This article was originally written in German by Klaus Schoerner from Bonnescape.de.
The SHD400 is one of the most affordable black-and-white films on the international market. I bought a few copies to see if it's any good. Reflx Lab offers it as a 120-exposure roll film in a neutral aluminum packaging. According to the product description, it's a film produced by the Chinese company LUCKY FILM and made from secondhand backing paper.
The SHD400 roll films I have have backing papers that were obviously originally made for Fujicolor films. I like the recycling idea. After rewinding, an adhesive strip labeled with the SHD400 film type protrudes. You peel off a protective paper and stick the tab in place. Moistening the adhesive isn't necessary. Later in the lab, the strip can be easily removed from the backing paper.
I first expose the film to ISO 400 according to the manufacturer's instructions. Following the recommendation from Darkroom Solutions, I develop it for 9:30 minutes in Rodinal 1+25. Winding it into the developing tank's coil is very easy; the film base is comparatively thin and, when uncut, doesn't have a particularly strong twist. I assume the film has a blue tint, but I can't see it in the undeveloped roll film. In any case, the originally light brown Rodinal soup emerges from the developing tank with a deep violet color. The developed film is clear and colorless. As is not uncommon with pre-cut roll film, there is no labeling or image numbering.
My first processed SHD400 film is very high in contrast, but weak in the shadows. I suspect that overexposing it by one stop with a slightly shorter development time will produce more detail in the shadows and softer contrast ratios. Users online have reported quality issues. I have no complaints with my samples; the film's tonal reproduction is consistent. To clearly see any possible disturbances, I photographed larger areas of the sky with an orange filter. But everything is fine; I see no artifacts, no scratches, no emulsion damage.
In the second step, I expose the film as if it were ISO 200. I try a processing time of 8 minutes in Rodinal 1+25. As a result, the film's contrast is now softer, with more defined shadows without any blowouts. This second film is also of impeccable quality. The tonal values and sharpness are fine, and the film grain is quite fine and unobtrusive. I'm satisfied.
Conclusion:
The SHD400 film, rewound at ReflxLab, is one of the most affordable black-and-white films on the market, and it's well-suited for pictorial photography. The prerequisite is that you can manage the high contrasts. To achieve this, it's best to expose the film generously and develop it sparingly. The production quality of the films I have is flawless. However, reports of emulsion damage from other users should be taken seriously. Therefore, I wouldn't use the SHD400 for important, non-reproducible shots. However, it's a good and affordable option for photo notes or as a test film for cameras and lenses.