Kentmere 400 35mm Film

Kentmere 400 is the most affordable ISO 400 black and white film you can buy in Australia — and it's manufactured by Ilford.

The Kentmere range is made at Ilford's facility in Mobberley, Cheshire — the same site that produces HP5 Plus, Delta 3200, and the full Ilford black and white lineup. Kentmere uses a different emulsion formulation, engineered for the lower price point rather than for peak technical performance, but the manufacturing quality control is Ilford's. It's a film that delivers consistent, predictable results, processes reliably in standard black and white chemistry, and scans cleanly.

The character of Kentmere 400 in 35mm is worth knowing before you shoot: it's more contrasty and grainier than HP5 Plus, with a direct, punchy look that suits certain subjects and aesthetics very well. Street photography, documentary work, gig photography, everyday shooting where you want a classic analogue aesthetic without worrying about the cost of each frame — Kentmere 400 is a natural fit. If you're new to black and white film and want to shoot a lot while you learn, this is the film to start with.

Camera pairings: Canon AE-1, Nikon FM2, Olympus OM-1, Pentax K1000, Nikon F3, Canon F-1 — the DX coding means it also works correctly in any modern or automatic 35mm camera that reads DX cassettes.

Why photographers love Kentmere 400

The price argument is straightforward: at this cost per roll, you can shoot twice as many rolls as you would with HP5 Plus for the same budget. For photographers who are learning black and white film photography, building their skills, or simply want to shoot more without calculating the cost of every frame, Kentmere 400 removes a financial barrier that holds a lot of people back. Medium-format photographers especially find it useful for high-volume practice rolls before committing more expensive emulsions to a shoot.

The look has its own appeal. Kentmere 400 has a high-contrast, grainy aesthetic that many street and documentary photographers actively seek out. The tonal curve is steep — blacks are deep, highlights hold, and the midtones have a bold, graphic quality. It's not the smooth, neutral rendering of HP5 or the clinical precision of TMAX 400; it's a more expressive, rawer look that suits subjects where presence matters more than refinement. Candid portraiture, urban environments, available-light interiors — Kentmere 400 handles these subjects with energy.

Push processing opens up further. Kentmere 400 pushes to ISO 800 with acceptable results — increased grain and contrast, but workable for available-light shooting. At ISO 1600 the results are coarser and best treated as an emergency option. For reliable push to 1600 and beyond, HP5 Plus is the better film; for ISO 800 in a pinch, Kentmere is fine.

A bit of film history

The Kentmere name has roots in the Lake District in Cumbria, where photographic paper manufacturing has a long history. The brand was acquired by Harman Technology — the parent company of Ilford Photo — and production was consolidated at Harman's Mobberley facility in Cheshire. Today Kentmere is Harman's accessible-tier offering, providing Ilford manufacturing quality at a price point designed to make black and white film photography available to more people. It's an important part of the analogue ecosystem — not every roll needs to be a premium emulsion, and Kentmere exists to make sure cost doesn't prevent photographers from shooting.

Processing

Kentmere 400 requires standard black and white negative processing. We process B&W in-house at Ikigai Film Lab in Melbourne, with scanning available on our Fujifilm Frontier and Noritsu HS-1800 scanners. If you're pushing Kentmere to 800, note your rated ISO on your order so we can adjust development time accordingly. Kentmere 400 scans cleanly — the contrast and grain are part of the look, and both scanners render them well.

Common questions

Is Kentmere 400 really made by Ilford?

Yes — Kentmere is a brand owned by Harman Technology, the company behind Ilford Photo, and manufactured at the Ilford facility in Mobberley, Cheshire. The emulsion is not the same as HP5 Plus or Delta 400 — it's formulated differently for the lower price point — but the manufacturing facility and quality control are Ilford's throughout.

How does Kentmere 400 compare to Ilford HP5 Plus 35mm?

HP5 Plus has smoother, more neutral grain, better exposure latitude, and more forgiving tonal rendering — it's the more capable film by every technical measure. Kentmere 400 is higher contrast, grainier, and less forgiving of exposure error. Both are made by Ilford at Mobberley but they're different emulsions with different characters. HP5 Plus is the better film; Kentmere costs considerably less. If you're shooting for technical quality or professional work, choose HP5. If you're shooting for enjoyment, learning, or high volume, Kentmere 400 is genuinely hard to beat at this price.

How does Kentmere 400 compare to Kodak Tri-X 400?

Both have a direct, high-contrast character, but Tri-X has a legendary grain structure — organic, expressive, and deeply associated with mid-twentieth century documentary and street photography. Kentmere 400 is more straightforwardly contrasty with a less distinctive grain character. Tri-X costs significantly more. If you want the Tri-X aesthetic and history, shoot Tri-X. If you want a contrasty, punchy B&W at the best price available, Kentmere 400 delivers.

How far can I push Kentmere 400?

Kentmere 400 pushes to ISO 800 with acceptable results — grain and contrast increase noticeably but the film remains usable. At ISO 1600 the results are coarser and best treated as a last resort. For reliable push performance to 1600 and beyond, HP5 Plus 35mm is a much better choice. Always note your rated ISO on your processing order so we can adjust development time.

Is Kentmere 400 good for beginners?

Yes — it's one of the best starting points for 35mm black and white film photography. The DX coding means it works correctly in any automatic camera, the wide latitude is forgiving of exposure imprecision, and the price means you can shoot a lot of rolls while you're learning without a significant financial commitment. The higher contrast and grain are honest film characteristics that help beginners understand what black and white film actually looks like, rather than a polished, processed approximation.