Acros Film Simulation recipe

Kodak T-Max P3200 — A Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipe for X-Trans IV & V

A grainy high-contrast B&W Film Simulation Recipe for the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2, X-H2s, X-T5, and X-S20.

*Courthouse Butte* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak T-Max P3200 Recipe

“Stop the presses!”

That was the subject of an email I recently received from Anders Lindborg. Longtime Fuji X Weekly readers will immediately recognize Anders, since he invented the Kodak Tri-X 400, Ilford HP5 Plus 400, Ilford Pan F Plus 50, and Ilford FP4 Plus 125 (plus co-created Kodak T-Max 400) black-and-white Film Simulation Recipes—he is, in my opinion, the guru on Fujifilm B&W Recipes. Kodak Tri-X 400 is my all-time favorite Recipe, period. Anders also created the Kodak Gold v2 Recipe, seven Fujicolor Pro 160NS Recipes, seven Fujicolor Pro 400H Recipes, and made an important D-Range Priority discovery. When Anders Lindborg says to stop the presses, I knew to stop the presses!

The story that I found in that email was absolutely incredible! Whether or not you ever use the Film Simulation Recipe that Anders sent to me, the story itself makes this article a worthwhile read. I was (and still am) just blown away by it! It’s funny how life comes full circle in surprising ways sometimes.

*Closed Umbrella* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak T-Max P3200 Recipe

“Some years back,” Anders Lindborg wrote me, “I found myself being totally photographically stuck. People liked my photos, but I could feel there was something missing from them and I thought they were still too amateurish. By chance, a photography magazine published an article called Learning How to See in which they mentioned a photographer named John Sevigny, an art teacher at a university in Mexico City. The magazine referenced Mr. Sevigny because he often talked with his students—and had also written some papers—about the subject of the article. Anyway, I started searching the internet and found many articles about him and his work. I also found some of his papers on the subject. Afterwards, I noticed that something gradually happened to my photos, and I realized that I could often see a deeper meaning in random ordinary things, people’s expressions and behavior. It really helped me, and I swore to never forget about this guy.”

“Life is funny,” Anders continued, “and I think I’m slowly starting to believe in this karma stuff. As it happens, awhile back I was contacted out of the blue by no other than John Sevigny himself! He had apparently found my stuff published on Fuji X Weekly very interesting and asked very kindly if I could help him out with the final touches on his upcoming book. The project that he had been working on was really heavy stuff, so he was temporarily burned out and needed some technical assistance, which I gladly provided. After the material for the book was finished, we continued chatting and I’m now proud to call him my friend.”

“After weeks of talking about photography, John mentioned that he really missed shooting with Kodak T-Max P3200 that he used to use all of the time while working as a news photographer. So, he said, how about making a recipe for it? I couldn’t resist, so we started developing it immediately. John provided me with all the information about the emulsion that I could possibly need, including a bunch of his own 25-year-old scans, but most important was his experience of shooting it daily for years. According to John, anytime there was a request for something that was going to be an article inside the newspaper, that’s the film they used since the available light would almost always be ranging from bad to worse. It didn’t matter if it was a sports event or a murder, they used Kodak T-Max P3200. After reading up about it (since I never shot it myself, sadly), I understood why: it was optimized to create sharp and (reasonably) detailed photos in generally bad light.”

*Now Serving Bacon* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak T-Max P3200 Recipe

“Much care and testing has been put into this recipe by both John and myself,” Anders concluded, “and since John had all this experienced with the film, he had to be the one to officially approve it, which he did. I couldn’t be happier with the results we got from the tests! I actually put his scans in a photo album together with my test shots and the only thing revealing was the lens quality. When using the recipe with a vintage lens, I promise that you’ll have a really hard time telling your photos apart from the real film! Even some of the film’s tell-tale quirks have been replicated.”

Wow! Thank you, Anders Lindborg and John Sevigny, for creating this Kodak T-Max P3200 Film Simulation Recipe and allowing me to share it with the Fujifilm community on Fuji X Weekly—your work is much appreciated! I really love how Fujifilm cameras and Film Simulation Recipes are bringing people together across the world—it’s truly amazing! As great as this Recipe is—and it is great—the story behind it is even better.

Like Anders, I have also (sadly) never shot with Kodak T-Max P3200 black-and-white negative film (I went with Ilford Delta 3200 instead). Originally released in 1988 (the ISO 100 and ISO 400 versions were released two years prior), Kodak discontinued T-Max P3200 in 2012, but reintroduced it (with an “improved” emulsion) in 2018. It’s actually an ISO 800 (some say ISO 1000) film that labs automatically develop with two stops of push-processing, unless you tell them otherwise. But you can shoot it at ISO 800 and not push or ISO 400 and pull one stop (for less contrast) or ISO 1600 and push one stop. Some (brave? crazy? desperate?) photographers even shot it at ISO 6400 and pushed it three stops! Kodak T-Max P3200 can basically be anywhere from an ISO 400 to an ISO 6400 film, and it can go from a fairly flat and fine-grained emulsion to a punchy and gritty film, just depending on how you shot and developed it.

*Yucca Flowers* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak T-Max P3200 Recipe

With this Kodak T-Max P3200 Film Simulation Recipe, the higher the ISO you shoot with, the more it will resemble shooting the film at a higher ISO and push-processing, and the lower the ISO it will more resemble shooting at ISO 800 and not pushing in development. In other words, you are going to get somewhat different results at ISO 640 than ISO 6400; I especially appreciate how this Recipe looks from ISO 3200 to ISO 12800. You will need to consider if you want a cleaner or more grainy aesthetic, and choose an ISO that will produce those results.

If you have a Fujifilm X-Trans IV camera (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-S10, X-T30 II) or X-Trans V (X-H2, X-H2s, X-T5, X-S20, and any other released after publication), I invite you to give this Kodak T-Max P3200 Film Simulation Recipe a try! It’s not compatible with the X-T3 or X-T30 or X-Trans III, unfortunately; however, if you ignore Toning, Grain size, and Clarity, it should still produce good results, so don’t be afraid to give it a try. This Recipe should also work with GFX cameras, although I haven’t tested it and have no firsthand experience if it will look similar or not.

Film Simulation: Acros (or Acros+Y, Acros+R, Acros+G)
Monochromatic Color (Toning): WC -1 & MG -1
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: 5500K, +4 Red & +7 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +1
Shadow: +3
Sharpness: +2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: +1
ISO: up to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak T-Max P3200 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5, X-E4 and X100V cameras:

*Tall Flower Vine* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Tiny White Blooms* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Garden Bulb* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Forest Stream* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*38th Way* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Palm in the Contrail Sky* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Tall Cactus* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Highlight & Shadow Leaves* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Backyard Barrel* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Water Wheel* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Castle Rock* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Jet Above the Rocks* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Cloud Above the Desert* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Arizona’s High Desert* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Oak Creek & Cathedral Rock* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Rocks & Big Sky* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Busy Parking Lot* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Sunlit Suburban Tree Branch* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Peaceful Pool* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Josh by the Pool* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Closed Umbrella 2* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Towel on Chair* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Empty Bench* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Please Don’t Litter* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilom X100V

*Hoop & Pine* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Bus Rider* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Camera Fight 1* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Camera Fight 2* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Sisters in the Back of the Bus* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Lady with Paw-Print Earring* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Joy’s Smile* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Girl Along a Wall* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Preparing Hands* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Sink Full of Dirty Dishes* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Fake Plant* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Table Lamp* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Outdoor Patio Lights* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Betty Elyse* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

ISO 640 vs ISO 12800:

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Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe: Moody Monochrome

Posted on April 5, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Apocalyptic Pavillion* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Moody Monochrome”

Of the different faux filter options for Acros, +Y is the one I use the least. I think it goes back to my film days when I used color filters with B&W film. I would select Orange or Red before Yellow, because Yellow is fairly subtle, but the advantage of the Yellow filter is that it doesn’t block as much light. Of course, the faux filters on Fujifilm cameras don’t affect the exposure like real filters with film. Anyway, recognizing that I infrequently use Acros+Y, I set out to make a Film Simulation Recipe that uses +Y and produces an aesthetic that I like. I think it is important to challenge myself sometimes, so if there’s some setting or gear or option that I don’t use often, forcing myself to use it helps me to grow as a photographer. That’s why I made this recipe.

I wanted something with an overall darker curve, so that it would produce a moody look. Maybe deep blacks reminiscent of Tri-X, and maybe a push-process feel. I didn’t have any specific film in mind, but I’m reminded of this time that I push-processed a roll of Ilford Delta 400, but inadvertently got it wrong—I underexposed two stops, and only had the lab push it by one stop, so the pictures were largely underexposed, and they were darker and moodier (yet less contrasty and grainy) than I had intended. This isn’t exactly the same as that, but not too dissimilar, either, so that’s why I call this recipe Moody Monochrome.

*Early Blossoms* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Moody Monochrome”

Because this film simulation recipe uses Clarity, it is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. If you have an X-T3 or X-T30 or X-Trans III camera, ignore Clarity and Grain size, and use a diffusion filter, like a 10% CineBloom or 1/4 Black Pro Mist, to get similar results.

Acros+Y
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1
Shadow: +4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpness: -2
Clarity: -3
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: Fluorescent 3, -4 Red & -9 Blue
ISO: 3200
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Moody Monochrome” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

*Stop West* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Watch For Falling Bikes* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Sun Beams* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Tower in the Middle of Nowhere* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Path Through The Grass* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Wetland Boardwalk* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Wetland Grass* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Creek in the Trees* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Creek, Stick & Vines* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Log Above The Water* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Grey Brush* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Cat on a Log* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

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Fujifilm X-H1 (X-Trans III + X-T3 & X-T30) Film Simulation Recipe: Analog Monochrome

Posted on January 5, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Old Tractor 15* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Analog Monochrome”

This film simulation recipe began as an attempt to fulfill a need. You see, there are many Fujifilm cameras (like the X-H1) that are not capable of saving the White Balance Shift within Custom Presets, but there’s a solution: if each Custom Preset uses a different White Balance type, the camera will remember one White Balance Shift per type, and you won’t have to remember to adjust the shift when switching presets. This makes the camera experience more enjoyable.

The problem is that most film simulation recipes use the Auto, Daylight, or Kelvin White Balance types, and you have seven Custom Preset slots. The remaining White Balance types have a limited number of choices. Prior to this recipe, Incandescent had only one option: Eterna Bleach Bypass. Now, if you are using this solution, you can choose either this Analog Monochrome recipe or the Eterna Bleach Bypass recipe—one color and one B&W—for one of your C1-C7 slots.

*Doll* – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Analog Monochrome”

I didn’t model this Analog Monochrome recipe after any specific film. Instead, I simply set out to create some settings that look good. This recipe has nice contrast with deep blacks, and whites that are bright yet don’t easily clip. I set Grain to Weak for a clean look, but feel free to try Strong for a grittier look. I feel that it has a very nice classic B&W film aesthetic that some of you will really appreciate.

Acros+G
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +1
Shadow: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -1
Grain Effect: Weak
White Balance: Incandescent, -8 Red & -8 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Analog Monochrome” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-H1:

*Minolta SRT303b* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Car Console* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Jon Smiling for the Camera* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Joy Laughing at a Funny Message* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Horse Close Up* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*You Shall Not Pass* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Jesus Loves You!* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Friendly Neighborhood Snowman* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Winter Walking Path* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Farmington Creek in Winter* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Three Ducks in the Creek* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Snow and Creek* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Winter Tree* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Stump In Snow* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Wild Grass in Snow* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Melting Snow In The Tall Grass* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

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Fujifilm X-H1 (X-Trans III) Film Simulation Recipe: Ilford XP2 Super 400

Posted on December 11, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*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

*Empty Benches* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Tracks with no Train* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

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Fujifilm X100V (X-Trans III + X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe: Monochrome Negative

Posted on August 25, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Windows Within Windows* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Monochrome Negative”

It’s been awhile since I created a black-and-white film simulation recipe. Part of it is that my favorite recipe is Kodak Tri-X 400, and I often choose to shoot with that. Another factor is that the differences between monochrome recipes are often much more subtle than color. For this, I didn’t start out with the intention of making a black-and-white recipe—in fact, it began with Classic Negative—and I wasn’t satisfied with the look, so I switched to Acros, and immediately liked what I saw. A few small changes later, and this recipe was born. It’s not modeled after any specific film, so I named it Monochrome Negative, as it does have a nice film-like quality to it.

The trick to this film simulation recipe is underexposure. I found myself most often lowering the exposure by 1/3 or 2/3 stops (many of my recipes often call for the opposite). Highlight set to +3 will keep the image bright, while the underexposure will deepen the shadows and provide good contrast. Obviously each exposure should be judged individually, so don’t be afraid to deviate from this advice.

*Happy Birthday Glasses* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Monochrome Negative”

This recipe was designed on and intended for the Fujifilm X100V, which has a newer X-Trans IV sensor, but because I didn’t use any of the new tools, such as Clarity and the Color Chrome Effects, this recipe is compatible with all X-Trans III & IV cameras. On X-Pro3 and newer, choose Grain size Small; on all other cameras, which don’t have Grain size as an option, simply select Grain Strong. If your camera has the Acros film simulation, you can use this recipe!

Acros (+Y, +R, +G)
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +3
Shadow: 0
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Clarity: 0
Grain Effect: Strong, Small (Strong for those cameras without Grain Size)
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: Daylight, 0 Red & 0 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: 0 to -2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Monochrome Negative” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

*1104B* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Withering Flowers Along a Wall* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*City Roses* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Backlit Turning Leaves* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Pikachu is a Little Hungry* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Space Fish* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Release* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Geese by a Tackle Box* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Do or Don’t Follow the Crowd* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Approaching Storm* – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V

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Fujifilm X100V Film Simulation Recipe: B&W Superia

Posted on October 5, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

*White House* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “B&W Superia”

Sometimes it’s fun to experiment with the settings on different film simulation recipes—make small changes and see what the results are. My Ektachrome 100SW recipe come about because someone took my Kodachrome II recipe and used Velvia instead of Classic Chrome. I did a similar experiment recently with my Kodachrome 64 recipe. This B&W Superia film simulation recipe came about that same way.

Fuji X Weekly reader Thomas Schwab took my Fujicolor Superia 1600 recipe and made a few changes, most notably Acros instead of Classic Negative. There are a few other differences, such as Grain and White Balance, but it’s mostly the Superia 1600 recipe, yet in monochrome instead of color. There never was a black-and-white Superia film, but it is possible to develop Superia in black-and-white chemistry as a monochrome film (technically, this is cross-processing). While there might be some similarities to Superia film developed as B&W and this recipe, they’re completely coincidental, as these settings aren’t intended to mimic anything specific.

*Lamp Shadow* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “B&W Superia”

Even though this B&W Superia recipe isn’t intended to look like any particular film, it nonetheless produces very nice results. It calls for a little Toning, which resembles a quick Sepia bath, a common archival technique in monochrome printing, but that’s optional. The Clarity setting will slow down the camera considerably, so be aware of that. This recipe is only compatible (as of this writing) with the Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3 and X-T4 cameras.

Acros (+Y, +R, +G)
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: 0
Shadow: +2
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -1
Clarity: -4
Grain Effect: Weak, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong
Toning: WC +2 MG 0
White Balance: Auto, 0 Red & 0 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this B&W Superia film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

*Sunlight & Structure* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Urban Canopy* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Bakery Thriftshop* – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Curved Corner* – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*We’re Open!* – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Window Vase* – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Monochrome Leaf* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

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Fujifilm Noir

Posted on September 9, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Photographer Omar Gonzales made a video about turning your Fujifilm X camera into the Fujifilm Noir, a dedicated black-and-white camera. This post will make much more sense if you watch the video first, so take a moment to do that right now if you haven’t already done so.

Did you watch it? Don’t read anything below until the video is finished!

Done? Okay, let’s move on.

I made my own Fujifilm Noir camera using my X-T30. I have the silver version, so gaffer tape didn’t make a whole lot of sense for the new label that I wanted to attach to the front. I asked my daughter to create something using paper and pencils that might better match the camera. For those wondering, these labels are available for $25 each (only kidding, of course). And, yes, gluing a paper label to a camera is much less heart-stopping than sandpapering a camera.

My Fujifilm Noir is an X-T30 with an Asahi Super-Takumar 55mm f/2 attached to the front. I screwed an 1/2 Black Pro Mist filter to the lens (not pictured, sorry) to further enhance the film-like aesthetic. I shot the camera in manual mode using a black-and-white film simulation recipe that I created just for this project. What’s the film simulation recipe? Well, you’ll find it below!

Acros+G
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +1
Grain: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Toning: 0
Sharpening: -4
Noise Reduction: -4
White Balance: 2500K, +9 Red & +9 Blue
Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to +2/3 (typically)
ISO 3200

This film simulation recipe was actually an experiment (from when I was creating my B&W IR recipe) that I didn’t love, but I thought it was good enough to use here. I won’t make it an official recipe, this is simply a bonus for you. Feel free to use it in your own photography, as it’s compatible with all X-Trans III and IV cameras. It reminds me of Kodak BW400CN, a black-and-white film that used the C-41 (color) development process. These settings weren’t intended to look like that film, but that’s what it reminds me of.

Kodak BW400CN was not likely ever a popular choice for Noir photography. Noir is French for Black, and Noir photographs are often dark and moody, inspired by 1940’s through 1960’s monochrome crime movies. This recipe isn’t especially Noir, but I used it anyway. There are probably ten different film simulation recipes that are more appropriate for Noir than this one.

I didn’t follow all of Omar’s rules. I shot RAW+JPEG, but only because I used a 2GB memory card, which has enough space for 27 exposures. On a 24-exposure roll of film, you could typically get 25 or 26 frames on it if you were careful. 27 exposures was possible but not commonly achieved (outside of disposable cameras). To make this more of a film-like experience, I used the 2GB SD Card to limit myself to a maximum of 27 exposures, and I refused to change the “film” (recipe) until I had exposed the card. I deleted the RAW files and just used the out-of-camera JPEGs. I got the memory card idea from Fuji X Weekly reader Josh Gagnon.

All of the pictures below were from the first 27-exposure “roll” of “Kodak BW400CN” that I captured using my “Fujifilm Noir” camera. Yes, they’re all camera-made JPEGs, unedited except for some minor cropping here and there.

*Smile* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Lamp Top* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Girl, Drawing* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Tortilla Flour* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Drink* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Top Ten* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Building Stack* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Building Tree* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*The* *Nature of Structure* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Campus Skateboarder* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*One of You* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*$5 Pizza Bus* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Fallen Tree at the Capital* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Fallen Tree* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Tree & Stormy Mountain* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm Noir

Not bad for one “roll” of “film” on my “Noir” camera, right?

Now the ball is in your court! Turn your Fujifilm X camera into a Fujifilm Noir camera and shoot some black-and-white pictures with it! I don’t have any specific rules, but try to give yourself some limitations because limitations improve art. I enjoyed the 2GB card thing. Share with me your Noir pictures using #fujixweekly on Instagram. Let me know in the comments if you like this project and what you think of this “Kodak BW400CN” film simulation recipe!

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Fujifilm X100V Film Simulation Recipe: Black & White Infrared

Posted on August 11, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Stop Here on Infrared – Yellowstone NP, WY – Fujifilm X100V – “Black & White Infrared”

Infrared photographing is capturing light beyond the visible spectrum. It requires special film, or a digital sensor that has had the infrared filter removed. Any digital camera has the potential to be infrared sensitive, but the process isn’t easy or cheap. Full spectrum photography is similar to infrared, but also includes ultraviolet and visible light (not just infrared light). With full spectrum photography you can choose by the use of filters which light you want to capture. You can use filters with infrared, too, to control what light comes through, but not to the extent of full-spectrum. A characteristic of both infrared and full-spectrum in black-and-white is deep contrast, with dark skies and white foliage. One of my favorite photographers is Mitch Dobrowner, who converted his Canon cameras to full-spectrum for dramatic monochrome storm photography.

When I purchased my Fujifilm X-T1, I had the intentions of converting it to full-spectrum, but the cost of the conversion has prevented me from doing it. I still hope to do so, maybe later this year or perhaps next year. We’ll see. But I figured out a way to simulate something that’s in the neighborhood of infrared or full-spectrum on my Fujifilm X100V without any conversions. In the right light and with the right subject, it can be quite convincing! Even though you are only using the visible spectrum of light, it can appear as though you are actually doing infrared photography. Amazing!

Even in situations where this recipe doesn’t resemble infrared or full-spectrum, it will still produce a dramatic, high-contrast look that you might find appealing. Those who have said that Acros+R doesn’t actually resemble the use of a red filter on black-and-white film will appreciate these settings. Many landscape photographers, including Ansel Adams, employed a red filter to achieve a dark sky (for example, Moonrise Over Hernandez).

White Tree Black Sky – West Valley City, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Black & White Infrared”

The trick is to use a low Kelvin white balance in conjunction with a dramatic white balance shift when using Acros+R. I got the idea from Fuji X Weekly reader James Clinich, who uses between 3800K and 4500K with a 0 Red & +8 shift to achieve a darker sky, which is something you can apply to other B&W recipes if you’d like to better mimic the use of a red filter. I just took his idea a step further to make it even more dramatic for this recipe.

My Black & White Infrared film simulation recipe can be difficult to use. I find that it doesn’t always work well. It can be very tough to gauge the best exposure, and I’ve had to go anywhere from -1 to +3 on the exposure compensation dial to get it right. It’s one of the more difficult to use recipes that I’ve created, yet it is highly rewarding. If you like dramatic black and white photographs, you’ll want to give this one a try! As of this writing, it’s only compatible with the Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3 and X-T4 cameras.

Acros+R
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +3
B&W Toning: 0
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -4
Clarity: +5
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: 2750K, -5 Red & +9 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Black & White Infrared film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Crafts & Hobbies – West Valley City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Cloud Above The Wall – Draper, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Flags Over IKEA Infrared – Draper, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Pinnacle – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Suburban Abstract – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Suites – West Valley City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Paved Paradise – West Valley City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Accessible Parking – West Valley City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Done Shopping – West Valley City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Soda Glass – West Valley City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Couch Stripes – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Flowers in the Sky – Big Sky, MT – Fujifilm X100V

Grey Hills – Red Rock Lakes NWR, MT – Fujifilm X100V

Abandoned Dream Infrared – Red Rock Lakes NWR, MT – Fujifilm X100V

Abandoned House by the Hill IR – Red Rock Lakes NWR, MT – Fujifilm X100V

Henry’s Fork River – Island Park, ID – Fujifilm X100V

Upper Red Rock Lake IR – Red Rock Lakes NWR, MT – Fujifilm X100V

Red Rock Road Monochrome – Red Rock Lakes NWR, MT – Fujifilm X100V

Aspen Leaves Infrared – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Illuminated Tree – West Valley City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Infrared Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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Fujifilm X100V Film Simulation Recipe: Kodak Tri-X 400

Posted on June 18, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Leaves in the Forest – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 3200 – “Kodak Tri-X 400”

The number one black-and-white film simulation recipe that I’ve been asked to create is Kodak Tri-X 400, but I’ve never been satisfied with my own attempts. Thankfully for you, Fuji X Weekly reader Anders Lindborg (Instagram) was able to do it! This is brilliant, and I’m sure you’ll love it. It’s the only B&W recipe I’m using on my Fujifilm X100V right now.

Kodak introduced Tri-X in the early 1940’s, and in the 1950’s they began selling it in 35mm format. Ever since, it has been the “standard” high-ISO black-and-white film for photographers. It’s been made in ISO 160, 200, 320 and 400 versions; this recipe is based on Tri-X 400. Kodak re-engineered Tri-X 400 in 2007 with finer grain and lower contrast, but it’s still nearly identical to the old stock.

Anders actually made three recipes in one: low-contrast, mid-contrast, and high-contrast. Tri-X, like most films, can be made more contrasty or less contrasty based on how it’s developed (chemicals used and/or development times) or printed (contrast filters). The recipe further down this article is the mid-contrast version. For low contrast, set Highlight to -1 and Shadow to +2. For high contrast, set Highlight to +1 and Shadow to +4. This film simulation recipe was designed for the X-T3 and X-T30, but I changed a couple of things for the X100V: I set Clarity to +4 (which isn’t available on the X-T3 and X-T30) and Grain to Strong & Large (on the X-T3 and X-T30, Grain is set to Strong). Because it adds contrast, setting Clarity to +4 actually makes this look more like the high-contrast version. If you are using this on the X100V, X-Pro3 or X-T4, feel free to try all three contrast versions, with or without Clarity, to see which you like better. For X-Trans III cameras, which don’t have Color Chrome Effect, you can still use this recipe; while it won’t look exactly the same, it will still look very similar. In other words, even though the title says “Fujifilm X100V Film Simulation Recipe” you can actually use it on any camera with the Acros film simulation—I’ve tried it on an X-T30 and X-T20, and it looks great!

Forest Edge – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 1600 – “Kodak Tri-X 400”

I found that this recipe looks best when set to ISO 1600 or higher. From ISO 1600 to 3200, the results more resemble newer Tri-X 400 film. From ISO 6400 to ISO 12800, the results more resemble older Tri-X 400 film. I want to give a big thank-you to Anders Lindborg for creating this recipe, sharing it, and allowing me to publish it here—you are appreciated! Thank you!

Acros (+Y, +R, +G)
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: 0
Shadow: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: +1
Clarity: +4
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: Daylight,+9 Red & -9 Blue
ISO: ISO 1600 – 12800
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Tri-X 400 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Fallen Trunk – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 1600

The Forest – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 1600

Light in a Dark Canopy – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 1600

Sunlight & Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 12800

Monochrome Backlit Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 1600

Drops on a Window – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 1600

Half Leaf In The Road – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 1600

Footstep – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 1600

Barrier – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 1600

Corner Benches – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 6400

Drinking Fountains – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 1600

Feel Like A Kid Again – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 1600

Walking at an Amusement Park – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 1600

Waiting at the Exit – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 3200

Diagonal Light Boy – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 12800

FED 5c Film Camera – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 3200

Coffee Grounds in a Filter – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 3200

Rainbow Feet on the Floor – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 3200

Girl in Zebra Shirt – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 12800

Rainy Day Siblings – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 3200

Level Up – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 12800

Wet Leaf in the Grass – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 5000

Wet Tree Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 3200

Leaf of a Different Color – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 3200

Emptiness – Roy, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 3200

Empty Boxes in an Abandoned Home – Roy, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 12800

Nobody’s Home – Roy, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 3200

White Truck – Roy, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 3200

Dead End Night – Roy, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 12800

Trolley Bus – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 12800

Wrong Way – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X100V – ISO 12800

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My Fujifilm X-T30 Cyanotype Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on April 12, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Ball Flowers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Cyanotype”

Cyanotype is an early photographic process that produces blue prints. It was invented in 1842 by Sir John Herschel, and was popular in Victorian England. The chemicals needed are simple: ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanid. It’s a contact process, so positives have to be placed right over the paper. Sunlight or UV light is required for the exposure. Cyanotypes are pretty simple, and anyone can do them at home.

I thought it would be fun to make a film simulation recipe to mimic cyanotype prints. Fujifilm X-Trans IV cameras have the ability to tone black-and-white pictures, either warm or cool. By toning the pictures blue, I was able to get in the neighborhood of cyanotype photography. Unfortunately, going all the way cool, which is -9 on toning, is only marginally blue enough to pass for cyanotype. Still, this was a fun experiment. If you are bored, why not give it a try yourself?

Blue Blossom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Cyanotype”

Acros
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +3
Shadow: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -4
Grain Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Toning: -9
White Balance: Auto
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Cyanotype” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:

Orbit – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Caged Bloom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Blue Bloom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Succulent Blue – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Light Bulb Blues – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Stems – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Welcome – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Daffodil Blue – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Falling Water – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Post & Wire – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Threatening – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Growth in the Rocky Place – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Studying Blues – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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My Fujifilm X-T30 Monochrome Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on March 16, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Light on the Wall – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Monochrome Kodachrome”

Kodachrome was a black-and-white film. No, really, it was! The color dyes were actually added during development. The process to develop Kodachrome color transparencies was complex and toxic. As demand for the film decreased and Kodak experienced financial troubles, both the film and the chemicals to develop it were discontinued. If you still have some undeveloped Kodachrome film sitting around, there’s absolutely no place in the world that can process it; that is, except as black-and-white negatives. It’s true: Kodachrome can be developed to this day as a black-and-white film!

While I think that this recipe does more-or-less mimic the look of Kodachrome developed as black-and-white, that’s not necessarily the intent of it. This recipe began as an experiment by Fuji X Weekly reader Thomas Schwab, who created the Urban Vintage Chrome recipe. He took my Vintage Kodachrome recipe and replaced the Classic Chrome film simulation with Acros, Monochrome and Sepia, and the results were quite interesting! I made a couple of minor adjustments to create this recipe. This is definitely a joint effort, and it wouldn’t exist without Thomas Schwab’s experiments and willingness to share the results. Thank you!

Window & Blinds – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Monochrome Kodachrome”

What I like about this Monochrome Kodachrome film simulation recipe is that it has a great film-like quality to it. This recipe pairs especially well with vintage lenses (I used an Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm for about half of these pictures). Even though it says “Fujifilm X-T30” in the title, it can be used on any X-Trans III & IV camera. You can also use this same recipe with the Monocrome+R film simulation, for a slightly different result.

Acros+R
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: -2
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: +1
Grain Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Toning: 0
White Balance: AWB, 0 Red & +9 Blue
ISO: Auto, ISO 3200 to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Monochrome Kodachrome film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:

Roman – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Cleaning Cart – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Fake Potted Plant – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Tree Shadow on a Brick Wall – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Small Bridge – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Rural Road – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Monochrome Mountain Landscape – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

B&W Reeds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Tennis Swing – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Engaged In Television – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Little Jo – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Hand Washing – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Faceless – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Muffins – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Pronto! – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Daylight Balanced – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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My Fujifilm X-T30 Split-Toned B&W Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on February 24, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Vintage Bolsey Camera – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Split-Toned B&W”

While creating my “Bleach Bypass” film simulation recipe, which requires double exposures, I also discovered how to split-tone black-and-white pictures in-camera using double exposures. Split toning was originally a darkroom technique where one would give their black-and-white print a bath in two different toning chemicals, which resulted in shadows and highlights having two different colors. There are many different ways to split tone and many different potential results. This Split-Toned B&W recipe loosely mimics the aesthetic of ferrocyanide toning (blue) with diluted sepia (reddish-brown). You can get similar results very easily with software, but it’s fun to achieve a split tone effect straight out of camera.

For this recipe, you’ll capture the first exposure as normal. I find that increasing the exposure by 1/3 to 2/3 stop over what you might normally do produces better results. For the second exposure, photograph blue paper. I used an 8.5″ x 11″ medium-blue construction paper for my pictures. I like to purposefully make the second exposure out of focus, although I’m not sure that it matters much if you do. You can control the strength of the blue tone by how bright the second exposure is. The darker the exposure, the less blue there will be and the less faded the picture will appear. The brighter the exposure, the more blue there will be and the more faded the picture will appear. It’s fun to experiment with this, because you can vary the look significantly by how you expose the second image. If you want the highlights to be warmer, simply increase the tone of the first exposure to be more warm, or even use the Sepia film simulation instead of Acros. You could use a different color paper, or even use a cool tone instead of warm on the first exposure, if you wanted. You could really play around with this and come up with all sots of different looks.

Exposure 1
Acros
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +4
Tone: +6 (warm)
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Grain: Weak
Sharpening: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)

Exposure 2
Velvia
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +4
Color: +2
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Grain: Weak
Sharpening: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
White Balance: Auto, 0 Red & 0 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1 to -3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Split-Toned B&W film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:

Open Blinds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Ocean – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

White Faux Blooms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Monochrome Floral Arrangement – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Lily Bloom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Throw Pillows – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Dirt Play – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Girl In The Sunlight – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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My Fujifilm X-T30 “Bleach Bypass” Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on February 24, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Instamatic Morning – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Bleach Bypass”

The upcoming Fujifilm X-T4 will have a new film simulation: Bleach Bypass. This new film simulation might eventually come to other X-Trans IV cameras, such as the X-T30, X-T3, X-Pro3 and X100V, but it might not, as Fujifilm has yet to add Classic Negative to the X-T3 and X-T30. It would certainly be nice if Fujifilm gave those of us with “older” X-Trans IV cameras the new film simulations. Even if they never do, you are in luck, as I have created a film simulation recipe to mimic the look of bleach bypass!

Bleach bypass is a darkroom technique where you skip or limit the bleach during development of color film, which causes it to retain the silver. Results will vary greatly depending on the film used and exactly how you develop it, but generally speaking what you get with bleach bypass is a high-contrast, low-saturation, grainy picture that appears as if a black-and-white and color picture were combined together. This technique is more common for motion picture film than still photography, but some people do bleach bypass with C-41 film.

I experimented with the techniques that I used for this film simulation back in June of last year. Much came out of those experiments, including both the Faded Color and Faded Monochrome film simulation recipes, as well as in-camera texturing. I created something similar to this recipe, but gave up on it before completing it. Last week Fuji X Weekly reader James Clinich reached out to me to share some experiments he had been doing, which turned out to be very similar to what I had done back in June. This rekindled my interest, and with inspiration drawn from James, I made this “Bleach Bypass” film simulation recipe.

Car’s 3 & 4 – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Bleach Bypass”

This film simulation recipe requires the use of the double exposure feature of your camera. You will need a tripod, and there can’t be any movement in the scene. You have to make two identical exposures, one in color and one in black-and-white. After the first exposure is made, you must change the film simulation before making the second exposure. You can have both sets of settings programmed into the custom menu as separate presets, and toggle between them, or just change the film simulation, making sure that the tone is set correctly when making the Acros exposure. It’s a bit tricky and limited, but the results are nice. If you don’t want to do double exposures, but want something that will produce similar results to this recipe, try my Dramatic Classic Chrome recipe except set color to -4. That’s about as close as you can get. Otherwise, if you want to create a bleach bypass look in-camera, this recipe is your best option.

Exposure 1
Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +3
Shadow: +4
Color: +2
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Grain: Strong
Sharpening: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
White Balance: Auto, -1 Red & +3 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Exposure 2
Acros
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +3
Shadow: +4
Tone: +2 (warm)
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Grain: Strong
Sharpening: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
White Balance: Auto, -1 Red & +3 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Bleach Bypass” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:

Pillows – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Window Robot – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Illuminated Faux Flowers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Pronto! – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Touch of Green – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Rooftops & Mountaintops – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Tracks Under The Bridge – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Do Not Cross Tracks – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Locked Box & Escape Route – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Empty Walking Bridge – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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My Fujifilm X-T30 Faded Monochrome Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on June 21, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

All Aboard Boy – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Faded Monochrome”

I love the results of my Faded Color recipe, so creating a Faded Monochrome recipe was a natural next step. This film simulation recipe requires the use of the double-exposure feature of the camera. The first exposure is a normal photo, and the second exposure is of something plain white. I’ve tried different things, but for me a 4″ x 6″ plain white index card works well. No need for the second exposure to be in focus. It’s a simple idea that I wish I had thought of earlier. I think I’ve just scratched the surface of what can be created using this technique.

In film photography, you could achieve a similar look by printing with a low-contrast filter. You could also develop the film for low contrast by adjusting any number of things in the lab. You might also get this look by accident if you reused the fixer one too many times. Sometimes underexposed pushed-processed film has a very similar aesthetic. It’s possible for negatives to fade over time, especially if not stored correctly, and that, too, might create a similar look. While “faded” is in the title of this recipe, the look isn’t so much faded as it is low-contrast with “milky” blacks. It works especially well for high-contrast scenes.

Morning Coffee – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Faded Monochrome”

To use this recipe, you will create two exposures using the double-exposure feature of your camera. The first exposure is the main image, and the second exposure is of something plain white, such as a 4″ x 6″ plain white index card. There is no need for the second exposure to be in focus. The exposure compensation for the second exposure can vary greatly depending on how bright the white is and how you want the picture to look. You will have to play around with it to figure out what works for you. The good news is that your camera will give you a preview of the finished image and will allow do-overs.

Acros (Acros+Y, Acros+R, Acros+G)
Dynamic Range: DR100
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: +2
Grain Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Toning: 0 (Neutral)
ISO: Auto up to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (main exposure), 0 to -2 (second exposure)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using my Faded Monochrome recipe on a Fujifilm X-T30:

Grey Rose – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Grey Lake – East Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Lake Boat – Willard Bay SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Tree Limbs – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Well – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Don’t Give – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Urban Escape – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Big Brick Buildings – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Center Reflection – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Urbanscape Monochrome – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Less Is More – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Urban Leaves – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Small Flower In The Big City – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

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Park Bench – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Joshua Monochrome – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Happy Girl – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Children On A Park Slide – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Instax Photographer – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Joy In The City – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Bank Time – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Water On The Glass – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Club – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Stepping By – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Vibes – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Quiet – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Urban Cloud – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Angles & Lines – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Utah Artist – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Treading Lightly – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Marlboro Man – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Come Inside – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Mono Chrome – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Stop In Ogden – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

UTA Station – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Train Ride Abstract – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Empty Train Seats – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Train Passenger – Roy, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Passenger Window – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Train 19 – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

UTA 19 – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Train Host – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Hungry Traveler – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Caboose Steps Monochrome – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Caboose Display – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Industrial Sunlight – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Ladder Climb – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

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My Fujifilm X-T30 Ilford HP5 Plus 400 Push-Process Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on May 29, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

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It’s better to be lucky than good.

This film simulation recipe was a mistake. I discovered it when I accidentally chose ISO 51200 instead of Auto-3 ISO. In my hurry, I scrolled down one too far, which took me from the bottom to the top, and I didn’t notice that I had inadvertently selected the highest possible ISO. I wouldn’t normally, or really ever, use ISO 51200. Even on most full-frame cameras, that high of an ISO is pushing the capabilities of the camera. It’s beyond what most would ever think of using on an APS-C camera. I’ve often wondered why Fujifilm even made it an option. Yet on Memorial Day I made a few exposures with it, not even realizing it.

Memorials – South Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – ISO 51200

Little Flags – South Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – ISO 51200

When I reviewed the images that I had captured, I was reminded of some photographs I made four years ago when I pushed a roll of Ilford HP5 Plus 400 film by one stop. Push-processing is a technique where you underexpose film and increase the development time to make up for it. You are essentially increasing the exposure in the lab using chemicals. The result is a higher-contrast image with more pronounced grain. Sometimes you would do this because the ISO of the film wasn’t high enough to make a good exposure, and sometimes you’d do this just for the aesthetics of it. Different films respond differently to push-processing, and different films have different tolerances to how much they can be pushed. While HP5 Plus is a good film, it’s not typically considered one of the best for push-processing, but the results can still be good, especially if you don’t push it too much.

Here are some push-processed Ilford HP5 Plus 400 pictures that I captured several years back:

Whiskey Pete’s – Primm, NV – FED 5c – Ilford HP5 Plus 400 Pushed 1 Stop

Grand View – Las Vegas, NV – FED 5c – Ilford HP5 Plus 400 Pushed 1 Stop

I-15 Travelers – Las Vegas, NV – Ilford HP5 Plus 400 Pushed 1 Stop

After seeing the ISO 51200 results from my Fujifilm X-T30, I decided to make some more ultra-high ISO black-and-white pictures. What I discovered is that for contrasty and grainy B&W pictures, ISO 51200 on the X-T30 is not only usable, but it can produce film-like results that are similar to push-processed Ilford HP5 Plus 400 film. A negative aspect of ISO 51200 is that it can sometimes produce “smudgy” results, especially in grass. It doesn’t always do that, but it sometimes does, so I would say that this maximum ISO should be used with care. Taking the ISO down one stop to 25600 seems to remedy this, and delivers similar results to the higher ISO images. ISO 12800 is almost not grainy or contrasty enough, but it’s very close and is also usable for this recipe should you need to drop the ISO.

You might notice that this recipe is quite similar to my Tri-X Push Process recipe, mostly just a higher ISO and added grain. I like that recipe a lot and I think it also delivers analog-like results. Even though it’s based on the same film, there are several differences between this recipe and my original Ilford HP5 Plus recipe. This one is much less “clean” and is fun to pair with vintage lenses. Also, this recipe can be used on X-Trans III cameras, except (obviously) you ignore Color Chrome Effect. I tried it on an X-T20 and it looked good, even at ISO 51200 (see the very top picture in this article).

Acros (Acros+Y, Acros+R, Acros+G)
Dynamic Range: N/A
Highlight: +3
Shadow: +4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Grain Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Toning: 0 (off)
ISO: 25600 or 51200
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using my Ilford HP5 Plus 400 Push-Process Film Simulation recipe:

Home Builder – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Crop from the above ISO 51200 image.

Exchanging Money – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Crop from the above ISO 51200 image.

Can Money Buy Happiness? – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Girl Playing A Game – South Weber, Utah

Chance Taker – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Thinker – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Birds In The Kitchen – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

River Tree – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Riverbank – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Grey Flowers – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Hiding Grey Flowers – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

White Bloom – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Dark Cloud Over The Dark Mountain – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Bulldog – Uintah, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Oil Change – Uintah, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Fujifilm Acros Film Simulation Recipes

Posted on January 10, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Taos Tourist – Taos, NM – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

Acros is one of the most popular film simulations available on Fujifilm X-Trans cameras. It looks incredibly similar to the black-and-white film that it was named after. In fact, in my opinion, it produces the most film-like results of any settings on any camera! It’s easy to see the draw to the analog-esque results produced by the Acros film simulation.

I love Acros and I have used it as the base for a bunch of different film simulation recipes. It’s possible to achieve a number of different interesting looks straight out of camera by adjusting the settings. I plan to create even more film simulation recipes using Acros in the coming months. As I do, I will add them to this article.

Below you will find all of my different film simulation recipes that I have created that use Acros. If you haven’t tried them all, I personally invite you to do so and see which are your favorites! My personal favorite is Tri-X Push-Process, but they each have their own usefulness and charm. Let me know in the comments which recipe you like most!

Even though the different recipes say X100F and X-Pro2, they are completely compatible with any Fujifilm X-Trans III or IV camera. For example, you don’t have to use the X100F recipes exclusively on the X100F. You can use any of my recipes on any X-Trans III camera.

Original Acros

Acros Push-Process

Agfa Scala

Ilford HP5 Plus

Tri-X Push Process