This Film Simulation Recipe is the aesthetic that I hoped to achieve with the new Nostalgic Neg. film simulation. What does it resemble? It very much has a nostalgic Kodak “memory color” (as Fujifilm likes to say) that is reminiscent of old color photographs from the 1970’s. You might notice some similarities to William Eggleston’s Election Eve and 2 1/4 series and some of his other work from the late-1960’s through the mid-1970’s—not every picture, but certainly several. You might spot some similarities between this look and some of Stephen Shore’s photographs from the early-to-mid 1970’s. I think there are some similarities to a few of Joel Sternfeld’s American Prospects pictures. There’s a noticeable likeness to several of Richard Misrach’s desert photographs. In other words, this recipe produces a distinct 1970’s American New Color aesthetic.
It shouldn’t surprise you that the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation produces this look because Fujifilm stated that the American New Color movement was the inspiration. Specifically, they looked at the photographs of Eggleston, Shore, Sternfeld, and Misrach, but out-of-the-box default Nostalgic Neg. doesn’t seem to resemble their work all that closely. After examining many of their photographs, and identifying a few from each with a similar aesthetic, I set out to create a Film Simulation Recipe that better mimics some of their pictures. I feel like a got pretty close, and this recipe produces a distinct 1970’s vibe—especially the warmth of summertime—and so I named it 1970’s Summer. This recipe works best in sunny daylight, and is excellent for midday photography.
This 1970’s Summer Film Simulation Recipe is only compatible with (as of this writing) the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2S. I assume that the GFX100S and GFX50S II can also use this recipe, but that it will render slightly different—I don’t have either of those cameras to test it to know for certain. Unless Fujifilm gives X-Trans IV cameras the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, which I doubt they will do, this recipe is only for X-Trans V cameras, and maybe the latest GFX, too; however, if you are looking for something somewhat similar, try my Vintage Color recipe, or even Kodak Portra 400 Warm.
Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg.
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong
White Balance: 6500K, -1 Red & -4 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -2
Shadow: -0.5
Color: -2
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “1970’s Summer” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
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“Fake fall flowers” is great, a piece of Americana, the perfect light so if a person were there lost in thoughts while taking the sun the light would convey something similar to Hopper, acknowledging of course that his intense light was mostly in different places and different palettes. I like much this recipe, Ritchie; the other day I saw a crazy Western movie with cowboys and samurais, with Charles Bronson as the star, and if some Western was made today I’d love these colors and contrasts in it. The movie is called Red Sun, which maybe you know, I didn’t, and although I think the movie maybe was shot with Fujifilm I always relate views of the U.S. desert with Kodak.
I think I’ve seen that movie many years ago… maybe 25 or 30. Might be worth watching again. I appreciate your kind and poetic comment!
Getting SUCH itchy fingers… This is stunning!
I think you’ll like this one. Great for sunny days.
Thanks Ritchie
Like yourself I was very keen to try the new nostalgia film sim and was also not as impressive on first experience. A few months in and I’m really enjoying it. I’m sure you have seen this post from Fuji rumors but just in case they have a quote from the Fuji engineer and the settings for the sim.
the engineer recommends the following settings for Nostalgic Negative:
White Balance: R:+2/B:-3
Tone Curve: Shadow -2
Color: -2
he also adds he did not make these settings the default settings, because they are not the best allrounder settings, but when the scene does match up, those custom settings produce the best results and recreate best the atmosphere of the 70s.
I have this as my C1 and in some cases prefer it to the factory settings.
You have gone deeper so will be keen to try your version out.
Thanks again for all your hard work and inspiration you give.
Regards
David
Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely take a look at that.
This one looks very interesting, Ritchie! It definitely has a 70’s vibe. What do you feel are the specific use cases for this recipe vs the original one you shared. I’m really enjoying the first one. I’m finding that Classic Negative is my favorite film simulation so far. I didn’t have the xt4 but just upgraded to the xt5. I’m hoping you are cooking up a new recipe for Classic Negative as well. Thanks for all you do. I just joined at the patron level to show my support.
I think the first one I shared is more general-purpose, or at least a little more versatile, than this one. In the right situations I like this recipe better, though, for its more vintage aesthetic, but it definitely takes the “right” situations to really shine. I appreciate your kindness and support!
Thanks for the clarification. Makes sense. I’m going to play with both of them in different scenarios. I just discovered that on the xt5 when you make a custom setting you also need to make other adjustments to other menu items such as AF/MF settings. On earlier models the custom settings only applied to IQ settings like your film recipes. Also, you need to disable the custom settings update option kr your recipes will change each time you tweak them. I really do not like the new menu system! Love the new EVF though and the Ibis.
My recommendation: you can copy and paste the custom presets. Setup C1 how you want it (takes a few minutes to go through everything), then copy that preset for C2-C7. Once you have that done, then you just have to adjust the IQ settings. I hope this helps.
Hi Ritchie
another beautiful recipe! But unfortunately only for the XT5… Any recipe coming close to this with Trans IV sensors, like the XE4?
Thanks
Nicolas
I think it might be possible to replicate this for the X-E4 using Eterna. It won’t be 100% the same (mostly, the shadows will render different), but it should still be fairly close. Let me work on it. I appreciate your input!
Thanks Ritchie
Will try this!
Since using the widgets of your app on my iPhone, having more recipes than just 7 ready in your pocket is great!
Still keep praying for more slots than just the seven…
OT: how did they come up with 7 custom settings in the first place?!? 😂
I definitely wish there were more than 7! I keep hoping they add more. Glad the Widgets have been helpful!
This is gorgeous. I want to spend some time this taking photos in the desert. Any thoughts as to how to replicate this with an XT-3 or an X100F? Thank you
Not on the X100F, but maybe something similar on the X-T3 using Eterna. I’ve been looking into it.
William Eggleston mainly shot Kodachrome, do you recommend this or Kodachrome 64 for the XT5. They’re both gorgeous hard to only keep 7 lol
While Eggleston shot on Kodachrome in his early days (think Memphis and Mississippi… Guide and Chromes, if you are familiar), he shot a lot—especially after Kodachome II and X were replaced by Kodachrome 25 and 64—on color negative film. Much of his aesthetic was due to his printing process, which was specific and involved. So the Kodachrome recipes can be used to mimic an Eggleston look… as can this 1970’s Summer and even the new Summer of 1960 Recipe… depending on the specific Eggleston look you are after.
How would you recreate this using the Xt30ii?
It might be possible with Eterna.
https://fujixweekly.com/2022/12/01/nostalgic-neg-is-basically-eterna-sort-of/
Nice!
Is this available for the xpro3 as well?
If not, is there a simulation which comes close?
There are some similarities between Eterna and Nostalgic Neg, but I haven’t quite been able to recreate this Recipe using Eterna—there’s always something “off” with the results. I’d look at Vintage Color and Eterna v2 as “closest”….
does this work on the x100v?
No, it doesn’t, unfortunately.
What lens have you used one the 1970 Summer with the T5?
Almost all of these are the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 zoom. A couple might be the 27mm f/2.8, but I think they’re almost all (and maybe all) the kit zoom.
This looks amazing! Does anyone know how to keep a custom simulation once it’s imported into Lightroom? It keeps reverting to the original and my custom profile isn’t showing in lightroom. Would love to keep the profile so I can save the image as it was taken 🙂
I haven’t used Lightroom in many years, so I’m definitely not the leading expert. There should be an option somewhere (and I don’t recall where) to apply the camera settings. However, it should be noted that Lightroom (and Capture One, etc.) will apply its version of its interpretation of some but not all of the JPEG settings. It can be a good starting point for RAW editing (get you halfway there), but it won’t be identical to the SOOC JPEGs.
Wow all the pictures have come so nice. I like those shadows and orangie feel. I will try this sometime.
Awesome! Definitely try it 😀
What is alternative of Nostalgic Neg for E4 ?
I would say that Eterna v2, Vintage Color, and Timeless Negative are probably the closest Recipe alternatives. Maybe Kodak Vision3 250D, too. Vibrant Arizona, Bright Kodak, Bright Summer, and Kodak Portra 400 Warm are perhaps in the general neighborhood.
I’ve tried a couple of times to recreate this Recipe using Eterna, but there’s always something that seems a bit off about it. I might readdress that soon.