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.
Hi Ritchie,
Your blogposts and your film simulation are highly appreciated by me. I highly value your work and continuous updates.
I would very much like it if you could seek support and assistance for the following suggestions and ideas.
I value the idea of the recipes to enhance the possibilities of the cameras to shoot in Jpeg to their fullest capacities.
But FujiFilm cameras are also great cameras in that their own FujiFilm recipes or Film simulations provide processing choices in Raw that most other camera-brands lack.
The base film-simulations from the various camera-models are available as processing-profiles in ACR, Lightroom and CaptureOne (may be even more software already or following next) as the start for raw-processing.
How nice would it be if it would be possible to use or modify your Film Simulations Recipes to work as profiles in these software programs as well. It’s not an easy or simple kind of project to undertake. It would possibly need the use of a 3D-LUT-software program or at least of the Adobe DNG Profile Editor that can be downloaded from the Adobe site.
I came to think of this after following the latest video-course and tutorials by Jim Welninski on Real Raw, that center around the issue of removing the (contrast)-curve from all camera-profiles so as to obtain a true or Real Raw (flat) base setting and profile for raw-processing.
I informed Jim Welninski about your work and about the way FujiFilm cameras are quite different from other brands of cameras, in that their camera-profiles are very different.
I wonder what you think of my idea and if you think it could be feasible in anyway.
Keep up the good work, stay safe, best wishes and kind regards,
Wouter J. van Duin
Leeuwstraat 126d 3318 VG Dordrecht
the Netherlands
* wj.van.duin@planet.nl
* wj.van.duin@kpnmail.nl
* wj.van.duin.photography@gmail.com
* WouterJ.van.Duin_Photography@kpnmail.nl
‘ +31(0)786300147
‘ +31(0)653911933
Van: FUJI X WEEKLY Verzonden: woensdag 18 november 2020 22:18 Aan: wj.van.duin@planet.nl Onderwerp: [New post] How To Add Film Simulation Recipes To Your Fujifilm Camera
Ritchie Roesch posted: ” 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”
It would certainly be interesting! I’m not real sure of the practicality of it. I don’t have the technical knowledge to do it myself, although I did recently purchase Capture One because I get so many questions about it. I hope to figure out enough about the software to be more helpful to others. Your idea is great, for sure!
I was just having the same thought — I’d like to see camera profiles for Lightroom. I’ve seen tutorials on creating such profiles, but I’m (currently) clueless as to where to begin creating these kinds of film sim profiles.
It’s very difficult (if not impossible) to get it the RAW file to 100% match the sooc JPEG, but it would be interesting to create some “pretty close” presets.
I loaded the Tri-x 400 recipe in my X-S10 camera and took a jpg+raw file. I then took both files into Lightroom and made the raw file look as similar to the jpg as I could. From the raw file I proceeded to make a “preset” (that mimicked the recipe). One thing I noticed was that it was very hard to get the same type of grain as the camera grain. You can then make a profile from the preset in ACR. Except that the grain did not get added to the profile. So you can use the profile but then have to add grain in Lightroom (or Photoshop).
Grain is especially difficult for the Acros film simulation, because it changes based on the ISO that it was shot at. With the other film simulations, Grain is more or less an overlay, but Acros is different. I think Alien Skin Exposure might have the best tools for achieving an accurate Grain look, but you’d have to adjust it to each individual exposure (depending on the ISO it was shot at). Creating accurate presets is no easy task, that’s for sure!
And meant to mention that the profile was not accurate in contrast. So I would stick with the preset.
I recently used film emulation bracketing on my X-PRO2. This is a great feature. However, correct me if I’m wrong, but one can’t use any of the 7 recipes that one entered for emulation bracketing. Am I correct?
Unfortunately, you cannot. I never understood this limitation. Fujifilm should absolutely allow it.
Hi there Ritchie,
First of all, thank you for your great work, I highly appreciate it. I have a short question, sorry if it was addressed already on the site. On my X100V, after taking a picture with a recipe applied, there’s 2 seconds of lag time, while the camera writes on the card, and displays “Storing”. It doesn’t happen with the usual film simulations, which makes me think that there’s a higher amount of processing power needed for storing a picture with a recipe applied. Have you encountered the same issue? It’s true that I don’t have a high speed SD card, only a 48 mb/s one, so maybe changing it will solve the issue. Anyway, thank you again, keep up the good work!
Bogdan from Romania
It’s the Clarity setting that slows the camera down. Set it to 0 and the camera will speed up. Also make sure you are using Boost mode. A trick is to keep Clarity set to whatever the recipe calls for, and let it slow you down as part of the process, but when you need to be faster, set the camera to a continuous shooting mode, which automatically disables Clarity, and then later reprocess the RAW file (if you shoot RAW+JPEG) and set Clarity at that time. I hope this helps!
Hi,
That’s awesome. I didnt know burstmode did discard the clarity settings to speed up shooting. That’s a nice compromise.
I’ll put those clarity settings back in my recipies and test that.
Thanks
If a recipe calls for negative Clarity (-3 for example), you can use a diffusion filter in lieu of Clarity if you’d like. It’s not 100% the same thing, but similar enough. Just another option.
Hey looks like the Xs-10 follows different rules for setting recipes.
How so? I appreciate the report!
One thing I have noticed is you can set the exposure changes in X-S10 that are part of the recipe. So essentially you can push process in Camera. In XT4 because there is a dedicated dial you have to remember to make the changes while shooting or at least correct EV in post.
https://fujifilm-dsc.com/en/manual/x-s10/taking_photo/exposure/
I’m newish to the Fuji family and am interested in the presets for my X-T3. I’ve followed the steps and gotten the adjustments all saved but the camera is not retaining the name of the preset. I’ve changed the name in the Custom 1 slot, I’ve saved it, and it still shows Custom 1 even though all the adjustments I changed were saved. Any help would be appreciated.
Make sure you select Set and not hit the back button. This has tripped me up a bunch, and I’ve done it a thousand times probably. I’m guessing this is the issue.
I have an X-T2, but would like to try some of the recipes that you’ve developed for the next generation of sensors. Will they work on my X-T2, and how much variance can I expect due to the use of the older sensor?
You can use many of the X-T30/X-T3 recipes, and they’ll be similar but not exact; you’re missing Color Chrome Effect, B&W Toning, and Eterna, but otherwise the results will be nearly identical. Recipes intended for newer X-Trans IV cameras (like the X100V and X-T4) aren’t compatible, as you’re missing things like Color Chrome FX Blue, Clarity, some WB options, and Classic Negative (in addition to the others).
Hi, loving these recipes so thank you. Quick question on the live view in EVF or LCD display. Is it normal for the live view not to represent a manual custom recipe? Thanks
I’m on X100V trying with bleach bypass.
It should be you-see-what-you-get, so it should look like the recipe you are using. I’m not sure why it wouldn’t. Are you shooting RAW, RAW+JPEG, or JPEG? Do the pictures look correct after they’re captured?
Thanks for the reply. I’m shooting just JPEG and the final captured images look great it’s just I don’t see a preview in the live view. I see a preview with all the inbuilt simulations but not any manual recipes. It’s a recently bought (latest firmware) X100V. Thanks
I don’t really know how to help. I’ve never heard of this issue. I would recommend contacting Fujifilm support, I’m sure they can figure it out. Sorry that I am not more helpful.
No worries, I’ve been an idiot and had “true view” or whatever it’s called on which was making the viewfinder look normal. Thanks for your help though.
I’m glad that you figured it out!
Hi Ritchie,
Somehow my X-E3 “remembers” the WB, highlight tint and shadow tint from a recipe after switching from a recipe to an “original” Fuji film simulation. The camera doesn’t set those settings to 0 after switching.
What am i missing?
Thank you!
If the WB is different (Auto, Daylight, Kelvin, Fluorescent 1, etc.), then it will remember the shift (one shift per WB). If you have two (or more) different recipes with Daylight, and each has a different shift, the camera will remember only one shift. Does your camera behave differently than this?
X-H1 user here. Same problem. I had customized 7 C-settings but cannot/don’t know how to go use the original – let’s say – Provia simulation. In other words, how to chose between an original simulation and a customized simulation?
When you go to edit any of the C1-C7 presets, there’s an option to reset it. C1 is Provia, C2 is Velvia, C3 is Astia, etc., etc. I hope this helps!
Same problem too. I set one of the C1-C7 banks as the Creamy Color film simulation. Which shifts the WB color tones to get a brownish effect. When I switch to the standard built-in film simulation, let’s say Velvia or Classic Negative, it uses the same WB and shift. Giving the same brownish look. So switching from a custom setting to the built-in setting is messing up your built-in setting.
I don’t use the default C1-C7 presets (everything set to 0, Off, or Auto) that come pre-loaded onto the camera, but instead replace them all with Film Simulation Recipes, so I have never experienced this issue personally. I’m not sure if there is a solution to this or not.
May I ask how to add recipes and save them on X-S10?
http://fujifilm-dsc.com/en/manual/x-s10/taking_photo/shooting_mode/index.html#custom
Hello! First of all, thank you so much for your work! I am so excited to try these film simulations!!!
I bought my first camera (xt3) about 3 weeks ago, so I am a very beginner in everything about my camera and photography, but I am loving to learn about it.
I would like to know what would be the difference if I shoot in raw or jpeg with the same film simulation.
Would they look different?
thank you!
Hi! I think you’ll love your camera, and I hope that you find this website useful as you learn.
These “recipes” are intended for the camera-made JPEG, but I recommend shooting RAW+JPEG. You can reprocess the RAW file in-camera or with X RAW Studio, and apply these recipes, if you’d like. If you use Lightroom or Capture One, the software will apply its interpretation of some (but not all) of the JPEG settings to the RAW file; it will definitely look different. With enough tweaking you can get pretty close, but that’s a lot of work.
How do I apply the jpeg settings to the raw file? Would I need to manually adjust to match using reference window?
You can apply them in-camera (when in Play mode, simply hit the Q-button) or using X Raw Studio software.
Hello big fan of your work (and your name too),
I’ve been shooting digital photography with an Fuji XT1 and now an XT3 for a few years now and have recently been getting into film photography. It’s been a great learning experience of trying to find a look and aesthetic that matches my experience when I am shooting and your Fuji simulation recipes have been very helpful with that! Also your app has been useful in setting film simulations on my camera when I’m on the go. I personally don’t have a great eye in recognizing the subtle differences between some recipes, and I was wondering if you have a system with either file naming or in the EXIF data to recall what simulation recipe you shot with each photo? It can be hard sometimes after shooting hundreds of photos after a trip and trying to associate a simulation with a photo after the fact.
Thank you!
Hi, Richie! Nice name! I don’t have a good system. Typically I only shoot with a few different recipes at a time. When I do use more, the best practice for me is for the recipes to be significantly different looking; when I’ve used recipes that are similar, I’ve had a hard time telling them apart, so I avoid that. I’m sure this isn’t much help for you, but I hope it is.
Agfa – Agfachrome RS Pro 25, 200, 400, 1000
E6 love the tone neutral..
Great suggestions! Thanks!
Hi Ritchie, I’ve just recently “discovered” your film recipes and they look very enticing. One question before I start. I’ve got an X-E4 which saves custom presets. However, if I save a new custom preset with your film recipe, say preset #4, will this alter any of the original Fujifilm simulations that I can pull up on my main Q Menu slot, or does it leave the original factory installed simulations alone? Hope I explained that properly and thanks in advance.
The factory “presets” are just the defaults (everything set to 0, Off, etc.). If you put a recipe into slot 4 (for example) you have to adjust the defaults to something other than 0 or Off (whatever the recipe calls for), which means it’s no longer set to factory settings. To restore slot 4 to defaults, select “Erase” and it will be returned to (in this case) Classic Chrome with everything set to 0, Off, etc. I hope this makes sense and answers your question.
i created my first one (kodachrome 2 on x100v) and results were real nice. wondering though if it’s normal for a 1-2 second delay after taking each single shot is normal. i changed to CH at 8fps and it just rattled them off. is the delay with a single image normal? maybe it was applying all the various settings?
It’s Clarity that slows the camera down. In the continuous shooting modes (such as CH) Clarity is disabled, and that’s why it is much quicker.
Is there a good guide that explains in more detail what the less obvious different functions such as „Clarity” are and how they work. I get things like WB and grain but some leave me scratching my head
I hope this helps:
https://fujixweekly.com/2020/05/24/fujifilm-x100v-new-feature-clarity/
It appears that my X-T3 Custom Settings are already being used for the default film simulations supplied by Fuji when I bought the camera. For example, Custom Setting 2 is Velvia. If I save a custom film recipe to one of the 7 available Custom Settings, will it overwrite the default recipe supplied by Fuji? For example, if I save “The Rockwell” to Custom Setting 2, will I lose the default Velvia Film Simulation? Thank you.
The default Custom Settings that come standard on the camera are nothing special: everything set to 0 or Off. Adding a Film Simulation Recipe to it will overwrite them, but if you later want to reset it to the factory default Custom Settings it is quick and easy to do so.
Can you explain how pls
It’s different on different cameras, but on your X-T1, it’s the last option under all of the parameters in Edit/Save Custom Preset (under Noise Reduction) called Reset.
So when using one of the custom default presets to add a recipe is there a way to revert back to the default simulation preset that shipped with the camera
The default C1-C7 presets that come shipped with the camera are everything set to 0, Off, or Auto. You can manually do that yourself, or when editing a C1-C7 preset, there is the option to Reset (restore to factory default).
hi ritchie, thanks for all!
i have xt-20 and i use your recipes. but i dont understand what means exposure compensation. yes i know what is exposure compensation but i mean what is “0 to 1/3 or +2/3 ect.” and how can i set this? what should i do can you explain for me?
It’s just meant as a starting point. Many recipes look better with an increase in exposure over what the camera’s meter says, some recipes look better with a decrease in exposure. Each picture should be judged individually, though. On the top of the X-T20 is an Exposure Compensation dial that you can use if you aren’t using the camera in full-manual. I hope this helps.
Hi Richie, first of all thanks for all the amazing recipes. Can’t wait to start using them on my X100v. A question on the recipes: in some you suggest a setting for the ISO. Like in the Kodachtrome 64 it says: ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400.
But is it correct that this setting can’t be stored in the Q menus and shoud be judged ‘on the spot’? Thanks in advance and keep up the good work!
Your camera has three Auto ISO banks which can be customized in the ISO submenu, and you can select in the Custom Settings menu which one of those banks you want to assign to each of the C1-C7 presets. But, you certainly don’t have to use Auto ISO if you don’t want to—you can think of it more as ISO up to 6400. I hope this makes sense and answers your question.
Hello Ritchie, I recently got an X70 am I able to use some of the film stimulations with it?
Thank you!
These ones:
https://fujixweekly.com/fujifilm-x-trans-ii-recipes/
Hello! I love your recipes and hope to get started soon too. Does the X-T 30 ii have customs presets as well?
Thank you!
Absolutely!
https://fujixweekly.com/fujifilm-x-trans-iv-recipes/
Hi Ritchie. Very great job. Tanks.
One question : do you think il Will be possible to create New simulation color profil which can be add to the list of film included by default in the camera lire you Will do upddating firmware ?
Is it clear ?
Regards
Arnaud
Like you could make your very own custom film simulation? In addition to Provia, Velvia, Astia, Classic Chrome, etc., etc., you could make your own? If that’s what you mean, I don’t think Fujifilm would do that, but it’s a really cool idea.
Does the “film simulation” name matter when we use your or create our own recipes? I’ve seen that for some recipes you use the base recipe that comes with the specific camera(i.e classic chrome) and then create the recipe through that. Can we just change the settings for let’s say Provia and still use the same recipe?
If I understand the question correctly, you can program any recipe into any C1-C7 custom preset. You don’t have to program a Classic Chrome recipe into the default Classic Chrome slot (for example). I hope this helps.
Did you make a YouTube Video on this topic of saving your Recipes to your Fuji camera. I have problems with learning from reading instructions. This is very Great Work Techniques that you are sharing with us. Thank You!
I didn’t, but this person did:
Also, be sure to check out the SOOC Live videos:
https://www.youtube.com/@sooclive
Hi Ritchie,
The custom film recipes are great to use. But why is it that when switching between one of the seven C1-C7 settings, the camera uses the right WB settings (and shifts), forgetting the last one you used, but when switching from one of the seven setting to the built-in simulations, it remembers these settings. And thereby messing up the standard built-in simulations. As long as you stay within the C1-C7 settings it works fine. Even if the WB and shifts are different. But when using one of these presets and you switch over to the built-in simulation you have to manual reset the setting. Very annoying. I hope Fujifilm has a fix for it since more Fuji lovers found out about this error.
Cheers,
Hans
So what you are saying is if you custom program each of your C1-C7 presets, then later (when out photographing) change the film simulation from (say) Eterna to Classic Chrome, your expectation is that white balance should reset to Auto (and without a WB Shift), and the other settings should return to default (0, Off, or Auto). Is that correct? If so, that’s definitely not how it works; however, you can certainly send a request to Fujifilm to change the behavior, and maybe they will.
Hi Ritchie, just want to say thanks for all the great recipes and info, was wondering if there is an app that allows you to set and save custom recipes? Was wanting to somehow archive all the different recipes on fuji-x-weekly so I can simply scroll through them after I shoot as opposed to baking on into my Jpeg.
There’s my app, the Fuji X Weekly app.
Android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fujixweekly.FujiXWeekly
Apple:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fuji-x-weekly-film-recipes/id1539047257
If you are an App subscriber, you can use the colored Stars to keep track of the Recipes that you want to keep track of.
If you are asking if there is a way to apply Recipes to a RAW file after-the-fact on your phone… that doesn’t exist. You can do it via X RAW Studio on your computer, but there isn’t a mobile version of that.
Awesome! I will download it now, Thanks! Is there a tutorial or step-by-step how to set custom recipes like the ones on this page so they can be saved presets I could simply scroll through?
I’m not sure I understand the question. This guy tells how to load the Recipes into the camera:
https://youtu.be/RHMZJ0hV49I
There isn’t a step-by-step video how to use the App… it’s pretty intuitive. This guy talks about it a little:
https://youtu.be/7jhVSGVQzLw
It’s also discussed a little here:
https://youtu.be/cHJOYx7-VWw?t=1559
I hope this helps!
Sorry, so I know how to add the recipes on the camera, what I’m wondering is can I put all these recipes into X Raw Studio so I have them all as saved presets to easily switch between after I take my photos and have them on my laptop?
Oh, you can add and save the Recipes into X RAW Studio. I don’t use X RAW Studio, so I can’t help much with the how. Maybe these videos will help:
https://youtu.be/Gayg0-SrLcQ
https://youtu.be/0AM6Jde0YnQ
https://youtu.be/xC1zP6lgXWU
https://youtu.be/ZqdxJSDuuPQ
Do you use one of the default film simulation slots to edit and add a new recipe or is there extra empty slots. I am asking this as I am still waiting for my X-T1 to arrive and I am trying to learn about it as much as I can
There are seven custom presets (C1-C7), each of which can be programmed with a Recipe. There are no extra empty slots, unfortunately—just the seven. I hope this helps!