September | 2024 | FUJI X WEEKLY

Which Film Simulation Recipes, When? — Part 2: X-Trans IV (2024 Edition)

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Pacific Poppies* – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues Recipe

Part 1 (X-Trans V) – Part 3 (X-T3/X-T30)

I get asked all of the time when to use which Film Simulation Recipe. With over 350 in the Fuji X Weekly App to choose from, it can be difficult to know when each Recipe should be chosen, especially since many of them are specifically intended for sunny daylight conditions. With only seven Custom Presets on your Fujifilm camera (for most of you, anyway), which ones should you have programed? When should you select them?

The problem with trying to answer this question is that it’s a highly subjective endeavor. While I might like a certain Recipe for a particular situation, you might not. There’s not a right or wrong answer, just what works for you and what doesn’t—and I cannot say whether any particular Recipe will work for you or not. Only you can answer that for yourself, and you have to try a Recipe to know. With that said, I do attempt to give good advice. I’ve written many articles related to this topic, including the series Which Film Simulation Recipes, When? While that has likely been the most helpful, it’s nearly two-years-old now, and a lot of new Recipes have been published since. I think it’s time to update the series for 2024.

*Two Caballeros* – Culleoka, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodachrome 64 Recipe

The premise of the original series is that Jason Kummerfeldt of Grainydays, a YouTube channel about film photography, gave some advice on when to use which film emulsion in a video entitled Which Film Stock, When? Since film choice is such a personal thing, how do you say when to use which? It’s the same thing for Film Simulation Recipes. His solution was simply to demonstrate what he uses and state what he likes, and maybe you’ll like it, too. In my series, I copied that approach for Recipes—I told you my preferences, and invited you to try them out. We’re going to follow that same formula for this update with just a small twist, which I think makes a little more sense.

Below are seven Recipe suggestions for you to program into C1-C7 on your Fujifilm camera, with advice on when to use each. Since Recipes are (for the most part) generationally specific, each article will cover a different group of cameras. This is Part 2, and covers X-Trans IV models (except the X-T3 and X-T30, which will be discussed in Part 3): Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II.

C1 — Kodak Portra 400 v2 — Sunny Daylight #1

*Evening Charge* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak Portra 400 v2

Kodak Portra 400 v2 does well anytime during daylight hours, but especially for “golden hour” near sunrise and sunset. As the name suggests it is a good option for portrait photography, but is excellent for many genres. This really could be your primary use-all-of-the-time Recipe, and that’s why I suggest placing it in C1. Personally, I use this one frequently.

Some alternatives to consider:
Kodak Portra 160
Kodak Portra 400
Classic Kodak
Fujicolor Superia 100
Superia Premium 400

C2 — Bright Kodak — Sunny Daylight #2

*Golden Desert Hill* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Bright Kodak

I like to reserve C2 for bright midday photography. The old rule of thumb was once the sun was high in the sky, it’s time to put the camera away. While Bright Kodak can be used anytime the sun is out, it is one of my favorite options for middle-of-the-day situations, and proves the old adage wrong.

Some alternatives to consider:
Vibrant Arizona
Bright Summer
Kodak Portra 400 Warm
Kodak Portra 800 v3
Superia Summer

C3 — Kodachrome 64 — Sunny Daylight #3

*Denny’s Days* – Beaver, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodachrome 64

This is a good spot to have an alternative aesthetic compared to C1 and C2—as I don’t think you’d want to have all three up to this point to be essentially similar. Although each of the first three have a Kodak-like look, Kodachrome 64 produces a more contrasty slide film aesthetic. With the ones I’ve suggested, you’ve got a good set for all sorts of daylight situations no matter your subject.

Some alternatives to consider:
McCurry Kodachrome
Kodachrome 25
Kodachrome II
Kodak Vision3 250D
Kodak Ektar 100

C4 — Pacific Blues — Overcast

*Ice Flower & Chain Link* – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues

Pacific Blues is excellent for sunny daylight photography—it was specifically designed for a summer day at the beach—but I have fallen in love with it for overcast and foggy days. For dreary conditions, this Recipe is hard to beat.

Some alternatives to consider:
PRO Negative 160C
Kodak High Definition Plus 200
Superia Xtra 400
Kodak Max 800
Color Negative 400

C5 — Reggie’s Portra — Versatility

*Mountain Sunset* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Reggie’s Portra

I like to have at least one Recipe programmed into my camera that’s highly versatile and can be used no matter the situation. There are several excellent options, but a personal favorite that I use frequently is Reggie’s Portra. Almost no matter the light, this one does very well.

Some alternatives to consider:
Kodak Ultramax 400
Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled
Fujicolor Super HG v2
Timeless Negative
Kodachrome II v2

C6 — Serr’s 500T — Nighttime

*11th Street* – Astoria, OR – Fujifilm X100V – Serr’s 500T

Most Recipes are intended for sunny daylight; while some can still do well at night, and the versatile options above are definitely good for after-dark, there are some Recipes that are specifically intended for night photography. Of those, Serr’s 500T is one of my absolute favorites.

Some alternatives to consider:
CineStill 800T
Pushed CineStill 800T
Ektachrome 320T
Pure Negative
Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1

C7 — Kodak Tri-X 400 — B&W

*Old Window Blind*s – San Luis Obispo, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400

I love black-and-white photography. As far as Recipes go, the monochrome options tend to be less popular than color; however, my favorite Recipe—and the one that I would choose if I could only ever photograph with one—is Kodak Tri-X 400.

Some alternatives to consider:
Ilford HP5 Plus 400
Monochrome Negative
Kodak T-Max 400
Kodak T-Max P3200
Kentmere Pan 400

Find these Film Simulation Recipes in the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Stay tuned for Part 3!

Fujifilm X100VI Variant Ideas

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

The Fujifilm X100VI is the most preordered camera in history by far. There were more orders placed prior to the release date than there were X100V’s produced in its entire four-year run. Completely unprecedented! I quickly made my order within minutes after it was announced, and I still had to wait over a month for it to arrive. There are people who placed their preorders on day-one who are still waiting, and some have been told that it might be closer to Christmas before it can be delivered. Even though Fujifilm is right now manufacturing the X100VI at somewhere around four-times the rate that they did the X100V, they still haven’t cleared out the preorder list, let alone begin to tackle the backorders placed after the release. It’s nuts! If you’ve been patiently waiting for yours, I hope that it arrives soon. If you haven’t already ordered yours, the wait could be quite significant.

Quite obviously before Fujifilm even thinks about offering alternative versions of the X100VI, they need to catch up on all the orders already placed. I have no idea how long that might take, but I highly doubt it will be anytime in 2024, and maybe not in 2025, either. However, once they’ve managed to get this situation under control—perhaps in the spring of 2026—I would encourage Fujifilm to consider producing variations of the X100VI. While this is something I’ve suggested for awhile (first with the X100F, actually), this is the first time that I’ve dedicated an entire article to the topic.

Leica just announced a 43mm f/2 version of the Q3, called Leica Q3 43. For those who don’t know, the Q3 has a 28mm f/1.7 lens, which is equivalent to 18.6mm on Fujifilm, the same focal-length as the X70. The new 43mm version has more of a standard field-of-view, and is equivalent on Fujifilm to 28.6mm (Fujifilm doesn’t offer that exact focal-length, but it is pretty close to both 27mm and 30mm, which Fujifilm does make).

Offering multiple focal-length versions of a fixed-lens camera is nothing new. For the Ricoh GR III, which has a 18.3mm (27.5mm full-frame-equivalent) lens, there’s a 26mm (39mm equivalent) variation called GR IIIx. Sigma had up to four versions of the DP cameras: 14mm (21mm equivalent), 19mm (28.5mm equivalent), 30mm (45mm equivalent), and 50mm (75mm equivalent). Fujifilm has never taken this approach, but I think they should.

Left: Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Kodak Portra 800 v3 / Right: Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + Kodak Portra 400 v2

What Fujifilm does offer are conversion lenses, which screw onto the end of the camera’s fixed lens. There’s a wide-angle (WCL-X100 II) and telephoto (TCL-X100 II) option. The wide conversion lens has a 0.8x magnification, which means that the 23mm (34.5mm equivalent) lens on the X100VI becomes 18.4mm (27.6mm equivalent). The telephoto conversion lens has a 1.4x magnification, which means that the 23mm lens on the X100VI becomes 32.2mm (48.3mm equivalent). Essentially, it’s like having three versions of the camera: 18mm, 23mm, and 32mm. The downside to the conversion lenses is that they add a fairly significant amount of size and weight (especially the telephoto) to the camera, which, to an extent, defeats the purpose of it. While the teleconverters do indeed add quite a bit of versatility, I would like to see one or two alternative focal-length versions in the future, where the dimensions and weight of the camera are about the same, just with different fields-of-view.

My top two recommendations would be a 16mm (24mm equivalent) f/2.8 version, and a 35mm (52.5mm equivalent) f/2 version. Obviously 18mm f/2 would be a popular choice, so I’m sure that would be high on their list of potential focal-lengths. Fujifilm has a pancake 27mm f/2.8, and modifying those optics for use with an X100 series camera could be intriguing. Fujifilm could offer just one variation (like Leica did with the Q3, and Ricoh did with the GR III), or they could offer multiple options (like Sigma did with the DP series). Personally, I’d like both a more wide-angle and a more telephoto version.

This should not be a priority for Fujifilm whatsoever, but something to consider for down the road. Maybe it could be announced in the fall of 2025 in time for the Christmas shopping season, or in spring of 2026, or sometime later. Or maybe they don’t see any reason to offer it at all, because perhaps they don’t believe it will gain any net camera sales, only take away X100VI sales. Personally, I would likely buy whatever alternative focal-length version(s) that they do release, if they ever do, to be an addition to my X100VI. I don’t know how many other people would do the same, but it might be worthwhile for them to consider.

I don’t see Fujifilm going down this path in the near future. They may have no interest in doing it ever. But I like the idea, personally, and would encourage them to at least consider the possibility. Not everyone appreciates the 23mm (34.5mm equivalent) focal-length of the X100-series cameras, and even if they do, they may want a little variety sometimes. While I believe that it would do quite well for Fujifilm, obviously it is something that they themselves must believe in order for it to ever happen. I hope that someday it does.

Fujifilm Autofocus — An Uncomfortable Conversation We Need to Have

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Skates & Hoop* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Astia Azure Recipe

In this article we’re going to discuss Fujifilm’s X-series Autofocus, which is a hot topic right now. A lot of things are being said about it on YouTube and social media and especially in the comments section of photography websites. I’m a little afraid to give my two cents, because I know it will not be well received by some of you reading this. I think most regular visitors of this website will not have any qualms about it, but no doubt this will be shared on Reddit or DPReview or a Facebook group or someplace like that, and I will receive some aggressive disagreements by some of those folks.

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve seen people online call Fujifilm’s Autofocus “garbage” or “bad” or some other negative term. Every once in awhile a person will comment on Fuji X Weekly with a similar sentiment; however, it’s vocalized a lot less here than elsewhere, it seems. This is a controversy that I’ve tried to steer clear of—people have strong opinions about this topic, and my opinions are different than many. I did write about it two months ago, but I think it needs to be addressed again.

As I’ve pondered this topic, I think there are a number of issues that are often lumped together, but need to be discussed individually. They are related in that it affects Autofocus, but otherwise they are unrelated, and lumping them together doesn’t help bring about any solutions. We’ll get to it all, but it will take some time to navigate through it. Be patient, as this will be a journey.

First and foremost, I believe that much of the negativity is a type of hysteria. Someone points out a “problem” and now everyone (it seems) is experiencing it. Echo chambers and groupthink on the internet can make people especially susceptible to this. I’m not a psychologist and offer no professional medical advice, but I did listen to a podcast recently on a flight that made me consider this as a strong possibility.

*Thunderbird & Canopies* – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – PRO Negative 160C Recipe

The podcast was Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford and the episode was entitled Sonic Poison? The Genesis of Havana Syndrome. It explains how hysteria can have a real affect on people, such as causing nuns to meow, or children to experience sickness that they don’t really have, or millions of dollars of perfectly good Coca-Cola dumped down the drain for no good reason, or spies “poisoned” by loud cicadas in Cuba. While these things were in their heads, they manifested in real physical ways.

What clued me in to the potential that this phenomena might also be happening to those who own Fujifilm cameras is when someone told me that they were really upset at Fujifilm because their Autofocus was not working as it should be and that Fujifilm needed to fix the problem right now; this person admitted that they had never experienced the issue personally, but they knew it was a problem because they had seen it in a YouTube video. Later, another person stated to me something very similar: while the “problem” had had no affect on their photography, they were aware of its existence because they had seen it on the internet—and they were demanding that Fujifilm fix it ASAP or else they would quit the brand.

I’m not suggesting that Fujifilm’s Autofocus woes are “all in your head” and that it is just psychological, but I do believe it explains a good deal of it. I think if some certain YouTube videos had never been published (and it’s fine that they were, I’m not condemning them, I’m just observing), there would not be nearly so much discussion and outrage right now. A lot of people “became aware” of a problem that they likely would not have noticed on their own otherwise, and it wouldn’t have affected them in any real way (in other words, it wouldn’t have been an issue at all). When you spend a lot of money on something, and especially if your livelihood (or hopes of a future livelihood) depends on that thing, and you believe that it is not working right, it’s easy to understand why there would be some hysteria. Nuns meowing, Coke getting dumped, and Fujifilm’s “sucky” Autofocus are related, if you ask me, and it’s something that we can all be susceptible to. But, again, I’m not a psychologist and offer no professional advice on this.

While I believe a significant amount of the outrage can be attributed to that hysteria, there are real issues that should be discussed rationally. Something that I find interesting is that for the first five or six years of this blog, Fujifilm’s Autofocus was not a big issue whatsoever. It wasn’t a hot topic. What changed? I think it was Fujifilm’s enticement of Canikony brand photographers. I think many of the complaints are by people who used to shoot Canikony brand cameras—particularly Canon and Sony—and when they switched to Fujifilm over the last couple of years, they were disappointed by Fujifilm’s Autofocus system. It’s not as good as those found on Canikony models, especially Canon and Sony.

*Hit* – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Fujichrome Sensia 100 Recipe

There are three reasons why Canikony cameras have better Autofocus than Fujifilm. First, they’ve been doing it for much longer. Sony (through Konica and Minolta) have been making Autofocus cameras since the 1970’s, and had what was considered the first “good” AF system (not good compared to what we have today, but good for back then) with the Minolta Maxxum in the mid-1980’s; Canon and Nikon both introduced their first Autofocus cameras in the 1980’s. Second, Canikony brands have had significantly more R&D money to invest in their Autofocus systems. Finally, as PetaPixel pointed out, the Canikony brands over the last handful of years have spent very little effort on image quality improvements, while placing much of their efforts on Autofocus improvements, and in some specific cases, actually to the detriment of image quality (a path that I do not want Fujifilm to pursue, personally). Most of the Canikony cameras that Fujifilm models are often compared to are also significantly more expensive, and usually larger and heavier.

Anyone who expects Fujifilm’s Autofocus to be at the same level as the Canikony brands have not put much thought into it. Still, it’s surprising to me, considering the disadvantages that Fujifilm has faced, that they’re not very far behind, either. Fujifilm’s Autofocus is by far more than good enough for most people and situations, including for the many professional photographers who use these cameras each day even under difficult circumstances. In preparation for this article, I reached out to five highly talented and successful photographers/videographers who use Fujifilm—people I met in person this year while traveling across America—and asked if they find Fujifilm’s Autofocus “lacking” or “detrimental” to their work. All five answered no; one added a caveat that for a specific use-case this person prefers their Sony model—they could do it with their Fujifilm, but it’s a little easier on their Sony, so for that particular situation this person doesn’t use Fujifilm.

Photography has been around for a very long time. It didn’t begin two, five, or ten years ago. People have been capturing amazing photographs for well over 100 years. If you were to grab a Fujifilm X-T5, jump into a DeLorean, and travel back in time just 20 years, you’d blow away the photographers of that era with what would seem like to them impossible camera technology. Yet the photographs captured today are no more impressive than than they were then. Camera gear has advanced tremendously over the last two decades, but the great photographs from today are no more great than they were 30, 40, 50, etc., etc., years ago. I love finding vintage photography magazines and admiring the incredible photographs captured on significantly inferior gear than what we have readily available today—we’re so spoiled!

In other words, if they could do it on their lesser gear, you can do it on your greater gear. No excuses. Fujifilm’s Autofocus is really good, especially compared to what existed over the last handful of decades. No, not quite as good as the Canikony brands are right now, but really good nonetheless. The negativity just never made sense to me. It’s like complaining that a Corvette isn’t a Maserati, and calling the Corvette garbage because it isn’t more like a Maserati. If you want a Maserati, buy a Maserati! Otherwise, appreciate that you have a Corvette.

*Midair* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X100VI – Appalachian Negative Recipe

Many years ago I was given this advice: Either you are controlling your camera, or your camera is controlling you. I think that a lot of people allow their cameras to control them, which might typically work out fine because the current tech is so advanced, but, when it doesn’t work out, it’s an easy scapegoat to blame the gear instead of looking inward. Without self reflection, you are robbing yourself of the opportunity to learn and grow. Your gear is only a limitation if you allow it to be, and if you don’t allow it, then it’s no issue whatsoever. That might require learning some new skills or sharpening some skills that you already have but could be improved upon.

A lot of people don’t like that advice, but it is completely true. You have it within you to not allow any limitations on any gear get in the way of creating whatever it is that you want to create. The difference between those that are having a ton of success with their Fujifilm gear and those complaining about it saying they can’t is the person holding the camera, and not the camera itself. I get it: it’s much easier to blame the gear. But, if you blame the gear instead of yourself, your camera is controlling you, and you will not improve—that success will be elusive.

All that I just said is the most important part of this article. You might disagree, and that’s ok. Sometimes the truth hurts. It might be a bitter pill that you were not ready to swallow. I didn’t say anything that’s not true; perhaps it is deserving of a second read-through, and with an open mind. With all that said, there are some other things that are important to address.

I think a good deal of the negative attention regarding Fujifilm’s Autofocus issues came after Fujifilm released a firmware update earlier this year with an Autofocus bug. I didn’t experience the issue caused by that firmware personally because I always wait awhile to update the firmware. This is a good idea regardless of camera brand. Sometimes there are bugs, and sometimes the bugs are significant. If you wait a week or two, if there is some major bug, it should be well known by then—if so, just skip that firmware and wait for the next one. Fujifilm did fix that Autofocus bug; however, to a much smaller degree there is still some AF problem that seems to only affect certain use cases. It’s my understanding that Fujifilm is aware of it and working on a solution. It will get resolved, just give it a little time.

*Horses on Allen Street* – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Nostalgic Americana Recipe

As Fujifilm has grown, I think one department that may not have upscaled enough is the one that is in charge of firmware. Perhaps Fujifilm needs to add a couple more to the team, or maybe they have already and are experiencing some growing pains as new folks are brought in (or combination of the two). From my perspective, it just seems that this team is stretched a little too thin and needs more resources to allow them to keep up. My advice to Fujifilm is simply to invest more in the team that is in charge of firmware, as I’m certain it will pay off in the long run. A lot of negative attention today could have been avoided had this team been given all of the necessary resources a couple years back.

The remaining Autofocus woes are related to hardware and settings. It could be that you are not using the best lenses, or don’t have your camera settings programmed optimally.

Fujifilm’s older lenses are slower. The newer options with a Linear Motor (designated with “LM” in the lens name) are often the fastest. The larger and heavier the glass elements, the slower the AF will likely be. In other words, there’s a pretty significant performance difference depending on the lens that you have on your camera. Use the right lenses and you’ll have more success; however, for most people and circumstances, all of the lenses are plenty good enough—this is more for those who demand peak performance for their situation. Also, ensure that the lens firmware is up-to-date, not just the camera—this might resolve it for you, so it is worth looking into.

Fujifilm cameras have a lot of customizable fine-tuning options for Autofocus (especially on the newer models); if those settings are optimized for your situation, you will have much success, but if not, you may have more “misses” than you’d like. There are resources online that can help you find the right AF settings for you—it’s a very individual type of thing, so what works for one person may not for another; I recommend that you look for advice from multiple sources, and experiment—try different settings and see what happens. Also, I have found that several complaints were resolved with one specific thing: Release/Focus Priority should be set to Focus and not Release. I have a feeling that this one setting is the root of many people’s AF woes.

*Political Skateboarder* – Nashville, TN – Fujifilm X-T50 – Kodak Film Recipes

In my opinion, Fujifilm’s Autofocus problems have been significantly overblown—Mount Everest has been made out of an ant hill. The internet has spread hysteria. Some people have unrealistic expectations. For others its user-error, and could be resolved with a little effort. Blaming the camera is easy to do, but it stifles your growth. Control your camera, don’t let it control you. Many people have the same exact gear as you do and they do not experience your issues. It’s not the camera—it has never been the camera, and it never will be the camera. Your gear is much more than capable. As Ansel Adams stated, “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” You have it within you to not allow it to adversely affect you, but it might require some practice or learning new skills. That’s not a message that people usually want to hear, but it’s one that needs to be said. If you require optimized peak Autofocus performance, make sure that you are using the right lenses and have the best settings selected for your situation. For Fujifilm: provide more resources to the firmware team so that they can ensure they are not producing buggy updates (by the way, this is not an issue unique to Fujifilm by any stretch).

Please keep your comments civil. I know that chronic complainers, haters, and trolls will come out of the woodworks when an article like this is published. Unlike most websites, I don’t put up with that here. If you disagree, please be kind in your disagreement. I feel like this article needs to be published to counteract all the negativity that is much too prevalent across the internet. My hope is that—if you have experienced issues with Fujifilm’s Autofocus—you’ll be encouraged to create amazing content with the gear you own, because your camera is, in fact, more than capable just so long as the one using it is also capable (and you can be!). Excuses get in the way, but you don’t have to let them. That’s the message of this article.

Close Up with the Fujinon XF 30mm F/2.8 R LM WR Macro

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

Robert Capa famously stated, “If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” A macro lens, which allows you to focus more closely to the subject, takes this idea to an entirely new level. You can get extremely close! The smallest of details, which might normally be overlooked, can become the subject itself.

Fujifilm has three such lenses for the X-series: Fujinon XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro, Fujinon XF 60mm f/2.4 R Macro, and Fujinon XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro. The 80mm lens is the most premium of these, and is a must for anyone who is serious about macro photography on Fujifilm cameras. The 60mm lens isn’t technically a macro lens, as it doesn’t have 1:1 magnification, but it is near-enough to be designated as such; it is an older Fujinon model, and not as sharp or quick as the others. The 30mm lens is the latest macro offering by Fujifilm, giving close-focus capability to a very useful focal length.

MPB is the sponsor of this article. They loaned me a Fujinon XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro lens to try out for a couple of weeks. For those who don’t know, MPB is an online platform where you can buy, sell, or trade used photo and video gear. “At MPB, there’s something for everyone who wants to try something new, hone their skills, or pursue their passion—and it won’t cost the earth.” If you’re in the market for used camera gear, be sure to check out their platform—you can learn more about MPB here. Thank you, MPB, for making this article possible!

Normally, macro lenses are telephoto, such as the Fujinon 80mm f/2.8, because otherwise the lens might get too close and disturb the subject—either by scaring the subject away (if it’s an insect or animal) or by casting a shadow on it. The 30mm focal length is 45mm full-frame-equivalent on Fujifilm X-series cameras, and is a “normal” field-of-view for photography—essentially, a nifty-fifty; however, it is not the most practical choice for macro photography. In fact, you may want to remove the lens hood for up-close pictures, because it can get in the way. While I found the lens to be somewhat challenging for macro images, the fact that it doubles as a standard focal-length lens—not too dissimilar from the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 or Fujinon 35mm f/2—means that it’s great for everyday walk-around photography. That versatility is quite intriguing.

The downside of this lens compared to the 27mm f/2.8 or 35mm f/2 is that the 30mm f/2.8 Macro is much larger (0.9″ and 1.8″ long compared to 2.75″ without the hood and 3.75″ with the hood, respectively). It is quite compact and lightweight for what it is, but if you’re looking for an everyday carry option, this isn’t quite as small as those. If macro or near-macro photography is of interest to you, this is an excellent lens to own; otherwise, you might better appreciate some of the other options.

Macro lenses are often extremely sharp because the nature of their work demands it, but the downside is that they are often slow. Not only do they typically have smaller maximum apertures, but they are almost always a bit slower to focus, since they have such a large range to cycle through. The Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro is indeed very sharp and largely free of any optical flaws, and definitely lives up to the Fujinon reputation. Surprising to me, it is also quite quick to find and lock focus, which is somewhat unusual for a macro lens. From a technical point-of-view, there’s a lot to be impressed with.

For someone wanting to get into macro photography (or if you are already into macro photography, but are switching to Fujifilm from another brand), I would highly recommend starting with the Fujinon 80mm f/2.8. The Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 is an excellent complimentary option for when you need something less telephoto and/or bulky, but in my opinion it shouldn’t be your first or main macro lens. For someone who’s not really into macro photography per se, but would like to sometimes get closer to their subjects, and is also interested in a solid everyday-carry option, this lens will do the trick very well.

Getting closer to your subject to improve your photography has been common advice for over 75 years now, and I think there is just as much truth to it today as when Robert Capa first coined it in the 1940’s. Perhaps macro photography takes it more literally than Capa had intended, and certainly merely getting closer isn’t a cure-all fix to uninspired images. With that said, I do believe that lenses like the Fujinon XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro provide the opportunity to grow as a photographer, and certainly the challenge of using it effectively will improve ones photography over time. So, yeah, if your pictures aren’t good enough, maybe it’s because you’re not close enough, and this lens will allow you to get much closer.

Photographs I captured using the Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro lens on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro + Expired Velvia Recipe*

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro + Astia Summer Recipe*

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro + Classic Color Recipe*

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro + Pacific Blues Recipe*

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro + Fujicolor 100 Gold Recipe*

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro + Monochrome Negative Recipe*

Previously in this series:
Fujifilm X-Pro2 — The camera that got away (again)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 23mm F/2 = Interchangeable-Lens Fujifilm X100VI??
Leica Q2 from the perspective of a Fujifilm photographer
Fujifilm X30 — Fujifilm’s Forgotten Retro Compact Zoom

Up next: Traveling Light with the Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-100 II & TCL-100 II Conversion Lenses

FREE Photowalks in Texas and New York City!!

Posted on September 22, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Pushed Analog Recipe*

This is going to be a busy fall! I have a lot of upcoming things in the works, and I cannot wait to share them all with you. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks I can announce everything. As soon as I can, I’ll be sure to post about it on Fuji X Weekly.

There are two very exciting events that are just around the corner. Both are don’t-miss opportunities for you. If you live in Texas, I hope to see you at Fujifilm’s Create With Us next week in Austin. If you live anywhere near New York City, be sure to come to the NAB Show in October. Both will be epic! You need to be registered, so be sure to sign up ASAP, because space is limited.

Fujifilm Create With Us in Austin — September 28th

Join me in Austin, Texas, on September 28th—that’s next week! I will be co-leading two photowalks with Fred Agho, one at 1:30 PM and the other at 4:30 PM, as a part of Fujifilm’s Create With Us event. If you live in Austin—or are within driving distance of Austin—this is an event that you won’t want to miss!

This will be an epic day of learning, creating, networking, and more! You must be registered to attend. Space is limited, so don’t procrastinate—sign up today! I believe that the photowalks have been fully booked, but you can be placed on a backup list in case someone doesn’t show. I hope to see you in Austin next week!

NAB Show NYC — October 9th & 10th

*Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Superia Negative Recipe*

I will be at the NAB Show in New York City on October 9th and 10th, leading three free photowalks. These photowalks will be small groups, meaning that there will be tons of opportunity for one-on-one conversations. This is a teaching opportunity—I’m there to help you—so bring whatever questions you might have, and I’ll make it as informative and educational as I can. The photowalks will take place in the vicinity of the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Midtown West Manhattan.

Fujifilm will be offering “an immersive journey into the world of photography and videography.” As a part of this, there will be 24 photowalks hosted by a variety of extraordinarily talented creators. Seriously, I would love to attend all of these photowalks myself—this is a don’t-miss opportunity!

I will be leading three photowalks: October 9th at 11:15 AM, October 9th at 2:45 PM, and October 10th at 11:45 AM (note: these were pushed out 45 minutes from their original times). The theme of my photowalks are Straight Out of Camera—we’re going to “put the legendary Fujifilm colors to the test and learn to craft polished images in-camera to streamline your process.” Basically, we’re going to use various Film Simulation Recipes to photograph New York City. Bring your favorite Fujifilm camera; also, this will be an opportunity to get hands-on with some of the latest X-series gear, so bring a spare SD card.

The themes of the other photowalks are Video Visuals, Camera-to-Cloud, Film Simulations, Couples Portraiture, Street Photography, and Social Reels. These photowalks are free; however, you must preregister for the photowalk that you want to attend, and also be registered for NAB. Those of you who live in the NYC area will want to come for certain. Spaces are very limited, so don’t procrastinate—sign up today!

Three Unsung Film Simulation Recipes to Try Today!

Posted on September 20, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Hibiscus Bloom* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Astia Summer

There are popular Film Simulation Recipes that it seems everyone is using, and there are ones that don’t get nearly as much attention. The majority of the most popular Recipes use the Classic Chrome film simulation, so those that aren’t based on Classic Chrome tend to get less use. There are some excellent options that can get overlooked, and in this article I will highlight three specific ones that perhaps you’ve never tried.

This was actually the topic of yesterday’s SOOC Live broadcast, which I included below in case you missed it. Nathalie Boucry and I spent the first part of the show catching up on all that transpired since our last episode, and then spent the second half discussing three unsung Recipes: Astia Summer, Expired Velvia, and Monochrome Negative. Be sure to watch it now if you weren’t able to catch it when it was live.

With over 350 Film Simulation Recipes on Fuji X Weekly and in the Fuji X Weekly App (available for Apple and Android), it can be difficult to know which ones to program into your camera. Which ones should you choose and when should you use them? Some people enjoy trying them all, others have found their favorites, and some are not sure where to even begin. This article is simply highlighting three to try if you’re not sure which Recipes to use.

Below are three unsung Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras. I hope that you give at least one of them a try today!

Astia Summer

*Red Spikes* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Becoming Purple* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Brightly Colored* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

Astia Summer is one of the 14 Fujifilm X-T50 Film Dial Recipes. My Film Dial Recipe is a universal Recipe that works well with all of the various film simulations. While the universal Recipe approach is easier on the X-T50 thanks to the Film Dial, it can be done with any Fujifilm camera simply by setting one of the FN buttons to open the film simulation submenu. By programming the Astia Summer Recipe into your camera, you potentially unlock as many as 14 Recipes in total—amazing!

What I like about the Astia Summer Recipe is that it is colorful and warm. While it’s not intended to mimic any film emulsion, it does have some vague similarities to Kodak Ektar 100, but it isn’t necessarily a great match for that. This Recipe is excellent for landscape photography, especially in situations where Velvia is too vibrant. While Astia in general can be quite good for portrait photography, Astia Summer is probably just a tad too vibrant for portraits. This Recipe is quite versatile, and can be used anytime of the day or night. It is compatible with all of the fifth-generation models, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, and X-T50; also, it is compatible with the “newer” X-Trans IV cameras: X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II.

Expired Velvia

*Vintage Roses* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Tiny Purple Blossoms* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Unripe Lemon* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

The Expired Velvia Recipe uses Classic Negative and not Velvia. Why? Someone shot a roll of Fujichrome Velvia 50 film that was well-expired, and shared with me their scans of the film; interestingly, it looked very similar to Classic Negative, and not Velvia. This Recipe mimics those film scans very well, producing a convincing analog-like rendering. Aside from resembling expired Velvia film, this Recipe might also be reminiscent of some cross-processed emulsions or even old photographic prints from 1980’s. It’s definitely more of a lomo look, and is not true-to-life.

For best results, use this Film Simulation Recipe in sunny daylight. It might be ok in other situations, too, but definitely try it when the sun is out. You will likely have to underexpose a little, paying careful attention not to clip the highlight. The Expired Velvia Recipe is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras (except the X-T3 and X-T30) and all X-Trans V models, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, and X-T50.

Monochrome Negative

*Boxwood* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Oleander Flower Blossom* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Sago Palm Frond* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

Monochrome Negative is a lovely black-and-white Recipe with similarities to Agfa Scala, but a little softer. It has good contrast and nice tonality. Be very careful with the exposure, as highlights can clip easily—there’s a good chance your Exposure Compensation Dial will be set at -2/3 or even -1.

There are a number of excellent B&W Recipes, and it can be difficult to know which one to choose. They can seem quite similar, too, which might make it even more difficult. My personal favorite is Kodak Tri-X 400, but Monochrome Negative is also an excellent choice. Because it uses Grain size Small, Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue Off, and Clarity 0 (no Clarity pause!), it is highly compatible across sensor generations—simply ignore the settings that your camera doesn’t have. Monochrome Negative can be used on all X-Trans III, IV and V models, which (as of this writing) are the X-Pro2, X-T2, X-T20, X100F, X-E3, X-H1, X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, and X-T50.

Which Film Simulation Recipes, When? — Part 1: X-Trans V (2024 Edition)

Posted on September 19, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Dumbo Crowd* – Brooklyn, New York City, NY – Fujifilm X-T50 – Reala Ace Recipe

Part 2 (X-Trans IV) – Part 3 (X-T3/X-T30)

*Red Rock at Sundown* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T50 – Reala Ace Recipe

The premise of the original series is that Jason Kummerfeldt of Grainydays, a YouTube channel about film photography, gave some advice on when to use which film emulsion in a video entitled Which Film Stock, When? Since film choice is such a personal thing, how do you say when to use which? It’s the same thing for Film Simulation Recipes. His solution was simply to demonstrate what he uses and state what he likes, and maybe you’ll like it too. In my series, I copied that approach for Recipes—I told you my preferences, and invited you to try them too. We’re going to follow that same formula for this update with just a small twist, which I think makes a little more sense.

Below are seven Recipe suggestions for you to program into C1-C7 on your Fujifilm camera, with advice on when to use each. Since Recipes are (for the most part) generationally specific, each article will cover a different group of cameras. Part 1 is X-Trans V models, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, and X-T50. You can use these Recipes on the latest GFX cameras; however, they will render slightly differently (try them anyway).

C1 — Kodak Portra 400 v2 — Sunny Daylight #1

*Motor Hotel* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Portra 400 v2

Some alternatives to consider:
Kodachrome 64
Kodak Gold 200
Classic Kodak
Kodak Negative
Nostalgic Americana

C2 — Vibrant Arizona — Sunny Daylight #2

*Arizona Barn* – Sedona, Arizona – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vibrant Arizona

I like to reserve C2 for bright midday photography. The old rule of thumb was once the sun was high in the sky, it’s time to put the camera away. While Vibrant Arizona can be used anytime the sun is out (also, try it at dusk and dawn), it is my favorite option for middle-of-the-day situations, and proves the old adage wrong.

Some alternatives to consider:
1970’s Summer
California Summer
Kodak Portra 800 v3
Kodak Portra 160 v2
Kodak Vericolor Warm

C3 — Fujicolor Film — Sunny Daylight #3

*Rainbows over Philly* – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI – Fujicolor Film

This is a good spot to have an alternative aesthetic compared to C1 and C2—as I don’t think you’d want to have all three up to this point to be essentially similar—and the Fujicolor Film Recipe provides exactly that. With the ones I’ve suggested, you’ve got a good set for all sorts of daylight situations no matter your subject.

Some alternatives to consider:
Fujicolor Reala 100
Fujicolor Superia 100
Fujicolor Natura 1600
Pushed Analog
Kodak Vision3 250D v2

C4 — Pacific Blues — Overcast

*Wet Leaves* – Tannersville, NY – Fujifilm X-T50 – Pacific Blues Recipe

Some alternatives to consider:
Kodak Ultramax 400
PRO Negative 160C
Emulsion ’86
Thommy’s Ektachrome
Superia Xtra 400

C5 — Reala Ace — Versatility

*Mountain Pines at Sunset* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Reala Ace

I like to have at least one Recipe programmed into my camera that’s highly versatile and can be used no matter the situation. There are several excellent options, but my personal favorite is the Reala Ace Recipe (which, incidentally, uses Classic Negative and not the new Reala Ace film sim).

Some alternatives to consider:
Fujicolor Super HG v2
Nostalgia Negative
Timeless Negative
Easy Reala Ace
1976 Kodak

C6 — CineStill 800T — Nighttime

*Quiet Corner* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – CineStill 800T

Some alternatives to consider:
Pushed CineStill 800T
Fluorescent Night
Expired ECN-2 100T
Agfa Ultra 100 v2
Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1

C7 — Kodak Tri-X 400 — B&W

*Frank* – Hoboken, NJ – Fujifilm X-T50 – Kodak Tri-X 400

I love black-and-white photography. As far as Recipes go, the monochrome options tend to be less popular than color; however, my favorite Recipe—and the one that I choose if I could only ever photograph with one—is Kodak Tri-X 400.

Some alternatives to consider:
Kodak T-Max P3200
Ilford FP4 Plus 125
Ilford HP5 Plus 400
Monochrome Negative
Kentmere Pan 400

IQ — X-T50 Film Dial — Bonus

*Oysters & Seafood* – Denver, CO – Fujifilm X-T50 – Film Dial “Cinematic Film”

Whether or not you have a Fujifilm X-T50, you can program the universal Film Dial Recipe into your IQ Menu as a bonus option (explained here). With the X-T50, the Film Dial allows you to achieve up to 12 different looks (essentially 12 bonus Recipes); with other cameras, program one of the FN buttons to activate the Film Simulation submenu, and you can achieve up to 14 different looks (14 bonus Recipes). This adds a ton of versatility to your camera.

Find these Film Simulation Recipes in the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Part 2 (X-Trans IV)

Fujicolor Film — Fujifilm X100VI (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on September 18, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Rainbows over Philly* – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI – Fujicolor Film Recipe

As a part of the Philadelphia photowalk that I co-led last month, I gave a presentation at Unique Photo on Fujifilm’s Film Simulations and my Film Simulation Recipes. While I was researching for that presentation, I came across a statement by Fujifilm where they dubbed the new Reala Ace film sim as “a negative for the new era.” That slogan—negative for the new era—caught my imagination, and made me consider what it might mean, and how that could translate into a Recipe aesthetic.

Fujifilm claims that the Reala Ace film simulation is modeled after the Reala Ace 100 color negative film, which was a variant of Fujicolor Superia Reala 100 that was only sold in Japan; however, I believe that is more marketing than reality. The emulsion that the Reala Ace film sim is the most similar to is Fujicolor PRO 160C. In my opinion, Fujifilm should have called it PRO Neg. C, as it is clearly in the same family as PRO Neg. Std and PRO Neg. Hi, and is not a Superia aesthetic, which is what the Classic Negative film simulation mimics. But, either way, the Reala Ace film simulation is quite nice, and definitely has a color negative film quality to it.

*Saltwater Marsh* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI – Fujicolor Film Recipe

Prior to making this Fujicolor Film Recipe, I pulled out a photobox from my closet, and begin sorting through some of my prints from 15-20 years ago that I knew I had captured using a Fujicolor negative film. All of them were printed on Crystal Archive paper at Ritz camera. While I used those pictures to help create this Recipe, I didn’t try to closely copy any specific aesthetic, but was more just generally inspired by those prints. Later, I dug out the negatives (stored in a different box), and I was a little surprised by what films were actually used for those photos: Fujicolor PRO 160S, Fujicolor NPS 160, Fujicolor PRO 400H, Fujicolor Superia Reala 100, Fujicolor Superia 100, and Kodak Gold 100 (oops… I guess I got that one wrong).

I would describe this new Fujicolor Film Recipe as generally similar to a Fujicolor negative film printed on Fujicolor Crystal Archive paper. It’s true-to-life, and not particularly punchy. It definitely has the right feel for printed Fujicolor PRO 160S, although it’s not specifically closely modeled after that—it’s more of a happy accident than on purpose; however, it was inspired in part by that emulsion, so it shouldn’t be too surprising.

*Palm & Blue Sky* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – Fujicolor Film Recipe

This Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation Fujifilm X-series cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, and X-T50 cameras. You can also use it on the latest GFX models; however, it will render slightly different (try it anyway). For best results, use in sunny daylight; however, as you can see from the photos in this article, it can be used in a variety of light conditions. It is intended to be your Fujicolor “negative” for the new era.

Film Simulation: Reala Ace
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak
White Balance: 5500K, -1 Red & -1 Blue
Highlight: -1
Shadow: -0.5
Color: -2
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Fujicolor Film” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X100VI:

*Floating on the Ocean* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*New York* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Happiness is a Beach* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Yankees Girl* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Low Tide* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Salt Pond* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Atlantic Through Trees* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Clothes Pins* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Sunstar & Clothesline* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Chimney* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Cape Cod Bay House* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Garden Flowers* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Bunches of Blossoms* – Plymouth, MA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Yellow Blo*oms – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Independence* – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Independence Hall* – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Sky Rainbow* – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Carrabba’s Twice* – Maple Shade, NJ – Fujifilm X100VI

*Fruitstand* – Hoboken, NJ – Fujifilm X100VI

*Firetrucks* – Hoboken, NJ – Fujifilm X100VI

*Black Bike* – Jersey City, NJ – Fujifilm X100VI

*Don’t Walk* – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI

*Yankees Stadium* – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X100VI in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

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.

Shooting Fujifilm Instax with a 108-year-old Kodak camera

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

Photo by Dan Allen.

The below article is by Dan Allen. You might recall that Dan invented the Kentmere Pan 400 Film Simulation Recipe (and more coming soon), and had a helping hand in the Vintage Bronze, Ilford FP4 Plus 125, and Ektachrome E100 Recipes.

What I love about Dan’s project is that it repurposes beautiful antique cameras with modern instant film, and even incorporates Fujifilm’s X-series. It’s a poetic melting pot of old and new to create fascinating art that is simultaneously vintage and modern.

I know that you are going to appreciate this post, and perhaps even be inspired to try it for yourself. Thank you, Dan, for sharing your project with us—it is such an honor to publish this story!

Take it away, Dan!

Photo by Dan Allen.

I grew up in the golden age of film photography. I was a kid during the 1980’s, and lived in Rochester, New York—the home of Kodak. Film photography and cameras were interwoven into the very fabric of our local culture. Everyone in our city had at least one or two family members that worked for the big yellow box. At its peak, Kodak employed more than 60,000 people locally. We were the center of the photographic universe. What could possibly go wrong?

Enter Fujifilm.

In the 1980’s, Fuji became a direct competitor to Kodak in the U.S. film market. They slowly cut into Kodak’s market share, and in my eyes as a kid, they were the enemy. It was a mortal sin to even think about shooting a roll of Fuji’s film. Given the title of this post, I think you can see where I am going with this.

My interest in creative photography started as a young kid and continued through high school, where I first learned how to develop film and make a print in the darkroom. Cameras took a backseat as I focused on college, then a career in engineering, and started a family. Basically, photography stopped after graduating high school. Fast forward to Covid-19 lockdowns, which is when I discovered Ritchie’s Fuji X Weekly website. I was enamored with his Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe. I couldn’t believe those Kodak looking pictures were produced on a modern (yet retro looking) Fujifilm digital camera. It made all of those photographic childhood memories come rushing back. Soon after, I bought my first Fujifilm: an X-T3.

Photos by Dan Allen.

I quickly became a Fuji X Weekly film sim junkie, trying out each possible combination my camera could handle. The Kodak-based recipes were my favorite, though. At some point, I realized it was possible for Kodak and Fujifilm to be in the same room together!

In 2022, I decided to pick up the only working film camera I owned, a Canon Rebel with a nifty-fifty. I shot a roll of Kodak Ultramax and brought it to the local film lab. The circle of photography was now complete—I was right back where I left off, and it felt like home. From this point forward, I adopted a mixed photographic workflow, often carrying one film camera and one Fujifilm digital. I liked the convenience of Ritchie’s “no edit” Recipes, but I also enjoyed the unique challenges inherent to the analog film photography I grew up with. It was truly the best of both worlds.

As most photographers do, I caught a bad case of Gear Acquisition Syndrome (G.A.S.). I started buying vintage film cameras from thrift stores and yard sales. The older Kodak cameras from the early 1900s really caught my eye, especially the ones that were made right here in Rochester.

Twenty or so film cameras later, I stumbled across a 1916 Kodak Vest Pocket Autographic for $40. This was known as the “Soldier’s Kodak” during World War I, and was marketed to troops going overseas to document their trip. It really was a pocketable camera, not much bigger than a deck of playing cards. It was the Fujifilm X70 of the early 1900’s!

Photo by Dan Allen.

The Vest Pocket Autographic takes 127 roll film, which Kokak introduced in 1912 and manufactured until 1995. The negative size is roughly 44mm x 66mm, and is quite a bit bigger than a 24mm x 36mm negative from a full-frame 35mm camera. When the Vest Pocket arrived I gave it a good cleaning, and was able to get the shutter to fire. It has speeds of 1/25 and 1/50, and an apertures marked with 1, 2, 3, and 4—these aperture values equate to f/11, f/16, f/22, and f/32. It has a unique design, as the lens is mounted behind the shutter and aperture. This protected the lens from scratches; the optics on mine were in great shape. Everything on the camera appeared to be fully functional. All I needed now was some 127 film!

There are a few places that make 127 film by cutting down modern 120 film. I was able to find ReraPan 400 in 127 size from B&H Photo and placed an order. While I was waiting for the 127 film to be delivered, I happened to look at a few Fuji Instax Mini prints sitting on my desk. I thought, Hey, that looks like it would fit perfectly inside the Kodak Vest Pocket Autographic! Sure enough, it was almost a perfect match at 46mm x 62mm. The light bulbs were going off in my head. Could I really shoot Fujifilm Instax film in a 108 year old Kodak camera? Spoiler alert. YES!

I went outside and made my first test shot and it turned out great. The exposure was spot on, and the image looked to be in focus. Somehow this kid from the 1980’s that grew up in Kodakville had resurrected an 108-year-old World War I Kodak camera using modern Fujifilm Instax film. I wonder what George Eastman would think of this combination?

I bet you are wondering… can I shoot Instax in my grandpa’s old camera? Keep reading and I will detail the technical process below.

Photos by Dan Allen.

I must warn you, though: if you continue reading, you may find yourself going down a photographic rabbit hole from which there is no returning. The fact is that you can shoot Instax film in almost any vintage camera, so long as it fits in the back, and the camera doesn’t have a focal plane shutter that moves near where the film is (think Canon AE-1). I’m afraid that you may damage the shutter if the Instax print were to come in contact with any moving part of the camera; however, most rangefinder, folding, and TLR style cameras with a leaf shutter inside the lens should work fine.

This process requires two things: a film changing dark bag that you can buy for $30 or less, and an analog Fujifilm Instax camera, such as the Instax Mini 12 or similar model. Here is a general outline of how it works:

Test fit a sheet of Instax Mini, Square, or Wide film in your vintage film camera to see which size works best. Instax Mini is the size that fits into the Kodak Vest Pocket Autographic.
Load a fresh pack of film into your analog Instax camera. Note: any of the Instax cameras that have a “digital” image component like the Mini Evo will not work.
Fire the shutter to eject the dark slide from the Instax film pack.
Place both the vintage camera and analog Instax camera into the film changing dark bag, and zip it shut so it’s light tight. Don’t forget to remove any smart watches that could possibly light up and expose the film.
Stick your hands inside the film changing dark bag and open the back cover of the Instax camera. Be very careful to avoid turning on the Instax camera by accident. Some of them have lights which could expose the film.
Remove the Instax film cartridge pack. Slide one sheet out, then put the cartridge back in the Instax camera and close the back door.
Open the vintage film camera and insert the single Instax sheet and align it where the film would normally get exposed. Remember, Instax film exposes from the back not the front, so you have to face the dark back of the Instax sheet towards what you want to photograph. If the Instax sheet is loose or has a big size difference, you may need to tape it in place, or make a mask out of construction paper so that you can tape the Instax sheet to it. You do not want the Instax sheet sliding around inside the camera.
Close up the vintage film camera and remove it from the film changing dark bag.

Instax film has an ISO speed of 800. When you expose your picture, you will need to take a light meter reading. If you don’t have a light meter, you can use an app on your smartphone, or even use your Fujifilm camera with the ISO dial set to 800. Once you get your light meter reading, if the shutter speed is faster than the maximum shutter speed of your camera, you may need to use an ND filter to reduce the light. When I used the Vest Pocket Autographic camera, I needed to hold a 3 stop ND filter over the lens in bright sun.

Photos by Dan Allen.

Once you have exposed your Instax sheet:

Put the vintage camera and Instax camera back in the film changing dark bag and zip it up so it is light tight again.
Remove the Instax sheet from your film camera and set it aside.
Open the back of the Instax camera and remove the film cartridge.
Insert the exposed Instax sheet into the film cartridge, then put the cartridge back into the Instax camera and close the back door. For this to work, you must put the exposed frame back into the film cartridge, and it must be in the same way that it was removed, and as the first sheet.
Remove both cameras from the dark bag.
Fire the shutter on the Instax camera with your hand or something else dark to cover the lens. Instax film starts the development process when it is ejected from the camera.

The first time I tried this, I wasted a few frames of Instax film on purpose by pulling out the cartridge in daylight when I had about three shots left. This let me practice the entire procedure in the light where I could see what I was doing. It is not difficult to do, but remember: once it is inside the film changing dark bag, you will be doing the entire process by feel only, so it is best to practice several times with some ruined sheets in daylight, until you get the hang of it.

Photos by Dan Allen.

If you made it this far, you are officially a camera nerd. Now go out and shoot some Instax film in a vintage camera! Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram with questions at @dan.allen.photo. I use my Fujifilm X-T5 with a Fujinon 30mm Macro lens to digitally “scan” the Instax prints, which really makes it all come full circle.

A special thanks to Ritchie at Fuji X Weekly for inspiring me to get my first Fujifilm camera, and introducing me to the amazing Film Simulation Recipe community.

P.S. This Instax film process works with homemade pinhole cameras too!

How Photographers are Using Recipes (it might surprise you)

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

The new Film Dial on the Fujifilm X-T50 has become one of the most controversial features ever included on a Fujifilm camera. There’s been a lot of hate for it expressed on the internet. There seems to be two camps who dislike it: those who shoot RAW, and those who use Film Simulation Recipes. I believe that the Film Dial has been largely misunderstood, and that it will become more appreciated over time.

The RAW-only group dislikes the Film Dial because they don’t care much for in-camera film simulations. Some will say that they don’t use film simulations at all (of course, they say this while using Provia… film simulations cannot be disabled, so they’re always using one…), and some will say that they apply the film simulations in-post using Lightroom or Capture One, and not in-camera. For this group, the Film Dial is a complete waste of space, they say.

The Film Simulation Recipe group dislikes the Film Dial because you cannot program it with Recipes; it only changes the film simulation and nothing else. They would prefer that each “film” on the Dial could be custom set as a Recipe. That would be really cool, actually, and think that’s a great idea—maybe Fujifilm could do it in the future. Also, a C1-C7 Dial (or increase it to 10 or 12 or more) would have been most ideal. Still, the Film Dial can be useful for this group by utilizing a “universal Recipe” technique, which I used extensively in August traveling across the country. So I think there are two parts to this: 1) a frustration that it could have been implemented better, and 2) not fully realizing the potential that it does have in its current iteration. Nothing can be done about the first point (aside from Fujifilm changing it either with a firmware update, or how it is implemented on future models), but for the second point its a matter of getting the word out—once people try my solution (or something similar… Reggie’s Portra works pretty well for this, too), I think it will be much more liked.

*Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + 1976 Kodak Recipe*

This year I’ve traveled quite a bit, and met hundreds of fellow Fujifilm photographers across the country, and even some from other countries. In doing so, I’ve learned that there are a variety of ways that people are using film simulations and Recipes. Some of these things I would have never even thought of. It’s truly amazing! I want to briefly share them with you.

The number one way that Film Simulation Recipes are being utilized is for straight-out-of-camera photography. This is how I use Recipes, personally, for my own pictures. Basically, the JPEG produced by the camera is the finished photo, aside from sometimes cropping/straightening and maybe some small/minor adjustments occasionally. This saves so much time, and can make the processes more enjoyable—I could list a whole bunch of benefits, but that’s not the point of this article. Straight-out-of-camera photography was once highly shunned by the photographic community at large, but now it is much more acceptable and common, and I believe that—as a pendulum swing response to years of over-editing and now AI—photography as a whole is moving in this direction; authenticity is a big buzzword right now. Another approach is to shoot RAW+JPEG and utilize X RAW Studio or the in-camera RAW reprocessing to change the Recipe after-the-fact.

Another way that people use Recipes is similar to above, just in-conjunction with more robust editing. The SOOC JPEG isn’t the end, it’s the starting point. Camera-made JPEGs have a lot more tolerance for manipulation than they used to, and a light-to-moderate amount of editing is perfectly ok. So the camera gets you a significant distance to the finished picture, and a little editing finishes the job. Sometimes this group will shoot RAW+JPEG and edit the RAW instead of the JPEG when faced with a challenging light situation.

*Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Kodak Tri-X 400*

Some people use Recipes, but they shoot RAW+JPEG and don’t usually utilize the camera-made JPEG. If a picture needs to be shared quickly, the JPEG is there, but otherwise the RAW is used. Since software can/will apply its version of its interpretation of some (but not all) of the JPEG data to the RAW file, the Recipe provides a shortcut to a finished RAW-edited picture. It shaves off a little time at the computer, while also producing a ready-to-share JPEG whenever that is needed.

A much less common use—which I was actually quite surprised by but it makes a lot of sense—is Recipes for pre-visualization. JPEGs are rarely or never used; instead, the Recipe allows the RAW photographer to get a better idea of what the finished picture will look like while in-the-field. Utilizing a Recipe that is similar to the photographer’s aesthetic, they can basically see the end result even before opening the shutter. It’s such a great tool for the RAW photographer, but it seems to be highly underutilized, likely because it just never occurred to most to try it.

One last method, which might surprise a lot of you, is the combination of RAW and JPEG photography. There’s an extraordinarily talented photographer (there’s a good chance you’ve seen his pictures) who told me that one of his techniques is to shoot RAW+JPEG with Recipes, edit the RAW file, then blend the SOOC JPEG overtop of the edited RAW. He told me that he does this because the camera-made JPEG has a certain quality or soul that can’t be replicated with RAW-editing and he doesn’t want to lose that, but he needs a certain level of control for his style of photography, and by combining the two, he has the best of both worlds. Amazing!

*Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm + Nostalgic Americana*

There’s no right or wrong way to use film simulations and Recipes, there’s only what works for you and your photography. It’s your art, so do it however you want to. My point, though, is that the Film Dial, which I suspect will make its way onto more Fujifilm cameras in the future, can actually be quite useful to both groups who have decried it. I think the potential has yet to be fully explored or understood.

I bring all of this up because Fujirumors posted an article entitled Reframing the Debate: Fujifilm Film Simulations as a RAW Photographer’s Ally and with the subtitle Stop Hating Film Simulations. This is my two cents. There was such a big (and generally unfair) stigma towards JPEGs for such a long time; since film simulations have been heavily associated with SOOC photography, some people look down on them and their use. They see it as being beneath them or for amateurs-only. In doing so, they might be overlooking something that could actually be much appreciated. So I think it’s important to bring awareness to how film simulations and Recipes are being used—perhaps they can be helpful to your photography, but maybe you’ve never tried or have never considered how they might be. My hope is that this article will be enlightening to some of you, and that someone reading this will give Film Simulations Recipes a try for the first time.

I have published over 350 Film Simulation Recipes here on the Fuji X Weekly website, which are also available in the Fuji X Weekly App, available for both Apple and Android. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support what I do.

10 Must Try X-Trans V Recipes for Nighttime Photography

Posted on September 13, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Travel by Train* – Denver, CO – Fujifilm X-T50 – Cinematic Film Recipe

Like film, the majority of Film Simulation Recipes are intended for daylight photography, and it can be difficult to know which ones are good for nighttime use. Once the sun goes down and the street lamps begin to glow, some of the Recipes that are great for sunny conditions won’t produce particularly good results. Which ones should you use instead? Well, I’ve got you covered!

In this article I have 10 Recipe suggestions for nighttime photography. Each exact lighting scenario is different, and everyone has their own unique style, so not all of these will necessarily be for everyone; however, if it’s after-dark, at least one of these 10 should work quite well for you. Also, there are a lot of other Recipes not in this list that could potentially give you good results—in other words, this is not comprehensive in the least; mostly, I just wanted to include a variety of options. Don’t be afraid to try a Recipe not in this list for night pictures, but, if you are at a loss for which one to use after-dark, try one of the options below.

Specifically, these are X-Trans V Recipes for the latest generation of Fujifilm X-series cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, and X-T50 cameras. Some have versions for older sensors. I would also like to point you to 10 Must Try Film Simulation Recipes for Night Photography, 8 Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes for Those Hot Summer Nights, and Which Film Simulation Recipes, When? If you don’t have a fifth-generation X-Trans camera, you are likely to find a good option in those articles. If you do have an X-Trans V model, check out the 10 Recipes in this list.

Cinematic Film

This is one of the 14 Film Dial Recipes made for the Fujifilm X-T50, but it’s not limited to use on that camera. It’s compatible with all fifth-generation models; for the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II, simply set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off. This is such an excellent Recipe for after-dark photography, and is at the top of my suggestion list for a reason. Also, many of the other Film Dial Recipes also do quite well at night, so don’t be afraid to try those, too.

CineStill 800T

This is another personal favorite for nighttime photography—in fact, it’s specifically intended for this purpose. There are also versions for X-Trans IV, X-Trans III, and X-Trans II cameras. This Recipe pairs especially well with a weak diffusion filter, such as a 5% or 10% CineBloom or 1/8 or 1/4 Pro Mist.

Pushed CineStill 800T

This version of CineStill 800T was actually intended for daytime photography, but works particularly well at night. It’s more of an alternative-process type rendering, but can be a lot of fun. There are also two versions for X-Trans IV cameras (here and here).

Fluorescent Night

Under the right lighting situation, this Recipe can look really good; however, it’s not necessarily a versatile nighttime option. It definitely needs artificial light, preferably some fluorescent tubes. You might love it, or you might not, but you won’t know until you try.

Agfa Ultra 100 v2

This Recipe is for sunny daylight, but I was quite surprised at some of my nighttime results. I don’t think it will be good for every after-dark situation, but it is certainly good for some, particularly blue-hour light.

Fujicolor Super HG v2

This is a versatile Recipe that works really well for nighttime photography. This is a great one just to always have programmed into your camera. There’s a version for X-Trans IV.

Reala Ace

This Recipe uses Classic Negative (not the new Reala Ace film sim). It’s very versatile, and as such works well for nighttime photography. It’s another Recipe that you can just always have programmed into your camera.

Easy Reala Ace

This Recipe uses the new Reala Ace film simulation. It’s not specifically intended for nighttime photography, but is versatile, and works quite well for it.

PRO Negative 160C

Another Reala Ace-based Recipe, and another that is great for night simply due to its versatility. As Fujifilm put it, Reala Ace is the “Negative for the new era.”

Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm

Like Cinematic Film at the top, this is one of the 14 Film Dial Recipes. Many of the Film Dial Recipes are great for nighttime photography—not just the two in this list—but some are better than others, and Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm is one of my personal favorites.

Bonus: Astia Azure

*Salt River & Mountain Reflection* – Mesa, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Astia Azure Recipe

Since I included two of the Film Dial Recipes in the Top 10, I thought that it would be more fair to add an 11th Recipe. Astia Azure is intended for sunny daylight photography, but I’ve had good luck with it after-dark, particularly in blue-hour light. This is currently a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, and is only available to App subscribers at this time; however, it will eventually be made available to everyone. It’s compatible with X-Trans V cameras, and some X-Trans IV models.

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-T50 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T50 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T50 in charcoal:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex
Fujifilm X-T5 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

Find these Film Simulation Recipes 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.

Fujifilm’s 7 Best Cameras

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

I get asked occasionally which Fujifilm cameras are the very best. Sometimes people want to jump into the Fujifilm system, but are unaware of which camera to buy; however, they know that they want the “best” model, whichever one that is. Of course, best is highly subjective—what is “best” for one person may not be for another. My list might look a lot different from another’s. This is simply my opinion as a long-time experienced Fujifilm photographer, so take it for what it’s worth, which might only be two pennies.

My list of Fujifilm’s seven best cameras is limited to X-series models. I’m not including GFX, Instax, Fujica, or anything else. I’m only discussing the APS-C line that Fujifilm introduced with the fixed-lens X100 in 2011, and the interchangeable-lens X-Pro1 in 2012. Those cameras and the ones introduced afterwards are the models being considered for this list.

Without any further delay, let’s get started!

#7: Fujifilm X70

The Fujifilm X70 is a fixed-lens X-Trans II camera that was released in 2016. It had a short sales-life because Sony suddenly discontinued production of the 16mp APS-C sensor that the camera used, and by the end of that year the X70 was discontinued, and out-of-stock shortly thereafter. As a compact camera with an 18.5mm (28mm full-frame-equivalent) lens, it competed directly with the Ricoh GR II. I like the X70 better than the GR II because it has the traditional tactile controls that Fujifilm is known for, while the GR cameras utilize PASM.

Today, at eight-years-old, the camera often sells for more than when it was brand-new. It’s much beloved by many who own one. Some proclaim it to be their favorite Fujifilm camera of all time. Compared to the latest models, the X70 is less advanced and with fewer options, but it does what few Fujifilm cameras can: fit into your pocket. In my opinion, it’s the best carry-everywhere camera ever made by Fujifilm. A successor—an X80—should be a high priority for Fuji.

#6: Fujifilm X-Pro2

While all three of the X-Pro cameras are great, there’s something especially special about the Fujifilm X-Pro2. It’s the seemingly perfect balance of form and function. It’s one of those cameras that will be desired and used for many years to come. While other digital cameras of its era will be long forgotten, I’m convinced that the X-Pro2 will still be sought out even when it’s 20 years old or older.

Introduced at the same time as the X70, the Fujifilm X-Pro2 is an X-Trans III model, and as such it doesn’t seem quite as dated as the X70. It still holds up fairly well in ability and features compared to the latest models. I would be perfectly happy if it were my only camera; unfortunately, I let it get away from me twice.

#5: Fujifilm X-E4

The X-E4 is the smallest and most minimalistic of Fujifilm’s modern offerings. While it is not perfect (no camera is), it does offer a slightly unique experience for Fujifilm that some like and some don’t. Personally, I appreciate the camera—it is one of my favorite Fujifilm models—and I find it especially great for travel or just everyday walk-around photography, thanks to its compactness. I have more expensive cameras, but often choose the X-E4 instead.

While the Fujifilm X-E4 doesn’t have IBIS or 40mp or the newest couple of film simulations, it is one of the last X-Trans IV models, and as such is quite advanced and capable. Unfortunately, Fujifilm greatly underestimated the demand for the X-E4, and failed to secure enough parts to manufacture as many copies as they should have, inexplicably discontinuing it when there were lengthy backorder lists. Because of that, right now the X-E4 sells for several hundred dollars more used than when it was brand-new.

#4: Fujifilm X100V

The X100 is where the X-series began; the X100V is the model that unexpectedly wen’t viral when it was over two years old. This list could be filled with X100 cameras—in fact, I debated if the X100F should have been placed in the #6 or #7 positions (it was a tough cut). The X100V is the fifth iteration—the X-Trans IV version—and served as my “desert island” camera until the introduction of the X100VI earlier this year.

I love the X100V because it is small and lightweight, and has great features like a built-in ND filter and leaf shutter plus a fill-flash that just seems to work perfect. For a fixed-lens camera, it is surprisingly versatile. I don’t travel without an X100 model. It’s no wonder why the X100V was the camera to have in 2023 (although few could get it); in 2024, it’s still an excellent choice. And it might be easier to find than an X100VI.

#3: Fujifilm X-T5

The X-T5 is Fujifilm’s flagship SLR-styled traditional tactile control model. If you want the best, look no further—it’s the cream of the crop: IBIS, 40mp, weather-sealing, dual SD-card slots, etc., etc.. The X-T5 is notably smaller and lighter than the X-T4. It’s such a great camera, there’s not much negative that can be said about it. This camera could very easily be #1 on this list, and on paper it should be.

While the Fujifilm X-T5 is technically a great camera, and it did slim down compared to its predecessor, it’s more camera than I need much of the time. Because of this, I will often choose a different model, including technically inferior options like the X-E4. Sometimes data sheets and spec charts don’t tell the full story. You don’t always need a fully loaded Land Cruiser, sometimes a Camry will get you there more efficiently; still, sometimes you need the Land Cruiser.

#2: Fujifilm X-T50

The X-T50 is an X-T5, but without weather-sealing, with only one SD-card slot, with a Film Dial instead of an ISO Dial, a lower resolution-EVF, the old battery, in a smaller and lighter body, and a little cheaper. Technically speaking, the X-T5 is superior, but, over the summer, I used an X-T50 far more than an X-T5. Between the two, most of the time I chose the X-T50.

The X-T30 II is in the same series as the X-T50; however, Fujifilm says that the X-T50 is not the X-T30 II’s successor. The X-T50 is closely related and similar, but is not the X-T30 II’s replacement, as they are currently manufacturing both models. The X-T30 II is a better value (and I almost placed it at #7); overall, the X-T50 is the better camera of the two. For those wanting to get into the Fujifilm system, the X-T50 is my top recommendation, but the X-T30 II isn’t far behind.

#1: Fujifilm X100VI

I love the Fujifilm X100V, and the X100VI is even better! It is my “desert island” camera, which is to say that if I could choose only one model to use for the rest of my life, it would be this one. It is my absolute favorite photography tool, and it gets a lot of use. In my opinion, this is Fujifilm’s best camera.

The Fujifilm X100VI is by far the most preordered camera by any brand in history. We’re over six months since it was announced, and some people who preordered on Day 1 are still waiting for their camera to arrive, and some have been told that it might be closer to Christmas. There were more preorders for the X100VI than there were X100V’s manufactured over its four-year production life. Fujifilm is assembling far more X100VI’s each month than they did the X100V, yet they still can’t even make enough to fulfill the orders that were placed back in February. This is the most viral camera ever, and if the hype continues (and it might), the X100VI could potentially end up as the most-sold model of all time by any brand. If you didn’t order one right away when it was announced, you may have to wait a long time to get one.

Some of you may have noticed that both the X-H2 and X-H2s, which are Fujifilm’s top-tier flagship models, did not make this list. Nor did the very capable X-S20. The reason is very simple: those are PASM models, and I don’t care much for PASM, personally. Those cameras are intended to give the most Canikony-like experience of any Fujifilm models; if you are coming from a Canikony brand, those models are going to feel more familiar to you. I never appreciated the (modern) Canikony approach, so I’m very much drawn to the traditional tactile controls that Fujifilm is known for. Fujifilm offers a unique experience in the camera world, which is one of the big reasons why I love Fujifilm, and that unique experience is found on each of the seven models in my list. While some might see it as merely “retro” (which it is), to me its preferable. It’s better—much better, in fact. You may or may not agree with that, and that’s fine—different strokes for different folks—I’m just explaining why those particular models didn’t crack my list.

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Upcoming Don’t-Miss Dates — Mark you calendars now!!

Posted on September 10, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

August was a very busy month, with photowalks in San Diego, Denver, Nashville and Philadelphia. But the fun isn’t over yet, as there is still much more to come! Below are three specific dates that I want to bring to your attention. More things are in the works, but these are three that you should be aware of right now. As soon as I’m able, I’ll make an official announcement of the other events.

The first event below, which is the SOOC Live broadcast, is one that you can participate in no matter where you are in the world. The second event is probably only for those who live in Texas, although maybe it’s something that you may want to travel to. The third event is in New York City, and if you live anywhere in that region you will want to be there—seriously, it’s a don’t-miss opportunity! If you plan to go to Create With Us in Austin or the NAB Show in NYC, be sure to register today, because space is limited.

SOOC Live — September 19th

Join Nathalie Boucry and myself on September 19th for SOOC Live Episode 5 of Season 4, as we catch you up on everything that’s been going on since out last show. As usual, we’re going to talk Fujifilm cameras, Film Simulation Recipes, and straight-out-of-camera photography, and more. It’s going to be a great time! Be sure to mark your calendar now so that you don’t miss the show, which will be on Thursday, September 19th, at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern. It’s an interactive broadcast, so your participation is what makes it great. I hope to see you then!

Fujifilm Create With Us in Austin — September 28th

Join me in Austin, Texas, on September 28th! I will be co-leading two photowalks with Fred Agho, one at 1:30 PM and the other at 4:30 PM, as a part of Fujifilm’s Create With Us event. If you live in Austin (or are within driving distance of Austin), this is an event that you won’t want to miss!

NAB Show NYC — October 9th & 10th

I will be at the NAB Show in New York City on October 9th and 10th, leading three photowalks. These photowalks will be small groups, meaning that there will be tons of opportunity for one-on-one conversations. This is a teaching photowalk—I’m there to help you—so bring whatever questions you might have, and I’ll make it as informative and educational as I can. The photowalks will take place in the vicinity of the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Midtown West Manhattan.

I will be leading three photowalks: October 9th at 10:30 AM, October 9th at 2:00 PM, and October 10th at 11:00 AM. The theme of my photowalks are Straight Out of Camera Photography—we’re going to “put the legendary Fujifilm colors to the test and learn to craft polished images in-camera to streamline your process.” Basically, we’re going to use various Film Simulation Recipes to photograph New York City. Bring your favorite Fujifilm camera; also, this will be an opportunity to get hands-on with some of the latest X-series gear, so bring a spare SD card.

The themes of the other photowalks are Video Visuals, Camera-to-Cloud, Film Simulations, Couples Portraiture, Street Photography, and Social Reels. These photowalks are free; however, you must preregister for the photowalk that you want to attend, and also be registered for NAB. While NAB is not free, if you follow this link (click here), you can get free registration! Those of you who live in the NYC area will want to come for certain. Spaces are very limited, so don’t procrastinate—sign up today!

Putting the Film Dial to Practice — Four Cities with the Fujifilm X-T50

Posted on September 9, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

The Fujifilm X-T50 has a Film Dial, a new feature that likely will begin to appear on other Fujifilm models in time. It’s possible that it might eventually find its way onto most bodies (or some alternate iteration of the concept). While the Film Dial has been controversial, I think it has been largely misunderstood, and I don’t believe a lot of people realize the great potential of it. Back in May, I created a strategy—a universal Recipe—for getting the most out of the Film Dial, which really makes it a useful feature. I thought it would be worthwhile to show what that looks like in real-life practice.

In August I had the wonderful opportunity to travel from coast-to-coast, leading photowalks in San Diego, Denver, Nashville and Philadelphia. It was so great to meet you all! Throughout the tour I had a Fujifilm X-T50, and utilized the Film Dial several times. Interestingly, even if you don’t own an X-T50, you can still use this strategy by programing a Fn button to open the Film Simulation menu—the Film Dial Recipe doesn’t actually require the Film Dial to use. In this case, though, I used the X-T50 and the Film Dial, and I want to share with you four times where I put it into practice. I think seeing the results from actual use will help to demonstrate just how nice the Film Dial is.

The universal Film Dial Recipe (click here) works well with every film simulation. Some are better than others, but all of them are decent enough (even Sepia). Since the Film Dial only changes the film simulation and nothing else, the universal Recipe parameters—other than the film sim—remain exactly the same when you turn the Film Dial. Each time you turn the Film Dial and select a different film simulation, it is like having a different Recipe (even though the Recipe parameters didn’t budge), because each film simulation is so unique. Essentially, the Film Dial gives you up to 12 bonus Recipes right at your fingertips!

Denver Nighttime Street Photography

*Nostalgic Neg. a.k.a. “Nostalgic Film”*

*Classic Negative a.k.a. “Superia Negative”*

*Reala Ace a.k.a. “Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm”*

Exploring Nashville

New York & New Jersey

Massachusetts

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Find these Film Simulation Recipes 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.

SOOC Live is BACK!!

Posted on September 9, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

It’s been awhile, but SOOC Live is back! Join Nathalie Boucry and myself on September 19th for Episode 5 of Season 4, as we catch you up on everything that’s been going on since out last show. As usual, we’re going to talk Fujifilm cameras, Film Simulation Recipes, and straight-out-of-camera photography, and more. It’s going to be a great time!

The last episode, Why We Love Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes, was way back in May. Simon Hügly made a special guest appearance. If you missed that broadcast when it was live, be sure to watch it now. While you’re at it, if you don’t follow the SOOC Live YouTube Channel, make sure that you subscribe and click the bell and all that stuff. Anyway, due to busy schedules, scheduling conflicts, major life events, illnesses, etc., we’ve not been able to broadcast all summer, but that’s about to change.

In just nine days, though, Nathalie and I will be live once again! Be sure to mark your calendar now so that you don’t miss the show, which will be on Thursday, September 19th, at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern. I’ve imbedded the video below so that you can easily find it. It’s an interactive broadcast, so your participation is what makes it great. I hope to see you then!

Fujifilm X-E5 should have the Combo Shutter/ISO Dial

Posted on September 7, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

Fujirumors posted a poll today asking whether people would prefer the (someday upcoming) Fujifilm X-E5 to have the same Shutter Knob as the X-E4, or replace the Shutter Knob with a Film Dial, or use a Shutter/ISO combo Knob like the X100/X-Pro cameras. As of this writing, a little over 70% would prefer the Shutter/ISO Knob, according to the poll.

Way back in March of 2021 when the X-E4 was brand-new, I said “It would have been a nice touch if Fujifilm had included an ISO ring around the shutter knob.” It should not surprise anyone that my vote is for the Shutter/ISO combo. In my opinion, if the X-E4 had had that combo Knob, had kept the M/C/S switch, and had kept the rear Command Dial, the camera would have been pretty much perfect. I understand that the Shutter/ISO combo Knob is much more complicated and more expensive, but it would be worthwhile to include it on X-E series cameras, in my opinion.

There’s a vocal group of people who didn’t like the X-E4, but prefer the X-E3 instead, and want the X-E5 to be more similar to the X-E3 than the X-E4. That’s because the X-E4 was slimmed down with a minimalistic approach, but perhaps just a bit too minimalistic. It’s completely understandable that not everyone appreciated it. The reason why the X-E5 is much more likely to have more in common with the X-E4 than the X-E3 is simple: the Fujifilm X-E3 did not meet sales expectations, while the X-E4 exceeded them. Fujifilm had to steeply discount the already affordable X-E3 just to clear the warehouse, and even then had trouble selling them (the X-E3 could be found rather easily a year after it was discontinued, and for a discount). The X-E4 was difficult to find in-stock throughout its production life, and had months-long backorder lists when it was suddenly discontinued, presumably because Fujifilm ran out of parts and couldn’t secure enough to justify keeping the assembly line open. Now, the X-E4 sells for a few hundred more used than it did brand-new. I’m not saying that the X-E3 is a lesser camera, only that Fujifilm had trouble selling it and had trouble meeting the demand of its successor, so it is logical that they’d follow the formula that worked well for sales.

The less that Fujifilm changes from the X-E4, the better in my opinion. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Give it the X Processor 5, an improved EVF, the M/C/S switch, rear Command Dial, and that combination Shutter/ISO Knob, and you’ve got a really compelling camera. But, who knows, Fujifilm might do a complete overhaul. I have no idea.

While I actually really like the Film Dial on the Fujifilm X-T50, and I found a way to make it work quite well, I would not replace the Shutter or Exposure Compensation Knobs with it. That just doesn’t make any sense. If Fujifilm really wants to include the Film Dial on the X-E5, it would need to be an additional feature, and not a replacement of something already existing. Maybe similar to how Leica integrated the ISO Dial into the M11?

It will be interesting to see how Fujifilm evolves the X-E line. It’s much beloved by those who have owned them, but always on the chopping block, it seems. Apparently it’s not mainstream enough to have a secure spot in the X-series lineup, but the passionate fanbase prevents Fujifilm from axing it. If the X-E5 existed today, it would sell like hotcakes; heck, if the X-E4 was still being manufactured, it would be selling like hotcakes right now. Whenever the X-E5 is eventually released, perhaps next year, it will likely do very well for Fujifilm. But, I do think it’s important to strike while the iron is hot, and it’s hot at this very moment—so the sooner the better.

Join me at Fujifilm Create With Us in Austin

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

What is Create With Us, you ask?

Create With Us is an opportunity for passionate image makers (that’s you!) to create, learn, and network with industry professionals. Take the chance to meet fellow creators who also see the world through a lens.

Photo and video bays give you the chance to test out Fujifilm’s latest X Series and GFX System cameras and lenses. But don’t worry, all brands are welcome! If you’re a stills photographer or videographer, you’re in. 

Join like-minded individuals throughout the day, learning from top industry professionals, in workshops and immersive photowalks around the area. With so much talent under one roof, it’ll be hard not to get inspired. 

When your feet get tired, sit in on demos and short film screenings. You can also treat your camera gear to a complimentary Check and Clean service.

This will be an epic day of learning, creating, networking, and more! You must be registered to attend. Space is limited, so don’t procrastinate—sign up today! I hope to see you in Austin!

Cinematic Film — Fujifilm X-T50 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on September 5, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

This isn’t a new Film Simulation Recipe, but one of the 14 Fujifilm X-T50 Film Dial Recipes that I published in May when the Fujifilm X-T50 was announced. I stated in that article, “It would be absurd to include all 14 versions of this Recipe in the Fuji X Weekly App; even adding eight to the App is too much, but (with hesitation) that’s what I’ve done.” Those eight Recipes—Standard Film, Velvia Film, Astia Summer, Kodak Film, Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm, Superia Negative, Nostalgic Film, and Neopan Negative—are all identical other than the film simulation, and are found in the App.

I left six of the 14 Recipes—Fujicolor PRO Film, Fujicolor PRO 160S, Cinematic Film (which is this Recipe), Reduced Bleach, Monochrome Film, and Sepia Print—out of the App. In the months since, I have had a number of requests to include the Cinematic Film Recipe in the Fuji X Weekly App, so—by popular demand—Cinematic Film is now available on your phone!

*Hotel Chelsea* – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X-T50 – Cinematic Film Recipe

This Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, and X-T50. For the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, I recommend setting Color Chrome FX Blue to Strong (instead of Weak). For the latest GFX models, I recommend setting Shadow to -0.5 (instead of -1). For more information on how I setup and use the X-T50 Film Dial Recipes, watch this video (click here). If you don’t have an X-T50 and still want to use the Film Dial strategy, simply add the Recipe to one of your C1-C7 slots, and program a Fn button to activate the film simulation menu. The Cinematic Film Recipe is especially great for taming high-contrast light, for a soft aesthetic, and for after-dark photography.

Film Simulation: Eterna
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak
White Balance: Auto White Priority, +2 Red & -4 Blue
Highlight: -1.5
Shadow: -1
Color: +3
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Cinematic Film” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-T50:

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 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.

Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes in August 2024

Posted on September 4, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

Architecture Archway – San Diego, CA – Fujifilm X-T50 – Pacific Blues

I get asked fairly regularly which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular. For me, this is a fascinating topic, but it’s definitely hard to know definitively. While I get a glimpse on social media, my best gauge is the Fuji X Weekly website statistics; specifically, which Recipe articles are viewed the most. I don’t collect any data on the Fuji X Weekly App, so that’s no help—although, if I did, it would likely offer the most accurate picture; however, it would still be impossible to know which Recipes people programmed into their Fujifilm cameras, or how often they used each. Perhaps a survey would be particularly useful, yet even it has its limitations. While certainly a flawed method, page-view website statics offer the best glimpse at which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular, so that’s what I’m using for this article. These are simply the Top 25 most-viewed Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website last month (August 2024).

The last time that I did one of these articles was for May, so June and July were both skipped. By request, I have returned with the most popular Recipes of August. There are usually some surprises when comparing one month to the next, but for the most part it’s pretty predictable; however, skipping a couple of months… there are a couple of major surprises, but it’s still pretty predictable.

*Sticks* – Denver, CO – Fujifilm X-T50 – Kodak Tri-X 400

Those Recipes with Kodak brand names in the title—Kodachrome, Portra, Gold, Tri-X, etc., etc.—are usually the most popular. Classic Chrome is the king of film simulations, as the majority of the most-viewed Recipes are based on that film simulation—in fact, the Top 7 are all Classic Chrome Recipes. Three of the Top 25 are Classic Negative Recipes; shockingly, the Reala Ace Recipe (not to be confused with the Reala Ace film sim) dropped out of the Top 5 all the way to #18! Two of the Top 25 are based on the Reala Ace film simulation, and one each are based on Acros, Nostalgic Neg., Eterna, and Eterna Bleach Bypass.

Without any further delay, below are the most popular Recipes of last month!

Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes of August 2024

#1:

Kodachrome 64

A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that is the long-time most popular Film Simulation Recipe for Fujifilm cameras. There is a pretty big gap between this and second place.

#2:

Kodak Portra 400 v2

A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that is almost always ranked number two in these types of lists.

#3:

Vibrant Arizona

A Wes Anderson inspired Recipe based on Classic Chrome for X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras. It was ranked #4 in May.

#4:

Reggie’s Portra

Another popular Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras. This is the most versatile of the Portra Recipes, and was ranked #3 in May.

#5:

Kodak Portra 400 v2

This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Portra 400 v2. It rose significantly in popularity since May, likely because more people have X-Trans V cameras now.

#6:

Kodak Portra 400

This version of Kodak Portra 400 was commonly the third most popular Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly for a long time—it’s still in the Top 10, but hasn’t cracked the Top 5 in awhile.

#7:

Kodak Portra 800 v3

A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras, published earlier this year. It rose three spots compared to May.

#8:

Pacific Blues

Pacific Blues is currently the highest ranked Classic Negative based Recipe. This particular one is compatible with X-Trans IV models, but there is also an X-Trans V version.

#9:

Easy Reala Ace

Easy Reala Ace is the most popular Reala Ace based Recipe. It was published in June, so it’s a fairly new Recipe.

#10:

Bright Summer

Bright Summer—another Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV—is sometimes called Preetra 400, because it is modeled after Preet’s aesthetic (Preet himself is the one who gave it that nickname, btw). It didn’t crack the Top 25 for a long time, but in March it suddenly made an appearance, and has ranked pretty high ever since.

#11:

Vintage Kodachrome

Vintage Kodachrome, which is based on Classic Chrome, is one of the older Film Simulation Recipes on Fuji X Weekly, and is compatible with X-Trans III cameras. It usually cracks the Top 15, and sometimes the Top 10.

#12:

Kodak Tri-X 400

By far the most popular B&W Recipe, Kodak Tri-X 400 is based on the Acros film simulation, and has compatibility X-Trans III, X-Trans IV, and X-Trans V models. It was ranked #11 in May.

#13:

Kodak Gold 200

This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Gold 200. This is the first time that I’ve seen it rank above the old version.

#14:

Kodak Gold 200

Another Classic Chrome based Recipe, for use on X-Trans III models, plus the X-T3/X-T30. This is in the same exact position as it was in May.

#15:

Kodachrome 64

This is the X-Trans V version of Kodachrome 64. It was ranked #18 in May.

#16:

Classic Color

I published this Recipe, which has compatibility with both X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras, in April. It uses Classic Chrome, and has some similarities to Kodak Portra.

#17:

CineStill 800T

This is a somewhat recently published Eterna-based X-Trans V CineStill 800T Recipe; however, it’s simply an adaptation of the X-Trans IV version that has been around awhile. This is the highest ranking Eterna based Recipe.

#18:

Reala Ace

Reala Ace used to be the most popular Classic Negative Recipe, typically found in the Top 10, and sometimes even the Top 5 (and even once at #1!), but it has fallen quite far in the rankings since May. This Recipe is for X-Trans V cameras.

#19:

McCurry Kodachrome

This Recipe is reminiscent of scanned Kodachrome 64 slides, and is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras. It was ranked #21 in May.

#20:

Classic Chrome

The very first Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly, it is compatible with X-Trans III cameras. It ranked #16 in May.

#21:

California Summer

Published in June, this is the highest-ranked Recipe that uses the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, which means that it is for X-Trans V cameras.

#22:

PRO Negative 160C

This was the first Recipe I published that uses the new Reala Ace film simulation. It was ranked #15 in May.

#23:

Kodak Portra 160

This is a Recipe that I’m surprised doesn’t rank higher. This version is for X-Trans IV cameras, but there are also versions for X-Trans II, X-Trans III + X-T3/X-T30, and X-Trans V.

#24:

Fujicolor Super HG v2

A Classic Negative based Recipe that’s compatible with X-Trans V cameras (there’s also an X-Trans IV version). This one typically either just makes the Top 25 or just misses.

#25:

1960 Chrome

1960 Chrome was published in July and is compatible with both X-Trans IV & X-Trans V cameras. It is based on Eterna Bleach Bypass, a film simulation that doesn’t typically make it onto these type of lists.

Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App!

Join me at the NAB Show in New York City!!

Posted on September 3, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

Hey, everyone! I will be at the NAB Show in New York City on October 9th and 10th, leading three photowalks. These photowalks will be small groups, meaning that there will be tons of opportunity for one-on-one conversations. This is a teaching photowalk—I’m there to help you—so bring whatever questions you might have, and I’ll make it as informative and educational as I can. The photowalks will take place in the vicinity of the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Midtown West Manhattan.

*Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Cinematic Film Recipe*

I will be leading three photowalks: October 9th at 10:30 AM, October 9th at 2:00 PM, and October 10th at 11:00 AM. The theme of my photowalks are Straight Out of Camera Photography—we’re going to “put the legendary Fujifilm colors to the test and learn to craft polished images in-camera to streamline your process.” Basically, we’re going to use various Film Simulation Recipes to photograph New York City. Bring your favorite Fujifilm camera; also, this will be an opportunity to get hands-on with some of the latest X-series gear, so bring a spare SD card.

The themes of the other photowalks are Video Visuals, Camera-to-Cloud, Film Simulations, Couples Portraiture, Street Photography, and Social Reels. These photowalks are free; however, you must preregister for the photowalk that you want to attend, and also be registered for NAB. While NAB is not free, if you follow this link (click here), you can get free registration! Those of you who live in the NYC area will want to come for certain. Spaces are very limited, so don’t procrastinate—sign up today!

I hope to see you in New York City in October!