Fujifilm GFX-50S Film Simulation Recipe: Ektachrome

Lookout Tower – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S

Ektachrome is a brand of Kodak color transparency film that’s been around (off and on) since the 1940’s. There have been several eras of the film, and even more variations; the name Ektachrome has been given to many different emulsions. While Kodachrome was more iconic, Ektachrome was more widely used, thanks in part to its easier development process and (typically) faster ISOs. While Ektachrome was more popular, it was much more prone to color fading. Kodachrome was a tad warmer, while Ektachrome was a tad more vibrant, depending on the version, of course. I shot plenty of rolls, and several different versions, of Ektachrome back in the day.

The Classic Chrome film simulation is, I believe, largely based on Ektachrome; set to defaults, Classic Chrome has a similar aesthetic to the film. I tweaked the settings so that Classic Chrome would more closely resemble Ektachrome, but I used my memory of the film and didn’t study actual examples of it. Fujifilm has a term for this: memory color. It basically means that it’s more important to have the right feel than to be perfectly accurate. I’m not exactly sure how accurate this recipe is to the film, or which exact emulsion it would be closest to (maybe 100G? 100GX?), but it feels right to me.

Winter Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S – “Ektachrome”

This Ektachrome film simulation is intended for GFX cameras. I know that it’s compatible the GFX-50S and GFX-50R, and I believe that it’s compatible with the GFX100, but I’m not 100% certain. You can also use it on the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30, and it will produce nearly identical results; on the X100V, X-T4, X-Pro3 and X-S10, set Clarity to 0 (or -2 if you prefer), Color Chrome FX Blue Off, and Grain to Weak Small.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +1
Shadow: +1
Color: +3
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Sharpening: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
Grain Effect: Weak
White Balance: 7100K, -6 Red & +5 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Sample photographs, all camera-made JPEGs, captured with a Fujifilm GFX-50S using this Ektachrome recipe:

Forest Creek – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Log Chair Boy – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Three Poles – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Pole Twists – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
End Post – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Boardwalk in the Marsh – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S – “Ektachrome”
The Roundabout – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Signs Along the Boardwalk – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Ice Tracks in the Reeds – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Marsh Ice Tracks – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Hairpin Curve – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Birdseye View – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Rural Boardwalk – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Fence in the Grass – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Tiny Islands in a Frozen Pond – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Winter Grass – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Frozen March Water – Layton, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Cold Marsh – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Reed & Snow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Snow Day Girl – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Sled Hill Photography – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Needle Snow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S
Winter Pine – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S

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15 comments

  1. Jim Donaldson · January 26, 2021

    Love it p!

    Learn to live rightly in the World. N. Scott Momaday

    >

  2. Nigel Hart · January 26, 2021

    Pictures using Ektachrome or Classic Negative Industrial recipe?.

    • Ritchie Roesch · January 26, 2021

      This is using the Ektachrome recipe

    • Ritchie Roesch · January 26, 2021

      There are a couple of pictures that I reprocessed in-camera when creating the recipe, the rest were actually captured using the recipe.

  3. Nigel Hart · January 26, 2021

    Sample photographs, all camera-made JPEGs, captured with a Fujifilm GFX-50S using this Classic Negative Industrial recipe:

    • Ritchie Roesch · January 26, 2021

      Sorry, typo! Thank you for pointing it out!

  4. gqglasgow · January 26, 2021

    I’d suggest changing Dynamic Range to 100% as slide film has a very limited dynamic range.

    • Ritchie Roesch · January 26, 2021

      That’s true and this is an interesting point. Slide film has a very limited dynamic range when compared to most negative films. Digital cameras are limited, as well, but they’ve come a long ways. (X-Trans cameras, with the APS-C sensors, are closer in dynamic range to slide film than GFX, yet X-Trans still has a greater dynamic range than the film). One difference is the falloff: digital cameras tend to be cliffs while film, including slide film, has a bit of a curve. Even the GFX-50S, when you clip highlights, it’s a distinct line where that clipping occurs. While DR100 might produce a more similar dynamic range, it makes that clipping cliff even bigger.
      Where I think the recipe is most unlike the film in regards to dynamic range is in the shadows. The curve isn’t right. If the camera had .5 adjustments (like the X-T4), I would consider Shadow +1.5, as +1 is almost not enough and +2 is definitely too much. Even then I don’t think it would faithfully mimic how shadows are handled on Ektachrome film, it’s just not exactly the same, nor would you really expect it to be.
      I appreciate the comment!

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  6. Morten Rasmussen · June 14, 2021

    On my gfx 100 I can’t get to the WB red and blue after I picked 7100 Kelvin. I can do it under normal circumstances but not in the custom function, it seems. Any help on that?

    • Ritchie Roesch · June 14, 2021

      Hmmm, that’s strange. I assume that you arrowed to the right (since you’ve done this before). I don’t have a good solution, as I’ve never encountered this issue. If I figure something out I’ll let you know.

      • anklageren · June 14, 2021

        Thx! And yes I arrowed to the right 😊 but no dice!

      • Ritchie Roesch · June 16, 2021

        I’m sorry. I don’t know what the issue is. Have you tried reaching out to Fujifilm Support?

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