Film comparison
Ilford HP5 Plus vs Ilford SFX 200
- HP5 Plus is a stop faster (ISO 400 vs 200).
- HP5 Plus is more forgiving of exposure errors.
- HP5 Plus is cheaper in 35mm (about £7.50 vs £11.00).
Side by side
| HP5 Plus | SFX 200 | |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Ilford | Ilford |
| Type | Black & white | Black & white |
| Box speed | ISO 400 | ISO 200 |
| Process | B&W | B&W |
| Formats | 35mm, 120, 4x5, 8x10 | 35mm, 120 |
| Grain | Medium | Medium |
| Contrast | Medium | Medium high |
| Latitude | Excellent | Good |
| Saturation | — | — |
| Price, 35mm | about £7.50 | about £11.00 |
| Price, 120 | about £6.50 | about £10.00 |
| Availability | Current | Current |
Rows that differ are in bold. Prices are typical UK prices and change often.
How they look
- HP5 Plus
- A robust, all-purpose film. Slightly lower contrast than Tri-X with excellent shadow detail and pushability.
- SFX 200
- Extended red sensitivity up to 740nm. Creates infrared-style effects with 720nm filter. Not true IR film but produces similar aesthetic.
Which suits what
Better pick: HP5 Plus
Education, Street, General purpose
Both work well
—
Better pick: SFX 200
Infrared effect, Landscapes, Creative
Long exposures (reciprocity)
| Metered | HP5 Plus | SFX 200 |
|---|---|---|
| 1s | 1s | 1s |
| 10s | 20s | 27s |
| 30s | 1m 26s | 2m 10s |
| 2m | 8m 49s | 15m 40s |
Corrected exposure from each film’s published reciprocity data. Reciprocity calculator
Developing both
Developers with published times for both films: