How different is XP2Plus from XP2?

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I used and loved Ilford XP-1 film ever since it was introduced, with its long scale to capture shadow detail without burning out the highlights. It usually printed perfectly on Portriga grade 2/3. When XP-2 replaced it, it seemed nearly perfect, sharper, finer grain, higher effective speed -- in every way better without any shortcomings. I'm just back from a once in a lifetime trip to Yosemite. Because my freezer was down to only a few rolls of XP-2, I picked up a brick of XP-2Plus, and shot it just like I would have done XP-2. Whoa!! Contrast city! Grain more like conventional film, still quite fine but definite clumps. No deep, deep shadow detail. Mostly I photographed with a yellow filter, which I have felt matched XP-1&2 to my own vision. I have to question whether this lack of shadow detail is because of a different characteristic of the XP-2plus film, or because of the increased blueness of the light in the Sierra, which I was not accustomed to? Has anyone else found other differences in the new stuff?

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), June 24, 2000

Answers

Your biggest variable is the lab that developes the film for you, you talked about clumpy grain, that is due to development. The light in Yosemite would not effect the grain except for contrast. Pat

-- pat krentz (patwandakrentz@aol.com), June 25, 2000.

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