This is my first B&W Film Simulation Recipe for Fujifilm full spectrum cameras, like the Fujifilm X-T4 ES (“Extended Spectrum”). It’s not for “normal” cameras; you must have a full spectrum X-Trans IV or X-Trans V model, which requires an expensive and invasive procedure from a third-party vendor like LifePixel, Kolari Vision, or Spenser’s Camera. Otherwise, the Fujifilm X-T4 ES is a full spectrum camera (is sensitive to light outside the visible gamut) briefly offered by Fujifilm to the general public. As of this writing, I believe that you can still buy the Fujifilm X-T4 ES from B&H, but it requires a phone call or stopping by in-person, and cannot be order from the internet.
The reason why it took me so long to publish a B&W Recipe for full spectrum IR cameras is because I had trouble creating one that I was fully satisfied with. I experimented with many different filters and settings, but just couldn’t find the right combination that produced the results that I desired. Initially, this was another one of those failed experiments, until I added a third filter (QB2), and instantly fell in love with the aesthetic that this Recipe creates.
The emulsion that this Recipe is most reminiscent of is Agfa AviPhot 400S, which is also sold under Rollei Retro 400S, Rollei 400 IR, Japan Camera Hunter Street Pan 400, Astrum Foto 400, and Svema Foto 400. This film was made for aerial surveillance—hence: AviPhot, which is short for “Aviation Photography”, and “S” for surveillance—and is both infrared and UV sensitive, although only a little. In order to get good IR results, the film requires a 720nm filter and adding two or three stops to the exposure.
This Agfa 400S Film Simulation Recipe doesn’t use a 720nm filter; instead, it requires three filters: Kolari Vision IR Chrome, Tiffen Deep Yellow 15, and QB2 blue. The QB2 was given to me and I have no idea what brand it is, but here are some that I found online: JTSF, PMP, Nantong, Shanghai Longway, Tangsinuo. This is a fairly uncommon filter (that’s why none of the name brands make it), but it is used by some in the IR world (my Cotton Candy Chrome Recipe also uses the QB2 filter). I’m not sure if the order matters, but I have the Deep Yellow filter first (closest to the lens), the IR Chrome next, and the QB2 last (furthest from the lens).
While this Recipe was designed on and intended for the Fujifilm X-T4 ES camera, it should be fully compatible with any full spectrum converted X-Trans IV (except the X-T3 and X-T30) and X-Trans V models. For a grainier look, use higher ISOs, such as 6400 and 12800 (Water in the Desert is an ISO 12800 image). For a cleaner look, use lower ISOs.
Filters: Tiffen Deep Yellow 15, Kolari Vision IR Chrome, & QB2 Blue
Film Simulation: Acros+R
Monochromatic Color: WC 0 MG 0 (Off)
Dynamic Range: DR200
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: 2500K, +9 Red & -2 Blue
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +4
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Agfa 400S Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T4 ES:
See also: Full Spectrum Recipes
I’ve never heard of QB2. Is it a Wratten number?
The QB2 I have is from Tangsinuo. It is not a Wratten number; they seem to have their own naming system. They claim it is equivalent to the Hoya B-410, and the transmission graphs do look very similar, at least in the visible and near IR areas. Tangsinuo does not provide an extended graph into deep IR like Hoya, but then, that info probably does not matter foe a digital camera sensor
Thx Larry for the intel 👌
Thanks for the information!
Thanks for the article Ritchie. In case someone is looking for a camera modification in Europe, there is a very knowledgeable French guy in Dresden, he charges around 230€ for the modification on a Fujifilm camera. He is on Facebook by “Astrolab Service”.
Interesting info Jörg.
I used to go to UK before the Brexit for converting my Fujifilm cameras : Mr. Alan Burch (https://www.infraredcameraconversions.co.uk)
I get from Alan an nice X-E1 IR 720nm converted.
But after the Brexit until very recently he has stopped doing conversion for people living outside UK as there are a too high cost for delivery and custom fees (each time) and paperwork issues as it concerns camera conversion to FS & IR. Really troublesome and not good for his business.
I see now Alan removed his red banner notice but do explicitly state to contact him first when outside UK as he will pay the custom fees (understandable).
Hence I discovered last year a good German guy, Mr. Sven Lamprecht (www.IRreCams.de), who is leaving in Germany near the Baltic sea. He is doing professional camera conversion and who is very keen on his work + passionate on FS & IR photography. His web site is well made and instructige for selecting easily the desired conversions. He do sell aslo IR filters (I got from Sven the IRBlue or Blue IR / NVDI from Kolari Vision).
His camera conversions are just excellent and rapidly done. I converted via Sven to FS an old Fujifilm X-A3. And you pay him via PayPal only after reception of the converted camera he send hack via DHL 👌
For people leaving the Euro zone, this is ideal 👍
Ritchie having now an X-T4 Extended FS, I’m considering since he is doing recepies for it to grab the used X-T4 of my father (he needs first to upgrade 😉) or an used X-T30 so get the Color Chrome FX options (they are more than useful for the AeroChrome recepies) and an EVF. I will send it to Sven for conversion (he gives a rebate for a second conversion including on filters).
The conversions costs are fully indicated on his website and placing an order is straightforward. Sven do answer quickly. During the required conversion wait time, I had an extensive and very interesting email exchanges with him (technical on FS and IR photography and Fuji fan too).
Awesome, thanks for sharing!
Ritchie I’m glad you succeeded 💪
Very interesting B&W recipe for FS cameras and nice shots 👍👌👏
While I tend to prefer my X-E1 IR 720nm converted for my B&W IR photography (wave length and aesthetic with the in-camera excellent B&W conversion from this still very good sensor), using my X-A3 FS has other advantages if I want to use other wave lengths (thought being a Bayer sensor).
Having already the IR Chrome is a + for testing your recipe asap 😉
But Ritchie, I’m wondering more and more if the InfraBlue from Sven Lamprecht (https://irrecams.de/en/infrared-effect-filter-comparison/#infrablue) or the Kolari Vision Blue IR / NDVI are not the same or at least pretty closed matches for this QB2 Blue fof yours ???
From your experiments, what do you think?
They very well might be similar or the same. I will test the QB2 and compare to the InfraBlue examples, and see how similar they are.
Hi, Horus. I have the Kolari IRchrome filter, and also the QB2 and ZB2 and ZB3 filters. The full-spectrum in-camera results from the QB2 and ZB2 (I have not yet tested the ZB3 filter, which I just acquired) give yellow to orange vegetation colors rather than the red tones from the IRchrome filter, which looks more like Kodak Aerochrome film, which I shot a fair amount of back in the day. The QB2 is a little paler yellow, and the ZB3 is more intense, but they both look a lot like channel-swapped results from regular IR filtered cameras, 720nm and shorter. This is what I have observed from single filter applications, not stacked, and my full spectrum Nikon Z50 is not capable of film recipes, much less nicely tweaked one! so I am somewhat limited in that area.
Thanks for the explanation 😀
I wonder that too. I don’t have any of the NDVI filters, so can’t check. One more job for Ritchie!!!
😀 😀 😀
Thanks Ritchie & Larry.
Well I will test anyhow with my InfraBlue + IR Chrome and let you know of the results.
Just need a bright sunny day and free time 😉
Can’t wait to test this very interesting FS BW recipe!