Gap of Light – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Eterna Low-Contrast”
After choosing my Eterna film simulation recipe for the Film Simulation Challenge, I thought it might be interesting to attempt a low-contrast Eterna recipe. I wanted to replicating the look of low-cost color negative film, but I didn’t have any specific film in mind, and didn’t do any of my typical film research. What I did do was play with the settings until I found something that I thought might look good. Even though Eterna is supposed to look cinematic, I’ve found it to be a great starting point for color negative aesthetics, and in the case of this recipe, it sometimes roughly resembles Fujifilm C200 and it sometimes (oftentimes?) doesn’t.
I almost didn’t share this recipe. I do sometimes create film simulation recipes that I don’t share, usually because I’m not happy with the results. There’s something not right about it, so I keep it to myself, and either shelve it or attempt to improve it. I was really on the fence with this one. On one hand it can sometimes produce really lovely results, and on the other hand it can be too flat and boring. It seems to require strong light and bright colors, and it makes something beautiful and soft out of it. Even outside of those parameters it can occasionally render a picture quite nice, but often it just delivers a boring rendition. It’s for those times where it might be the just-right recipe that I decided to share it, and hopefully it will be useful to some of you.
Stock Photography – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Eterna Low-Contrast”
Eterna
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: -2
Shadow: -1
Color: +4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -4
Grain Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
White Balance: 5900K, -3 Red & +3 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using my Eterna Low-Contrast film simulation recipe on a Fujifilm X-T30:
Red – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Sunset In The City – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Vintage & Antique – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Been Better – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
No Trespassing – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Everyone Has A Cross To Bear – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Joe Shortino – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
The Good Stuff – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Shopping Cart Line – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Cart – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Fishing For A Laugh – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Sitting In The Evening Light – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Jo Cool – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Kitchen Towel Roll – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
R Is For Roesch – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Too Many Coffee Beans – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Third Wheel – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Backyard Shed – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Green Tree Leaves – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Cottonwood Tree Leaf – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
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much more beautiful than any over contrasty Kodakchromes (to my taste)
Glad you like it!
Which do you think is the best alternative film base for us with older gen cameras missing eterna? Maybe pro neg std?
This would be the closest, although you probably have to increase saturation some and perhaps tweak the white balance:
https://fujixweekly.com/2018/03/02/my-fujifilm-x100f-eterna-film-simulation-recipe/
You are the best as always! Thanks!
I almost missed this new recipe. It’s beautiful and in my opinion, the pictures indoors of the kids look the most accurate. These past weeks I looked a lot at Eterna samples and I noticed a shift towards green/blue-ish tint. Gonna give this one a try, for sure!
I’m glad that you found it and I like it!
Another great recipe Ritchie, excellent work!
I have a new challenge for you: do you think you could come up with a recipe to mimic Ricoh GR’s “positive film” effect? https://www.google.com/search?q=ricoh+gr+ii+positive+film+effect&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi3kpL57o_kAhUrSxUIHV3YDUwQ_AUIESgB&cshid=1566249918022406&biw=1366&bih=663
Thank you. I will definitely take a look at that.
This effect looks very beautiful!
Great, very pleasant colors and look, I will try it 🙂
Hope you like it!