THE HIGHEST EXPOSURE LATITUDE FILM IN dr5 and our highest volume film type.
The most popular film for dr5 simply because of its image quality @ higher iso speeds. Like most of the ILFORD films, HP5 is great for bringing out shadow the detail, especially when you need to scan those dark areas in the image. The "BEST" quality if your needing speed; 320-3200iso exposure latitude. Speed lower than 320iso is not recommend for this film, though it is possible. HP5 produces an old fashion image quality, similar but smoother than TX.. In developer-2 it produces a "slightly masked" sepia-selenium tone.
HP5 holds detail in the brightest whites and deepest blacks. For many, It is the favorite film for dr5. DMAX is around 3.30 @ 400iso
HP5 holds its image quality to 1600iso, with only a slight increase
in contrast, there is also increased dynamic range. DON'T
BE AFRAID to shoot this film @ higher speeds. Most
think HP5 actually looks better in the 800-1000iso range. NOTE: Though HP5 is a very hearty film type, due to
its speed capability, it is best to use fresh film if you are using
it at it's highest speeds.
(to view below images larger: right-click / view image]
NOTE: HP5 must be fresh when exposing @ 1000-3200 iso. It is important to keep this film away from any X-ray or heat as the higher iso will show the slightest damage. Damage from age, heat or x-ray can be seen as; lower dmax, lower contrast, blown out whites and a masked haze.
