Kentmere Pan 400

Kentmere Pan 400 is the fast stock in Harman's budget line, and the value proposition is the same as Kentmere 100: substantially cheaper than HP5+ and made under the same roof in Mobberley. A 36-exposure roll of Kentmere 400 costs noticeably less than HP5+, and in a lot of shooting situations that difference in price is more useful than the difference in quality.

The grain is coarser than HP5+ and the midtones are less smooth. That comparison sounds unfavorable but it deserves context: HP5+ is one of the finest traditional silver 400-speed films ever made, and measuring anything against it sets a high bar. Kentmere 400 performs competently in D-76, HC-110, and Kodak XTOL. The shadows hold reasonably at box speed and the highlights take a decent amount of overexposure before clipping.

Pushing Kentmere 400 to 800 works, but the grain gets blocky and the shadow curve clips harder than HP5+ pushed the same amount. Using it at box speed in available light and accepting the grain as part of the aesthetic is the better approach. The larger grain pattern suits reportage and street work where texture reads as authenticity.

In 120 the stock looks better. The larger frame reduces the apparent grain and the midtones smooth out enough that the gap between Kentmere 400 and HP5+ in 120 is less obvious than in 35mm.

Reciprocity exponent is 1.31. The correction matches HP5+ exactly, so any long-exposure workflow you have built around HP5+ transfers directly. Zone Light Meter applies the standard curve past one second, which keeps things simple when you switch between the two stocks based on budget rather than aesthetic need.