Kentmere Pan 400 .
Kentmere Pan 400 is a versatile, forgiving black and white film made with the same technology as Ilford HP5 Plus. It has the gentlest contrast in the range: less punch than Pan 100 and well short of Pan 200. Tones are even, with detail in both the shadows and the highlights.
Its speed makes it a great all-rounder. It’s well suited to street photography, where you need a faster shutter speed to freeze motion, and to travel and documentary work where the light changes through the day. It handles overcast days and available light indoors, and it pushes well too, so you can keep shooting as the light fades.
The trade-off is grain. It’s visible, mostly in the shadows and darker tones, and a touch more than HP5 Plus. Highlights can also look a little grey. If you want finer grain and have good light, Pan 100 is the better choice, and if you want a punchier look, choose Pan 200.
At this price point it’s a good film for beginners. The latitude is wide, so a misjudged exposure usually still gives you a usable negative, and it copes with less-than-perfect development, which helps if you’re learning to develop at home. It’s also well suited to seasoned shooters who want a roll they can shoot a lot of.
When the forecast is less certain, choose Pan 400.
- + Street photography
- + Landscapes
- + When you want to freeze motion
- − Scenes where you want more contrast — choose Pan 200 or Tri-X
- − When you need more latitude — choose HP5 Plus
- − You want finer grain — choose Delta 400
more from their film.
Kentmere Pan 400 is a conventional cubic-grain black and white film rated at ISO 400. At box speed in 35mm, grain is moderate: visible in shadows and darker tones, absent in well-lit subjects. It is close to HP5 Plus, with a touch more grain. Contrast is medium, at the mild end. Tones are balanced and even, highlights can look a little grey, and the film holds detail in both shadows and highlights without demanding precise metering. Latitude is wide, and detail recovers well from accidental over- and underexposure. Reciprocity adjustment applies for exposures beyond one second using the formula Ta = Tm^1.30.
Pushing is this film's strength. Harman publishes development times for EI 800 (one stop) across eight developer entries. EI 1600 (two stops) gives usable results in DD-X, with medium contrast and good sharpness. EI 3200 (three stops) is possible, with grain only slightly coarser than at box speed and shadow detail held, though this is getting close to its limit. Harman publishes no times for a full-stop pull; the only reduced rating in the datasheet is EI 320, for two developers.
Store unexposed film in a cool, dry environment (10–20°C). Refrigerator or freezer storage is permitted. Allow the cassette to return fully to room temperature before opening to prevent condensation forming on the film surface. Process exposed rolls promptly.