February | 2023 | FUJI X WEEKLY

My Top 5 Lenses So Far in 2023

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

We’re almost done with the first two months of 2023! Time is just flying by—I wish it would slow down a little. Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to look at the lenses that I’m using the most so far this year.

The number-one most used lens is the one permanently attached to my Fujifilm X100V. So far, I’ve been picking up that model more this year than last. I’ve had the X100V for almost three years now, and it remains my favorite camera. For the sake of this article, though, I will only be discussing interchangeable lenses and not fixed, so the one on the X100V doesn’t count.

The methodology of this Top 5 list is simple: I reviewed my pictures captured in 2023, and noted which lenses were used. After tallying the results, I made this list. In other words, this list is simply my most-used lenses, which doesn’t necessarily mean best or favorite, although it certainly indirectly speaks something to that effect—if I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t use it so much, right? With that said, here are my Top 5 lenses so far in 2023!

#5: Fujinon 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6

The Fujinon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 is my most expensive lens, and one of my least used. It comes in handy every once in awhile; however, it’s big and heavy, and not particularly convenient for carrying around, so it often stays at home unused. I’ve made a couple half-hearted attempts to sell it, but (for now) I still own it. I used it a couple of times in January, but on both occasions I switched it out for another lens after only a short while.

Surprising to me, the 100-400mm lens was used more than any of my vintage lenses. I love shooting with old manual lenses, but so far this year I haven’t done much of that; instead, the 100-400mm—despite limited use—was attached to my camera more, and snuck into number five on this list.

Fujinon 100-400mm: Amazon B&H Moment

*Don’t Drink the Water* – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 100-400mm – Kodachrome 64

*Seed Floaters* – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 100-400mm – CineStill 400D v1

*Green Desert Trail* – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 100-400mm – CineStill 400D v1

#4: Fujinon 18-55mm F/2.8-4

The Fujinon 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens came bundled with my first Fujifilm camera, the X-E1. I used the lens for a few months and then sold it, because I’ve always been a prime lens photographer, and not a zoom. This last November I purchased a Fujifilm X-T5 bundled with the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens, and I used this lens a lot for the first five or six weeks, but have since slowed down considerably, choosing prime lenses much more often instead of the zoom. My wife has found that she likes it for video, so she borrows it sometimes.

As far as zooms go, the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 is pretty darn good. I like the lens. I find myself using it at certain focal lengths—18mm, 23mm, 35mm, 55mm—and it’s amazing that one compact zoom can do the work of four primes. But I still prefer primes, so this lens only made it to number four, and a pretty good distance behind the next.

Fujinon 18-55mm: Amazon B&H Moment

*Green Hills* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 18-55mm – Kodachrome 25

*Raymond Photographing Flowers* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 18-55mm – Kodachrome 25

*Cholla Arms* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 18-55mm – Kodachrome 25

#3: Fujinon 35mm F/2

Before I purchased the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8, the Fujinon 35mm f/2 was my favorite and most used lens. It was almost always attached to my camera. But, after the arrival of the 27mm pancake, it got put on the shelf. Then my wife, Amanda, discovered that she really likes the 27mm lens, too, so now we share it. Whenever Amanda is using the 27mm, I’m often using the Fujinon 35mm f/2. Yes, it might be a consolation prize, but it is still a fantastic lens that I like using.

Let me point out something about the Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens that I have noticed: whenever I use it, I seem to have a pretty strong hit rate. I really like the pictures I capture with it. For that reason, there have been a couple of times where the 27mm pancake was available, but I chose the 35mm instead.

Fujinon 35mm: Amazon B&H Moment

*Spring is a Dream* – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 35mm – Kodak Ultramax 400

*Feeding Ducks* – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 35mm – Kodachrome 64

*Fence & Desert* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 35mm – Vintage Bronze

#2: Fujinon 27mm F/2.8

I have used the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 pancake lens just barely more often than 35mm f/2 so far this year. I’ve often said that the 27mm f/2.8 is my favorite lens, and it was by far my most used lens in 2022 (even more than the one permanently attached to my X100V). I love the small size, focal length, and image quality. When I purchased this lens, I had no idea that I’d like it so much.

Through the first two months, the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 not only slipped to number two, but it almost fell one more spot. I do suspect that I’ll continue to use it often, and it is still one of my favorite lenses, but I’m not sure I can confidently state that it is my absolute favorite lens like I have previously. I still love it, though.

Fujinon 27mm: Amazon B&H Moment

*Rainy Day Window* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 27mm – Kodak Ultramax 400

*Don’t Climb on the Bikes* – Oceanside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 27mm – Emulsion ’86

*Dreary Beach* – Oceanside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 27mm – Emulsion ’86

#1: Fujinon 90mm F/2

When I reviewed my pictures from 2022, I noticed that, despite using the Fujinon 90mm f/2 less than some other lenses, many of my favorite pictures were captured through its glass. So, in 2023, I’m trying to use it more. I find the focal length challenging sometimes, but when it does work out, the results are stunning. The 90mm lens is my wife’s other favorite lens, so I share it with her, and it’s not always available when I want to use it.

I hope when I look back at the end of the year, the Fujinon 90mm f/2 will continue to be at the top of this list. The pictures that I capture with it are some of my favorites, so it only makes sense to use it as often as I can.

Fujinon 90mm: Amazon B&H Moment

*Sunrise Light* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm – Kodachrome 25

*Flock of Cranes* – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm – Kodak Portra 400 v2

*Autumn Reflection* – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm – Kodak Portra 400 v2

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

My Favorite Street Photography Gear

Posted on February 23, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

*100%* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor Superia 800

Street photography is a very popular genre, and I get asked fairly frequently what my favorite gear is for it. While I do dabble in street photography, it’s not my most common photographic subject; however, I’ve done enough street photography that I feel comfortable giving gear recommendations for it. In this article I’ll tell you what I use and why.

While there is no definitive explanation, street photography is best described as pictures of chance encounters in public places. It often takes place in urban environments (such as downtown city centers), but it is certainly not limited to that. Some will say that humans must be included in the pictures for it to be street photography, but others will argue that the effects of humanity within the environment is acceptable, and some believe that any urban image fits within the genre. It is commonly understood that street photography involves candid (unstaged) pictures, but some will state that it is the chance encounters that are most important, and it is okay to provide some direction to that randomness in order to create a stronger picture. In other words, there’s no universal answer to what exactly street photography is, but most of the time you recognize it when you see it.

*Grandmother & Grandson* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor Superia 100

If you’ve never done street photography but want to try, the first place to start is understanding the laws and customs of the place you are photographing. Each country is different, and it may even vary from specific location to specific location. You want to understand your rights as a photographer in a public location, and the rights of those potentially being photographed. Besides the legal question, there is the ethical one: should you? While something might be legally ok, it does not necessarily mean that it is moral. These are all things that you should consider before attempting any street photography. Research the local laws. Consider what you are comfortable photographing and why, and what you are not comfortable photographing and why not. I cannot emphasize this step enough, and I encourage you to spend some time on these questions before heading out with your camera.

After that, the next step is to go to a public place and capture some candid images. The most common location is an urban environment, such as the center of a large city, but it can be anywhere where people are. If you don’t have easy access to a large downtown, consider what is nearby where you live. Even if you live in a small town or a rural location, I bet there are opportunities nearby if you look hard enough.

Now, let’s discuss gear. To be clear, you can use any camera. I’ve done street photography with most of my gear. There are a few tools that I do prefer over others, but if you don’t have these don’t worry too much about it, because whatever gear you currently own is good enough. The list below is simply the cameras that I personally prefer for street photography.

Fujifilm X100V

This is my favorite camera for street photography. Actually, it’s my favorite camera, period. The Fujifilm X100V is my “desert island” model—if I could own only one camera for the rest of my life, it would be this. There are a few things that make it especially good for street photography.

First, it’s pretty small. It’s good for carrying as you walk around for awhile, and people don’t often get intimidated by it like they would with a larger body. Second, the leaf shutter is basically silent, and allows you to be more stealthy. Yes, electronic shutters are silent, too, but they do have a couple of drawbacks that might affect your photography (situationally dependent), so a silent mechanical shutter is an excellent feature. Third, the optical viewfinder allows you to see outside the frame to better anticipate the decisive moment. There are many other things that make the camera great, such as the build quality, weather sealing, traditional tactile controls, built-in ND filter, etc., etc.; this isn’t a review of the X100V, just some reasons why it is my favorite tool for street photography.

Perhaps the top thing that makes the Fujifilm X100V great for street photography are all the Film Simulation Recipes that you can program into the camera. Almost no matter the aesthetic you want to achieve, there is a Recipe that will allow you to get the look straight-out-of-camera, no editing needed. This can make street photography more fun, while saving you time and frustration later.

The only accessories that I commonly use on my X100V are a Hoage filter adapter, Fotasy UV filter, and 5% CineBloom filter (I only use one filter at a time).

*Friendly Wave* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodachrome 64

*Paid Fare Zone* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – CineStill 800T

*Folding Chairs* – Panguitch, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400

Fujifilm X100V in black: Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X100V in silver: Amazon B&H Moment

Ricoh GR III

The Ricoh GR III is a super small and compact camera that you can literally carry with you everywhere, since it fits so easily into a pocket or purse. If you own a Ricoh GR III, there is no excuse for not having it with you. Since photo opportunities aren’t always planned, it’s important to have quick access to a camera at all times, and this model makes it easy. I try to carry my GR III with me whenever I go out, even if it is just to the grocery store.

There are a few reasons why I like the GR III for street photography in particular. Since it is so small and unassuming, most people won’t figure you to be a photographer; if they even notice that you have a camera, they’ll likely think you are a snap-shooter or tourist, and will often disregard you. The 27.5mm (equivalent) lens gives a wide view, which can be good for showing context. Like the X100V, the GR III has a nearly silent leaf shutter. If you don’t want to be noticed, this camera is probably the best bet. There are certainly drawbacks to the GR III (no model is perfect), but for the size and weight it is pretty darn excellent.

There are Recipes for the Ricoh GR III, although not nearly as many as there are for the Fujifilm X100V. If you want to skip picture editing (called one-step photography), the GR III is a solid option that should be strongly considered. In fact, the Fujifilm X100V and the Ricoh GR III compliment each other, and can coexist comfortably in your camera bag.

*Urban Crescent* – Salt Lake City, UT – Ricoh GR III – Royal Supra

*Speak Up or It Will Be Flat* – Salt Lake City, UT – Ricoh GR III – Kodak Chrome

*Bike with Basket* – Scottsdale, AZ – Ricoh GR III – Aged Print

Ricoh GR III: Amazon B&H Moment

iPhone

Since you always have your phone, you always have a camera. If you accidentally left your “real” cameras at home, no worries! Your cellphone camera is a perfectly capable photographic tool. My current cellphone is an iPhone 11. I don’t think your cellphone make and model matter much—any cellphone camera will suffice—but I personally prefer Apple, since I can use the RitchieCam camera app, which is only available for iOS (click here).

The iPhone is great for street photography because nobody thinks twice about seeing someone with their phone out. Even if you do get “caught” capturing a picture, you can easily fake that you are taking a selfie or texting someone or some other typical phone action. Many cellphones have multiple focal length options, so they’re surprisingly versatile. My favorite accessory is the Moment Tele 58mm lens.

While I do use my phone for photography, I also use it for another important reason: Apps! Specifically, the Fuji X Weekly App (Android, Apple) and the Ricoh Recipes App (Android, Apple). In my opinion, those are essential tools to accompany your Fujifilm and Ricoh cameras.

*Fame, Fortune* – Moab, UT – iPhone 11 + RitchieCam App – Standard Film

*Yield then Stop* – Panguitch, Utah – iPhone 11 + RitchieCam App – Night Negative

*Exxon in Winter* – Moab, UT – iPhone 11 + RitchieCam App – Night Negative

Let me show you a few more street images that I captured recently.

The three above pictures, despite being pretty different overall, all have something in common (besides being street photography). If you want to know what it is, you’ll have to tune into SOOC Live on March 2. Nathalie Boucry and I will be discussing the theme of street photography, including things like gear and Film Simulation Recipes and such. Mark your calendars now! Be sure to subscribe to the SOOC Live YouTube channel so that you don’t miss out on all the great upcoming broadcasts.

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Try These 5 Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes Today for a Color Negative Film Look

Posted on February 21, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

*Abandoned & Trashed* – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor Reala 100

Getting an analog color negative film look from your Fujifilm camera is super easy! Pick a Film Simulation Recipe, program it into your camera, and photograph with it. You can get straight-out-of-camera analog-like results that don’t require any editing. But with almost 300 Recipes published on this website and the Fuji X Weekly App, it can be difficult to know which ones to choose. If you are not sure, let me suggest to you the five below. Yes, there are many others that will also get you a color negative film look, so this list is by no means definitive, but it might be a good starting point.

I’m doing more to suggest to you Film Simulation Recipes to try in various situations and for different aesthetics. This article is simply a short suggestion of Recipes that will give you a color negative film-like look. If that’s what you want to achieve, I invite you to try these today!

Fujicolor Reala 100

Fujicolor Natura 1600

Fujicolor Pro 400H

Kodak Portra 400

Kodak Gold 200

Fujicolor Reala 100 is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II; for X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak. Fujicolor Natura 1600 is compatible with the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II; for X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak. Fujicolor Pro 400H and Kodak Portra 400 are compatible with the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II; for X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off. Kodak Gold 200 is compatible with X-Trans III plus the X-T3 and X-T30; for newer X-Trans IV models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, set Clarity to 0, and choose a Grain size (I recommend Small).

Find these Film Simulation Recipes and so many more in the Fuji X Weekly App! Download for free today; consider becoming an App Patron to unlock the best experience and support the work of this website.

New Ricoh GR III & GR IIIx Recipes!!

Posted on February 21, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

*Captured with a Ricoh GR III using the new “Classic Emulsion” Recipe.*

I just published a new set of Ricoh GR III & GR IIIx Recipes: The Film Collection!

For those of you who (in addition to your Fujifilm X cameras) own a Ricoh GR III and/or GR IIIx, you now have five new Ricoh Recipes to choose from, and if you are a Ricoh Recipes App Patron, you have an additional Recipe available to you on the App. Be sure to check it out! If you haven’t updated the firmware of your GR III or GR IIIx recently, be sure to do so right away to get the new Negative Film Picture Control Effect.

Classic Emulsion

Positive Emulsion

Kodak Print

Film Look

Vintage Film

Nostalgic Print

See also: Ritchie’s Ricoh Recipes

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Ricoh GR III Amazon B&H Moment
Ricoh GR IIIx Amazon B&H Moment

Fujifilm GFX 4:3 Aspect Ratio

Posted on February 16, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

The native aspect ratio of Fujifilm GFX cameras is 4:3. An aspect ratio is simply a mathematical expression of the shape of a sensor, film, picture, or screen. I’ve mostly shot with the 3:2 aspect ratio, which is the shape of 35mm film and many digital camera sensors, including Fujifilm X cameras, so the native GFX ratio isn’t something I’m used to.

The 4:3 aspect ratio has been around for a long time, and was the original shape of motion picture film beginning in the 1890’s. It would later become the standard shape of television screens and computer monitors for many decades, and today is the aspect ratio of most tablets, such as the iPad. It’s also the standard aspect ratio of Micro-Four-Thirds and digital medium-format cameras, and most old digicams and cellphone cameras use this ratio. 120 medium-format film can be (but isn’t always) shot in this aspect ratio, too.

While 4:3 is more square-like than 3:2, it is still a rectangle, yet I find it more challenging to compose within its shape. I personally like 3:2 and I’m quite comfortable with it. I even prefer to shoot 1:1 square instead of 4:3. The GFX aspect ratio just isn’t natural to me. It doesn’t seem like this should be a big deal, but for some reason it is for me. Over the last year I’ve challenged myself to use 4:3 more, so that I can be better at it.

*Shot on an iPhone using my RitchieCam App in the 4:3 aspect ratio*

Mainly I’ve used the 4:3 aspect ratio on my iPhone, which is the native shape of most cellphone cameras. My RitchieCam iPhone camera app does have many other ratios to choose from, and I don’t always use 4:3, but I’ve forced myself to use it more than ever before. This has certainly helped me not only refine my compositions within that shape, but become more accustomed to using it and seeing it. It has been becoming a bit more normalized for me. If you’ve used this ratio for years, that might seem like an odd statement, but I haven’t used it much ever (especially when compared to 3:2), so it has been outside of my comfort zone.

Fujifilm should add 4:3 as an aspect ratio choice on their X-series cameras. The current options are 3:2, 1:1, and 16:9. Why not add 4:3, 5:4, and 65:24? It doesn’t seem like it would take much programming effort to do so. Instead, if you want 4:3, you have to shoot GFX.

What about that top picture? What about the five pictures below? Which camera did I use for those to get a 4:3 aspect ratio? I didn’t crop them. They’re straight out of a Fujifilm camera—captured over the last two days and completely unedited—and they are all 4:3. Did I just buy a GFX camera, and, if so, which one? You’ll have to keep scrolling down to find out!

I did not buy a GFX camera, which you probably already guessed based on the photographs’ image quality. While I would certainly love to own one, it’s just not something that it’s in my budget. If Fujifilm ever wanted to give me one, I’d certainly accept the offer, but I’m definitely not holding my breath on that one!

So which Fujifilm camera did I shoot those images with? It couldn’t have been an X-series, right? Actually, the 2/3″ sensor X cameras—X10, X20, X30, XQ1, XQ2—do shoot naively in the 4:3 aspect ratio. But it wasn’t any of those models. And it wasn’t GFX. So what was it?

I used a lowly Fujifilm AX350 point-and-shoot digicam. This camera was number one in my The 5 Worst Fujifilm Cameras That You Should Never Own list, which was a tongue-in-cheek look at Fujifilm’s lesser appreciated models. Of course, any camera is “good enough” in the hands of a skilled photographer, including the AX350.

Interestingly, these old pocket point-and-shoot digicams are all the rage right now, particularly among Gen-Z. Why? There is a nostalgic aesthetic to their image quality. If you existed between 2000 and 2012, there’s a good chance that some of your most important or favorite life moments were captured on one of those cameras. These types of cameras were around before 2000, but film was still king by far. These types of cameras existed well after 2012, too, but more and more they were replaced by cellphones. If you were young between 2000 and 2012, you’re childhood memories are in part viewed through the aesthetic of cheap point-and-shoot digicams, so it makes sense that there would be some nostalgic feelings about it.

You can pick up these old digicams for next to nothing. If you don’t have one sitting in an old box or drawer somewhere, they commonly show up at thrift stores or yard sales for just a few dollars. I got mine from Goodwill about three-and-a-half years ago. It was in a box of various film and digital models, which I paid $40 for. I sold the two film cameras on eBay, and that paid for the lot. There were two kids cameras, which I kept—my youngest two children still play with them. There were two other point-and-shoot digital cameras that didn’t work, so they got tossed in the trash. The AX350 is the only thing that I kept for myself. I don’t use it often at all, but it’s fun to dust off every once in awhile. Although simple to operate, it’s a challenge to get quality results, so I find it to be a good photographic exercise.

Why Shooting JPEGs Is So Popular

Posted on February 15, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

I wrote an article for Moment—Why Shooting JPEGs Is So Popular (& 10 Fujifilm Simulation Recipes)—and they published it today! If you have a few minutes, click the link and check it out.

What’s the story behind this article? I had a great conversation with Moment recently, and we discussed various ways that we might be able to collaborate. Moment is the coolest camera store, so it’s really an honor to partner with them in any way that I can. And we have in the past. I wrote part of an article—Why I Never Shoot RAW — FujiFilm Simulations, Recipes, and More!—with Joshua Martin that they published back in September of 2021. Right around that same time we gave away five CineBloom filters, too. Although not a collab, I also reviewed Moment’s 58mm Cellphone Lens. The article they published today came out of the recent conversation we had.

I hope the Why Shooting JPEGs Is So Popular article will achieve several different things. First, I want to reach Fujifilm photographers who have never heard of Fuji X Weekly and Film Simulation Recipes (yes, there are some), and perhaps they will find it all very fascinating and give one a try. Second, I want to reach those who shoot Fujifilm cameras and have heard of Recipes, but perhaps have been too apprehensive to actually use them, and maybe now they will. Third, I want to convince some who shoot Canikony and are frustrated with their current RAW workflow to buy a Fujifilm camera and give Recipes a try. Fourth, I want to explain to those who just don’t “get it” why more and more photographers are choosing to shoot JPEGs and not edit their images, because some of those who have never tried it just can’t fathom why anyone would. Fifth, I want to encourage those who do shoot with Film Simulation Recipes and some grumpy stranger on the internet tells them that they’re doing it wrong; there’s a movement within photography, and you’re a part of it, which is really an incredible thing when you think about it.

There might be more collaboration opportunities between Fuji X Weekly and Moment—this article was simply the next step in a growing partnership. I don’t know for sure what the future collabs might be, but we definitely tossed around several cool ideas. We’ll have to wait and see which ones happen and which don’t, and if other new opportunities arise. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy the article!

Creative Collective 041: Creative Faded Exposures

Posted on February 14, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

I love making retro faded-film-like looks on Fujifilm cameras using the multiple-exposure feature. I have created a number of Film Simulation Recipes which utilize double-exposures to achieve a faded aesthetic. Some of these Recipe are Faded Negative, Faded Color, Vintage Color Fade, Faded Monochrome, and Split-Toned B&W. This type of Recipe isn’t nearly as popular as the “regular” ones that don’t use multiple exposures, and I’m pretty sure it’s because these are a lot more difficult to use. They are way less convenient and practical; however, they can be a good challenge and a lot of fun, and you’ll achieve results that a fairly unique.

I didn’t come up with a new double-exposure Recipe, but I did come up with a slight variation to this concept that I thought I’d share with you. If you are looking for something creative to try, this might just be what you are looking for. In any event, you’re sure to make some interesting images.

12 Frames: Desert Photography on Kodachrome 25 — Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 18-55mm F/2.8-4 + Special Guest!

Posted on February 14, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

*Green Hills* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe

A couple days ago I met up with Raymond from Leigh & Raymond Photography (formally The SnapChick) to do some desert photography. They have mentioned this website and the Apps on their YouTube Channel a few times, as they are big fans of Fujifilm cameras, Fuji X Weekly, and Film Simulation Recipes. Leigh and Raymond live in Arizona, and now I do as well, so we were able to finally meet—at least Raymond and I—for some photography.

I was actually very nervous for several reasons. First, I’m an introvert, and meeting new people always makes me a little apprehensive. Second, Leigh and Raymond are big names in photography. They have been successful YouTubers for many years. They are well connected within the industry. It’s kind of like meeting an actor, musician, or sports star. Third, Raymond does ultramarathons; while I might make a special effort to get to Dairy Queen if Blizzards are half off, I’m definitely not doing normal marathons let alone the David Goggins kind—and we were scheduled for a hike through the desert. I wasn’t sure what it would entail, or how intense this adventure might get.

It turns out that I had nothing to worry about. Raymond was super nice. The hike was easy and relatively short—definitely something someone with my “skills” and “experience” (or lack thereof) could accomplish. We had a great time. It was really good to meet up for some desert photography.

*Raymond and I — Captured with RitchieCam on my iPhone*

I used my Fujifilm X-T5 and Fujinon 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens for this outing. I chose and programmed into the camera my Kodachrome 25 Film Simulation Recipe because I thought it would do well in this scenario (which I’ll get to in just a moment) and because I’m converting this Recipe for the X-T5. You see, X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations, but the fix is simple: if an X-Trans IV Recipe that uses Classic Chrome, Classic Negative, Eterna, or Eterna Bleach Bypass calls for Color Chrome FX Blue set to Strong, change it to Weak on X-Trans V, and if it calls for Color Chrome FX Blue set to Weak, change it to Off. The Kodachrome 25 Recipe calls for Color Chrome FX Blue set to Strong, so I adjusted it to Weak on my X-T5.

I decided that the Kodachrome 25 Recipe would be good for this scenario because of its characteristics. Kodachrome 25 film had low contrast (for slide film), slightly subdued saturation, and true-to-life (yet Kodak-warm) colors. It was regarded as the sharpest, most fine grained emulsion on the market, and was a popular choice for commercial photography. With an ISO of 25, some found this film to be challenging to use, so the higher-ISO Kodachrome 64, which had a little boost in contrast and saturation, was a more common option. Still, plenty of Kodachrome 25 pictures graced the pages of publications such as National Geographic and Arizona Highways, and I wanted to replicate that classic aesthetic for my desert images. It was forecasted to be overcast with perhaps some peeking sun, and the Kodachrome 25 Recipe does well in that weather—not too warm or cool, and not too much or too little contrast.

If this had been film, I would have shot two rolls of 24-exposure Kodachrome 25 (yes, it was by chance exactly 48 exposures). Of course, Kodachrome has long been discontinued, so shooting with this Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm camera is probably the closest you can get to shooting with the emulsion. The Kodachrome 25 frames in this article are my 12 favorites from that desert outing with Raymond. I hope you enjoy!

*Rock Ridge* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe

*Raymond Photographing Flowers* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe

Flowers in the Dry Desert – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe

*Remnants of a Tree* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe

*Prickles* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe

*Sharp Friends* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe

*Cholla Arms* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe

*Dead Saguaro* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe

*Old Saguaro* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe

*Tall Cactus* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe

*Morning Trail* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 250 more on the Fuji X Weekly App!

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-T5 in black:  Amazon  B&H  Moment
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:  Amazon  B&H  Moment
Fujifilm X-T5 + 18-55mm in black:  Amazon  B&H  Moment
Fujifilm X-T5 + 18-55mm in silver:  Amazon  B&H  Moment
Fujinon 18-55mm f/2.8-4:  Amazon  B&H  Moment

Try These 3 Film Simulation Recipes, No Matter Your Fujifilm Camera (almost, anyway) + When To Use Them!

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

*Flock of Cranes* – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe

I’m constantly asked which Film Simulation Recipes should be used in what situations. With approaching 300 Recipes to choose from, it can be hard to know which ones to program into your camera, and what situations to use them in. I’m trying to be more helpful with that, and this article will hopefully provide you with some good guidance.

You might ask why just three. Why not seven Recipes, since there are seven Custom Settings presets? First, it would make this article much too long. I would need to separate it into a handful of parts, published over a couple week period. Second, I think it might discourage discovery. If I said to use these certain seven, one could try them and perhaps even like all of them, and then they might stop searching for others; in doing so, they could miss out on discovering one or two that would become their favorites. So if I suggest just a few, then the opportunity to discover others later is still wide open. I have already published recently a number of articles to encourage discovery—and I plan to post many more—each with a unique approach, which hopefully will resonate with some of you, and be helpful in your quest to find which ones you like to use in various situations.

Another question you might have right out the gate is how can there possible be three Film Simulation Recipes that will work on almost all Fujifilm cameras. There’s not. So what I’ve done instead is suggest three for each of the different sensors or generations. You’ll find something for X-Trans I, II, III, IV, and V, as well as Bayer and GFX. I even included three for the X-T3 and X-T30, as well as three for the X-Trans II cameras that don’t have Classic Chrome. Almost everyone is covered, but for certain there are some cameras that got left out. If that’s your situation, I’m sorry. For the vast majority reading this, you will find below three Recipes to try on your Fujifilm camera, with some brief commentary on when to use each of them. I hope there’s at least one that you try and like; if not, there are so many others to choose from on this website and the Fuji X Weekly App.

X-Trans V

Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, X-H2S

Kodachrome 64

Use the Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe for outdoor daylight photography. Can produce good results in overcast weather, shade, natural light indoors, and even sometimes nighttime photography, but is most ideal for sunny daylight and golden hour situations. Use for documentary, street, travel, landscape, still-life, and portrait photography.

Kodak Ultramax 400

Use the Kodak Ultramax 400 Film Simulation Recipe for almost any situation, as it is a highly versatile option. Sunny, cloudy, indoor, nighttime, landscapes, portraits—it’s good for them all and more.

1970’s Summer

Use the 1970’s Summer Film Simulation Recipe on sunny days. It produces a vintage aesthetic reminiscent of American New Color images, and is good for street, travel, and documentary photography.

X-Trans IV

Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II

Kodak Portra 400 v2

Use the Kodak Portra 400 v2 Film Simulation Recipe for outdoor daylight photography. An excellent option for golden hour or sunny situations. Use for portrait, travel, documentary, landscape, or still-life photography.

Pacific Blues

Use the Pacific Blues Film Simulation Recipe for a sunny summer day at the beach. Is also good for dreary overcast, fog, or most any natural light situation. Produces dramatic landscapes and portraits.

Fujicolor Superia 800

Use the Fujicolor Superia 800 Film Simulation Recipe for natural light situations, whether indoor or outdoor. Good for street, travel, documentary, and portrait photography.

X-Trans IV (Part 2)

Fujifilm X-T3, X-T30

Kodak Vision3 250D

Use the Kodak Vision3 250D Film Simulation Recipe for street, travel, documentary, still-life, and portrait photography. Excellent for sunny daylight conditions, but does well in overcast, shade, natural light indoor, blue hour, and some artificial light situations, too.

Kodak Gold 200

Use the Kodak Gold 200 Film Simulation Recipe in daylight conditions, especially golden hour. Is best for sunny situations, but also does well in overcast, shade, and indoor natural light. Use it for landscapes, street, documentary, travel, still-life, and portrait photography.

Classic Kodak

Use the Classic Kodak Film Simulation Recipe for sunny daylight and golden hour photography. Is good for street, travel, documentary, and landscape photography.

X-Trans III

Fujifilm X-Pro2, X100F, X-E3, X-T2, X-T20, X-H1

Ektachrome E100GX

Use the Ektachrome E100GX Film Simulation Recipe for daylight photography. Is best for sunny situations, particularly golden hour, but is also good for overcast, shade, and indoor natural light. Use for landscape, street, documentary, and portrait photography.

Kodachrome II

Use the Kodachrome II Film Simulation Recipe for daylight photography. Is best for sunny situations, particularly golden hour, but is also good for shade, overcast, and indoor natural light. Use for street, travel, documentary, still-life, portrait, and landscape photography.

CineStill 800T

Use the CineStill 800T Film Simulation Recipe for nighttime and artificial light photography. Excellent for street and urban scenes after dark.

X-Trans II

Fujifilm X100T, X-E2, X-E2S, X-T1, X-T10, X70, X30, XQ2

Classic Kodak Chrome

Use the Classic Kodak Chrome Film Simulation Recipe for almost any situation, as it is a highly versatile option. Sunny, cloudy, indoor, nighttime, landscapes, portraits, street, travel—it’s good for them all and more.

Kodak Color Negative

Use the Kodak Color Negative Film Simulation Recipe for daylight photography. Does especially well for golden hour, but is good for any natural light situation. Use this for landscape and documentary photography.

Ektachrome 100SW

Use the Ektachrome 100SW Film Simulation Recipe for almost any situation, as it is a highly versatile option. Sunny, cloudy, indoor, nighttime, landscapes, portraits—it’s good for them all and more. Produces vibrant results.

X-Trans II (Part 2)

Fujifilm X100S, X20, XQ1

Color Negative Film

Use the Color Negative Film Film Simulation Recipe for daylight photography. It is great for sunny situations, but is also good for overcast, shade, and indoor natural light. Use this for landscape, portrait, and documentary photography.

Fujichrome Slide

Use the Fujichrome Slide Film Simulation Recipe for outdoor daylight situations. Good for dramatic landscape photography.

Astia

Use the Astia Film Simulation Recipe for sunny daylight photography. Great for landscape photography.

X-Trans I

Fujifilm X-Pro1, X-E1, X-M1

Reminiscent Print

Use the Reminiscent Print Film Simulation Recipe for daylight photography. Great for sunny situations, but also good for shade, overcast, and indoor natural light. Use it for street, travel, documentary, landscape, still-life, and portrait photography.

Vivid Color

Use the Vivid Color Film Simulation Recipe for vibrant color images. Ideal for sunny daylight and especially golden hour photography, but also good for overcast, shade, indoor natural light, artificial light, blue hour, and sometimes nighttime situations. Use for landscape, travel, and documentary photography.

Color Negative Film

Use the Color Negative Film Film Simulation Recipe for daylight situations. Great for sunny daylight, but also good for overcast, shade, and indoor natural light. Use for landscape, travel, and documentary photography.

Bayer

Fujifilm X-A3, X-A5, X-A7, X-A10, XF10, X-T100, X-T200

Golden Negative

Use the Golden Negative Film Simulation Recipe for sunny daylight situations. Great for landscape, travel, and documentary photography.

Classic Chrome

Use the Classic Chrome Film Simulation Recipe for daylight photography. Excellent for sunny situations, but works well in many different light conditions, including sometimes indoor artificial light and nighttime. Use for street, travel, documentary, landscape, still-life, and portraits.

Analog Cool

Use the Analog Cool Film Simulation Recipe for sunny daylight conditions, or overly warm light such as indoor artificial light. Good for landscapes and documentary photography.

GFX

GFX-50R, GFX-50S

Classic Negative Industrial

Use the Classic Negative Industrial Film Simulation Recipe for dramatic landscapes, portraits, and documentary photography. Ideal for sunny daylight, it is also good for overcast, shade, and indoor natural light situations.

Ektachrome

Use the Ektachrome Film Simulation Recipe for daylight situations, including sunny, overcast, shade, and indoor natural light. Good for landscape, travel, documentary, and portrait photography.

Provia 400

Use the Provia 400 Film Simulation Recipe for sunny daylight situations, especially golden hour. Use for landscape and travel photography.

SOOC Live was Today!

Posted on February 9, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

Season 3 of SOOC Live kicked off today! I want to give a big shoutout to everyone who tuned in, and a big “thank you” to everyone who participated. It’s an interactive program, so your involvement is essential to making it great. If you missed it when it was live, you can still watch it above. Don’t forget to subscribe to the new YouTube channel.

For those who don’t know, SOOC Live is a (now) bimonthly broadcast where Nathalie Boucry and I discuss Film Simulation Recipes, give tips and tricks for achieving the results you want straight-out-of-camera, and answer your questions. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.

In the show we announced several changes for Season 3. First, we are going to have shorter but more frequent broadcasts. Beginning in March, we’ll be live on the first and fourth Thursdays of each month. Another change is that instead of discussing a single Film Simulation Recipe each month, we’ll be discussing a theme (such as street photography, the theme for March) and how to use Recipes within that theme. There are a number of other changes, too, so if you want to know them all, be sure to watch the show.

We invite you to join us on March 2 for the Let’s Hit the Streets episode about street photography. It’a already scheduled on YouTube, so be sure to set a reminder. I hope to see you then!

Why I Haven’t Published a Fujifilm X-T5 Camera Review

Posted on February 9, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

I purchased my Fujifilm X-T5 when it was released back in November. I’ve received several messages lately asking why I haven’t published a review of the new camera. I think it’s because they are considering buying one themselves, and they want to know if it’s actually “worth” upgrading to or if there is something they should be aware of. Basically, some people want to either be talked into buying it or talked out of buying it, as it’s a lot of money and a big decision—which can be paralyzing—and you want to be wise with it. Lots of research is essential, and finding opinions from those you trust can be invaluable. I’m honored and flattered that many of you consider this website to be trustworthy.

At the beginning of each year, I like to take some time to consider how things went the prior year, what the current trajectory is, and where I want things to go. For Fuji X Weekly, I really feel that a slight shift in trajectory is needed, and in some ways I began moving towards that last year, even if I wasn’t sure the why and where. After much consideration, I have a clearer vision of where I want this website to go in 2023, and how to achieve it. I haven’t communicated these changes to you (until now, I suppose), but you’ve probably already noticed some.

There’s actually a lot going on behind the scenes. Many different projects are in the works. I’m juggling quite a bit right now. When the time is right, there are many exciting things that I look forward to announcing and sharing with you. Some projects might never work out, which has happened before (that’s just they way it goes sometimes), but I do believe that most of these will come to fruition. Some will take much longer than others, so stay tuned for these announcements over the coming weeks and months.

*Lemon Bowl* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – “Superia Xtra 400”

One thing that I haven’t announced (but you might have already picked up on) is that I’m doing more to explain and suggest when to use various Film Simulation Recipes. There are so many to choose from, and it can be difficult to know which to try. Then, when you find one you like, maybe the weather or light changes, and you don’t like it nearly so much in that situation. Now what do you do?

The trouble with suggesting Recipes is that, while one person might love one for a certain light and situation, another person might hate it for the same light and situation. For example, in the very same day, one photographer told me that they used the Kodak Portra 400 Recipe for a professional portraiture photo shoot and they couldn’t be more happy with the results, while another photographer told me that they tried that same Recipe for portraits and the results were horrible. Each person has their own tastes and style, and what will work for one person won’t work for another. I could suggest to you the Recipes that I think are good for various situations, but you might completely disagree with my assessment. Still, it can be helpful have a starting point.

Some of the articles that I’ve published so far in 2023 to help out with this are Five Film Simulation Recipes Every Social Media Influencer Should Try on Their Fujifilm X100V, Using Film Simulation Recipes to Recreate Vintage Looks — 10 Recipes to Try Today!, Elevating Your Street Photography with Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes + 5 Recipes to Try Today!, Creative Collective 040: FXW Zine — Issue 15 — February 2023 (with the article: 10 Film Simulation Recipes for Cloudy Days), The 10 Best Film Simulation Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly App, and 5 Film Simulation Recipes every Fujifilm X-T5 Photographer Should Try. This actually started late last year with the Which Film Simulation Recipe, When? series. You can expect a lot more similar content moving forward because this is where I want to focus more of my time and energy. Even when I’m publishing new Recipes, I’m trying to do a better job of briefly explaining what situations or light they might work best in. Hopefully this is helpful to you.

None of this is completely new. For example, in the SOOC Live broadcasts, not only have we discussed at length a Film Simulation Recipe in each show, but for awhile now we’ve suggested several Recipe for use in specific situations or for various genres of photography. Without giving away what’s in store of Season 3, which kicks off tomorrow, I can tell you that we’re doubling-down on that concept. Be sure to tune in, and subscribe to the new SOOC Live YouTube channel.

What does any of this have to do with a review of the Fujifilm X-T5? Simple: I’m moving away from product reviews. For now—and I don’t know if this will last forever or if it’s just for a time—I won’t be publishing any camera or lens reviews. I want to focus a lot less on telling you what is good or bad about various gear, and focus more on how to use your get to achieve the aesthetics you want straight-out-of-camera. I’m not going to publish a review of the X-T5, but instead publish more articles on using Recipes with that camera (and other camera, too, definitely not just or even mostly the X-T5). I want to help you get the results you want out of your camera, and product reviews, which take a lot of time to put together, get in the way of that. Besides, there are so many reviews of the Fujifilm X-T5 already, what could I possibly add? The only things I would say is that X-Trans V renders the color blue slightly deeper on some film simulations, Auto White Balance can be quirky, Nostalgic Neg. is similar to Eterna, and if you are doing long broadcasts the camera might overheat. Those are the only things that I would add to what others have discussed, and I’ve already said them. If you have been waiting patiently for my review (that won’t come), I hope this is somehow helpful to your decision to buy or not buy; mostly I would say trust your gut, because deep down you know whether or not you actually “need” that new camera, or if it’s just Gear Acquisition Syndrome, New Camera Envy, or Fear of Missing Out.

While not publishing camera and lens reviews might be seen as negative, I hope that the revised vision for Fuji X Weekly is very positive, and that the benefits of the changes far outweigh what must be left behind. I invite you to come along for the ride, and let’s see where all of this goes.

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-T5 in black: Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver: Amazon B&H Moment

5 Film Simulation Recipes every Fujifilm X-T5 Photographer Should Try

Posted on February 7, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

The Fujifilm X-T5 was released just last November, and it’s already a big hit. Perhaps you just purchased one, or maybe you own an X-H2 or X-H2S (the other X-Trans V models), and you’re not sure which Film Simulation Recipes to try. While so far I’ve only published 15 Recipes that are specifically compatible with the X-T5, there are actually a lot more; in fact, on the Fuji X Weekly App (Android, Apple), there are 40! You see, some X-Trans IV Recipes are compatible with X-Trans V, and some require a slight modification (I’m working on getting those updated for X-Trans V, but it is a slow process). There’s also an App Patron Early-Access Recipe for the X-T5.

You might very well know exactly which Film Simulation Recipes to use on your Fujifilm X-T5, but in case you are unsure, below are five that you should definitely try.

Kodachrome 64

Kodachrome 64 replicates the aesthetic of the beloved Kodachrome color slide film from Kodak, which graced the covers of magazines like National Geographic and Arizona Highways. This is a great option for sunny daytime photography. Looking for a 1980’s or 1990’s vibe? Try this Recipe!

Kodak Portra 400 v2

The Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe is modeled after the popular Kodak color negative film. Excellent for sunny daylight and especially golden hour photography; as the name suggests, this is good for outdoor portraits. Looking for a contemporary film aesthetic? They this one!

Kodak Ultramax 400

Produces a look similar to the Kodak Ultramax 400 color negative emulsion. Because this Recipe uses Auto White Balance, it has a lot of versatility, and is good for many different situations, including daylight, shade, overcast, indoor, and nighttime. Want a 1990’s and 2000’s look? Give this recipe a try!

Pacific Blues

Pacific Blues is modeled after Lucy Laucht‘s Spirit of Summer series, particularly the Positano Blues photographs. While it is intended for the endless sun of a summer day at the beach, it’s also good for dramatic results in a number of situations, including dreary overcast and fog. Want a contemporary analog aesthetic with nostalgic vibes? This Recipe is for you!

1970’s Summer

This Recipe produces a distinct American New Color aesthetic. For best results, use in sunny daylight conditions. Want a 1970’s look? Try this Recipe!

Find these Film Simulation Recipes and over 250 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-T5 in black: Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver: Amazon B&H Moment

There’s an Easier Way — JPEG Photography for a Faster Workflow

Posted on February 3, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

*Arches National Park, Utah — iPhone 11 — RitchieCam App — Analog Gold filter*

“I’ve been working on my photos from October rather than reviews….”
—Ken Rockwell, February 2, 2023

I just stumbled upon that quote from Ken, which was followed by an iPhone photo from October (that’s why this article begins with an iPhone picture). I bet a lot of you can relate to his statement. When you photograph a lot, your post-processing workflow can get backed up quite a bit. I have thousands of unprocessed RAW files that have been sitting on a now-obsolete computer’s hard drive for at least seven years now. I get it: you’ve got stuff to do, and your limited time is being pulled every which way, so something’s got to give.

I discovered that there’s a better way. There’s no need to get four or five months behind. There’s no need to let your photographic work back up so much. You can can accomplish so much more with the time that you’ll save. What is this better way? It’s really simple: shoot JPEGs, and skip the picture editing step (called One Step Photography, as explained by Ansel Adams in his book Polaroid Land Camera). More and more photographers are embracing this approach.

*Sitting Above Horseshoe Bend* – Horseshoe Bend, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Pergear 10mm – “The Rockwell” Recipe

Ken Rockwell knows this. Not only does he often shoot JPEGs, but he once tried one of my Film Simulation Recipes on a Fujifilm camera. He shoots with a lot of brands, and Fujifilm isn’t his main make. I have Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras, I have Recipes for Ricoh GR cameras, and I have an iPhone camera app called RitchieCam; if you don’t shoot with Fujifilm, Ricoh, or iPhone, your options are much more limited (I did make a few Recipes for Nikon Z, too, but it’s a pretty small number).

The reason why it’s important to shoot with Recipes is because the settings have been fine-tuned to produce a particular aesthetic that doesn’t require editing. The images look good straight from the camera, as if they had been post-processed or perhaps were even shot on film. Except they weren’t, which saves you a ton of time, money, and hassle. If you aren’t shooting with Recipes, you are most certainly doing some amount of post-processing, whether you shoot RAW or JPEG. There are some people who do still edit their camera-made-using-Recipes JPEGs, but they’re doing much less editing than they otherwise would be. The point of using Film Simulation Recipes is to edit less or (preferably) not at all, which has a huge upside, but it does require Recipes that produce excellent results, and a little extra care by the photographer in the field, since “I’ll fix it in post” isn’t really an option.

If Ken had used a Fujifilm camera programmed with Fuji X Weekly Recipes, surely he would not be busy right now post-processing pictures captured way back in October. Instead, he’d be writing those reviews that have been delayed, or out on some other photographic adventure. The October exposures would have been completed in October, or maybe early November at the latest. If he had used RitchieCam, there would be no need to process his iPhone images with Skylum software, because they would have been ready-to-publish the moment they were captured. Ken, you should try my iPhone camera app. And you should shoot with Fujifilm cameras more often.

*Captured at the end of October, posted to Instagram the next day, and published on this website November 8th.*

With the Canikony brands, shooting awesome straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) JPEGs isn’t as easy or prevalent. Sure, it can be done, but it is much more often done with other brands because of things like the Fuji X Weekly App, which contains approaching 300 Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras, so no matter your desired aesthetic, there’s a Recipe for you. Download the Fuji X Weekly App for free today (Android here, Apple here), and consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience. Ken is sitting at a computer right now fiddling with files, since he didn’t shoot with Fujifilm cameras programmed with Film Simulation Recipes.

People seem to either love or hate Ken Rockwell. To be clear, this article is not bashing him. I’ve actually had correspondence with Ken, and he seems like a very nice guy. I think his “real” personality is much more kind and genuine than his online persona, which can sometimes come across as abrasive and perhaps even offensive. If you hate him, I would suggest that you reach out to him with an open mind and heart, and try to get to know him a little, because your mind might get changed, even if just a bit. Personally, I have found some of his articles, insights, and commentary to be quite helpful; however, I certainly don’t agree with everything that he says, and I take his words with a grain of salt (as you should with mine). He’s very successful at what he does, so he’s obviously doing something “right” even if I don’t fully agree with what it is.

All of that is to say, if you don’t want your workflow backed up for months because you have so many exposures to edit, and you’d rather spend your time doing something else—including capturing more photographs—then SOOC JPEGs might just be the thing for you. If you don’t own a Fujifilm camera, consider picking one up. Download the Fuji X Weekly App. Select a few Film Simulation Recipes to try. Let your RAW editor subscription expire.

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-E4 in black: Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X-E4 in silver: Amazon B&H Moment

20 Frames: Legoland with a Fujifilm X100V + Kodachrome 64

Posted on February 3, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

What is the best travel camera? My opinion, and the opinion of many other photographers, is the Fujifilm X100V.

The Fujifilm X100V is a great travel camera because of its compact size, versatility, and image quality. It features a fixed 23mm lens, which provides a classic 35mm equivalent focal length, and a bright f/2 maximum aperture. The camera has an intuitive retro design and advanced features, such as a hybrid viewfinder, leaf shutter, built-in ND filter, and weather sealing. The 26-megapixel APS-C sensor produces exceptional image quality, and, when paired with Film Simulation Recipes, is ideal for street and documentary photography. The X100V has solid build quality, yet is small enough to easily carry around, making it an excellent choice for capturing your adventures.

One travel adventure that I recently returned from was a day at Legoland (a Lego themed amusement park) in Carlsbad, California, for my son Joshua’s 9th birthday. Because his birthday is so close to Christmas, he typically gets the short end of the celebration stick, so this year we wanted to make it extra special, and a Black Friday deal made it more affordable. To capture the experience, I brought along my Fujifilm X100V programmed with the Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe. This recipe produces a nostalgic slide film aesthetic similar to the images found in National Geographic, Arizona Highways, and other magazines from my childhood. I used a 5% CineBloom filter, which I prefer for its subtle diffusion effect, for this outing.

The day started out with thin overcast sky, which gave way to midday sun before thick clouds and light rain moved in for the rest of the adventure. The X100V with the Kodachrome 64 recipe handled the changing light quite well—I even got a couple good pictures after sunset under artificial light. This camera and recipe combo is my top option for color travel photography, including a family outing to an amusement park. Because I used a Film Simulation Recipe and shot JPEG, when I returned home I only had to download the pictures from my camera to my phone, crop or straighten if necessary, and upload to my cloud storage. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

*Shark Bite* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Happy Josh* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Yellow Duck, Blue Boat* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Skipper School* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Nautical Light* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Amused* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Selfie* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Big Leaves* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Blur* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Carousel Riders* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Space Guy* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Encounters* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Not Amused* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Snack Break* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Waiting Isn’t Fun* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Bubbles* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Jon Acting Crazy* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Under the Dim Light* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

*Amanda’s Smile* – Carlsbad, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X100V in black: Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X100V in silver: Amazon B&H Moment

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 250 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

The 10 Best Film Simulation Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly App

Posted on February 2, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 + Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe*

“I’m new to Fujifilm,” I’ve heard about 20 times over the last two weeks or so. “Which Film Simulation Recipes are the best?”

With over 250 (and quickly approaching 300!) Film Simulation Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly App, it can be difficult to know which to use. There are so many to choose from! This, of course, is a good problem to have, but a problem nonetheless—especially for those new to Fujifilm cameras and recipes. Where do you start? Which recipes should you try first? Which are the best?

Best is a subjective term, and what I might like best you might not. One person’s favorite might be another’s least favorite. I cannot tell you what you will like, but I can suggest recipes that you might like, because these are recipes that I like. The list below are some Film Simulation Recipes that I believe are the best. Your opinion of them might vary, and that’s just fine because we each have our own tastes and styles. Aside from these, there were probably 25 others that I strongly considered choosing, and I had to reluctantly skip. If your favorite didn’t make this list, please let me know in a comment; if one of these is a favorite of yours, let me know that, too!

If you haven’t yet downloaded the Fuji X Weekly App, be sure to do so for free today!

The 10 Best Film Simulation Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly App

Fujicolor Natura 1600

Vintage Color

Kodak Tri-X 400

The Fuji X Weekly App is free, but becoming a Patron subscriber unlocks the best App experience. There are several Patron benefits, including Filtering the Film Simulation Recipes by camera or sensor, film simulation, color or B&W, and more. Patrons can Star their favorite recipes and use Colored Stars to organize them into groups. Also, Patrons get early-access to some new recipes months before anyone else (currently, as of this writing, there 13 Early-Access Recipes on the App). Besides all of that, Patrons financially support the work of this website, and it’s a great way to assist current and future projects.

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-E4 in black: Amazon   B&H  Moment
Fujifilm X-E4 in silver:  Amazon B&H  Moment
Fujinon 90mm f/2: Amazon   B&H  Moment

Creative Collective 040: FXW Zine — Issue 15 — February 2023

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

Here is the 15th issue of FXW Zine! If you are a Fuji X Weekly Creative Collective subscriber, you can download it today!

In the February issue, we take a look at 10 different Film Simulation Recipes for use on dreary, overcast days. If you aren’t sure which recipe to use when the sky is grey, this issue is intended to be helpful. Also, my wife, Amanda, contributed six pictures to this publication, including the cover image.

If you haven’t joined the Creative Collective, consider subscribing today to get access to bonus articles and the FXW Zine—not just this issue, but the first thirteen issues, too!