Film comparison
Ilford FP4 Plus vs Ilford Ortho Plus
- FP4 Plus is 0.7 stops faster (ISO 125 vs 80).
- FP4 Plus is cheaper in 35mm (about £8.00 vs £9.00).
Side by side
| FP4 Plus | Ortho Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Ilford | Ilford |
| Type | Black & white | Black & white |
| Box speed | ISO 125 | ISO 80 |
| Process | B&W | B&W |
| Formats | 35mm, 120, 4x5, 8x10 | 35mm, 120, 4x5, 8x10 |
| Grain | Fine | Fine |
| Contrast | Medium | Medium high |
| Latitude | Good | Good |
| Saturation | — | — |
| Price, 35mm | about £8.00 | about £9.00 |
| Price, 120 | about £7.00 | about £8.00 |
| Availability | Current | Current |
Rows that differ are in bold. Prices are typical UK prices and change often.
How they look
- FP4 Plus
- Often considered a benchmark for medium speed B&W. Notable sharpness and fine grain. Well-suited for high-quality enlargements.
- Ortho Plus
- Orthochromatic film sensitive to blue and green only. Can be handled under red safelight. Reds and oranges render dark.
Which suits what
Better pick: FP4 Plus
Landscapes, Studio portraits, Bright conditions
Both work well
—
Better pick: Ortho Plus
Portraits, Foliage, Darkroom handling
Long exposures (reciprocity)
| Metered | FP4 Plus | Ortho Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 1s | 1s | 1s |
| 10s | 18s | 18s |
| 30s | 1m 13s | 1m 10s |
| 2m | 6m 57s | 6m 37s |
Corrected exposure from each film’s published reciprocity data. Reciprocity calculator
Developing both
Developers with published times for both films: