Ilford film
Ilford Photo is Britain's own black and white film specialist, manufacturing continuously in Mobberley, Cheshire since the nineteenth century. From the classic grain of HP5 Plus to the ultra-fine detail of Delta 100, Ilford film is a mainstay for street, documentary and fine art photographers around the world. Compare Ilford film prices from UK retailers on Filmproof.
About Ilford
The History of Ilford Photo
Ilford Photo was founded in 1879 by Alfred Hugh Harman, who began manufacturing photographic plates in the basement of his home in Ilford, East London. The business grew steadily, becoming the Britannia Works Company in 1891 and adopting the Ilford Limited name in 1902, with roll film production beginning in 1912.
The company survived bomb damage during the London Blitz in 1945 and went on to introduce a series of important innovations, including Multigrade variable-contrast paper in 1940 and, in 1980, XP1, the world's first chromogenic black and white film, designed to be processed using standard colour C-41 chemistry.
A management buyout in 2005 established Harman Technology Limited, trading as Ilford Photo, which continues to manufacture film at Mobberley, Cheshire, one of the last remaining traditional film factories anywhere in the world. The company was acquired by Pemberstone Ventures in 2015 and remains dedicated exclusively to black and white photographic materials, including film, paper and chemistry.
Ilford's Camera Film Ranges
HP5 Plus 400 is Ilford's classic fast, versatile all-rounder, long favoured by documentary, street and press photographers for its wide exposure latitude and forgiving nature. FP4 Plus 125 offers finer grain at a medium speed, popular for landscape and studio work.
The Delta range (100, 400 and 3200) uses modern tabular grain technology to deliver sharper detail and finer grain than Ilford's traditional emulsions, with Delta 3200 pushed to extreme speed for very low light shooting. Pan F Plus 50 is Ilford's slowest and finest-grained film, chosen when maximum detail is the priority.
XP2 Super 400 is a chromogenic black and white film processed in standard C-41 colour chemistry, offering the convenience of one-hour lab processing. SFX 200 extends sensitivity into the near-infrared, allowing for creative infrared-style effects when used with the right filters. Ilford also manufactures the budget-friendly Kentmere range on the same production lines.
Choosing the Right Ilford Film
For general purpose and street photography, HP5 Plus is the reliable classic. For fine detail landscape or studio work, choose FP4 Plus or Pan F Plus. For low light, Delta 3200 is the film to reach for, while XP2 Super suits anyone who wants the convenience of standard colour-lab processing. For creative infrared effects, try SFX 200. Compare Ilford film prices on Filmproof across all the UK's leading film retailers.