For this recipe, I was attempting to recreate a Kodak Portra 400 NC aesthetic. A couple of decades ago, Portra (both the ISO 160 and ISO 400 emulsions) came in two versions: NC (“Neutral Color”) and VC (“Vivid Color”). Kodak later revised the film to be something in-between the two, which they simply called Portra 160 and Portra 400. This recipe is, I believe, in the general ballpark of Portra 400 NC, but not exactly right; however, I like the results anyway. So if this recipe is close to Kodak Portra 400 NC, why did I call it Kodacolor 200? Because I think it is actually a little closer to Kodacolor 200, which is a variety of Kodacolor VR, and related to ColorPlus 200. I wouldn’t call it an exact match to Kodacolor 200, but that’s the film this is most likely closest to. If you want a Portra 400 NC or Kodacolor 200 aesthetic, this recipe is relatively similar to both.
There’s a fair amount of contrast produced by this recipe, which looks really good in conditions without harsh light. In bright daylight, the contrast might be a little too much, perhaps more closely resembling push-processed film, or (to a lessor extent) even bleach-bypassed Portra. On bright days, you might consider dropping both Shadow and Highlight to +1 if you find it to be too contrasty. I believe this film simulation recipe produces its best results when the sun is a little obscured, but not heavy overcast; however, it’s possible to get good results in many different circumstances. If your X-Trans II camera has Classic Chrome, I invite you to give this recipe a try—it’s a great high-contrast, low saturation option.
Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +2 (Hard)
Shadow: +2 (Hard)
Color: -2 (Low)
Sharpness: -1 (Medium-Soft)
Noise Reduction: -2 (Low)
White Balance: 3200K, +8 Red & -8 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 3200
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured on my Fujifilm X-T1 using this Kodacolor 200 film simulation recipe:
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I have a question, does this still work on an X-Trans IV sensor? I’m a little confused
Well, technically you can enter these parameters into your X-Trans IV camera, but it’s not intended for it, and will certainly look different. Try these instead:
https://fujixweekly.com/2019/07/19/my-fujifilm-x-t30-kodacolor-film-simulation-recipe/
https://fujixweekly.com/2022/04/11/fujifilm-x-trans-iii-x-t3-x-t30-film-simulation-recipe-kodacolor-vr/