In this “SoundBite” (as we’re calling it) from Episode 06 of SOOC, Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I discuss three film simulation recipes that are good for portrait photography. This is a short snippet from the show, and it gives you an idea of the type of content that’s found in a SOOC broadcast. If you missed Episode 06, I’ve included it below, so you can view it in its entirety if you’d like.
If you’ve never watched, SOOCis a monthly live video series that’s interactive. It’s a collaboration between Nathalie and I. We discuss film simulation recipes, camera settings, and answer your questions. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.
Fujinon 18mm f/2 lens attached to a Fujifilm X-T30 camera.
I’ve done several of these “Why I Love The Fujinon…” articles—including the 90mm f/2, the 35mm f/2, the 27mm f/2.8—but I’ve been putting this one off. If you’d read my review of the Fujinon 18mm f/2, you might already know that I have a love/hate relationship with it. I called it “the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” because it is simultaneously wonderful and disappointing—wonderful image quality, disappointing performance. I don’t want to rehash what I already stated in the review, so I’ll approach this a different way.
For a long time I shot 35mm film. I had a Canon AE-1 camera and a 50mm f/1.8 lens, and that’s it—one camera and one lens. After awhile, though, I began to collect gear. I acquired more cameras and more lenses. One lens was a Canon 24mm f/2.8. Coming from 50mm, the 24mm focal-length lens seemed to be extremely wide-angle to me. I found it challenging to use, but also highly rewarding, because the focal-length can make a scene much more dramatic. Below is a picture from the first roll of film where I used the 24mm focal length. For Fujifilm cameras, 16mm is full-frame-equivalent to 24mm, not 18mm (which is 27mm full-frame-equivalent), but the difference between 16mm and 18mm isn’t huge. I actually like 18mm more because it is a bit less extreme yet still very dramatic.
The 18mm focal-length is very useful for landscape or cityscape photography. It wouldn’t be my first choice for portrait photography, but it is great for when you want to exaggerate the space in the frame. It can turn a rather ordinary scene into something more extraordinary through embellishment. I think everyone should own a lens with this or a similar focal-length, and challenge themselves to use it—and it alone—on occasion, just for practice.
The 18mm f/2 is Fujifilm’s second smallest lens, so it is especially great for travel or walk-around photography. It’s a lens that you can leave on the camera all day, or have as a second lens, perhaps kept in a jacket pocket. The size and weight advantage of this near-pancake lens cannot be understated!
Ultimately, though, it comes down to the pictures, and it’s easy to love how the Fujinon 18mm f/2 lens renders images. When the pictures look as good as they do, it’s not hard to ignore the flaws (such as a slow and loud focus system). For this reason, the Fujinon 18mm f/2 lens is an essential tool in my kit. Yes, I do have a love/hate relationship with this little lens, but I lean much more closely towards the love side.
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
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!
Note: This was a Creative Collective article, but now it’s available to everyone.
Let’s start off by briefly explaining the process. I used two cameras: Fujifilm X100V and X-H1. I chose seven recipes for each camera, and the recipes were somewhat randomly selected. I chose ones that I thought could possibly do well or might otherwise be interesting in the snow. I captured two images for each recipe: one in sunlight and one in shade. I figured that some recipes would do well in the sun, some would do well in the shade, a few would do well in both, and maybe one or two wouldn’t do well in either, but I really wasn’t sure.
The recipes used on the X-H1 are all compatible with X-Trans III (plus the X-T3 and X-T30) cameras. The recipes used on the X100V are all compatible with the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, except for Kodak Vision3 250D, which is intended for the X-T3 and X-T30—I modified it for the X100V by selecting Grain size Small, Color Chrome FX Blue Off, and Clarity 0.
You can look at the examples above, and decide for yourself which ones you like. If one stands out to you, I invite you to try it the next time you’re out photographing in wintry conditions. Of the seven recipes for X-Trans III, Fujichrome Sensia 200 is my favorite for sunlight and Kodak Portra 160 is my favorite for shade. Of the seven recipes for X-Trans IV, Kodachrome 1 is my favorite for sunlight and Fujicolor Superia 1600 is my favorite for shade. Which ones do you like best? Let me know in the comments!
I think the recipes that are cooler tend to be a bit too cold in the shade, although if you’re trying to communicate just how frigid it is outside, maybe that’s something you want. The recipes that are warm can sometimes be a tad too warm in the sunlight. Your recipe choice likely will be dictated by the light you think you’ll encounter. A lot also depends on the exact aesthetic you’re after and the mood you want to convey. I don’t believe any of these 14 recipes are bad choices. Some certainly seem better than others for the snow, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so one person might appreciate one more than the rest, and another might appreciate a different recipe.
If you’ve used a film simulation recipe in the snow and liked the outcome, please let me know in the comments which one it was.
In this “SoundBite” (as we’re calling it) from Episode 05 of SOOC, Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I discuss three film simulation recipes that are good for urban photography. This is a short snippet from the show, and it gives you an idea of the type of content that’s found in a SOOC broadcast. If you missed Episode 05 and/or Episode 06, I’ve included them below.
If you’ve never watched, SOOC is a monthly live video series that’s interactive. It’s a collaboration between Nathalie and I. We discuss film simulation recipes, camera settings, and answer your questions. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.
If you have a Fujifilm camera and don’t have the Fuji X Weekly App on your phone or tablet, be sure to download it now! The App is free, but becoming a Patron unlocks the best App experience, so consider becoming an App Patron today.
Let’s countdown the last 10 recipes that brought us to 200:
Which of these ten recipes are your favorites? Let me know in the comments!
There are actually more than 200 Fuji X Weekly film simulation recipes! Unfortunately, I’m not able to include in the App the ones that require double exposures because they’re more complicated and the format doesn’t allow it. So when I published Retro Gold Low Contrast, that was actually the 200th Fuji X Weekly film simulation recipe. The recipes below are ones you won’t find in the App, and are in addition to the 200 that are there.
Evergreen Tops – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak High Definition Plus 200”
This Kodak High Definition Plus 200 film simulation recipe was a fun one to make. My wife, Amanda, was looking through an old box of pictures when she came across a group of prints that she thought looked interesting, so she showed them to me. The images were captured in the Sierra Nevada mountains, largely in the Sequoia National Forest, in 2006. I had no idea what film I used, but after locating the negatives, I discovered it was Kodak High Definition Plus 200. The pictures were printed on Fujicolor Crystal Archive paper. Not surprisingly, Fujifilm paper produces a different aesthetic than Kodak paper, so if this film had been printed on Kodak paper the pictures would look a little different. Back then, the rule of thumb for best results was that Kodak negatives should be printed on Kodak paper, Fujifilm negatives should be printed on Fujifilm paper, etc., but obviously I broke that “rule” with these travel pictures.
Kodak High Definition Plus 200 was a color negative film that was also sold under the name Kodak Royal Supra 200. At the time, Kodak claimed that it was the sharpest and finest-grained ISO 200 color negative film on the market. Originally there were ISO 100, 200, 400 and 800 varieties, but since this film line was introduced right at the beginning of the decline of film, it didn’t take Kodak long to discontinue all but the ISO 200 and 400 versions, and even those didn’t last all that long. I shot a few rolls of the film, and after digging through that photo box, I found two sets of negatives, both exposed around that same timeframe. I honestly don’t remember all that much from the experience, but it was fun to rediscover these long-forgotten pictures and recreate the aesthetic on my Fujifilm X-E4 camera.
A picture of Kodak High Definition Plus negatives, captured with this recipe.
A picture of Kodak High Definition Plus 200 prints, captured with this recipe.
A poor quality scan of one of the prints. Sorry. I really need to buy a better scanner.
For ISO 200 color negative film, Kodak High Definition Plus 200 was indeed pretty sharp and fine-grained. It was moderately vibrant (just a little above “true to life”) and contrasty but not overly contrasty. From what I can tell, it didn’t have as large of an exposure latitude as some of Kodak’s other color negative films. It was warm, but seemed to lean more towards green than red when printed on Fujicolor paper. Obviously, how the film is shot, developed, printed and/or scanned will affect how it looks (I apologize for my poor quality scan above, which doesn’t do the picture justice whatsoever, but I wanted to share it anyway). This recipe mimics how I shot the film in 2006, printed on Fujicolor paper. It is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: 0 Shadow: +1 Color: +2 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: 0 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Weak Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: 4800K, -2 Red & -7 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak High Definition Plus 200 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujifilm X100V:
Walking Bridge – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Hollow Building – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Leaves that Left – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Flag & Evergreen – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Green Pine Needles – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Red Roof – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Lonely Table – Orem, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Night Shopping Carts – Draper, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Pillow on Couch – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Fake Succulent – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Evening Clouds Over Wasatch Mountains – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Disappearing Light on Francis Peak – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Winter Neighborhood at Sunset – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – “Winter Slide”
This recipe began with a weather forecast. It had been unusually dry and warm here in Utah, but cold temperatures and plenty of snow was on the way. At this time of year I get asked regularly which film simulation recipes are best for snow—there are plenty that will work well, but not many that are specifically made for it. A camera like the Fujifilm X-T1, which is weather-sealed, is great for these type of conditions, so I thought, with the forecasted wintry weather, I’d create a good-for-snow recipe for X-Trans II cameras that I could use on my X-T1. When the snow finally came, I’d be ready!
The initial inspiration for this recipe was Agfa Precisa CT 100 color slide film, which I read was one of the best film options for winter situations. I wasn’t having good luck recreating the aesthetic of it, but, in the process, I made some settings that I thought might be good for snow. So I failed at mimicking Agfa Precisa CT 100, but I succeeded at what I set out to do, which was a film simulation recipe that works well in snow. Interestingly, when I created the recipe, it wasn’t yet snowy, so I wasn’t completely sure how it would do. Luckily, it did every bit as well as I had hoped it would.
Two Cold Horses – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – “Winter Slide”
The trick to snow photography is to overexpose (based on what the meter says) because the camera sees a lot of white and wants to make it grey. So if you follow the meter, you’ll get a lot of dark pictures. By increasing the exposure compensation, you’ll get brighter pictures—I found myself often using +1 exposure compensation. If you are using this recipe when it’s not wintry white, you won’t have to increase the exposure compensation quite as much, and +1/3 to +2/3 will likely be better. This film simulation recipe is compatible with all X-Trans II cameras.
Provia/STD Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: 0 (Standard) Shadow: +2 (Hard) Color: -2 (Low) Sharpness: -1 (Medium-Soft) Noise Reduction: -2 (Low) White Balance: 5000K, -1 Red & -3 Blue ISO: Auto up to ISO 3200 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured on my Fujifilm X-T1 using this “Winter Slide” film simulation recipe:
Ice Cold Red – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Winter Red Berries – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Snow on Branch – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Snow on Tree Trunk – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Winter Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Winter Bush with Red Berries – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Snow on a Bush – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Winter Girl – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
White House in Snow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Lamp with Bow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Winter Blue Home – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
One Light in a Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Freightliner – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Ilford XP2 Super 400”
I was asked to create a film simulation recipe for Ilford XP2 Super 400 monochrome film. This is a currently-available black-and-white negative film that’s designed to be in developed in color negative (C41) chemistry. While this is unusual it’s definitely not unique. I’ve shot with some of these films before (namely Kodak BW400CN), and they’re surprisingly good, but a disadvantage is their archival characteristics. While I’ve used many Ilford films in the past (Delta 100 and Delta 400 were my two favorites back in the day), I’ve never shot with XP2 Super, and so I have no firsthand experience with it. Thankfully, I was able to find some good sample images (and other information) to help with the process. The film is somewhat contrasty and bright with fairly fine grain. It can be shot anywhere from ISO 50 to ISO 800, although ISO 400 is what Ilford suggests to shoot it at; whatever ISO you choose will affect the exact outcome.
I wasn’t having good luck with this recipe at first, but as I experimented, I stumbled into what I believe is a fairly accurate facsimile to the film. The White Balance settings (combined with Acros+R) turned out to be the key. Getting the exposure correct can sometimes be tricky, depending on the light and scene, so that’s why the “typical” exposure compensation is such a wide range.
Farmington Train Station – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Ilford XP2 Super 400”
This “Ilford XP2 Super 400” film simulation recipe is compatible with all X-Trans III cameras, plus the X-T3 and X-T30. If you have a newer X-Trans IV camera, you can use this recipe, but you’ll have to decide on the Grain size (I suggest Small).
Acros+R Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1 Shadow: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -2 Grain Effect: Strong White Balance: 10000K, +7 Red & +7 Blue ISO: Auto up to ISO 12800 Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Ilford XP2 Super 400” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-H1:
Francis Peak on a Sunny Day – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Waterway – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Reed by the Lake – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Swan Season Closed – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Do Not Block Access – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Boat Launch Area – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Littering Prohibited – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Long Road to Nowhere – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Rural Tractor – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Cat & Honey Bucket – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Caterpillar – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Tractor – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Lamp & Side Mirrors – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
A Y – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Empty Benches – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Tracks with no Train – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Episode 06 of SOOC was today! I want to thank everyone who tuned in and participated! It was a long show, but I hope a good one. If you missed it when it was live, you can still catch it above.
SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different film simulation recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.
In this month’s episode we discussed the Cross Process film simulation recipe, and we took a look at your wonderful pictures captured with this recipe. We also introduced the next recipe: Kodak Gold 200. I look forward to seeing your pictures captured with it!
Red Freightliner – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Kodachrome 64 – Frame 05
Back in the film days, most of the cameras I had were fully manual. No auto or semi-auto modes. No autofocus. Manual everything. In the digital age, modern cameras are pretty good at taking care of some tasks for you. You can afford to be a little lazy and still get the shot with ease. It’s a marvel of modern camera technology!
Nowadays I mostly shoot in Aperture-Priority (with Shutter and ISO set to A), or occasionally Shutter-Priority (with Aperture and ISO set to A). Only on rare occasions do I manually select shutter, aperture, and ISO. It’s not uncommon that I manually focus, especially if I’m using a vintage lens, but most of the time I’m allowing the camera to autofocus for me. It’s just easier. But sometimes easier isn’t better. It’s good to stay in photographic shape, and to challenge yourself from time-to-time.
I decided to challenge myself yesterday to this: shoot 36 frames (like a roll of film) with the same film simulation recipe, using manual everything. Manual aperture. Manual shutter. Manual ISO. Manual focus. The camera I chose was the Fujifilm X100V, and I loaded it with my Kodachrome 64 film simulation recipe. I headed out right at sunrise.
This was my experience.
Note: this was a Creative Collective article, but now it is available to everyone.
Before I get to the photographs, I want to briefly point out why a camera like the X100V is so great for this exercise: you don’t need to dig through any menus to change anything. It’s all clearly marked on knobs and switches on the body. The aperture ring is on the lens, as is the focus ring. A switch on the side activates manual focus. The shutter is controlled by a knob on the top, and the ISO is controlled by a ring around the shutter knob. It’s as close to a film experience as you can get from a digital camera. Yet you have modern tools, such as focus assist and histograms, to help you get it right. Of course, the same thing could be said for many Fujifilm models, and not just the X100V.
One other technical note I’d like to point out is that I had a 5% CineBloom filter attached to the lens, which only makes an extremely subtle difference, but a difference nonetheless. I figured it was worth pointing out.
I’m going to jump right into the pictures, then I’ll end with a little commentary about this experience. Here we go!
Frame 01:
ISO 320, f/11, 1/250
Frame 02:
ISO 320, f/5, 1/500
Frame 03:
ISO 320, f/6.4, 1/500
Frame 04:
ISO 320, f/4.5, 1/500
Frame 05:
ISO 320, f/4.5, 1/500
Frame 06:
ISO 320, f/4.5, 1/500
Frame 07:
ISO 320, f/9, 1/125
Frame 08:
ISO 320, f/9, 1/125
Frame 09:
ISO 320, f/9, 1/125
Frame 10:
ISO 320, f/9, 1/125
Frame 11:
ISO 320, f/9, 1/125
Frame 12:
ISO 320, f/10, 1/125
Frame 13:
ISO 320, f/10, 1/125
Frame 14:
ISO 320, f/10, 1/125
Frame 15:
ISO 320, f/9, 1/125
Frame 16:
ISO 320, f/8, 1/125
Frame 17:
ISO 320, f/8, 1/125
Frame 18:
ISO 320, f/8, 1/125
Frame 19:
ISO 320, f/10, 1/125
Frame 20:
ISO 320, f/10, 1/125
Frame 21:
ISO 320, f/8, 1/125
Frame 22:
ISO 320, f/10, 1/125
Frame 23:
ISO 320, f/10, 1/125
Frame 24:
ISO 320, f/13, 1/125
Frame 25:
ISO 320, f/13, 1/125
Frame 26:
ISO 320, f/10, 1/250
Frame 27:
ISO 320, f/10, 1/500
Frame 28:
ISO 320, f/8, 1/640
Frame 29:
ISO 320, f/8, 1/640
Frame 30:
ISO 320, f/8, 1/640
Frame 31:
ISO 320, f/8, 1/640
Frame 32:
ISO 320, f/8, 1/640
Frame 33:
ISO 320, f/6.4, 1/800
Frame 34:
ISO 320, f/6.4, 1/500
Frame 35:
ISO 320, f/8, 1/250
Frame 36:
ISO 320, f/8, 1/250
This was a fun photographic exercise! I thoroughly enjoyed going all-manual and shooting 36 frames with the same film simulation recipe to mimic the good ol’ film days. I’d recommend this project to anyone, and I encourage you to give it a try, too.
Since I hadn’t shot fully manual all that much in the last few years, I really found myself out of practice. There’s more to mentally consider with each frame.
On one hand, I wasn’t always focusing in on why I was using the settings I did. I believe that I needed to think beyond, “Is this correctly exposed?” And consider more, “Which specific settings would be best for this exposure?” These things used to come more naturally to me, and it’s because I was doing it all of the time. I practiced it frequently back then. Now that I almost always let the camera sort some of it out, full manual takes more intentional thought, and I didn’t always do that. For that reason, I really believe I could benefit from doing this project on a regular basis.
On the other hand, going all manual slowed me down a little, which made me capture better pictures—at least a little—or perhaps more simply, I got the picture I wanted without snapping three-to-five exposures to do it. In most cases, I captured only one image, as I tried hard to get it right the first time. I couple of times I didn’t, so I made a second attempt. Normally I’m a bit lazy, using the spray-and-pray method to ensure I got a good exposure. It’s quick and easy to snap several pictures of the same thing, and choose later which one is best; however, it’s even better to make just one exposure and have confidence that it’s good.
You might notice that I used ISO 320 for all 36 exposures. I decided at the beginning that I was going to stick with one ISO because in the film days that’s what you had to do. I selected ISO 320 because that’s the lowest ISO available for the Kodachrome 64 recipe.
It was a partly-to-mostly overcast day, but at sunrise the sunlight was pouring out between the clouds. For that reason I started out with a faster shutter speed, but soon the sun disappeared behind the clouds, which allowed me to slow it in order to use a smaller aperture. Later the sun peaked through again, and I increased the shutter speed. Often the light changed between shots, and I used small aperture adjustments to get a correct exposure. I didn’t always get the exposure as correct as I would have liked, which was a result of not making the necessary adjustments with the rapidly changing light conditions (basically, not paying as close of attention to everything as I should have).
20 years ago when I shot real Kodachrome film, if I got back from the lab five or six slides out of the whole roll that I was really happy with, I’d call it a success. So, with that same standard, I’d call this excursion a success. My five favorite frames are 05, 06, 08, 19, and 21. Which frames do you like the best? Let me know in the comments below.
I hope you give this challenge a try! It’s a great way to keep yourself in photographic shape. I discovered that I’m not in as good of shape as I thought I was, so I’m going to keep practicing, and I’ll do this challenge again very soon.
In this “SoundBite” (as we’re calling it) from Episode 05 of SOOC, Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I discuss how digital noise and faux grain affect an image on Fujifilm cameras. This is a short snippet from the show, and it gives you an idea of the type of content that’s found in a SOOC broadcast.
If you’ve never watched, SOOC is a monthly live video series that’s interactive. It’s a collaboration between Nathalie and I. We discuss film simulation recipes, camera settings, and answer your questions. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow. Episode 06 is this Thursday, December 09, at 9 AM Pacific, 12 PM Eastern. Be sure to tune in!
I want to give a big “Thank You” to everyone who tuned in to Episode 05 of SOOC, a collaboration between myself and Fuji X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry. This video series is live and interactive, so I’m especially grateful to all who participated! You are the ones who make these episodes great!
In the video above are the viewer’s photographs, captured using the Agfa Optima 200 film simulation recipe, that were shown during the show. It’s a short clip, so be sure to watch! I love seeing your pictures, and I’m honored that you submitted them for us to view.
The SOOC Episode 06 “recipe of the month” is Cross Process. Shoot with that recipe, and upload your pictures here to be featured in the next video! Episode 06 will be on December 9 (this Thursday!) at 9 AM Pacific, 12 PM Eastern, so mark your calendars, and I look forward to seeing you then!
Follow the Bird to Salt Lake – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
I recently took my Fujifilm X-H1 camera to downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, loaded with my Cross Process film simulation recipe, to do some creative urban photography. Attached to the camera was a Fujinon 18mm f/2 lens, which I find to be a good focal-length for cityscapes and street images.
For those who don’t know, cross-process is an analog technique where film is developed in chemistry intended for a different emulsion type. Most commonly, it is E6 slide film developed in C41 color negative chemistry, although it is certainly not limited to that. The results of cross-processing can vary wildly, but usually there’s a strong color shift, and an increase in contrast and grain. It’s a fun way to get bold pictures!
My Cross Process recipe isn’t intended to model any specific film, but is more of a generic cross-processed aesthetic; however, there are some similarities to Velvia, Provia, Sensia, Elite Chrome, and others. Considering that Fujifilm doesn’t have a “cross process” film simulation, the fact that this look can be achieved in-camera without the need for editing is really quite amazing! It’s an enjoyable recipe for unusual results.
For those following the SOOClive YouTube video series, Cross Process is the current recipe-of-the-month. Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I will be discussing this recipe, including showcasing your pictures captured with it. Be sure to tune-in this Thursday, December 9, at 9am Pacific Time, 12 PM Eastern! I hope to see you then!
In the meantime, this article is a photoessay of 14 photographs captured in downtown Salt Lake City with a Fujifilm X-H1 camera using the Cross Process film simulation recipe. Enjoy!
1. Know Where It Goes – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Hotel & Crane Reflected – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Contrail – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Last Light on the Lofty Building – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Leaning – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Yield on Flashing – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Wreath Behind Glass – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Crane Reflection – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Trees in the City – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
A Corner Downtown – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Lift – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Escalator Collecting Leaves – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Caution: Tree – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
I share this video with you for three reasons: 1) it’s really good, 2) this website and the Fuji X Weekly App are mentioned in it, and 3) it’s definitely the coolest video that I’ve ever been highlighted in. So be sure to watch it! Also, big thanks to GxAce for the shout-out! You should check out his channel, for sure, because he has many intriguing videos.
The Snap Chick YouTube channel recently published a video where they compare actual Kodak Tri-X 400 film with the Kodak Tri-X 400 film simulation recipe. It’s a very fascinating video! If you’re looking for something to do, give it a watch—it’s about 15 minutes long. Definitely worth your time.
Large Stone & Tall Grass – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Vintage Kodacolor”
The Fuji X Weekly App is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron unlocks the best App experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new film simulation recipes. These early-access recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. In fact, many early-access recipes have already been publicly published on this blog and the App, so now everyone can use them. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no App. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!
This new Patron early-access recipe is called Vintage Kodacolor. I was inspired by some old Kodacolor puzzles that I stumbled across (did you know that Kodak made jigsaw puzzles?). I’m not completely certain which Kodacolor film was used for these puzzles—possibly Kodacolor II—or how much the printing process affected the aesthetic, or even how much the colors have faded and shifted over time. Whatever the case, this recipe does a pretty good job emulating it, and produces a warm vintage-like aesthetic that’s easy to appreciate. There’s some similarities between this and my Kodacolor II 126 recipe. This “Vintage Kodacolor” recipe is fully compatible with all X-Trans III cameras, plus the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30. Those with newer X-Trans IV cameras can use it, too, but you’ll have to decide on Grain size.
If you are a Fuji X Weekly Patron, it’s available to you right now on the App!
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Vintage Kodacolor” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-H1:
Vintage Phragmites – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Evening Reeds and Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Three Brown Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Don’t Approach the Great Blue Heron – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Safe Zone – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Sunset Through The Grass – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Evening Light on the Wood – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Flowers No More – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Metal Door – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Cardboard Architect – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Holiday Horse Rider – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
The Winter Solstice is fast approaching, and for those like me in the Northern Hemisphere, the days are getting shorter and the nights are longer. I find this to be a good opportunity for after-sunset or pre-sunrise photography, but there aren’t very many film simulation recipes for X-Trans III cameras that are specifically intended for this situation—in fact, there’s only one: CineStill 800T (although several others will still do well enough). So I set out to create another night film simulation recipe, because it’s good to have choices.
Unlike the CineStill 800T recipe, I didn’t model this one after any specific film, although it has some fairly close similarities to Fujicolor NPL 160 Pro Tungsten color negative film, which Fujifilm produced from 2000 through 2004. NPL 160 was specifically made for long exposures under artificial light. While I didn’t intend to mimic that film, you wouldn’t know it based on just how close of a match it is. I never used NPL 160 myself, as it wasn’t available in 35mm format, but I did some research on it for this article. It was available in 120 film (also, 4×5 sheets), which could be captured in three ratios (depending on the camera), including square, but 3:2 wasn’t one of those options. You could use 3:2 like I did, or more accurately shoot in the 1:1 ratio, or crop after-the-fact to whatever shape you prefer.
Blue Light Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Fujicolor NPL 160 Tungsten”
This Fujicolor NPL 160 Tungsten recipe is compatible with all X-Trans III cameras, so if you have a Fujifilm X-Pro2, X100F, X-E3, X-T20, X-T20, or X-H1, this recipe is for you! It’s also compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30—simply set Color Chrome Effect to Off, and limit the maximum ISO to 6400. For those with newer X-Trans IV cameras, consider using Grain size Small and Clarity set to 0 or even -2. Those with a GFX 50S and GFX 50R can use this recipe, too, although it will look very slightly different. For night photography, I most commonly set exposure compensation to -1/3 or 0, and for daylight photography I most commonly set exposure compensation to +1/3 to +2/3.
PRO Neg. Std Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -2 Shadow: 0 Color: -2 Sharpening: -1 Noise Reduction: -4 Grain: Weak White Balance: Fluorescent 3, -6 Red & -3 Blue ISO: Auto up to ISO 12800 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Fujicolor NPL 160 Tungsten” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-H1:
Sunset Afterglow on Building – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Waffled – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Christmas Tree Outside A Mall – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Lights Wrapped Around A Trunk – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Girl at a Lighted Fountain – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Survivor – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Headless Lampshade – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Stored Clothes – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Crowd Around the Tree – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
German Night – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Krampus – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Christkindlmarkt – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Carolers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
ZCMI – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Soaring Over a Neighborhood – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
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Episode 06 of SOOC is this Thursday, December 9, at 9am Pacific Time, 12 PM Eastern! Please note the new time.
For those who may not know, SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different film simulation recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow. This is an interactive show, so we not only need you to tune in, but your participation is essential to making the episode great.
This month we will discuss the Cross Process film simulation recipe (a fun one, for sure!), as well as look at your photos captured with it—upload your pictures here to be featured in the next video! We’ll also introduce the next recipe. We have a lot of great things planned, and I know you’ll appreciate this one. Episode 06 will be on December 9th, so mark your calendars, and I look forward to seeing you then!
First, I want to give a big “Thank You” to everyone who participated in yesterday’s survey! To say that I’ve been overwhelmed (in a good way) with the response is an understatement. You all really came through in a big way, so thanks!
Which Fujifilm camera sensor generation do most of you have? I was really surprised by the results. Let’s dive in!
1. 51% of you own an X-Trans IV model – 19% own either on X-T3 or X-T30 – 17% own an X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II – 15% own an X-Pro3 or X100V 2. 22% of you own an X-Trans III model – The X-H1 represents 20% of all X-Trans III cameras (there were six models) 3. 13% of you own an X-Trans II model – Nearly 1/4 of those are models without Classic Chrome 4. 7% of you own an X-Trans I model 5. 5% of you own a Bayer model – About 2/3 have a 24 MP camera 6. 2% of you own a GFX model – About 2/3 own a newer model
What can be learned from all this data? Well, it’s easy to draw conclusions, but not necessarily easy to draw the correct conclusions. I think it demonstrates that Fujifilm has been growing in popularity over the years. Also, those with “newer” models (say, X-Trans III and X-Trans IV) are more likely to use film simulation recipes than those with older models (or Bayer or GFX), possibly because there are more JPEG options; however, that’s kind of a tricky statement, because there are more recipes for X-Trans III and newer, and less for the other models. If there were more recipes, more people would likely use them. So there’s a bit of truth on both sides of that coin. I think the most surprising statistic is that nearly 1/5 of you own either an X-T3 or X-T30—Fujifilm sold those two models like hotcakes! I didn’t realize that so many of you had one of those two models.
If you are looking at this and thinking, I have a low-percentage model, so I guess there’s no hope for new recipes—don’t despair! I plan to make new recipes for as many camera models as I can. With that said, 41% of you own either an X-Trans III or X-T3 or X-T30 camera, and that large segment hasn’t received nearly enough new recipes over the last year. There have been just nine new recipes in the last 12 months for the X-T3 and X-T30, six of which are also compatible with X-Trans III. Of those, two are Patron early-access recipes on the Fuji X Weekly App. So I definitely need to do a better job in the coming year of creating new recipes for the X-T3, X-T30 and X-Trans III.
Whatever you Fujifilm camera is, I hope to publish more film simulation recipes for you, so be on the lookout for those in the coming days, weeks, and months.
Pal2Tech posted a video today discussing the noise performance of various film simulations when using high-ISO photography on Fujifilm cameras. I like the videos from this channel, as they’re always entertaining and educational. I’ve learned several things myself, so I definitely recommend following him if you don’t already.
I wanted to mention this particular video (which you’ll find above) specifically because I think it misses the point on high-ISO photography. Or several points, really. I do still recommend watching it—I found it interesting, personally—and I appreciate the effort put into it. But I want to add my own commentary, so here we go!
The first point that’s missed is that Fujifilm’s digital noise doesn’t look like typical noise from digital cameras. Fujifilm’s programming makes it appear more organic, a little more film-grain-like, and much less hideous than that from other brands. So having some noise in an image isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Digital noise can actually be more than just “not bad” but can actually be a positive thing, and you might be missing out by avoiding it.
Which brings me to point two: in the digital age we’re too often striving for “perfect” images with its squeaky-clean aesthetics. In my article No Edit Photography: 7 Tips To Get The Film Look From Your Digital Photos, I stated, “Perfect pictures can be perfectly boring.” And, “Creativity is rarely born out of perfectionism.” Avoiding digital noise is ok, I suppose, but never at the expense of things that are more important.
Point number three (for those keeping track) is that digital noise (from Fujifilm cameras) can actually make your digital pictures appear less digital and more film-like (that’s tip six in that article I linked to in the last paragraph). In fact, my Ilford HP5 Plus Push Process film simulation recipe purposefully uses a minimum ISO of 25600, and it looks shockingly good when printed! If you’re striving for “perfection” and you are pixel-peeping at 300% magnification, noise might bother you a little. Otherwise, the “imperfection” of it can be incorporated beautifully into your art.
The simple takeaway is this: don’t be afraid to get a little noisy. Don’t worry so much about squeaky-clean pictures, but embrace the messiness of photography, and worry about the things that actually matter (like storytelling). Don’t be afraid to shoot at high-ISOs. Certainly if you are limiting yourself to below ISO 3200 for Acros, Classic Negative, and Eterna Bleach Bypass, you are missing out on some lovely pictures (you’ll find an example of each below). It’s ok to pixel-peep, but just know that nobody outside of some photographers care what an image looks like when inspected so closely, and most people who view your pictures won’t be impressed or unimpressed by how an image looks at that magnification, because they only care if the picture as a whole speaks to them in some way.
