Elite Chrome 200 was a “high-ISO” color transparency film made by Kodak during the 1990’s and into the mid-2000’s. It was one of those films you could find at most corner drug stores, and you typically would chose it if you ran out of film while out-and-about and needed something. Elite Chrome was a low-budget Ektachrome film. A rumor that I remember about Elite Chrome 200 is that it was actually Ektachrome E200 that didn’t pass the quality control inspection, but I have no idea if that was true or not. Interestingly, Kodak claimed that Elite Chrome 200 was the lowest-contrast ISO 200 reversal film on the market. Because of how it responded to C-41 chemistry, it was a popular option for cross-processing.
I shot several rolls of Elite Chrome 200 film back in the day. Unfortunately, Ektachrome had a tendency to fade over time—it’s not an especially great archival film. I actually made a recipe mimicking faded Elite Chrome 200. This recipe is more like if the film wasn’t faded. I wasn’t intentionally intending to recreate Elite Chrome—in fact, I stumbled into this recipe when I used Classic Chrome instead of Classic Negative with my Fujicolor Superia 800 recipe. I was pretty shocked by just how good it looked! Sometimes changing the film simulation can produce good results, and sometimes (like when Omar Gonzalez used Classic Chrome instead of Classic Negative with my Agfa Vista recipe) it doesn’t produce good results. Fortunately for you, this is an example of when it works, and it just so happens by chance to resemble Elite Chrome 200 film.
The Fallen – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Elite Chrome 200”
This film simulation recipe is compatible with all X-Trans IV cameras, except for the X-T3 and X-T30. If you have an X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II, this recipe is completely compatible with your camera. If you do have an X-T3 or X-T30 and want to use this recipe, you’ll have to ignore Grain Size (set it to Strong), ignore Color Chrome FX Blue, and ignore Clarity. In lieu of Clarity, use a diffusion filter, such as a 10% CineBloom or 1/4 Black Pro Mist.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1 Shadow: +1 Color: -1 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -1 Clarity: -4 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: Daylight, -1 Red & -3 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Elite Chrome 200 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujifilm X100V:
Pumpkin Head – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Colorful Fall Trees – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Little Yellow Leaf – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
October Tree Trunks – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Sunlight In The Golden Forest – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Autumn Forest Light – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Autumn Woods – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Autumn Creek – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Late October Leaves – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Raindrops on a Branch – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Leaves on Old Fallen Tree – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Jo in the Forest – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Happy Johanna – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Evening Interstate – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
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We’re just two days away from the next SOOC Livebroadcast! Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I will finish our discussion on Travel Photography, share your pictures (better upload your pictures quick if you haven’t yet), and answer any questions that you might have. It will be a great time, and I hope to see you there!
Join Nathalie and I on Thursday, July 27th, at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern. Your participation makes these episodes great, so I hope that you can be there. See you in two days!
If you missed Part 1 of Travel Photography, be sure to watch it. I’ve included it below:
It’s now November, and tricks or treats are officially over. I thought it would be fun to look back at October, and see what the most viewed articles were. I have two categories: most viewed in October and most viewed that were published in October. It’s a subtle difference, but a difference nonetheless. I’ll finish up with a third category: pointing out some posts that seem to have been overlooked—maybe you missed them.
Great American Fish – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”
I thought it would be interesting to compare Kodak-inspired Film Simulation Recipes on my Fujifilm X-E4. So I pulled out my phone, opened the Fuji X Weekly App, and selected Filter by Sensor (choosing both X-Trans III & X-Trans IV) and Filter by Color. Then I used the Search feature to find all of the recipes with “Koda” in the name—I didn’t search for “Kodak” because Kodachrome would have been excluded. The App displayed 36 recipes. Some recipes, like Reggie’s Portra, Old Ektachrome, and Elite Chrome 200, didn’t show up because “Koda” isn’t found anywhere in the recipe title, despite the Kodak-inspired aesthetic, so I had to search those out separately. Then I reprocessed an exposure (captured in Morro Bay, California) on my X-E4 with all of these recipes.
Let’s take a look at how these 41 Kodak-inspired Film Simulation Recipes compare to each other!
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Raindrops on a Branch – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Elite Chrome 200“
In my series, Which Film Simulation Recipes, When?, I’m trying to help out those who are unsure what Film Simulation Recipe to use in a given situation (after all, there are more than 250 to choose from). One of those situation is when you’re shooting in overcast conditions on a dreary day. I provide a recipe suggestion, plus five alternatives, to try. This topic was also discussed briefly in the last SOOC broadcast. The problem is that it’s all subjective; what I think might work well on a rainy day, you might disagree with. The aesthetic that I like you might not. Everyone has their own opinions.
What makes a Film Simulation Recipe work well on an overcast day? First, I think it needs to accentuate the mood. To me, that’s most important, although feelings are abstract and variable, so the task of saying “this recipe has the right mood” is difficult. Whether it should be punchy or muted, warm or cool, depends on the mood you want to convey. The recipe also needs to be able to handle the grey sky and not blow it out, while also dealing with low-contrast situations that you’re likely to encounter. It also has to look good at higher ISOs, because if it’s thick overcast, you’re likely dealing with higher ISOs (thankfully, most recipes do well at higher ISOs because of the X-Trans sensor and processing).
Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucrypublished an excellent article today tackling this topic that I want to direct you to (click here—I promise that it is worth your time to do so). Obviously she doesn’t look at every recipe or even most recipes, but she does a comparison of a handful of them, and you can decide for yourself which one (or ones), if any, stand out to you as something to try. Since it is subjective, what she likes—or what I like—might be much different than what you like, and that’s perfectly ok—it’s about finding what works for you. Nathalie and I are both trying to take you on a path of discovery, so that you can find the recipes that work for you, and in the process you’re likely to find some that aren’t your style.
Comparison courtesy of Nathalie Boucry.
The best path to discovery involves action. You have to try a recipe in a given situation to figure out if it does well or not, and if you appreciate the results of it. You have to be willing to fail—by fail, I simply mean that you might find a recipe that you don’t like to use in a given situation while attempting to find one that you do like for that situation. In a way, it’s a little like playing the classic board game Clue. Was it Colonel Mustard in the Library with the Candlestick? Maybe. You have to suggest it to find out. Will the Elite Chrome 200 recipe work well for you on a rainy day? Maybe. I can suggest it, but you need to try it for yourself to find out. Nathalie’s article might be particularly helpful to you, because she did the hard work, and one of those recipes that she used might just stand out to you as one to try the next time you are photographing in the rain.
Now it’s your turn! What is your favorite Film Simulation Recipe to use on overcast, dreary, rainy days? Let me know in the comments!
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Road Through the Autumn Trees – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X100F – Velvia
Autumn officially arrived yesterday. I didn’t notice because I moved to the Phoenix metropolitan area, and in this part of Arizona it is still summer, as far as the weather and trees are concerned. Besides, this area isn’t known for its fall colors, anyway. But I used to live in Utah, and loved watching the autumn colors descend on the Wasatch, beginning at the mountain peaks in late-summer and working their way to the valley by October. I will miss that this year, for sure.
A common question I’m asked around the Autumn Equinox is which Film Simulation Recipes are best for photographing fall colors. There are many that could work well, much more than merely 10. I think, generally speaking, any recipe that uses Velvia or Astia could be solid options. Classic Chrome and Classic Negative recipes can be good, too. I don’t believe any film simulation is inherently “bad” for fall colors, but obviously some are better than others. I think oftentimes the recipes that are more vibrant will do better, so perhaps look for those. Download the Fuji X Weekly App (if you haven’t already), browse through the sample pictures, and see which recipe stands out he most to you. Or, if you’re brave, use the new Random Recipe selector to choose one for you!
If you are not sure which Film Simulation Recipe to use on your Fujifilm camera and are looking for some ideas, I have suggested 10 below, which I believe will do well for photographing fall colors. Best of luck this autumn season!
Next week—on July 27th—Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I will be chatting about travel photography in our upcoming SOOC Livebroadcast, including showing your pictures and answering your questions. I hope that you can join us!
The Q&A shows, which are the Part 2 of our monthly topics, are always a lot of fun. They’re more relaxed and interactive. Your participation makes them great—your role is vital! If you don’t have next week’s broadcast on your calendar, be sure to mark it now. I’ve included it below so that you can easily locate it.
Two weeks ago was the Part 1 episode, where Nathalie and I introduced the theme of travel photography. We discussed all sorts of considerations and gave many tips. If you haven’t yet seen that show, you’ll want to take some time to watch it. I’ve included the broadcast below, and you can also find it on the SOOC Live YouTube channel.
In that episode we challenged you to shoot with one or more of these four Film Simulation Recipes: 1970’s Summer, Elite Chrome 200, Fujichrome Provia 100F, and Kodacolor VR. Additionally, if you want an even greater challenge, you can try to get good results from one or more of these Recipes in unfavorable light. And if you want to go boss-level, the third challenge is to print and frame one of your pictures that were captured with these Recipes. To summarize: Level 1 is to use the Recipes listed above, Level 2 is to shoot those Recipes in less-than-ideal light, and Level 3 is to print and frame one of the pictures you captured during the first two levels. Got it?
We invite you to share your results with us and the SOOC Live community. Please upload your images (click here) captured with our four recommended Recipes to be potentially featured in the next episode and also included in the Viewers’ Images slideshow. Don’t forget to include the Film Simulation Recipe name in the file name, so that we know which Recipe you used. The deadline for submission is Tuesday the 25th, which means that you still have a little time, but not a lot, so don’t procrastinate. I look forward to seeing your pictures!
Last month’s Viewers Images slideshow was delayed a little due to a few unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances. If you haven’t yet watched it, I’ve included it below. Thank you to everyone who participated!
Sun Behind The Tetons – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X100V – “Elite Chrome 200“
Sun Behind Tetons & River – Grand Teton NP, WY – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam – “Color Negative Low”
I recently visited the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. This iconic mountain range sits just north of the tourist town of Jackson Hole. If you’ve never been, this is a “bucket list” kind of place that you should absolutely try to see in person if you can. My visit was a quick weekend getaway, and not surprisingly the weather didn’t really cooperate. Still, I wanted to get in some photography, and so I did.
What I don’t want to do is view massive crops side-by-side. The Fujifilm X100V and the iPhone are much different tools, so this will be a very general overview without pixel-peeping.
Technically speaking, the X100V is far superior, and it isn’t even close. For technical image quality, the X100V is the camera to grab, but the iPhone, with its tiny little sensor, is surprisingly good, all things considered. The advantage of the iPhone is that you have it with you all of the time, and you can quickly and easily share the pictures captured with it across the world (especially if you used the RitchieCam app). Convenience and speed are the reasons to choose the iPhone over the X100V, but the X100V is pretty compact and quick, too. For printing or viewing large, the X100V is the right tool. For quick sharing, the iPhone is the right tool. Here’s the great news: you don’t have to choose—use both, or use the one that you happen to have with you.
This is the first in a series of articles where I’ll compare photographs captured with the Fujifilm X100V using Film Simulation Recipes and the iPhone using the RitchieCam app. Below are photographs captured with these cameras at the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. Let me know in the comments which pictures you like best!
Fujifilm X100V
Snake River Overlook Morning – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X100V – “The Rockwell“
Paid For – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Purple Color Cast – Upcoming Recipe
Colors are closely tied to mood and emotion. One picture can produce various reactions simply by changing the color cast. Since Film Simulation Recipes have various color casts, you can use them to make your pictures convey certain feelings. Let’s take a closer look at what exactly that means.
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One of my absolute favorite lenses is the Fujinon 90mm f/2! It’s super sharp, plenty bright, great bokeh, and just lovely image quality. Technically speaking, the lens is near perfection, and practically speaking, it does nothing but produce lovely pictures. You can read my full review of the Fujinon 90mm f/2 lens here. I don’t want to rehash what I’ve already said, but instead convey why this is one of my absolute favorite lenses.
I purchased my Fujinon 90mm f/2 about three years ago. I had read that it was one of Fujifilm’s best portrait lenses, and I was going to be doing some portrait photography, so I bought it for that purpose. I had intended to sell it afterwards, but after I used it there was no way that I was going to sell it—it was love at first click! All of the great things that I read about it turned out to be completely true.
90mm is full-frame-equivalent to 135mm, which once was a very common focal-length, but it’s not really in vogue anymore. It’s not quite long enough for sports and wildlife photographers, and it’s too long for a lot of other purposes. Even portrait photographers might prefer a shorter focal-length with a larger maximum aperture. 135mm can be a bit challenging to use, but also very rewarding.
Robert Capa coined the phrase, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” Robert probably wasn’t advocating the use of longer lenses, but actually taking a few steps closer; however, the Fujinon 90mm lens allows you to get closer without actually getting closer. It forces you to remove unnecessary elements from the frame, because they simply won’t fit—you can’t get it all in, so you have to be more purposeful with what you do and don’t include. That’s the challenge, but better pictures are the reward.
When Fujifilm introduced the 90mm f/2 in 2015, they likely had in mind that it would be popular among portrait photographers, and for sure it is! But I’m not a portrait photographer—at least not usually. While the lens is optimized for portrait photography, it is great for still-life, nature, urban, and many other circumstances. I use it most frequently for landscape photography.
The only negative comment that I have to say against the Fujinon 90mm f/2 is that it is a little hefty. It balances better on a camera like the X-T4 than X-E4, but I still use it frequently on smaller bodies. It’s not comfortable to carry around all day long. Aside from that, the 90mm lens is the epitome of the Fujinon quality that Fujifilm is renown for. I cannot imagine anyone being disappointed with the images captured through this glass.
The Fujinon 90mm f/2 can be challenging to use because of its focal-length, but if you take on that challenge you will be rewarded with wonderful photographs. That’s why I love it! If you are not a portrait photographer, this lens might not be on your radar, but it is worth owning anyway, as it is useful in many circumstances, and not just portraits. If you are a portrait photographer, this should be one of your top considerations. It retails for $950.
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Pink Rose Blossom – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Ektachrome E100GX”
It’s now December, and the holiday season has officially begun! At least at my house it has. I thought it would be fun to look back at November, and see what the most viewed articles were. I have two categories: most viewed in November and most viewed that were published in November. It’s a subtle difference, but a difference nonetheless. I’ll finish up with a third category: pointing out some posts that seem to have been overlooked—maybe you missed them.
When should you use which Film Simulation Recipes on your Fujifilm X-T3 or X-T30 camera? With so many recipes to choose from, it can be difficult to know what recipe you should select in a given situation, and this article is intended to help you with that. If you haven’t read Part 1, it’s important to do so because it explains what exactly we’re doing—the backstory—which is important to understand. There’s a video to watch in that article, too. Take a moment right now to hop on over to Part 1 (click here) before continuing on with this post, if you haven’t viewed it already.
What makes Part 2 more challenging than the first article is that the X-T3 and X-T30 cameras cannot remember a White Balance Shift within the C1-C7 Custom Presets. If two recipes share the same white balance type but not the same shift, then when you switch presets you must remember to adjust the shift, too. That can be inconvenient and frustrating, so my best solution is to program recipes that use different white balance types and/or share the same white balance type and shift. The user experience is much improved, but you might not be able to program all of your favorite recipe at the same time, which is the one downside to doing this. What I set out to do with this article is recommend seven recipes, one for each C1-C7 Custom Preset, that don’t share the same white balance type, or, if they do, share the same shift. It turned out to be a somewhat impossible task, but I think I came up with a good set for you.
Also, if you have a newer X-Trans IV camera (or X-Trans V), you can use these recipes, too, by simply setting Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and choosing a Grain size (either Small or Large). While Part III will cover X-Trans III, some of these recipes are compatible with X-Trans III cameras; the key is to look for whether they call for Color Chrome Effect or not—if not, it’s compatible with X-Trans III. Also, X-Trans III recipes are fully compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30 (just set Color Chrome Effect to Off), but I avoided those recipes for this article because I wanted to save them for Part 3.
Fujichrome Sensia 100 is one of my favorite recipes for sunrise and sunset colors. It does pretty well throughout the entirety of “golden hour” but when the sky is pink and purple and red it does especially well. This recipe is an excellent option for shade, and does pretty well in many situations, including natural light portraits, so it has some good versatility. It uses the Fluorescent 2 (sometimes called Neon 2) white balance type; if I wasn’t concerned about white balance type, I would strongly consider Kodak Portra 400 v2 instead of this one, but I do think Fujichrome Sensia 100 is a solid choice for “golden hour” photography.
This was actually a really touch decision because there are so many great options for “midday”—which simply is daylight outside of “golden hour”—and I had to choose one, so I went with Kodak Vision3 250D. This is such a good (and underutilized) recipe, and does well in a number of situations, including “golden hour” and shade and portraits and (of course) midday. It uses the Fluorescent 1 (sometimes called Neon 1) white balance type; if I wasn’t concerned about white balance type, I could go with Kodachrome 64 or Kodak Portra 160 or Kodak Gold 200 or (of course) Kodak Vision3 250D and be very happy with any of them, they’re all good.
Winter Reeds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Classic Slide”
The Classic Slide recipe is one of my top choices for heavy overcast, rainy, dreary days. It’s also good for shade or midday or even “golden hour” photography—it’s another recipe with some good versatility. It uses the Daylight white balance type; if I wasn’t concerned about white balance type, I’d still choose this one, but Negative Print is a good runner up.
Cinematic Negative is a very versatile recipe, and I like it for all of the situations we’ve talked about above, but I also like it for indoor photography, both natural light and (to an extent) artificial light (although I would consider a “Nighttime” recipe below as a first choice for artificial light). It uses the Incandescent white balance type; if I wasn’t concerned about white balance type, Analog Color would be my top choice for indoor natural light photography, but Cinematic Negative is a close second, so I’d be happy to have it in C4, where it could also be used for a number of other situations.
Wet Glass Bokeh – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Jeff Davenport Night”
If it’s between dusk and dawn, especially if there are city lights, Jeff Davenport Night is the recipe to use. Period. It uses a Kelvin white balance type; if I wasn’t concerned about white balance type I’d still use this recipe, no questions asked.
Bloom Purple – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Expired Eterna”
The “Alternative Process” category is a fun one. These are recipes you probably wouldn’t use all of the time, only occasionally just for the joy of it. I chose “Expired Eterna” because of the white balance type—Auto—but if I wasn’t concerned about white balance type, I would choose Redscale, Cross Process Film, or Kodak Elite Chrome 200 Color Fade—any of them, they’re all fun. Vintage Color Fade also uses Auto white balance, but I didn’t choose it because it requires double-exposures, which can be tricky, but if you’re up for the challenge, go with that one instead.
Alternatives for “alternative process” photography:
The Obscurity of Light – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Dramatic Monochrome”
Last but not least is B&W, and for that I chose Dramatic Monochrome, which is a good recipe that I really like. It uses Auto white balance without a shift; however, the other Auto white balance recipe (Expired Eterna above) does use a shift. How I would handle this is I wouldn’t worry about the shift for this recipe, just use the shift of Expired Eterna, because, while white balance shift does affect black-and-white pictures, it’s not as big of an impact as color images, and it won’t significantly change the aesthetic of Dramatic Monochrome—only subtly—and you’re not likely to notice, so I just wouldn’t worry about it. If I wasn’t concerned about white balance type, I would choose Kodak Tri-X 400 (read the article for that recipe to see how to make it compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30), because it is my favorite Film Simulation Recipe.
JTPX 1204 – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Elite Chrome 200 Color Fade”
I recently ran across some old slides that I had forgotten about, and one of those color transparencies was a frame of Kodak Elite Chrome 200 that was beginning to fade and change color. The picture wasn’t especially good, but it looked interesting because of how the image was transforming. Elite Chrome was a version of Ektachrome, which has been dubbed Fade-a-chrome, as it’s very prone to fading and discoloration, especially if not stored correctly, which this particular picture wasn’t. You can see the fading Elite Chrome 200 photograph below.
I wondered if I could create a film simulation recipe that mimics the look of fading Elite Chrome 200. I experimented with the settings a bunch, but couldn’t get it to look right. After showing my wife, Amanda, she suggested that the digital picture looked too crisp, too detailed. I made some more modifications, and found myself much closer. Not perfect, but very close. I made more changes and adjustments, but unfortunately I couldn’t get it to look better, so I went back to those settings that were very close to being right, which is the recipe here.
One addition to this film simulation recipe that you’ve never seen in any of my other recipes is Image Quality. I have always used Fine, because it’s the highest quality setting, but in this case Fine was, well, too fine. I set it to Normal instead so as to better mimic the transparency. While I’m sure this particular recipe is not for everyone, those looking for something that resembles film from decades ago might appreciate it, as it has an analog aesthetic, and a look that’s a bit unusual, perhaps a bit lomographic (did I just make up a word?).
Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: 0
Shadow: +2
Color: -2
Noise Reduction: +2
Sharpening: -4
Grain Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Image Quality: Normal
White Balance: 8300K, +4 Red & +8 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to -2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Elite Chrome 200 Color Fade recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:
Green Locomotive – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Tank Rider – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Tracks By The Refinery – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
American Joe – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Neighborhood Patriotism – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Sidewalk Tricycle – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Red Flag – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Peek – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
One Eye Open – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Evening Bike – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Fence & Path – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Out Flowing – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Mountain Sky – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Wet Red Rose – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Rose Blossom Fence – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
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All Fujifilm X cameras have a feature called Film Simulation Bracket. Select three different film simulations, and the camera will process each exposure as three different images using whichever film simulations you selected. Unfortunately, with Film Simulation Bracket, you cannot change any other parameter, only the film simulation. This means that the camera will not apply three different film simulation recipes. When Fujifilm designed this feature, I’m sure that they were unaware of how people would be using their cameras, and Film Simulation Bracket definitely demonstrates that. Instead of what it is, it should be Custom Preset Bracket—you pick three different C1-C7 presets, and the camera will generate an image using each with every exposure. That would be amazing! But, sadly, that’s not an option. I’ve never really liked or used Film Simulation Bracket until recently, and I discovered that it can sometimes be a useful tool.
In this article we will look at what Film Simulation Bracket is, how to use it, and when it is a useful feature.
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This is the first “Why I Love…” article that features a third-party lens. The Rokinon 12mm f/2 NCS CS was the very first prime lens that I purchased for my Fujifilm X-E1 when I was just getting into the Fuji system (you can read my review of it here). It’s the oldest lens in my lineup (not including the many vintage lenses I’ve acquired…). Despite being the first, it’s one of my least-used lenses today. Five years ago I used this lens regularly. I had the Fujinon 18-55mm f2.8-f/4 and this Rokinon 12mm f/2, and I used them about equally. Once I got a few vintage primes, the zoom lens was utilized less frequently (I’m not a big fan of zooms, even though Fujifilm does have some excellent options), and I soon sold it off. Not too long later I sold my X-E1 to buy an X100F. Even though I didn’t have a camera to attach it to, I kept the Rokinon 12mm.
When I once again got a Fujifilm interchangeable-lens camera, I regularly attached the Rokinon lens to it. However, as time went on, I used the lens less-and-less. It has nothing to do with the quality of the glass, which is quite good, especially considering how inexpensive this lens is. The reason why I employ the Rokinon 12mm f/2 lens less frequently now is because of the focal-length. The 18mm-full-frame-equivalent focal-length of this lens is just a little too wide for my current tastes. Still, it’s sometimes nice to go ultra-wide, and I’m glad that I have this lens for those occasions.
The Rokinon 12mm f/2 can turn an ordinary scene into something extraordinarily! The lens is both challenging and rewarding. If you want more dramatic pictures, this lens is an excellent place to start—just shove the glass right into the scene! It’s also an excellent option for astrophotography. Why I love this Rokinon lens is because it increases the drama of the picture, and can be extremely rewarding to use. And even though I use it less now, I’ve certainly got my money’s worth out of it!
Interestingly, Rokinon recently released this lens but with autofocus.
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Summer is here! Traveling, camping, visits to the beach, boating on the lake, and stuff like that are common during these months. Perhaps you are looking for some Film Simulation Recipe recommendations for your Fujifilm camera for the summer season. I thought I’d take this opportunity to revisit my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When? series of articles. This post will make a lot more sense if you’ve read the original series—especially the first article—so be sure to take a look at it if you haven’t yet (or if it’s been awhile and you don’t remember).
This Part 1 is for Fujifilm X-Trans IV cameras, except for the X-T3 and X-T30, which will be covered in a different section. If you have an X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II model, I invite you to give these Recipes a try! There are seven suggestions below—one for each C1-C7 Custom Preset—and three alternative ideas for each in case you don’t like the first recommendation. Each Custom Preset slot serves a specific purpose, so you should have a good Recipe option programmed into your camera no matter the subject or lighting. This group of seven isn’t necessarily better or worse than my original recommendations, just a different set chosen specifically for the summer months.
Golden Lake – Culleoka, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe
Fujicolor Natura 1600 is a Film Simulation Recipe that does well at anytime during daylight hours—and it’s one of my all-time favorites—but I’m going to recommend it specifically for “golden hour” near sunrise and sunset. If you like the aesthetic, this really could be your primary use-all-of-the-time recipe, and that’s why I suggest placing it in C1, but when the sun is low to the horizon, this is one I definitely recommend shooting with. I personally use this recipe frequently.
Coastal Blooms – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues Recipe
Pacific Blues is another one that could be your go-to everyday-use Recipe, but specifically I want to suggest it for daytime (non-“golden hour”) photography. Obviously it can also be used for when the sun is low to the horizon, too, which it excels at, but I think it is an excellent option for when the sun is not low—from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. It’s especially well suited for a day at the beach.
Cienega Bridge on Old Highway 80 – Vail, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams Recipe
If it’s thick overcast and rainy, the Urban Dreams Recipe is surprisingly an excellent option. Yes, it’s pretty good in daylight, too (even “golden hour” and at night), but give it a try on drab overcast days—I think you’ll really appreciate just how well it does in that situation.
Watch and Jewelry – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Nostalgic Negative Recipe
For natural-light indoor photography, a good option is the Nostalgic Negative Recipe. This is another great all-rounder that could be used in pretty much any daytime situation and produce excellent results, but specifically I’m recommending it for natural-light indoor pictures. For artificial-light indoor images, use the Recipe for nighttime photography below.
Alternative for “natural-light indoor” photography:
Brad’s – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pure Negative Recipe
If it’s after dark, an excellent option for nighttime or artificial light photography is Pure Negative. This is a low-contrast Recipe with a natural rendering, which makes it especially ideal for high contrast scenes, particularly during midday light; however, it also does quite well in the darkness between sunset and sunrise and in indoor artificial light situations.
The C6 slot is a bonus, and the Vibrant Arizona Recipe is a solid option to fill it with—and it’s one of the most popular Recipes right now. If you didn’t want to use Vibrant Arizona, you could instead select your favorite “alternative” Recipe from C1-C5 above, or use one below.
The newest black-and-white Film Simulation Recipe is Kodak T-Max P3200, and it has quickly become one of my favorites! If you don’t want to use this one, definitely give Kodak Tri-X 400 a try.
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Two Cold Horses – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – “Winter Slide”
I recently created an X-Trans II film simulation recipe specifically for wintry conditions called Winter Slide. While I have many recipes that will do well photographing snow, creating a recipe specifically for that particular condition is unusual. Since winter is here, I thought it would be a fun exercise to examine how several recipes do when photographing snow. By several, I mean 14 recipes!
So let’s take a look at how these 14 different film simulation recipes do photographing in wintry conditions!
I get asked all of the time when to use which Film Simulation Recipe. With over 250 on the Fuji X Weekly App to choose from, it can be difficult to know when each recipe should be chosen. Besides, you only have C1-C7 Custom Presets on your Fujifilm camera (most of you, anyway). Which seven recipes 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 attempt to give good advice. In each SOOC broadcast I recommend a few recipes for various situations. Still, I’ve really struggled with how to be helpful to those asking for direction—that is until I watched a video by Grainydays, a YouTube channel about film photography, in which photographer Jason Kummerfeldt tries to give advice on when to use which film stocks. You can view it below:
Jason has a similar dilemma. 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 is simply to demonstrate what he uses and state what he likes, and maybe you’ll like it too; I’m going to do the same thing for recipes. I’ll tell you what my preferences are, and invite you to try them too if you want. If you don’t want, that’s cool. There’s not any one way—and especially no right or wrong way—to do this. Instead, figure out what works for you, and do that. If you’re not sure, perhaps this article will be helpful to you.
I’m going to suggest seven recipes for you to program into your Fujifilm camera, and state when to use each. Since recipes are (for the most part) generationally specific, I’m going to make this a series of articles to cover most Fujifilm models. In this first one we’ll cover “newer” X-Trans IV cameras: X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. This should also apply to X-Trans V cameras (from the reports I’ve received, X-Trans IV recipes are fully compatible with X-Trans V, although I have not tested this myself to know for certain) and newer GFX models (although the rendering will be slightly different).
Kodak Portra 400 v2 is a recipe that does well at anytime during daylight hours, and as the name suggests it is a good option for portrait photography, but I’m going to recommend it specifically for “golden hour” near sunrise and sunset. This really could be your primary use-all-of-the-time recipe, and that’s why I suggest placing it in C1, but when the sun is low to the horizon, make sure that this is the one you’re shooting with. I personally use this recipe frequently.
Denny’s Days – Beaver, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodachrome 64”
Kodachrome 64 is another one that could be your go-to everyday-use recipe, but specifically I want to suggest it for daytime (non-“golden hour”) photography. Obviously it can also be used for when the sun is low to the horizon, too, but I think it is one of the best options for when the sun is not low—from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. This is one of the few recipes that you’ll almost always find programmed into my camera.
Evening Clouds Over Wasatch Mountains – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak High Definition Plus 200”
If it’s thick overcast and rainy, the Kodak High Definition Plus 200 recipe is an excellent option. Yes, it’s pretty good in daylight, too (even “golden hour”), but give it a try on drab overcast days—I think you’ll really appreciate just how well it does in that situation.
For natural light indoor photography, my top choice is the Kodak Ultramax 400 recipe. This is another great all-rounder that could be used in pretty much any daytime situation and produce excellent results, but specifically I’m recommending it for natural light indoor pictures. For artificial-light indoor images, use the recipes for nighttime photography below.
11th Street – Astoria, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “Serr’s 500T”
If it’s after dark, my top choice for nighttime or artificial light photography is Serr’s 500T. This is a very blue recipe, so it isn’t a good option for many daytime situations, but from just past sunset to just prior to sunrise, this is the one that I would most recommend, especially if there are warm artificial lights.
For an alternative process recipe—a fun option for unusual results—my top recommendation is Xpro ’62. Use it anytime of the day or night, as it is surprisingly versatile. The results will be different, and perhaps unexpected, yet the experience will be a lot of fun, so give it a try!
Alternatives for “alternative process” photography:
Round Window – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
My all-time favorite recipe is Kodak Tri-X 400, so it should come as no surprise that it is my top recommendation for monochrome photography. It’s not the most popular recipe on Fuji X Weekly, but it is the most popular B&W recipe. Definitely give this one a try if you’ve never done so before.
You have plenty to choose from, because I just suggested to you 42 different Film Simulation Recipes! Of course, there are so many other recipes that I could have listed—just because one didn’t make this list doesn’t mean that it’s not good; however, I do feel that this is a good set—not only the seven suggestions, which I believe are a winning C1-C7 combination, but the alternative options, too. With that said, don’t let an exclusion from this list discourage you from trying a particular recipe, because you never know when one just “clicks” for you, and you find a new favorite. The top picture in this article was captured with a recipe that I didn’t recommend, yet I do really like that recipe and do recommend it, and I even use it myself sometimes, including recently. It’s a good reminder that this is all subjective, and you might not prefer any of my recommendations, but instead have seven that I didn’t mention as your C1-C7 custom presets. So, I guess, the conclusion is to try every recipe until you find the ones you love and fulfill your photographic needs—but, if you’re not sure, maybe start with these 42.
Next up will be recipes for “older” X-Trans IV cameras—the X-T3 and X-T30.
These film simulation recipes are for Fujifilm X-Trans IV sensor cameras. X-Trans IV can be divided into two categories: X-T3 & X-T30, and X100V, X-Pro3, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II. The X-T3 & X-T30 cameras don’t have all of the JPEG options that later X-Trans IV models have. All of the X-T3 & X-T30 (as well as X-Trans III) film simulation recipes are compatible with the X100V, X-Pro3, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II; however, Grain, Toning (for B&W), and Double-Exposure (for those recipes that call for it) are different, so you’ll have to decide for yourself which equivalent settings should be used on your camera.
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X-Trans IV Recipes for X100V, X-Pro3, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II:
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I’ve made a list of all my film simulation recipes that use a white balance with a specific Kelvin temperature. Previously I organized them by dynamic range setting, so that they could be seen in a different arrangement. Now I’m doing it by white balance. The film simulation recipes below all use a kelvin white balance. Just in case it’s helpful, I’ve also included the required white balance shift.
