6 Best Black And White Film | ISO 400 vs 100: The Real Decision

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Ilford’s HP5 Plus sits at the center of the black and white film world for good reason: its ISO 400 speed, RMS granularity of 10, and wide exposure latitude make it the most versatile emulsion on this list. You can confidently rate it at box speed for crisp daylight work or push it to 1600 and still retain printable shadow detail — photographers report excellent results pushed to 3200 with only a modest increase in apparent grain.

In direct comparison to Tri-X 400, HP5 Plus delivers slightly smoother midtones and a more forgiving highlight roll-off. The grain is traditional cubic, meaning it looks classic rather than clinical, which is exactly what most enthusiasts want from a general-purpose film. Development times are well-documented across HC-110, D-76, and Ilfosol 3, so there’s no guesswork in the darkroom. Users consistently mention how well it handles mixed lighting — overcast scenes retain contrast while bright sunlight doesn’t block highlights.

The practical advantage of buying a 10-pack is that you can standardize your technique across a whole project without changing emulsions. Whether you’re shooting street candids, environmental portraits, or travel documentation, HP5 Plus delivers consistent negatives frame after frame. The DX-coded cassettes work with any modern 35mm camera with auto-DX reading, and the film base lies flat for easier scanning.

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Kodak Tri-X 400TX is the benchmark that every other black and white film is measured against, and this 5-pack offers the most economical entry into that legacy. The emulsion uses traditional cubic-grain technology with a nominal sensitivity of 400 ISO, but real-world testing shows it meters beautifully at 200 for reduced contrast or pushed to 800–1600 for available-light reportage. The grain structure is prominent but beautifully defined — it gives prints a tangible texture that digital conversion software can’t replicate.

Where Tri-X pulls ahead of HP5 Plus is in box-speed consistency and highlight separation. At 400 ISO developed in Kodak D-76 1:1, Tri-X produces punchier contrast with cleaner whites that make contact sheets pop. The exposure latitude is slightly narrower than HP5 in the shadows, but the tonal curve in the midtones creates more apparent depth in faces and architectural details. Photographers who push Tri-X to 1600 report that the grain becomes more pronounced but the characteristic curve holds together surprisingly well — far better than most ISO 400 consumer films.

The practical downside is the per-roll cost, which runs higher than HP5 Plus even in bulk packs. But for shooters who want that specific Tri-X contrast curve — the reason it has been a photojournalist staple for six decades — the extra cost is justified by the predictable results roll after roll. The 5-roll pack is the ideal test quantity before committing to a larger 25-roll pro pack.

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Ilford Delta 100 is the slow-speed specialist that delivers the highest resolving power per ISO in this selection, with an RMS granularity rating that rivals many ISO 50 technical films. The core-shell crystal technology produces exceptionally sharp edge transitions and virtually no grain clumping in 35mm at normal enlargement sizes. Users who develop in Ilfosol 3 1:14 report whites that are genuinely beautiful — clean and luminous without the slight veil that some slow films produce.

The trade-off for that fine grain is speed: ISO 100 forces you onto a tripod in anything other than bright sun, and the exposure latitude is narrower than ISO 400 films. Stick to box speed or pull to 50 for maximum shadow detail — pushing Delta 100 to 200 is possible but increases contrast significantly and loses the tonal smoothness that makes this film special. The 2-pack is a modest quantity, but that reflects the film’s use case as a considered, deliberate choice for landscapes, still life, and fine art rather than a run-and-gun street film.

Where Delta 100 truly excels is in 35mm format for photographers who want to make 16×20 or larger prints. The core-shell grain structure means less visible texture at high magnifications compared to traditional cubic-grain ISO 100 films like FP4 Plus. If you scan your negatives, Delta 100 produces files that need significantly less noise reduction in shadow areas, saving time in post-processing.

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Ilford FP4 Plus at ISO 125 is the quintessential medium-format black and white emulsion, balancing fine grain with enough speed for handheld shooting in good light. The RMS granularity of 11 is only slightly higher than Delta 100, but the traditional cubic-grain structure produces a more organic, less clinical tonal rendering that many portrait and landscape photographers prefer. Users report pulling the film to ISO 32 for ultra-fine grain in bright conditions or pushing it to 500 with acceptable results — a real testament to its robust exposure tolerance.

The 120 format delivers 12 frames per roll with a negative area roughly four times larger than 35mm, which means even moderate grain looks fine in prints up to 20×24. FP4 Plus shines in medium format because the film’s natural contrast characteristics complement the tonal separation that larger negatives provide. Skin tones in particular benefit from the smooth midtone gradation, making it a strong choice for environmental portraiture shot on Hasselblad, Mamiya, or Bronica systems. The 3-pack is a practical quantity for a weekend of shooting or for testing development times before committing to a larger order.

Compared to Kodak’s T-Max 100 in 120 format, FP4 Plus has a more forgiving highlight shoulder that allows you to overexpose by a stop without blowing out detail. That latitude is especially valuable when shooting transparency-type subjects like architecture where highlight retention is critical.

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This 5-pack of Ilford HP5 Plus packaged by Ritz Camera offers the same versatile ISO 400 emulsion found in the larger bulk pack, but at a lower entry cost for shooters who don’t need ten rolls at once. The film’s wide exposure latitude is its defining characteristic — it handles mixed and difficult lighting with medium contrast that gives the photographer control in the darkroom. Users consistently note that it works well in older mechanical cameras where light meters may be less accurate, because the film can absorb a stop of overexposure without blocking highlights.

HP5 Plus at ISO 400 is a true multi-purpose film: it’s fast enough for handheld shooting at 1/125 in moderate daylight with an f/5.6 lens, and the push-processing capability means you can rate it at 800 or 1600 with predictable results. The DX-coded cassettes are compatible with all modern 35mm SLRs and rangefinders. In the darkroom, HP5 Plus responds well to standard developers — HC-110 dilution B at 7 minutes gives a good balance of speed and contrast, while Rodinal 1:50 accentuates the grain for a more aggressive look.

The 5-roll count is ideal for travel or a weekend workshop. It’s also a good test quantity for shooters who have been using Tri-X exclusively and want to compare the tonal differences. Side-by-side, HP5 Plus shows smoother midtones and slightly warmer base fog, which can produce richer scans than the cooler Tri-X base.

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This 7-roll pack of Kodak Tri-X 400TX gives you the same professional-grade emulsion as the 5-pack but with two extra rolls for classroom assignments or extended shooting trips. The film’s box-speed consistency is one of its strongest attributes — shoot after shoot, the contrast curve and base density remain predictable, which is why photography instructors often require Tri-X for introductory film courses. Users report that the exposure works well between 100 and 800 ASA, giving you flexibility to adapt to changing light without burning through extra rolls.

The grain structure is what defines Tri-X: prominent, classic, and full of character. It’s not a smooth-tonal film — the visible grain is part of the aesthetic that makes street and reportage images feel immediate. In 35mm, the grain becomes apparent around 8×10 enlargement, but that’s exactly what Tri-X users want. Developers like Xtol 1:1 tame the grain slightly while maintaining the film’s signature sharpness, while Rodinal 1:50 pushes the grain into view for a more aggressive look.

For the price per roll, this 7-pack represents solid value for committed Tri-X shooters. The 36-exposure length is ideal for assignments where you need to maximize shots between reloads. Just be aware that Tri-X shadow detail is less forgiving than HP5 Plus — accurate exposure at box speed is important to avoid blocked shadows in the final print.