Filmgrid

comparison

Ilford HP5 Plus 400 vs Ilford Delta 400

Traditional grain or tabular, within one house.

The same photograph, same exposure, both looks at full strength. See the untouched original.

The difference

Same manufacturer, same speed, different crystal technology — the Ilford version of the Tri-X versus T-Max argument. HP5 has classic cubic grain and a long, soft tonal scale. Delta 400 uses tabular crystals for finer grain and slightly more contrast, landing between HP5 and Kodak's T-Max. Delta is the more modern-looking negative; HP5 is the one people mean when they say they shoot Ilford.

Which to use

HP5 Plus

Texture, tradition, and the most forgiving exposure latitude here.

Delta 400

Cleaner detail while staying warmer and softer than T-Max.

Side by side

Ilford HP5 Plus 400Ilford Delta 400
Typeblack & whiteblack & white
MakerIlfordIlford
SpeedISO 400ISO 400
Produced1989–present1990s–present
Renderings here51
Download.cube.cube

Try Ilford HP5 Plus 400 on your photo → Try Ilford Delta 400

A comparison on somebody else's reference photograph only tells you so much. Both of these render on your image in the tool, alongside the other 294.