[Jetsam1]

I've had a roll of this sitting in my drawer for a while now and think it's time to give it a whirl!

I've read before that good results are obtained setting the camera ISO at 200 rather than 400? I was wondering if anyone has done this and how it turned out? I'll be loading this in a Pentax Spotmatic F with SMC Takumar and Super Takumar lenses.

[Nesster]

While I've not gone to the extent of rating it at 200, the best thing is to avoid under exposure if you don't want a reticular graininess to develop.

[GeneV]

We've just had another thread, with a lively debate on this topic. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-film-slr-discussion/122816-ilford-xp2-tips.html . Some like it at ISO 200, and others, like me, like it at ISO 400. It is totally a question of what you want as a result. It works well underexposed, too, but it will not be as fine-grained.

[Jetsam1]

We've just had another thread, with a lively debate on this topic. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-film-slr-discussion/122816-ilford-xp2-tips.html . Some like it at ISO 200, and others, like me, like it at ISO 400. It is totally a question of what you want as a result. It works well underexposed, too, but it will not be as fine-grained.

Thanks very much! Will have a read of that!

[Steinback]

The data sheet gives a range of recommended exposures from ISO 50 to ISO 800: http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/20061301945161573.pdf

I've been happy with the results at around 320, but it really depends on how much grain you like. The film is developed the same way regardless of how you expose it so you can play around with different exposures on the same roll.

[HaroldB]

I have a friend who shoots XP2 at 200 - 320, but he likes everything overexposed. I shoot it at 400, with either a yellow or red filter and it's just great for me.
I'm shooting a roll today actually

[Douglas_of_Sweden]

I've mostly gone the other way running it at 800 as I need the speed when I use it for street shots at least during the winter half of the year. Works fine.

[Jetsam1]

I've mostly gone the other way running it at 800 as I need the speed when I use it for street shots at least during the winter half of the year. Works fine.

I've never fully understood how this works? If the film speed is 400 how does setting the camera at 800 make a difference? Or is it just for getting more reasonable shutter times? Do you not have to process the roll differently?

[GeneV]

I've never fully understood how this works? If the film speed is 400 how does setting the camera at 800 make a difference? Or is it just for getting more reasonable shutter times? Do you not have to process the roll differently?

The film has a wide exposure lattitude, allowing recommended ISO between 50 and 800. (Its predecessor, XP1 touted ISO as high as 1600) This means the film is about to reproduce an acceptable dynamic range at all these light levels. It was my understanding years ago that this is achieved by the film having various layers which in other C41 films are used to reproduce colors.

[womble]

The film has a wide exposure lattitude, allowing recommended ISO between 50 and 800. (Its predecessor, XP1 touted ISO as high as 1600) This means the film is about to reproduce an acceptable dynamic range at all these light levels. It was my understanding years ago that this is achieved by the film having various layers which in other C41 films are used to reproduce colors.

I used to use XP1 at ASA 1600 for photographing school plays. I had perfectly acceptable results which printed nicely at 10"x8".

K.

[GeneV]

I used to use XP1 at ASA 1600 for photographing school plays. I had perfectly acceptable results which printed nicely at 10"x8".

K.

I shot XP1 at ISO 50-1600 with good results. Later, when one of my MX bodies lost its exposure meter, it became the XP1 body. If the Sekonic wasn't around, an educated estimate of the exposure would always work.