Fujifilm offers “Film Simulations” on their cameras instead of traditional JPEG settings. One of the most popular, available only on X-Trans III cameras, such as the X100F, is Acros.
Neopan Acros is an ISO 100 film made by Fujifilm available in 35mm and 120 formats. I’ve used it before and it’s quite good. While Fuji recycled the Acros name for their black-and-white digital Film Simulation, it’s not an exact match to the film. But that’s OK.
The Acros Film Simulation is a wonderful option that has great contrast, beautiful tonality and lovely faux film grain. An interesting fact is that the amount of film grain applied increases as the ISO increases, like what you would find if you shot actual film. So an image shot at ISO 1600 has noticeably more grain than an image shot at ISO 200.
And it really does have a film look! You’d be hard pressed to tell apart an image shot on real black-and-white film and one shot using the Acros Film Simulation. Straight-out-of-camera JPEGs look like black-and-white prints made from 35mm film. Amazing!
Sitting Large – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
There are four Acros options: Acros (no filter), Acros+R (red filter), Acros+Y (yellow filter) and Acros+G (green filter). Acros+R is more like using a real orange filter on actual film than a red filter. Acros+Y and Acros+G are a little more subtle than if you used real filters on actual film.
I use Acros+R for landscapes (which darkens blues and lightens reds), Acros+G for people pictures (which darkens reds and lightens greens) and standard Acros for everything else. If you know what each one does, you can choose what’s best for each situation. The rest of the settings are the same.
While I have my Acros recipe programmed (custom settings 3, 4 and 5), I’m not afraid to deviate when necessary. Sometimes a little more or less contrast is needed, so I increase or decrease the highlights and shadows. If I want more grain, I will turn the Film Grain to weak (which adds more faux grain to what’s already included in the Acros Film Simulation). I might add or decrease the Dynamic Range. Each situation is different, so I try to be dynamic when shooting.
Acros/Acros+R/Acros+G
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +2
Shadows: +2
Noise Reduction: -2
Sharpening: +2
Grain Effect: Off
ISO: Auto up to 12800
Exposure Compensation: +1 (typically)
Example photos, all camera-made JPEGs captured using my Acros Film Simulation recipe:
Ilford Harman Technology – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Train Watching – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Track 1 Platform – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Black Conduit – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Safety Features – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Diversity – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Industrial Spur – North Salt Lake, Utah – Fujifilm X100F
KeyBank Building – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Salt Lake Cityscape – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Building Through The Tree Leaves – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Light Bulb Shadow – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Building Storm Over Ridge – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Man In The Straw Hat – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Joy’s Joy – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Look What I Drew – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F
See also: My Fujifilm X100F Classic Chrome Film Simulation Recipe
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Hi Ritchie! Thank as always for the fun!
I am using X-E4 (X-Trans IV, that is). This article’s simulation portrayed the “first” Acros, and not Acros II (?) Am I right?
Additionally, what changes would you add if you were to create an Acros (II) recipe for X-E4? Since there are more options for tuning (i.e. Grain size/Clarity) in X-E4 as compared to previous X-Trans IV sensor and, furthermore, X-Trans III cameras..
The story behind this recipe is this: I was shooting RAW+JPEG, and I used Acros (not these exact settings) so that I could see in B&W when photographing. I processed the RAW pictures using Alien Skin Exposure and applied a preset (I’m pretty sure Ilford Delta 100, but I’m not 100% certain… it’s been a few years), and I noticed that the SOOC JPEGs looked not all that much different than the post-processed RAW. So I modified the in-camera settings to try and get closer to the finished RAW edits, and this recipe is the result. Does it more closely resemble Ilford Delta or Neopan Acros? It’s in the ballpark for both and probably not quite right for either, but so much depends on how a film is shot and developed anyway. I lean more towards Ilford Delta (particularly printed on Agfa paper) than Neopan Acros with this recipe, but that’s just my opinion. I hope that makes sense.
As far as using it on the X-E4, set Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Monochromatic Color to 0 & 0 (Off), Grain to Off (or Weak if you prefer), and Clarity to 0.
I’ve not shot Acros II, and I would need to take a closer look at it.
I appreciate the comment!
How interesting!
Thank you so much for such a detailed story.
Looking forward to the new SOOC season kick-off :))
Awesome! It’s tomorrow! 😀 😀 😀
“Thank *you as always for the fun!”
..or, in general, could it be that you liked the first Acros better than Acros II and you didn’t feel like changing anything? Just curious..
Thanks again!
Ilford Delta 100 and 400 were my go-to B&W films, although I used others sometimes, too, including Neopan Acros. But I’ve never shot the “new” Acros II… at least not yet.
Do tell us all about it, if you do )
Thank you for your answers!
I sure will 😀