TECHNICAL INFORMATION

FP4 PLUS
MEDIUM SPEED BLACK AND WHITE PROFESSIONAL FILM
FOR HIGH PRINT QUALITY AND PROCESSING CONVENIENCE

Photo by Edward C. Ley, McDonald, TN

ILFORD
2 TECHNICAL INFORMATION

FP4 PLUS 1.3 SHEET FILM

Medium Speed FP4 Plus sheet film is available in a wide range of standard
sizes. It is coated on 0.175mm ( 7⁄1000 inch) polyester base,
Black and White Film offering rigidity and dimensional stability. This makes it
ideally suitable for machine processing in automatic proc-
1 DESCRIPTION & USE essors without the need for leaders. The base has an anti-
ILFORD FP4 Plus is an exceptionally fine grain, medium speed halation backing which clears during processing.
black and white film. It builds on the quality and reputation The short side of FP4 Plus sheet film is notched to indicate
of ILFORD FP4 and continues the ILFORD reputation in medium the emulsion surface and film type. The emulsion faces the
speed films. Compared with FP4, it has finer grain and user when the film is held in the position shown.
shorter processing times.
When given standard development it has a speed rating
of ISO 125/22° to daylight. FP4 Plus has a high acutance
emulsion which, combined with its fine grain and exposure
latitude, ensures superlative quality—the ideal film to use
for all high quality indoor and outdoor photography, partic-
ularly when giant enlargements are to be made. FP4 Plus is The new notch code, being phased in (September 1995)
versatile and will give useable results even if it is overexposed includes an ILFORD identifier. This identifier is an elliptical
by as much as six stops, or underexposed by two stops. notch in the number one and number five positions. Either
FP4 Plus is compatible with all major processing systems set of notches indicated above identifies ILFORD FP4 Plus
including those which give the standard short fixing and sheet film.
washing times. There is no need to change standard proc- Both surfaces of FP4 Plus accept commonly used retouching
essing techniques when switching to FP4 Plus from FP4, or media and are designed to resist surface roller marks when
any other ISO 125/22° film. FP4 Plus is very robust during machine processing.
processing, giving excellent results under most conditions,
and will also tolerate processing conditions that are less In addition to general purpose photography, FP4 Plus sheet
than ideal. film is ideal for copying and internegative work. It also has
many applications in scientific, technical and industrial
1.1 35mm FIL M photography.
FP4 Plus 35mm film is supplied in DX coded cassettes, suit- 2 EXPOSURE DETAILS
able for all 35mm cameras. DX coded cassettes mean that
the film speed of ISO 125/22° is set automatically on most FP4 Plus is a medium speed, black and white panchromatic
cameras. These cassettes are very strong and have the end film designed to give the highest quality results. It is the ideal
caps firmly fixed to the body. This ensures the caps remain general purpose film for use in a wide range of exposing
in position during rough handling. conditions. Building on the quality and reputation of FP4,
FP4 Plus gives even greater reliability and ease of use.
FP4 Plus 35mm film has a neutral base tint which enables
easy print contrast assessment on the light box. For easy
negative identification, it also has bold frame numbering for
2.1 EXPOSURE RATING
whole frames and letters to indicate half frame numbering. FP4 Plus has a speed rating of ISO 125/22° (125ASA
22DIN EI 125/22) to daylight and is recommended for
FP4 Plus 35mm film is coated on 0.125mm ( ⁄1000 inch)
5
general photography in all types of lighting. The ISO speed
acetate base and is available in 24 or 36 exposure DX
rating was measured using ILFORD ID -11 developer at 68°F
cassettes, or in bulk film length of 100 feet.
with intermittent agitation in a spiral tank. While a meter
setting of EI 125/22 is recommended for optimum results,
1.2 ROLL FILM high quality results are also obtained when FP4 Plus is ex-
FP4 Plus roll film is coated on 0.110mm clear acetate base posed over the range EI 50/18 to EI 200/24.
which has an antihalation backing that clears during de- It should be noted that the exposure index (EI) range recom-
velopment. FP4 Plus roll film is available in 120 and 220 mended for FP4 Plus is based on a practical evaluation of
lengths and is edge numbered 1 to 19 for 120 and 1 to 40 film speed and is not based on foot speed, as is the ISO
for 220 to ensure all formats can be identified, whatever standard.
camera format is being used.
The backing paper has a white outer surface for easy frame 2.2 FILTER FACTORS
identification. The portion of the backing paper visible after
FP4 Plus film can be used with all types of filters (e.g., color,
exposure is black with white printing for quick identification
polarizing and neutral density filters) in the usual way.
of exposed films.
FP4 PLUS 3
The table gives a practical GUIDE to the increase in expo- 2.4 RECIPROCITY CHARACTERISTICS
sure needed when using the filters listed. The exposure in-
Most films, including FP4 Plus, are designed to be used over
crease in daylight may vary with the angle of the sun and
a wide range of exposures. This range covers most normal
the time of day. In the late afternoon or the winter months,
photography, including exposure by electronic flash. Thus,
when the daylight contains more red light, green and blue
for exposures between 1⁄2 and 1⁄10,000 second, no corrections
filters may need slightly more exposure than usual. The
are needed for reciprocity law failure.
exposure increases for tungsten light are based on an
average tungsten source which has a color temperature When exposures longer than 1⁄2 second are given, FP4 Plus,
of 3200K. along with other films, needs to be given more exposure
than indicated by a meter. Use the graph to calculate the
Cameras with through-the-lens metering will usually adjust
increased exposure time which should be given once the
the exposure automatically when using filters. With some
measured time is known.
automatic exposure cameras, the correction given for deep
red and orange filters can produce negatives under exposed
by as much as 11⁄2 stops. To check for this, take two read-
ings of the same subject, one with and one without a filter
on the lens. Compare the difference between the two with
the filter manufacturer’s recommended increase in the ex-
posure. Where a meter is causing under exposure, either
adjust the speed rating or, if possible, switch to manual
operation.
The factors are intensity scale factors, but in most cases ex-
posures can be increased by using either a larger aperture
or a slower shutter speed. Multiply a metered exposure by
the filter factor to approximate the new setting.
Exposure Increase
Kodak Wratten Filter Daylight Factor Tungsten Factor
Yellow (#8) 1.5 1.2
Deep Yellow (#15) 2.0 1.5
Yellowish Green (#11) 3.0 3.0
Orange (#21) 2.3 2.0
Deep Orange (#22) 5.0 2.5
Tricolor Red (#25) 6.0 4.0
Tricolor Blue (#47) 7.0 13.0
Tricolor Green (#58) 6.0 6.0
Neutral Density (.30) 2.0 2.0

2.3 SPECTRAL SENSITIVITY 3 PROCESSING OPTIONS

Equal energy
FP4 Plus is a versatile film and may be exposed and de-
veloped to suit a wide range of requirements. This section
outlines how this can best be done.

3.1 DEVELOPERS
The versatility of FP4 Plus can be exploited by selecting the
best ILFORD developer for the job. The table is a guide to
choosing the ILFORD developer for FP4 Plus that is most
suited to individual requirements.
MANUAL PROCESSING (e.g., Spiral Tank, Tray, Deep Tank)
Requirement Liquid Powder
Best Overall ILFOSOL- S (1+9) ID-11 (Stock)
Image Quality
Wedge spectrogram to tungsten light (2850K) Finest Grain ILFOSOL- S (1+9) PERCEPTOL (Stock)
(EI 50/18)
Finest Grain ILFOSOL- S (1+14) PERCEPTOL (1+1)
(EI 125/22)
Maximum ILFOTEC HC (1+31) ID-11 (1+3)
Sharpness
Maximum — MICROPHEN (Stock)
Film Speed
(EI 400/27)
One- Shot ILFOSOL- S (1+14) ID-11 (1+3)
Convenience ILFOTEC HC- D (1+29) MICROPHEN (1+3)
Economy ILFOTEC HC- D (1+29) ID-11 (1+3)
MICROPHEN (1+3)
4 TECHNICAL INFORMATION
MACHINE PROCESSING After development, fix FP4 Plus in ILFORD UNIVERSAL
Dip and Dunk ILFOTEC DD Best overall image quality Rapid fixer (1+3). When roller transport processing, add
(liquid) one part ILFORD FIX HARDENER to every 40 parts working
ILFOTEC HC Flexible process time, strength UNIVERSAL Rapid fixer. Hardener protects the film
range of dilutions and during the remainder of the roller transport processing
economy sequence.
Leader Card ILFOTEC RT RAPID Rapid processing, best
overall image quality and Nitrogen Agitation
long tank life
For best results, agitate the developer solution with a nitrogen
ILFOTEC HC Range of dilutions, burst of one second duration every alternate second for 11
flexibility and economy
seconds in each minute. This amount of agitation, with air
Roller Transport ILFOTEC RT RAPID Rapid processing, best
overall image quality
instead of nitrogen, can also be used with the other solutions,
if desired.
ILFOTEC HC (1+11) Economy

4 PROCESSING METHODS 5 DEVELOPMENT

FP4 Plus can be processed in all types of processing equip- The tables give development times for both manual and
ment including spiral tanks, rotary processors, deep tanks machine processing. These times will produce negatives of
and automatic processors. FP4 Plus is very robust in proc- average contrast suitable for printing in all enlargers. The
essing and will tolerate less than ideal processing conditions. development times are intended as a guide only and may
Also, it will not contaminate the processing chemicals. be altered if a different result is required.
4.1 SAFELIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS To use the tables, first decide which meter setting has been
used, then choose the developer and dilution, and finally
Handle FP4 Plus film in total darkness. For very brief in- read off the development time. This time has been found to
spections during processing, use the ILFORD 908 (very dark give the best quality with FP4 Plus with that meter setting
green) or Kodak Series 3 safelight filter, with a 15W bulb, and in that developer. This simplified approach to develop-
fitted in a darkroom lamp. Do not allow direct lighting from ment times with FP4 Plus means there is no need to adjust
the safelight to fall on the film. the meter setting to suit the choice of developer.
When processing FP4 Plus film by inspection, the safest For manual processing, these times are based on intermit-
way is to use infrared illumination in the darkroom, with tent agitation (see section 4.2). Where continuous agitation
infrared goggles to see the film. This method ensures the is used for manual processing—as in a tray or with some
film cannot be fogged and makes it easy to see the image. types of developing tanks—these times should be reduced
by up to 15%.
4.2 SPIRAL TANK PROCESSING
Note: The contrast level obtained using these development
The recommended agitation for spiral tank processing with times is between the “normal” and “high” contrast
ILFORD chemicals is to invert the tank four times during the levels that used to be recommended for use with
first 10 seconds and again for 10 seconds (four inversions) condenser or diffuser enlargers respectively. This
at the start of every further minute. Use this method of agita- approach is no longer necessary, considering the
tion for both developing and fixing. At the end of each enlarger types that are popular today.
agitation sequence, tap the tank firmly on the bench to
dislodge any air bubbles. 5.1 CHARACTERISTIC CURVE
4.3 ROTARY PROCESSORS FP4 Plus developed in ILFORD ID-11 stock for 6 min. at
68°F (20°C) with intermittent agitation. This curve is repre-
Rotary processors, such as those made by Jobo, have very sentative of all formats.
similar processing conditions to spiral tank processing by
hand, except they process with small amounts of solution
and can be pre-programmed. Follow any guidance given
by the processor manufacturer when adjusting processing
times for these types of processors. Standard development
times are given in section 5.2 Development Times; these may
need reducing by up to 15% for use in rotary processors
without a pre-rinse because of the continuous agitation
given in these processors. Alternatively, if using a pre-rinse,
use the development times for spiral tank processing as
a guide.

4.4 MACHINE PROCESSING

FP4 Plus can be processed in all types of general purpose
film processors; these include dip and dunk, short leader
and roller transport processors—see the developer recom-
mendations in section 3.1 Developers.
FP4 PLUS 5
5.2 DEVELOPMENT TIMES
SPIRAL TANK, DEEP TANK AND
ROTARY PROCESSORS (Min/68°F/20°C)
35MM FILM
ILFORD Meter Setting
Developer Dilution EI 50/18 EI 125/22 EI 200/24 EI
400/27

ILFOTEC HC- D 1+9 * 3** 4** 7

1+19 41⁄2** 6 81⁄2 *
1+29 6 8 12 *
ILFOSOL- S 1+9 31⁄2** 4** 5 *
1+14 5 6 71⁄2 *
ILFOTEC HC 1+15 * 3** 4** 7
1+31 41⁄2** 6 81⁄2 *
1+47 6 8 12 *
ID-11 Stock 5 6 8 *
1+1 7 8 12 *
1+3 15 18 * *
MICROPHEN Stock * 51⁄2 61⁄2 11
1+1 * 7 9 16
1+3 * 10 13 *
PERCEPTOL Stock 71⁄2 9 * *
1+1 101⁄2 14 * *
1+3 14 18 * *
*Not recommended.
**Not recommended due to the risk of uneven development.
Highlighted area indicates the recommended choice for first time testing.
Non-ILFORD Meter Setting
Developer Dilution EI 50/18 EI 125/22 EI 200/24 EI
400/27

Kodak D76 Stock 5 51⁄2 7 *

1+1 71⁄2 81⁄2 11 *
1+3 12 14 18 *
Kodak Stock 71⁄2 101⁄2 * *
Microdol-X 1+3 14 17 * *
Kodak A * 3** 4** 7
HC-110 B 4** 5 8 *
Kodak T- Max 1+4 * 51⁄2 61⁄2 8
Acufine Stock * 3** 4** 10
Agfa Rodinal 1+25 5 6 9 *
1+50 6 81⁄2 13 *
*Not recommended.
**Not recommended due to the risk of uneven development.

DIP AND DUNK MACHINES (Min/75.2°F/24°C)

35MM FILM
Dilution/ Meter Setting
Developer Temperature EI 50/18 EI 125/22 EI
200/24 EI 400/27

ILFOTEC DD 1+4 41⁄2** 51⁄2 61⁄2 *

ILFOTEC HC 1+31
68°F (20°C) 41⁄2** 6 81⁄2 *
Kodak
T- Max RS Stock 3** 5 * *
*Not recommended.
**Not recommended due to the risk of uneven development.

ROLLER TRANSPORT AND SHORT LEADER MACHINES (Sec)

35MM FILM
ILFORD Dilution/ Meter Setting
Developer Temperature EI 50/18 EI 125/22 EI 200/24

ILFOTEC Stock/
RT RAPID 80.6°F (27°C) * 40 55
ILFOTEC HC 1+11**
75°F (23.9°C) * 70 *
*Not recommended.
**Other dilutions and temperatures may be more suitable for your needs.
For more information, consult your local ILFORD company.
6 TECHNICAL INFORMATION
SPIRAL TANK, DEEP TANK AND 5.3 METER SETTINGS BELOW EI 50/18
ROTARY PROCESSORS (Min/68°F/20°C)
ROLL FILM AND SHEET FILM OR ABOVE EI 400/27
ILFORD Meter Setting If FP4 Plus has been inadvertently exposed at a meter setting
Developer Dilution EI 50/18 EI 125/22 EI 200/24 slower than EI 50/18 or faster than EI 400/27, the follow-
ILFOTEC HC- D 1+9 * 4** 5 ing guide will ensure that usable negatives are obtained.
1+19 6 8 9 Obviously, the quality of negatives processed in this way
1+29 8 12 * will not be as high as conventionally processed ones.
ILFOSOL- S 1+9 41⁄2** 61⁄2 71⁄2
1+14 71⁄2 91⁄2 * MANUAL PROCESSING (Min/68°F/20°C)
ILFOTEC HC 1+15 * 4** 5 ILFORD Meter Setting
1+31 6 8 9 Developer Dilution EI 25/15 EI 800/30 EI 1600/33
1+47 8 12 *
PERCEPTOL Stock 61⁄2 (81⁄2) * *
ID-11 Stock 5 6 8
MICROPHEN Stock * 16 (16) 16 (16)
1+1 8 9 13
1+3 13 15 * *Not recommended.
MICROPHEN Stock * 8 9 ( ) = Roll and Sheet Film.
1+1 * 10 14 For users who regularly like to shoot films slower than
1+3 * 14 18
ISO 125/22°, the recommended ILFORD film is ILFORD
PERCEPTOL Stock 9 12 * PAN F Plus (ISO 50/18°).
1+1 13 15 *
1+3 17 21 * Also available is ILFORD XP2 (ISO 400/27°), a unique
*Not recommended. black and white film which can be exposed over meter
**Not recommended due to the risk of uneven development. settings from EI 100/21 to EI 800/30 on the same roll of
Highlighted area indicates the recommended choice for first time testing. film. It has very fine grain and must be processed through
standard C - 41 type color negative chemicals.
Non-ILFORD Meter Setting
Developer Dilution EI 50/18 EI 125/22 EI 200/24

Kodak D76 Stock 6 8 9

1+1 9 11 15 5.4 PROCESSING AT
1+3 14 16 20 DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES
Kodak Stock 10 15 *
Microdol-X 1+3 17 23 * FP4 Plus film can be processed over a range of temperatures.
Kodak A * 41⁄2** 6 Development times at temperatures other than 68°F may be
HC-110 B 6 9 12 calculated from the chart below.
Kodak T- Max 1+4 * 8 9 1. Look up the development time at 68°F in the tables in
Acufine Stock * 4** 6 section 5.2.
Agfa Rodinal 1+25 * 9 13 2. Find this time on the 68°F line—see the figures in the
1+50 * 15 20
middle of the chart.
*Not recommended.
**Not recommended due to the risk of uneven development. 3. Follow the diagonal line for this time to where it cuts the
horizontal line for the new temperature.
DIP AND DUNK MACHINES (Min/75.2°F/24°C) 4. Draw a line straight down from this point and read off
ROLL FILM AND SHEET FILM
the approximate new development time on the base of
Meter Setting
Developer Dilution EI 50/18 EI 125/22 EI 200/24
the chart.
ILFOTEC DD 1+4 * 7 * For example, if 4 minutes at 68°F is recommended, the
ILFOTEC HC 1+31 6 8 9
time at 74°F will be 3 minutes and the time at 61°F will be
68°F (20°C) 6 minutes.
Kodak
T- Max RS 1+4 * 71⁄2 *
*Not recommended.

ILFOLAB FP40, ROLLER TRANSPORT AND

LEADER CARD MACHINES (Sec)
ROLL FILM AND SHEET FILM
Dilution/ Meter Setting
Developer Temperature EI 50/18 EI 125/22 EI 200/24

ILFOTEC Standard/ * 80 100

RT RAPID 78.8°F (26°C)
Modified/ * 104 130
78.8°F (26°C)
ILFOTEC HC 1+11/ * 85 *
75°F (23.9°C)
Kodak Stock/ * 80 100
Duraflo 78.8°F (26°C)
*Not recommended.
FP4 PLUS 7
5.5 FIXING The scale on the right hand side of the contrast-time curves
gives the contrast changes in ILFORD printing paper contrast
FP4 Plus is fully fixed in the standard short fixing time
grades.
associated with most black and white films. There is no
need to give extended fixing. For example, if your negatives normally lie between paper
grades 2 and 3, you may wish to increase the film develop-
After development, rinse the film in water and fix in ILFORD
ment time, and so increase the contrast of the negatives, so
UNIVERSAL Rapid fixer (1+3) for 2–4 minutes at 68°F.
they print on grade 2.
If ILFORD FIX HARDENER* is added to the fixer, fix for
4 minutes at 68°F. A hardener is recommended only when In such a case with ILFOTEC HC (1+31) developer, for
processing at high temperatures (above 86°F) or in a roller example, instead of giving a development time of 6 minutes,
transport processor. read off the new development time of approximately 8 minutes
where the – 1⁄2 paper grade meets the contrast-time curve.
*ILFORD FIX HARDENER CAN NOT be used with ILFORD
Alternatively, use one of the ILFORD MULTIGRADE papers
MULTIGRADE or ILFORD 2000 RT fixers.
which gives 1⁄2 steps of contrast.
5.6 WASHING 6.1 ID-11
When a non-hardening fixer such as UNIVERSAL Rapid has
been used, wash the film in running water for 5–10 minutes.
For spiral tank use when a non-hardening fixer has been
used, the following method of washing is recommended.
This method of washing is faster, uses less water yet still
gives negatives of archival permanence.
1. Process the film in a spiral tank.
2. Fix it using ILFORD UNIVERSAL Rapid fixer.
3. After fixing, fill the tank with water at the same tempera-
ture as the processing solutions, and invert it five times.
4. Drain the water and refill. Invert the tank ten times.
5. Drain and refill it for the third time and invert the tank
twenty times. Drain the water.
When a hardening fixer has been used, wash the film in
running water for 15–20 minutes at a temperature within
±10°F of the processing temperature. Use of a hardening
fixer makes the film more difficult to wash and is therefore
not recommended.
A final rinse in water to which ILFOTOL Wetting Agent,
1+200, has been added will aid rapid and uniform drying.

5.7 DRYING 6.2 ILFOSOL-S

To avoid drying marks, use a squeegee or chamois cloth to
wipe FP4 Plus film before hanging it to dry. Dry FP4 Plus at
86–104°F in a drying cabinet or at room temperature in a
clean, dust free area.

6 CONTRAST-TIME CURVES
For normal use at EI 125/22, develop FP4 Plus according
to the development times given in the table in section 5.2
Development times. The development times for a meter set-
ting of EI 125/22 correspond to zero contrast change on
the contrast-time curves.
For subjects with an unusually large or small brightness
range, and also to fine tune contrast to suit individual re-
quirements, it is possible to vary the development time to
obtain the type of negatives required. As a guide, try
changing contrast in steps of 5%.
Note: In general, the best image quality is always ob-
tained when the film is processed according to the
recommendations given in sections 4 and 5, and
printed on the appropriate grade of paper for the
resulting negatives.
8 TECHNICAL INFORMATION
6.3 ILFOTEC HC/(HC-D)

6.4 MICROPHEN

ILFORD may modify its products from time to time and

consequently the information given in this publication is
subject to change without notice.
Printed in U.S.A.
ILFORD PHOTO
West 70 Century Road
P.O. Box 288
Paramus, New Jersey 07653
(201) 265-6000
ILFORD ANITEC (CANADA) LIMITED
2751 John Street
Markham, Ontario
Canada L3R 2Y8
(905) 940- 4455
Names printed in capitals are ILFORD trademarks.
Kodak and Wratten are trademarks of
Eastman Kodak Company.
Catalog #15048
KD 5M 3/96