This Film Simulation Recipe is intended to mimic Kodachrome 25 color transparency film, which was introduced in 1974, replacing the similar Kodachrome II emulsion. I was fortunate to shoot a few rolls of Kodachrome 25. It was a beautiful film, and probably the sharpest color film ever made, but its low ISO made it difficult to use. Kodachrome 64, which was still a low-ISO film, was significantly faster. The major differences between the two Kodachrome emulsions is that the ISO 25 version was sharper and less grainy, while the ISO 64 version was more contrasty, vibrant and a hair warmer. Both were very similar, though, and it would be hard to spot the differences without a close inspection. Some people preferred the slightly more subtle tones and finer detail of Kodachrome 25, and some preferred the faintly punchier pictures rendered on Kodachrome 64. Kodak discontinued Kodachrome in 2009.
This isn’t a new Film Simulation Recipe, but simply a tweak of the X-Trans IV Kodachrome 25 recipe to make it compatible with X-Trans V cameras. Because blue in Classic Chrome is rendered deeper on X-Trans V than X-Trans IV, Color Chrome FX Blue needs to be set to Weak instead of Strong. Otherwise, this recipe is identical to the X-Trans IV version.
This Kodachrome 25 Film Simulation Recipe is intended for Fujifilm X-Trans V models, which (as of this writing) include the X-H2, X-H2S, and X-T5 cameras. It’s compatible with newer GFX models too, but will likely render slightly different on those cameras. Those with an X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II, try the Kodachrome 25 Recipe for those models (click here).
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
Grain Effect: Off
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak
White Balance: Daylight, +2 Red & -4 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +0.5
Shadow: -0.5
Color: +1
Sharpness: +3
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: +3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 1600
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Kodachrome 25” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
***Note: When this Kodachrome 25 Film Simulation Recipe was first published, this article mistakenly listed Auto instead of Daylight for White Balance. In the Fuji X Weekly App it has always been correct.***
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I used to use it quite a lot. If my memory serves me right I always thought that blues and yellows were bright almost metallic and reds and greens more muted like mat paints. They always looked great projected onto a white screen.
In my opinion, there’s nothing like Kodachrome projected. There’s a special quality to that, which must be experienced to truly appreciate. Thanks for the comment!
I’m near to assuming that you wrote an error into the blogpost recipe version here, as you stated that – apart from ChromeFX Blue – it’s identical to the one for X-Trans IV. And in the app that is indeed correct. Out here you list the whitebalance base as Auto instead of Daylight/Fine though. And isn’t that a digression that will (at some point) start to make a visible difference?
Your assumption is correct! It is supposed to be Daylight and not Auto. I do, unfortunately, make mistakes sometimes, and I am very sorry for this error. Thanks so much for pointing it out!