7 New Film Simulation Recipes – Patron Early Access!

The Fuji X Weekly app for iOS comes out on December 1st, which is just a couple of days away! The app is free, but Fuji X Weekly Patrons get early-access to some new film simulation recipes. What does this mean? How do you become a Patron? Read on to find out!

Advanced features on the app, such as Filtering and Favoriting, are unlocked for Fuji X Weekly Patrons. Patrons also get early-access to some new film simulation recipes—there are currently seven, which you’ll find below. As new early-access film simulation recipes are cycled into the app, these will eventually be made free for everyone, published on this blog and on the app, but right now only Patrons can view them. That’s a perk of being a Fuji X Weekly Patron! Not all new film simulation recipes will be made early-access.

How you become a Patron is through the Fuji X Weekly app. Once you download the app, if you click the Gear icon, click the filter option, or click an early-access recipe, you’ll see the option to become a Patron, which is $19.99 annually. Not only does this give you the best app experience and early-access to some new recipes, but it’s a great way to support Fuji X Weekly and to make the app even better!

Right now the Fuji X Weekly app is only for iOS—great for those with an iPhone or iPad, but not so great for those with Android devices. I’m sorry that I couldn’t release both Apple and Android versions at the same time. An app takes a lot of time and money to create, unfortunately. Getting this off the ground was no small task! Making an Android version of the Fuji X Weekly app is in the plans and one of my top priorities, but it will take a little while to get there.

The seven film simulation recipes below are on the Fuji X Weekly app, available as early-access recipes to Patrons!

Kodak Portra 400 v2

Sage & Sunset – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V

This is a brand-new Portra 400 recipe for those with a Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3, X-T4 and X-S10. This recipe doesn’t replace the “old” Portra 400 recipe, but is simply another Portra 400 look. Film can have several different aesthetics depending on how it’s shot, developed, scanned and/or printed, and viewed. Both Portra 400 recipes were created by studying actual Portra film.

Porto 200

Yellow Bike – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

I’ve received a lot of positive feedback from my X-Trans II Porto 200 recipe, so I created a version for X-Trans III & X-Trans IV cameras. Surprisingly, I was not able to achieve a 100% match to the original recipe. I thought this would be quick to create, but it actually took a lot of time. Even though it doesn’t produce identical results to the X-Trans II version, it is still quite similar, and the results are very nice.

LomoChrome Metropolis

Stop No. 11 – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T4

I’ve had so many requests to create a LomoChrome Metropolis recipe, but it’s not been possible, until now! The Fujifilm X-T4 and X-S10 cameras have the new Eterna Bleach Bypass film simulation, plus a new White Balance option, that are required to get this look. If you have an X-T4 or X-S10, this is a film simulation recipe that you just might love!

Fujicolor Negative

November Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

This film simulation recipe began as an experiment to see if it was possible to create LomoChrome Metropolis using Classic Negative. It’s not possible, but the results were still interesting. It reminds me of Fujicolor C200, perhaps pushed a stop—it isn’t an exact match to that, just coincidentally similar. I think some of you are going to really appreciate this recipe.

CineStill 800T

Night Synergy – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

This might be the best version of CineStill 800T that I’ve ever created! This is a recipe that might make you go out and buy a used X-Trans II camera, just so that you can shoot with it!

Classic Analog

Sticks & Dry Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

This is a recipe I created for X-Trans I cameras. It started out as an attempt to get a Portra look using Provia, which didn’t really work, but the results were quite nice nonetheless.

Kodak Portra 400 v2

Walking on a Bridge – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Like the Portra 400 recipe at the top, this is a new version that doesn’t replace the old one, just simply supplements it for a slightly different Portra 400 look. This film simulation recipe is intended for the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30.

Which of these new film simulation recipe are you most excited for? Let me know in the comments!

Introducing the Fuji X Weekly App for iOS!

The Fuji X Weekly app is a mobile film simulation recipe library containing over 100 recipes for Fujifilm cameras! The film simulation recipes in the app are the same ones that you know and love from this website, but now take them with you on the go, and have them at your fingertips wherever you are!

The Fuji X Weekly app is free! No annoying ads. Get access to 100+ film simulation recipes, which can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically. Each recipe contains an assortment of sample images, as well as a list of compatible cameras. Within each recipe there’s a place where you can keep notes, a useful feature for many of you, no doubt. The app will work offline, so if you don’t have internet access but need to find a certain recipe, no problem! The Fuji X Weekly app is a handy tool for Fujifilm photographers, an essential app to accompany your X-series camera. This is my Christmas gift to you!

This app does have some advanced features that can be unlocked by becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron! These advanced features include filtering by sensor or camera, as well as by film simulation or color/B&W, and the ability to favorite recipes for quick access. The best app experience is reserved for Patrons!

Fuji X Weekly Patrons also get early access to some new film simulation recipes. There are 7 brand-new film simulation recipes that only Patrons can view. These recipes will eventually be published on Fuji X Weekly—free to everyone—but right now they’re available only to Patrons. As new early-access recipes are cycled into the app for Patrons, the others will be made available on this website and on the app free to all, so no worries.

By becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron, which is only $19.99 annually, you unlock the app’s full potential, you get early access to some new film simulation recipes, and you help support Fuji X Weekly! It’s a win-win!

So much time (and money) has gone into creating this app. I believe that it will be useful to many of you, and I also believe it can grow into so much more. I can’t do it without your support. I appreciate everyone who has helped in one way or another already. I appreciate everyone who becomes a Patron! The Fuji X Weekly audience (that’s you!) truly is the best!

The Fuji X Weekly app will be available in the iOS App Store on December 1st. Download it to your iPhone or iPad! If you have a Mac with an M1 chip, you’ll be able to download the app, too, which might be useful for those who use X RAW Studio (it should be available for all Mac computers in a future update). I hope that an Android version will come along sometime next year, but right now it’s only available for Apple (if you don’t have an iPhone and don’t want to miss out on the app, you can probably find a good deal on an iPad this holiday season). I know that you’ll love the Fuji X Weekly app, and I’m super excited for its release!

I want to give a shout-out to Sahand Nayebaziz, the app developer (and Fujifilm photographer) who turned this idea into a reality. Thank you for all your hard work, and for lending your skills to this project!

Look for the Fuji X Weekly app in the iOS App Store on 12/01/2020!

Announcement Coming Tuesday!

The picture above is the third and final clue of what’s coming on December 1st. In case you missed it, the first clue is here and the second is here. The full announcement with all of the details will be in just a couple of days, on November 24th. Be sure to check Fuji X Weekly on Tuesday!

What is it? You’ve probably guessed already that it is a camera app, and you’re right. A Fuji X Weekly camera app is coming! Yea! I’m not giving any more details today, but I’ll just leave you with this: it’s very cool and I’m super excited about it! I hope you’re excited about it, too, because I think you’re going to really like it.

Fujifilm Used My Photo!

Did you see this? Fujifilm used one of my pictures!

They, of course, received my permission first. And, yes, that means I have spoken with Fujifilm, and they know that this website exists. I’m not sponsored by them or have any official association—I’m not an X-Photographer, for example. It’s good to know that they know what’s being published on Fuji X Weekly, because this audience is filled with their best customers. I published an article, Shrinking Camera Market: What Fujifilm Should Do In 2021 & Beyond, which contained what I feel is solid advice, but the best suggestions are from you all, found in the comments section. I hope Fujifilm read it, and there’s a chance they might have. I want your voice to be heard.

Back to the picture!

Duskflower – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X100V

The image that Fujifilm used, which is the picture above, is from my article, Fujifilm X100V Hack: Turn Daylight Into Blue Hour. It was captured during the day and not during dusk or dawn like it appears to have been. Read my article if you want to know how I did it. The Fujifilm article, Using Low Key To Create High Drama, is about low-key photography, which is basically an overall dark picture where light is emphasized on only a small part of the frame. In my picture, the flower is where the light is emphasized, and the rest is pretty dark.

It’s cool to see my picture used in an educational piece by Fujifilm. I hope that it inspires you to try low-key photography, or maybe even experiment with flash and white balance. But perhaps, more importantly, it is an indication that Fujifilm is aware of what’s happening on this website, and maybe—just maybe—they’ll be influenced by this community in some way.

How To Add Film Simulation Recipes To Your Fujifilm Camera

I’ve published over 100 film simulation recipes for Fujifilm X cameras, but I’ve never explained how to program them—the practical side of entering the data into the gear. How do you add a recipe to your camera? If you don’t know how, this article is for you!

Most Fujifilm cameras allow you to store up to seven custom presets; however, some only allow you to have one. There are some variations between models and generations, but no matter your Fujifilm X camera, you should be able to program a recipe by the end of this article, because it’s actually pretty simple. I think it’s always a good idea to read the manual—Fujifilm has all of them available online, and a Google search will bring up your model’s manual quickly. It’s important to really familiarize yourself with your gear to get the most out of it.

Most of the settings that a film simulation recipe requires you to adjust are found in the IQ Menu set, which you access by pressing the Menu button on the camera. Things like Film Simulation, Highlight, Shadow, Color, Dynamic Range, etc., etc., are found in this menu. For those who have a model that can’t save custom presets (such as the Fujifilm X-T200), this is where you can enter in the required parameters of a recipe. You might find many of these settings in the Q-Menu, as well, or through various other buttons on your camera, but they’re pretty much all in one place in the IQ Menu. White Balance Shift is adjusted within the White Balance submenu.

For those with cameras that can save seven custom presets (which most Fujifilm cameras are able to), you can program these custom presets with different film simulation recipes. Find “Edit/Save Custom Settings” in the IQ Menu, or, more quickly, press the Q button to open the Q Menu, then press and hold the Q button, and the Edit/Save Custom Settings submenu will appear. Again, there’s some variations between models, but this should work with most Fujifilm cameras. Once there, select the custom slot you want to use, enter the parameters that the recipe requires, and hit the Back button to save. Many cameras, but not all, have the option to name the custom preset.

Only the latest models, the X-Pro3 and newer, allow you to save the White Balance Shift with a custom preset. For most cameras, you’ll have to manually adjust the WB Shift each time that you change recipes. Exposure Compensation (which is a suggested starting point and not a hard-and-fast rule) can’t be stored, either. For those with cameras that can name presets, one option is to use a recipe name format to remind yourself what these settings should be, so that you know what to set them to.

Once you have everything set, then you can access the seven custom presets through the Q button. Changing between recipes becomes quick and easy! My X100V can save the WB Shift, which is great; however, my other cameras cannot, so on those models I have a button custom set to quickly access White Balance. That way I can easily adjust the shift, since I have to manually adjust that parameter each time I change recipes.

You should now be well on your way to setting up a film simulation recipe on your camera. Once you’ve done it a couple of times, the process will become quick for you. That first time or two, where you’re not really sure how to do it, is the hardest, but with experience it becomes easy.

Photo Contest & Sweepstakes

I just wanted to pass along to you two things: there’s a photo contest and sweepstakes that you can enter if you’d like.

I’m not a huge fan of photo contests in general. The idea is great, but the execution is often awful. There are a few different types. Some artist association will have a photo contest, but you find out that the judges have little or no photography background; it’s puzzling why the winning pictures were chosen. There are bigger contests with better prizes and well-qualified judges and prestige to go along with it, and these seem to be on the up-and-up, but they cost money to enter. These are like playing the lotto, except maybe worse, because you find out later that there was some controversy or scandal involved. Unfortunately, good photography contests seem rare, but I was made aware of one that seems to be trustworthy and worthwhile.

This photography contest is called Beyond the Frame and is hosted by Ben Yan, a Fujifilm Student of Storytelling. It’s free to enter, the panel is full of talented photographers, and the winner gets a Fujifilm X100V! November 30 is the submission deadline. Click here for all of the details. I have no affiliation with this contest. I wish you luck!

Incase, in conjunction with Fujifilm, is giving away a MacBook Air and Fujifilm X-T4. This is only open to U.S. residents and closes on November 22. Click here to find out more. Again, I have no affiliation with this, I’m just passing it along to you.

I hope that one of you will win!

Fujifilm X100V Film Simulation Recipe: Superia Xtra 400

Red Leaf – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Superia Xtra 400”

I’ve had a lot of requests for a Superia Xtra 400 film simulation recipe. Fujifilm introduced Superia Xtra 400, a consumer-grade color negative film, in 1998, replacing Super G Plus 400. This film has been updated a couple of times, first in 2003 and again in 2006. It’s been widely used, thanks to its low cost and versatility. I’ve shot several rolls of this film over the years.

Thomas Schwab, who has invented a few film simulation recipes, and who I’ve collaborated with on a number of others, created this Superia Xtra 400 recipe. He did this by capturing a roll of actual Superia Xtra 400 film with a film camera while capturing identical exposures with his Fujifilm cameras, then, using X RAW Studio, worked on the settings until he found a match. As you can imagine, he put a lot of time and effort into creating this! He shared with me some of his side-by-side pictures—comparing the film with this recipe—and it was tough to figure out which was which, they looked so close!

Creek Through Autumn Forest – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Superia Xtra 400”

What I find interesting is that this recipe isn’t all that much different than Luis Costa’s Classic Negative recipe. I said of Luis’ recipe, “It reminds me a lot of Superia Xtra 400 with a warming filter, or maybe Superia 200 pushed one stop.” Turns out it was pretty darn close to Xtra 400. This recipe by Thomas is even closer! But, of course, with film, so much depends on how it’s shot, developed, and scanned or printed, and the aesthetic can vary significantly. So, really, both recipes mimic Xtra 400, but this one proudly carries the name, as it is a very close match to the film.

Thank you, Thomas, for creating this recipe and sharing it! I know that many of you will love it. I love it! This Superia Xtra 400 film simulation recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3, X-T4, and X-S10.

Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: 0
Shadow: -1
Color: +4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -1
Clarity: -2
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong
White Balance: Auto, +3 Red & -5 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Superia Xtra 400 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Eats & Treats – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Fireplace – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Brick & Fire – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Red & Yellow Fire Hydrant – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
November Pumkin – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Fall Leaf in a Forest – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Forest Creek – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Autumn Branch Over Creek – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Autumn Creek – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Golden Path – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Trail Through the Forest – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Three Leaves – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V

See also: X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipes

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X100V Black    Amazon   B&H
Fujifilm X100V Silver   Amazon   B&H

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Recipe Custom Name Format

An issue that many people have found with the different film simulation recipes is knowing what to adjust the White Balance Shift to, as well as knowing what the exposure compensation should be, when changing recipes. Only the newest Fujifilm cameras (the X-Pro3 and newer) have the ability to save the WB Shift with the custom presets; unfortunately, most Fujifilm cameras cannot save WB Shift with custom presets, and that’s a problem when switching between different recipes. Since the camera can’t save certain settings, people have come up with different solutions to help remember what those settings should be. One of those solutions is to put the WB Shift into the custom preset name. Not all Fujifilm cameras have the ability to name the custom settings, but many of them do.

Fuji X Weekly reader Randy Kirk took this name solution to a new level! He designed an abbreviation format for recipe names as a solution to the problem, which he explains below.

“The format translates, from left to right, as follows:
Film Recipe Name, WB mode (auto, daylight, etc), WB Offset, exposure compensation, and finally ISO or misc notes.”

“I use these abbreviations for White Balance:
AU: Auto
TN: Tungsten
C1: Custom 1, etc
F1: Fluorescent 1
KV: Kelvin
CL: Cloud
… and so on. Most can also be abbreviated to one letter if I run out of space to type.”

Below are some examples.

Kodachrome 64 is named: K64 DY+2r-5b +2/3~ 
Translation: “Kodachrome 64, Daylight White Balance with a +2 Red & -5 Blue shift, exposure comp +2/3, plus or minus 1/3 of a stop. The squiggle after the fraction translates to ‘more or less’ and takes less space than typing the full range listed in the recipe.”

Portra 160 is named: P160 DY~+4r-5b +1~
Translation: “Here, the squiggle after DY lets me know I can mess around with the White Balance, and the exposure compensation translates to +2/3 to +1 1/3 stop.”

Tri-X 400 is named: TriX C1+9r-9B +2/3~ 1600+
Translation: “White balance is Custom 1, exposure compensation is +1/3 to +1 stop, and ISO 1600 and up is recommended.”

“Last, here’s one that condenses my cheat notes for two recipes into one preset name:
K2/E100 A+3r-4b +1/3+ C/V
It looks funky, but translates to:
Kodachrome II / Ektachrome 100SW, Auto WB (abbreviated to A), WB Shift, Exposure Comp +1/3 to +2/3 stop.. and the last note indicates Classic Chrome (for Kodachrome II) or Velvia (for E100SW).” 

“A plus sign *after* the exposure compensation indicates another 1/3 stop ‘up’ (for a range of +1/3 to +2/3). Or if a recipe calls for an exposure range of minus 1/3 to minus 2/3 stop, then it would simply read ‘-1/3-‘.”

If you are having trouble remembering what adjustments that you need to make to your camera when you switch between recipes, this system of abbreviations with your custom recipe names might be just what you need. I know that this will be helpful to many of you. Thank you, Randy Kirk, for designing these abbreviations and sharing them!

Film Simulation Recipe Cards, Part 2!

Part 1

Oleksii Prytuhin has done it again! He created 9 more Film Simulation Recipe Cards to add to your collection!

I cannot tell you just how incredibly popular these are! The first 12 Film Simulation Recipe Cards that Oleksii created have been downloaded over 20,000 times! Even Fujirumors shared it. It’s such a great idea! People are really loving the cards!

These are credit-card-sized cards with Oleskii’s favorite film simulation recipes printed on them. They can be kept in a wallet for quick and easy reference. He printed them 86x54mm on thick paper with matte lamination. Feel free to download them and print them yourself, or save it to your phone.

The nine film simulation recipes that are on these cards are: Velvia, PRO Neg. Hi, Fujicolor Pro 400H, Kodak Tri-X Push Process, Kodak Ektachrome 100SW, Kodak Ultramax, Kodak Ektar 100, Classic Chrome, and… Luis Costa’s X-Trans III Classic Chrome recipe that Oleksii slightly modified to his own liking. Try it out! These are all X-Trans III recipes, but they’re also compatible with X-Trans IV cameras.

Oleksii gave me permission to share the PDF with you. If you’re interested in printing these cards for yourself, click the download button below (it will open up the file, which you can download), and print them! There’s also a Word document that contains the individual JPEGs, if that works better for you. I want to give Oleksii a big “thank you” for creating these and sharing them, and I invite you to give him a thank you in the comments if you download them. I appreciate it, and I know the whole Fujifilm community appreciates it!

Fujifilm X100V Film Simulation Recipe: Kodak Portra 800

November Cherries – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Portra 800”

Kodak introduced Portra 800 in 1998. The Portra line has seen a number of revisions and updates over the years, but I couldn’t find any information if the current Portra 800 film is the exact same emulsion from 1998, or if it’s gone through some changes over the years like the ISO 400 and 160 versions. Portra 800 is one of the best options for high-ISO color photography, but I’ve never shot it myself.

There are some good online resources that are helpful when creating film simulation recipes for films that I’ve never used, which I did consult, but that’s not how these settings came about. You see, there’s a new version of my Portra 400 recipe (which I know you’ll love) that’s coming soon, and this recipe is a variant of that. Thomas Schwab, who I’ve collaborated with on a number of different recipes (including Portra 400), and who has actually shot Portra 800, helped me out with this one. Thanks, Thomas!

Cabela’s Boy – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Portra 800”

I know that many of will love this Kodak Portra 800 film simulation recipe! It’s really nice, and has a good film-like aesthetic. Does it faithfully resemble real Portra 800? I think it does, but film can look different depending on how it’s shot, developed, scanned or printed, and this recipe won’t mimic every aspect of the film. Even so, I think this one will be quite popular, and many of you will use it regularly. It’s only compatible (as of this writing) with the Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3, X-T4 and X-S10 cameras.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +1
Shadow: 0
Color: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Clarity: -4
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak
White Balance: 5200K, +1 Red & -5 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this new Kodak Portra 800 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Brown Tree Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Small Shrub – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Backyard Tree Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Yellow House – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Suburban Mailboxes – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Red Fire Hydrant – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Suburban Peek – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Evening Commute – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Smith’s – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Drug – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Suburban Dusk – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Parked Car in the Dark – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Tunnel Bench – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Night Mall Architecture – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Empty Sidewalk at Night – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Christmas Decor Display – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Succulent & Globe – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Jon Wearing Cabela’s Hat – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Potted Plant on End Table – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Accidental Exposure – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Sunlight Through a Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

See also: Fujifilm X-Trans IV Recipes

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X100V Black    Amazon   B&H
Fujifilm X100V Silver   Amazon   B&H

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Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!

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Camera Basics: Shutter Speed

Fujifilm X-T30 & Rokinon 12mm – 0.4 Second Shutter Speed

Let’s talk about shutter speed! What is it? What does it do to your pictures? How do you control it to get the images that you want? For many of you, this is something you already know very well, but for others this will be helpful information.

The quick and simple definition of shutter speed is this: the amount of time that the camera’s shutter curtain is open, allowing light to reach the camera’s sensor or film. A fast shutter speed allows very little light to expose the sensor or film, while a slow shutter speed allows a lot of light to expose the sensor or film. Shutter speed is one of three elements of the exposure triangle, with aperture and ISO being the other two.

Some examples of common shutter speeds are 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250 and 1/500. There are, of course, many other shutter speeds, this is far from a comprehensive list. 1/15 is an example of a slow shutter speed, and 1/500 is an example of a quick shutter speed. You’ll note that these are fractions, as in fractions of a second. You’ll also note that they’re half or twice as long as the shutter speed on either side, which means that 1/60 lets in half as much light as 1/30, and 1/15 lets in twice as much light as as 1/30.

If the shutter speed is too slow, you’ll have blur from camera shake, unless you’re using a tripod. A rule of thumb for the slowest hand-held shutter speed (without the help of image stabilization) is this: whatever the focal-length of the lens is (or in the case of Fujifilm X, the 35mm-equivalent focal-length), the shutter speed should be a similar number. For example, if the lens is 12mm, which has a 35mm-equivalent focal-length of about 18mm, the slowest hand-held shutter speed is around 1/15 or 1/20. If the lens is 90mm, which has a 35mm-equivalent focal-length of 135mm, the slowest hand-held shutter speed is around 1/125. With good techniques, you can often get a sharp picture with even slower shutter speeds, but that takes practice. Otherwise, you’ll have to use a tripod.

Shutter speed is about motion, either freezing it or showing it. A slow shutter speed will show motion (such as the picture at the top of this article, where the water is blurred), while a fast shutter speed will freeze it (such as the picture directly below this paragraph, where the moving car is sharp). In the first picture below, which was captured with a 1/450 shutter speed, you’d never know that the car was zooming by, because the motion was frozen. The second picture below, which was captured with a 1/80 shutter speed, shows the motion through the car’s blur. The third picture below, which was captured with a 1/60 shutter speed, shows the motion through panning, where the car is sharp but the background blurred from the sweeping lens.

Fujifilm X-M1 & Fujinon 90mm – 1/450 shutter speed
Fujifilm X-M1 & Fujinon 90mm – 1/80 shutter speed
Fujifilm X-M1 & Fujinon 90mm – 1/60 shutter speed

You can show motion in a photograph using a slow shutter speed, and some of that motion might not be immediately obvious. In the first picture below, the firework is moving during the exposure, showing colorful light streaks. In the second picture, the earth’s rotation makes the stars streak. In the third picture, intentionally shaking the lens creates an abstract picture through the camera’s movement.

Fujifilm X100V – 20 second shutter speed
Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 100-400mm – 30 second shutter speed
Fujifilm X-T20 & Fujinon 90mm – 1/15 shutter speed

A fast shutter speed will freeze motion. If there’s some fast-moving object that you want to capture still without blur, you need a quick shutter. This might be a car driving down the road, running kids or jumping pets. Just how fast the shutter needs to be depends on how fast the object is moving, how close it is to the lens, and the focal-length of the lens. The picture below is an example of freezing a moving object with a fast shutter speed.

Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 90mm – 1/2000 shutter speed

It takes much practice to master the shutter, but with practice you’ll know exactly what shutter speed you need to get the picture that you want. There are many variables, so there’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation. Don’t be afraid to experiment. You might fail, but you’ll learn, which will lead to success. Be creative! Put the camera on a tripod and try some different slow shutter speeds. Try photographing your kids or pets using a fast shutter. Pretty soon you’ll be a master of the shutter, totally in control of your camera.