Lucky Pan SHD 400

Lucky Pan SHD 400 is an affordable ISO 400 black and white film with plenty of character.

Rather than chasing an ultra-clean, fine-grain look, SHD 400 has a more pronounced grain structure and a stronger tonal character that works particularly well for street photography, documentary work, portraits and everyday shooting. It is a good option if you want your negatives to retain some of the texture and personality associated with traditional black and white film.

At ISO 400, it gives you a useful amount of speed for changing light, indoors, overcast days and general everyday photography. It can also be pushed for additional speed, although increasing the exposure index will generally bring more grain and contrast with it.

There is also some variation in recommended shooting speed across current sources. The film is rated ISO 400, while several labs and retailers recommend trying it at ISO 200 for a little more exposure latitude. If you're shooting it for the first time, that makes ISO 200 a useful starting point to experiment with.

Best for

Street photography, documentary work, portraits, travel, everyday photography and situations where you want a more pronounced black and white film character.

What to expect

36 exposures at ISO 400.

Expect visible grain, a fairly strong tonal character and good sharpness, rather than the exceptionally clean look of something like T-MAX 100. It's a straightforward film to experiment with and, at $12 a roll, a particularly accessible way to try something with a different look.

Developing

Standard black and white processing.

SHD 400 can be processed using conventional black and white chemistry. D-76 is documented for the film, with other developers including HC-110 and Rodinal also commonly used. Development times vary depending on developer and the exposure index used, so follow the relevant developer's data rather than treating one time as universal.