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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

X-Trans I

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

See also:

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!
The 10 Best Film Simulation Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly App
5 Film Simulation Recipes every Fujifilm X-T5 Photographer Should Try.