[Leica] Tri-X & HP5 Plus

["Rod Fleming" <rodfleming@sol.co.uk>]

Hi


Mike wrote

>I have been using Tri X and enjoying the results.. however, one of my
printers said I should try Ilford HP5 plus. Any comments or experiences?<

Lovely stuff, and I prefer it to Tri-X. I'm NOT saying it's better, I just
prefer its tonal gradation.

If you look back you should see a post in which I pointed out that I have
pretty well standardised on it for monochrome work in all formats. For
Christmas this year I did a set of formal protraits of the kids using HP5
Plus and the results were fantastic, if I say so myself. The skin tones
glow.

Now that most of my commissions are for work in colour, it's a real joy to
be able to use a mono film because I like it, and not to have to worry about
some halfwit GD prattling on about graininess (which they always call
grain......)

Somebody else mentioned that tonal gradation is a critical parameter, which
is usually forgotten because people get caught up with discussion about
acutance and graininess; also, what you like in tonality is like what you
like in beer- one person's delight is another's warm tasteless dishwater
It's a very subjective area, but in my view a
film's tonality is  more important than acutance or graininess.

Even conventional 400 iso films like Tri-X and HP5 Plus today are better
than their medium-speed counterparts were 20 years ago, and they were an
improvement on the stuff around in the 50's, as far as acutance and
graininess are concerned- in other words, they're very good indeed. So now
we're free to use what we like.

So my advice is, try a few rolls of HP5 Plus, develop it in ID-11 or D76,
1/1 stock/water, 20deg.C., 13 mins- ish depending on how you like it cooked.
You might well decide to go back to Tri-X, but I know HP5 Plus won't
disappoint you.

Have Fun


Rod