm, bulk-100ft | 35mm, 120, 4x5, 8x10 |
| Grain | Medium | Medium |
| Contrast | Medium high | Medium |
| Latitude | Good | Excellent |
| Saturation | — | — |
| Price, 35mm | about £12.00 | about £7.50 |
| Price, 120 | — | about £6.50 |
| Availability | Current | Current |
Rows that differ are in bold. Prices are typical UK prices and change often.
How they look
- Double-X 5222
- Classic cinema negative stock with a distinctive look. Medium grain with good tonal range and moderate contrast. Widely used in still photography for its cinematic rendering.
- HP5 Plus
- A robust, all-purpose film. Slightly lower contrast than Tri-X with excellent shadow detail and pushability.
Which suits what
Better pick: Double-X 5222
Cinematic look, Bulk loading
Both work well
Street photography
Better pick: HP5 Plus
Education, General purpose
Long exposures (reciprocity)
| Metered | Double-X 5222 | HP5 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 1s | 1s | 1s |
| 10s | 25s | 20s |
| 30s | 2m 11s | 1m 26s |
| 2m | 10m | 8m 49s |
Corrected exposure from each film’s published reciprocity data. Reciprocity calculator
Developing both
Developers with published times for both films: