iF just awarded Fujifilm with a Design Award for their Film Simulation experience. For those who don’t know, iF (Industrie Forum) is a German institution that hands out awards each year for design innovations. It began in 1954 at the Hannover Fair, where 41 iF jurors gave awards to products that were being demonstrated on-site, and has since grown internationally to a pretty large organization. iF Design Awards are a big deal, but it’s also a pay-to-play system, so there is an element of self-awarding, despite the independent jurors. A company can pat themselves on the back by participating, but it still requires some level of innovation to qualify and achieve an award.
“The Film Simulation featured in Fujifilm’s X Series cameras captures the camera maker’s heritage through its unique ability to reproduce the rich colors and gradations of film with a digital camera,” iF said in their award, “and is widely loved by professional photographers and hobbyists alike. For users seeking to recapture the original experience of shooting on a film camera, and those not familiar with film, Film Simulation takes the photography experience to the next level by providing deeper insight into the film on a digital camera and helping them to create images that match their vision, all while using a digital camera.”
It’s pretty darn exciting that the “Film Simulation Experience” was given a 2024 iF Design Award, and it speaks volumes about just how big it has become. I mean, Fujifilm introduced film simulations 20 years ago, and they’ve been a part of every single X-series camera. It’s nothing new. What is new is how large the community of photographers is that use them. The experience of using film simulations is such a big draw to the Fujifilm system, and much more so in the last couple of years.
Since my 300+ Film Simulation Recipes are such an intrinsic part of the experience of using film simulations, I feel that I’m a part owner of the award (at least in a small way, anyway). Film Simulation Recipes have become quite popular; in fact, just this week, I learned that a couple of well-known, highly-recognizable names in photography are using my Film Simulation Recipes on their Fujifilm cameras. That’s great, but also the number of photographers in-general who are using Recipes has increased by probably 20% in just the last few months. Whether it is someone who is highly accomplished, or someone who is new to photography that just go their first “real” camera, Film Simulation Recipes are “helping them to create images that match their vision” while providing something more similar to the “experience of shooting on a film camera….” It’s an unofficial Fujifilm and Fuji X Weekly partnership.
If you are new to Film Simulation Recipes, I recommend starting with these articles:
How To Add Film Simulation Recipes To Your Fujifilm Camera
Answers to the 10 Most Common Fujifilm How-To Questions
7 Tips To Get The Film Look From Your Digital Photos
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to Program Into Your Fujifilm Camera First
Which Film Simulation Recipe, When?
Try These 3 Film Simulation Recipes, No Matter Your Fujifilm Camera
I was a Nikon shooter for over 20 years and was looking at upgrading my DSLR and stumbled on the X100V and was intrigued. In my research it led me to your site and I loved the film sims and recipes. I had tried Nikon’s custom picture control with different film looks but just didn’t have same feel. I’ve since added an X-T5 and handful of lenses, the film sims and your recipes 100% were a factor in my decision.
I appreciate your kind comment! I’m so happy to have been helpful to you and your photography in some way—it’s a real honor. 😀