Back in the days before digital photography I’d sometimes push-process my black-and-white film. The technique involved underexposing the film (typically by one or two stops) and then developing for longer times. Essentially you underexpose in camera and overexpose in development, creating a correct exposure. This results in images with more contrast and stronger grain.
There are a couple reasons why one would push-process their film. First, you could shoot with less light. A lot of people used to consider ISO 400 to be a high-ISO film, but pushing that film two stops would make it ISO 1600 (really high-ISO). Second, the push-process aesthetic is bold and gritty, and you could achieve more dramatic results. So you might choose to push-process out of necessity or artistic vision or sometimes both.
The Fujifilm X100F has a great black-and-white Film Simulation called Acros, named after their Neopan Acros film. It looks wonderful, with a true film-like quality. I use this Film Simulation often. But sometimes I want a bolder, gritter, more dramatic black-and-white picture than my Acros Film Simulation recipe provides. So I created a new recipe that resembles film that has been push-processed. In other words, it has noticeably more contrast and grain.
Turbulence – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F – Acros Push-Process
There are a few important things to understand about the Acros Film Simulation. First, Fujifilm programmed the amount of grain to increase as you increase the ISO. Next, the higher you go above ISO 800 the smaller the dynamic range gets. Finally, the Digital Teleconverter can effect noise and grain, most noticeably at high ISOs.
My Acros Push-Process Film Simulation recipe resembles black-and-white film that has been push-processed anywhere from one to one-and-a-half stops. I think sometimes it looks more like ISO 100 film that has been pushed and sometimes it looks more like ISO 400 film that has been pushed. A lot depends on the ISO that the camera is set to. It’s rarely as dramatic or gritty as one could achieve with actual film, but it produces great results in the right situations. I’d actually like to see Fujifilm add a push-process Film Simulation option to their X cameras.
The differences between this Film Simulation recipe and my original Acros recipe are increased highlights and shadows (for stronger contrast), a slight refinement to noise reduction and sharpening, and the added grain effect. The changes aren’t major, but the results are noticeably different.
Acros/Acros+R/Acros+G
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlights: +4
Shadows: +3
Noise Reduction: -3
Sharpening: +1
Grain Effect: Strong
ISO: Auto up to 6400 (typically)
Exposure Compensation: +1 (typically)
Example photos, all camera-made JPEGs captured using my Acros Push-Process Film Simulation recipe:
Evening Reflection Monochrome – Magna, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Dramatic Window – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Thoughts Grow With A Cup of Joe – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Coffee Stop – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Proud Pilot – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Phone Photographer – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Cellphone Capture – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Jesus Statue – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Waiting Is The Hard Part – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Thou Shalt Not – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Pull – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X100F
No Overnight Parking – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Michael’s – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Samick Guitar – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X100F
LDS Temple – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Salt Lake Towers – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Temple Gate – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Church Fountain – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Little Church In The City – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Evening In Temple Square – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100F
See also:
My Fujifilm X100F Classic Chrome Film Simulation Recipe
My Fujifilm X100F Vintage Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe
My Fujifilm X100F Velvia Film Simulation Recipe
My Fujifilm X100F Astia Film Simulation Recipe
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Hi
I need some advice on how to apply the Exp compensation on these Custom Film Sims. Every custom simulation has ‘exp compensation’ values such as +3/4 or any +stops or – stops for that matter. While on the ground, are we supposed to dial in the right exposure at the scene and then addtionally overexpose by those +stops (or – stops) as required by the custom recipe?
Thank you
So each exposure should be judged individually. The suggested typical exposure compensation is intended as a starting point only. Basically, the idea is that, because of the curve, a recipe will need additional (or a reduction in) exposure over what the camera’s light meter says. So if you are in any semi-auto mode (aperture-priority, shutter-priority, etc.), you use the exposure compensation knob on the top to adjust the exposure to whatever it needs to be. If you are in full-manual, you’ll have to calculate it yourself. Remember, though, that each exposure should be judged individually, and the typical exposure compensation is just a suggested starting point. I hope this helps!
Thank you for your reply. I am mostly on Manual so I guess I can safely ignore that setting!
I actually was testing this out recently and I wasn’t a huge fan of the way the grain looked on my images. Highlight areas really expose the regularity and digital-ness of the grain. Instead, I opted to turn off grain and shoot at 3200-12800ISO to force noise into the image and Acros handles it well. Just a suggestion for anyone who may feel the same as I do about the look of it. Great simulation, btw! 🙂
I do wish Fujifilm would improve their faux Grain to be more film-like in characteristic, particularly in the highlights. Using a high-ISO is an excellent suggestion. Thanks for the input!