HP5 Plus 400 (36 exp)vs A7C
Ilford
HP5 Plus 400 (36 exp)
Starting from £10 new
Best for Street photography, documentary & low-light B&W
View HP5 Plus 400 (36 exp)
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Street Photography, Documentary & Low-Light B&W — HP5 Plus 400 (36 exp): The definitive black-and-white film. Versatile, beautiful, and made in Britain. If you only shoot one B&W stock, make it HP5 Plus.
Compact Travel & Content Creation — A7C (2020): The A7C proves full-frame doesn't have to be bulky. Excellent battery life, reliable Eye AF and a vari-angle screen in a pocketable body is a compelling combination for travel and content creators. The A7C II improved on it, but the original remains a strong value buy.
Who should buy what
A7C (2020)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame in the smallest possible body
- Content creators who need a flip screen and reliable Eye AF
- Photographers upgrading from APS-C who want to keep a compact kit
- Vloggers who need 4K and great battery life on the road
Quick take: The hp5 plus 400 (36 exp) is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | HP5 Plus 400 (36 exp) | A7C (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £10 | £1,299 |
| Sensor | 35mm black & white negative — ISO 400 (pushable to ISO 3200+) | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 24.2MP |
| Video | N/A — film stock | 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | N/A — film stock | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | N/A — film stock | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | N/A | ~740 shots (CIPA) — outstanding for a Sony mirrorless |
| Weight | ~30g per roll | 509g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 35mm 135-format cartridge, 36 exposures | 124.0 × 71.1 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | N/A | None built-in — use rear screen or accessory EVF |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | ISO 400 — push-processable to ISO 3200+ with Ilford DD-X or Microphen | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | N/A | Single SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | HP5 Plus 400 (36 exp) | A7C |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Documentary | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
More comparisons with HP5 Plus 400 (36 exp)
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