Black-and-white negative film · Discontinued

Ilford XP1

Ilford XP1 is a black-and-white negative film rated at ISO 400, developed in C-41. Below: specs, an exposure guide and similar stocks.

ISO 400C-41Discontinued135120sheet film
ISO 400
Box speed
Black-and-white negative
Type
C-41
Process
Discontinued
Status
1981–1993
Years made

Film specifications#

Manufacturer
Ilford
Film
XP1
Speed
400
Process
C-41
Formats
135, 120, sheet film
Base
Triacetate
Made in
UK
Status
Discontinued — replaced by XP2

Character & history#

As a chromogenic film, XP1 it can be exposed with an exposure index from ISO 50/18° to 800/30° on a single roll and be developed in traditional C-41 processing.

Description adapted from Wikipedia’s “List of discontinued photographic films” (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Exposure guide at ISO 400#

Sunny 16 for this film: f/16 at 1/400 s in bright sun. Negative film tolerates 2–3 stops of overexposure; slide film needs accuracy within about ⅓–½ stop.

Lightf/2f/4f/8f/16
EV 16 · Snow / beach, bright sun———1/1000 s
EV 15 · Bright sun——1/2000 s1/500 s
EV 14 · Hazy sun——1/1000 s1/250 s
EV 13 · Cloudy-bright—1/2000 s1/500 s1/125 s
EV 12 · Overcast / open shade—1/1000 s1/250 s1/60 s
EV 10 · Sunset1/1000 s1/250 s1/60 s1/15 s
EV 8 · Bright interior1/250 s1/60 s1/15 s1/4 s
EV 5 · Home interior at night1/30 s1/8 s0.5 s2 s
EV 3 · City street at night1/8 s0.5 s2 s8 s

Push & pull options#

Tell your lab how many stops you pushed or pulled so development is adjusted for the whole roll.

AdjustmentRate the film atEffect
Pull 1 stopEI 200Lower contrast, finer grain
Push 1 stopEI 800More contrast and grain
Push 2 stopsEI 1,600Strong contrast, coarse grain, blocked shadows
Push 3 stopsEI 3,200Strong contrast, coarse grain, blocked shadows
Developing C-41: Standard colour-negative chemistry available at almost every lab and in home kits (Tetenal/Cinestill Cs41).

Long exposures#

Most films suffer reciprocity failure beyond about 1 second: they need more exposure than the meter says. As a rule of thumb add ⅓–1 stop for 1–10 s and 1–2 stops beyond 10 s for older emulsions; modern T-grain films (and Fuji Acros) need much less. Check the manufacturer's datasheet.

More Ilford films#

Frequently asked questions#

What ISO is Ilford XP1?

400 — set your meter to ISO 400 for box speed.

Is Ilford XP1 still made?

No, it has been discontinued (1981–1993).

How do I develop Ilford XP1?

C-41 process. Standard colour-negative chemistry available at almost every lab and in home kits (Tetenal/Cinestill Cs41).

Is Ilford XP1 available in 35mm?

Yes — formats: 135, 120, sheet film.

Sources & licences#

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources

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