Summer Waves Hello – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Kodak Portra 160”
This is the film simulation recipe that you’ve been waiting for! One of the top films that I’ve been asked to create a film simulation recipe for is Portra 160. I’ve tried many times, and I felt that I got close a couple of times, but I was never able to get it quite right. Fuji X Weekly reader Piotr Skrzypek recently created a Portra 160 film simulation recipe for his Fujifilm X-E2, which he gave me permission to share. I modified his settings very slightly, and published that Portra 160 recipe for X-Trans II cameras last week. Using those settings as a starting point, and understanding how X-Trans II is different than the newer sensors, I was able to make a Portra 160 film simulation recipe that is compatible with X-Trans III & IV cameras.
Portra is a line of films that Kodak introduced in 1998. As the name implies, it was designed for portrait photography, although it has been used for many different genres, as it’s good for more than just portraits. Kodak made Portra in three different ISOs: 160, 400 and 800. The ISO 160 and 400 versions originally had two options: Neutral Color (NC) and Vivid Color (VC). In 2011 Kodak redesigned Portra, and they did away with the Neutral and Vivid versions, making instead only one option in each ISO. Portra has been a popular film since its introduction.
Horizontal Ladder – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Kodak Portra 160”
This recipe looks great when you turn the exposure compensation dial up. You don’t want to clip highlights, but if you keep the highlights just below clipping you can get excellent results. This recipe is especially good for high-contrast scenes. Really, this is a good all-around recipe that you’ll want to keep programmed in your camera’s Q Menu. I imagine that for some of you, this will be the top film simulation recipe that you use most of the time. Don’t be afraid to use Auto-White-Balance instead of Daylight, or to adjust Color up to +2 or down to 0, depending on your tastes.
Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR-Auto
Highlight: -2
Shadow: -2
Color: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Grain Effect: Weak
Color Chrome Effect: Off
White Balance: Daylight, +4 Red & -5 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Portra 160 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:
Last Light Roofline – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Yellow House – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Rooflines – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Garages – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Blue Dumpster – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Stop – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Elevator Trucks – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Bird Over Grain Elevator – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Autumn Leftovers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Sky Reed – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Boy in Thought – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Blue Wall Boy – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Girl by the Fence – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Bike Seat – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
First Pear Bloom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Goosenecks – Goosenecks SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Satellite Dish – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Grey Sky Over Roof – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Red Barn Day – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Sky Blooms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
See also: Film Simulation Recipes
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Excellent Work, Ritchie.
Can’t wait to check it out…
Stay healthy.
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Thanks! Let me know what you think. You stay healthy too!
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Hello Ritchie,
When you write that we may use AWB instead of Daylight, does it mean however that we must keep the +4 R & -5 B ?
Take care.
Denis (Paris, France)
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Yes, keep the white balance shift.
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Hey, new to the blog, some really nice reads. I’m a very beginner photographer on a XT30, any chance you could kindly explain what difference the the red and blue for the white balance makes? I can’t seem to figure it out, cheers 🙂
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https://fujixweekly.com/2018/10/11/the-power-of-white-balance-shift/
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You can access white balance shift by arrowing over to the right when in the white balance menu.
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Does it work on my XT20 ?since it not using Chrome effect.
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Yes, absolutely!
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I cannot see where I find the chrome effect in the menu to turn it off. Do I just assume its off already
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Which camera do you have?
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Hello Ritchie, I have tried the Portra 160 recipe this afternoon in Paris : “cherry blossoms”. https://denismeunier.net/cerisiers-en-fleur/ Despite the Covid-19, life takes over. Take care. Denis (Paris, France)
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Awesome! Thank you for sharing. You take care, too!
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portra 400 or kodak gold 200 next? 🙂
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There is a Portra 400 recipe, although I have been meaning to revisit it. I’ve tried Gold 200 a few times unsuccessfully. I’ll give it another go, and see what happens.
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Your stuff is great! 👌👌
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Hi Ritchie. Will this also work on the GFX 50R given it has the new gen of sensors ??
Wonderful work..thank you..DC
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I don’t know for sure, but I do believe that it will work on GFX cameras.
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Thank you for sharing Ritchie!
I have a question about editing photos in apps.
How should I do the white balance you showed above (White Balance: Daylight, +4 Red & -5 Blue) within Capture One Express Fuji?
Can I export jpeg via RAF when I use the Capture One Express Fuji?
Thank you!
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I don’t know. I rarely edit RAW photos anymore. I’m sorry, I don’t have an answer for you.
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Pictures are fantastic Ritchie, exposure nailed perfectly. I love this Portra160 simulation, recently I made Pro400H if you want to have a look(either Fb Fuji film simulation group or my Instagram) and will be publishing Kodak Gold 200 in a few days. Your blog is great and inspired me big time, really nice to see so many people like this Portra160 recipe
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I did see it, I haven’t had a chance to try it myself. It looks good. I look forward to seeing your Kodak Gold recipe. I just created one myself that I hope to publish this week. Thank you for the input!
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my hero! https://www.reddit.com/r/fujix/comments/g18o4x/xt20_35mm_f2_sooc/
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That’s a great picture!
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Try your recipe on my original x100 with some minor tweaking. Jpeg turns out so amazing. Too bad x100 has no grain effect in camera.
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I’ve heard that there’s something special about the images from the original X100. I’m glad that you were able to adapt the recipe to that camera with good results. Thank you for commenting!
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Hi Ritchie !
Thanks for this amazing work !
Did you try to reproduce this recipe on the X100F ?
Take care !
Tom
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This will work on the X100F
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Hello ritchie, you’re so talented my friend. I use Kodachrome II and tri x push from your recipe, and im very pleased. Maybe one day you’ll make Fuji color C200 recipe.
Best regard from Indonesia
Stay safe 🙏
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I appreciate your feedback and kind words! I have made an (unsuccessful) attempt at Fujicolor C200, maybe it’s time to try again.
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Love this simulation. I’m thinking of selling my film stash now!
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