You wanna shoot B&W? Ilford HP5 Plus 400 is easily one of the best films for the job, gets you a great result, good contrast, lovely touch of grain that isn't too much buit gives you a great look. One of the best all rounder films for everyday use. I shot most of my most recent roll in a cemetery and the final images are absolutely perfect.

HP5 is affordable, reliable, has great contrast, and is just overall great. It's HP5. Need I say more?

That's been right cold up Norfolk lately but there haven't been too many people about and I got a new coat for Christmas.

That's this Scandinavian parka you could fit a couple of mods in, twos-up on a Vespa with room to spare on a scooter run to Brighton. Just sew a target on the back.

You can also cram in a camera and a few lenses, in pockets that were originally designed to carry an elk's loins home for tea.

I was toasty in my Quadrophenia get-up. But the hood's got so much fur it looks like two ferrets fighting over a squished squirrel and the viewfinder was fogging up with all the heat.

So I was pleasantly surprised by these pictures, especially after a bit of a twiddle in post.

People love HP5 for the rich tones. The Wondies reckon it's their best seller and they should know because they like, um, sell it.

Every time I use it, I wonder why I don't use it more often, as it almost always delivers.

I suppose it suits some of the muddy old places I knock about in my downtime, when my digital kit sulks in the toy cupboard while I dust off my shelf queens.

Once it's been wondiefied, I usually just knock the DR up a bit and job's a good 'un.

It does bump the noise up a bit. Me and noise have this kind of up and down, take it or leave kind of scene.

But that gave me an idea of doing the same sort of thing using one of the faster films like Tmax or Delta 3200.

That's the funny thing when I use film. When the scans come back from the Wondies, I often think: They're great - but what about trying this next time..?

But hold you on, my New Year's resolution was try less films this year and stick to two or three. Or was it four. Or five..?

When you need a reliable black and white film that'll work in almost every situation, this is the stock to go for. Incredibly reliable, excellent contrast, the perfect balance of grain and sharpness, pushes brilliantly all the way up to 3200 ISO. Street, portrait, landscape, architecture, you name it, HP5+ will do the job and then some!

I really like HP5, it's great.

It's nice that you can support local UK company rather than international giants.

Pushes well, I usually push it a stop in the crappy UK weather and it's good - still not too contrasty, lots of sharpness and not much grain.

Easy to develop. Easy to scan. Relatively cheap.