I ran across an image in a (pretty interesting) PetaPixel article, and was inspired to create a Film Simulation Recipe. The picture itself sent me down a long rabbit hole; while the photograph in the article served as one of the reference photos, it was far from the only. Actually, I couldn’t closely match that particle picture, but it served as inspiration nonetheless. After sleuthing, I discovered that the image was captured on Kodak Gold 200. But why was it so green? That question is what opened up the rabbit hole.
Kodak Gold 200 is particularly prone to a green cast, and there are a whole bunch of things that can cause it. Underexposure. Heat (such as left in a hot car). Expired. Waiting too long to develop after exposure. Fluorescent lights. Airport scanners. Improper development. Improper storage of negatives prior to scanning. Poor color correction of the scan. Those are the main reasons. That lead me to a trove of Kodak Gold 200 examples that had various levels of green casts.
This Kodak Gold 200 v3 Film Simulation Recipe is modeled after some of those Kodak Gold 200 photographs that have a green cast. Quite obviously I couldn’t match all of them, because there was so much variance. For most of the references pictures I’m not sure what exactly caused the cast. This definitely isn’t a “normal” Kodak Gold 200 Recipe; for that, I recommend this, this, or this. But, if you’d like an alternative aesthetic that is perhaps a bit more lomo, this is a fun Recipe to try.
Kodak Gold 200 v3 is an App Patron Early-Access Recipe. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, you have access to it right now. If not, no worries, as it will eventually be made available to everyone, once it is replaced by a new Early-Access Recipe. As of this writing, it is only compatible with the Fujifilm X100VI and X-T50; however, once Fujifilm brings Reala Ace to the other fifth generation cameras (supposedly this summer), it will be compatible with the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20, too.
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Gold 200 v3 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100VI:
Comparison:
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 350 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’ve got quite a lot of photos taken in London in the late 80s & early 90s on Gold, mostly 100 and 400 I think, which look very similar to the ones in the PP article. At the time you were never sure what the actual negatives were like as the lab 6×4 enlargements were done on machines which had their own erratic ideas of “correcting” any casts.
I had a darkroom at the time but never made any prints from colour negatives. I only recently got round to digitizing a few of the old Gold negatives to find out what they were really like.
(btw I bought a FujiFilm 30mm macro just after it was launched about 18 months ago specifically to copy slides and negatives. Works well and I’m very pleased with the results.)
I’ve heard really good things about the 30mm Macro. It’s on my wish list…
I appreciate the input! Very fascinating 😀
The terrible color of a person’s skin in the footage. lifeless, corpse.
Not at all for portraits and people in the frame
It wouldn’t be my first choice for pictures with people. I suppose in the right light it could be ok. This Recipe is more of a lomo/alternative-process type of thing, more along the lines of expired film or something like that.
Here are a couple more examples:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53633129780_b879980054_h.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53765276875_d716b0a7d2_h.jpg
Thank you! Saved a link to your flickr photostream
I guess just know that the Flickr page… I use it for storage and not social media… it’s more-or-less the sock drawer of my photography 🤣
Yeah, yes I already saw it)))
if I were the Fujifilm CEO I would have hired you directly to work in the film research division or the head of that department. You have all my respect for all the work you do for the fuji community. The best I can do if appreciate your work, passion and be a Patron subscriber.
Thanks so much for your kindness!
If Fujifilm made such an offer, I would gladly accept. I think it would be amazing to work with them on creating the next film simulation or something like that.
In the app, there is an appertute symbol in this recipe and some others. What does it mean? Thank you.
It indicates Early-Access Recipes. If you are an App Patron subscriber, you have access; if not, you don’t have access to those Recipes. Thanks for asking!
I have been using this recipe it’s great! But I have one question, I configured the recipe using the FujiXWeekly app, the exposure compensation, I have a doubt, when shooting with this recipe I should always use that compensation for better results or is it optional?
The “typical” exposure compensation is merely meant as a suggested starting point, and not a rule. Because of the Tone Curve and Dynamic Range settings, a little bump in exposure tends to do well with this Recipe; however each picture should be judged individually, because the light might be different, or the mood you are trying to convey. I hope this makes sense and answers your question.