This new Fujifilm Recipe began with a stack of slides. Some were mine from the late-1990’s and early-2000’s (captured on Kodak Elite Chrome 100 and Elite Chrome 200), some were my grandpa’s from the 1970’s (I believe captured on Kodak Ektachrome-X and Ektachrome 64, although I’m not 100% certain). I really liked the look of some of the pictures as viewed on a light table (how slides are viewed—whether printed, scanned, light table, or projector—greatly affects how they look). Later, I was flipping through some vintage Arizona Highways magazine issues from the 1970’s. Back then, they would sometimes include the technical information about the photographs, such as the film used (among other things). I was drawn to the look of some of the photos, and for a couple pictures the film used was provided, which (as it turned out) was Ektachrome-X. I used those slides plus the images in the old issues of Arizona Highways as inspiration for this Recipe.
While Ektachrome and Elite Chrome were the inspiration for this new Fujifilm Recipe, which I’ve named Retro Slide, it is not an attempt at accurately mimicking it. There was a lot of variance in the sample photos (to put it mildly), so I’m not sure that would have been possible, anyway. This is more an encapsulation of the general aesthetic. In particular, I wanted it to feel more like the slides on a light table than images printed in a magazine, but the influence of the magazine photos can still be seen and (hopefully) appreciated. While this is not a fully accurate facsimile of Ektachrome, it is close enough that you could consider this an Ektachrome Recipe if you wanted to, despite the name.
Caboose – Tulsa, OK – Fujifilm X-E5 – Retro Slide
Like a lot of Fujifilm Recipes, Retro Slide is intended for sunny daylight photography. It can do well in other light situations, too, but it seems to be hit-or-miss, rendering either a little too warm or a little too cool sometimes. I did get some good results at night, but this wouldn’t be my first choice for nighttime photography. Because Retro Slide uses the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, it is only compatible with fifth-generation Fujifilm cameras, which are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, X-T30 III, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.
Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg. Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: 5000K, -1 Red & +3 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: 0 Shadow: +2 Color: +4 Sharpness: -1 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: +2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Retro Slide Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E5:
Baloney Maroney’s – Tulsa, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Service Trucks – Stroud, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Skyliner Motel – Stroud, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Buck’s Space Cowboy – Tulsa, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Meadow Gold Clock – Tulsa, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Shops & Lofts – Tulsa, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
H Bar C Ranchwear – Tulsa, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
We Sell Kodak Film – Oklahoma City, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Out in the Heat – Oklahoma City, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Urban Nature Photographer – Oklahoma City, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Jonathan, Photographer – Oklahoma City, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Empty Bench – Oklahoma City, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Canyon Diablo Bridge – Two Guns, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Tireless Truck – Stroud, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Be Careful – Tulsa, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Philco Radio – Tulsa, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Ms. Pac-Man – Oklahoma City, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Soda Bottles – Arcadia, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Syrup & Gratuity – Tulsa, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Empty Ketchup – Tulsa, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Bar Stools – Tulsa, OK – Fujifilm X-E5
Conoco Tower – Shamrock, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Second Street Texaco – Winslow, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Auto Shop at Night – Winslow, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Love’s Trucks – Winslow, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
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According to Fujirumors, Fujifilm is delaying the announcement of the upcoming X-T6; however, Fujifilm has not announced that they’re announcing any camera. How can something be postponed that hasn’t even been publicized?
Let me put it this way. Let’s say that you are the manager of some office somewhere, and you tell your secretary to pencil in some time and date for a meeting that will take place some months in the future. You tell the secretary not to tell anyone, only to pencil it in so that the time is blocked out and there won’t be any scheduling conflicts. The secretary later tells someone in confidence that there will be a meeting at the date and time that was penciled in, and that person blabs it to the whole office. Later, you realize that the initial date and time you picked for the meeting won’t work, so you instruct your secretary to block off a different day, which is still well in the future. Now your secretary once again tells their friend, who once again blabs it to the office, who are now bemoaning that the meeting has been postponed. But, since it was never announced, was it ever really delayed?
And that’s the problem with rumor sites. I enjoy getting a little sneak behind the curtain as much as the next person. The heads-up is exciting. Speculating on what will be can be fun. But there’s also a negative side to the coin. It slows sales of currently available models. It can give people false ideas or skewed expectations of upcoming products. It throws a curveball into a product launch that was carefully choreographed. I had a conversation about this topic with Ken Rockwell once, and he said, “There’s always something new coming out tomorrow, but you can’t take pictures with it today so it doesn’t matter.”
Abandoned Dream – Red Rock Lakes NWR, MT – Fujifilm X100V – The Rockwell
Can you pick up an X-T6 and photograph with it today? Tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Obviously the answer is no. Someday, yes—that time will get here before you know it. So be patient, and enjoy the gear that you can pick up and use today, which are the cameras and lenses you already own, or maybe that you will buy today at your local camera store.
Unfortunately, because the rumor of the supposed announcement was spread online, and now a new rumor has been published of a delay, people are creating all sorts of conspiracy theories—mostly by trolls, and most of which are not true. It might be simply that the penciled-in date was never all that solid to begin with. The large 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck near a Fujifilm facility about 10 days ago is the most likely explanation. According to Digital Camera World, “Fujifilm’s Kyushu location in Kumamoto, Japan manufactures color filter components used in Fujifilm’s X-Trans camera sensors, as well as films that are used in manufacturing LCD screens and slurries or polishing materials used for semiconductor manufacturing.” This facility was evacuated after the earthquake, and may have been damaged.
When will the X-T6 be announced? Who knows. When Fujifilm is ready, they’ll announce an X Summit, and during the X Summit they’ll announce whatever it is they’re ready to release. Maybe it will be an X-T6, maybe it won’t. I’m looking forward to the next X Summit and gear announcement as much as anyone else, but let’s not forget that today we can create amazing pictures with the cameras that are already in our hands.
The Tropics – Lincoln, IL – Fujifilm X-E5 – Vivid Velvia
After yesterday’s post, Thoughts on the Upcoming Fujifilm Camera, someone reached out to me on Instagram and proposed a question about the upcoming sixth-generation cameras: if I could ask Fujifilm three things about it, what would those questions be? It was an unusual message, but it did get some cogs turning in my brain. How might X-Trans VI look different than X-Trans V? While this seemingly should be pretty predictable, each X-series generation is actually unique in many ways. No two generations are alike, and so what will be different with the upcoming X-Trans VI cameras? Well, I came up with three questions, so let’s jump right in.
Will AF improve a little or a lot?
Space Guitar – White House, TN – Fujifilm X-T5 – Classic Amber
I’m one of those people who are completely satisfied with the autofocus performance of my Fujifilm cameras, going back all the way to X-Trans III. Even X-Trans I & II aren’t bad in daylight. Fujifilm’s current cameras are in the top 2% best autofocus cameras ever made (it’s very true, I did the math—feel free to double check it). Outside of some extreme use-cases, the cameras are very capable, and there seems to be a general lack of appreciation for just how good we have it today. Seriously, if the top 2% is not good enough for you, is it that you have some crazy unusual circumstances (which maybe you do), or is the issue something else? Of course, nobody wants to look in the mirror, but most of the AF woes on Fujifilm cameras are easily overcome if one really wishes to overcome them. The majority of the complaints are hyperbole, trolls, user-error, and things like that. With all of that said, Fujifilm has more room for improvement than any other major brand, as they’re clearly a step behind the Canikony brands (for logical reasons that I’ve talked about at length many times). There’s no doubt the sixth-generation will bring with it AF improvements, so will it be a small step forward, a large leap, or something in-between?
In my opinion, the best thing Fujifilm could do to improve autofocus has nothing to do with hardware, software, or algorithms. Fujifilm could do absolutely nothing to technically improve AF, but if they made it much more intuitive and automatic, it would be seen as a major improvement. Many people seem to be unaware that Fujifilm expects that their users will fine-tune the AF for their specific use-cases; even if they are aware, they may not know how to do it, or what a fine-tuned camera setting might look like for them. Fujifilm tried to offer some clarity on this a couple years ago, but instead of listening, people heavily mocked them for it online (sad). I cannot tell you how many times someone has complained to me how the AF on their X-series model “sucks” and how it’s totally not user-error, but then I suggest a settings change and (like magic) the AF is suddenly working well for them and it’s no longer garbage. Of course, what specific settings work well for you depends on how you use the camera and your subject and situation, so there’s no one quick fix. However, if on future models Fujifilm removed their fine-tuning expectation and just “made it work” no matter the user, that would go a long ways toward making people believe that their AF is actually good, because it’s currently much better than some people think, if only they dialed in the “right” settings for their individual situation. In other words, if user-error is the largest problem (and it is, even though nobody wants to hear or accept it), then Fujifilm should find a workaround for that, and the obvious answer is intuitiveness. If Fujifilm’s approach isn’t working well for a group of people because it expects more of them than they realize (and even if they do realize, they may not know what to do with it), then maybe it’s time adjust the approach.
What models will be included in the sixth generation?
Classic Design – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II – FRGMT B&W
Each generation has had its own set of X-series models—no two generations have had identical sets. I suspect that this trend will continue. But how will it look different? It’s hard to guess, but I believe it will include an X-Pro, it might not include two X-H models (only one), it could potentially have an X30-like pocketable zoom, and it’s possible that there will be only one successor to the X-T30 III and X-T50 (and not one for each). There could be an Eterna 28 (APS-C version of the Eterna 55). I would love to see an X70 successor. Maybe there will be an X half II? Perhaps the X100VII will have multiple focal-length versions? Could we finally get a monochrome-only camera? The only thing that’s certain is that it won’t be identical to the fifth generation, or any other previous generation. I would love to know the exact models that Fujifilm plans to produce for X-Trans VI, but perhaps they haven’t even thought that far in advance yet.
What new Film Simulations and/or JPEG options will come?
Buc-ees at Nighttime – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fluorescent Night
Over the years, Fujifilm has continuously sporadically added new Film Simulations and other JPEG options. For example, within the fourth-generation, Fujifilm added two new Film Simulations (Classic Negative and Eterna Bleach Bypass), Color Chrome Effect, Color Chrome FX Blue, Clarity, half-step Tone Curve adjustments, and a much more robust Monochromatic Color tool. It didn’t all come at once. In fact, fourth-gen can be divided into three groups (actually, more than that if you want to really parse things): X-T3 & X-T30, X-Pro3 & X100V, and X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. Fifth-generation saw two new Film Simulations (Nostalgic Neg. and Reala Ace, the latter retroactively given to previous models via firmware), but no other JPEG options. While it’s impossible to know what Fujifilm will do on future models, I think it’s safe to say that there will be some new features. And I cannot wait to find out what those will be.
Now it’s your turn! What questions would you like answered regarding the upcoming sixth-generation cameras? I would love to hear them in the comments below!
There are a number of Fujifilm and Fujifilm-related events that are coming up soon, especially in September and October. I’ll be at a few of them, so I wanted to give you a heads up, in case you want to stop by and say hi or sign up for a class or photowalk.
First is the FocusPoint Photo & Video Expo in Denver, Colorado, on September 11th & 12th. I’ll be doing a class entitled Film Simulation in Action on September 12th at 10:30 AM, followed by a photowalk. Next is Fujikina NYC on October 16th, 17th & 18th. The details are still being worked out, but I believe I’ll also be doing both a class and photowalk. Having been a part of Fujikina Copenhagen in May, I can tell you with 100% certainty that if you can make it to a Fujikina event, you absolutely should, because it is completely worthwhile. There’s another event at the end of October—over Halloween weekend—that hasn’t been announced yet (details are subject to change), so I can’t give out the information; however, it will be in Toronto, so you might want to mark your calendars now.
If you live in or near Denver, I hope to see you in a little over five weeks at the FocusPoint Photo & Video Expo. If you live anywhere near New York City, you’ll want to attend Fujikina in October. And it’s no trick—only treats—that an event will take place in Toronto over Halloween weekend, and I’d love to meet you in-person if you are in that region.
As more details become available, I’ll be sure to share them with you. Check back often to stay up-to-date. Also, at the very bottom of every page there is a follow-via-email option, where you can be notified by email whenever a new article is published. I hope to see you at a Fujifilm event soon!
Until this year, Fujifilm has always announced at least one new X or GFX series camera by the end of June. We’re in August, and nothing new has been announced. Some people are getting antsy, anxiously waiting for whatever is to come. Personally, I’m glad that there’s a little gap. In my opinion, camera companies introduce new versions of their lineup much too quickly. It made some sense in the earlier days of digital technology when improvements tended to be more drastic; nowadays, and for at least a decade but probably longer (closer to two decades), the advancements have been much more gradual. Each new iteration of each camera model is only a small improvement over the previous version. Because of this, it’s become a common axiom to skip a generation before upgrading.
For example, if you purchased an X-T1 when it was new, you’d have skipped the X-T2 and waited for the X-T3; later, you would have skipped the X-T4 and waited for the X-T5 (and you’ll skip the X-T6 whenever it comes). Likewise, if you purchased an X-T2 when it was new, you would have skipped the X-T3 and purchased an X-T4 instead; later, you skipped the X-T5 and are now waiting for the X-T6. By skipping a generation, you are allowing enough time to pass that the upgrade is more substantial. If camera makers waited longer before making successors, this gap generation rule-of-thumb would be unnecessary. If Fujifilm waited another two years before releasing the X-T6, I’d be perfectly ok with that, just so long as they continue to manufacture and sell the X-T5 during that time.
The rumors circulating the internet are that the next camera to come from Fujifilm will be the X-T6. Some people seem to think that I have inside information about future camera models, but I don’t. Only one time did Fujifilm share with me details on an upcoming model: about two weeks before the X-T50 was announced, they sent me a pre-production copy to try, and made me sign an NDA regarding it. That was the one and only time; otherwise, I find out the same way that everyone else does, which is largely Fujirumors. I watch the X Summit at the time of announcement to learn the details about the camera the same as you do. I read the initial day-one reviews by those who got a pre-production model. I honestly don’t know anything about whatever camera Fujifilm plans to release next.
Central Camera Co.– Chicago, IL – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1976 Kodak
Last year Fujifilm introduced the X-E5 on June 12th, and the B&H BILD expo was five days later on June 17th, which was the first opportunity most people had to touch-and-try the upcoming camera. Fujifilm had asked for my help at the event, just as someone who could answer questions about their cameras, particularly questions about Film Simulations and Recipes, to those visiting their booth. Funny enough, I was assigned to the X-E5 station (which was incredibly busy, as you might imagine!), but the morning of June 17th—maybe an hour before the event began—was my first time seeing the new camera in-person. I literally knew as much about it as anyone else, yet I was supposed to answer questions about the X-E5. My point in telling this story is to simply illustrate that I really don’t know anything about upcoming gear, Fujifilm doesn’t disclose that type of information to me—not even when I’m involved in an event about that gear.
With that said, I would describe myself as an X-series expert (an X-pert, if you will…). I know more about Fujifilm cameras than most, simply because I have so much experience (or is it X-perience?) using them. There’s certainly plenty that I don’t know. For example, I regularly learn new things from Pal2Tech’s YouTube videos. I have reached out to Fujifilm’s Tech Reps with questions several times. I’m constantly learning more, and I imagine that there’s a lot that I don’t know simply because there are features that I rarely or never use. Still, I think I’m well qualified to comment on Fujifilm cameras simply because I have a lot of knowledge about them and a lot of experience using them.
What I can’t comment on is what I don’t know. I’ve received a ton of questions lately asking for my opinion of the upcoming yet-to-be-announced Fujifilm X-T6. My guess? It will be a lot like the X-T5, just a little faster. Simply speculating, I think Fujifilm will introduce the sixth-generation (X-Trans VI) with the X-T6, and the main improvements that sixth-gen will bring are speed and efficiency. I don’t expect much in the way of IQ improvements; however, autofocus and video specs could see a notable upgrade. It might be somewhat like the X-T2 vs X-T3, if that makes any sense. I’m sure there will be a couple of cool surprises, and maybe a head-scratcher or two, but overall I will be completely shocked if the X-T6 isn’t 90% exactly the same as the X-T5, and mildly surprised if it isn’t 95% the same. Basically, I expect the X-T6 to be an X-T5 but with a boost. Whether or not that boost will be particularly beneficial to you will depend on how you use the camera. My guess is that for some people it will be a major improvement, but for most it will be minimal. Of course, this is all speculation, and I very well could be wrong (I’ve been wrong before plenty of times). In the meantime, I’m very happy to patiently wait, and use the Fujifilm gear I already own.
Central Camera Co.– Chicago, IL – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1976 Kodak
I get asked fairly regularly which Fujifilm Recipes are the most popular. For me, this is a fascinating topic, but it’s definitely hard to know definitively. While I get a glimpse on social media, my best gauge is the Fuji X Weekly website statistics; specifically, which Recipe articles are viewed the most. I don’t collect any data on the Fuji X Weekly App, so that’s no help—although, if I did, it would likely offer the most accurate picture; however, it would still be impossible to know which Recipes people programmed into their Fujifilm cameras, or how often they used each. Perhaps a survey would be particularly useful, yet even it has its limitations. While certainly a flawed method, page-view website statics offer the best glimpse at which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular, so that’s what I’m using for this article. These are simply the Top 26 most-viewed Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website from January 1st through July 31st of 2026.
The last time that I did one of these lists was on March 31st, and not much has changed. In fact, 25 of the 26 Recipes are the same. There’s only one new one, which also means that only one moved out of the Top 26. Many are even in the same position, or only moved minimally. These lists are quite predictable, so it doesn’t surprise me too much that this is nearly identical to the one I published back in March.
Street Musicians – Chicago, IL – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Tri-X 400
As usual, those Recipes with Kodak brand names in the title—Kodachrome, Portra, Gold, Tri-X, etc., etc.—are typically the most popular. Classic Chrome is the king of film simulations, as the majority of the most-viewed Recipes are based on that Film Simulation. Classic Negative, Reala Ace, Acros, Eterna, and Nostalgic Neg. are neck-in-neck for the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth positions.
Without any further delay, below are the most popular Fujifilm Recipes of 2026 through July 31st!
Top 26 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes of 2026 So Far
Reggie’s Portra, which uses Classic Chrome, is the number one top Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly. Reggie Ballesteros created it in 2022 by modifying my Kodak Portra 400 Recipe to better suit his style and needs. Of the various Portra Recipes, this is the most versatile, and the most popular for portrait photography. Reggie’s Portra is compatible with X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras.
A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that was the long-time most popular Film Simulation Recipe for Fujifilm cameras on this website. It’s a lot of people’s favorite.
This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Gold 200; the X-Trans III/IV version is found later in the list. The Kodak Gold 200 Recipes uses the Classic Chrome Film Simulation.
This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Portra 400 v2; the X-Trans IV version is found below. This is another of my personal favorites. It uses Classic Chrome.
The Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe, created by Anders Lindborg, is the long-time most popular B&W Recipe on Fuji X Weekly. It’s based on the Acros film simulation, and has compatibility with X-Trans III, X-Trans IV, and X-Trans V models. This is one of my absolute top-favorite Recipes.
It’s probably unfair to include this Recipe in the list because it’s not one, but 14 Recipes. It’s intended to be used with the Film Dial, or with any X-Trans V camera by mapping Film Simulation to a customizable button. I have no way of knowing which of the 14 are the most used.
This is the X-Trans V version of the Pacific Blues Recipe, which uses the Classic Negative film simulation, and is another personal favorite that I use frequently. The X-Trans IV version is just a little further down.
Earlier this year, Reggie Ballesteros created Reggie’s Superia, which uses Classic Negative and is compatible with X-Trans IV and V cameras. It will be interesting to see if its quick rise will be sustained long-term, or (like a lot of new Recipes) if it will slowly decline in popularity after the initial interest. My best guess is the former and not the latter.
A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that was the long-time #2 most-popular Recipe on Fuji X Weekly. While it’s still popular, it has fallen significantly over the last couple of years.
This is currently the highest-ranked Recipe that uses the Nostalgic Neg. Film Simulation (not including Universal Negative). It’s compatible with X-Trans V cameras.
The Film Dial Recipe, which is for X-Trans V cameras with a Film Dial, is another one that’s a bit unfair to include since it is actually 14 Recipes. I have no idea which of them are the most used. This is another personal favorite.
This version of Kodak Portra 400, which uses Classic Chrome and is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras (although it can be used on X-Trans V), was once commonly the third most popular Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly. While it doesn’t rank nearly as high as it once did, it’s still quite popular.
Vintage Kodachrome, which is based on Classic Chrome, is one of the older Film Simulation Recipes on Fuji X Weekly (it was the fifth one published), and is compatible with X-Trans III cameras. This might be the most pivotal Recipe.
This Recipe, created by Anders Lindborg and the late John Sevigny, is reminiscent of scanned Kodachrome 64 slides, and is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras. It’s another Recipe that uses the Classic Chrome film simulation.
Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App!
A couple of years ago I disguised my Fujifilm X-T5 as a Kodak model, programmed with Kodak-inspired Film Simulation Recipes, which I took to the Grand Canyon. I made a YouTube video about the experience. In the video I wondered how the camera industry might look different today had Kodak made retro-styled cameras with built-in Kodak film aesthetics. We will never know, because Kodak never did it. After they filed for bankruptcy, Kodak was split multiple ways, with the digital camera arm going to JK Imaging.
Today’s digital Kodak cameras, which are digicams that look straight out of 2009, are incredibly popular right now. They aren’t made by Kodak, though, because Kodak no longer makes digital cameras. JK Imaging owns the licenses, and uses the Kodak name. Interestingly, an upcoming Kodak branded camera is coming soon that is retro-styled and has Kodak-themed Film Simulations: the C10. Make no mistake, this is still a digicam; however, there is no doubt that the popularity of Fujifilm models like the X100VI are a major inspiration.
Across the Grand Expanse – Grand Canyon, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 64
The Kodak C10 will apparently have Kodachrome, Ektachrome, and Kodacolor profiles. That’s cool, and it makes a lot of sense. This is something JK Imaging should have done years ago. Where I would caution getting too excited is that this isn’t Kodak’s color science. Unlike Fujifilm, JK Imaging isn’t relying on a vast history of film, or using those who actually make the film to help create the digital replications. It would be different if Eastman Kodak was making the C10, but they’re not—it’s just marketing and branding by JK Imaging.
This is not to say that the camera won’t be fun, because it very well might be. I’m certain it will sell like hotcakes. It’s a smart (and overdue) move. But I’d be highly surprised if the three Kodak-named profiles actually accurately replicate the films that they are named after. I also don’t expect the IQ to be particularly impressive. None of that really matters, though, because people will buy it. In all likelihood, the Kodak C10 will be the number one selling camera of 2027, and maybe 2026, too, depending on when it is released.
One of my absolute favorite YouTube channels is simultaneously both incredible and weird. It’s by far the most original camera channel on YouTube, and Fujifilm is often (but far from always) the topic of conversation. Which channel is this? Some of you probably already guessed, but for those who haven’t, it’s GxAce, run by Casey Cavanaugh, and described as, “Your present, as the past, through the lens of the future.”
Casey just teased a new camera called GxPan. Almost no details were included in the initial tease, only a single image of the top plate. But, you can sign up to receive updates by email when Casey is ready to share more information. I signed up as soon as I saw it. You should, too.
I know a lot more about the camera, because I’ve actually held it and even snapped a picture with it. When I was at Fujikina Copenhagen, Casey was there, too, and he showed it to me. I’m not sharing any information, so don’t even ask, but what I can say is that it’s super cool, and I can’t wait to buy it whenever it is released. I’ll definitely talk more about it once Casey provides more information publicly. Until then, you only get a tease.
I have no idea when the GxPan will become available, but whenever it is, it will be worth the wait. There aren’t too many cameras that I really want, but this is definitely one.
I’m writing this article while on a big roadtrip. Specifically, I’m traveling Route 66, photographing the neon signs, abandoned gas stations, old hotels, and whatever else I find interesting. This is a project that I’ve wanted to do for a very long time, and finally the time was right to do it. Even though I’m taking my time exploring The Mother Road, I also haven’t found much time to write. In fact, I’m typing this out on my phone while in my hotel room.
Projects are important for photographers. There is a real benefit to undertaking them. In my opinion, everyone should have at least one photography project that they are working on. Undertaking a project has three main benefits, which I’ll discuss below.
First, it gives your images purpose. You are not just wandering aimlessly with your camera (although that can be both enjoyable and beneficial, too); instead, you have a specific purpose. You have a goal, and your pictures have meaning. It gives you both a subject and a reason.
Second, it forces you to use your camera. It’s easy to just let your gear collect dust, but a project makes it necessary to pick it up and use it. You can’t work towards completing your project if you aren’t actively photographing. The more you use your cameras, the better of a photographer you become.
Third, it allows you to create a consistent and cohesive body of work. A lot of times our pictures can feel disjointed, and that’s because they are. They’re oftentimes standalone. There’s nothing wrong with that, but a group of photos can tell a larger, more meaningful story.
If you aren’t currently undertaking a photography project, I encourage you to start soon. Think about what interests you—what you find fascinating—and begin with that. It doesn’t have to require travel, but (like in my case) maybe it does. It can be short or long term. There’s a lot of different ways to accomplish it, but what’s important is starting your project’s journey. Think about what project you’d be interested in doing, and begin working on it right away.
White Boat at Nyhavn – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF – Copenhagen Negative
People often ask me why I think Fujifilm Recipes have become so popular. The answer seems obvious: they produce beautiful pictures. That’s certainly part of it, but I don’t think that’s the whole story. After years of creating hundreds of Recipes and talking with photographers from around the world, I’ve come to believe that what we’re really drawn to isn’t just the look, it’s how Film Simulations and Recipes change the experience of photography itself.
Photography has become increasingly complicated over the last few decades. Pick up a vintage film camera and you have three controls: aperture, shutter, and focus. ISO is determined by the film. If you developed your own film, that required learning a skill and access to special equipment; however, if you had a lab do it for you (and photo labs used to be everywhere), that simplified things significantly. Pick up a modern camera, and there are buttons and controls all over the body, and things become even more complex when you dig into the menu. Editing software, which is the modern equivalent of the darkroom, can be overwhelming, with nearly unlimited possibilities for photo manipulation, a skill that’s quite different than operating a camera. That’s all incredible, but it can also be intimidating and exhausting. Sometimes endless choice is less like freedom and more like work. The more complicated cameras and software get, the less enjoyable it can become. But Fujifilm offers an alternative approach, should you wish to use it.
Choosing a Fujifilm Recipe is a little like loading a roll of film into a camera, except that on most Fujifilm models you can have up to seven loaded at any given time, and you’re not limited to 24 or 36 frames—it’s unlimited. Once you’ve set the Recipes, you stop worrying about all the other possibilities, and simply photograph with what’s available to you. Interestingly, limiting your options often feels more freeing than having unlimited choices. It’s one of those wonderful paradoxes: less is more, and fewer options can actually make you more creative. As Pablo Picasso advised, “If you have five elements available, use only four. If you have four elements, use three.”
There is something deeply satisfying about seeing a finished photograph immediately. It’s not too dissimilar to the magic of instant film photography. Ansel Adams coined the term one-step processing to describe this, where the second step—the development step—is no longer required. “The effect of one-step processing on both amateur and professional creative photography has been revolutionary,” Adams stated. When the picture appears in the EVF or LCD and it already looks the way you envisioned, that’s exciting. It makes you want to keep photographing, which creates momentum. Instead of thinking, “I’ll fix it later in post,” you’re thinking, “Let’s make another picture!” That’s a completely different mindset.
Recipes encourage photographers to see differently. For example, if I choose a Recipe with warm colors and soft contrast like Kodak Portra 400 v2, I naturally start looking for scenes that fit it. If I’m using a dramatic B&W Recipe like Agfa Scala, I begin noticing shadows, texture, and shape. What I photograph and how I photograph it change depending on the Recipe I’m using. The camera hasn’t changed, but the way I’m seeing the world has. In other words, Fujifilm Recipes are creative tools that influence the entire photographic process.
Then there’s nostalgia. Whether you shot film for decades or were born long after its heyday, certain colors and tones feel familiar. They remind us of family photo albums, vacation snapshots, old magazines, classic photography books, maybe movies we grew up watching, or even our memories of how something looked and felt. Fujifilm has done something remarkable by bringing those visual memories into the digital age by way of Film Simulations, and Recipes build further on that foundation by recreating classic analog aesthetics.
Joshua Tree Hotel – Kingman, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100RF – Agfa Ultra 100 v2
There’s one final aspect that’s worth mentioning: community. I think there’s an especially deep desire right now for personal connections; while it may seem odd that camera settings would bring people together, they do. Real life connections have been made because of the Recipe community. In my experience, this is the kindest group in all of photography, chocked full of super nice people who are eager to help. In a sense, community is the recipe.
Photographers love Fujifilm’s Film Simulations and Recipes because they make photography accessible, enjoyable, less time consuming, and for how it changes the photographic process. They encourage us to spend less time behind a computer and more time behind the camera (and maybe even with other photographers). They remind us that creativity often flourishes within limitations, not despite them. And perhaps most importantly, they help us focus on what drew many of us to photography in the first place: the simple joy of making pictures.
Red Boat in Nyhavn Canal– Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF – Avalon Ace
I just spent an absurd amount of money on a new camera: the Fujifilm GFX100RF. I’m writing this article to myself as much as I’m writing this to you, because it is so easy to believe that new gear will have a larger impact on photographic outcomes than it likely will. New cameras with the latest tech and highest specs will have some impact on our photos for sure, but probably a very small one. The next camera purchase is highly unlikely to unlock better pictures. Camera companies certainly want us to think so, and every new release promises improved autofocus, faster processors, or more megapixels. Those things are nice to have, but they’re rarely the reason one photograph is memorable while another is forgotten. The biggest improvements occur because of what happens twelve inches behind the camera, and has very little to do with the gear in your hands. So let’s take a look at three easy-to-learn habits that will actually improve our photography, and will have a much more meaningful impact than any new gear purchase.
The first habit is to slow down. Digital cameras have made it incredibly easy to fire off dozens or perhaps even hundreds of frames in a matter of minutes. While sometimes you’ve got to be extremely quick to get the shot, most of the time that’s not true. Often the better approach is to pause before pressing the shutter. Take a look around the edges of the frame. Notice distractions in the background. Move around a little. Anticipate the decisive moment rather than snap 15 frames hoping that one will just so happen to catch it. With Fujifilm cameras, I use the Clarity pause to slow myself down, and that’s often not enough. I have to constantly remind myself to be in less of a hurry and to be more in the moment.
Second, you’ve got to go back to get the good ones, as photographer Chuck Abbott advised in the September 1955 issue of Arizona Highways magazine. Specifically he was asked how he was able to create such wonderful pictures, and his answer had nothing to do with gear. Instead, he suggested returning to the same subject or location again and again and again, photographing it at a different time, in a different light, or in a different season. Been there, done that is a terrible maxim for photographers. Return as often as practical to the same place and try, try again. Even if you have pictures from that subject or location that you’re quite happy with, go back with your camera and make another attempt.
Of course, you should always carry a camera, no matter where you go, which is the third habit. Sometimes photographic opportunities happen when you least expect it, and if you don’t have a camera, you’ll completely miss it. Additionally, when you carry a camera, you look at the world a bit different (at least I do). You don’t just see for the sake of sight; instead, you see the world around you with photographic vision. When you see the world this way, it helps to train you to find the photographic opportunities, even in seemingly mundane locations.
New cameras are exciting, and I certainly enjoy them as much as anyone, but they won’t make you a better photographer. Lasting improvements don’t come in a product box, they come from within. Slowing down, paying attention to light and form, making intentional creative choices, returning to familiar places, carrying your camera consistently, and things like that are what will improve your photography. New gear is nice, but it’s not what really matters. Creating good habits is the best thing that you can do to improve your photography, which will outlast any camera purchase.
Ever since Fujifilm announced the GFX100RF back in April of last year, I’ve been saving up to purchase one. The desire for such a camera dates back 25+ years ago to my analog days, when I really wanted to shoot medium-format film. Cameras like the Contax 645, Pentax 645, and Fujica GS645 were all high on my list, but always just out of reach. In fact, in my early 20’s I sold my beloved Canon AE-1 with the intentions of using the profits (along with some other cash I had) to finally jump into medium-format photography; however, some unexpected car repairs sucked all that money up instead, and it never happened.
Now that I’m older, I’m not all that interested in medium-format film photography. I’m very happy with the image quality and aesthetics from my Fujifilm cameras (an understatement, if there ever was one), and the smaller size of the gear is much more ideal for me. Still, the larger sensor and higher resolution from GFX cameras does open some doors. For example, I’ve discovered that I really enjoy the XPan aspect ratio—while the 40mp X-series can be good for that (I wish that Fujifilm offered the crop in-camera), the 100mp GFX sensor is better, and the aspect ratio is available on GFX models. I purchased a GFX100S II back in 2024 with the purpose of making panoramas, but I found it’s harder to travel with that camera due to its bulk. Amanda likes it for portrait photography, so it has found a place in our house, but it’s not really serving my original purpose for it.
Enter the GFX100RF. It’s the smallest and lightest digital medium-format camera and lens combo, about the size and weight of an X-Pro3 with a “Fujicron” lens, roughly speaking. It’s definitely not pocketable, but it’s very small for medium-format. Of all the GFX cameras, this is the one that’s most easily portable. It’s also the most affordable, when considering that the lens is built-in. Of course, some will say that’s not really medium-format, but more of a super-full-frame; however, in my opinion, that’s splitting hairs. Call it what you want, the image quality speaks for itself.
The camera seems to be misunderstood by some, and I think it’s because so many compared it to the X100VI in the initial hype. The GFX100RF is not a medium-format X100VI; instead, it’s a medium-format X70. That’s not entirely 1:1, but it is much more accurate than saying it’s like the X100-series. While it doesn’t make sense for the GFX naming system, if Fujifilm had called it the GFX70RF, it likely would have cleared up the confusion. This is one of only two GFX cameras with the traditional tactile controls (the long discontinued GFX 50R is the other), and I much prefer this setup over the PASM design of the GFX100S II. In my opinion, Fujifilm should make a GFX100R, a successor to the 50R.
Approaching Haboob at Sunset – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100RF – Vivid Velvia
Earlier this year someone loaned me their GFX100RF for a couple of months. I cannot overstate how kind and generous that was! Seriously, who does that?! I’m incredibly thankful and appreciative. I very much enjoyed the extended test drive, and it only solidified my desire to own one someday. I continued to save, and finally was able to purchase one 15 months after it was announced. I went with the silver version because of course I did—I love the silver cameras! I captured my first image with it yesterday. As I was programming the C1-C7, I got a weather alert on my phone stating that a dust storm was approaching my location—and right at sunset! I grabbed the camera, headed to an overlook, and snapped my first photograph, which is above. I’m sure it won’t win any awards, but definitely not bad for the very first picture.
I’m working on a project that the GFX100RF is perfect for. I’ve done a little work on it already, but the bulk of it starts next week. I can’t wait to share it with you when the time is right (probably in the fall), so stay tuned! In the meantime, below are some pictures I captured using the borrowed GFX100RF. If Fujifilm made a version of the GFX100RF with a different focal-length, I would love that personally. I know that some would like an even wider lens; for me, something closer to a nifty-fifty would be perfect. Until that happens (which might be never), I’ll enjoy this camera for what it is, and not worry about what it’s not.
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This Classic Retro Recipe began as an accident. The Fujifilm X-E5 has a Film Dial, but Classic Negative was excluded as a default option; however, you can set it (or any other Film Sim that was left off) to FS1-FS3, which is what I did. The X-E5 also has the option to program Recipes into FS1-FS3, and you can toggle the Recipes on and off. I was shooting with the Film Dial Recipe set, so I turned off the three Recipes set to FS1-FS3 (only the Film Simulation would change and not the other settings). Later, I was using the Agfa Scala Recipe, which was set to my C1-C7, but decided that I wanted to use the Classic Negative Recipe that I had programmed into FS1; however, I forgot to turn the Recipe that was programmed into FS1 back on, so the camera simply changed Acros to Classic Negative without adjusting the other parameters of the Agfa Scala Recipe. I captured a couple of images, then realized my mistake.
When I was reviewing the photos, I saw those couple of images where I made the mistake, and I kind of liked them. It wasn’t quite right, but I saw the potential. I fiddled with the settings, then made some more adjustments, and later refined it a little more. You’ll noticed where the Agfa Scala influence is, but a lot of the settings ended up with a change, and the final Recipe is notably divergent from where I started. It’s not modeled after any film, but it reminds me a little of Kodak Ektachrome 400 from the 1980’s (perhaps slides that have faded a bit), or maybe FPP RetroChrome 400, which was expired surplus Ektachrome made for government use, later sold to the general public. I don’t think this is spot on accurate for either, but it seems to be in the very general ballpark for both.
The trick with the Classic Retro Recipe is underexposure. It’s very easy to clip the highlights (which you want to avoid doing), but aside from that, the underexposure is an important part of the aesthetic. For most pictures, you should be in the negative territory on the Exposure Compensation Dial. Classic Retro is compatible with all fifth-generation Fujifilm models, which are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III cameras. You can also use it on the latest GFX models, like the GFX100 II, GFX100S II, GFX100RF. For fourth-generation cameras with Classic Negative, you can use this Recipe, too; however, it will render slightly differently (but try it anyway!).
Film Simulation: Classic Negative Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: Daylight, 0 Red & -3 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +4 Shadow: -2 Color: -1 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: +2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to -1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Classic Retro Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E5:
Southwest Airlines – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Sky Tram – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Vines on a Train Bridge – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Cesar Chavez St – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Downtown and Colorado River – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Clouds Over Train Bridge – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
City Art – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Urban Flower Blooms – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Power Plant – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Double Decker Cars – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Greyhound Bus – San Antonio, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Four Flags – San Antonio, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Brick Building with Broken Glass – San Antonio, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Majestic Theater – San Antonio, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Aztec – San Antonio, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
River Boat – San Antonio, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Stairway – San Antonio, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Large Leaves – San Antonio, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Leaves by the Water – San Antonio, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
Amaranth Blooms – San Antonio, TX – Fujifilm X-E5
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Let’s talk travel photography! I have two upcoming classes and photowalks this month: Austin on July 8th and Oklahoma City on July 25th. These will be centered around gear selection, tips, and Recipes for your summer outings. If you live in Texas or Oklahoma, I hope that you can make it to one of these two events.
The Austin class and photowalk will be at Precision Camera & Video, located at 2438 W. Anderson Lane, on Wednesday, July 8th. The class will begin at 5 pm, afterwards—about 6:30 pm—we will head over to the Austin Public Library to walk around downtown with our cameras. The fee is $5, and you do need to register (click here). It’s going to be a great time of learning, community, and photography. This is only two days away, but it’s not too late to join!
The Oklahoma City class and photowalk will be at Bedford Camera & Video, located at 3110 N. May Ave, on Saturday, July 25th. The class will begin at 4 PM, afterwards—about 6:00 pm—we will head over to Scissortail Park to walk around with our cameras. This event is free; however, if you plan to come, you do need to register (click here). It’s going to be a great time of learning, community, and photography. This is only about two-and-a-half weeks away, and will arrive quickly. If you are in the Oklahoma City area, be sure to join us—I hope to see you there!
Those are the only classes and photowalks currently scheduled. Events like these are always a lot of fun, and it’s so great to meet you and talk gear and photography with you. If you are in the vicinity of Austin or Oklahoma City, be sure to come out. These types of events are highly collaborative, and it takes a lot of people to pull them off, including representatives from Fujifilm and the camera stores—I want to give a big “thank you” to everyone involved. And I hope to see some of you real soon in Texas and Oklahoma!
I have an upcoming project, and as part of that I want to create some Troy Paiva inspired night photos. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, Troy creates nighttime photos of abandoned buildings, cars, airplanes, etc., illuminated by colored lights and the full moon (check out his Instagram). For this project, I want to do something similar for some of the pictures. I don’t have very much experience with this type of photography, so I need some practice before attempting the important images.
Some critical parts for this project arrived yesterday, namely lights and a Fujinon 23mm f/1.4 lens*. I’m not sure yet if the 23mm f/1.4 is the lens that I want to use, but I think it might be. We’ll see. Fujifilm let me borrow it, so I can try it out before deciding. More important than the lens are the lights, which are cheap Neewer mini portable LED lights I found on Amazon for $27 each. I purchased two. All of this arrived in the mail yesterday, so as soon as the sun went down and the (nearly) full moon came up, I grabbed my trusty tripod, set up the camera, and took some test shots.
Because I parked on a dirt lot, it stirred up the dust. I had no intentions of having the car lights on, but it looked cool, so I tried a handful of exposures with the car lights. I set one LED light to red (actually, I thought it was a rusty orange color) and the other to green (I thought it was teal), placing the red light in the backseat and the green in the front. The Recipe I used was Vivid Velvia, but I modified it slightly, setting Color to +3 instead of +4 and Highlight and Shadow both to -2. I tried a few different angles. Then I moved the lights from inside the truck to underneath, placing them behind the passenger-side wheels. After a handful of shots I moved them back inside.
I quickly realized that two lights weren’t enough for what I wanted to achieve. More ideally I needed four, so I ordered some more once I got home. But, not to be defeated, I made a double-exposure picture using the multiple exposure feature in the camera, moving the lights in-between the shots. At the time, I was a little afraid that the Vivid Velvia images were a little too punchy, so I switched to an experimental Recipe I’ve been working on (not sure yet if it will get published); however, in retrospect, I think I should have stuck with what I had been using.
Overall, the experiment was a failure in that I didn’t quite achieve what I was hoping to achieve; however, it was a success in that I learned some important lessons. It’s a step closer to the goal. For certain, I need more practice. That’s the point of this article: if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Don’t expect that your idea will work on the first try, and don’t get discouraged when it doesn’t. Learn from what went right and what went wrong. Go back out on another occasion and try again. With enough practice, eventually you’ll get it. I will practice a few more times before beginning the project.
Below are a couple more pictures I made last night. The image at the top of this article is my favorite, and the closest to what I want to create (although it’s definitely not quite right). The double-exposure at the bottom is another that’s along the lines of what I’m looking for. I’ll keep trying, and eventually get it right. I can’t wait for that to happen, and I’ll be thrilled when it does.
*Edit: I mistakenly said the lens was the Fujinon 18mm f/1.4 when it was the Fujinon 23mm f/1.4. Guess that’s what happens when I write an article before my first cup of coffee after just six hours sleep. Won’t do that again. My apologies, and I hope it doesn’t cause any confusion or problems.
Red Boat in Nyhavn Canal – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF – Avalon Ace
Last night I was scrolling Instagram when I saw a Reel that bothered me a bit. Maybe you saw it, too. It wasn’t from anyone I follow, just something the algorithm thought I would like. I would have much preferred to have been shown content from those I follow, but Meta kind of sucks and instead gives me things that I don’t really care for. The video in question was insulting, so I thought I would address it.
Specifically, the person in the video, who has a somewhat large following, doesn’t like that a lot of people within the Fujifilm world don’t edit their photos. “I don’t have a problem with Fujifilm cameras,” the video starts out. “My problem is with the brand and people telling you that you shouldn’t edit your photos, that you should skip Lightroom and editing, and that you should only do straight out of camera. I think that is really, really, really crap and lazy advice.” It goes on from there, and only gets worse. At the end he reveals that this is why he’s moving to Leica. Apparently he thinks that Fujifilm shouldn’t point out to their customers that their camera-made JPEGs are pretty darn good, and he doesn’t seem to like the Fujifilm community in-general and doesn’t want to be associated with such people. Perhaps not enough Fujifilm photographers were buying his preset packs?
First, I don’t think anyone is saying (or, if they are, it’s very, very, very few) that you can’t edit your photos, only that you don’t have to if you don’t want to. There are a thousand ways to do photography, and no one way is better than another. It’s only what works for you personally. If that’s shooting RAW and editing in Lightroom, great. If that’s unedited straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, cool. If that’s film photography, awesome. For a lot of people it can be a combination of things, just depending. There is no right or wrong way to do photography, and anyone who tells you otherwise is gatekeeping and should be ignored.
Misty Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Pacific Blues
Fujifilm Recipes can be used in a surprising number of ways, not just for unedited straight-out-of-camera photography. Personally, aside from cropping/straightening and maybe a small exposure adjustment sometimes, I don’t edit my photos. I used to, until I realized that the straight-out-of-camera JPEGs could be made to look like my edited RAW images. That discovery literally changed my life (no hyperbole). Before that, I edited so many photos it’s not even funny. Personally, I don’t enjoy editing, and I’ve found it unnecessary for my photography. But that’s just me. Other people (like my wife) will sometimes edit the JPEGs, which have a fair amount of latitude for manipulation, in Capture One. Other people use the JPEGs sometimes and the RAWs other times, just depending on the picture and what they will use it for. There are some who are strictly RAW-only and still use Recipes because it helps them to better pre-visualize in the field how the edited photos will look, and it gives them a head start in the editing process. One person will sometimes layer the out-of-camera JPEG over the edited RAW image, and blend them together. It’s all about what works for you—not what other people are doing—and there are a plethora of possible paths, all of them legitimate.
Going back to the video, the implication is simple: if you don’t edit your photos and you tell others that they don’t have to, you are “really, really, really” crappy and lazy. That’s complete nonsense and just bullsh*t. A completely awful and insulting take. Someone who edits RAW photos is not inherently any better or worse than someone who doesn’t, and their pictures aren’t inherently better or worse, either. Even Ansel Adams used Polaroids and wrote a whole book about it. Was he being lazy? Was he giving crappy advice when he wrote a whole chapter on the benefits of one-step photography (skipping the development stage)? Was he a bad photographer because he didn’t always use the darkroom? Of course not! Nobody would argue that, but that’s essentially the argument of the video.
Photography is deeply personal, and many people—the gatekeepers—tie their identity to how “skilled” they think they are. When someone else succeeds with a different method—shooting JPEGs, iPhone photography, etc.—it threatens the fragile belief that their way is the only legitimate path. It’s a defensive shield: If you do it differently and are successful, then my choices—and hence myself—might be less special. Gatekeeping is a way of preserving a hierarchy that does not naturally exists. I’m a real photographer because I do it this way, and you’re not because you don’t. It’s a game of king-of-the-hill, except nobody else is playing. And it’s just dumb.
I’ve been told I’m doing much harm to photography because I don’t edit my photos and I tell other people that they don’t have to, either, if they don’t want. That’s crazy! You do photography however you want to do it, and worry less about what others are doing. If you want to shoot Leicas, edit RAW files, and sell Lightroom presets, by all means do so. If you want to spend less time at a computer and more time out creating photographs, Fujifilm might just be the brand for you. Whatever way you want to do photography, go ahead and do it that way, and don’t let the gatekeepers tell you that you are less-than for it. In the end, nobody really cares how you made the photograph, they only care that you made it.
This is Part 3 of what will be a five-part series exploring Fujifilm Recipes for each generation of cameras. Beginning with the latest models, we will work our way back towards the older cameras. For each article, I will suggest seven Recipes to try. This is intended for those new to the whole Recipe thing, who haven’t tried them before (or perhaps only a few Recipes so far). The intention is to provide you with a list of seven that you can program into your C1-C7 Custom Setting presets.
The list below, which are the seven Recipes for Part 3, is specifically for the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30 cameras, the first two X-Trans IV cameras, which are in a category of their own. If you have one of those two cameras, these are the correct Recipes for you. This is far from an exhaustive list of fourth-generation Recipes, it’s only seven really good ones to get you started. Something to note is that with the X-T3 & X-T30, you cannot save a White Balance Shift within C1-C7; however, the camera will remember one WB Shift per WB type. With that in mind, each of these use a different WB type so that you don’t have to remember to adjust the WB Shift when going from one Custom Setting preset to another. If you are unsure which Fujifilm Recipes to begin with, these are ones that I highly recommend.
Window to the City – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Kodak Portra 400 v2
Kodak Portra 400 v2 does well anytime the sun is out, but especially for “golden hour” near sunrise and sunset. As the name suggests, it’s a good option for portrait photography, but it’s excellent for many other genres, too. This Recipe uses the Daylight White Balance.
While Classic Kodak can be used anytime the sun is out, it is a great options for middle-of-the-day situations. This Recipe uses the Shade White Balance.
Street Lamp Sunset – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Kodak Ultramax
I like to have at least one Recipe programmed into my camera that’s highly versatile and can be used no matter the situation. One of my personal favorites is Kodak Ultramax, which uses Auto White Balance.
Although each of the first four Recipes have a Kodak-negative-like look, Kodak Vision3 250D produces a notably divergent aesthetic than the three above. This Recipe uses the Fluorescent 1 White Balance.
Fujichrome Sensia 100 offers a notably different look than the options above. It’s one of my favorite Recipes for sunrise and sunset colors when the sky is pink and purple, but is good for a lot of other situations, too. It uses the Fluorescent 2 White Balance.
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 on your X-T3 and X-T30 cameras. Period. It uses a Kelvin White Balance.
Minolta SRT303b – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – Analog Monochrome
Filling out the last slot was tricky because most of the White Balance types have already been used. There are basically three options: choose an X-Trans III Recipe—which are fully compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30—that uses a different WB type (that’s what I’ve done here, as Analog Monochrome utilizes Incandescent); use an Auto WB Recipe—perhaps Ilford Delta Push Process—and disregard the WB Shift, and accept the results for what they are (which will be nearly the same, but not exactly the same); or use a Daylight WB Recipe—perhaps Kodak Tri-X 400—and substitute Daylight with Underwater, which is similar enough that you’re unlikely to notice the difference.
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Viltrox recently sent me a lens to try out: their brand-new AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO. This a portrait lens with a somewhat large maximum aperture. As a third-party (non-Fujinon) option, how good is it? Where does it fit within Fujifilm’s lineup? Is it worthwhile to buy? Those are the questions I will try to answer in this review.
The first question I had is: what does EVO mean? Apparently, it is short for “Evolution of Essentials” and designates Viltrox’s mid-tier lineup. They call their low-budget line AIR and the top-end PRO. So the 75mm f/1.8 fits in the middle. It’s probably most equivalent to Fujifilm’s “Fujicron” f/2 series, as far as build and image quality goes, which is good company to be in.
Fujifilm has a pretty mature lens lineup with high quality glass and without a lot of holes; however, there are indeed some holes. The middle ground is pretty crowded, but at the ultra-wide and telephoto ends, there is a little lack of coverage. After the Fujinon 56mm f/1.2, there are two macro’s—the aging 60mm f/2.4 (in need of a refresh) and the excellent but expensive 80mm f/2.8—and then the 90mm f/2. The 56mm f/1.2 and 90mm f/2 are a couple of my favorite lenses, and are great options, but there should be something in-between that’s fast and affordable (and not a macro). That’s where we find the Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO.
A 75mm (112mm full-frame equivalent) lens isn’t just good for portrait photography, but for a lot of other things, too. Anytime you want to isolate the subject or compress the scene, this is a good focal-length choice. It can be used in street, travel, landscapes, events, still-life, and more. It’s a very useful focal length to have available for a variety of subjects and situations, but Fujifilm doesn’t offer it.
The image quality from the Viltrox 75mm f/1.8 is fantastic. It has excellent sharpness edge-to-edge and very little distortion. When wide open, there is a very small drop in overall sharpness and some minor vignetting (nothing to be concerned about); however, stopping down just a little improves it, with optimal image quality around f/4 and f/5.6. Bokeh, which is the quality of the out of focus areas of the picture, is very pleasing. I was impressed with the photographs that this lens produces, and found very little to complain about. Well done, Viltrox!
Personally, I like lens flare, but not everyone does. The Viltrox lens controls flare very well. If the sun or a bright light is just out of frame, you can get some hazy “veiling” flare. Sunstars aren’t half bad when using small apertures. If you don’t like lens flare or if you do like sunstars, this lens is pretty good. Below are two examples of sunstars and one example of flare with this lens.
Autofocus was quiet, quick, and accurate. The focus ring is smooth, making manual focus pleasant. Close focus is mediocre, at “only” 29 inches (maybe a reason why those two macro lenses might be preferable). The aperture ring—yea, it has an aperture ring!—has nice clicks, with one-third intermediate stops in-between the full stops. It takes 58mm filters. Build quality seems quite good, perhaps a tad plasticky, if there’s anything negative to say about it. It has some level of weather sealing, although I did not put that too the test. The lens weighs only 11.8 ounces, which is just slightly more than the old kit Fujinon 18-55mm f/2.8-4 zoom, and pretty lightweight for a telephoto. It’s a little smaller than both the Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 and Fujinon 90mm f/2, making it a good in-between option that will fit a little easier into your camera bag.
Perhaps the number one selling point for the Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO is the price, at only $330. For that low amount, it’s very easy to recommend. This isn’t a “good for the money” situation, though: the lens is good, the affordable price is a bonus. If you are in the market for a lens in-between Fujifilm’s 56mm and 90mm options, and you don’t want or need a macro, this is one to strongly consider. Also, maybe you own and love both the 56mm and 90mm, but want something that’s close enough to both yet is a little easier to travel with, this might be it. I think the Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO is a really good lens, and it fills a void in the Fujinon lineup quite nicely. I’m very happy with it, and you probably would be, too.
Two Ducks on a Boat Ramp – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 & Viltrox 75mm – Provia Positive
Flower Pot by a Lake – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 & Viltrox 75mm – Provia Positive
Three Palm Trunks – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 & Viltrox 75mm – Pacific Blues
Vines Climbing a Palm – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 & Viltrox 75mm – Reggie’s Superia
Waiting on a Bench – Phoenix, Arizona – Fujifilm X-E5 & Viltrox 75mm – 1-Hour Photo
Over the weekend, PetaPixel published an article encouraging Fujifilm to make a digital XPan camera. Their idea was to make an X100VI-like camera with two 40mp sensors side-by-side, for 80mp 65:24 (XPan) aspect ratio pictures. If Fujifilm ever did that, I would buy it no questions asked. Within the first minute of the preorder opening, I’d purchase it. That would be a dream camera. But this isn’t Fujifilm’s only—or maybe even best—option, should they desire to pursue a digital XPan camera.
For those who don’t know, XPan was a collaborative project by Hasselblad and Fujifilm beginning back in the late 1990’s. The cameras used two frames of 35mm film to make a panoramic picture. While only moderately successful at the time, the cameras are now much beloved with a cult-like following. A digital version would certainly be niche, but it would also become iconic very quickly.
First, Fujifilm doesn’t necessarily need to make a dedicated XPan camera. The GFX cameras already have the XPan aspect ratio, and you could use the GFX100RF as an XPan-like camera, producing 50mp panoramic pictures. This is probably the closest you can get right now with Fujifilm, and it really is close-enough. Someone let me use their GFX100RF, and I loved using it for XPan pictures. Fujifilm could (and should!) add the XPan ratio to all of their 40mp cameras, which would produce 22mp panoramic pictures. There’s no good reason why I can’t make in-camera XPan pictures with my X100VI, X-T5, or X-E5, and I would if I could (unfortunately, it has to be cropped after-the-fact using software).
The Hasselblad and Fujifilm XPan cameras were interchangeable-lens models, so for a truly accurate XPan experience you need an interchangeable-lens camera. I would be surprised if Fujifilm ever made an interchangeable-lens XPan camera, but if they did, one option would be to use GF lenses. Perhaps make a version of the next X-Pro with a wide sensor and GF mount. More likely, in order to do a wide sensor (or two sensors side-by-side), Fujifilm would use a fixed-lens body, which was PetaPixel’s idea. If the WCL and TCL lenses also work with an X100-like XPan camera, I could see this as being a good compromise (I would be mildly surprised if the conversion lenses actually work for it, though).
Yucca in the Sand – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Velvia Film – XPan
There is another option. It’s not perfect, but it would certainly simplify everything. This could be pretty easy for Fujifilm to do. It’s not as exciting, but it would work. Fujifilm could simply do anamorphic de-squeeze in-camera. For example, Fujifilm could make an XPan (1.8x) anamorphic lens that screws onto the future X100VII (like the WCL or TCL does), and the camera would then de-squeeze it, and show the wide image in the LCD or EVF. This would produce a 40mp XPan image. If Fujifilm wanted to do this for the interchangeable-lens models, they would need to make 1.8x anamorphic lenses (no such lens exists for X-mount). This, of course, comes with some negative side effects, namely a reduction in sharpness and “stretched” bokeh.
There isn’t a perfect solution. For those wanting a digital XPan camera right now, the GFX100RF is your best bet. If Fujifilm were to ever make a digital XPan camera, it would likely be a fixed-lens model; however, they could use GF lenses on an interchangeable-lens camera. An anamorphic lens with built-in de-squeeze is another option that would be easier to implement, but has downsides. What Fujifilm could and should do more than anything else is simply add the XPan aspect ratio to the 40mp models via a firmware update, and also include it on all sixth-generation cameras. With that said, if Fujifilm ever did make a dedicated digital XPan camera, I would be right at the front of the line to buy it.
Someone told me, “When I want a Recipe for a certain look, I just ask AI to make it for me.” I’ve heard a similar sentiment a few times. In fact, there are a couple of website and apps that will do it for you. Just upload a picture, and AI will create a Recipe that supposedly matches the picture. ChatGPT and other AI programs can do it, too. But is it any good?
It’s an easy test, actually. Use a photo that was made using a Recipe, and see if it comes up with the same or similar settings. If not, then it doesn’t do a good job. Test it again using a photo made using that same Recipe, and see if it gives you the same or similar settings as the first time. If it doesn’t, then it’s inconsistent and can’t be trusted. In order for AI to be a useful tool for this, it needs to be both accurate and consistent; if neither are true, it’s not a good tool.
If you upload a photo to AI and ask it to create a Fujifilm Recipe, you hope that it’s going to produce reasonably similar results to the photo you uploaded. If not, then what’s the point? You might as well just use random settings, or let darts or dice determine what to program into your camera. Someone once told me that AI is better than a complete novice, but not as good as an expert. I think there’s a lot of truth to that, but when it comes to creating Recipes, AI might actually be worse than the novice.
For example, I uploaded the image at the top, Bike Bags, which was made using my Provia Positive Recipe, and asked ChatGPT to make a Recipe from that photo. You can see my chat with AI below:
I noticed two things immediately. First, it has a lot of similarities to Reggie’s Portra. Certainly not 100% (and for sure it’s not as good), but there some obvious parallels. Second, it says to use base ISO 160 and also DR200; since the Dynamic Range settings are ISO dependent, you can’t use DR200 at ISO 160. A minor grievance, but it illustrates that AI isn’t fully versed in Fujifilm settings. This is how Provia Positive compares to AI’s “Nordic Harbor” (a.k.a. Reggie’s Portra tweak):
Provia Positive Recipe
ChatGPT’s “Nordic Harbor” Recipe
The results are pretty divergent. You might like the AI version (it’s basically Reggie’s Portra with a slight green cast), but you can’t say that it’s a good facsimile of the Recipe it’s suppose to look like. Using the same account, I started a new chat and asked ChatGPT again to make a Recipe using the same photo, but I worded the question slightly different. It basically gave the same Recipe but with four changes: Reala Ace instead of Classic Chrome, Color 0 instead of +1, Shadow -2 instead of -1, and WB Shift +1 Red & -3 Blue instead of -2 Red & -4 Blue. Let’s take a look:
Provia Positive Recipe
ChatGPT’s Reala Ace version of its “Nordic Harbor” Recipe
After this, I used a separate ChatGPT account and repeated step one precisely, and got even different results (this time it suggested Velvia). I then tried using different photos made with the same Provia Positive Recipe, and each time it gave me a different Recipe, and none were very close to my Recipe. Between the two accounts, I asked ChatGPT to make a Recipe based on a Provia Positive photo a total of 10 times. Even if it had given an accurate result once (which it didn’t), how could you trust it with divergent suggestions each time? How could you ever know which one would be most correct?
Provia Positive Recipe
ChatGPT’s third attempt, this time with Velvia
I then tried other AI programs and apps, and repeated the test. Interestingly enough, on my first attempt with Claude, it gave a Reggie’s Portra like Recipe (just like ChatGPT), but with an even stronger green cast than ChatGPT’s iteration. Gemini also chose Classic Chrome on the first attempt, but played it safe and didn’t venture very far from factory-defaults. After 10 tries with these other AI apps and programs, plus the 10 I did with ChatGPT, I had a total of 20 results. Three things shocked me. First, Classic Chrome was chosen nine times, far more than any other film simulations. I assume this is because Classic Chrome is by far the most popular film sim for those who use Recipes, and that’s influencing AI’s answers. Second, Provia wasn’t picked even once. Not one time did AI choose the correct film simulation—not Provia, the “standard” option. Even on the programs specifically intended for making Fujifilm Recipes from photos, it got it wrong. If I had picked at complete random, most likely I would have chosen Provia at least one time (there are 20 film sims, and I made 20 attempts, but nine of them are monochromatic and not color). Third, one time Acros was given for the film simulation. One of the AI’s thought that Acros—a B&W film simulation—was the most correct! Wow.
This article is already way too long, so let me wrap this up. Yes, AI can make a Recipe that is based on a photo that you upload to it. Anytime you ask AI to do something, it will give you an answer. But is that answer any good? When it comes to Fujifilm Recipes, probably not. First, as you can see above, AI couldn’t figure it out. It also gave a different answer each time, and sometimes very nonsensical ones. Both the inaccuracies and inconsistencies are major red flags, and demonstrate that it’s not a trustworthy source for this particular task. It’ll probably get there someday, but it’s not there today. This is a very easy test, one that you can do yourself. If you ever wonder if any AI program or app can make a Recipe that matches the aesthetic of a picture that you upload to it, simply use an image that you already know the parameters of; if it can’t match it—or at least be in the general ballpark of it—then it’s not a good resource. You might actually be better off throwing darts, rolling dice, or picking the settings out of a hat at random.
