Kitchen – Waco, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
I love the Acros film simulation that Fujifilm included in their X-Trans III cameras. It’s the closest thing to actual film that I have ever found in a digital camera. I made two different Acros recipes for my X100F: original recipe and Extra Crispy Push-Process. I love both; however, I find myself using Acros Push-Process more than my “standard” settings just because it’s more dramatic. I will sometimes adjust each recipe to taste, depending on the situation.
What’s interesting about black-and-white film photography is that all the different film options look fairly similar, yet people have their one or two film stocks that they absolutely love. The differences in contrast, dynamic range and grain aren’t typically wildly different. Black-and-white films are more alike than not alike, but there are indeed differences, sometimes very subtle, sometimes quite noticeable. What is more unique to each film is what can be done in the lab, as each film will respond to different development techniques differently. There’s a lot that can be done in the darkroom to set apart the films from each other. In fact, one film stock could have many different looks, depending on what exactly you do with it.
This film simulation recipe was made by just messing around with the settings. I found something that I liked so I shot with it for awhile. The more I used it the more I liked it. As I was shooting with it, I kept having this feeling that it resembled some film that I’d used before, but I couldn’t put my finger on exactly which one. After a few weeks I finally figured it out: these settings produce results similar to Agfa Scala.
Taos Tourist – Taos, NM – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Agfa Scala was a black-and-white slide film. It was unusual in that it was a reversal film and not a negative film. Most black-and-white films are negatives, and most reversal films are color. If you shot a lot of slides, this was an intriguing choice. I used it a number of times. The last roll of Scala that I shot couldn’t be developed as it required a special process that had been discontinued (it’s my understanding that there is a lab in Denver that can now develop Scala). There were people who really loved Scala, and there were people who really did not, mostly because it wasn’t a negative film. Since it was a slide, there wasn’t a whole lot one could do to manipulate the look it produced.
It was quite by accident that I created an Agfa Scala film simulation for my Fujifilm X100F. I’m glad that I stumbled upon it, because it produces excellent results. Interestingly enough, it only looks subtly different than my original Acros recipe, and I think that real Acros and real Scala also produce similar results, and the small differences are, to an extent, accurately replicated in the two recipes. It was a happy accident, and sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.
Acros (Acros+Y, Acros+R, Acros+G)
Dynamic Range: DR100
Highlight: +4
Shadow: 0
Noise Reduction: -3
Sharpening: 0
Grain Effect: Weak
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)
Example photos, all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs captured using my Fujifilm X100F Agfa Scala Film Simulation recipe:
Two Towers – Dallas, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Santuario de Guadalupe – Santa Fe, NM – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Cafe Flowers – Pawhuska, OK – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Monochrome Silos – Waco, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Storm Shelter – McKinney, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Truck Stop – Bowie, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Ex Lover – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Semi & Dinosaur – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Grain Hoppers – Westlake, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
BNSF Alliance Yard – Haslet, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Kitchen Camera – Waco, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Apples To Apples – Haslet, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Forgotten Sandals – Princeton, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Flower In The Pond – Princeton, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
Apple Tree Fence – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”
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Enjoy your work. I’ve started a blog. I’ve linked to your blog. Working on the photo a day thing. Using my x100f and my iphone. Shooting mostly black and white. Here’s a link: https://photoeverydaylife.wordpress.com/page/1/
I’d enjoy and appreciate your comments.
Thanks for sharing! I’ve wanted to do a photo-a-day project for some time, and mostly I do already, but there are some days it’s just not practical for me. Best of luck!
I’m one of those people who adored Scala. Took some of my best images with that film.
Just bought an x100f this week (my XT2 is a year old) and I love Acros, but I can’t wait to try your Scala recipe.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
You are welcome! I use it frequently and appreciate the results. Hopefully, for someone who used the film extensively, this recipe doesn’t disappoint. I think it’s a pretty good facsimile, but with any film simulation, it’s not 100% spot on. I hope that you like it, you will have to report back once you have had a chance to use it.
I find the photos from this recipe to be so epic. Even simple photos around the house appear captivating. Great job with this. I enjoy your work after finding out about you from a commenter on a Denae & Andrew video on YouTube.
Thank you for the feedback! I appreciate the kind words and encouragement. Glad you like this recipe!
I find the photos created with this recipe to be so epic. Even simple photos around the house appear captivating. Great job with this. I’m loving your work and your blog since a commenter mentioned you on a Denae & Andrew YouTube video.
Hi Ritchie, I recently purchased a roll of ADOX Scala 160 which is the reversal process film alternative to the discontinued AGFA SCALA. Once I shoot the roll of film, it would be interesting to compare to your film simulation recipe.
That would be an interesting comparison!
ADOX SCALA 160 is now discontinued.
That’s too bad. Thanks for the report!
Thank you for your amazing work on film sims, too bad my X-T20 doesn’t allow custom preset names.. Regarding the recenlty mentioned issue of white balance shift being global, I find this to be a non issue. I simply use the custom WB option and calibrate it once for daylight (or whatever light I find myself shooting most with a given preset, For example I calibrated your Agfa Optima preset with (cold) window light whereas I set the WB for kodachrome in harsh sunlight) and simply accept cool overcast and warm tungsten bulbs. After all, film didn’t have variable WB either..
That’s a good way to deal with the white balance shift solution. A lot of people misunderstand what custom white balance is, but it sounds like you are using it to your advantage. Thank you for sharing!
Fab recipe. What metering mode do you use with this
Mostly I use Multi, but sometimes Spot.
Hi,
always appreciate your recipes. In the old days I used Agfa Scala a lot and loved it, so I‘m excited to try your formular. What puzzles me a bit is the fact that you use only weak grain – I found always the original Scala showed more grain than most negative b/w films of smilar ISO.
May I add that I created a b/w formular based on your „Rockwell-Velvia“-recipe recently, which works imho quite well in high-contrast conditions (just switch Velvia to Acros+R).
Keep on the good work.
Best Joe
Hi, Joe!
The Weak Grain on the Scala recipe was more of a compromise. I felt that Strong Grain was a bit too Strong. On the newer cameras I’d have to decide between Grain Weak and Large or Grain Strong and Small. I think Strong and Small is probably most correct. I do wish that Fujifilm offered strength and size in three options: Weak, Medium, Strong and Small, Medium, Large.
I will have to try The Rockwell in B&W. Thanks for the tip!
Hello Ritchie, really get inspired by your blogs and recepis. I’ve worked a lot with scala (and slide film in general), so I took some inspiration of some of your recepis and made my own Agfa Scala 200 for my one-week old x100v.
Monochrome + Y
DR 400
Sh 0
Hi +4
NR -4
Sh +4
Clarity +5
Toning WC -1
Grain weak/small
Colour chrome effect strong
Colour chrome blue strong
WB 0
Awesome! Can’t wait to try it. Can you send me an email?
https://fujixweekly.com/about/
hereby an example:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nts8jj3y7hvwzl5/603744BA-B759-4B5E-B1EA-9C2E91D2FD68-2476-00000166DD4E8AED.jpg?dl=0
Nice! Thanks for sharing!
the second Sh is sharpness!