This post is sponsored by Analogue Wonderland, who make film photography fun and accessible for everyone.

Tulips

You’d think I would have shot Ilford’s FP4 Plus by now. It’s a traditional-grained ISO 125 film, much like Kodak’s lamented, discontinued Plus-X, which I loved. Also, Ilford films are easy to buy in central Indiana given that their US distributor, Roberts, is located here. I can walk into their store and buy any film Ilford makes.

But it wasn’t until the nice people at Analogue Wonderland asked if I’d like to write some sponsored posts for them in exchange for some film from their extensive selection that I thought, “Here’s my chance to finally shoot some Ilford!” FP4 Plus was at the top of my wish list.

On the pond in the office park

As much as I miss Plus-X, I’m not going to compare the two films. It’s been overdone. Search “Plus-X vs. FP4” and prepare for the link avalanche. No, I’m going to evaluate FP4 Plus on its own merits, through the lens of my Olympus XA.

On the pond in the office park

FP4 Plus is a very good medium-speed black-and-white film. Its blacks are inky rich and it authoritatively captures a full range of middle tones. Best of all, it does not tend toward blown highlights like so many other ISO 100-125 black-and-white films I’ve tried. I’m looking at you, Kentmere and Fomapan.

Central Park

Even in mixed lighting, FP4 Plus delivers the details. Its grain is almost undetectable, it’s so fine. It leads to delicious sharpness.

Little Tree

The only time I wasn’t thrilled with FP4 Plus was on a particularly gloomy day. An ISO 400 film would have been a better choice, but FP4 Plus is what I had in the camera and so I shot it. This photo conveys the feel of the day all right, but lacks detail in the deepest shadows.

Wet parking lot

I plowed ahead shooting on this dim day. I had to run an errand in Lebanon after work, so I photographed around the town’s square. You can drive only one way down this alley.

One way

The original Boone County Jail is now a bar and restaurant. You can have dinner in one of the cells.

Cell Block 104

This seriously old house is about a block off the square.

Old house

Down another side street off the square is the First Baptist Church. Just look at the great tones and all that detail!

First Baptist

FP4 Plus is a lovely, lovely film. I regret not trying it sooner. I need to always have some cooling in the film fridge.

Get more of my photography in your inbox or reader! Click here to subscribe.


Comments

20 responses to “Shooting Ilford FP4 Plus”

  1. P Avatar
    P

    I agree. FP4 PLUS is a truly wonderful film. I certainly look forward to seeing more of your work with it. Those two photos of the office buildings reflecting in the pond (or lake?) are very nice. The water had just enough movement in it to work out perfectly. Good stuff!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      The office/pond shots are amazing! All I did was frame, focus, and shoot, and look at the results!

  2. Andy Umbo Avatar
    Andy Umbo

    When it came to 120 medium speed, I was always a Verichrome Pan fan and shot it extensively, even for professional jobs. When they killed it (or it was hard to get), I went to Ilford FP-4, which was also a very wonderful film, the base seemed to be crystal clear, so the prints were very “sparkly”; BUT, it had a few emulsion tearing problems, that other photographers I knew were seeing as well. When they changed over to FP 4 Plus, the tearing disappeared, but the base seemed to have a pronounced gray tone to it which I found more difficult to print. I then got a source for Agfa 100, so I changed over to that until it disappeared.

    I recently bought a bunch of Ilford HP-5 plus, even tho I like Tri-X, I feel that I should support those who are supporting black & white photography, like Ilford, so I should learn to use it better! Your story here makes me think I should go back and revisit FP-4 plus and check it out again!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I have a roll of VP in 620 chilling in the fridge! I’m so excited! I have a pseudo-TLR I want to use it in.

      I have some HP5+ in my N90s right now.

  3. Dan James Avatar

    That shot of the bins especially is very sharp, credit to the little XA too!

    You mentioned Kentmere, I always thought that was made by Ilford anyway?

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      It is, I hear. Must be a different emulsion, maybe an older one.

  4. eppaar Avatar

    I find it amazing that in this post film age there are more emulsions generally available then there were when Kodak ruled the film world. In the ’50’s and ’60’s local photo stores only carried Kodak film which meant Panatomic-X, Plus-X and Tri-X. Other emulsions (Ilford, Agfa) were not so ease to buy.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I never heard of Ilford until I started shooting again in the mid-2000s. In the 80s it was Kodak, Scotch, and store brands available at the drug store.

      1. Andy Umbo Avatar
        Andy Umbo

        I grew up in Chicago and Milwaukee, and started buying film in about 65-66. Because of the Germans, lots of Agfa available in both cities at professional stores, as well as Agfa processing chemicals and printing paper. First full time commerical studio I worked in after college was entirely Agfa printing paper in the darkroom. The boss loved it, and that was 1974.

  5. bodegabayf2 Avatar

    Some wonderful tones here, especially the inky black. I must try this film. I still have some Plus-X in cold storage. After that is gone, this film might be the ticket!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      It’s definitely worth you giving it a try!

  6. Photo A Day Avatar

    Love the blacks!!!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Me too!

  7. Sam Avatar

    Great post Jim! It’s one of my favorite films.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I wish I’d found it sooner!

  8. Heide Avatar
    Heide

    Your images make me want to rush out and stockpile cases of this film, Jim — that’s how good they are. Tip of the hat to you for this beautiful work.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Oh gosh, thank you for saying so!

  9. […] The cameras are built by Irish-born James Guerin near Nantes, France and can be had for the modest sum of 85€. My camera arrived after just five days and was loaded with film and mounted on a tripod by the local lakeshore the day it arrived. The only medium format film in my refrigerator on the day happened to be a few rolls of Kodak Portra 160 and Kodak Ektar 100 – I chose the Ektar. After that first shoot, I placed an online order for a number of rolls each of Ilford Pan F Plus, Ilford Delta 100, and Ilford FP4 Plus. […]

  10. Kent Teffeteller Avatar
    Kent Teffeteller

    A note. I am shooting my first roll of Ilford FP4 Plus in my Nikon FG, and look forward to finishing it soon, and seeing it processed and the scans from my lab. Like you do, Jim, I miss the old Kodak Plus-X film, a favorite of mine. I also liked Verichrome Pan a lot too. It’s also a bargain for me, $5.99 a roll for 36 exposures at the lab I use. They stock a copious selection of Ilford products.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Six bucks a roll is pretty good! Best I can do is $7 plus shipping.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

%d