Kodachrome Slides – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Kodachrome 64”
Kodachrome 64 is probably the most requested film that people have asked me to create a recipe for. Kodachrome has a long history, with the first successful version debuting in 1935 (film simulation recipe here). In the early 1960’s Kodak replaced that version of the film with Kodachrome II and Kodachrome X (film simulation recipe here). In 1974 Kodak made the final version of Kodachrome, available in ISO 25 and ISO 64 (and later ISO 200) versions. This Kodachrome was discontinued 10 years ago. Kodak also discontinued the chemicals to process Kodachrome, and nine years ago the last roll was developed. This film simulation recipe is meant to mimic the aesthetics of Kodachrome 64.
In the early 1970’s there was a movement to end Kodachrome. The process to develop the film was toxic and complex. Kodachrome is actually a black-and-white film with color added during development, which you can imagine isn’t a simple procedure. Instead of discontinuing their most popular color film, Kodak made a new version that required a less-toxic (but still toxic) and less complicated (but still complicated) development process. This appeased those who wanted the film gone, but the new version of Kodachrome was not initially well received by photographers, many of whom liked the old version better. William Eggleston, for example, who used Kodachrome extensively in his early career, wasn’t a fan of the new version, and began to use other films instead.
The photography community did come around to Kodachrome 25 and Kodachrome 64. Due to Kodachrome’s sharpness, grain, color, contrast and archival characteristics, this film was a great all-around option that worked well in almost any circumstance. The film became incredibly popular, and was found on the pages of many magazines, including National Geographic, which practically made its use a requirement. Steve McCurry was perhaps the best known photographer to extensively use this era of Kodachrome. He said of the film, “It has almost a poetic look with beautiful colors that were vibrant and true to what you were shooting.”
Onaqui Wild Horses – Dugway, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Kodachrome 64”
I shot many rolls of Kodachrome 64, and a few rolls of Kodachrome 25. My favorite was Kodachrome 64 because it had a little more contrast and was slightly more saturated. It was a sad day for me when Kodak discontinued it. I was just getting into digital photography at that time, and in retrospect I wish that I had paused on digital and shot a few more rolls of Kodachrome. Kodak has hinted that they might resurrect it, but I would be surprised if they actually did because of the complex development process.
When I decided to attempt a Kodachrome 64 film simulation recipe for my Fujifilm X-T30, I did some experiments, and after a few tries I thought that I had it figured out. Excitingly, I snapped many frames with these settings, but then I figured that I should consult some actual Kodachrome 64 slides to make sure that it matched. It didn’t. Kodachrome 64 looked different than how I remembered it. I was close, but not close enough, so I went back to the drawing board. A handful of experiments later I got it right, which is the recipe that you see here.
Of course, the issue with all of these film simulation recipes that mimic actual film is that one film can have many different looks, depending on how it was shot, under what conditions, how it was developed, and how it’s viewed, whether through a projector or light table, a print (and how it was printed), or a scan (and how it was scanned and perhaps digitally altered, and the monitor). There are a ton of variables! Kodachrome looks best when viewed by projector, no doubt about it, but that’s not how Kodachrome is seen today, unless you own a projector and have some slides. While I don’t think that this recipe will ever match the magic of projected Kodachrome, I do think it’s a close approximation of the film and it deserves to share the famed name.
Mayhem – Tooele, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Kodachrome 64”
I have Grain set to Weak, but I feel that when using this recipe at higher ISOs Grain should be set to Off. While I chose DR400, in low-contrast situations DR200 is a good Dynamic Range option. For X-Trans III cameras, which obviously don’t have Color Chrome Effect, this recipe will still work and will appear nearly identical, but it will produce a slightly different look. To modify this recipe for Kodachrome 25, I suggest setting Shadow to +1, Color to -1, Grain to Off, and Sharpness to +3.
Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +1
Shadow: +2
Color: 0
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: +2
Grain Effect: Weak
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
White Balance: Daylight, +2 Red & -5 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodachrome 64 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:
Shopping Cart Car – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Traffic Lamp – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Red Tricycle – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Hay Stack – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Pony Express Trail – Faust, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Wild Horse Country – Dugway, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Wild Horse Grazing – Dugway, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Lonely Horse – Dugway, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Wild & Free – Dugway, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Onaqui Horses – Dugway, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Spotted Green – Dugway, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Grassland – Dugway, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
In The Dust – Faust, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Roar Forever – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Jon In The Backyard – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Big Wheel – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Evening Tree – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Look Up To The Sky – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Lavender Bee – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Lavender Sunset – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Sunset Leaves – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Sun Kissed Leaf – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Summer Tree Leaves – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Jar of Coffee Beans – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Beans To Grind – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Sugar Dish – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Morning Coffee – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Processed by Kodak – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
See also: Kodachrome 64 for X-Trans II
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Dear Ritchie, thanks for sharing and these recipes make me loving my X-T30 again, may i have below question:
1) for “Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)”, how can i setting in camera for each recipe?
2) if saving two recipes in camera, they use different WB, such as a)auto, R0, B0; b)auto R+2, B-5. can i save in each recipes, or i have to adjust WB-auto while switching recipe?
thanks for sharing again and please let me know how to handle these two questions.
I appreciate your kindness!
You cannot save the “Exposure Compensation” within the presets. You’ll have to use the knob on the top of the camera when shooting. The “typical” exposure comp is more meant as a starting point and not a rule, and each picture should be judged individually.
Unfortunately, the X-T30 doesn’t save WB Shift within the Custom Presets. So, yes, you have to adjust the WB Shift when switching presets. These two articles might be helpful:
https://fujixweekly.com/2020/08/19/fujifilm-white-balance-shift-what-it-is-how-to-use-it/
https://fujixweekly.com/2021/11/26/fxw-app-filter-by-white-balance-how-to-use-this-new-feature/
Good recipe. And if you will to use this recipe for stocks like Shutterstock, send sharpness to 0 and Grain Effect to 0 also. If you will try to send photos produced with this recipe with sparpness +2, Shutterstock will to reject it. The same for Grain Effect. Shutterstock will to reject this images with “Image contains noice or film grain” remark.
I tried the microstock market (including Shutterstock) for a time. While it’s definitely possible to make a living from it (I didn’t), I feel like they’re really taking advantage of photographers and ripping them off. You get pennies, while the agency gets dollars, while the one using your photo gets thousands of dollars. Seems like it should be the opposite. It is what it is, I guess. I hope you excel at it, and make a good living.
It’s always ok to “season to taste” a recipe… I guess in this case for the sake of Shutterstock (and not necessarily yourself, the artist 😀 ). This is a good tip for those who might also be doing microstock photography. Thank you for sharing!
Hello Ritchie! Loving your recipes, I’m currently using your Vintage Kodachrome recipe and want to try versions of later Kodachrome films, specifically Kodachrome II and 64 (for X-Trans III). Both are very popular and there is just a slight difference between them, so wanted to hear your opinion on comparing them. If you had to choose, which one would you pick and why? Which one would you consider more accurate? Better for skin tones?
For X-Trans III, I prefer Kodachrome II. For the newer X-Trans IV cameras + X-Trans V, I prefer Kodachrome 64. But that’s simply my preference.
Hi Ritchie, I’m new to all of this. But I am loving your recipes. Only question I have is what to do with ‘Dynamic Range Priority’ I have this on my X-T3. Do you just leave it standard on ‘off’? For this recipe and all others.
Leave it set to Off unless a recipe calls for it (there are a couple, but not many). When enabled, D-Range Priority disables and replaces the DR (Dynamic Range) setting, as well as Highlight and Shadow.
Thank you Ritchie!
Hi Ritchie, just wondering if the Color Chrome Effect Blue goes off or on with this recipe?? Shooting with XS10! BTW, love your work!
For this Recipe here, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and pick a Grain size (I recommend Small). However…
Use this one on your X-S10:
https://fujixweekly.com/2020/05/27/my-fujifilm-x100v-kodachrome-64-film-simulation-recipe/
The white balance shift is pretty close between this recipe and the Portra 400 v2 recipe. Is it be close enough that assigning them c1 &c2 using your white balance shift solution would be alright or would you suggest just using one or the other?
Ritchie, thank you for your work developing film simulations.
Rather than save the Kodachrome 64 simulation to the camera, I’d rather convert the simulation in X Raw Studio as I shoot primarily RAW. All goes well, except White Balance Shift. I can enter one value, say for Red, but when I enter the Blue value it changes the Red as well. Any idea what the problem is?
Thank you for you assistance.
I don’t use X RAW Studio personally, so I’m definitely not the person to ask, but you should be able to set the Red and Blue values separately. I have no idea why it would change both values with one input.