Comparing Three Fujifilm Recipes for European Travel Photography

White Boat at Nyhavn – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF – Copenhagen Negative

Early this year Fujifilm asked if I would make a brand-new Film Simulation Recipe to be unveiled at Fujikina Copenhagen. I created three Recipes that I thought could be good candidates, but only one would be selected to be the very first Fujifilm Recipe to be introduced at a Fujikina event. I used all three extensively on an adventure through southern California, and, after reviewing the pictures, one emerged as the obvious winner. That Recipe, which I called Copenhagen Negative, was first revealed a week-and-a-half ago (on my birthday!) in Copenhagen. After returning home, I published it on this website and added it to the Fuji X Weekly App.

The other two Recipes—the ones that didn’t win—are also very good. I published them already, well before Fujikina. Even though I like one best (and used it a ton), I also had the other two—Avalon Ace and Vivid Chrome—programmed into my cameras, and used them occasionally, too. If I had never invented Copenhagen Negative, and it was between Avalon Ace and Vivid Chrome, I would have been happy unveiling either at the event, but between those two, I would have gone with Avalon Ace. In other words, Avalon Ace placed second and Vivid Chrome placed third, but they are all good in their own way.

Red Boat in Nyhavn Canal – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF – Avalon Ace
Nyhavn Canal – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF – Vivid Chrome

I thought it would be fun to compare the three Recipes that were intended for use in Copenhagen—Copenhagen Negative, Avalon Ace, and Vivid Chrome—using images that were created in Denmark. Did I choose the winning Recipe wisely? Was Copenhagen Negative actually the best of the three options for European travel photography? Let’s find out!

The three pictures above were captured using each individual Recipe, while the examples below were reprocessed in-camera to show all three Recipes using the same exposure. I chose three very different light situations to better gage how the Recipes perform: bright midday sun, evening sun peeking through overcast sky, and sunset. Take a look:

Copenhagen Negative
Avalon Ace
Vivid Chrome
Copenhagen Negative
Avalon Ace
Vivid Chrome
Copenhagen Negative
Avalon Ace
Vivid Chrome

In the first set above (the windmill photo), all three Recipes do a great job. Each brings its own character to the image, and I’m happy with each. It’s difficult for me to choose a winner, but I’d give a slight edge to Avalon Ace. In the second set (Kultorvet from a second-floor window), Copenhagen Negative has the right character for my tastes (and is the winner), but Avalon Ace is really good, too; however, Vivid Chrome is clearly third. In the last set (the bridge photo), it’s a tough call between Copenhagen Negative and Avalon Ace, but I’m leaning towards Avalon Ace, while Vivd Chrome is in a close third. What do you think? Which of the three pictures in each set above do you prefer?

Of all the photos that I made of my trip to Denmark, I used the Copenhagen Negative Recipe by far the most, and I’m really happy with how those images turned out. If I had used Avalon Ace instead, I think I would have been happy, too. Vivid Chrome seems to work really well in some situations and only so-so in others, so it’s more of a now-and-then type Recipe rather than for every picture.

Left: Vivid Chrome Recipe; Top Right: Avalon Ace Recipe; Bottom Right: Copenhagen Negative Recipe

Interestingly, each of these three Recipes has a film-like character to them, but they each have a different aesthetic. Vivid Chrome is in the general ballpark of Fujichrome Velvia 100 (although not a faithful facsimile), so it’s more like slide film. Avalon Ace was inspired by some film scans of Kodak Gold and Portra that were captured in Denmark (by a different photographer), so it has a negative feel. Copenhagen Negative is a variant of Avalon Ace, but with more of a Fujicolor Superia aesthetic. None are a perfect match for a specific emulsion, but the analog aesthetics of each are easy to appreciate.

If I were traveling to Europe again, I would consider programming all three of these Recipes into my C1-C7 Custom Settings presets. That leaves four other slots available for other Recipes. Actually, on my Fujifilm X-E5, I had these set to FS1, FS2, and FS3, which meant that each C1-C7 slot was available for other Recipes. These three are great options for many subjects and situations, so you don’t need a lot more—perhaps a B&W Recipe like Kodak Tri-X 400, a nighttime option like CineStill 800T, and fill in the rest with whatever are your go-to favorites.

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My Panasonic L10 Thoughts

A few people have asked for my opinion on the newly announced Panasonic L10 compact zoom. The news came while I was traveling, so I didn’t pay any attention to it. After learning more about the camera, I really don’t have any strong opinions. But, since some of you asked, I will share my thoughts, which probably aren’t worth a whole lot, maybe not even two pennies.

The first thing I noticed is that a lot of reviewers are comparing it to the Fujifilm X100VI. For example, Amateur Photographer says, “A new contender to dethrone the Fujifilm X100VI.” Another website states, “Move over Fujifilm X100VI.” I don’t know if there is a single review that doesn’t make at least a passing comparison, while some seem to make it the thesis of their article. But the Fujifilm X100VI is not a very close competitor; if there is an X-series model that would most closely align with the L10, it’s the long-discontinued Fujifilm X30. Should Fujifilm decide to revive that camera line, that would be a direct competitor to the Panasonic. The X100VI is not in the same class, nor is it a similar ethos, so it’s very much apples-to-oranges.

If you look from a distance and squint your eyes, the L10 has a vague design resemblance to the X100VI. I don’t mean this as an insult—it’s stated with humor [insert laughing emojis here]—but it looks like a Temu X100-series knockoff. I’m sure in-person, the L10 has a refined quality and feels good to hold. I’m making no commentary on the build quality, only that nobody will confuse the two cameras just by looking at them; however, they do have some rangefinder-style similarities, but the Panasonic is a PASM camera, while the Fujifilm has traditional tactile dials. The two cameras also have very similar size and weight specs, which means the L10 is surprisingly bulky for a fixed-lens M43 camera. The X100VI is only $100 more.

Fujifilm X30 – Kodachrome 64 Recipe

From there, the similarities end. If you want a fixed-lens compact zoom, Fujifilm doesn’t offer that right now. If you prefer traditional tactile controls, Panasonic doesn’t offer that currently. The comparisons between the L10 and the X100VI make very little sense, so I’m not sure why it’s so pervasive. I find it difficult to believe that there is anyone carefully considering buying one of these two cameras, and having trouble deciding. The differences are so significant, the answer should be immediately obvious, whichever way it goes.

None of this is intended to be negative towards the Panasonic L10, it’s more about the reviewers. I’m sure the L10 is an excellent camera that makes wonderful pictures and is fun to use, and everyone who buys one will be happy with their purchase. I’m not interested in it personally, but we’re all different people with divergent likes and needs. The L10 and X100VI can happily coexist in the camera market; the L10 will likely sell a whole lot of copies, and the X100VI will continue to sell a whole lot of copies. In both cases, they will sell as many as they make with no problems. I’m sure in a couple of years Leica will announce the Panasonic L10 under their own brand name for a bunch more money, and people will buy it up.

From a marketing point-of-view, the name “L10” isn’t very catchy. It reminds me of the old Lockheed L-1011. Or maybe it’s supposed to conjure “Elton” as in Elton John (maybe they should make an Elton John limited-edition model?). The camera won’t have any trouble selling, so I’m sure none of this matters even a little, but this isn’t the first time I’ve questioned name choices by Panasonic’s marketing department. Probably the best example of market-naming was the X-E1, which sounds a little like “sexy one”. Anyway, those are my thoughts. If the Panasonic Elton sounds intriguing to you, consider purchasing it; if not, don’t. If Fujifilm made an X30 successor, I would buy it, and I don’t think they’d have any trouble selling it if they did. Hopefully they will.

Copenhagen Negative — A Fujifilm Recipe for Fifth-Generation Cameras

Baltic View – Greve, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5 – Copenhagen Negative

A few months back, Fujifilm invited me to Fujikina Copenhagen. They wanted me to lead a couple of photowalks, give a brief presentation on Film Simulations and Fujifilm Recipes, and to display six of my photos on a wall at the event. They also asked if I could create a brand-new Recipe made for Copenhagen, which would be revealed at Fujikina. Of course I said yes! It was an incredible honor to be at Fujikina. It was a great experience, and I loved meeting a number of you in-person. I just got back home, and I wanted to get this Recipe published right away.

After some research and experiments, I narrowed it down to three options: one that was especially vibrant, one that matched some film scans someone made in Denmark, and one that was a variant of the middle option. I tested and refined each of them, and tested and refined some more. Then I put all three to a larger test. After reviewing the results, I knew right away the winner, which is this Recipe (the third option). I named it Copenhagen Negative in honor of the city that it is intended for. This Recipe has become one of my favorites, and I know that many of you will love it, too.

Docked Boats – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100RF – Copenhagen Negative

The two Fujifilm Recipes that Copenhagen Negative beat out have already been published. The vibrant one is called Vivid Chrome, and the middle option is called Avalon Ace. I really like those Recipes, too, and used both of them in Copenhagen. They would have been good choices for this project, but Copenhagen Negative edged them out, so it has the honor of being the only Recipe to ever be unveiled at a Fujikina event. Those who attended Fujikina Copenhagen have already had access to this Recipe for over a week.

Copenhagen Negative is great for sunny daylight, cloudy days, fog, natural light indoors, and golden hour. It’s not a good option for artificial light, though, so I would avoid it for nighttime photography. It works well for landscapes, urban scenes, street photography, still-life, portraits, and I’m sure many other genres. I have enjoyed using this Recipe over the last couple of months—in fact, even though I included a ton of sample pictures in this article, I left a whole bunch out that I would have liked to include, just because there were way too many pictures.

Graffiti Wall – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5 – Copenhagen Negative

This Copenhagen Negative Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation X-series cameras, which are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. It works well on the latest GFX cameras, like the GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF. You can use it on “newer” fourth-generation cameras like the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II; however, it will render slightly different (don’t be afraid to try it, though). This Recipe works great with a little underexposure. Keep an eye out on the highlights, being careful not to blow them out.

Film Simulation: Classic Negative
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong
White Balance: 5700K, +1 Red & +1 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +2.5
Shadow: -2
Color: +4
Sharpness: -2

High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to -2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Copenhagen Negative Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E5, GFX100RF, and GFX100S II:

Red Boat at Nyhavn – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Tour Boat – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Strolling Nyhavn – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Nyhavn – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Yellow Tricycle – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Houses on a Hill – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II
House on a Foggy Hill – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Light Pouring through Lifting Fog – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm X-E5
Fogbow – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Shoreboats – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm X-E5
Waterfront – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Seaweed – Greve, Copenhagen – Fujifilm X-E5
Pond – Greve, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Path in the Grass – Greve, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Spiral Stairs – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Light Pouring Over Graffiti – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Smoker – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Nicklas – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF
QuickSnap Panorama – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Serving Chicken – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Bicycles – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Vibe – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Fujikina Posters – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Doorway & Windows – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Window Seats – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Window Shopping – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Studio Space – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Red Windows Behind Fence – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Yellow Bike – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Kiosk – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Round Tower Replica – Solvang, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Rooflines – Solvang, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Rooftop Sunset – Solvang, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Hamlet Square – Solvang, CA – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Spring Flower Garden – Solvang, CA – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Red Blossoming Flower – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Field of Blossomed Flowers – Buellton, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Tree & Golden Light – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Sunstar Over Urban Tree – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Sunlight Through the Ceiling – Greve, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
White Bicycle – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Boyz B2 Bike – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Spray Painted Van – Denmark, Copenhagen – Fujifilm X-E5
Redeye – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5
Bike Path – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Gasoline Grill – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF
Canal at Sunset – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF

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Capture One & Fujifilm Recipes

Fujifilm X-E5 and Fujinon 33mm f/1.4 plus Copenhagen Negative Recipe

Fujikina Copenhagen was incredible! It was such an honor to have been invited. I had many wonderful discussions, and learned a lot. I’m still in Denmark, and I wasn’t intending to write about any of it until after I returned. I’ve shared a little on Instagram, so be sure to follow me if you don’t already. I have a ton to talk about, so this is just the start. You can expect a lot more over the next couple of weeks, including the new Copenhagen Negative Recipe, which I unveiled at the event—those who attended Fujikina Copenhagen have already seen the new Recipe, and maybe have already used it. You can expect it on this website and in the Fuji X Weekly App next week.

One of the sponsors of Fujikina was Capture One, the photo editing software company. Probably many of you have Capture One on your computer right now. I do. I rarely use it personally, but Amanda uses it regularly. One cool thing they offered was negative film scanning using a GFX100 II tethered to their software. There were a lot of Capture One employees (and even former employees) and representatives of their brand at the event, and I got to talk with many of them. I learned things that surprised me, and something that some of you might appreciate, which we’ll get to in just a moment.

Captured with a Fujifilm QuickSnap camera, scanned by Capture One

Whenever a new camera is released, Capture One has to extensively test it out. Any and every camera that is supported by the software has been put through the paces before they add it as compatible with the software. Even if it has the same sensor and processor as another model, it still has to be tested. The folks at Capture One have used a heck-of-a-lot of cameras! Whenever they’re not at work and are doing their own personal photography, the brand of choice for many of them is Fujifilm.

Not only do many use Fujifilm cameras, but also Fujifilm Recipes. I would have expected the folks behind Capture One to be strictly RAW-only photographers, but they’re not. Many of them have the Fuji X Weekly App on their phones. One told me, “I went out photographing, and the light wasn’t great. When I got back, I really didn’t want to edit them. I shot RAW+JPEG with one of your Recipes, and when I reviewed the pictures, the JPEGs were perfect just as they were.” Another told me that they also shoot RAW+JPEG, and sometimes they edit the RAW, sometimes they edit the JPEG, and sometimes they just use the JPEG unedited.

Fujifilm X-E5 and Fujinon 23mm f/2.8 plus Copenhagen Negative Recipe

There’s no right or wrong way to do photography, and there’s no right or wrong way to use Recipes. For example, I know a couple photographers (not associated with Capture One) who are strict RAW-only types, but they found a Recipe that is similar to their style, so it helps them to better pre-visualize the finished photograph while in the field, and since the RAW software applies some of the JPEG settings, it speeds up their workflow. Some edit the RAWs for certain pictures and use the camera-made JPEGs for others. Amanda sometimes edits her JPEGs, while I’m more strictly unedited myself. It’s about finding what works best for you and your photography, whatever that is.

Over the years I’ve been asked many times to create LUTs or Lightroom presets out of my Film Simulation Recipes, and I even once collaborated with one of the foremost experts on RAW software in an effort to make that happen; however, for several reasons it did’t work out. One of the Capture One employees shared with me what he does, and I think some of you will find this fascinating. He shoots RAW+JPEG with Recipes, and if he wants to edit the RAW but keep the look of the JPEG, he simply uses the Match Look tool in Capture One. It isn’t 100% perfectly the same, but it gets you much closer to the JPEG aesthetic, yet with the flexibility of the RAW to adjust highlights and shadows and such. It is apparently more accurate when you Match Look the JPEG to the RAW of the same image, rather than some other exposure captured of a different scene with a different light, but even that works to a degree.

The people at Capture One are really great. It was wonderful to meet them and talk with them, and I hope it’s not the last time. If you edit RAW images, Capture One is probably the best software available for Fujifilm cameras. Whether you are RAW-only, JPEG-only, or anywhere in-between (or something else entirely), we’re all photographers just trying to express ourselves and create something meaningful through our images. The way we get there matters much less than the destination itself, which is our photographs.

Correcting My Mistakes

Let me apologize right off the start here. I made two significant mistakes when I published the eight Video Recipes last Saturday. Someone pointed it out to me this morning, and I fixed it right away. Somehow, other than the Film Simulation, I had mixed up the Chrome Color and Reala Color Recipe parameters. In other words, the Chrome Color Recipe had the Reala Color parameters (other than the Film Sim), and the Reala Color Recipe had the Chrome Color parameters (other than the Film Sim). This was just on the website, it has always been correct in the Fuji X Weekly App. I’m really sorry for this mistake, and I really hope it didn’t cause too much trouble. I checked the other six Recipes, and they are all correct.

When I published the Video Recipes, that was wild. It required eight articles for the Recipes themselves, plus an article to announce it all, plus two posts for the two Early-Access Recipes that were replaced and become public (Kodak Emulsion and Summer of ’59), plus a new landing page for the Video Recipes. Altogether I published 12 things, which was by far the most for any one day. In the last nearly 10 years that I’ve been running Fuji X Weekly, I’ve not come anywhere close to that. I’m not sure what the previous record was, but it was not more than five or six. That’s why I had apologized in advance for inundating you with content.

I’m truly sorry for the mistakes that I made. I wish that I had triple-checked everything before going live, and not just double-checked, because I would likely have discovered it. It was all a bit overwhelming. I don’t plan to publish so much at once ever again, because that was really crazy. It’s all been fixed now. Please accept my apology.

I have seen some of you post clips on Instagram using the new Video Recipes. That’s awesome! I have enjoyed seeing those, and can’t wait to see what else you create with these Recipes.

Introducing Video Recipes for Fujifilm Cameras!

I’m thrilled to finally release an exciting project that has been in the works for over a year: Video Recipes for Fujifilm cameras! This has taken tremendous effort to complete. Even though there are significantly fewer settings available for video than for stills, I found that creating Recipes for video to be much more difficult. A lot of care went into them. I’m extremely happy to share these new Recipes with you today.

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be 100% exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

I just published eight brand-new video Recipes. All of them are compatible with fifth-generation cameras (Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III), while some can also be used with fourth-generation models. Additionally, these Recipes are compatible with newer GFX cameras, like the GFX100 II, GFX100S II, GFX100RF, and Eterna 55. If you are a video content creator who wants to take advantage of Fujifilm’s excellent colors and spend less time—or even eliminate—color grading, these Video Recipes are for you!

All of the footage in the sample videos are straight-out-of-camera, completely unedited other than length (and sometimes cropped and/or stabilized). The clips were not color graded or manipulated. If you were to use these Recipes for your cinematography, you can expect the same type of results. What you see is what you’ll get.

This Video Recipe project was a team effort. I developed the Recipes myself with input and feedback from my lovely wife, Amanda. The footage in the sample videos were made by several creators, who I’ll introduce in just a moment. Amanda edited all of clips into YouTube videos. The Fuji X Weekly App had to be modified, made possible by the talents of my app developer, Sahand Nayebaziz.

Now, let’s take a look at the six Video Recipes!

Chrome Color

The Chrome Color Video Recipe is warm and subtly colorful, with a strong Kodak-like aesthetic. It’s great for a summertime vibe. While it’s especially good for sunny daylight situations, it’s also quite versatile, and can be used anytime of the day or night.

Reala Color

The Reala Color Video Recipe is warm, light, and vibrant—yet somehow true-to-life—with an analog feel. It’s quite versatile, and can be used anytime of the day or night.

Nostalgic Color

The Nostalgic Color Video Recipe is soft, warm, and slightly muted—an aesthetic that feels like a memory. This Recipe evokes nostalgia, and is quite versatile.

Natural Negative

The Natural Negative Video Recipe is soft, light, and warm, yet true-to-life. It has a strong cinematic feel. This Recipe is extremely versatile, great for day or night or any other light situation.

Retro Fujicolor

The Retro Fujicolor Video Recipe is muted and contrasty, with a vintage Fujicolor look reminiscent of the ’80’s and ’90’s. The Recipe is highly versatile, and can be used anytime of the day or night.

Vivid Fujichrome

The Vivid Fujichrome Video Recipe is vibrant and leans warm; slightly contrasty with deep blacks. This is a bold Recipe for colorful subjects, and has a distinctive Velvia quality. It’s specifically intended for sunny daylight, but it can sometimes produce good results in other light situations. It’s especially great for sunset and blue hour.

Retro Cinematic

The Retro Cinematic Video Recipe emphasizes both warm and cool tones. In the right light, it almost has a split-tone effect. Depending on the situation, it can appear to have a warm cast or a cool cast. While this Recipe is intended for use in sunny daylight, it’s great for showcasing the blues of twilight and for emphasizing the warmth of artificial light.

Vision Daylight

The Vision Daylight Video Recipe is warm, somewhat contrasty (yet with great tonality), and subtly colorful—very summer-like—with a cinematic feel. It has a strong Kodak-esque motion picture aesthetic. This Recipe is specifically intended for sunny daylight situations, but can be interesting in other light, too.

Now let’s meet the cinematographers! I want to give a big shoutout and thank you to them, as they each played an important role in this project. Also, I want to give a special acknowledgement to my wife, Amanda, who produced the sample videos above, and was instrumental in this whole project—without her, none of this would have happened.

Kyler Steele

A New York City-based travel photographer and videographer, Kyler’s content evokes a feeling of nostalgia through his use of color and composition. He has collaborated with Hasselblad, Leica, and Fujifilm. His reviews, guides, newsletter, and educational content are popular on Instagram and YouTube.

AV

Austin, also known as AV and AVdidit, is a New York City-based landscape and travel photographer and videographer who aims to capture the emotion or atmosphere of a scene rather than strict realism. He has worked with B&H, Fujifilm, OM Systems, Cruise America, and more. You can find him on Instagram and YouTube.

Dave Geffin

A New York City-based photographer and cinematographer, Dave has worked with Fujifilm, Adidas, Amazon, Phase One, Elle, Harpers Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and many, many more. Dave has extensive experience with fashion, commercial, and editorial clients around the world.

B.Monét

B.Monét is an award-winning writer and director, who’s various short films have screened in dozens of film festivals and streamed on BET, Hulu, and Max. She has worked with Levi’s, Estée Lauder, Disney, Uber, and more.

Sahand Nayebaziz

Sahand is a Los Angeles-based portrait photographer and filmmaker since 2011. He’s also an app developer, and a vital part of the Fuji X Weekly team for over six years.

Jeffrey Sun

Jeffrey is an up-and-coming New York City-based photographer, content creator, and YouTuber who specializes in street and travel images. He has worked with various musicians, events, and brands, including Fujifilm.

Chrome Color — A Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

Even though there are significantly fewer settings available for video than for stills, I found that creating Recipes for video to be much more difficult. I began this project over a year ago, and only now am I publishing the results. It’s been a lot of fun, but also very challenging. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Chrome Color Recipe looks like. I would describe it as warm and subtly colorful, with a strong Kodak-like aesthetic. It’s great for a summertime vibe. While it’s especially good for sunny daylight situations, it’s also quite versatile, and can be used anytime of the day or night.

Chrome Color is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Chrome Color Recipe is compatible with some fourth-generation Fujifilm cameras—X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II—as well as all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

***Update: The Chrome Color Recipe was initially published on this website with incorrect parameters (however, it was correct in the Fuji X Weekly App). It has now been fixed below. I apologize for this mistake.***

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -4 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: 0
Shadow: -1.5
Color: +3
Sharpness: 0

High ISO NR: -4
Interframe NR: Auto
ISO: up to ISO 6400

The stills below are from the video above. The video footage was captured using a Fujifilm X-H2s, X-S20, and GFX100 II. No color grading, just straight-out-of-camera clips. Footage by AV, Sahand Nayebaziz, and Jeffrey Sun.

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and hundreds more in the Fuji X Weekly App. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Reala Color — A Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

Even though there are significantly fewer settings available for video than for stills, I found that creating Recipes for video to be much more difficult. I began this project over a year ago, and only now am I publishing the results. It’s been a lot of fun, but also very challenging. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Reala Color Recipe looks like. I would describe it as warm, light, and vibrant—yet somehow true-to-life—with an analog feel. It’s quite versatile, and can be used anytime of the day or night.

Reala Color is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Reala Color Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

***Update: The Chrome Color Recipe was initially published on this website with incorrect parameters (however, it was correct in the Fuji X Weekly App). It has now been fixed below. I apologize for this mistake.***

Film Simulation: Reala Ace
White Balance: Auto, 0 Red & -3 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +1
Shadow: -1
Color: +3
Sharpness: -1

High ISO NR: -4
Interframe NR: Auto
ISO: up to ISO 6400

The stills below are from the video above. The video footage was captured using a Fujifilm X-H2s, X-S20, and GFX100 II. No color grading, just straight-out-of-camera clips. Footage by AV, Dave Geffin, Sahand Nayebaziz, Kyler Steele, and Jeffrey Sun.

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and hundreds more in the Fuji X Weekly App. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Nostalgic Color — A Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

This is the Recipe that began the whole Video Recipe project. Early last year, my family and I participated in a 72-hour short film challenge. We had three days to write, record, edit, and submit a five minute short film. The overall theme (heroic), some dialog that must be included (“This better be useful”), and a prop that must be used (a sticky note) were not given until the very start of the 72 hours, so we couldn’t preplan much. The short film was a team effort—probably my biggest contribution was the Video Recipe. Prior to this, we primary used Reggie’s Portra for videography (ignoring the settings unavailable in Move Mode), but we wanted a softer, warmer, more muted aesthetic for this movie (something that seemed more like a memory), to better convey the intended feelings. There were nine contest entries, all of which were played in a local movie theater. To our surprise, we won Best Film (and several other trophies). If you are interested, it’s called Will You Play With Me? (click here to watch). Amanda recorded most of the clips, and all of it was filmed on an X-T5 using this Nostalgic Color Recipe.

From there, I was inspired to create even more Video Recipes for Fujifilm cameras. Nostalgic Color was the first, so it has a special place in my heart. It’s quite versatile. The aesthetic of this Recipe evokes nostalgia. I can imagine a full-length documentary filmed with this someday—in fact, the inspiration for this Recipe came from some shots in the documentary American Symphony. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Nostalgic Color Recipe looks like.

Nostalgic Color is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Nostalgic Color Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg.
White Balance: Auto Ambiance Priority, +3 Red & -3 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: 0
Shadow: -1
Color: -2
Sharpness: 0

High ISO NR: -4
Interframe NR: Auto
ISO: up to ISO 6400

The stills below are from the video above. The video footage was captured using a Fujifilm X-H2s and X-S20. No color grading, just straight-out-of-camera clips. Footage by AV, Dave Geffin, B.Monét, and Jeffrey Sun.

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and hundreds more in the Fuji X Weekly App. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Natural Negative — A Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

Even though there are significantly fewer settings available for video than for stills, I found that creating Recipes for video to be much more difficult. I began this project over a year ago, and only now am I publishing the results. It’s been a lot of fun, but also very challenging. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Natural Negative Recipe looks like. I would describe it as soft, light, and warm, yet true-to-life. It has a strong cinematic feel. This Recipe is extremely versatile, great for day or night or any other light situation.

Natural Negative is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Natural Negative Recipe is compatible with some fourth-generation Fujifilm cameras—X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II, as well as all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

Film Simulation: Eterna
White Balance: Auto White Priority, +2 Red & -4 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: 0
Shadow: +1
Color: +2
Sharpness: -1

High ISO NR: -4
Interframe NR: Auto
ISO: up to ISO 12800

The stills below are from the video above. The video footage was captured using a Fujifilm X-H2s and X-S20. No color grading, just straight-out-of-camera clips. Footage by AV, Dave Geffin, B.Monét, Kyler Steele, and Jeffrey Sun.

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and hundreds more in the Fuji X Weekly App. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Retro Fujicolor — A Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

The Retro Fujicolor Video Recipe is my personal favorite for videography. My wife, Amanda, used this Recipe for two Fuji X Weekly YouTube videos last year: Fujifilm X-E5 + 11 Recipes — Roadtrip to the Oldest Building in Arizona and California Coast in Infrared — Fujifilm X-T4 ES & Aerochrome v2 Recipe. It was inspired by old television shows and commercials filmed on Fujifilm’s AX, A, and F motion picture films in the ’80’s and ’90’s. It has a muted and contrasty vintage Fujicolor look. I especially love how greens and blues are rendered. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Retro Fujicolor Recipe looks like.

Retro Fujicolor is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Retro Fujicolor Recipe is compatible with some fourth-generation Fujifilm cameras—X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II, as well as all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

Film Simulation: Classic Negative
White Balance: Auto White Priority, -1 Red & -3 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1.5
Shadow: -1.5
Color: -1
Sharpness: -2

High ISO NR: -4
Interframe NR: Auto
ISO: up to ISO 6400

The stills below are from the video above. The video footage was captured using a Fujifilm X-H2s, X-S20, and GFX100 II. No color grading, just straight-out-of-camera clips. Footage by AV, Sahand Nayebaziz, and Jeffrey Sun.

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and hundreds more in the Fuji X Weekly App. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Vision Daylight — A FXW App Patron Early-Access Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

Even though there are significantly fewer settings available for video than for stills, I found that creating Recipes for video to be much more difficult. I began this project over a year ago, and only now am I publishing the results. It’s been a lot of fun, but also very challenging. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Vision Daylight Recipe looks like. I would describe it as warm (with a hint of green), somewhat contrasty (yet with great tonality), and subtly colorful—very summer-like—with a cinematic feel. It has a strong Kodak-esque motion picture aesthetic. This Recipe is specifically intended for sunny daylight situations, but can be interesting in other light, too.

The Vision Daylight Video Recipe is a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, which means that it is currently only available to App Patrons; however, in time it will be available to everyone. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron subscriber, it’s available to you right now. This is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Vision Daylight Recipe is compatible with some fourth-generation Fujifilm cameras—X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II—as well as all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

The stills below are from the video above. The video footage was captured using a Fujifilm X-H2s, X-S20, and GFX100 II. No color grading, just straight-out-of-camera clips.Footage by AV, Dave Geffin, Sahand Nayebaziz, Kyler Steele, and Jeffrey Sun.

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and hundreds more in the Fuji X Weekly App. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Retro Cinematic — A FXW App Patron Early-Access Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

What I love about the Retro Cinematic Video Recipe is that it emphasizes both warm and cool tones. In the right light, it almost has a split-tone effect. Depending on the situation, it can appear to have a warm cast or a cool cast. While this Recipe is intended for use in sunny daylight, it can also be great for showcasing the blues of twilight and for emphasizing the warmth of artificial light. The Retro Cinematic Video Recipe is a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, which means that it is currently only available to App Patrons; however, in time it will be available to everyone. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron subscriber, it’s available to you right now. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Retro Cinematic Recipe looks like.

Retro Cinematic is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Retro Cinematic Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

The stills below are from the video above. The video footage was captured using a Fujifilm X-H2s and X-S20. No color grading, just straight-out-of-camera clips. Footage by AV, Dave Geffin, B.Monét, Kyler Steele, and Jeffrey Sun.

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and hundreds more in the Fuji X Weekly App. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Vivid Fujichrome — A Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

Even though there are significantly fewer settings available for video than for stills, I found that creating Recipes for video to be much more difficult. I began this project over a year ago, and only now am I publishing the results. It’s been a lot of fun, but also very challenging. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Vivid Fujichrome Recipe looks like. I would describe it as vibrant and leaning warm; slightly contrasty with deep blacks. This is a bold Recipe for colorful subjects, and has a distinctive Velvia quality. It’s specifically intended for sunny daylight, but it can sometimes produce good results in other light situations. It’s especially great for sunset and blue hour.

Vivid Fujichrome is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Vivid Fujichrome Recipe is compatible with most fourth-generation Fujifilm cameras—X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II—as well as all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with many GFX cameras, too.

Film Simulation: Velvia
White Balance: 5000K, +2 Red & 0 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: -1
Shadow: -2
Color: +2
Sharpness: 0

High ISO NR: -4
Interframe NR: Auto
ISO: up to ISO 6400

The stills below are from the video above. The video footage was captured using a Fujifilm X-H2s and X-S20. No color grading, just straight-out-of-camera clips. Footage by AV, Dave Geffin, B.Monét, Kyler Steele, and Jeffrey Sun.

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and hundreds more in the Fuji X Weekly App. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Summer of ’59 — A Fujifilm Recipe for Fifth-Generation Cameras

Stop Time – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of ’59

This Fujifilm Recipe began as an attempt to recreate the aesthetic of some of Saul Leiter’s color photographs from the 1950’s and early-1960’s, particularly images like Paris 1959, Foot on El 1954, Bus 1954, San Carlo Restaurant 1952, Taxi 1957, Near the Tanager 1954, Phone Call 1957, and Pipes 1960—among others—with the greatest emphasis on Paris 1959. While I don’t think it’s possible to faithfully reproduce that look exactly on Fujifilm cameras, this Summer of ’59 Recipe is definitely at times pretty darn close. Also, some of Saul’s other photographs from that same era had a divergent aesthetic, and this Recipe isn’t good for replicating those.

During this time, Saul Leiter was using the first era of Kodachrome film. Something interesting that I learned while researching this is that Saul preferred shooting Kodachrome that was past the expiration date. He liked the way the film looked when expired, and especially the serendipity of not knowing what the precise aesthetic was going to be. An alternative name for this Fujifilm Recipe could be Expired Vintage Kodachrome.

Fountain at Dusk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – Summer of ’59

Saul Leiter liked reflections, shooting through glass, and using layers. He kept his eyes out for catchy colors. He wasn’t afraid of shadows. His favorite lenses were telephoto, particularly 90mm and 150mm. If you are really trying to replicate his look, those are things you’ll want to consider. Vintage lenses will likely help, too (although I didn’t use vintage glass for these images).

This Summer of ’59 Recipe isn’t new—it was an App Patron Early-Access Recipe, and Patrons have had access to it for the last two years. Now that it has been replaced by a different Early-Access Recipe, it’s freely available to everyone. I really like this one, personally, and use it from time-to-time. My wife, Amanda, used it recently, too, and she seemed to really like it. I never intended for Summer of ’59 to be unavailable to everyone for so long, and I’m working to improve that going forward. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy this Recipe.

Mint Chocolate Shake – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of ’59

This Recipe is fully compatible with all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. It can also be used on the latest GFX models: GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF. You can also use this on “newer” fourth-generation cameras (X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II), but it will render very slightly different (try it anyway!). One consideration is White Balance Shift: I wen’t back-and-forth on both Red and Blue, and I think +5 Red could alternatively be used, and/or -7 Blue could be alternatively used. All of the sample pictures in this article are with the WB Shift as published, and not the divergent options mentioned above.

Film Simulation: Eterna
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong
White Balance: Auto, +4 Red & -8 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +3
Shadow: +0.5
Color: 0
Sharpness: -1

High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Summer of ’59 Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-T5 and X100VI:

All Way Stop – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Hanging Glass – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Falling Water in a Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Lion Water – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pet Waste Station – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red & White Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainville & Palm Tree Trunk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Summertime Feelings – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Founder’s Day Weekend – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Flags – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Power Lines – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
An Arizona Home – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Corner – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Yellow Car – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea Along a Sidewalk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Santa Coffee – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Jogger – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
CVS Pharmacy Sign – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Next Time – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunlit Lamp – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fake House Plant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bedroom Plant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
1000 Record Covers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fountain Pot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Jo in the Backyard – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bench End – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Twin Seats – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fashion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Outdoor Potted Plant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Cactus Landscape – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
The Boys – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red Hots – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Protection – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pick Up – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and over 400 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

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:
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Fujifilm X100VI in silver:
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Fujifilm X-T5 in black:
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Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:
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Kodak Emulsion — A Fujifilm Recipe for X-Trans IV Cameras

Blooms by the Pavilion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Emulsion Recipe

I love this Kodak Emulsion Film Simulation Recipe, even though it was a happy accident. I was trying to replicate the aesthetic of some Kodak ColorPlus 200 film scans that someone shared with me, but I was unsuccessful; however, in the process of failing, I discovered these settings, which are absolutely great! Even though this Recipe doesn’t accurately mimic any specific emulsion (as far as I’m aware), it still looks very analog-like, and highly reminiscent of a few different Kodak negative stocks. I bet you could convince some people that you actually shot with film, and not a modern digital camera. While I used my Fujifilm X100V to capture these pictures, if I were to choose an interchangeable-lens model paired with vintage glass, I’m certain it would be even more convincing.

This was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, but now it’s freely available because a new Early-Access Recipe has replaced it. So this isn’t a new Recipe, only newly available to everyone. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no App. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!

Fallen Giant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Emulsion Recipe

This Kodak Emulsion Recipe is compatible with all “newer” fourth-generation Fujifilm cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II; however, not the X-T3 or X-T30). Technically it is compatible with fifth-generation models, but, because X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations, it will look very slightly different (probably not a big enough difference that you’ll notice or care, so give it a try!). This Recipe is best for sunny daylight conditions, but it can be good in other natural light situations, too.

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: Shade, -2 Red & +2 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -2
Shadow: -2
Color: +3
Sharpness: -2

High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Emulsion Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Autumn Sun – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Autumn Tree Leaves on a Shrub – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Minolta SLR – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Homework – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Flash On
Vines Along a Shaded Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sunlit Table & Chairs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Potted Flowers & Pavilion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Flowers at a Neighborhood Park – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Palm Tree & White Building – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Hanging Lightbulbs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Flag in the Wind – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Bougainvillea Branch on a Bright Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Yellow Wildflowers in the Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Yellow Flowers Blooming – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Tall Saguaro Behind Dead Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Reaching Saguaro Fingers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Damaged Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
A Desert Landscape – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Dirt Road After Rain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

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