Traditional black-and-white films each possess distinctive characteristics, from grain structure and contrast to tonal range and sensitivity to light. The choice of film, together with exposure and development techniques, plays an important role in determining the character of the finished photograph. Drawing upon decades of practical darkroom experience, we’ll explore the qualities of several films available today, helping photographers choose the emulsions best suited to their creative needs.
Kodak Ektapan 100
Kodak Ektapan 100 is a black-and-white negative film using Kodak’s T-Grain emulsion technology. Kodak emphasizes its very fine grain, high sharpness, and ability to record fine detail for things like portraits, landscapes, architecture, and larger prints. It’s available in 35mm, 120, and 4×5 formats. Although I’ve used Kodak T-Max 100 extensively since the early 1990’s, I haven’t tested film sold under the Ektapan name yet, so the specs above come from Kodak’s published information rather than my own results.
Click the link below to read photographer John Sexton’s article on T-Max films:
“A Few Ideas on Using Kodak T-Max Films Successfully” (1987).
Where to buy:
Kodak Ektapan 400
Kodak Ektapan 400 combines ISO 400 sensitivity with Kodak’s T-Grain emulsion technology for fine grain and high sharpness. Its two-stop speed advantage over Ektapan 100 allows faster shutter speeds or smaller apertures in the same light, making it useful for handheld photography, moving subjects, and lower-light situations. Available in 35mm, 120, and 4×5 formats, it balances fine detail with the flexibility of a faster film. For historical perspective, John Sexton described using T-Max 100 as his primary film and choosing T-Max 400 when he needed additional speed—a practical distinction worth considering when selecting between film speeds.
Where to buy:
Kodak Tri-X 400
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic ISO 400 panchromatic black-and-white film, valued for its distinctive grain, sharpness, and generous exposure latitude. It remains a popular choice for portraiture, street photography, and documentary work.
In my own photography, I frequently exposed Tri-X at an exposure index of 200, providing additional exposure and reducing development to achieve the tonal range I preferred. This approach helped preserve shadow detail while controlling highlights and overall contrast.
Other accomplished photographers have developed their own approaches to Tri-X. John Sexton and Michael Kenna offer particularly interesting perspectives on how exposure, development, and printing techniques can shape the character of this remarkably versatile film.
Further reading:
https://www.johnsexton.com/newsletter11-2024.html
https://www.michaelkenna.net/ivwork.php
Where to buy:
Ilford Pan F Plus
Ilford Pan F Plus is an ISO 50 black-and-white film that Ilford describes as a high-contrast offering with exceptionally fine grain, sharpness, and detail. In my own work, however, I used exposure and development adjustments with various fine-grain developers to moderate that contrast and achieve a longer tonal scale. I particularly valued the smooth skin tones it produced in portraiture, along with the fine detail and gentle tonal transitions I achieved in landscapes. Its exceptionally fine grain also allowed me to make substantial enlargements while retaining a smooth, detailed image. Although its slower speed requires sufficient light or tripod support, I found Pan F Plus rewarding for photographers willing to tailor exposure and development to the results they want.
Further reading:
https://www.ilfordphoto.com/ilford-panf-plus-montana-snow
https://www.gregoryowain.co.uk/blog/film-review-ilford-pan-f-plus-35mm
Where to buy:
Ilford FP4 Plus
Ilford FP4 Plus is an ISO 125 all-purpose black-and-white film offering fine grain, excellent sharpness, and wide exposure latitude. I used it alongside Kodak Plus-X and turned to it for the kinds of photography I had previously undertaken with Verichrome Pan after that film was discontinued. To my eye, FP4 Plus had more in common with Plus-X in its overall character, but its speed and versatility made it a practical choice for work that Verichrome Pan had once served. I regard it as a dependable traditional film in this speed range, with room to tailor exposure and development to the subject and the intended print.
Further reading:
https://www.richardpickup.com/blog/2016/10/9/pebble-project-fp4
Where to buy:
Amazon multi-pack option
Ilford HP5 Plus
Ilford HP5 Plus is an ISO 400 panchromatic black-and-white film offering fine grain, excellent sharpness, medium contrast, and wide exposure latitude. Like Kodak Tri-X 400, it is a versatile traditional film suited to portraiture, street photography, documentary work, and available-light shooting. Both respond well to push processing when faster shutter speeds are needed, with changes in grain, contrast, and shadow detail. HP5 Plus offers considerable freedom to shape its tonal character through exposure, developer choice, and development time. Although photographers often describe HP5 Plus as gentler in contrast than Tri-X, neither film has a single fixed look: processing and printing strongly influence the result, making personal testing more useful than declaring one superior.
Where to buy:
B&H Photo offers single rolls and multi-packs
Amazon offers multi-packs
Further reading:
https://bluemooncameracodex.com/film-fridays/ffilfordhp5
For a photographic comparison of Ilford HP5 Plus and Kodak Tri-X 400, visit Hai Hoang Tran’s illustrated article, which explores the visual characteristics of these two classic black-and-white films.
https://www.haihoangtran.com/blog/2018/10/15/ilford-hp5-pus-vs-kodak-tri-x-400
Fujifilm Neopan 100 Acros II
Fujifilm Neopan 100 Acros II is an ISO 100 black-and-white film known for its exceptionally fine grain, high sharpness, and excellent tonal reproduction.
I worked with the original Neopan Acros 100 approximately thirty years ago and found it comparable in many respects to Kodak T-Max and Ilford Delta films. However, I found its contrast somewhat higher than I preferred. Developing it in Kodak D-76 diluted 1:1 helped me achieve more balanced negatives with pleasing midtones.
Although I have not yet tested Acros II, Fujifilm describes the newer emulsion as offering improved tonal gradation, particularly in the highlights. My observations concerning exposure and development are based on the original Acros rather than its successor.
Further Reading:
EMULSIVE offers an illustrated comparison of the original Neopan Acros 100 and Acros II, examining differences in contrast, shadow detail, and tonal reproduction.
Where to buy:
Agfa APX 100
The original Agfa APX 100 was one of my favorite traditional black-and-white films, with a distinctive character that I found particularly appealing.
In my experience, APX 100 exhibited a distinctly silver-rich character, producing negatives with excellent tonal depth, pleasing grain, and forgiving exposure latitude. Unlike some of the newer, exceptionally fine-grained emulsions, APX 100 retained what I considered a more traditional photographic appearance, reminiscent of the great photojournalistic images of the 1950s and 1960s.
Its tonal characteristics seemed particularly well suited to documentary photography, where atmosphere and emotional impact can be just as important as technical perfection. I can easily imagine its rendering being used to document the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, capturing the starkness and gravity of that historical moment. Its traditional grain structure and tonal depth could lend themselves beautifully to portraying the bleak, utilitarian architecture associated with parts of Cold War East Berlin.
Although the original German-made Agfa APX 100 emulsion is no longer manufactured, photographers can still purchase film under the AgfaPhoto APX 100 name. However, the modern film uses a different formulation and should not be considered identical to the original. Its grain structure, contrast, and tonal characteristics deserve to be evaluated independently. My observations above concern the original Agfa emulsion, not its contemporary namesake.
Further Reading:
For readers interested in seeing photographs produced with the original Agfa APX 100 emulsion, photographer Jim Grey offers an illustrated account of his experience using this classic black-and-white film. His photographs provide an opportunity to appreciate the tonal qualities and traditional photographic character that made the original APX 100 such a memorable film.
Where to buy:
The original Agfa APX 100 emulsion is discontinued. The following retailer offers the modern AgfaPhoto APX 100, a different film sold under the APX name.
Kentmere, affordable traditional black and white films
Kentmere black-and-white films offer photographers an affordable introduction to traditional film photography without sacrificing dependable performance. Manufactured by Harman Technology, the company behind Ilford photographic products, Kentmere films provide a practical alternative to more expensive emulsions.
The Kentmere range is particularly appealing to students, beginners, and experienced photographers who shoot frequently and want to keep their film costs manageable. These films offer good sharpness, pleasing tonal reproduction, and sufficient exposure latitude for a variety of photographic applications.
Although they may lack some of the refined characteristics of premium emulsions, Kentmere films are capable of producing excellent negatives when properly exposed and developed. Their affordability also encourages experimentation with exposure, development, and printing techniques, an important part of learning traditional black-and-white photography.
Kentmere Pan 100
Kentmere Pan 100 is a traditional, fine-grained black-and-white film with a nominal sensitivity of ISO 100. Particularly well suited to photography in good lighting conditions, it offers pleasing tonal gradation and a relatively fine grain structure, making it an attractive choice for landscapes, architecture, portraiture, and general photography. Its economical price also makes it appealing to students learning the fundamentals of exposure, film development, and darkroom printing. For photographers who appreciate the traditional appearance of silver-based black-and-white photography, Kentmere Pan 100 offers an accessible starting point.
Explore Obsidian Urbox for a detailed look at Kentmere Pan 100 in action.
Where to buy:
Amazon two-pack
Kentmere Pan 200
Kentmere Pan 200, introduced in 2025, offers an additional stop of sensitivity when compared with Kentmere Pan 100, while retaining relatively fine grain and a distinctive tonal character. Early reviews suggest that its rendering makes it particularly interesting for street photography, architecture, and subjects where greater tonal separation is desirable. For photographers who want greater flexibility than ISO 100 provides, but who don’t require the additional speed of Kentmere Pan 400, Pan 200 may represent a balanced and economical choice.
For readers interested in examining photographs produced with Kentmere Pan 200, PetaPixel offers an illustrated review with sample photographs and firsthand observations. The article discusses the film’s contrast, grain structure, and versatility, providing a useful opportunity to explore its photographic characteristics.
Kentmere Pan 200 Review | PetaPixel
Where to buy:
Kentmere Pan 400
Kentmere Pan 400 is a traditional black-and-white film offering an ISO sensitivity of 400, making it particularly useful for handheld photography, street photography, documentary work, and situations where lighting conditions may be less than ideal. Its higher sensitivity allows photographers to use faster shutter speeds or smaller apertures than would be practical with slower films. Although its grain is generally more noticeable than that of Kentmere Pan 100 or 200, this can contribute to the distinctive character associated with traditional black-and-white photography. For students and enthusiasts seeking an economical, versatile film suitable for a wide variety of subjects and lighting conditions, Kentmere Pan 400 represents an appealing option.
For readers interested in exploring the photographic capabilities of Kentmere Pan 400, photographer Matt Osborne offers an illustrated review featuring examples of his work and observations drawn from first-hand experience. His article examines the film’s grain structure, tonal qualities, and performance under various photographic conditions, providing readers with a useful perspective on its versatility and suitability for traditional black and white photography.
Where to buy:
Final Thoughts
The films discussed here represent only a portion of the choices available to today’s black-and-white photographer. Each possesses characteristics that may appeal to different photographic styles, subjects, and personal preferences. Yet selecting an emulsion is only the beginning. The photographer’s decisions regarding exposure, developer selection, dilution, and processing technique can profoundly influence the character of the resulting negative. There is no single combination that will satisfy every photographer or every photographic situation. Much of the pleasure of traditional photography lies in experimentation, developing an understanding of one’s materials, and discovering the combinations that best express one’s photographic vision. In our next discussion, we will explore black-and-white film developers and the important role they play in transforming an exposed film into a negative worthy of the darkroom.