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When Thomas Schwab shared with me his Fujicolor Super HG film simulation recipe, he also sent me an alternative recipe that uses Astia instead of Classic Negative. I gave it a try and thought that it worked quite well for landscape photography, particularly in sunny conditions. It can produce interesting results indoors or on cloudy days, but I think it really shines in sunshine. It’s called “Super HG Astia” because it is a modification of the Super HG recipe, but with Astia.
This “Super HG Astia” recipe wasn’t intended to mimic any particular film; however, it does have some resemblance to Fujichrome Provia 100F. For whatever reason, Fujifilm programmed the Provia film simulation to look more like Astia film, and the Astia film simulation to look more like Provia film, although neither are an exact match. This recipe brings the Astia film simulation closer to resembling Provia film (albeit unintentionally). It’s definitely not a perfect facsimile, but it does nonetheless produce a very nice Fuji color-reversal film aesthetic.
This recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, and X-E4 cameras. I accidentally used Large grain for some of my pictures, and the results were fine, but Small grain is better in my opinion—feel free to use whichever Grain size you’d prefer. For the X-T3 and X-T30, you can use this recipe by ignoring Grain size, Clarity and Color Chrome FX Blue—the results will be slightly different, but pretty close. For X-Trans III cameras, you’ll have to additionally ignore Color Chrome Effect; again, the results will be a little different but still very similar. If you’ve got an X-Trans III or newer camera, I invite you to try this recipe. I want to give a special “Thank you!” to Thomas for creating and sharing this recipe!
Astia
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +2
Shadow: +1
Color: +2
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -1
Clarity: +2
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak
White Balance: Fluorescent 2, -3 Red & -1 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Super HG Astia film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Part 1 – Fujicolor Super HG Film Simulation Recipe
Part 2 -Fujicolor Super HG v2 Film Simulation Recipe
Find these film simulation recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!
Help Fuji X Weekly
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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When Thomas Schwab sent me his settings that would later be called Fujicolor Super HG, he asked me if there were any changes that I would make. I tried his recipe, and then created a couple of alternate versions. I concluded that I liked his recipe as-is with no changes; however, I thought that one variation I created was interesting, so I shot with it, too, and turned it into its own recipe. I call it Fujicolor Super HG v2. While it’s a collaboration between Thomas and I, he contributed the most to it.
Fujifilm introduced the Super HG line in 1986, with versions in ISOs between 100 and 1600. It saw several iterations and improvements before being replaced by the Superia line is 1998. Thomas Schwab’s Fujicolor Super HG recipe and this Fujicolor Super HG v2 recipe are more similar to Super HG 100 or Super HG 200 film. One film can have many different looks depending on how it was shot, developed, printed or scanned. The differences between the Fujicolor Super HG and Fujicolor Super HG v2 recipes might be like the differences produced by using different film scanners.
While both Super HG recipes look great, I prefer the Fujicolor Super HG recipe for natural light photography, and I prefer the Fujicolor Super HG v2 recipe for artificial light photography. I invite you to try both, and see which version you like better. You might find that you prefer one in a certain situation and the other in a different situation. Because this recipe uses the new Auto White Priority white balance, it’s only compatible (as of this writing) with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10 and X-E4 cameras (and maybe the GFX100S?). If you have the X-Pro3 or X100V, you can use Auto white balance instead, and in natural light you’ll get identical results, although in artificial light it won’t look quite the same.
Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1
Shadow: +1
Color: +2
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: 0
Clarity: +2
Grain Effect: Weak, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong
White Balance: Auto White Priority, -3 Red & -1 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Fujicolor Super HG v2 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Part 1 – Fujicolor Super HG Film Simulation Recipe
Part 3 – Super HG Astia Film Simulation Recipe
Find these film simulation recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!
Help Fuji X Weekly
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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This Fujicolor Super HG recipe was created by Thomas Schwab, who has made several film simulation recipes published on this website, including Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled, Superia Xtra 400, Urban Vintage Chrome, Kodachrome II, Kodak Portra 800 v2, Classic Monochrome, B&W Superia, and Monochrome Kodachrome. Thomas has also collaborated on other recipes, playing an important role in getting them right, including Kodak Portra 800, Kodak Ektar 100, Kodachrome 1, Kodak Portra 400, and Kodak T-Max 400. Whenever Thomas sends me a new recipe idea, I’m always eager to try it out!
Thomas was photographing using the Provia 400 film simulation recipe, which requires a Fluorescent 2 (also called “Warm White Fluorescent” or “Neon 2”) White Balance. He wanted to see how that not-often-used White Balance would look with some other film simulations, and, after several adjustments, came up with this recipe. He shared it with me, and I shot with it and really liked the results! We wondered if it closely resembled any particular film—it seemed to be in the general ballpark of several Fujifilm emulsions without matching any. After digging a little deeper, and after a chance encounter with a box of prints from 1992, it was determined that Fujicolor Super HG, which is a predecessor to the Superia line, was a surprisingly close match. This recipe wasn’t intended to resemble Fujicolor Super HG film, but fortunately it does!
I thoroughly enjoyed shooting with this recipe, as it produces some great analogue-like results! Because it requires Classic Negative, Color Chrome FX Blue, and Clarity, it is only compatible with (as of this writing) the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10 and X-E4 cameras. I want to give a big “Thank you!” to Thomas Schwab for creating this great recipe and allowing me to share it with you—thanks, Thomas!
Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: 0
Shadow: +1
Color: +2
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: 0
Clarity: -3
Grain Effect: Weak, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong
White Balance: Fluorescent 2, -3 Red & -1 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Fujicolor Super HG film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Part 2 – Fujicolor Super HG v2
Part 3 – Super HG Astia
Find these film simulation recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!
Help Fuji X Weekly
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!
$2.00
There’s no right or wrong way to do photography. One technique or method might work for one person but not another. Whatever works for you is what you should do. With that in mind, I can think of three ways that you can approach using film simulation recipes on your Fujifilm camera.
The SOOC live video series that Nathalie Boucry and I are doing focuses on one of those approaches: straight-out-of-camera JPEGs. Shoot JPEG (or RAW+JPEG) with your recipe of choice, and use the unedited or lightly edited pictures (crops and very minor adjustments) that come out of the camera (which is one-step photography). This is probably the most common way to use film simulation recipes, and this is the method that works for me, as it saves me a lot of time (which allows me to be more productive), and I find it to be more fun. Shooting RAW and using X RAW Studio is a similar approach, although it does add a step to the process.
The photographs at the top of this article, which I captured over the last two days, are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs (aside from some minor cropping on a couple). The recipes that I used for those pictures (the top three are one, the bottom two are another) are future recipes that will be published on this website (and the app) soon. The entirety of my post-processing workflow was simply this: 1) transfer the pictures from the camera to my phone, 2) crop the pictures that needed to be cropped, 3) upload them to my online storage. Done.
Another option is to shoot RAW with a recipe and post-process the pictures using a software like Lightroom, Capture One, RAW Power, Exposure, etc., etc.—the software will apply its interpretation of many (but not all) of the JPEG settings to the RAW file (obviously each program is a little different). This gives you a head start with your editing, as you’re already 70% “there” when you start, and you just need to finish it. This is a great way to speed up your workflow without losing the flexibility of RAW.
Another approach is a mix of the first two: shoot JPEG (or RAW+JPEG) and edit the JPEGs using a software like Lightroom, Capture One, VSCO, Exposure, etc. This might sound like an odd approach at first (why not just shoot RAW if you’re going to edit?); however, if you like the way the straight-out-of-camera JPEGs look, and feel only minor refinements are required to achieve the exact aesthetic you desire, this is a good option. The JPEG is 90% “there” and just needs small adjustments to finish. This is my wife, Amanda’s, preferred approach. This is also what Vuhlandes describes in the video below.
Whether you rely strictly on straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, or you edit your JPEGs, or you post-process your RAW files, film simulation recipes can be used on your Fujifilm camera to help you get the look that you want. There’s not one path that is right for everyone. What’s important is that you find the method that works for you. Hopefully, no matter your preferred process, there’s something on this website that you have found helpful in some way to your photography. If so, let me know in the comments! Also, tell me how you use film simulation recipes—which of the three method works best for you. Or, if you have a different approach that I didn’t mention, I’d love to hear it.
Classic Negative is one of my favorite film simulations, if not my favorite. There’s something special and unique about it that separates it from the other film simulations. It produces a very Superia film-like look, but can be made to have all sorts of different aesthetics. I thought it would be fun to compare the different film simulation recipes that use Classic Negative. I did this experiment a couple of months ago (I meant to post it back then), so some of the most recent Classic Negative recipes didn’t make this list, including Fujicolor C200, Fujicolor Pro 400H, Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled, and Positive Film. And more Classic Negative recipes are in the works right now!
My hope is that one of the pictures below will inspire you to try a recipe that you haven’t yet tried. Maybe one of them stands out to you as more interesting than the rest. If so, let me know! Also, be sure to let me know in the comments which Classic Negative recipe is your favorite!
These pictures were captured in Yosemite National Park with a Fujifilm X-E4 and Fujinon 18mm f/2 lens.
In Season 01 Episode 01 of the new live collaborative video series SOOC with Fuji X Weekly and Tame Your Fujifilm, Fujifilm X Photography Nathalie Boucry and I, Ritchie Roesch, discussed the Kodachrome II film simulation recipe. If you missed it, be sure to check it out! I had a fun time, and I hope that you found it helpful, interesting, or entertaining—or all three! I appreciate all those who tuned in and participated.
The Kodachrome II recipe is intended to mimic the aesthetic of the second era of Kodachrome color reversal film. It’s actually closer to Kodachrome-X than Kodachrome-II film, but in the ballpark of both. Kodak produced those versions of Kodachrome from 1961 to 1974, when they replaced them with Kodachrome 25 and Kodachrome 64. Ernst Haas, Luigi Ghirri, and William Eggleston are three well-known photographers who used this era of Kodachrome, at least for some of their images.
One of my all-time favorite recipes that I’ve created is Kodachrome II. I made it three years ago, and used it extensively for awhile, and still use it sometimes now. It was created for Fujifilm X-Trans III cameras, although it is fully compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30 (set Color Chrome Effect to Off). Newer X-Trans IV cameras can also use it (set Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and Clarity to 0), simply select Grain size Small; however, there are two new Kodachrome II options (aside from this one) for those cameras. There’s also a Kodachrome II recipe for X-Trans II cameras. You have a lot of options! The Kodachrome II recipe discussed in the video is the original one for X-Trans III.
This new video series is interactive. One way to participate in Season 01 Episode 02 of SOOC (on August 12th) is to submit a picture that you’ve captured using the Kodachrome II film simulation recipe (click here). We’ll show some of your pictures live in the next video! By submitting a photo (by the way, this isn’t a contest), you’ll have a chance to win a one-year Patron subscription for the Fuji X Weekly App. I look forward to seeing your images!
Below are some recent pictures that I made using the Kodachrome II film simulation recipe:
I want to give a big “Thank You” to all those who tuned into SOOC, a new live video series with myself and Fujifilm X Photography Nathalie Boucry. I appreciate your participation and kindness! I’d love to know what you thought of it.
If you missed the show, you can watch it above. It takes a couple of minutes for it to start. It’s an hour-and-a-half long, and I hope there’s something interesting or helpful in there that you’ll appreciate. Tune in next month, August 12, for the next episode!
As a reminder, the live interactive collaborative event with Fuji X Weekly and Tame Your Fujifilm is tomorrow! It’s at 11 am Mountain Time, which is 7 pm South African Time. Hopefully, wherever you are, you can calculate when the broadcast is in your time zone, and tune in. I hope you’ll join me, Ritchie Roesch, and Fujifilm X Photography Nathalie Boucry, as we discuss Fujifilm camera settings and the Kodachrome II film simulation recipe, among other things. It’ll be a great time—also educational—so set a timer, and I look forward to hearing from you tomorrow!
The Fuji X Weekly app is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron unlocks the best app experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new film simulation recipes. These early-access recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. In fact, many early-access recipes have already been publicly published on this blog and the app, so now everyone can use them. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no app. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!
This new Patron early-access recipe is called “Silver Summer” and is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, and X-E4 X-Trans IV cameras. It’s not modeled after any specific film, but it definitely has an analog aesthetic. It does have some unintentional similarities to Lomography Cine 200, but it’s definitely not an exact match. I really like how this one looks, and I think some of you will really appreciate it, too!
If you are a Fuji X Weekly Patron, it’s available to you right now on the app!
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Silver Summer” film simulation recipe:
This Kodak Portra 400 Warm recipe came about after the Kyle McDougall Portra-Style comparison article. These settings are an attempt to get closer to Kyle’s preset aesthetic. Some film simulation recipes are good for everyday use, while some are good only in the right situations. This is one falls into the latter category, I think. This recipe isn’t for everyone or every situation, but for some people in the right situations, this recipe will be greatly loved! I think it looks best in sunny daylight, but can produce interesting results occasionally in other lighting situations, too. Thank you to Ryan for helping out with this!
One film can have many different looks depending on how it’s shot, developed, and scanned or printed. This Kodak Portra 400 Warm film simulation recipe is an alternative aesthetic. Portra 400 was introduced by Kodak in 1998, and was redesigned in 2006 and again in 2010. As the name implies, it’s intended for portrait photography, but can be used for many other types of photography. It’s similar to Portra 160, but with more contrast, saturation and grain. Believe it or not, ISO 400 was considered “high ISO” by many photographers back in the film days, and Portra 400 was one of the absolute best “high ISO” color films ever made.
If you like my other Portra recipes, you might like this one, too. It uses Clarity, which slows down the camera considerably—I hope that Fujifilm speeds this up with a firmware update at some point. This recipe is only compatible with the latest Fujifilm X-Trans IV cameras: the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, and X-E4. This was a Patron early-access recipe on the Fuji X Weekly App, so if you are a Patron you’ve had access to this Kodak Portra 400 Warm recipe for awhile—there’s now a new early-access recipe in its place, so be sure to check that out!
Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1
Shadow: -2
Color: +2
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Clarity: -2
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: 5500K, 0 Red & -7 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 400 Warm” film simulation recipe:
Find these film simulation recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!
Help Fuji X Weekly
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!
$2.00
Join Ritchie Roesch (Fuji X Weekly) and Nathalie Boucry (Tame Your Fujifilm) this Thursday (7/8/21) at 11:00 am Mountain Standard Time for a live interactive broadcast called SOOC where we’ll talk about Fujifilm camera settings and film simulation recipes! In Season 01 Episode 01 we’ll discuss the Kodachrome II film simulation recipe.
Nathalie Boucry is an official Fujifilm-X Photographer from Johannesburg, South Africa, who specializes in corporate event, portraiture, and lifestyle photography. She’s also an official Instax Ambassador. Nathalie is the creator and host of the Tame Your Fujifilm educational series.
SOOC is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm and Fuji X Weekly. It will be a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different film simulation recipe. It will be a fun and educational experience where we will not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions. This is an interactive program, which means that we need your participation! Mark your calendar and be sure to tune in!
You can find Episode 01 below, but in order to interact, you’ll want to jump onto YouTube or Facebook, where you can leave comments, some of which will be incorporated into the show. The broadcast will begin at 10 am Pacific Time, 11 am Mountain Time, 12 pm Central Time, and 1 pm Eastern Time. Wherever you are in the world, I hope that you can join us. See you this Thursday!
Help us get the word out, and share this post or the video above on your social media channels! I appreciate your support, and I look forward to hearing from you on Thursday!
I can’t tell you the details yet, but a number of big things are in the works here at Fuji X Weekly! They’ll be announced in the coming days, weeks, and months. I’m extremely excited about all of these different “things” that are coming. I wish that I could provide you with more details, but just know that I am working very diligently behind the scenes to get them finished, and as soon as I’m able I will be making the announcements of what they are. Each will unfold differently, but I think you’ll really appreciate them, and they’ll be very beneficial to the Fujifilm and photographic community.
While I’m here, I want to say “thank you” to you! This community is something special. Really, the photographic continuum is being shaped by you, much more than you likely realize. I’m honored to be a part of it, and it’s really a privilege to be able to facilitate it whenever and however I can.
If you don’t already, I encourage you to follow Fuji X Weekly on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Because I’m so busy, I don’t always get to post as frequently as I’d like, but I will definitely share these different new things with you when they’re ready—you won’t want to miss when they’re announced!
