Buying guide
Best black and white film
Five monochrome films that cover contrast, fine grain, scanning and budget.
01 ISO 400 · Black & white · Medium · Very wide · $
The all-purpose classic: tolerant, pushable to 3200 and easy to scan.
02 ISO 400 · Black & white · Coarse · Very wide · $$
Contrast, deep blacks and the photojournalism look.
03 ISO 100 · Black & white · Very fine · Moderate · $$
Modern tabular grain for crisp detail and large prints.
04 ISO 400 · Black & white · Fine · Wide · $$
High speed with fine detail and clean highlights — excellent for scanning.
05 ISO 400 · Black & white · Coarse · Wide · $
A budget classic with pronounced grain and real documentary character.
FAQ
HP5 or Tri-X?
HP5 is smoother and more forgiving of overexposure; Tri-X has more contrast and grit.
Which B&W film is best for scanning?
T-Max 400 and Delta 400: finer grain and cleaner highlight separation.
Can I push black and white film?
Yes — most B&W films push to 1600 or beyond with the right developer.