I’m really excited, because I just published my first YouTube video in over a year! You might not be aware that Fuji X Weekly has a YouTube channel, but it does. I published two videos (not including Shorts) in 2024 (here and here), and three in 2023 (here, here and here). Those were a lot of fun, but YouTube videos are so much work. They take hours and hours and hours to create from start-to-finish. A good estimation—for those channels without a team of people—is one or two (or sometimes more) hours of editing for every minute of video published. That’s not including the time it takes to record the clips.
The video that just went live is a roadtrip to the Mission San Xavier del Bac in Tucson. This is the oldest still-used building in Arizona, and the oldest church. It’s where the city started (even though now it’s a little outside of town). The mission is a popular location for photography, and even Ansel Adams photographed it. I used 11 different Film Simulation Recipes on a Fujifilm X-E5. The adventure gets a bit wild, so hang onto your proverbial hats. I’ve included the video below—be sure to watch!
We tried a little different style for this new video. It’s a bit more relaxed, but hopefully entertaining. It gets a bit silly at times. Amanda (my wife) filmed it all using her Fujifilm X-S20 and Fujinon 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 lens and an upcoming Recipe for video (look for more details on that in the near-ish future). She also did almost all of the editing. There were some technical difficulties; hopefully a new mic will help alleviate some of the issues on future projects. This is also the longest video we’ve ever published, nearly three times longer than the previous longest. A big hurray for Amanda and all the work she put into it!
Even though I have published videos very infrequently over the last few years, the channel has (surprisingly) grown and grown. There are over 17,000 subscribers currently. Four of the last five videos have over 10,000 views, and two have over 16,000. That’s not bad for a barely-there channel. My hope with this new upload is to kick-off a restart of sorts. While I can’t promise anything, my goal is to publish new videos regularly, and not let so much time pass between them. But, in the meantime, I hope that you enjoy this one.
Photographing Phoenix – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – Nostalgic Film
This last weekend, Nuzira, an up-and-coming camera store in Scottsdale, Arizona, that’s Fujifilm-centric, hosted two awesome events. First, on Friday, I co-lead a photowalk in downtown Arizona with Christopher Berry, Ryan Faer, Darin Watkins, and Lucas White (of Nuzira). Then, on Saturday, Christopher held a portrait lighting class at the camera store. Both were so great! Thank you, Nuzira, for making these happen, and I’m honored to have been a part of it.
The photowalk was awesome! I didn’t count, but my estimated guess is that about 35 people came out, give or take a few. It was a great group, with a lot of interesting conversations. Because of the First Friday Art Walk, it was very busy downtown, and unfortunately—due to the crowds—the group got separated at times; however, I think everyone had a good time, and I’d certainly call it a success. These type of community building events are so important, where face-to-face conversations can be had and friendships can be formed, so I hope to see more of these in the future.
My 11-year-old son, Joshua, came along. This was his first photowalk, and he seemed to enjoy the experience. I let him use my Fujifilm X70. I brought a Fujifilm X100VI, and used a TCL-X100 teleconverter lens for most of the pictures. While I like the 23mm (35mm-equivalent) focal length, I prefer the 50mm-equivalent focal-length just a little more. I want to give a special thanks to everyone who came out—it’s because of you that these events happen.
On Saturday morning, Christopher Berry taught a portrait lighting class at the Nuzira store. He’s a talented photographer from Tucson who is insanely skilled at studio lighting. More than 25 years ago I learned studio lighting in college, but that was ages ago, and I don’t remember much—needless to say, I was very rusty. This refresher was long overdue for me, and I’m so glad that Nuzira brought Chris up to teach it. This is something that I’d pay money for, but it was completely free!
The class was great because everyone got some one-on-one hands-on opportunities. It wasn’t just teaching theories, but putting it to practice. While I don’t have much of an interest in portrait photography personally, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of lighting, which is kind of a critical aspect of photography. Thanks, Chris, for all the great information and advice! I learned a lot.
Besides that, I got to see the new Fujifilm GFX100RF and Instax Wide Evo in-person. And there were donuts, too. It was well worth the drive across town. If Nuzira does something like this again, I certainly hope that I can make it, or be a part of it in some way.
Above: Fujifilm GFX100S II & Fujinon 80mm f/1.7 – Film Dial Recipes (the portraits were with the Reala Ace film simulation)
I’d really like to see more photography events happen—not just in Phoenix, but across the country. We can all learn from each other, and in-person connections are, unfortunately, lacking in our modern society. Camera stores, clubs, and manufacturers can help to facilitate events. This shouldn’t be a one-time thing—it would be great to see more photowalks and classes pop up all over the place. I hope they do. And if there is one in your area, definitely make an effort to attend.
Bicycles on a Dirt Road – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Velvia Film
My 15-year-old son, Jonathan, has shown a strong interest in photography for a few years now, so for Christmas my wife and I got him a camera. He just began a high school photography class this semester. Jon told me that one of the first lessons was on composition, including leading lines.
A couple days ago, Jon and I were walking down a dirt road out in the desert with our cameras, so I took the opportunity to talk with him about leading lines. I told him that lines are great for taking the viewer on a journey through the picture. Lines that come from the corners (or near the corners) tend to lead into the frame, while lines that are from the edges (top-middle, bottom-middle, left-middle or right-middle) tend to lead the viewer’s eyes out of the frame. Leading lines are great, but they must lead to something to be effective; leading lines that lead to nothing are disappointing and boring.
Desert Road – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Agfa 400S
I pointed out the road that we were walking on, showing that the sides of the road, or even the tire tracks in the dirt, are lines. They can be used to take the viewer from the bottom corners into the middle of the frame somewhere. But you have to think about what the viewers are going to find when they get to the end, as there should be something for them to discover.
In the Desert Road image above, the lines take the viewer from the bottom of the frame to the base of the darker mountain in the middle-left of the picture, then up the ridge of the closer hill towards the top-right; your eyes might follow the ridge of the distant hill to the left, or they might leave the frame altogether. It would have been more interesting if a hiker, bicyclist, car, coyote, etc., were at the end of the road just before it disappears around the corner. Or a brightly lit saguaro partway up the closer ridge contrasted with the shadow behind. The image itself is ok, but if the viewer had found a surprise element on their journey through the picture, it would have been much more compelling.
Sunset Bicyclists – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-S20 – Kodak Negative – Photo by Jonathan Roesch
As we were heading back to the car to go home because the sun had dipped below the ridge, we came across a row of drainage pipes that I suppose will someday serve a purpose. I told him that those could be used as leading lines, too. I noted that there was a dark spot in the road at the end of the pipes, and told him that if only there was something there in that spot, it could make for an interesting picture.
We hadn’t seen another person the entire time, so I didn’t expect anything interesting to happen, but then two bicyclists showed up. I told Jon to wait, that this was a fortuitous opportunity, and be ready to compose his picture. We waved to the two men as they pedaled by, then we set up our shots.
Jon Composing His Shot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Kodak Film
My picture is Bicycles on a Dirt Road at the very top, and Jon’s is Sunset Bicyclists two images above. I used the pipes to take the viewer from the bottom-right to the bicyclists at the middle-left. Jon used the lines in the dirt road to lead to the bicyclists, and the pipes served as a secondary element. Even though we photographed the same thing at the same time while standing next to each other, our pictures are much different. Two photographers will rarely see the same scene exactly the same way, because each person has different experiences, emotions, perspectives, etc., to form and execute their visions.
There are a several quick takeaways from this article. First, look for and use lines to thoughtfully direct viewers through your photographs, and try to give them a little surprise if you can. Second, your photographs are your unique voice, and as such are meaningful and important; however, you want to communicate your voice as strongly as possible with each shutter click—it takes much practice to develop strong photographic communication. Next, good pictures often involve some level of luck, but you can greatly increase your chances by being out with your camera—luck has a way of finding you if you give it the opportunity. Finally, if you are a straight-out-of-camera photographer, choose the most appropriate Film Simulation Recipe for how you want the scene to look. It takes some level of experience (oftentimes, trial-and-error) to figure that out, and each person has their own tastes and styles, so what works for one might not for another. I chose Velvia Film (one of the Film Dial Recipes… I use this approach even without the dial) because I wanted a bright and vibrant picture; Jon chose Kodak Negative because he wanted a warm retro aesthetic.
Bell Tower – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1960 Chrome
This Film Simulation Recipe was created at the same time as Classic Color, Nostalgic Americana, Eterna Summer, and Astia Azure. These five Recipes were intended to work well together—could all be used in a single series or project—however, 1960 Chrome is the largest outlier of the group. It uses the Eterna Bleach Bypass film simulation, which has high contrast and low saturation, with a slight reddish tint.
The inspiration for 1960 Chrome came from several photographs in various vintage issues of Arizona Highwaysmagazine from the 1960’s. While sometimes the publication provided detailed information on the photographs, sometimes they did not; from the instances where information was provided, the film used appears to be Ektachrome, perhaps from the 1950’s—likely E2 or E3 process. I’m sure the printing process and the age of the magazine play a significant role in the aesthetic as it appears today. In any event, this Recipe has a strong vintage color film aesthetic.
Lake Bridges – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – 1960 Chrome
This 1960 Chrome Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, and X-T50, as well as “newer” X-Trans IV models—specifically, the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. I’m sure it can be used on several GFX cameras, but will likely render slightly different (try it anyway). For X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and for X-Trans IV set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.
Film Simulation: Eterna Bleach Bypass Dynamic Range: DR400 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off (X-Trans V); Weak (X-Trans IV) White Balance: Fluorescent 1, -2 Red & -4 Blue Highlight: -2 Shadow: -1 Color: +2 Sharpness: -1 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured by my son, Jonathan, using this 1960 Chrome Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:
The Canal – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Pipe Bridge – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Hot Wheels – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Yellow Porsche – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
The Cross(walk) Roads – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
The Lamp in the Tree – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Gunslingin’ Martian – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Strip Mall – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
The Back Rooms – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Los Musicos – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Tiled Ball – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Phantom of Scottsdale – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this 1960 Chrome Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Yellow House, White Window – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Abandoned House & Palm Tree – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Posts – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Abandoned Mall Sign – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Gas & Grocery – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Old Hoop – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mission Gate – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bell & Cross – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Shack on the Hill – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Deer on the Rocks – Saguaro NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Palo Verde in the Rocks – Saguaro NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Tilted Saguaro – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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I really like Godox flashes. They’re good quality, easy to use, oftentimes retro styled, reasonably priced, and fun to use. The Godox Lux Junior is my personal favorite mainly because it is compact and lightweight. I also like the Godox Lux Cadet; it’s also fairly small and light. Either one of those are fun to use, but I’m not really a flash-photography guy, so I only occasionally utilize them.
I paid for my Lux Junior out of my own pocket, and wrote briefly about that flash in Getting that ’90’s Film Look with Fujifilm Cameras. Perhaps because of that, Godox sent me a Lux Cadet, which I discussed at length in Using a Godox Lux Cadet for a ’90’s Film Look. More recently, Godox asked if I’d be interested in trying the Lux Master. I said sure; however, I probably should have researched a little before agreeing. Anyway, the flash arrived, and I was a little surprised by the size of the box. The Lux Master is neither compact nor lightweight!
Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s not good, because the Lux Master is definitely a pro-level flash (and only $250, which seems like a bargain for what it is). If you are an event, wedding, or portrait photographer and do flash photography, the Lux Master is one to strongly consider. Or, put on a fedora hat with a paper containing the word PRESS on it, and you could be an old-fashioned photo journalist. I don’t have anything negative to say about the Lux Master, other than it’s a little too much for my photography. I’d use a Lux Junior or Lux Cadet over the Lux Master any day of the week, personally, just because those suit me better (mainly, the size and weight). But, there are some people who need a bit more, and that’s where the bigger flash comes into play. If you need a pro-level flash that is retro cool and affordable, the Lux Master should be high on your list.
There are two main ways that I use an external flash with my photography. With the X100-series I sometimes use the built-in flash for daylight fill, but for the Godox flashes I use them either to get a retro ’90’s look (for lack of a better description… essentially, Film Simulation Recipes combined with flash) and/or creatively use shutter drag (slow shutter speed with intentional movement combined with flash). That’s how I typically use the Lux Junior and Lux Cadet, and how I initially was using the Lux Master.
But then I decided I’ve probably covered that topic enough, and maybe you’d like to see something else. So I waited until sunset, grabbed my Fujifilm X-T5 with the Godox Lux Master attached, and headed out into the desert. How about some cacti photographi? (BTW, that spelling error was intentional). I live in the desert and photograph cactus regularly, but not often when combined with a flash. I did this after-sunset desert trek a few different times, and came away with a few good pictures.
Obviously there’s a pretty significant difference between after-sunset photography with and without a flash. How bright the flash is set, how close the subject is to the camera, and the exact light situation will all affect the outcome. I don’t know if I came away with any good tips to pass along, other than try and try again. For a lot of images, finding the right flash and camera settings often took three or four or five tries, sometimes more. It was a fun little project to do, and I think the experimental nature of it (for me, anyway, since it’s not something that I normally do) was somehow both therapeutic and thrilling. Even if you don’t do much flash photography, something like the Lux Master could be a good training tool to help improve your photography. Or it could be just for fun.
The photographs below are all camera-made JPEGs captured with a Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 lens + Nostalgic Americana Film Simulation Recipe + Godox Lux Master flash:
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Yesterday’s Fuji X Weekly + Nuzira collaborative Fujifilm photowalk in Scottsdale, Arizona, was a huge success! Altogether, 16 people showed up, including myself and Lucas White of Nuzira. It was a great group of photographers, and I think everyone had a good time. Most were local to the Phoenix metro area, but three came from Ohio and one from South Dakota—they were in the area, and it just happened to work out that they could attend. It was such an honor to co-lead everyone through Old Town Scottsdale!
The weather cooperated wonderfully, but it didn’t initially seem like it was going to. May is typically a hot month—the average high temperature right now is 90° Fahrenheit; however, a cool-front passed through shortly before the photowalk, which kept it at a more reasonable 82° at the start, and 77° by the end. Because of the frontal system, the wind howled most of the day, and clouds covered the sky. Just as the photowalk was about to begin, the wind calmed and the clouds cleared, revealing endless blue. Really, it couldn’t have been better.
Most people had an X100-series camera, ranging from an X100T to the new X100VI. The other cameras I saw were an X-T100, X-T20, X-E4, X-S10, X-S20, X-Pro3, and X-T5. The camera I brought was my X100VI, which is perfect for walk-around photography. Lucas had a bag full of gear, which he graciously let anyone try out if they wanted. Fujifilm provided some stickers and pins to give away, and Sigma provided multi-use tools (screwdriver/wrench/bottle-opener, etc., combo) with their logo.
The Film Simulation Recipes that I used for the photowalk were Kodak Portra 400 v2, Kodachrome 64, Kodak Tri-X 400, and two upcoming Recipes that have not yet been published, one based on Nostalgic Neg. and the other on Reala Ace. As we were walking around, I was stopped by someone who recognized that I had a Fujifilm camera, but seemed only vaguely familiar. “I’ve heard about those,” he stated. “Can I see some of the pictures?” So I showed him the images I had just captured on the photowalk. “It’s just like the Reels!” He took note of the camera name, said “thanks” and walked away.
It was great to meet everyone who attended, and have some face-to-face conversations about Fujifilm gear, Film Simulation Recipes, and photography. Every time I looked around, I noticed that those in attendance were talking with each other; it was great to help facilitate community. Fujifilm cameras and Recipes seem to bring people together.
I want to give a big “thank you” to those who came out and joined us! I appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to meet up, chat, and photograph. I hope to see everyone again sometime in the future!
On Top of a Desert Hill – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Nostalgic Americana
If you are a Fuji X Weekly regular, you probably know that I like to read vintage issues of Arizona Highways. For those unfamiliar, Arizona Highways is a photo-centric magazine that has been around for a hundred years. Many decades ago, Ansel Adams was a regular contributor, as were Barry Goldwater, Ray Manley, Chuck Abbott, Ester Henderson, David and Josef Muench, and Ed Ellinger, among many others. It’s a great resource for photographic inspiration!
I have a stack of these magazines in my office that I like to browse from time-to-time. This particular Film Simulation Recipe was influenced by many different pictures found in the pages of Arizona Highways issues from the 1960’s and ’70’s. This was during the American New Color movement. Sometimes extensive details were given about the photographs in the magazine, and sometimes not much at all; the pictures that inspired this Recipe were likely captured on first and second era Kodachrome, as well as E3 and E4 Ektachrome. I believe the printing process, as well as the aging of the magazines, play a roll in the aesthetic. This Nostalgic Americana Film Simulation Recipe replicates the look of those pictures, and produces an obvious retro rendering.
Old Yellow Truck – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Nostalgic Americana
Because this Nostalgic Americana Recipe uses the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, it is only compatible with fifth-generation X-Trans models, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, and X100VI. I’m sure it can also be used with newer GFX models, but I’ve not tested it, and it will likely render very slightly differently (try it anyway, though). Nostalgic Americana works best in sunny daylight situations.
Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg. Dynamic Range: DR200 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: 5800K, -2 Red & -4 Blue Highlight: -1 Shadow: -1.5 Color: -2 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Nostalgic Americana Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
White Brick – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
White Dome – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Old Spanish Mission – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bell – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Horses on Allen Street – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Studebaker Bells – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
No Parking Vines – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Solo Cup – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
The Road is Closed – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
No Parking Garage – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Various Textures – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Reaching Down – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fake Flowers in a Window Box – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Star Spangled Dress – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Final Sale – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mustang – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Se Renta Especio – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Space for Rent – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Restrooms – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mule Pass Tunnel – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hall’s Trailer – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sign for Abandoned Mall – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Caution: Desert Ahead – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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Grab your Fujifilm camera and join myself and Lucas White of Nuzira THIS Sunday, May 5th, for a free photowalk in Scottsdale, Arizona! Meet us at the Arizona Canal South Bridge promenade near the Pinball Wizard Public Art display at 5:30 PM. Explore the blending of modern cosmopolitan with off-beat western heritage through pictures. There will be the potential for street/urban, architecture, automobile, and landscape photography. It will be an opportunity to meet fellow Fujifilm photographers, and to chat about Fujifilm gear, film simulations, and Film Simulation Recipes. We’re going to have lots of fun!
If you think you might attend, please RSVP by May 3rd (click here). If you are in the area, I really hope to meet you there!
Come join Ritchie Roesch of Fuji X Weekly and Lucas White of Nuzira on Sunday, May 5th, for an epic photowalk around Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona! Bring your Fujifilm gear to the Arizona Canal South Bridge promenade near the Pinball Wizard Public Art display at 5:30 PM. Explore the blending of modern cosmopolitan with off-beat western heritage through pictures. There will be the potential for street/urban, architecture, automobile, and landscape photography. It will be an opportunity to meet fellow Fujifilm photographers, and to chat about Fujifilm gear, film simulations, and Film Simulation Recipes. We’re going to have lots of fun!
Please RSVP by May 3rd so that we know how many are coming. Click here for more details and to RSVP. If you’re in the area, I hope to see you on May 5th from 5:30 to 7 PM for this Fujifilm-centric event! This photowalk is free, and family-friendly.
Join me on a free Fujifilm-centric photowalk on Sunday, May 5th, in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona, at 5:30 PM. Explore the blending of modern cosmopolitan with off-beat western heritage through pictures. There will be the potential for street/urban, architecture, automobile, and landscape photography. It will be an opportunity to meet fellow Fujifilm photographers, and to chat about Fujifilm gear, film simulations, and Film Simulation Recipes.
Mark your calendars now! More details coming soon, so stay tuned.
Birds on the Lake – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm
This last Sunday evening I attended a photowalk in Tempe, Arizona, hosted by Skylum Luminar and sponsored by Fujifilm. I thought it might be an opportunity to chat with some other Fujifilm photographers, and an excuse to photograph at Tempe Town Lake, the location of the photowalk. I had hopes that a Fujifilm representative would be in attendance, but, alas, nobody from Fujifilm was there. It was more of a Luminar photowalk than Fujifilm, which I suspected would be the case, but I attended anyway. Any excuse to get out with your camera and photograph is a good one.
I arrived about ten minutes late, and noticed a large group of photographers circled together, so that’s where I walked. Just before I got there, I saw a puddle of water (it had just recently rained), which had a cool reflection of a building and bridge. I snapped a picture (Gen Reflection, below), then joined the group. I showed the picture on the camera to a couple of photographers who were nearby, pointing to them where I captured the image, but they didn’t appear especially interested. Altogether, I estimate that there were between 35 and 40 people in attendance.
Gen Reflection – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm
One thing that surprised me was just how many non-Fujifilm photographers there were. I saw a lot of Nikon and Canon cameras, plus a few Sonys. Perhaps only half (or maybe even less than half) of those attending had a Fujifilm model; the X-T0 series was, by far, the most represented. It seemed that most people had a tripod. I even saw several people with two tripods, although I never noticed anyone using two at once. I brought with me a Fujifilm X-E4, and two Fujinon lenses: 27mm f/2.8 and 90mm f/2. No tripod, no problem; even without IBIS.
I’m sure that almost no one who was in attendance uses Film Simulation Recipes. After all, this was hosted by a photo-editing software company, which is probably off the radar of many SOOC photographers. I did talk with one person, Anna, who had a Fujifilm X100V, and was shooting with my Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe. It was super nice to meet her and talk Fujifilm, and it made the experience much more enjoyable. I struck up conversations with several other people, but, for the most part, they didn’t seem much interested in talking.
Nikon – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm
At sunset, while capturing an image of a pedestrian bridge that crosses the lake, I noticed a couple on bicycles that seemed to be having a moment. While they are small in the frame, they play an important role in the composition, and elevate the picture significantly. Right after I made the exposure (Pedestrian Bridge, towards the bottom of this article), they got on their bikes and pedaled down the path towards me, so I ran up to meet them. I showed them the picture and asked if they wanted a copy, which they did, so I quickly uploaded it from my camera to my iPhone, then airdropped it to them right then and there. It only took a moment, and they seemed thrilled to have it. They were surprised that it was even possible to get a picture that looked “so nice” right off the camera that quickly. The advantage of using Recipes couldn’t have been more clear to me at that very moment.
I don’t know very much about Luminar software. I’m sure it’s excellent at whatever unique things that it does. The folks who hosted the event were quite nice, and I appreciated the opportunity to photograph with them at Tempe Town Lake. I used three different Film Simulation Recipes, all of which are yet-to-be-published that are coming soon. Check back in the coming weeks, because it won’t be long before they’re ready for you to try. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy these pictures from the photowalk!
I hope to organize a Fuji X Weekly meet-and-greet type event in the Phoenix, Arizona, area sometime later this year. While I’ve been to a few photography gatherings before, I’ve never hosted one. What I’d like to know is what you’d expect or hope for from a Fuji X Weekly meet-and-greet.
Obviously, it could be really simple. Come say hi, as I’d love to meet you. Let’s shake hands and talk gear informally. This would be the most simple to put together, but maybe the least exciting to attend?
It could be more convention-like, with booths from local camera stores and photography-related businesses. There could be presentations or workshops, and perhaps even guest speakers. A small expo would be a heck-of-a-lot more complex to organize, and would likely require an entrance fee to offset the costs. I doubt there would be enough interest to justify anything like this, but maybe this is what people would most want?
A third option is a group photowalk. Let’s not just talk gear, but use our gear. Let’s meet up somewhere and take pictures, perhaps in an urban setting, or some place that’s especially good for photography. If the location is ideal, it could be all in one place, and no need to drive around (other than to the event).
I’m sure there are many other ideas, and I’d love to hear them. Even if you would never come to Phoenix because it is too far away, I’d still greatly appreciate your feedback. I want to make this event special for those who can attend (and, who knows, maybe it will be the first of many?), but I’m unsure what direction it should go. Perhaps one of these ideas resonates with you, or none of them, or some aspect about one is intriguing but another aspect is not. Leave me a comment with your ideas and opinions!
Also, how likely would you attend this event, for those who live near the area? Let me know that, too, with a comment. I really look forward to hearing your input!
I don’t know yet when this meet-and-greet will happen (or even for certain that it will, although I really hope it will). Most likely it will be either in the spring or fall, but preferably in the spring. As soon as I have more concrete answers, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, your input is much needed, and will help me out tremendously. Thank you!
Just in time for Halloween, this video is about using the world’s smallest interchangeable lens—the Pentax-110 24mm f/2.8—on my Fujifilm X-T5 camera, and photographing a haunted ghost town in the Arizona desert!
Autumn in a Mountain Meadow – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor Superia 100
When you think of dramatic displays of Autumn colors, you probably don’t think of Arizona. It’s easy to miss that Arizona has a significant amount of mountainous terrain, with extensive forests and even snow-capped peaks in the winter. In autumn, some of these trees change color as the leaves prepare to drop. The fall foliage in Arizona can be impressive!
Two days ago I drove up north to the slopes of the San Francisco Peaks just outside of Flagstaff for an autumn hike. The trail is called Aspen Corner Trail, which sits right below the Snowbowl ski resort. Interestingly, I was looking for the Aspen Loop Nature Trail, but I didn’t quite go far enough, and didn’t realize until later that I wasn’t even on the intended path. I had never been on any trails in this area before; I saw all of the cars and the many photographers, and just figured I was in the right place.
It was an easy hike, with very short sections that might be considered moderate (maybe). I didn’t go anywhere close to the end, just perhaps a quarter mile down where the thick forest opened to a large meadow, then back to the car as the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon. The place was nothing short of stunning!
Arizona Aspens – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – The Rockwell
For those who don’t know or remember, the way I’m currently using my X100V is the rear LCD is turned off, and the hybrid viewfinder is set to OVF. That means that I don’t know how the pictures turned out until later when I review them. This is intended to replicate a film-like experience, in a way. Since I don’t know what I’m getting, I try to take a little extra care to ensure that I get it right. Also, I really enjoy reviewing all of the photos at once, not knowing how exactly it all went; there’s a certain thrill when one is especially great or unexpectedly interesting. This process has been a good exercise for me.
Now, let’s take a look at the seven Film Simulation Recipes that I used to photograph fall colors on my Fujifilm X100V!
This Recipe produces bright and colorful pictures. If you want to really show off a vibrant scene, The Rockwell will do it! The flip side is that it can be over-the-top sometimes—too bold, too colorful, too crisp. I was confident that this would be a good option, and I was right. If you want to emphasize the vivid colors of autumn, The Rockwell will deliver just that. I used this Recipe more than any of the others.
I don’t shoot with the Kodak Ektar 100 Recipe all that often, so I thought this would be a good opportunity. It’s warm and vibrant, and seemingly a good match for autumn photography. After reviewing the pictures, my regret is not using this Recipe more! The image above, for example, is one of my favorites of the outing. I’m going to keep this one programmed into my camera for awhile longer.
Kodak Portra 400 v2 is one of the Recipes that I typically use the most—definitely Top 5, maybe Top 3—so I thought I’d try the “v1” Kodak Portra 400 Recipe instead on this trip. I just don’t shoot with it often enough. After reviewing the pictures, this is another one that I wish I had used more. While it doesn’t emphasize the colors like the two Recipes above, it does produce an analogue-like rendering that’s easy to appreciate.
Another Recipe that I didn’t use a lot was Reggie’s Portra, although it certainly did quite well. In retrospect, I probably didn’t need to have both Kodak Portra 400 and Reggie’s Portra programmed into the camera. Personally, I prefer the aesthetic of Kodak Portra 400 just slightly more (although, overall, they’re pretty similar), but Reggie’s Portra is more versatile, so it can be the better choice if the light might be something other than sunny daylight. If I were to do this again, I’d choose either Kodak Portra 400 or Reggie’s Portra and not both.
This is a Recipe that I suspected might be very good for fall foliage photography, but I wasn’t certain. I’m now convinced that it is! Upon reviewing the pictures, CineStill 400D v2 was one of my favorite Recipes that I used, and another that I wished that I used more. Very beautiful results, perhaps the best of these seven for the light and colors on this particular adventure. I really liked this one!
Fujicolor Superia 100 was my second-most used Recipe (only behind The Rockwell), and I chose it because I wanted a Fuji color-negative film look, plus I thought this might be a good option for autumn images (although I wasn’t sure). While the picture at the very top of this article, which was captured with this Recipe, was one of my top favorites of this trip, overall I was a tad disappointed with Fujiclor Superia 100. It wasn’t a bad choice for fall colors, but it wasn’t as good as some of the others that I used less often. So, basically, Fujicolor Superia 100 was great sometimes and mediocre at other times, depending on the exact light and colors.
I wondered how a Recipe with a bit more green in it might fare in the fall. I knew there’d be some pines, and figured that the Fujicolor NPH Recipe might render those well. I think the results were interesting—and definitely different than the others—but this was my least favorite of the seven. That’s not to say that it was bad, but only I preferred the other six more. It has some potential, though—for example, the very last picture has an obvious similarity to some prints I have in a photo box in the closet. But, overall, I think there are better Film Simulation Recipes for autumn photography.
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Peter McKinnon’s recent YouTube video entitled The Valley really struck me. It was highly relatable, and not just because it was filmed in Arizona and Utah. There were several interesting takeaways, and a lot that could be discussed. For now, I want to focus on one thing in particular: the wrench.
I think it’s important to feel a little uncomfortable sometimes. “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations,” Orson Welles famously stated. Oftentimes restricting ourselves in some way will propel us forward or allow us to achieve what we otherwise could not, as we have to approach the situation differently than we are comfortable doing. That perspective shift is where growth happens. Wrenches are good.
If you haven’t yet seen the video, go ahead and watch it now.
“I mentioned I’ve been shooting for 20 years,” Peter McKinnon states at about the eight-minute mark. “Digital gets a bit—maybe not even digital, it’s not even the way to say it—just photography itself just gets a bit monotonous after two decades. There’s a formula that you can follow, and it works—you’ve got a style and you’re used to it and you’re used to everything. So it’s nice to throw a wrench into that mix, and that wrench—for me—that’s film. Really needing to understand what feels like an entirely new craft in so many ways with so many facets to it—it really puts you on your toes. It takes you out of the comfort zone and forces you to see the world through a new perspective.”
“There’s something that connects you with nature,” he continues. “There’s something that connects you to the landscapes you’re standing in when you’re out there loading a roll of film that you’re going to shoot [but] that you can’t see after. There’s something that just feels like true photography. And that feeling I plan on chasing for as long as I can.”
Initially, I saw this through the eyes of a long-time film photographer. Yeah, there is something about loading the roll of film and not knowing what you’ve got until much later that connects you with the scene. But then I saw it through my eyes when I neared the 20-year mark (there’s something about that date…), which was a handful of years back. I desperately needed a wrench, as I was feeling burnt out and uninspired. That wrench for me was Film Simulation Recipes. Shooting straight-out-of-camera was the limitation that I needed to be propelled forward. It’s what rejuvenated and inspired me (still does!), and what I plan to chase as long as I can. For Peter it’s film, for me it’s JPEG Recipes—which, incidentally, do have some similarities.
Mitchell Mesa – Monument Valley, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1 – Velvia Recipe
Of course, Peter McKinnon still edits his film photographs. He spot-removed the horse poop, for example. He very obviously used masks to brighten up the subjects. Nothing wrong with that, as it’s his art. For me, though, post-editing just sucks the life out of me. It’s just not my thing anymore, after having done it for so long without any enjoyment. Thankfully, using Film Simulation Recipes allows me to not worry about editing, and focus more on capturing.
I also saw Peter’s video through my current eyes. For several months now I have been feeling that I need some new limitation—a brand new wrench—to force myself to see through a new perspective. And this video was the aha moment. I grabbed my Fujifilm X100V, turned off the EVF so that it was just the optical viewfinder (no image preview), and turned off the rear LCD. Then I determined not to review my pictures until later, sometime after I was done photographing. This would emulate to an extent that film experience Peter talked about, and that I kind of miss (now that I don’t shoot much film anymore). Doing this, I load the Film Simulation Recipe that I want to use into the camera (or, choose one of the seven that I already have saved), capture some photographs, and then I don’t know what I have until sometime later. It’s definitely a different approach than what I’ve been doing, but so far so good. I think I’m going to appreciate this new wrench.
I just started doing this. Below are a few of the first handful of exposures captured using this technique. The Recipe is one that’s not yet been published, but is coming soon, so stay tuned for that. I can only do this on my X100V and X-Pro1, and not my other models, since it requires an optical viewfinder. Maybe this will be a good excuse to buy the X-Pro4 whenever Fujifilm decides to release that someday in the future. In the meantime, this is how I will approach photography whenever I’m out with my X100V. I think it’s the wrench I need right now.
Pink Arm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Empty Cage – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Twin Palms & Concrete – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
July Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Pushed CineStill 800T
CineStill 800T is a Kodak Tungsten-balanced motion picture film (specifically, Vision3 500T) that has had the Remjet layer removed so that it can be processed in C41 chemistry. It’s intended for use in indoor artificial light and at night (but could be used anytime with the appropriate color correction filter). Awhile back I found some examples of CineStill 800T that had been shot during the day in overcast conditions and had been push-processed. I liked the picture aesthetics, so I set out to recreate it.
While this Film Simulation Recipe is intended for daytime photography (particularly on overcast days), it does really well at night, too. For the after-dark pictures in this article, I used a 5% CineBloom diffusion filter, but a 10% or 20% might have been more appropriate for replicating the emulsion. I do recommend the use of a diffusion filter for nighttime photography when shooting with this Recipe.
This Pushed CineStill 800T Recipe isn’t new, but simply a modification of the X-Trans IV version for use on X-Trans V cameras. Because X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations, a tweak to Color Chrome FX Blue—selecting Weak instead of Strong—was necessary for my Fujifilm X-T5. This Film Simulation Recipe isn’t for everyone or every situation, but some of you will really appreciate it for certain pictures.
Film Simulation: Eterna Bleach Bypass Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: 7700K, -9 Red & +5 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -0.5 Shadow: +1.5 Color: +3 Sharpness: 0 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Pushed CineStill 800T Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Flower Stems in Colored Water – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Playing Video Games – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Yellow Flowers on a Dreary Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Birdcage Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Empty Cage – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Green Tree on a Blue Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Suburban Grey – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Street Train – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hand Signal – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spin – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Ice – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hair Chairs – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mellow Mushroom Pizza – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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Boat Shack at Sunset – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor Super HG v2
Fujifilm introduced the Super HG line in 1986, with ISO versions between 100 and 1600. It saw several iterations and improvements before Fujifilm replaced it with the Superia line is 1998. This Fujicolor Super HG v2 recipe produces results similar to Super HG 100 or Super HG 200 film. One film can have many different looks depending on how it was shot, developed, and printed or scanned, so this Recipe won’t match every image from the emulsion, but it is definitely in the general ballpark of the film.
Bridge to Nowhere – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor Super HG v2
Because this Recipe uses the Auto White Priority white balance, it is extremely versatile. It would be like having a whole case full of various color correction filters for your film back in the day, except now you don’t need to carry around a bunch of filters. Use this Recipe anytime of the day or night! As of this writing, this version of Fujicolor Super HG v2 is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, X-H2s, and X-S20 cameras. The X-Trans IV version is compatible with the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II models. If you have a newer GFX model, you can try this or the original iteration—I’m not certain which is most appropriate, so maybe try both and see which one you like better.
Film Simulation: Classic Negative Grain Effect: Weak, Large Color Chrome Effect: Weak Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: Auto White Priority, -3 Red & -1 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1 Shadow: +1 Color: +2 Sharpness: 0 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: +2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Fujicolor Super HG v2 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Bougainvillea Arm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bored Boy Tossing Football – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Potted Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Water Angels – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Zenefits – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bow – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sidewalk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Resting Cat – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Stone Fencepost – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Empty Adirondack – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset over Black Ridge – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Birds not of a Feather – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Double-Double – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Corner of 6th – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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Ever since the first trailer for Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City debuted back in March, the movie’s generated a lot of buzz. There’s also been a ton of interest in recreating Wes Anderson’s aesthetic and style. Now that Asteroid City is about to hit theaters across America (and presumably the world), there’s been a renewed interest in the Wes Anderson look.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to faithfully mimic an Asteroid City aesthetic straight-out-of-camera on Fujifilm models; however, you can get somewhat close, if you ok with compromises. My Vibrant Arizona Film Simulation Recipe is the closest you’re likely to get to an Asteroid City look without editing (in the article, I give some tips for getting even closer with a couple of quick edits). While it’s just not possible to achieve an orange/teal/pastel palette in-camera on Fujifilm models, the Vibrant Arizona Recipe does produce an unmistakable Wes Anderson vibe, which is definitely in-style right now.
Last month I visited Sedona, Arizona—the perfect location to use Vibrant Arizona! If there’s any place that just cries for this Film Simulation Recipe, it’s Red Rock Country. I loaded the Recipe into my Fujifilm X-T5, attached a TTArtisan 35mm f/0.95 lens, and walked around the iconic tourist town. My wife, Amanda, came along with her Fujifilm X-T4 (with a Fujinon 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens), and recorded some clips.
You can use Film Simulation Recipes for video in Fujifilm cameras to an extent, and avoid color grading. Some settings aren’t available, such as Grain, Color Chrome Effects, D-Range Priority, and Clarity, which means that Vibrant Arizona can’t really be used for video. Instead, in order to get the video clips to be similar to the photographs, we used these settings in Amanda’s X-T4:
Classic Chrome White Balance: 4350K, +6 Red & -8 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Color +4 Highlight: -2 Shadow: -2 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4
Of course, being influenced by Wes Anderson, Amanda shot and edited the video in a style inspired by his movies. I hope that you find it entertaining, and that it will inspire you to give the Vibrant Arizona Film Simulation Recipe a try on your Fujifilm camera. Also, be sure to follow my YouTube channel if you don’t already, and give the video a thumbs-up if you liked it.
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A couple of weeks ago I had this realization that I hadn’t been using my Fujifilm X100V as much as I would have liked to or normally would have. I was grabbing some of my other cameras, like the Fujifilm X-E4 and Fujifilm X-T5, instead. But I really like shooting with my X100V—it’s my “desert island” camera; if I could only ever shoot with one for the rest of my life, it would be the X100V.
While having the realization that the camera was collecting more dust than usual, I also noticed that the light was changing and becoming favorable for photography. I snatched the X100V, set it to my Vintage Vibes Film Simulation Recipe, and headed out the door, in search of an interesting picture opportunity nearby.
Just as the sun was nearing the horizon, I found a spot in the desert with some pops of late-spring color. I decided this was my opportunity, so I began capturing images. The light didn’t last long, and the bugs were becoming a nuisance; nevertheless, I was able to snap a few interesting pictures before heading home.
Perhaps more important than the images, I used the camera that I love most. I dusted it off, put it in my hand, took some steps outside, and pressed the shutter release button. Whether or not the pictures turned out was less critical than the act of actively using it. Yes, pictures are important, but so is the experience—actually, the experience is probably the most important. If you haven’t used your beloved gear much lately, be sure to get it in your hands ASAP and take some pictures!
Three retro-styled digital cameras go head-to-head-to-head in Sedona, Arizona, each with a different manual 35mm lens: Meike 35mm f/1.7, TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4, and TTArtisan 35mm f/0.95. Who will win? Let’s find out!
I love shooting with retro-styled digital cameras! For the most part that means Fujifilm models, but I also own a Nikon Zfc. Fujifilm, of course, is renown for this type of camera; for Nikon, this is a (mostly) divergent concept. Some other camera brands also offer rangefinder or classic-SLR styling, but lack the traditional controls (such as a manual shutter knob) that are an essential aspect to the photographic experience. Leica is well above my budget. The three cameras that I chose to shoot with are the Nikon Zfc, Fujifilm X-E4, and Fujifilm X-T5.
Why these three specific cameras? I picked the Nikon Zfc first because I don’t use it very often, and was eager to dust it off. The Fujifilm X-E4 was next because it was released just a few months before the Zfc, was just a little cheaper, and on-paper the two models are fairly comparable. I chose the Fujifilm X-T5 because it is surprisingly similar to the Zfc in size and design.
Each camera was paired with a different manual 35mm lens. I attached a TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 to the Nikon Zfc, a Meike 35mm f/1.7 to the Fujifilm X-E4, and a TTArtisan 35mm f/0.95 to the Fujifilm X-T5. Since I was using manual lenses, I shot all three cameras completely manually—no auto anything. Back when I shot a lot of film, I used a Canon AE-1 (and later a couple of Pentax models), and shot full manual for years. It’s a slower and more challenging process—especially if you don’t have much experience with it—but I find it to be more enjoyable and rewarding.
My birthday gift this year was a trip to Sedona, which is about two hours north of my home in the Phoenix area. Sedona is stunning—almost like being inside the Grand Canyon—so it was the perfect place to conduct this photographic project. Three different cameras, each with a different 35mm lens, going head-to-head-to-head, to see which is best for full manual travel photography in an incredibly beautiful location. Which one will crowned winner?
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4
The Nikon Zfc is a beautiful looking camera, no doubt about it! Some curious design choices make it not nearly as good as it could have been. My experience is that this camera makes the most sense when used in manual mode with a third-party manual lens, such as the TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4. It’s bigger and heavier than it should be for its class and features, and the lack of a handgrip make it less than ideal for extended use (considering the size and weight).
I programmed my Vintage Color Film Simulation Recipe into the Zfc and shot 36 exposures (like a roll of film) with the camera while in Sedona. I chose that particular Recipe because I like the retro analog-like rendering that it produces. In general, I feel as though Nikon’s JPEG output is well behind Fujifilm’s, but the quality is still good, and I don’t think it’s necessary to shoot RAW with the Zfc to get nice results—the unedited straight-out-of-camera JPEGs are plenty good enough for most people and purposes.
Of the three cameras, the Nikon Zfc was my least favorite. Honestly, I’d prefer a nine-year-old Fujifilm X-T1, which you can probably find for half the price or less. Still, the Zfc is a good option, and if (for some unknown reason) I could no longer shoot Fujifilm, I’d be happy with the Zfc. Did I mention that it’s a beautiful looking camera? If outward appearances mattered most, the Zfc might very well be the winner. Since the insides are just as important—if not more so—than the outsides, the Nikon is not my favorite camera. With that said, the Zfc is significantly easier to find than the Fujifilm X-E4 (which was recently discontinued, inflating the price) and significantly cheaper than the Fujifilm X-T5 (a higher-end model), making it a good choice for someone buying their first retro-styled digital camera.
The TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 lens is wonderful! I love the design, particularly the clicking f-stops and smooth focus ring. The optical quality is excellent—very sharp! It has good character. The maximum aperture is quite large. The nifty-fifty-like focal length is extremely useful. The price is very affordable. My only complaints are that it has 1/2 intermediate stops (instead of the more common 1/3), those intermediate stops end at f/4, and the lens jumps straight from f/8 to f/16. Of the three 35mm lenses, this one is my favorite for design and practical use, and my second favorite for how it renders images.
Below are some of those 36 exposures that I captured in Sedona with my Nikon Zfc and TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 using the Vintage Color Recipe.
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Nikon Zfc + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 + Vintage Color Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7
The Fujifilm X-E4 was my most-used camera in 2022. Its compact size and simplicity make it an especially excellent option for travel photography. The X-E4 was released just before the Nikon Zfc and with an MSRP a little lower, so it shouldn’t be surprising that on paper these cameras have similar specs (although the X-E4 in my opinion has the advantage in most categories), but once you hold the two cameras, you quickly see that they’re much different. First, the X-E4 is significantly smaller and lighter. The X-E4 has a rangefinder-like styling while the Zfc is SLR-shaped. For full-manual photography, the Zfc has one important advantage: an ISO knob.
Fujifilm did not give the X-E4 an ISO knob or ring. I think an ISO ring around the shutter knob like on the Fujifilm X100V would have been an excellent touch, but they didn’t do that. Normally this is no issue at all because I most commonly use Auto-ISO, and don’t often manually adjust the ISO; however, when one does want to adjust the ISO, one has to dig through the menu, or setup a shortcut. I set the front command wheel to adjust the ISO; while that’s a sufficient workaround, it’s not nearly as ideal as having a dedicated dial. For this project, I set the ISO to 1600, and only adjusted it when I absolutely had to, which worked out alright.
Of the three cameras, the Fujifilm X-E4 was my favorite during this experiment, despite the lack of an ISO dial. The small size and weight make it more pleasant for caring around on hikes or when doing touristy things. While not perfect, it’s one of my favorite cameras; however, the X-E4 has been difficult to find for some time, and even more so now that Fujifilm has discontinued it. To add insult to injury, I’ve noticed some significant price gouging lately. The Nikon Zfc is easy to find and perhaps even at a discount. The Fujifilm X-T5 is still in stock at most stores. If you don’t already own a Fujifilm X-E4, you’re not likely going to get your hands on one anytime soon, and you’ll likely pay a premium, since Fujifilm didn’t produce as many copies as there was demand for.
The Film Simulation Recipe that I programmed into my Fujifilm X-E4 was Fujicolor Natura 1600, which is one of my absolute favorites for achieving an analog aesthetic. I think this particular Recipe could trick unsuspecting viewers into believing that the pictures were actually shot on color negative film. I published this Recipe almost exactly one year ago, and it’s one of my most used. Like the Zfc, I shot 36 exposures with this Recipe while in Sedona, and it didn’t disappoint on this adventure!
The Meike 35mm f/1.7 is a lens that I really love and kind of dislike simultaneously. The aperture ring is click-less, which means that you don’t really know when you are at a particular f-stop. Mostly that’s just annoying and detracts from the experience, but sometimes it’s kind of convenient and actually better than having no intermediate stops or half-stops. The lens jumps from f/8 to f/22 rather quickly. The maximum aperture of f/1.7 is the “slowest” of these three. What I like most about the Meike 35mm lens is the quality and character of the images that it produces, which is just wonderful! This is my second favorite lens of the three for how it looks, my least favorite for the shooting experience, and my most favorite for how it renders pictures. It’s super inexpensive, so it’s very easy to recommend.
Below are some of those 36 exposures that I captured in Sedona with my Fujifilm X-E4 and Meike 35mm f/1.7 using the Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe.
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-E4 + Meike 35mm f/1.7 + Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe – Sedona, AZ
Fujifilm X-T5 + TTArtisan 35mm f/0.95
Fujifilm X-T5 + TTArtisan 35mm f/0.95
It might seem unfair to compare the Fujifilm X-T5 to the Fujifilm X-E4 and Nikon Zfc, because this camera is clearly in a different class than the other two. The X-T5 is a more premium model, with IBIS, weather-sealing, better build quality, and double the resolution of the Zfc (and about 55% more than the X-E4). But, aside from the handgrip, the X-T5 and the Zfc are surprisingly similar on the outside, and that’s why I included it in this experiment.
The Fujifilm X-T5 is technically the best of these three cameras, hands down; however, the one reason why I believe the Fujifilm X-E4 won this challenge is size and weight. While visiting Sedona, I enjoyed carrying around the X-E4 more than the X-T5 or Zfc. Comfort and convenience are important aspects of travel photography, and sometimes that trumps pure specs or even key features. If I were to simply choose the best camera, doubtlessly it would the Fujifilm X-T5, but, for the purpose of traveling to Sedona, I liked the X-E4 just a little bit more.
I crowned the X-E4 the winner, but it is not an easy camera to find; if you do happen to see one for sale, the price will likely be inflated. The Fujifilm X-T5 can be found fairly easily, but it is by far the most expensive of these three models. The Zfc offers a somewhat similar experience to the X-T5 when shooting in manual mode with third-party lenses, but for a lot less money. Yes, the X-T5 is significantly better overall, but if you are on a tight budget (and you can’t find an X-E4), the Zfc is not a bad camera to own. If you can find an X-E4 for a reasonable price, that’s my top recommendation. If you can afford the X-T5, that’s a close second. If neither of those are applicable to you, then the Zfc is a decent consolation prize.
The Film Simulation Recipe that I programmed into my Fujifilm X-T5 is 1970’s Summer, which uses the new Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, and produces a warm retro film-like aesthetic with similarities to some classic American New Color pictures. I shot 36 exposures with this Recipe, as if it was a roll of film.
This was my very first time using the TTArtisan 35mm f/0.95 lens, which is by far the most expensive lens of the three, but still reasonably affordable. It’s kind of ugly compared to the other two, sort of resembling a sport’s referee. Wide open it’s extremely soft (nearly unusable, unless you are purposefully seeking dreaminess), but stopped down it’s sharp, and performs especially well from about f/4 to f/8. The aperture ring clicks, which is nice, but with 1/2 intermediate stops (instead of the more common 1/3 stops); thankfully, the intermediate stops go through the whole range to f/16 (the minimum aperture). This lens has the most pronounced distortion of the three. For the most part, I like the images produced by the other two lenses better than this one (which is disappointing considering the price), but the TTArtisan 35mm f/0.95 is still a lens that I enjoyed using and produces good results.
Below are some of those 36 exposures that I captured in Sedona with my Fujifilm X-T5 and TTArtisan 35mm f/0.95 using the 1970’s Summer Recipe.
The Fujicolor Natura 1600 and 1970’s Summer Film Simulation Recipes can be found in the Fuji X Weekly App, along with nearly 300 others. Don’t have the App? Download it for free today! Consider becoming a Fuji X Weekly App Patron to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
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