Ilford XP2 Super—a color film that looks like black-and-white. Our friend and client Anton shot with this film for two years and believes it is a great option for those who do not develop black-and-white film at home. We decided to find out what kind of film it is and ask Anton about its advantages.
XP2 Super is a monochrome film, meaning a black-and-white film that can be developed using the C-41 process together with color film. The secret lies in the emulsion: unlike regular black-and-white film, it is made not from metallic silver but from dyes. There is only one dye, which is why the film is called monochrome.
Ilford XP2 Super 400/120, shot at ISO 400. Photo: Dima But
Ilford XP2 Super 400/120, shot at ISO 800. Photo: Dima But
Ilford invented monochrome film in 1980. In those days, digital photography was only just emerging, and film was the standard choice for photographers. Color film could be developed almost anywhere: in a small local lab or even a pharmacy. Black-and-white film was more difficult: not every lab offered manual development.
Ilford XP2 Super 400/120, shot at ISO 200 (left) and ISO 100 (right). Photo: Dima But
Ilford XP2 Super 400/120, shot at ISO 50. Photo: Dima But
Ilford decided to make life easier for amateur photographers and create a black-and-white film that could be developed by machine. The film was a success: it is indistinguishable from regular black-and-white film, except for its lower contrast and finer grain. Other film manufacturers also adopted the idea of monochrome film. Kodak, Fujifilm, and Konica made their own versions, but by 2019 only Ilford remained.
. 
Ilford XP2 Super 400. Photo: @ally_fane
Ilford monochrome film has a whole range of advantages. Here are four reasons to try shooting with XP2 Super:
- XP2 Super always delivers the same, predictable results. With manual development, the results from any other black-and-white film may vary. A processing machine uses the same settings every time, so photos taken on XP2 Super will always look similar.
- XP2 Super is optimized for scanning. Since it is a color film, it is compatible with Digital ICE—a program that automatically removes dust and scratches during scanning. Digital ICE does not work with black-and-white film.
- XP2 Super can be shot across a wide range of ISO settings. Although the roll is labeled ISO 400, in practice it can be shot at 100, 200, or 800. At any of these ISO settings, the results will be good with standard machine processing.
- XP2 Super is faster and cheaper to develop. With us, you will save UAH 60 on developing and scanning Ilford XP2 Super. We process films by machine every day, so your scans will be ready the same day or the next.
Is Ilford XP2 Super still needed today? It is debatable. On the one hand, film is no longer a mass-market product. There are fewer labs, but each one offers manual development. So the original idea behind monochrome film is losing its relevance. On the other hand, analog production is declining, beloved films are disappearing from the market, and new ones are rarely introduced. It is great that under these conditions, the unusual Ilford XP2 Super is still alive.