The list of Film Simulation Recipes below are my “Essential 7” for the X-T3 and X-T30. Fujifilm left these two models on an island (didn’t give them the same JPEG options as the other X-Trans IV models), so that’s why they get their own article. If you are not sure which Recipes to program into your C1-C7 Custom Presets, these are my suggestions for you to begin with. These are the ones that you must try, in my opinion. You might love all of them, you might only appreciate some of them, or you might not like any of them. Each person has their own styles and tastes, and there’s no one single Recipe that’s universally loved by everyone (although a few seem close). Still, give these seven a try—keep the ones you like, and replace the ones that you don’t.
Evening at Monument Valley – Monument Valley, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia
A couple of important side notes here. First, this list isn’t necessarily made up of versatile Recipes. Like film, most Film Simulation Recipes have specific use cases—such as sunny daylight—so not all of these option will be good for night photography, for example, or perhaps other situations. Be sure to visit my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When?article for a more comprehensive group of options for various use cases. Also, the X-T3 and X-T30 cannot save a White Balance Shift within the C1-C7 Custom Presets. You can only save one WB Shift per White Balance type, which means you’ll have to remember to adjust the WB Shift each time you change Recipes. The suggestions below do not take this into account; however, the Which Film Simulation Recipe, When? article does, so be sure to read it.
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to program into your X-T3 or X-T30 camera first:
Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
The list of Film Simulation Recipes below are my “Essential 7” for X-Trans IV cameras (except for the X-T3 and X-T30, which will be found in Part 3). If you are not sure which Recipes to program into your C1-C7 Custom Presets, these are my suggestions for you to begin with. These are the ones that you must try, in my opinion. You might love all of them, you might only appreciate some of them, or you might not like any of them. Each person has their own styles and tastes, and there’s no one single Recipe that’s universally loved by everyone (although a few seem close). Still, give these seven a try—keep the ones you like, and replace the ones that you don’t.
An important side note here: this list isn’t necessarily made up of versatile Recipes. Like film, most Film Simulation Recipes have specific use cases—such as sunny daylight—so not all of these option will be good for night photography, for example, or perhaps other situations. Be sure to visit my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When?article (this one, too) for a more comprehensive group of options for various use cases.
This list is for X-Trans IV cameras (except for the X-T3 & X-T30), which include the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. The X-S20’s exclusion is a bit controversial because it has an X-Trans IV sensor paired with the X-Trans V processor, but since it seems to render more similar to X-Trans V than X-Trans IV, and has the X-Trans V JPEG options, it’s not in this list, but with the X-Trans V cameras.
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to program into your X-Trans IV camera first:
Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
I don’t know about you, but I received several Amazon gift cards for Christmas. You might want to use those gift cards to purchase some photography gear, but perhaps you are not sure what to buy. So—if you are stuck—let me offer you some ideas. Since this is a Fujifilm blog, these items are mostly geared towards Fujifilm photographers.
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
$25
If your Amazon gift card is $25, here are some camera things you can buy:
This is Part 1 of what will be a series of articles on this topic. I actually attempted to do this back in the summer, but got sidetracked, and never made it beyond the first post. So those with an X-Trans V camera get a little bonus. My hope is to make it all the way through X-Trans I, so if you have an older model, don’t worry—we’ll get to your camera soon.
The list of Film Simulation Recipes below are my “Essential 7” for X-Trans V cameras. If you are not sure which Recipes to program into your C1-C7 Custom Presets, these are my suggestions for you to begin with. These are the ones that you must try, in my opinion. You might love all of them, you might only appreciate some of them, or you might not like any of them. Each person has their own styles and tastes, and there’s no one single Recipe that’s universally loved by everyone (although a few seem close). Still, give these seven a try—keep the ones you like, and replace the ones that you don’t.
Left the Lights On – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fluorescent Night
An important side note here: this list isn’t necessarily made up of versatile Recipes. Like film, most Film Simulation Recipes have specific use cases, such as sunny daylight, so not all of these option will be good for night photography, for example, or perhaps other situations. Be sure to visit my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When?for a more comprehensive list of options for various use cases.
This list is specifically for X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20. The X-S20 is a bit controversial to be included here because it has an X-Trans IV sensor paired with the X-Trans V processor, but since it seems to render more similar to X-Trans V than X-Trans IV, and has the X-Trans V JPEG options, it is included in this list. Also, use this list for the upcoming X100V successor, once it comes out (in February or March, most likely). Next up in this series is X-Trans IV.
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to program into your X-Trans V camera first:
Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
Yesterday, MPB (“an online platform for used photography and videography equipment”) published an article entitled How to Install and Use Fujifilm Recipes, which was largely written by Michael Schulz. I knew that this story was in the works because MPB had reached out to me several weeks ago just to make sure that it was ok to mention Fuji X Weekly in an upcoming piece; however, I only found out that it was published because I noticed a number of clicks to this website from theirs within today’s daily stats. What I love about the MPB article are the lovely photographs by Michael captured with his Fujifilm X100V, using mostly the Pacific Blues, Kodak Gold 200 (or is it this one?), and Kodak Portra 400 v2 (maybe Vibrant Arizona, too…) Film Simulation Recipes. It’s a real testament to what can be done straight-out-of-camera with Fujifilm models.
I was thinking today: why are camera stores talking about Fuji X Weekly and Film Simulation Recipes? It would be more obviously understood if I had merchandise for sale in their stores or on their websites, but I don’t. What’s in it for them? I think the answer is pretty simple: Fuji X Weekly Recipes sell Fujifilm cameras.
Golden Light in Abandoned House – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor Reala 100 Recipe
Recipes are one of the reasons why the X100V has been so hard to find for over a year now. Social media influencers began saying that the X100V’s pictures “mimic film” and require “zero editing”—next thing you know they’re out of stock everywhere. With a little research I found out that these influencers were using my Film Simulation Recipes.
If you have a camera store and want to move your Fujifilm inventory, the best way is to point out to customers that the straight-out-of-camera pictures look so darn good, and post-editing isn’t necessary. Specifically, Film Simulation Recipes make it easy to get great-looking pictures without fuss, which can make photography more accessible and enjoyable, saving tons of time and frustration. There’s even an app! I think Fujifilm themselves have overall done a fairly poor job of communicating this; it’s been influencers and camera stores and really just word-of-mouth by Fujifilm photographers that has spread the message to the community at large. Outside of Fujifilm circles, this whole concept is fairly unknown or misunderstood, so there’s still a lot of work to go. MPB’s article will help; hopefully there will be more like it in the near future.
Just today, Fuji X Weekly surpassed the 10,000,000 page view mark for 2023! Amazing! This is an unbelievable milestone.
Specifically, 2.3 million visitors (it’s projected to reach 2.4 million by the end of the year) have viewed over 10 million pages and articles on this website this year. That’s a lot of visitors, and a lot of page views! I broke this down not very long ago, and the number of actual regular readers is nowhere near 2 million. Still, nearly two-and-a-half million visitors viewing over 10 million pages in one year is just incredible, well beyond anything I ever thought possible! I’m stunned by it.
Looking at all-time stats—from when this blog began in 2017 through today—over 6.5 million visitors have viewed 29.5 million pages (sometime in January it will surpass the 30 million mark). Over 1/3 of those visitors and page views happened in 2023. Interestingly, visitors increased by about 30% from 2022, while page views increased by 25%, which means each visitor viewed fewer pages in 2023 than 2022. A few different things could cause this, and I’ll have to dig more deeply to see if there’s something that I should be doing better. There’s always room for improvements, and I’m constantly trying to do a little better as I learn new things and gain more experience.
Most people visit this website for Film Simulation Recipes. Those are always the most popular articles. The Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe is by far the all-time most viewed, with double the views of second place: Vintage Kodachrome (which has been around for twice as long). I write about a variety of topics (mostly related directly to Fujifilm, but sometimes just photography in-general), but (with a few exceptions) those articles that are not about Recipes tend to not get a lot of attention compared to the Recipe posts.
One more note that I want to discuss: I’m back to having ads. After my expenses for running Fuji X Weekly increased earlier this year, I experimented with one ad company, but had an absolutely awful experience with them. It lasted a few months, and then I pulled the plug. I’m just now trying a new company, and so far am having a much better experience; however, I’m concerned about your experience. Please let me know if the ads are detrimental to your use of the website or are causing frustrations. I’m doing my best to keep them minimal, opting for an optimized user experience (within all of the options that the ad company provides). There’s a limit to what they’ll allow me to do (I’ve already had to fight for some things), but if there is something that they do allow that I can do, if it makes the user experience better (or, with regards to ads, less worse), then I’m happy to do that. So I guess I’m asking for your feedback. Please speak up if the ads are causing you problems. I can’t guarantee that I can fix or change it, but if I can I certainly will.
This morning I awoke to an email in my inbox from Anders. As a Christmas gift to you, he wanted to share his methods for creating Film Simulation Recipes that he has developed and put to use. This formula can be used by anyone. I have taken a similar approach a number of times myself (I do it in-camera, and not with X RAW Studio), although—for me—Recipes can come about many different ways; I don’t have one single method, but perhaps a handful of various approaches. I discussed it a bit in my Emulsion ’86 article.
Pink Blossom Bush – San Diego, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Emulsion ’86
Anders’ step-by-step formula is a path that you can follow to create your own Recipes that are certain to be accurate to any film aesthetic that you’d like to mimic. Oftentimes you can easily find the film spec sheets with a quick Google search, but for some emulsions you’ll have to dig deeper, or maybe you won’t find them at all. Many spec sheets for Kodak films are readily available, for example, but you may have trouble finding them for other brands or long-discontinued emulsions. If you can locate the spec sheet, then you can begin Step 1. If you don’t have or use X RAW Studio, you can do this in-camera, but it is probably a little easier to do with X RAW Studio; either way, it does require shooting RAW+JPEG so that you can reprocess the RAW file.
Thank you, Anders Lindborg, for sharing this with everyone! Even if you have no interest in creating a Film Simulation Recipe yourself, perhaps this gives you an idea of the incredible effort that sometimes goes into creating one.
Round Window – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Anders’ Film Simulation Development Method
Download all reference material you need, including film spec sheets. This is really important to have, if you want to create a realistic simulation. You will need a good chart of color wavelength in nanometers as well, to be able to use this method.
Load some reference photos into X Raw Studio. Select a good one that is taken at noon, as this used to be the official reference for film daylight temperature. Note: The time when the photo is taken is important. Don’t cheat!
Select the base Film Simulation you think is most similar to the film you actually want to simulate. Sometimes, the general characteristics are more important than the color scheme being spot on.
Choose the Dynamic Range you think is most correct for your simulation. The characteristic curves chart from the spec sheets can be a lot of help here.
Set the White Balance (in kelvin) to a value that corresponds to the color of the film base layer. This will most likely make your colors look really off, but don’t worry about that right now. Note: It helps knowing where the film was created, as the daylight temperature varies quite a bit depending on where in the world you are located.
Check the spec sheets and find out what colors of the second and third (with Fuji, sometimes a fourth) layers are. Look at the spectral sensitivity chart to find how the colors are distributed and which color is most prominent. Locate the highest peak of the dominant color and check the specified wavelength of the peak.
Look in the color wavelength chart and find the color that corresponds to the wavelength reading from the previous step. Now go back to X Raw Studio and open the WB Shift panel and locate the exact color you found. This takes some practice, but after doing it a few times it’s quite easy.
Now look at the colors of your photo and check the color distribution compared to the spectral sensitivity chart. Make any adjustments needed to balance out the color distribution.
Look in the spec sheets again and locate the spectral dye density curves chart. This chart describes the tonality of the film. Adjust Highlight, Shadow, and Clarity as needed.
Any other parameters needed should be set at this step. These include Grain, Sharpness, Color Chrome Effects, Noise Reduction, etc.. Note that changing a single parameter can have a huge impact, so be careful here!
Look at your photo again. Do the colors look like they should? If not, make more adjustments to either your selected White Balance or WB Shift. Only minor adjustments should be needed at this step.
Save your current recipe and apply it to your other reference photos in X Raw Studio. Compare them to photos found on Flickr and film review sites. Keep in mind that many of them are developed and scanned at home, so you need to learn how different development and scanning methods affect the final result! Adjust the recipe as needed and keep reapplying it to your reference photos and double check them over and over again.
If you think you might be done, it’s time to test it for real! Load the recipe into your camera and get out there. Try taking photos that mimics what you’ve found on the Internet so they are somewhat comparable. It’s all about details here, so keep iterating from Step 8 until you are happy. With hard work and a bit of luck, you’ll have a spot on clone of the original film!
“Don’t forget to share your creation with the world,” Anders Lindborg wrote, “and feel happy about contributing to the community! Just keep in mind that this is more of learning how to best mimic the original film, rather than creating an exact copy. There are so many variables that can affect the final result of real film and the most important part here is that the general behavior is the same. This method is proven to work for both color and black & white simulations and is all based on color science. Several successful simulations have been created while developing the method, so this is several years of blood, sweat and tears that have been compressed into these steps. While this method might look very advanced, trust me when I say that it works and that it’s worth the effort! Not only the general look of the film will be simulated, but also its behavior in different situations, including weird color shifts and other general quirks. The results have amazed me several times!”
Since Fujifilm has discontinued what was their entry-level models (such as the X-T200 pictured above), it’s a little more expensive nowadays to get into the X system. If you are on a tight budget, your options are limited, but you still have some good cameras to choose from. Note: this article is based on current pricing as of the time of publication. Let’s dig into this!
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
If your budget is $1,000 and you want something brand-new:
That is your only option, but it is a good one; however, if you think outside the box, there’s another way to approach this:
Choose one of the cameras below: Fujifilm X-T30 II — Amazon — B&H — Moment Fujifilm X-S10 — Amazon — B&H — Moment Add one of these lenses: 7Artisans 25mm f/1.8 — Amazon Meike 25mm f/1.8 — Amazon Meike 35mm f/1.7 — Amazon Meike 35mm f/1.4 — Amazon 7Artisans 35mm f/1.4 — Amazon TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 — Amazon TTArtisan 50mm f/2 — Amazon Meike 50mm f/1.7 — Amazon
If your budget is under $1,000:
You’ll have to go the second-hand route. Some places to look are B&H’s used department, KEH, MPB, and eBay. I’m sure there are other websites, too. Some used camera models to consider are:
If you shop around, it’s possible to find a good deal, and even get a Fujifilm camera and lens for less than $400. Almost no matter your budget, there are options, but the less you have to spend, the more difficult it will be and the fewer choices you’ll have; however, don’t fret! Just keep an eye out for good deals, and with some patience you are bound to find something that you can afford. My introduction to Fujifilm, which was on a tight budget, was via a used X-E1. I know first-hand that it is possible.
Thankfully, Nathalie did a much better job on her website than I ever could. She has a two-part series on this topic that is an essential must-read if you are interested in trying in-camera double exposures. Click here for Part 1, and click here for Part 2. Go ahead and click those links!
A side note about Nathalie’s blog… I Google searched “Fujifilm blog” today, and her’s made the first page of search results. That’s a big deal! I remember when Fuji X Weekly wasn’t even in the first 20 pages (yes, I wen’t through them all to see where I ranked…). When I made it onto the third page I was quite excited, and couldn’t believe the websites that I was placed near (all of which I thought were bigger and more established than my little blog). When I cracked Google’s first page, I was shocked, as I never imagined that it was possible for me. Nowadays I usually rank in the top three spots—often number one—for a “Fujifilm blog” search. Congrats to Nathalie for making it onto the first page! She’s really establishing herself as a top-tier voice in the Fujifilm community, and it’s an honor to cohost SOOC Livewith her.
When I first started making Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras and discovered that I didn’t need to shoot RAW anymore, I spent over a year strictly being a JPEG-only photographer. After awhile I figured out that it is a lot easier to create new Recipes when you have a RAW file that can be reprocessed in-camera, so I switched to RAW+JPEG. In the years that have passed since, the RAW files always stay on the SD Card in the camera, and it’s the camera-made JPEGs that are transferred to my phone and then to online storage.
Since I have a RAW file, I have the option to reprocess the exposure to other Recipes if I want (it can be done in-camera or via X RAW Studio… I always do it in-camera, personally), but that is something I don’t often do (except for when creating new Recipes). My preferred method is to shoot with a Recipe, and the results are whatever they are (that’s half the fun of it). I try to pick the right Recipe for the given situation; occasionally, though, if I like a particular picture but I shot it with the wrong Recipe, I’ll reprocess it using a more appropriate one. That’s the story of this article.
Interestingly, photographer Chuck Abbott addressed this very question in the September 1955 issue of Arizona Highways magazine, in an article called You’ve Got to Go Back to Get the Good Ones. For those unaware, Arizona Highways has a long history of great photography. It was the first nationally circulated magazine to have an all-color issue (way back in December of 1946). Ansel Adams was a regular contributor, as was Barry Goldwater. Chuck Abbott and his wife Esther Henderson were both long-time contributors. To this day, Arizona Highways is a great place to discover excellent photography, and I often find inspiration within its pages.
“‘Oh, Mr. Abbott,'” Chuck wrote in 1955, explaining a question that he had been asked often, “‘how do you get such good pictures? I was there and mine didn’t turn out at all well.'” He was asked the same question that The Guardian and PetaPixel put forward; however, Chuck’s answer was different than theirs. While there are a thousand ways that the question could be answered, I believe that the most profound was stated back in 1955 by Chuck Abbott.
“My answer is invariably the same,” Chuck said. “You’ll have to go back and try another day, another light, another season.” He continued, “Meanwhile, I am mentally recalling that ‘good’ picture; was it really good, couldn’t it have been better, and shouldn’t I go back again and do it over?”
Autumn in a Mountain Meadow – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor Superia 100
“For that’s the trouble with this picture business,” Chuck added, “there is so little satisfaction in it! You are always beset with the haunting thought that every picture could be improved, if not by you, then by someone, sometime; so you end up traveling in a circle, periodically returning to do a better, or at least a different, interpretation of the subject. Perfection, of course, is the goal.”
He goes on in the article to provide some practical advice, which applies much more to photographers of a bygone era than today. For example, there’s no need to rely on friends in a certain region to obtain a weather report. You also don’t need to worry about burning through film, unless, of course, you’re shooting with film instead of digital. But a little while later Chuck states, “Providence, equipment, legwork and viewpoint; to me these are the four indispensables in picture-making. You may get fair results with lesser combinations but you can’t click completely without all four.”
Pacific Poppies – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues
And that’s the answer: you need a bit of luck, quality camera gear (which most equipment nowadays is), do some research before heading out, and find good compositions; when that fails or even when it succeeds, do it again another day, in a different light, during a different season. Then your photos of famous places will look good. That’s the advice Chuck Abbott gave, and I think it is just as true today as the day it was published in Arizona Highways.
In the comments section of the PetaPixel article, someone stated, “Those fantastic examples didn’t come straight out of camera looking like that. It takes work and skill to coax what our eyes see at a scenic place from what the camera saw at the same place.” While the sample pictures in the article were indeed most likely edited, I disagree that RAW editing is any sort of prerequisite to great photographs. In fact, all of my pictures in this article are unedited camera-made JPEGs using my Film Simulation Recipes. So it is, in fact, completely possible to have pictures “come straight out of camera looking like that.” You can make the camera “see” what our eyes (or our mind’s eyes) see at a scenic place (or any place) if you want to, and Fujifilm cameras plus my Recipes make it easy. The hard part is up to you: returning to places you’ve already been to capture a better, or at least different, interpretation of the subject.
As I was contemplating how I might approach the use of this Recipe on my X-T5, a Fuji X Weekly reader suggested that I should modify it by using the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation instead of Eterna. Because there are some similarities between those two film sims, there is potential for crossover. Sure enough, with the right modifications, I was able to recreate the look and feel of the Kodak Vision3 250D Recipe using Nostalgic Neg.; however, it’s not an identical rendering, especially the shadows, which are a little warmer. There are other small differences, too. As you know, one film can have many different looks depending on how it was shot, developed, and scanned or printed, so you could consider this v2 version of Kodak Vision3 250D to be a divergent (yet still similar) aesthetic that replicates a different handling of the film.
If you have a camera with the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, I invite you to try this new Kodak Vision3 250D v2 Film Simulation Recipe! You should also try the version that uses Eterna, too, and see which one you like better. While the “v1” Recipe has been my favorite for years, I think I like this new v2 version just a little more. It definitely produces an analog-like look that is easy to appreciate.
Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg. Dynamic Range: DR200 Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: Fluorescent 1, -5 Red & 0 Blue Highlight: +4 Shadow: +3 Color: -1 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Kodak Vision3 250D v2 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Public Telephone – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spinning Carousel – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Snack Stop – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Nighttime at Circle K – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Joyful – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Urban Bougainvillea – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Little Plant in a Courtyard – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sitting & Waiting – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Outdoor Dining – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Vines & Concrete – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Reflected Light on a Tall Building – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
In Step – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
High Rise Condo – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Constructing a Tall Building – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Jon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Photo by Amanda Roesch
95 LED Shoes – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Parking Garage – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Urban Vine – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Level 2 – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
No Left Turn – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Holiday Guitarist – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Cranes & Palms – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Layton – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Electric Construction – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Apartment Patio – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Autumn Rooftop – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Gazebo Roof – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rainbows & Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea Veiling Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pink Blossoming Flowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
I enrolled in Photography 101 in college 12 years before Fujifilm introduced the original X100. I say this because I’m often accused of being a Fujifilm fanboy, which is meant to be a put-down to insinuate that my opinions are too biased to be trusted. But should I be so easily dismissed just because I really like Fujifilm cameras?
First, I am a proud Fujifilm fanboy, but that should not automatically invalidate my opinions; instead, it should only point towards my perspective. My photography journey began with full-manual film cameras by Canon and Pentax. Two years prior to the release of the X100, I first dabbled in digital photography. I owned cameras by Pentax, Samsung (remember when they made APS-C mirrorless cameras?), Sigma, Nikon, and Sony. Then, in 2016, I purchased a four-year-old Fujifilm X-E1, and my world changed. I found what I had been looking for ever since first trying digital. In an instant I became a Fujifilm fanboy, and my appreciation of Fujifilm brand cameras has only grown stronger since.
Shot on a Ricoh GR III
But, that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in other brands. I have two Ricoh GR cameras, for example. I also own a Nikon Zfc, although I rarely use it. I tried out a Canon EOS 5DS R a couple of years ago. More recently, I had the opportunity to use a Sony A7 IV fairly extensively. I have nothing against Canikony brands, but the more I use them, the more I’m convinced that they’re not for me.
Vocalizing my displeasure with brands that don’t have “film” in the name, and simultaneously stating why I love one particular brand, has caused some to suggest that my opinions are invalid. To be clear: my opinions are nothing more than my opinions, and they stem from my perspective. I was a long-time film photographer who exclusively used full-manual cameras for over a decade, was constantly frustrated with the digital models I used until I found Fujifilm, and I discovered along the way that I dislike editing RAW files—I much prefer camera-made JPEGs, as long as the camera can make those look good. That’s my perspective, and it is something that you may or may not relate to. If you cannot relate to it, then take my opinions with a grain of salt because they’re likely to be different from yours; however, that doesn’t mean that they’re invalid opinions.
Shot on a Nikon Zfc
I got heavily criticized when I stated that Nikon’s venture into retro-styled cameras fell short. Nikon didn’t have the courage to do what they should have done, and made compromises instead. From my perspective that much is clear, but I understand that if your perspective is different from mine you might have divergent conclusions, which is great—the world would be a boring place if we all thought exactly alike. For someone like me, the Fujifilm X-T5 beats the Nikon Zf, no question about it; for someone else, the Zf might be declared the winner for one reason or another. With cameras like the Zf and Zfc, I think Nikon has the potential to be great in my eyes, but those models have some significant shortcomings that need to be overcome first.
I was pretty unimpressed by the Canon EOS 5DS R when I used it. Perhaps that’s because I’m spoiled by the advantages of mirrorless, and using a DSLR was like stepping back in time (and not in a good way). While the camera-made JPEGs had nice colors, they were prone to banding and issues like that, the dynamic range and high-ISO performance was kind of disappointing, and the adjustment options were somewhat limiting. Maybe I’d like the newest models better, but not much about the 5DS R made me curious to try.
Shot on a Canon EOS 5DS R
Not a lot of people know that I used a Sony A7 IV camera somewhat extensively earlier this year. A number of friends and family members suggested that I should try it, plus all sorts of people complained to me that Fujifilm should be more like Sony (and, sadly, Fujifilm seems to be trying…). The opportunity presented itself, so I gave it an honest go. I even thought that if all went well, I might make Sony Recipes. But it didn’t go well. Using Sony cameras—or, at least the A7 IV—is such an uninspiring experience. Yeah, it will get the job done, but nothing about it is exciting to me. Technically great—yes; however, not in a form that makes me want to pick up the camera and shoot. Overall, the JPEG colors were disappointing, except for the “FL” (a.k.a. Film Look) creative look (their version of a film simulation), which actually is pretty darn good. I did like the ability to fade the blacks, and I did think that clipped highlights fall off nicely (as far as digital cameras go), but I did not like the proneness to banding. Sony’s JPEGs just aren’t at the same level as Fujifilm’s, but they definitely have some potential if Sony keeps working at it; however, the camera itself is boring.
But, but, but… autofocus! Fujifilm’s is awful, and Canikony is great! That’s what people say, but I don’t have any issues with Fujifilm’s autofocus, nor did I find any of the Canikony’s I used to be notably superior. Perhaps this is because I started photography with manual focus, and even though autofocus existed, it wasn’t very good back then. It’s improved by leaps and bounds over the years, and is quite reliable nowadays from every brand, including Fujifilm. If you take issue with this, ask yourself this question: why were photographers and cinematographers back then with inferior gear able to do so much more than you today with superior equipment? The answer, of course, is that the problem is not the gear, and has never been. But, you know, it’s easier to blame the gear than to learn new skills that don’t require the gear to be super amazingly great in order to get your desired results. And that’s how I would summarize this point: Fujifilm’s autofocus is amazingly great, and Canikony’s is, perhaps, super amazingly great. Those who put it down are ignoring the fact that it is still amazingly great.
Shot on a Sony A7 IV
This article concludes similarly to how it began: I love Fujifilm cameras! The X100V is my favorite, followed by the X-E4, then the X-T5, which I’ve been shooting with for a year now. Those three cameras are the ones that, by far, I use the most. I also enjoy shooting with my Ricoh GR III. And I use my iPhone often for casual shooting. That’s what works for me, which very well might be different from what works for you, and that’s perfectly ok. All of us have different experiences that give is divergent perspectives. If your perspective is similar to mine, you likely will appreciate my opinions, but if not, you probably will disagree. I’m a Fujifilm fanboy—perhaps one of the biggest that there is—but I’m not strictly a Fujifilm photographer, as I have a long history using all sorts of different brands, including the ones that I criticize sometimes. Heck, I’m even critical of Fujifilm occasionally—including in this very article—but Fujifilm is, by far, my favorite camera brand of them all.
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
With Christmas just 10 days away, you might be looking for some last-minute camera deals as a gift to yourself or a photographer (or budding photographer) in your family. This website is all about Fujifilm, and for the most part there haven’t been a lot of Fujifilm deals. There hasn’t been a lot for me to recommend to you. You can always pay full price for gear, but you don’t need me to point that out—the service that I’d rather offer is showing where you can save some money. So let’s get into that.
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
It’s a really good time to get into GFX if you’ve been thinking about it, as that’s where the best discounts are. The 50mm f/1 lens is $300 off, and that’s the most intriguing bargain to me, personally. The 90mm f/2 is one of my favorite lenses; while the discount is only $100, it is on sale, and it’s an easy one for me to recommend. If you’ve thought about doing some serious cinematography with Fujifilm, the X-H2s bundled with the cinema lenses are significantly discounted. Otherwise, the deals are pretty pedestrian right now.
Since this is a Fujifilm blog, I don’t want to take up too much of your time with this, so if you are interested in learning more, simply click here. For the rest of you, I hope that you enjoy viewing the handful of example pictures in this short article.
Ricoh GR III + Positive Film Recipe
Ricoh GR III + Reggie’s Color Negative Recipe
Ricoh GR III + EktaColor Recipe
Ricoh GR III + Vibrant Nostalgia Recipe
Ricoh GR III + B&W Film Recipe
Ricoh GR III + Kodak Summer Recipe
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
What should a Fujifilm X-E5 look like? What features would I like it to have?
I’m not convinced that Fujifilm will ever make an X-E5, as they’ve indicated that they might not, but if they do, it’s likely that they will begin working on it soon, at least preliminarily. If Fujifilm does make an X-E5, I think spring 2025 is a likely timeframe for its release. Just to be clear, I have zero inside information, and can only speculate. Just in case Fujifilm does begin to work on an X-E5 soon, I thought it would be worthwhile to tell them what I’d like it to be like. Of course, there’s a pretty good chance that they’ll never read this—I don’t believe that Fuji X Weekly is on their list of websites to regularly visit—so this might be for nothing. Optimistically, let’s assume that Fujifilm will read this article, and maybe they’ll even take my ideas into consideration.
Before I get into it, I want to argue why Fujifilm should make an X-E5. I understand why they don’t want to: Fujifilm believes that the market segment that the X-E line is in is shrinking, and will soon be dried up. Fujifilm made a decision to pivot, focusing more on higher-end gear, and less on lower-end gear. While the X-E line has never been considered an “entry-level” product by users, as the tier below it disappeared, it became the default entry-level camera for Fujifilm, since it is the cheapest model. Historically, the X-E line has had somewhat sluggish sales, and often comes out at the tail end of a sensor generation. The X-E3, for example, could still be purchased brand-new at a discount just two years ago; however, the X-E4 sold surprisingly well during its short time, especially towards the end.
Pacific Poppies – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues Recipe
Inexplicably, Fujifilm discontinued the X-E4 while demand was high—so high, it exceeding Fujifilm’s ability to manufacture them, which caused a backorder list that was months long. Because Fujifilm discontinued the X-E4 while demand was high but supply was low, used models are now selling for ridiculous prices. I’m sure Fujifilm had a good reason for axing the camera—GxAce would say that it was a casualty of the global chip shortage of the early ’20’s—but it left a pretty significant market void. I’m surprised that Fujifilm let it slip through their fingers, but I’m sure it was simply a case of limited resources, and making more X-E4 bodies was less of a priority than other things.
The reason why Fujifilm should make an X-E5 and not let the X-E line die is because there is market demand for it right now. Three years ago, you could buy an X-T30, X-E3, X-T200, or X-A7. If you had a smaller budget or wanted a compact body for travel, you had those four options. Now, there’s only two: the often-out-of-stock X-T30 II or the X-S10. The X-S series is kind of in a different category with a divergent design from most of Fujifilm’s past models; while Fujifilm has marketed the X-S20 as their ideal travel camera, it is a bit on the heavy side for that, plus is more expensive, and not really in the entry-level price range. Currently, for those wanting something under $1,000, or something that’s especially compact and lightweight, you don’t have much to choose from. This is by design, and mainly because the bottom-end market isn’t as big as it was five years ago.
If Fujifilm made an X-E5, there would be demand for it, but (as they say) time is of the essence. The longer Fujifilm dillydallies, the less excitement their might be. You have to strike while the iron is hot, and the iron is hot right now. Will it still be hot two years from now? I have no idea. The safer move would be to simply un-retire the X-E4 and manufacture more copies of it. I don’t think that will happen, so let’s focus on the X-E5.
Working – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak Vision3 250D Recipe
My ideal X-E camera wouldn’t be all that much different from the X-E4. I love my Fujifilm X-E4, but I know not everyone was excited about it. Some say that it was a step backwards from the X-E3 because Fujifilm went minimalistic with it—a little too minimalistic. For the X-E5, a few simply changes and improvements would make it better. Some people will say that it must have IBIS, but that would make it bigger, heavier, and more expensive. Fujifilm would have to carefully consider if it would be worthwhile to do that. If they added IBIS plus weather-sealing, they could increase the cost and make the line more mid-tier. That’s one option, but that’s not what I would suggest, personally. I would only make a handful of changes to the X-E4, and engrave a 5 on the front instead of a 4. Here are my X-E5 suggestions:
Reinstate the M/C/S switch.
Put an ISO ring around the Shutter knob like the X100V has.
Reinstate a rear command dial.
Make the rear screen three-way-tilting like the X-T5.
Improve the OVF, perhaps a little bigger and higher resolution.
Use the current sensor with the new X-Trans V processor like the X-S20.
Add a small grip to the front similar to the X100V.
Consider using rounded strap eyelets instead of rectangular.
That’s it! Super simple. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. That would be a really nice refresh that I think a lot of people would appreciate. That would keep the cost low and the camera small and lightweight.
Reflection of a Broken Door – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Fujicolor 100 Gold Recipe
It would be really smart for Fujifilm to update the 18mm f/2 lens, which is long-overdue for a refresh, and introduce a new pancake option: perhaps a 23mm f/2.8 or 40mm f/2.8. They could offer a few different bundle options: the upcoming 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8, the updated 18mm f/2, a new pancake (whatever they decide to go with), the 27mm f/2.8, or all three pancake lenses. The X-E line just begs to be used with pancake lenses, which really illustrates the benefit of APS-C, but sadly Fujifilm only has two. I bet that three pancake lenses bundled with the X-E5 would be a popular option, especially if a few influencers were to demonstrate just how great that would be for a travel photography kit.
Which brings me to the marketing angle. What makes Fujifilm cameras great? What is the essence of shooting with the X series? Hint: it’s what makes the X100V so popular. In my opinion, Fujifilm has done a rather poor job of expressing this and particularly communicating why it should be desirable (maybe they don’t understand it themselves?). Largely, it has come from outside sources—TikTokers, Instagramers, YouTubers… heck, I’ll take a little credit for it myself—who have done Fujifilm’s marketing job for them. The X-E5 (as I suggest the camera should be) would be the quintessence of many aspects of this: cool-yet-functional vintage styling, great implementation of exposure-triangle controls, small and lightweight, and of course out-of-camera JPEGs that look great. Fujifilm needs to focus on that. They need to communicate why the X-E5 fulfills (in many ways) the essence of shooting with the X series, and why that essence is desirable for photographers. Yes, social media influencers and bloggers will do some of that for Fujifilm, and that’s great organic promotion, but Fujifilm themselves needs to do a much better job than they have in the past. If done right, the X-E5 could be a smashing success in spite of shrinking market segments.
Will Fujifilm make an X-E5? Maybe, maybe not. I’d lean towards no if I had to pick one over the other. Should they? Absolutely yes! It would be a real shame for Fujifilm to kill the line when there is so much demand for it. I love the X-E series—the X-E1 was my introduction to Fujifilm—and it deserves to continue. I hope that it does.
In the Season 3 finale of SOOC Live, Fuji X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I discussed double exposure photography at length, and especially how to do it in-camera on Fujifilm models. If you are interested in the topic and didn’t catch that episode when it was live, you may want to take some time and watch it now. I’ve included it below. If you are short on time, skip ahead to the 35 minute mark, and begin around there.
I’m not going to rehash all that was said during the show (you’ve got to watch it)—this is a lengthy and complicated topic that can go many different directions. Really, books can be (and have been) written about it. Instead, I want to talk about Film Simulation Recipes for double exposures, and also provide a little more explanation for some things that maybe weren’t clear in the broadcast. I hope it all makes sense by the end.
The three Film Simulation Recipes that we discussed in the show and are challenging you to shoot with for the remainder of December plus most of January are Mystery Chrome, Dramatic Monochrome, and Faded Negative. Some notes about each:
Mystery Chrome is fully compatible with X-Trans III cameras, plus the X-T3 and X-T30. To use it on newer models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and choose a Grain size (Small or Large… I recommend Large). For those using newer cameras, we recommend using the Average setting for this Recipe, but don’t be afraid to try Additive.
Dramatic Monochrome is fully compatible with the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30. To use it on X-Trans III cameras, simply ignore Color Chrome Effect—the results will be nearly identical. To use it on newer cameras, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and choose a Grain size (Small or Large… I recommend Large). For those using newer cameras, we recommend using the Additive setting for this Recipe, but don’t be afraid to try Average.
Faded Negative is fully compatible with X-Trans IV cameras, except for the X-T3 and X-T30. To use it on X-Trans V models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong. This Recipe is not found in the Fuji X Weekly App because it requires further explanation on how to use it, and the App format is not conducive to that; however, in the broadcast Nathalie provides a great tip for how you can use the New Recipe (Blank Recipe Card) feature to add it to your App if you’d like. Be sure to read the article before attempting to use this Recipe.
You can use any Film Simulation Recipe with double exposure photography, but in my experience the ones that work best are Recipes that are especially contrasty. For the purpose of the show, we’re using three specific ones; however, feel free to try any Recipe that interests you. The color pictures below were captured using the Ferrania Solaris FG 400 Recipe, and Kodak Tri-X 400 was used for the B&W. As for submitting images for the Viewers’ Images Slideshow, please only use the Mystery Chrome, Dramatic Monochrome, and Faded Negative Recipes.
One thing that perhaps should have been demonstrated in the show but wasn’t is what in-camera double exposures look like, taking a peek at each of the two exposures individually and then the combined image. Since the newer cameras can save a RAW file of each exposure (which can be processed into a JPEG in-camera), it’s possible to demonstrate this pretty easily.
Exposure 1
Exposure 2
Double Exposure using Average
Exposure 1
Exposure 2
Double Exposure using Average
Exposure 1
Exposure 2
Double Exposure using Additive
I would say that double exposure photography takes a lot of practice to feel comfortable with, but there is a ton of potential for creativity. It’s worth trying, and it’s worth going through a lot of failures in order to get good at it. There are also so many different approaches and methods that can yield very different results. You’ll discover some of these as you practice. So my encouragement for you is to try and try again. If the pictures aren’t very good at first, don’t give up! Keep at it, and pretty soon you’ll surprise yourself with what you create.
One last thing: below I’ve included the Viewers’ Images Slideshow for the Reala Ace episode. If you haven’t yet seen it, be sure to watch it now. I want to express a very big “Thank you!” to everyone who submitted their photographs for inclusion in it. I always enjoy seeing your wonderful pictures!
A Fujifilm X100V captured with a Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm + Reala Ace Recipe
Fujifilm has never asked me what I’d like for Christmas, nor do I expect them to ever ask that question. I do believe there is a chance that they read this website occasionally, so I thought I would take a moment to share with them—on the off-chance that they find this article—some gear that they could “give” to me that would really make my holiday special. To be clear, I’m not suggesting that Fujifilm should send me free products (although, if they ever did, I wouldn’t say no…); instead, this is simply a list of gear that I’d love to see Fujifilm release, which would be the perfect Christmas gift for me, and probably a lot of you, too.
I don’t want to take up too much of your time, so let’s dive right into my Fujifilm Christmas Wish List! The order is least-to-most desired, but really I’d be happy with any of them.
#10 — Fujinon 135mm f/2.8
The longest prime lens that Fujifilm offers—aside from the really huge and extremely expensive 200mm f/2—is the Fujinon 90mm f/2, which is one of my absolute favorite lenses. I feel like there’s a massive gap that should be filled to some extent, and a 135mm option seems quite logical—after all, it used to be a very common focal length.
This theoretical 135mm Fujinon lens, which would be 202mm full-frame-equivalent, shouldn’t be too large or expensive. For example, I have a vintage Vivitar 135mm f/2.8 lens that is surprisingly compact. So the design team goals should be to keep it a similar size and weight to the Fujinon 90mm f/2, and with an MSRP no more than $1,200 (under $1,000 would be even better). Of course some compromises might be necessary, and one that I’m ok with is the maximum aperture; I’d prefer f/2.8, but f/3.5 would be fine if something’s got to give (the price should be a little less if it is f/3.5). I think such a lens would be appreciated by those who find the 90mm not-quite-long-enough sometimes, which would likely be a fairly sizable group. I could see it being used by some sports, wildlife, portrait and landscape photographers. Yes, there are several zooms that cover the longer focal lengths, but some of us (myself included) much prefer primes over zooms.
#9 — Fujifilm GFX100R
I’m not in the GFX system, but if Fujifilm ever made a GFX100R, I’d buy it. I cannot afford GFX gear, but I’d still buy it. Why? XPan. Such a camera would be the closest one could get to an XPan III, the digital version of the XPan II. The GFX100R would produce 50mp 65:24 aspect ratio images. A GFX50R II would be alright, too, but a GFX100R would be even more spectacular.
Yes, I know the GFX100 and the GFX100S and the GFX100 II (and even the upcoming GFX100S II) are capable of 50mp XPan-crop pictures, but none of them will provide an XPan-like experience. The only camera that’s close is the GFX50R, but that model is five years old now and missing the latest film sims and JPEG settings and such. Ideally, whether it is a GFX50R II or GFX100R, the body should be X-Pro like in design. One other option that Fujifilm could consider is a GFXPan, where the sensor is shaped in the 65:24 aspect ratio instead of 4:3 (basically, the current 100mp sensor, but half as tall). That would be incredible!
#8 — Fujifilm X-Pro4
This one is near the bottom of the list because 1) I suspect that it’s already well in the works and 2) I don’t know how they’ll make it better than the X-Pro3, aside from some things that could just be a firmware update. So what do I think Fujifilm could do to make the X-Pro4 different-enough from the X-Pro3 to justify it? One idea is an APS-H sized sensor with maybe 50-ish megapixels. That would not only garnish a lot of attention, but it would (more importantly) allow for an XPan crop with over 20mp, and perhaps as much as 25mp. Whether they do this or use the 40mp APS-C sensor of the X-H2 and X-T5, they should still include the XPan aspect ratio as an in-camera option. Another idea is IBIS. A lot of people would welcome that, and it’s probably expected from a camera of this price point, but Fujifilm needs to be careful with how it affects the size, weight, and cost. Most likely, aside from a bump in pixel-count, the biggest change will be a different rear screen. I don’t have any idea how they’ll change it, but I’m certain that they will do so in some way. I think the OVF should be made to be more like the one in the X-Pro2.
#7 — Fujifilm X-Pro3 Acros Edition
While we wait for the X-Pro4, Fujifilm could release a monochrome-only version of the X-Pro3. This camera would make some big headlines, and get a ton of attention. While such a model would surely be niche, Pentax proved that it could still be successful, and I think there’s been enough interest in the Fujifilm world for such a camera that it will sell out, however many copies Fujifilm decides to make. I’d certainly buy one if Fujifilm ever decided to produce it. Heck, I’d buy one almost no matter what body they decided to do it with, but the X-Pro makes the most sense to me, followed closely by the X100.
#6 — Fujifilm X100Z Variants
We’ve known for awhile now that the next Fujifilm camera will be the X100V successor. I don’t know what they’ll name it, but my guess is X100Z. The X100V successor is not in this list because we already know that it’s coming, and it will probably be announced next month, or early-February at the latest. What I would like to put on this wish-list are variants of the camera. For example, Sigma made three versions of the DP Merrill models, and four of the DP Quattro. They were all basically the same, except for the lens permanently attached to the front. I could see Fujifilm doing something similar, with maybe a 30mm-ish “standard” lens, another with a 50mm-ish portrait lens, and maybe a wide-angle version with a 14mm or 16mm lens, to go along with the main 23mm option. Fujifilm could sell multiple versions of the X100Z (or whatever they name it), just with different focal-length lenses. Not only would people be able to buy their preferred focal length option, but you’ll have some people buy all of them.
#5 — Another Fujinon Pancake Lens
A big advantage to APS-C over full-frame is the size and weight of the gear, so it is shocking to me that Fujifilm has only two pancake lenses: the 27mm f/2.8 and 18mm f/2. The 18mm model is only kind-of a pancake, and is in desperate need of an update. Fujifilm should have a series of pancake offerings. Maybe a 16mm f/3.5, the 18mm f/2 (but updated, please!), a 23mm f/2.8, the 27mm f/2.8, and maybe a 40mm-ish f/2.8. It would make my day if Fujifilm were to announce even one more pancake lens, and it would make so much sense if they did.
#4 — Fujifilm X-E5
I had to include this—and put it fairly high on this list—because Fujifilm has indicated that the X-E line might be finished. It would be a huge shame if that’s true. I love the X-E line, and the X-E4 is one of my favorite models. This line is especially great for travel, and is the perfect body to pair pancake lenses with. I don’t need a new X-E camera, but I don’t want this line to end, so I would consider buying an X-E5 just to show support for its continuation in the lineup. Hopefully this will encourage Fujifilm to produce an X-E5, perhaps in time for Christmas 2024.
#3 — Fujifilm Minimalist Model
I would love a rangefinder-styled camera without all the bells and whistles. Just the basic controls that you need. It should have a shutter knob with an ISO ring, a C1-C7 knob, and exposure compensation knob on the top. It must have an M/C/S switch somewhere. Otherwise, it should be kept clean and simple. No rear screen, only a box-top screen like on the X-Pro3, but it should have a hybrid viewfinder. No video mode or even the Advanced Filters and such. It should be a “pure photography” concept that delivers the most film-like experience of all the models. I don’t think Fujifilm would ever consider such a camera, but they absolutely should have a “digital-film” model. This concept would seem to fit Fujifilm’s profile perfectly! Maybe call it simply the X1.
#2 — Fujifilm X200
A lot of people have basically demanded that Fujifilm should jump into the full-frame market, but they’re not going to, and in my opinion it is a smart move. They’d go from being a big fish in a decent sized pond to a small fish in a large and overcrowded pond. One big problem is that they’d have to develop a whole new line of lenses, which, if they weren’t successful, could bankrupt the division. One way that Fujifilm could dip their toes into the full-frame market in a way that’s pretty much guaranteed to be successful and won’t require the new-lens-lineup investment—in other words, somewhat small risk and big reward—is to make a full-frame version of the X100-series. Call it the X200. Perhaps differentiate it from the X100 by giving it a 30mm (going slightly more wide-angle) or 40mm (slightly more telephoto) lens, and increase the maximum aperture to f/1.8. If full-frame is simply out of the question, perhaps go the fuller-than-full-frame route, and make a GFX200, which would be a GFX version of the X100. Personally, I would have a hard time saying no to such a camera.
#1 — Fujifilm X80
The Fujifilm X70 was such a great little camera! It had a much-too-short production run thanks to Sony’s sudden discontinuation of the sensor inside that model, and it’s a real shame that Fujifilm never made a successor. Especially considering how well the Ricoh GR III is selling right now, it would make a lot of sense for Fujifilm to produce a successor to the X70. From what I can tell, the demand for such a camera has been increasing. So many people have told me that they’d buy one. I know that I would be first in line! Come on, Fujifilm! Make an X80 already! Consider it your Christmas gift to me and all of your customers who have been dreaming of it for years.
Tomorrow—Thursday, December 7th—is the season finale of SOOC Live. Not only that, but it’s also our holiday special. Oh, and we’re going to take a deep dive into double exposure photography. Join Nathalie Boucry and I tomorrow at 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 12:00 noon Eastern as we bring Season 3 to a close. This is an interactive program, so your participation makes it even better. I hope to see you tomorrow!
If you don’t already subscribe to the SOOC Live YouTube Channel, be sure to do so now—otherwise you might miss out on future broadcasts. To make it easy to find, I’ve included tomorrow’s show below:
Double exposure photography is simply two exposures on a single frame; however, getting good results can be quite tricky. There’s actually a whole lot to it, with a number of techniques and considerations to talk about. There’s also a ton of creative potential, and various ways to use double exposures that you might not have thought of. You can get amazing straight-out-of-camera results that perhaps seem impossible to achieve in-camera, but are indeed possible.
This article contains five of my double exposure photographs. Perhaps you are surprised by some of them, as they might not appear to be double exposures. You might also be surprised to learn that they’re all camera-made JPEGs. We’re going to talk about the specifics tomorrow, so be sure to tune-in if you want learn more about double exposure photography on your Fujifilm camera.
Left the Lights On – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fluorescent Night Recipe
I wanted to create a Film Simulation Recipe for my Fujifilm X-T5 camera that would produce a certain look when shot under fluorescent lights at night. Now there are different varieties of fluorescent lightbulbs, and the kelvin temperature can vary quite significantly between them. It’s also not uncommon to find fluorescent lights mixed with other nearby light sources. In other words, results will very depending on the exact light situation. Sometimes this Recipe will produce warm results, and sometimes cool. While not modeled after any specific emulsion, this Recipe is similar to using a Tungsten-balanced film—perhaps something similar to Fujicolor NPL 160T or Kodak Portra 100T, although it’s not exactly like either of those. This Recipe gives you one more option for nighttime photography.
What I found myself enjoying more than I thought I would is using this Fluorescent Night Film Simulation Recipe during the day. It has an obvious cool cast with pronounced blues. Still, I was pleasantly surprised that this Recipe is halfway decent for daylight use. If you are looking for a retro film-like aesthetic that isn’t warm, Fluorescent Night might be a good option for your daylight photography.
A Visit with Santa – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fluorescent Night Recipe
This Fluorescent Night Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all Fujifilm fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20 (yes, the X-S20). You should also be able to use this on newer GFX models, but the results will likely be slightly different (try it anyway). For nighttime use, I most often selected -2/3 or -1/3 exposure compensation, and for daylight I most often used +1/3 or +2/3; however, “typical exposure compensation” is only meant as a starting point, and each exposure should be judged individually.
Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg. Dynamic Range: DR200 Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: Fluorescent 2, -8 Red & -1 Blue Highlight: -1 Shadow: -1.5 Color: +4 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Fluorescent Night Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Happy Girl – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Neighborhood Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea Blue – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea Along Stucco Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sidewalk Potted Plant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Potted Palm Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hairstyle Chair – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Christmas Tree & Letters to Santa – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Illuminated Door at Abandoned Building – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Broken Window – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Birria – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Circle K Gas Station – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Christmas Star – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
