Kentmere 400 is the value black-and-white film from Harman, the maker of Ilford. It sits below the Ilford-branded stocks on price but shares the same manufacturing pedigree, which makes it a favourite for everyday shooting, learning to develop, and anyone who shoots a lot of frames.
Character and tones
The look is a classic, traditional-grain black and white: neutral, honest tonality with a gentle mid-tone contrast that is easy to print and scan. It does not have the extreme fine grain of a premium T-grain film, but it renders skin and everyday scenes in a pleasing, timeless way.
Grain and sharpness
Grain is visible but well-behaved, giving frames a genuine film texture without becoming gritty at normal enlargements. Sharpness is good, and the overall rendering has the honest, slightly raw quality that many people love in classic black and white.
Exposure and processing
Rated at ISO 400 it is a flexible everyday speed for handheld shooting in most light, and it has enough latitude to forgive small metering errors. It develops easily in common black-and-white developers, and because it responds predictably it is an excellent film to learn home developing on.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths: low price, dependable classic look, useful latitude, and easy processing. Weaknesses: grain is more pronounced than premium stocks, and it does not push to very high speeds as cleanly as some dedicated fast films.
Who it is for
Choose Kentmere 400 for everyday black and white, high-volume shooting and learning to develop, without paying premium prices. It is stocked and tested at Boston Camera.
