Sentinel & Merced– Yosemite NP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Vintage Color Recipe
A lot of people are interested right now in achieving a vintage aesthetic with their Fujifilm cameras. Retro renderings are in-style, but with about 300 Film Simulation Recipes to choose from on the Fuji X Weekly website (and App), it can be difficult to know which ones to use. If you are after a vintage look, let me suggest 10 Recipes to you. They all have “vintage” in the name, and each will deliver a retro analog-like rendering.
Some of the Film Simulation Recipes below are quite popular (especially the first one), and maybe you’ve even used a few of them yourself. Many of them are less popular and are often overlooked; maybe you’ve seen them, but never programmed them into your camera. Perhaps this is the very first time you’re seeing a couple of these Recipes. Whatever the case, if you are after a vintage look, pick a couple of these to try today!
The first three Recipes below are compatible with X-Trans III cameras, plus the X-T3 & X-T30; to use them on newer X-Trans IV models, set Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and choose a Grain size (either Small or Large). The next five are compatible with “newer” X-Trans IV models (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II); to use them on X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue one step lower (Weak instead of Strong, Off instead of Weak). The last two are compatible with X-Trans V cameras; the second-to-last Recipe can be used on some X-Trans IV models (X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II) by setting Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Off.
Take a look at the 10 Vintage Film Simulation Recipes below. If one or two or three of them stand out to you as especially interesting, go ahead and give them a try!
Glimpse of a Fleeting Memory – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vintage Cinema Recipe
Side Gate Cracked Open – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vintage Cinema Recipe
Ball on a Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vintage Cinema Recipe
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These 2″x2″ embroidered iron-on patches are a great way to share your love of film sims to those around you. Put them on your camera bag, backpack, jean jacket, etc.. There are 11 of them: Provia, Velvia, Astia, Classic Chrome, PRO Neg. Hi, PRO Neg. Std, Classic Negative, Eterna, Monochrome, Acros, and Sepia. Find them on Fujifilm’s online store. Not sure why Eterna Bleach Bypass and Nostalgic Neg. didn’t make the cut, other than these patches resemble the small “box-top” screen on the back of the Fujifilm X-Pro3, and those two film sims aren’t available on that model.
I think they’re really cool. I ordered a couple, and plan to iron them onto my travel camera bag. They’re not exactly cheap at $10 per patch (or all 11 for $79.50, which is actually a significant bulk discount), but I think it’s a fun way to show your love of film simulations. I also think it’s fascinating that film sims are now so prominent—in large part due to the popularity of Film Simulation Recipes—that Fujifilm is merchandising them. I’d love to see them do more of this type of thing.
Exciting: Fujifilm Film Simulations just got real with these embroidered applique patches, in 11 different designs. Digitally recreated, based on historic film stocks, our Film Simulations are now available in all-new physical form. These quality, machine-embroidered patches can be heat-applied to fabric surfaces, from clothing to backpacks. Are you a bold Velvia fan, or an admirer of the timeless Acros? Grab either one separately, or the both of them if you can’t make up your mind. Love them all? We don’t blame you! Get ’em while the iron’s hot!
Sunny Afternoon Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Pro Film Recipe
For this Film Simulation Recipe, I was attempting to accomplish two different things: create a Recipe that uses Underwater White Balance and produce results with an analog-like color negative film aesthetic. To the second point, this Recipe does produce that in generic terms. It’s not intended to mimic any specific film emulsion, although there might be someunintended resemblance to Fujicolor Pro 160C, or—to a lesser extent—Kodak Portra 160VC.
The reason I chose the Underwater White Balance type is because I’ve yet to use it with any X-Trans II Recipe; since your camera will remember one White Balance Shift per White Balance type, this can be another option to consider for your C1-C7. If each of the seven Film Simulation Recipes programmed into your Custom Presets has a different White Balance type, you won’t have to worry about changing the WB Shift when switching between your C1-C7 Custom Preset.
Red Bicycle – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Pro Film Recipe – Photo by Jon Roesch
This “Pro Film” Recipe is compatible with all Fujifilm X-Trans II cameras (except the XQ1 and XQ2, which don’t have the PRO Neg. Hi film simulation). You can use this Recipe on the X-Pro1 and X-E1 (as well as many of the Bayer models), although the results will be slightly different.
PRO Neg. Hi Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: -1 (Medium-Soft) Shadow: -2 (Soft) Color: +2 (High) Sharpness: -1 (Medium-Soft) Noise Reduction: -2 (Low) White Balance: Underwater, 0 Red & -2 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 3200 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Pro Film” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X70:
No Turning Back – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Yellow Truck – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Sunset Ford – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Red Car – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Van Accessible – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Walkway Bicycle – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Window in the Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Locked Up Bike – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Enjoy – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Corner Table – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Clouds over Rooftop – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Sunlight Behind Pavilion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Joy Roesch
School – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Backlit Tree & Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Electric Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Backyard Jo – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Backlit Water Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Green Field – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Park View – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Joshua Roesch
Photographing the Photographer – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Joshua Roesch
Arizona Green – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Joy Roesch
Early Morning Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and nearly 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
Is the new Fujifilm X-S20 X-Trans IV or X-Trans V? I’ve been asked this question a handful of times, so I thought it would be worthwhile to answer on the Fuji X Weekly blog.
The nearly three-year-old Fujifilm X-S10 is an X-Trans IV model, and we’re over one year deep into the X-Trans V generation, so surely the X-S20 is X-Trans V, right? It’s not that simple. You see, Fujifilm is using the X-Trans IV sensor inside the X-S20. Does that then makes it an X-Trans IV model? Well, the X-S20 has the new X-Processor 5 chip. So is the camera X-Trans IV or V? The answer is yes! The X-S20 is both X-Trans IV and X-Trans V at the same time.
This isn’t the first time that Fujifilm has done this. The often-overlooked X-M1 had an X-Trans I sensor paired with the X-Trans II processor. Still, this is an unusual arrangement in the Fujifilm lineup. It’s a rare exception to the norm. The X-Trans IV sensor is “old” now, but it is still quite excellent, so I don’t think it was a bad move by Fujifilm whatsoever to keep using it. Personally, I really like the X-Trans IV sensor.
The question is whether you should use X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipes or X-Trans V Recipes on the X-S20? The differences between the aesthetic output of these two sensor generations are pretty minor. The biggest distinction is how deeply blue is rendered on some film simulations; most notably, on X-Trans V cameras, Classic Chrome, Classic Negative, Eterna, and Eterna Bleach Bypass render blue more deeply than on X-Trans IV models.
I’ve never used a Fujifilm X-S20 (and probably never will, unless Fujifilm sends one to me …hint, hint Fujifilm), so I have no firsthand experience on how exactly blue behaves on it. Is it more like X-Trans IV or V? I don’t have a definitive answer. But, two people have reported to me that they believe the X-S20 output looks the same as other X-Trans V cameras, so I’m inclined to believe that the programming makes pictures captured with it look like X-Trans V despite the X-Trans IV sensor. With that said, I don’t believe it matters a whole lot since the output is so similar, and I think it’s ok to use either X-Trans IV or X-Trans V Film Simulation Recipes. My recommendation is to use X-Trans V Recipes, as well as X-Trans IV Recipes that use Provia, Velvia, Astia, PRO Neg. Hi, PRO Neg. Std, Acros, Monochrome, and Sepia; for X-Trans IV Recipes that use Classic Chrome, Classic Negative, Eterna, and Eterna Bleach Bypass, reduce Color Chrome FX Blue by one notch (Weak instead of Strong, Off instead of Weak) when possible. That’s simply a recommendation, as I’m not certain what the right answer is.
Do you like the results that a particular Film Simulation Recipe produces? If a certain Recipe gives you the look you want—whether it’s an X-Trans V, X-Trans IV, or even X-Trans III Recipe—that’s what’s important, and it’s great that you found it. Whether or not you’re “supposed to” use that one on your camera is irrelevant. I have the Fujifilm X-S20 categorized as an X-Trans V model for Film Simulation Recipe purposes, but don’t let that stop you from using X-Trans IV Recipes on it.
“I seem to have trouble loading your site and posting comments… Most comments never got through.”
-TheCameraEatsFirst
I’m not a web designer. I’m not an IT expert. I’m not a programmer. Yet, here I am, playing each of those roles.
I’m a photographer. That’s what I want to spend as much of my time as practical doing. I’m also a writer to an extent, which is something else that I enjoy doing. The Fuji X Weekly website is my outlet for both. I like helping other photographers, and am truly honored that my Film Simulation Recipes have had such an impact on so many and even the industry at large—it’s far more than I ever imagined!
Sometimes, though, I have to set my camera down, and be the Fuji X Weekly webmaster. Who came up with that name, anyway? Webmaster sounds so dramatic. Was it on Peter Parker’s shortlist, and after a coinflip he went with Spiderman instead? Surely it was an IT guy—his office was probably in a dark corner of a basement and he felt really under-appreciated for all his hard work maintaining some large company’s website—who coined the term, so that he might get more respect and maybe a pay raise.
When I first enrolled in college many, many years ago, I didn’t really know what I wanted my career to be. A lot of adults advised me to major in a technology field, like coding or engineering. So that’s what I did. In the very first semester I took this class called Computer Basics, which was mostly about how to use Word and PowerPoint and the internet, which was fairly young at that point—DPReview wouldn’t launch for several more months, and Ken Rockwell wasn’t even on the scene yet. The final project for that class was to write a simple DOS program, something like if you prompt it to answer 1+1 it would give you 2. I struggled so much, and passed the introductory-level class with a C. The very next semester I changed my major to photography.
Problems with the Fuji X Weekly website have been ongoing since it first launched on August 21, 2017. I’ve had to learn how to design a website, and to an extent how to code. I was suddenly a webmaster. I didn’t feel much like the master of the web, and I still don’t. I’ve learned so much about it over the years; however, I’m far from an expert. Mostly, I limp along, and hope that Google has the answer to whatever problems I’m trying to solve. YouTube University has been invaluable!
Lately, though, the problems have grown. It started several months back when I needed to upgrade hosting, because I was pushing the upper limits of the plan I was paying for. Unfortunately, what should have been a seamless switch wasn’t, and I was suddenly experiencing both small and big issues. Next, because my expenses expanded—for both the website and apps—I brought back ads, but through a different company that promised a better experience. That’s been a huge headache, and it hasn’t exactly gone well. I’m fighting to get the ads to be minimal, unobtrusive, relevant, and appropriate (yet cover the expenses)—it’s been a battle, and we’re still not there. I’m on the fence on how I’ll move forward with this. I’ve almost pulled the plug several times on the ads—and I still might—but I’m hoping to get it right at some point soon. I appreciate your patience with this.
Some of the website problems are definitely significant. Probably the biggest one is that some people are experiencing an error, and the page won’t load. The message is “too many attempts” or “too many redirects” or something like that. I haven’t found the root of this issue, but clearing the cache and cookies has sometimes resolved it (so try that if you’re experiencing this problem). I don’t know why some people get this error while most don’t, or why clearing the cache is sometimes the fix. If any of you know the answer, please reach out to me, because I’d love to fix it.
Another issue that just recently came to my attention is that a lot of comments aren’t coming through. There are two aspects to this. First, I moderate the comments. Someone who has never commented before, or who has included a link to a website, will often get flagged for moderation. I get a lot of troll and spam comments that I don’t want published because it ruins the experience for everyone, so moderating these are important. This is my website, so I have the authority—and, really, obligation—to do this. Comments held for moderation haven’t changed as far as I can tell. The second aspect is that WordPress will flag obvious spam comments as spam. I get probably 100 of these type of comments each day, sometimes much more than that. Unfortunately, many non-spam comments are getting flagged as spam for some reason. I dug through the spam folder, and found intermixed with all the spam comments a handful of clearly not-spam comments, some by regular readers who have commented many times before. There are so many spam comments that it’s not practical to go very far back looking for the few non-spam that got flagged, but I know that I need to dig through it daily now. I’m really sorry if your comment didn’t come through. I don’t know why this happened or even when, but hopefully I’ll be able to find and approve all of the non-spam and non-troll comments going forward.
Are there other issues that I’m not aware of? I hope not, but I’m certain there are. Whenever I put on my webmaster cap, I do my best to fix them, but I cannot fix what I’m not aware is broken. If you’ve experienced some sort of issue, don’t hesitate to let me know—it’s greatly appreciated whenever someone does. And if you know how to fix the problem, please share with me the answer! I might technically be in the IT field, and I’ve certainly learned a heck-of-a-lot over the last six years, but I’m still in over his head on some of this stuff. Besides, I’d rather be out with my camera, capturing photos for next Film Simulation Recipe—especially during golden hour, when the light can be magical.
All the World’s a Summer Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1976 Kodak
The 1976 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe began as an attempt to recreate the aesthetic of legendary photographer Joel Meyerowitz, an American New Color photographer first known for serendipitous street photos of New York City. Meyerowitz has had one of the most prolific careers of any photographer, and he’s still active today at 85 years old! His look has been one of the most requested to replicate on Fujifilm cameras, so I eagerly delved into what exactly that is and how to mimic it.
One of the first roadblocks I encountered is that Joel Meyerowitz doesn’t have one unique style. His aesthetics vary significantly through the years. That shouldn’t be surprising because he’s on his seventh decade of photography. It’s well known that Meyerowitz used a lot of Kodachrome—in fact, he shot with all three eras of the film. In his early days it was the original ISO 10 Kodachrome, but very quickly that was replaced by Kodachome II and X; a significant chunk of his iconic street photography was captured during this time. Then Kodachrome 25 and 64 came along. All of those emulsions, while very similar, had their unique characteristics. I have a number of Film Simulation Recipes that can produce a Meyerowitz look because they replicate a film that he frequently used, including Vintage Kodachrome, Kodachrome 1, Kodachrome II (here, too), Kodachrome 25 (here, too), and Kodachrome 64 (here and here, too).
While Meyerowitz was known for Kodachrome, many of his most famous photographs were not captured on that film. He used Ektachrome sometimes for his 35mm work, and he used it extensively for his 8×10 large format photography. There have been over 40 different emulsions that carried the Ektachrome brand name, so it’s hard to know which specific ones he used. Some Ektachrome Film Simulation Recipes are Old Ektachrome, Kodak Ektachrome 100SW, Kodak Ektachrome E100VS, Ektachrome E100GX, Ektachrome, Ektachrome 320T, and Thommy’s Ektachrome. Some of these can probably be used to replicate a Meyerowitz look, too.
Closed Red Umbrella – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1976 Kodak
He didn’t just shoot with Kodachrome and Ektachrome, but also Anscochrome sometimes. He might have used other emulsions, too, it’s not real clear. One thing is for sure: whichever film he used, the emulsion wasn’t the finished picture, the print was (or the replication of the print in a book). Today, film is often scanned, and that’s how we see the photos captured with it, but for much of Meyerowitz’s career, the print (and not the scan) was what we saw. The printing process—the chemicals, the paper, and a host of other factors—could significantly affect the end result. That process changed and evolved over the decades. All of this is to say that no one Film Simulation Recipe will ever be able to replicate all of Joel’s various aesthetics. Probably not even ten Recipes. Aside from the ones already mentioned, 1970’s Summer and especially Summer of 1960 are a couple that could potentially produce a Meyerowitz look.
I studied about fifty of Joel’s photographs, mostly from the 1970’s. Some of them were urban street pictures, some were suburban or small-town images, and others were coastal photos. I looked for commonalities between the various pictures. I paid close attention to the lighting. I focused in on about two dozen that seemed similar enough, and tried to replicate the look with my Fujifilm X-T5. This 1976 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe was my sixth iteration. It’s not perfect, because, even within those 20+ similar Meyerowitz photographs, there are still some subtle differences. Aside from that, Fujifilm’s options, which are much more robust than they used to be, are still limited, and you can only do so much. Still, sometimes the resemblance between some of Joel’s pictures and the images captured with this Recipe are remarkable!
This Film Simulation Recipe got its name because the majority of the pictures that it is based on were captured in 1976. Some were 35mm and likely Kodachrome 25 and Kodachrome 64, but could also be Ektachrome-X and/or Ektachrome Pro 64, or even Anscochrome 64. Some were large format and likely Ektachrome Pro 64, Ektachrome 6118 Tungsten, and/or Ektachrome 160 Daylight, or even possibly Aschochrome 32. 1976 was a pivotal and transitional year for Joel Meyerowitz, as he began to explore landscapes and small-town life, particularly along the Massachusetts coast. He also began shooting with a large format Deardorff view camera. Since this was such an important year in Meyerowitz’s photographic journey, since many of the pictures that this Recipe was modeled after were captured in 1976, and because the vast majority of his photos were shot on Kodak film, I call this Recipe 1976 Kodak.
Two Birds – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1976 Kodak
The 1976 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe is quite versatile, and works well in many lighting situations and for many genres of photography. You might find it to be slightly overly warm in artificial light, but otherwise use it anytime. It’s compatible with Fujifilm X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-T5, X-H2, X-H2s, and X-S20. Those with newer GFX cameras can use it, too, although it will likely render slightly different (use it anyway!). Try this Recipe with a vintage lens to further replicate a retro aesthetic.
Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg. Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: Auto, -2 Red & -4 Blue Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: +1.5 Shadow: +3 Color: +4 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this 1976 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Country Truck – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Truck being Photographed – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Tonka Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Nissan Nature – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pro4X – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Empty Campus – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Street Glimpse – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Leaf & Treats – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Evening Reflected in Glass – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dead Decorative Flowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Old Tricycle – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Two Red Chairs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Locked Bike – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Circles of Life – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fountain Not Flowing – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Orange Pot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mineral Discoloring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Covered Promenade – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Curious Closed Curtain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Office Abstract – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Plastic Green – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Joshua Waiting in a Blue Chair – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Photography is Life – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Guitar Practice – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Happy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Green Leaves Hiding Behind Gate – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Park Bench – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rainbow & Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Ceramic Tile Roof – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Suburban Home – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Date Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea Garden – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Distant Thunderstorm Building – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Uptown Snake – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red Bell – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Green Soccer Field – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Scootering – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rooftop at Dusk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Distant Sunset – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pastel Sunset over Ball Field – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Foul Pole & Full Moon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Saguaro at Sundown – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dramatic Sunset behind Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Purple Sky – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset over School – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset Lit Cloud – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fast Scooter at Night – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Basketball Moon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Moon Through the Hoop – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Moonshot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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The world is full of color, so why would one want to photograph in black-and-white? It’s so old-fashioned anyway. Are there any good reasons to make monochrome pictures in 2023?
In 1826, the first photograph was captured by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in France. It was black-and-white because the first process was B&W. But then in 1861 the first color picture was made by James Clerk Maxwell and Thomas Sutton in Scotland. That should have been the end of B&W photos, right? Actually, color photography didn’t catch on for a very long time because the process to create them was much more complex than B&W, and their color reproduction not particularly accurate. Kodak launched Kodachrome slide film in 1935, which was the first reasonably accurate color process. That should have been the end of B&W, but it wasn’t. In fact, many photographers shunned color photography, and derided it as for amateurs. Black-and-white was for the serious, while color was not.
The New American Color movement of the 1960’s and ’70’s is really what made color photography an acceptable art form. It challenged the idea that “real” photography was only in monochrome. Color images could be just as good as, or perhaps even better than, B&W pictures. It revolutionized photography.
Epic Zip Line – Sundance, UT – Fujifilm X100F – Agfa Scala Recipe
That was so long ago. Color photography is the norm now, not black-and-white. Your digital camera captures a color picture, and you have to convert it to B&W if you want to see in shades of grey. B&W has become a niche of sorts.
So why should you shoot black-and-white photographs in 2023? What reasons are there, other than nostalgia for a time long gone? I love B&W photography, so let me offer a few to you.
Black-and-white pictures are abstract by nature. They’re not faithful reproductions of the world as we see it. Because it is abstract, the photographer is invited to capture the scene in a unique way, with a vision that is dissimilar to, and perhaps even the opposite of, reality. It’s not so much about what the scene is, but about how we see the scene through a divergent eye, and how we can express that to the viewer. It’s a timeless approach to fine-art photography.
The strength of color photographs is color, but it’s also its weakness. When color works within a color theory—perhaps contrasting or harmonious—it can create an especially dramatic or beautiful picture; however, when the colors within an image work against each other, it can be a distraction. B&W photos remove the distraction of color, allowing the viewer to see the important elements without color fighting for their attention—it’s the art of subtraction.
Playing with Waves – Cambria, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe
Black-and-white photography is about light and shadow. It’s about contrast. It’s about shape. Texture. Pattern. Space. Emotion. Those are very important elements to color photography, too, but they’re even more critical to B&W pictures. Mastering monochrome will make you a better photographer, even for your color work.
Fujifilm cameras are particularly great for black-and-white photography thanks to their wonderful film simulations: Monochrome and especially Acros. Many different Film Simulation Recipes can be made using these as the base, with a wide variety of characteristics. Pick one that looks interesting to you, and shoot with it for a day or two to see what you get. My personal favorite is Kodak Tri-X 400, but there are so many that are really good, it’s hard to go wrong with any of them.
Whether you’ve been shooting black-and-white for decades and decades, or if you never have before but are interested, I invite you to join myself and Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry as we discuss B&W photography in-depth on SOOC Livethis Thursday, August 3rd, at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern. I’ve included it below so that you can easily find in on Thursday.
If you missed last Thursday’s SOOC Live broadcast, where Nathalie and I finished our discussion of travel photography, be sure to watch it now. I’ve included it below, or visit the SOOC Live YouTube Channel. Also, if you haven’t seen the Viewers’ Images slideshow (your pictures!), I’ve added that to the bottom of this article—be sure to watch!
The August issue of FXW Zine is out now! Creative Collective subscribers can download it today. Not a Creative Collective subscriber? Join to gain access to this issue plus all pervious issues of FXW Zine and the many bonus articles.
Issue 21 takes a look at five budget-friendly Fujifilm cameras that are fairly inexpensive on the used market. If you are considering adding another camera but don’t have a lot to spend, or if you are looking for a good-yet-cheap first Fujifilm model—maybe for your kid or a friend—then the August issue is for you!
The new Nostalgic Neg. film simulation found only on the latest Fujifilm cameras is becoming quite popular! A lot of people really seem to love the aesthetic of it. All X-Trans V models, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2, X-H2s, X-T5, and X-S20, have Nostalgic Neg., as well as a couple of GFX cameras (GFX100S and GFX50S II). Classic Chrome is the most-used film sim by a large margin, followed distantly by Classic Negative and Acros, but currently there’s a lot of interest in the new option.
According to Fujifilm, Nostalgic Neg. is based on “American New Color” photography of the 1970’s. They studied photographs by William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, Joel Sternfeld, and Richard Misrach in order to create it. Eggleston and Sternfeld largely shot on Kodachrome—II and X in the early 1970’s, 25 and 64 in the late ’70’s—while Shore shot mostly Kodacolor, and Misrach shot a lot of Vericolor. All of those are Kodak emulsions, but with different aesthetics. These four photographers had different styles and different darkroom processes, and they each had a unique look; the commonality that Fujifilm found was an “overall atmosphere based on amber.” That’s a basic explanation of what the new film simulation is. While not mentioned by Fujifilm, I think Nostalgic Neg. also has some similarities to photographs by Saul Leiter and Joel Meyerowitz. Leiter used a whole bunch of different films over the years, including Kodachrome and Anscochrome, but apparently he didn’t mind using generic drug store brands, either. Meyerowitz mostly shot a mix of Kodachrome and Ektachrome for his color work. Nostalgic Negative is a divergent approach for Fujifilm, I think, in that it is not intended to mimic a certain emulsion (or the “memory color” of a specific film stock), but instead tries to mimic the “memory color” of a certain decade (the 1970’s), or perhaps simply elicit a nostalgic emotional response.
A lot of various looks can be made using the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation. Because it is largely intended to mimic a retro Kodak aesthetic, it’s a good starting point for Kodak-esque Film Simulation Recipes. While some of my Recipes that use Nostalgic Neg. are intended to replicate a specific stock, most of them are not, and instead are more reminiscent of a certain time or era instead of a specific emulsion; however, some of those were made from studying pictures captured on specific films, so they do tend to resemble actual film stocks to an extent.
I get asked which Nostalgic Neg. Film Simulation Recipe one should try first on their X-Trans V camera. There are plenty to choose from, and the list is growing. Since your camera has seven custom presets (with the exception of the X-S20, which only has four), I would like to suggest the seven Nostalgic Neg. Recipes below. Choose one or two or even all seven to program into your camera, and give it a try! I bet at least one of them will become a new favorite Film Simulation Recipe that you find yourself using often.
Vulture City Entrance – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer
The 1970’s Summer Film Simulation Recipe very much has a nostalgic Kodak “memory color” (as Fujifilm likes to say) that is reminiscent of old color photographs from the 1970’s. You might notice some similarities to William Eggleston’s Election Eve and 2 1/4 series and some of his other work from the late-1960’s through the mid-1970’s—not every picture, but certainly several. You might spot some similarities between this look and some of Stephen Shore’s photographs from the early-to-mid 1970’s. I think there are some similarities to a few of Joel Sternfeld’s American Prospects pictures. There’s a noticeable likeness to several of Richard Misrach’s desert photographs. In other words, 1970’s Summer produces a distinct American New Color aesthetic with a clear 1970’s vibe. This recipe works best in sunny daylight, and is excellent for midday photography.
Going Out of Business – Prescott, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer
Short Train – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer
More Than Double Wide – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer
Ranch House – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of 1960
I found the December 1960 issue of Arizona Highways in a used bookstore. It has page after page of amazing photography! I really love the look of the pictures in this particular issue—while not every image looks alike, there is definitely a commonality to the photo aesthetic. For those who don’t know, Arizona Highways is a magazine with an important history. It began in 1925, and in 1946 published the world’s first all-color publication. From the beginning, Arizona Highways has been dedicated to the art of photography. Ansel Adams was a regular contributor. Barry Goldwater, Ray Manley, Chuck Abbott, David and Josef Muench, Ed Ellinger, Esther Henderson, and many other talented photographers were often featured. The publication is full of wonderful images even to this day. While it is not purely a photography magazine, Arizona Highways is a publication that photographers love due to their passion for the medium.
The vast majority of the pictures in the December 1960 issue were captured on Ektachrome, and fair number were shot on Kodachrome. While it was the December issue, most of the photographs had been captured that previous summer. The Summer of 1960 Film Simulation Recipe mimics the aesthetic of the those images, including the magazine photo below, made by Chuck Abbott in July 1960 using Kodachrome.
Agaves in 1960 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of 1960
Saguaro Spines – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of 1960
Agua Caliente Pond – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of 1960
When I was six-years-old, my family and I went to Expo ’86 World’s Fair in Vancouver, Canada. Not long ago I found many old pictures of that event—personal, in books, and online. The Emulsion ’86 Film Simulation Recipe is highly reminiscent of some of those photographs, producing a nostalgic analog aesthetic that is similar to some pictures from the mid-1980’s (presumably primarily Kodak emulsions). While it is a good option for sunny daylight photography, I especially like how this one looks on dreary overcast days.
Old California Architecture – San Diego, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Emulsion ’86
Don’t Climb on the Bikes – Oceanside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Emulsion ’86
Pink Blossom Bush – San Diego, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Emulsion ’86
The Kodak Negative Film Simulation Recipe isn’t intended to mimic any specific emulsions; instead it has a “memory color” similar to some Kodak films, like Royal Gold, Gold 100, and Ektar 100. It’s not an exact match to any of those, but just in the general ballpark with a warm and vibrant Kodak color negative film palette. Because it uses Auto White Balance, the Kodak Negative Recipe is fairly versatile and can be used for many subjects and lighting situations.
Three Oranges – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Negative
Lake Lamp – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Negative
Water & Reflection – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Negative
Backlit Lupine – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Thommy’s Ektachrome
Thommy’s Ektachrome was made by Thomas Schwab, who was simply trying to make a Recipe using the Nostalgic Neg. film sim that would be good for portraits. The Recipe he created has a distinctive Ektachrome aesthetic, especially similar to National Geographic photographs prior to Ektachrome’s discontinuation by 2013 (prior to the revival in 2018). That was, of course, by chance and not intentional, but there certainly are some similarities. This Recipe is not only good for portraits, but also landscapes and I’m sure many genres of photography. Thommy’s Ektachrome does particularly well in sunny daylight, but is good for overcast, shade, and natural-light indoors, too.
Way Over That Way – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Thommy’s Ektachrome
Wildflower Spring – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Thommy’s Ektachrome
Historic Ranch House – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Thommy’s Ektachrome
Lynx Lake Overlook – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Nostalgia Negative
I wasn’t trying to emulate any specific film or process when I created the Nostalgia Negative Film Simulation Recipe, I just wanted something that looked good. This was my very first X-Trans V Recipe, and it was simply an attempt to create a better Nostalgic Neg. than just using the default settings. I hoped that perhaps it would even evoke feelings of nostalgia with a vintage analog-like aesthetic.
Two Ducks – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Nostalgia Negative
311 – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Nostalgia Negative
Soft Rose – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Timeless Negative
The creators of the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation stated, “Nostalgic Negative is tuned for the best allrounder settings, but if you want to tweak it to get that classic American New Color look from the ’70’s, there are some adjustments you should make.” This Timeless Negative Film Simulation Recipe is a tweak to Fujifilm’s recommended settings, bringing it closer to a ’70’s vibe. This particular Recipe is especially versatile, and can be used for many different genres of photography and in various light conditions—it’s good for anytime of the day or night.
Dark Coffee – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Timeless Negative
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Fujifilm will be announcing the upcoming X100V replacement in early 2024, according to Fujirumors. What will be different on the new model is unknown, but most likely it will be nearly the same, and will probably be a little more expensive. It will be interesting to see what exactly Fujifilm changes and what they keep the same. Will it have a 26 or 40 megapixel sensor? XPan aspect ratio? IBIS? NP-W235 battery? Anything is a possibility right now, but historically the X100-series doesn’t change a whole lot with each new iteration.
I hope that Fujifilm—and it would be really smart for them to do this—introduces a brand-new film simulation with this model. Yes, it will have Eterna Bleach Bypass and Nostalgic Neg., but it should have one more fresh film sim. I have no idea if that’s in the plans or not, but it should be.
Probably the least important aspect of any new camera—from a usability perspective—is the name; however, from a marketing perspective, the name is fairly important. If the camera is called something awkward or uninspiring, it might mean fewer sales, while if it is called something catchy and cool, it could increase camera sales. Fujifilm likely has a shortlist of potential names written on a board in Japan right now, and they’re trying to decide which one to pick.
Fans of Fujifilm are—just for fun—also contemplating the new name. I correctly picked the name of the X100V well before it was announced, and I’m hoping to go 2-0 with the upcoming version. It’s not important in the scheme of things, but I do enjoy guessing. Others have taken a stab at it, too. Let’s discuss some of the potential options.
My best guess is that Fujifilm will name the new model X100Z. Why Z? First, it sounds cool (think Nissan 350Z). Second, “Z” (Zeta) is the sixth letter in the Greek alphabet, and this will be the sixth iteration of the camera. Third, Fujifilm used Z in some of their film emulsion names, such as Fujicolor Pro 800Z (if they did introduce a new film simulation, it could be based on Pro 800Z and called PRO Neg. Z). It makes a lot of sense to me, and seems to check a lot of boxes that I imagine Fujifilm has for any potential name.
In the original X100 naming system, S stood for Second, T for Third, and F for Fourth. Once number five came around, the naming system no longer worked, so Fujifilm jumped to Roman Numerals for the current model. V not only means Five, but there’s also a V in the word. Some people think that Fujifilm will continue with Roman Numerals, and the next version will be X100VI. This is likely high on Fujifilm’s list of possibilities, but it just seems so Sony, and not so much Fujifilm; however, Fujifilm has been trying to be more like Sony lately, so maybe they’ll go this route. I personally would be surprised if Fujifilm uses another Roman Numeral until the tenth model, which will surely be called X100X, but I have no doubts that this option is on their list.
Another possibility—and this one seems to be the most popular among Fuji fans—is R, because that’s the sixth letter in the Japanese alphabet. The letter is pronounced Roku, which you might recognize as a well-established brand name for streaming television. If Fujifilm went this route, surely there will be plenty of jokes (for example, watch your favorite YouTuber right on your camera…). I could see Omar Gonzalez or Kai Wong having a field day with this! I would think that Fujifilm would avoid this option simply for the name association, but they could say that R stands for Rangefinder or Resolution (if they choose the 40mp sensor), but of course we’ll all know what it really means: plug the X100Roku into your TV for streaming made easy!
Some have speculated that Fujifilm will start over, going with X200 (followed by X200S, X200T, etc.). I don’t think this option makes much sense. I imagine that a full-frame X100 model would be called X200, but I don’t see Fujifilm completely renaming an established and popular line. If they were to go this route, the X200 would have to be significantly different than the X100V to justify such a dramatic name change, and I don’t see that happening.
If Fujifilm keeps everything pretty much the same and only makes minor modifications to the new model, I could see X100Vs (like the X-E2s, or if they use the stacked sensor of the X-H2s) or X100V II (like the X-T30 II) as the name. I think a lot of people will be disappointed that the new camera is pretty much the exact same thing as the (at the time of the new announcement) four-year-old X100V; however, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? So if not much changes, X100Vs and X100V II are both possibilities, but I imagine that enough will be different that Fujifilm won’t choose these options.
Another one I’ve seen floated around is X100H, where H stands for Hex, which means Six in Latin. It also means curse in English, so I’d be really surprised if Fujifilm made a bewitched model. I think this one will be avoided like the plague!
Of course, the one I’d really like to see is the X100-Acros, a monochrome-only version. I think there would be a lot of buzz surrounding that, and would be a “wow” camera. I hope that Fujifilm is at least considering such a version—I’d be first in line to buy it!
Now it’s your turn: what do you think Fujifilm will name the sixth edition of the X100-series? Let me know in the comments!
I’m not a wedding photographer. I’ve photographed a couple of weddings in the past—many years ago—and I have no desire to jump into that genre. Good wedding photographers are sometimes the first there and last to leave. It’s not uncommon to work 12, 14, or even 16 hours on the big day. Then there are thousands of exposures to cull through, and then edit. That might be an additional 24, 28, or even 32 hours of work! That’s not my cup of tea. For others, though, this is their thing, and they love what they do. Their passion is capturing incredible memories of other people’s weddings.
The shift to a faster turnaround must be frustrating for many in the industry, but it’s actually an opportunity. The article states that some wedding photographers are trying to get some social media type content into the hands of their customers within 48 hours. But why that long? Why not much quicker? Why not as the wedding is happening? If you can do that, you have a huge leg-up on your competition.
I cohost a live YouTube series with official Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry. She does a lot of business photography. Recently she was hired to photograph a corporate event, but they wanted to have the pictures available to share on their social media platforms immediately, in real-time as the event was happening. How did she do this? First, she used Fujifilm gear combined with my Film Simulation Recipes, and shot JPEGs. The pictures looked good straight-out-of-camera, and no editing was needed. Every so many minutes she downloaded the pictures off the camera and uploaded them onto a cloud drive that the customer had access to. Within 10 or 15 minutes of the pictures being captured, the customer was able to share them across the world. This went so well that a week later she was hired to do it again for a different corporate event. I do believe this is the future of event photography, including wedding photography.
Maybe real-time photo sharing isn’t something you’re ready to offer, but if your pictures look great straight-out-of-camera, and further manipulation isn’t needed (or only lightly needed), you can speed up your turnaround significantly. Instead of providing the client with a small batch of photos within 48 hours for social media sharing while they wait up to six weeks for the rest, you can deliver the whole wedding the next day or maybe two. This is, of course, in theory. I’m not aware of anyone who is actually doing this right now. A few different wedding photographers have told me that they are using my Film Simulation Recipes on their Fujifilm cameras, and delivering some of the pictures either same-day or next-day to the client, while providing the rest of photographs at some point later on. I do think, if you’ve got good settings dialed into your camera, and you’re especially careful to get everything right at the time the pictures are captured, that delivering unedited JPEGs of the wedding to the couple is possible, and nobody will be the wiser that you didn’t actually spend hours post-processing RAW files.
This is something I’ve talked about before. Back in December I published Want to be a Wedding Photographer? Your Opportunity Awaits! and earlier this month I posted The Future of Photography is Unedited, where I touched on this topic. I keep bringing it up because I see this shift happening, and those who already have a simplified workflow using Film Simulation Recipes are ahead of the curve, and are primed for success in this changing environment. I want to make sure that you are aware of it, in case you want to take advantage of the opportunity.
I don’t do wedding or event photography, but there are still plenty of advantages to shooting JPEGs. Despite having way more photographs to cull through and share, I was able to publish my pictures of the Central Coast of California tour much quicker than Ken Rockwell did, because my workflow is much quicker than his. That’s a pretty meaningless example; I don’t have a lot of strict photographic deadlines. Perhaps a better case is this: on December 8th of last year, Nathalie, myself, a group of guests, and those who tuned-in, created a Film Simulation Recipe during the Let’s Get Festive holiday-special SOOC Live broadcast—this is the first and (as far as I’m aware) only time a Fujifilm Recipe has been made live on YouTube. Within minutes of its creation, I (and others) had captured a picture using the new Film Simulation Recipe and shared it with all those watching. The very next day I published the Recipe, which the live audience named Mystery Chrome, on this website (and the Fuji X Weekly App), complete with 24 example pictures. That’s my best quick-turnaround example.
Even though I don’t have the need to publish pictures immediately after they’ve been captured, I do sometimes share a photo quickly through text or social media, which is never a problem because I don’t post-process my images. What’s more meaningful to me is that I don’t spend hours and hours sitting at a computing fiddling with files, which saves me a ton of time, making me more productive, while also freeing up time for other things (such as writing blog posts and spending time with my family). It’s changed my life, no hyperbole. I think it can and will change event photography and even wedding photography. It will just take some pioneer photographers to give it a try, which could be you.
Not post-processing your pictures is called one-step photography, a term coined by Edwin Land and perpetuated by Ansel Adams in his book Polaroid Land Photography. “The effect of one-step processing on both amateur and professional creative photography,” Adams stated, “has been revolutionary.” With film, step-one is capturing the picture in-camera and step-two is developing and printing it in a darkroom; however, Polaroid cameras removed the second step, creating a one-step process, which greatly simplified the photographic workflow. With digital, step-one is capturing the picture in-camera and step-two is post-processing in software like Lightroom; however, Film Simulation Recipes remove the second step, creating a one-step process, which greatly simplifies the photographic workflow. “The process has revolutionized the art and craft of photography,” Adams concluded. It still is, for those who embrace the one-step approach.
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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It’s summer and it’s hot. I live in Arizona, so when I say it’s hot, I mean that it feels like someone opened an oven door! Nobody wants to be outside during the day right now, so (like vampires) everyone comes out at night. Not that it’s all that much cooler at dusk—it’s still triple digits—but at least it’s more bearable. While it’s easy to look at the negative side of things, the positive aspect to the excessive heat is that opportunities for night photography are plentiful.
A few days ago I took my Fujifilm X-T5 to downtown Tempe for some after-dark photography. Attached to the camera was a Meike 35mm f/1.7 lens, and I had a 5% CineBloom diffusion filter screwed onto it. I like the Meike lens for its vintage-like character. I chose the 5% CineBloom because its effect is subtle. While the 10% or 20% might have been more appropriate for a couple of the Film Simulation Recipes, overall I appreciate what the 5% CineBloom does to the photographs, which is not much yet oftentimes just enough.
I programmed into my Fujifilm X-T5 eight different Film Simulation Recipes, and shot with all of them. How was I able to program eight? Well, obviously, there’s C1-C7. On the X-T5 (as well as my X-E4 and a few other newer models), you can program an additional Recipe into the IQ menu. As you scroll through C1-C7, when you’re in-between C7 and C1, the camera will display the shooting mode (either P, A, S, or M, depending on the configuration of your dials), and it will select the settings programmed into the IQ menu, giving you a bonus eighth custom preset.
I didn’t walk all that far with my camera—going down a few blocks on one side of the road, and then back up on the other side. It was dark, but still blazing hot. I did manage to capture a whole bunch of pictures, making sure that I had at least six decent exposures with each Recipe. Afterwards I cooled off with an ice cream shake at In-N-Out, a nice treat to beat the heat.
If you are searching for some Film Simulation Recipes to try out on a hot summer night, take a look at the eight below. They’re certainly not the only ones that are good for after-dark photography, but they are all excellent options, and have their own unique aesthetics. These eight Recipes are the ones that I used, and I invite you to try them, too, the next time you go out for some night photography.
Boat Shack at Sunset – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor Super HG v2
Fujicolor Super HG v2 is a highly versatile Film Simulation Recipe that—because it uses the Auto White Priority white balance—you can use anytime of the day or night. This is a Recipe that makes a lot of sense to always have programmed into your camera, since, no matter the light scenario, it’s going to give you good results. There’s an X-Trans V version of Fujicolor Super HG v2 (for those with an X-T5, X-H2, X-H2s, or X-S20), and an X-Trans IV version of this Recipe (for those with an X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II).
Three Empty Seats – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Ektachrome 320T
While the previous Recipe used Auto White Priority, Ektachrome 320T uses Auto Ambiance Priority, but don’t let that fool you: this Recipe is intended for use at night or indoors under artificial light, where it works very well. Ektachrome 320T is compatible with some X-Trans IV models that have the Eterna Bleach Bypass film simulation (X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II); to use it on X-Trans V, simply set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong, since X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations.
Expired ECN-2 100T is currently a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe. If you are a subscriber on the App, you have access to this Film Simulation Recipe; otherwise, you’ll have to wait a little while for it to become available to everyone. This particular Recipe produces a green or yellow cast (depending on the light) when used at night, and a teal-ish cast when used in daylight. Like the previous Recipe, this one is compatible with the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras; to use it on X-Trans V models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong.
Daily Jam at Night – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled
Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled isn’t intended specifically as a Film Simulation Recipe for nighttime photography, but because it is so versatile it works really well for this. It has a low-contrast, low-saturation rendering with an earthy cast. It’s really good for toning down a scene when you’d prefer a softer picture. Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II, but not the X-T3 or X-T30); to use it on X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong.
When I first learned that Xpro ’62 was great for after-dark photography, I was actually a little surprised, because this is intended as a daylight Recipe, and on paper it doesn’t seem versatile enough to be a good nighttime option. But it’s absolutely wonderful for night images! If you’ve never tried Xpro ’62 for post-sunset pictures, be sure to do so. It’s compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II, but not the X-T3 or X-T30); to use it on X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong.
The CineStill 800T Film Simulation Recipe is specifically intended for night photography, so it should be no surprise that it does well for after-dark pictures. If you want to even more closely mimic the film, try it with a 10% or 20% CineBloom diffusion filter. Like the previous two Recipes, CineStill 800T is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II, but not the X-T3 or X-T30); to use it on X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong. There is a version for X-Trans III cameras plus the X-T3 and X-T30, and a version for X-Trans II models.
The Pushed CineStill 800T Recipe is actually modeled after some pictures of the film that were captured in daylight on an overcast day. This Recipe wasn’t necessarily purposefully intended for night photography, but it shouldn’t be surprising that it does well for it. It also shouldn’t be too surprising that it renders noticeably different than the CineStill 800T Recipe above. Pushed CineStill 800T is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras that have Eterna Bleach Bypass (X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II; however, there is a version for the X-Pro3 and X100V); to use it on X-Trans V cameras, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong.
Neon Red – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Serr’s 500T
Last but far from least is Serr’s 500T, which is one of my absolute favorite nighttime Film Simulation Recipes. Due to its strong blue cast, this one is especially great for countering warm artificial light. Serr’s 500T is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II); to use it on X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong.
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Someone asked me for advice: should they sell their Fujifilm X100V (plus the wide and tele conversion lenses) and buy an X-T5 (plus some f/2 Fujinon lenses), or just keep the X100V? They really like the X100V, and it works well for their photography, but they think the X-T5 might be better. I was going to answer this question personally, but I can’t find the email or DM (sorry); instead, I will answer the question publicly, and hope they find it. Maybe it will also be helpful to some of you considering a similar scenario.
Because there is so much demand for and so little supply of the X100V, they’re selling for an inflated price right now. If a camera like the X-T5 is financially out-of-reach, yet you can get a good amount for your X100V, now the X-T5 is a possibility. But is it worth it?
I have a Fujifilm X100V. It was a birthday gift from my wife over three years ago, and it’s been my favorite camera ever since. Even though my X100V is far from new, it is still such a great camera, and I use it all of the time. I feel like it is the perfect tool 90% of the time, 8% of the time it’s not ideal but can be made to work, and 2% of the time it is just the wrong tool for the job. That’s for my photography. You might find it to be perfect 100% of the time for yours, or only 50%, or something else entirely. Each person is different. My opinion is that, while the X100V is my favorite camera, it is best when you have an interchangeable-lens option for those situations when it is not ideal.
I have a Fujifilm X-T5. I purchased it when it was announced so that I could try the new Nostalgic Neg. film simulation. The X-T5 is such a great camera, too—very wonderful! Fujifilm did an excellent job with this one. But I don’t like it nearly as much as the X100V. If I put the two models next to each other, most of the time I’d grab the X100V and not the X-T5. Let me give you five reasons for this.
Before I do—just real quick—I want to make it clear that this article is not about bashing the Fujifilm X-T5 or any other camera. I’m sure for some of you the X-T5 is your all-time favorite model, and you’ve never been happier. It could be that if you purchased it, you’d find the perfect camera for you. Each person will have their own preferences because we’re all different, and we have some excellent options to choose from. I’m simply speaking about my personal experiences and preferences.
First, the Fujifilm X-T5, while still fairly small and lightweight, is bigger and heavier than my X100V. This matters a lot to me, because the X100V rarely gets in the way, while the X-T5 can and sometimes does. After awhile of carrying around, the X-T5 gets tiring a lot quicker than the X100V. Also, I have a travel kit that I really like, and the X100V fits really well in it, while the X-T5 doesn’t.
Second, the Fujifilm X100V has some features that I find especially useful, such as the built-in fill-flash that works incredibly well (thanks to the leaf shutter and Fujifilm’s programming) and a built-in ND filter. The X-T5 has IBIS, which is also a useful feature, so this isn’t completely lopsided in favor of the X100V, but I use the fill-flash and ND filter fairly frequently, while IBIS is only occasionally useful for me—you might find the opposite to be true for you.
Third, the Fujifilm X-T5 is designed like an SLR, and the viewfinder is in the middle; the X100V is designed like a rangefinder, and the viewfinder is on the corner. When I use the X-T5, my nose gets smooshed against the rear LCD, and often leaves a smudge. With the X100V, my nose sits next to the camera completely unsmooshed (did I just make up a new word?), and the rear LCD remains smudgeless (another made-up word?).
Fourth, the X100V has more manageable file sizes than the X-T5. The 26-megapixel images from the X100V are plenty for me. I’ve printed 2′ x 3′ from straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, and they look great. I don’t print larger than that, so I don’t really need the extra resolution. If I needed to crop deeply I could with the X-T5, but since it’s an interchangeable-lens model, I’d simply change the lens as my first option. The X-T5’s 40-megapixel pictures fill up an SD card and my phone’s storage noticeably quicker. Sometimes more resolution means more problems.
Fifth, the Fujifilm X-T5 is subject to dust on the sensor. Technically, it’s possible to get a dirty sensor on the X100V (and that would be a big problem), but it would take a combination of a crazy scenario (I’m thinking haboob) and mishandling (no filter attached). I’ve never had a single dust spot (knock on wood) on my X100V, but it’s a constant battle with my X-T5 (and my other interchangeable-lens models).
So my recommendation is to keep the Fujifilm X100V, and not sell it to fund the purchase of an X-T5. That’s my advice, but it is up to each person to determine what is most appropriate for their unique situation. What’s best for me may not be what’s best for you.
With that said, I do think it makes a lot of sense to have an interchangeable-lens option to go with the X100V. I have a Fujifilm X-E4 that I especially love, and I use it more often than the X-T5. Yes, you heard that correctly: the X100V is my most used camera, the X-E4 is number two, and the X-T5 is in third place right now. They’re all wonderful options, and you should be happy with any of them. In the specific situation I was asked about, I do believe that cost is a significant consideration, and I’d look into a used Fujifilm X-E3 as a companion to the X100V, since the X-E4 might be too expensive or difficult to find.
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Fujirumors is reporting that the Fujifilm X100V successor, which I’m calling the X100Z, will be announced in early 2024 (and they’re almost always right). Going by previous models, that means Fujifilm will announce the camera in either late-January or early-February, and it will likely ship in late-February or early-March.
That’s good news, especially if you’ve been trying to get an X100V but just can’t. Reinforcements are coming soon enough, and the wait will be over before you know it.
Here are some issues, though. If you’ve been patiently waiting for an X100V, and you’ve been on a backorder list for months and months—are you going to be happy when your X100V ships just a little prior to the announcement of the new model? The X100V is great, so I hope that the timing won’t sour your opinions or experience, but it might. Or this: will those on the waitlist for the X100V be given priority for the X100Z? Let’s say you’ve been waiting six months for your X100V and it hasn’t shipped. Suddenly the X100Z is announced. Will the store offer to bump you to the top of the preorder list for the new model? I know of one store that told me this will be their plan. Is it fair to those who don’t have an X100V on backorder but who preorder the X100Z within minutes of its announcement, but can’t get their camera shipped timely because others jumped the line from the X100V? It could be that you’ll have to cancel your long-awaited order and place a new one for the new camera, getting in a whole different line, possibly not at the top. Is that fair? I don’t have any answers, I’m just posing the questions—it’s something that Fujifilm and camera stores will have to carefully consider and tread lightly with.
I don’t know what Fujifilm will call the next X100-series model, but I’m betting on X100Z. Why? First, it sounds cool. Second, “Z” (Zeta) is the sixth letter in the Greek alphabet, and this will be the sixth iteration of the camera. Third, Fujifilm used Z in some of their film emulsion names, such as Fujicolor Pro 800Z. It makes a lot of sense to me, so that’s why I think it’s what they’ll choose. But I have no idea.
I don’t believe Fujifilm will bring very many changes to the new model. The X100-series doesn’t evolve much. I do believe it will include the 40-megapixel X-Trans V sensor and processor. Some want the 26mp stacked sensor of the X-H2s, and some want the X-Trans IV sensor of the X100V. While anything is possible, I would be pretty darn surprised if it isn’t the 40-megapixel sensor. Due to the fixed-focal-length limitation, having more resolution offers more versatility. Also, Fujifilm could give us the X-Pan 65:24 aspect ratio (Fujifilm: hint, hint)….
Speaking of that, the Digital Teleconverters will benefit from the 40mp sensor, and Fujifilm could even include a third option, something like 80mm or possibly 85mm. I hope, though, that they fix the problem of the faux Grain not scaling. As it is now, the Grain appears huge when using the 70mm Digital Teleconverter; however, it should scale so that it is the same size as when not using the Digital Teleconverter.
Another potential benefit of the 40mp sensor would be digital image stabilization for video. Some sort of hyper-smooth digital cropping that still renders 4K would make the camera more useful for videography. I know that a lot of people want IBIS, but I’d be surprised if Fujifilm put it into this model. Who knows, maybe they will (and it would certainly make the new model an upgrade), but if I were betting money, I’d say that the X100Z doesn’t have IBIS.
I think bringing back the four-way D-Pad on the back would be a nice touch. I believe that Fujifilm was trying to move away from it, but there was a lot of outcry from the community. That’s something Fujifilm could do to differentiate the X100Z from the X100V and make a lot of people happy.
I suspect that whatever part or parts Fujifilm was having difficulty securing in order to manufacture more copies of the X100V, will be replaced by some alternative(s) that will more easily be available. How that affects the camera, I have no idea. Maybe a slightly different rear LCD? I’m sure I’m in the minority here, but I’d actually prefer no rear screen, or maybe just the little box-top rear screen like on the X-Pro3. Maybe a slightly different viewfinder? Whatever it is, I’m sure there will be something different that allows the camera to be more readily produced.
The most obvious thing that Fujifilm could do—and they absolutely should do—with the X100Z is introduce a new film simulation. I don’t know if Fujifilm realizes just how important film sims and Film Simulation Recipes are for camera sales and customer retention. If they do end up naming the camera X100Z, then a Fujicolor Pro 800Z-inspired (maybe called PRO Neg. Z) film sim would make a lot of sense; otherwise, Fujicolor Pro 400H (that with overexposure behaves similarly to the film), Fujichrome Sensia, Fujichrome Fortia, cross-process, infrared, Instax, and Neopan 400CN are a few other ideas. Obviously, Eterna Bleach Bypass and Nostalgia Neg. will also be included in the new camera.
Beyond that, I don’t think there will be a whole lot of differences between the X100V and X100Z. They will be much more alike than dissimilar. I said, though, that we were going to dream, so let’s throw some wild ideas out there, and see if any of them happen to come to pass.
My first wild idea is that Fujifilm uses an APS-H sensor instead of APS-C. I have no idea if the camera’s lens has APS-H coverage—my guess is that it does not—but if by chance it does, I believe that the current 40mp chip cut to APS-H size would be about 60mp (that may not be accurate… let me know if I got my calculation wrong). The 1.3 crop factor would make the lens 30mm full-frame equivalent. On paper the X100Z would be more similar to the Leica Q3, but at a fraction of the cost—it would be the Q3 killer!
Next, an interesting idea someone suggested was that the IR filter, which normally is directly on the sensor, could be moved next to the ND filter, and—like the ND filter—it could be enabled and disabled. In other words, with the push of a button, your X100Z could convert to full-spectrum! The lens has, apparently, an IR hot-spot in the center, but maybe it’s something Fujifilm could correct in-camera (similar to vignetting). It’s a crazy idea, but would be super cool!
I mentioned IBIS already, stating that I don’t think it’s likely to happen, but if Fujifilm can include it on the X100Z with minimal effect on size, weight, heat, and cost, that would be amazing! I hope they can, but I doubt they will. We can dream, though, right?
Of course, I’d love to see a monochrome-only version. If Fujifilm doesn’t do it with an X100-series body, they should do it with an X-Pro model. In other words, Fujifilm should definitely make an Acros-version of one of their cameras, and the X100 is a logical option.
How about three different versions, each with a different focal length? Sigma did something like this with their DP line. There could be 18mm, 23mm, and 33mm options, each identical, except for the focal length.
Fujifilm could also make special edition models, like Dura Silver or brown leather or something like that. It would have to be really well done and not cheesy. Charge a little extra for these variations.
That’s all I have. What crazy ideas can you think of for the upcoming X100Z (or whatever Fujifilm will call it)? Let me know in the comments!
Because I’m one of the more knowledgable people in the Fujifilm community when it comes to the ins and outs of camera settings, I’m constantly asked how-to type questions. I’m always happy to help, but I have to say, most of the time the answers are easily found in the owner’s manual. You mean that boring technical book packaged with my camera? Yes, exactly. Thankfully, Fujifilm has made them available online, and most of the manuals are easily navigated and even searchable. Digging into the owner’s manual for your camera has never been easier. Can’t find the answer with a Google search? I bet you can find it in the manual pretty quickly and painlessly. That really should be everyone’s starting point.
Not everyone will look through the manual, or maybe you did and still can’t find the answer. I decided to take this opportunity to answer the 10 most common how-to questions that I receive. Maybe you are searching for the answer and Google brought you here. My hope is that this article will be helpful to some of you as you’re trying to figure things out on your Fujifilm camera.
1. How to program a Film Simulation Recipe
I’m most known for Film Simulation Recipes—I have published pretty darn close to 300, which you can find on this website and the Fuji X Weekly App—so it shouldn’t be surprising that I’m asked about it the most. Programming Film Simulation Recipes into your Fujifilm camera is easy, once you’ve done it once or twice. While the process is similar across the range, not every camera is exactly the same, so you’ll want to review the Image Quality (IQ) Menu section of your manual, and also Edit/Save Custom Settings (not all Fujifilm cameras have this, but most do).
Sometimes that’s not enough, so here’s the quick answer: if your camera has C1-C7 (or C1-C4) Custom Presets (most models do, but the Bayer models and a couple of the really old cameras don’t), press the Q-button, then press-and-hold the Q-button, and the Edit/Save Custom Settings Menu will appear (except on a couple of the really old models). That’s where you can enter the parameters (or most of the parameters) of a Recipe. Alternatively, and for those cameras without C1-C7, you can enter the parameters by pressing Menu/OK, then adjusting the appropriate settings, which are found in the IQ subset.
You should now be good to go. Once you’ve done it a few times, it will be a piece of cake.
This is simple: the drive mode must be set to Single frame (S) in order to use Clarity. Your camera will disable Clarity for any continuous shooting (burst) mode, HDR, or bracket. If you find Clarity greyed out, set your camera’s drive mode to Single frame (S).
This is another simple answer: the Dynamic Range options are ISO dependent. If DR200 and/or DR400 are not available, simply increase the ISO. For X-Trans III and older, a minimum ISO of 400 is required for DR200 and a minimum ISO of 800 is required for DR400. For X-Trans IV, ISO 320 is required for DR200 and ISO 640 is required for DR400. For X-Trans V, ISO 250 is required for DR200 and ISO 500 is required for DR400. Make sure the minimum ISO threshold has been met for the Dynamic Range setting you are attempting to use.
4. How to set Highlight & Shadow with D-Range Priority
This one can be a little confusing. In my Recipes, D-Range Priority should always be set to Off unless otherwise stated. Most Recipes do not use D-Range Priority, but a few do. Sometimes D-Range Priority is confused with the Dynamic Range settings (DR100, DR200, DR400), but they are two separate things. When you enable D-Range Priority, it is in lieu of Dynamic Range, Highlight, and Shadow, so those three options will not be available to select. In other words, you can either use Dynamic Range (such as DR200) and the Tone Curve (Highlight and Shadow) or you can use D-Range Priority, but you can’t do both options simultaneously. Also, like Dynamic Range, D-Range Priority is ISO dependent.
This used to be the most asked question, but not so much lately. I wrote an article about it almost three years ago, so if you are stuck, be sure to check it out (click here). The simple answer: find the White Balance submenu in the IQ menu subset, highlight the desired White Balance option, then arrow-to-the-right to open the White Balance Shift menu for that particular WB type. Cameras older than the X-Pro3—X-Trans I, II, III, and the X-T3 & X-T30—cannot save a WB Shift within the C1-C7 Custom Presets, but the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and X-Trans V can. If you have a model that cannot save a WB Shift within the Edit/Save Custom Settings Menu, I did publish a solution that you might find helpful (click here). Models that can save the WB Shift offer a much improved experience.
Like film, many Film Simulation Recipes are intended for use in a particular light, mostly sunny daylight. When used in the “wrong” light, you might not get desirable results, and your pictures could come out yellow. My best advice is to use the right Recipe for the lighting situation that you find yourself in, or pick an Auto White Balance Recipe, which are usually more versatile.
7. How to shoot with a manual lens
I like manual lenses, whether it’s classic film gear or inexpensive third-party glass. They often have great character, which is missing in most precision-engineered modern lenses. Fujifilm has a weird quirk where you have to find Shoot Without Lens in the Menu (and it’s not always in an easy-to-spot location), or else the camera won’t let you capture a picture with one of these lenses attached. Once enabled, you can use manual lenses, but if disabled, your camera won’t capture a picture. If you cannot find it, look for Shoot Without Lens in your camera’s owner’s manual, and it will instruct you where to find it.
8. How to set Exposure Compensation
I’m surprised by how often this question comes up, and I think it’s because each Recipe lists a typical exposure compensation, usually with a range, such as +1/3 to +1. First, the suggested exposure compensation is simply meant as a starting point and is not a rule; each exposure should be judged individually, and you might need to use an exposure comp that’s outside of my recommendation. Second, if you are shooting full manual, think about how much you might need to increase or decrease the exposure over what the light meter is telling you in order to achieve the desired results—you aren’t using the exposure comp dial, so you’ll be manually doing it yourself with the aperture/shutter/ISO triangle. Third, you cannot set an exposure comp range or save exposure compensation to the C1-C7 Custom Presets. Fourth, Exposure Compensation, with rare exceptions, is found on a dial on top of the camera: +1 equals one f-stop, and the dots in-between equal 1/3 stops.
X-Trans III Film Simulation Recipes can indeed be used on X-Trans IV models. For the X-T3 and X-T30, simply set Color Chrome Effect to Off; for the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II, additionally set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and choose a Grain size (either Small or Large)—do this also for adapting X-T3/X-T30 Recipes to the newer models. X-Trans IV Recipes can technically be used on X-Trans V, but, because blue renders more deeply on some film simulations, you should make an adjustment to Color Chrome FX Blue: if the X-Trans IV Recipe calls for CCEB set to Strong use Weak on X-Trans V, and if it calls for Weak use Off. This is for Recipes that use Classic Chrome, Classic Negative, Eterna, and Eterna Bleach Bypass; for the other films sims, no adjustment is needed.
Most of the Film Simulation Recipes made for the newer models use Clarity; however, if Clarity is set to anything other than 0 it will cause a storing pause. I use this pause, which is about the same amount of time as advancing to the next frame on a film camera, to slow myself down, which I think is beneficial. If you are in a hurry, this pause can be annoying, and you might want to avoid it. So what are your options? You could forget Clarity and just accept the results for what they are. Switching to a burst mode, such as Continuous Low (CL), will disable Clarity; if you shoot RAW+JPEG, you could reprocess in-camera (or X RAW Studio) and add Clarity after the fact (this is Fujifilm’s recommendation). If a Recipe calls for minus Clarity, you could use a diffusion filter, such as CineBloom or Black Pro Mist, to produce a similar effect (5% CineBloom and 1/8 BPM are roughly equivalent to -1 & -2 Clarity, 10% CineBloom and 1/4 BPM are roughly equivalent to -3 & -4 Clarity, and 20% CineBloom and 1/2 BPM are roughly equivalent to -5 Clarity); however, there is no substitution for plus Clarity.
Those are the 10 most common how-to type questions I get asked. Hopefully this article will be helpful to a few of you who are searching for answers. Don’t be afraid to ask if you are still stuck with whatever issue you’re facing with your Fujifilm cameras. I don’t work for Fujifilm so I can’t guarantee an answer, but I’ll try to help if I can. I just ask that you attempt to find the answer in your camera’s owner’s manual first, because you probably don’t actually need my help; however, if you do, I’m happy to try.
Small Windmill – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor Superia 100
Fujicolor Superia 100 was a daylight-balanced color negative film produced by Fujifilm between 1998 and 2009. It replaced Fujicolor Super G Plus 100, which, honestly, didn’t look all that much different. Superia 100 had improved grain, sharpness, and more accurate color under florescent light; under normal conditions, and without a very close inspection, the two films looked nearly identical. Superia 100 was a “consumer” film that was widely found in drug and convenient stores. It was regularly used for family snapshots, but was also popular among photojournalists, as well as portrait and wedding photographers. Superia 100 was marketed as a “general use” low-ISO color film. Like the film, this Fujicolor Superia 100 Film Simulation Recipe could serve as a general-use option.
This Film Simulation Recipe has fairly low contrast—but not too low—and produces very nice colors. It has a nostalgic quality to it, since the film that it’s based on was widely used for family snapshots in the 1990’s and 2000’s. You can use it for portraits or street photography or landscapes—really, it’s good for most situations. Like the film, in indoor artificial light it will render especially warm, which you might or might not appreciate. This Recipe is compatible with X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, X-H2s, and X-S20. For newer GFX models, you can use either version, but I’m sure it will look slightly different than an the X series.
Film Simulation: Classic Negative Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: Daylight, 0 Red & -1 Blue Dynamic Range: DR-Auto Highlight: -1 Shadow: -2 Color: +1 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Fujicolor Superia 100 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Red Bike – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Taillight – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Snooze – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Jon with a Camera – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Water & Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spiderweb Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Greens of Summer – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Birdcage Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Americana Girl – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Backlit Girl in the Garden – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea Blooms of Summer – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blooms Above Blocks – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Tiny Purple Backyard Blossoms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Flowerpot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Love Lost – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Concentration – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hanging Lamps – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Yellow Coffee – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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Photography is moving in a clear direction, and it is unedited. Let me explain.
There’s a new photography trend on the iPhone. Instead of using the front-facing camera to take selfies, people are taking screen shots of the preview from the selfie camera. Why? What’s the difference? The pipeline for the image preview and the actual photographs are different on the iPhone. Most notably, Apple applies an HDR processing to the exposure (but not the preview), which creates a less-contrasty picture. If you are going to apply a filter to the photo and edit it, having a flatter starting point makes sense; however, if you are not editing, one might prefer the more-contrasty image preview. Aside from that, it can be frustrating that the preview doesn’t match the photograph.
My RitchieCam iPhone camera app uses the same pipeline for both the image processing and the preview, so it doesn’t have this issue. The preview you see will be the picture you get. No need to screenshot, which produces a much-lower resolution image. Those using my camera app (instead of the native iPhone app) won’t need to go through the hassle of the screen shot (plus cropping out the non-image part); instead, they’ll have better quality pictures with an analog-inspired aesthetic to post to social media.
Photo by Amanda Roesch – iPhone 13 Pro – RitchieCam App – Standard Film filter – unedited
Of course, we’re not talking about photographers here, but snap-shooters, as I doubt that anyone who would self-identify as a photographer is taking screenshots instead of using the camera. It shouldn’t be surprising that they’re uninterested in picture manipulation, and just want good results without fuss. Maybe they don’t know how to edit pictures, and the idea of doing so is very intimidating, so they have no interest in learning. It could be that they don’t want to spend their time with picture editing, and just want to share (either through text or social media) their snaps quickly—the easier the better, but the pictures still need to look decent. Others don’t edit because doing so seems less authentic; Photoshop is a bad word, and picture-manipulation equals people-manipulation. Let’s not forget that the vast majority of photos captured across the world are by amateurs, so their opinions, preferences, and trends do matter.
For the advanced-hobbyist or professional, surely photo manipulation is a requirement, right? There’s a growing movement towards reduced (or even eliminated) photo editing. First, the less time spent sitting at a computer equals more production and/or more time with friends and family. For a lot of people, for every hour out with a camera photographing means two hours in Lightroom or Capture One fiddling with the RAW files; if those two hours can be reduced by 50% or more (especially more), that’s a huge win! Second, shooting camera-made JPEGs affords the advantage of knowing exactly what you’re going to get before even pressing the shutter. Don’t like what you see? Simply make a few quick adjustments until you do, then take the picture. Not having to pre-visualize in your mind the finished photo, but seeing it right there in the viewfinder in real time, is a game-changer for many. Third, getting great (often analog-like) results straight-out-of-camera can be a much more fun photographic process, especially if you don’t enjoy sitting for hours at a computer post-processing pictures.
I used to shoot RAW and edit, but thanks to Fujifilm cameras and Film Simulation Recipes, I now use unedited (or sometimes lightly-edited) camera-made JPEGs. I will crop or straighten when needed, which is the majority of my post-processing; occasionally I will adjust the brightness a notch, but very rarely do I manipulate any further than that. Most of my pictures are unedited, even to a strict definition. This has changed my life, no hyperbole! My post workflow takes minutes instead of hours, which has made me a much more productive photographer while simultaneously improving home-life, because I can now spend more time with my wife and kids. That’s amazing!
Pacific Poppies – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues – unedited
For example, on a recent trip to the California coast, during the downtimes—such as while at lunch, as a passenger in a car, or at night before bed—I transferred the JPEGs from my cameras to my phone, cropped if needed, and uploaded to cloud storage. A few minutes here and there meant that, by the time I got home, my workflow was essentially already complete. For most photographers, once back home the work would just be getting started, with many hours sitting at a computer.
But, but, but… surely the unedited camera-made JPEGs are not good enough for serious photography, right? You couldn’t do true professional work like this, could you? You can’t print very large and still look stunning, can you? Actually, yes—you can! I know because several successful professional photographers have told me that this is how they now do their paid work. You’d be surprised by just how many are doing some or even all of their pro photo work completely unedited or just lightly edited.
It’s not just photographers who benefit from a simplified workflow, but clients. Because of social media, people often desire to have a quick turnaround on their professional photographs. The newlywed couple doesn’t want to wait two weeks for the wedding pictures to be done, and in fact their parents wished for them that very day! If you can deliver the images quickly, you have a clear advantage over your competition.
In fact, Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry told me about two recent corporate events where the client wanted the photos as the event was happening! Periodically, every so many minutes throughout the day, she would download the straight-out-of-camera images from her camera to her phone, then upload them to a cloud location that the client had access to. As the event was happening, they were able to share the pictures to their social media accounts. Delivering real-time results to the client is going to be the future of event photography. Nathalie was able to do this thanks to the Film Simulation Recipes that she had programmed into her Fujifilm cameras.
Whether it is professional, hobby, or snap-shooting, photography is slowly and stubbornly moving towards less editing. It is easier and quicker and more fun, the disadvantages of it are disappearing, and the stigmatization is dissipating. More and more, people want great results without fuss. Editing is no longer a requirement, especially if you have gear that will deliver solid out-of-camera pictures, such as Fujifilm cameras or the RitchieCam app.
The next battle will be AI. Technology allows one to simulate a photograph with a string of words, or add to an image what wasn’t there—all with a similar ease to shooting camera-made JPEGs. It will come down to authenticity. I believe that as tech pushes us towards an augmented or even fully artificial reality, society will push back with an equal and opposite force towards the genuine. People will generally prefer authenticity over artificial, but it will be a divide. Camera makers should carefully consider how to move forward through all of this, and how they can improve their straight-out-of-camera experience. Fujifilm has a clear advantage, which materialized in the recent explosion in demand for the X100V. A simplified workflow with less editing or even no editing is the future of photography, and the future is now.
The July issue of FXW Zine is out now! Creative Collective subscribers can download it today. Not a Creative Collective subscriber? Join to gain access to this issue plus all pervious issues of FXW Zine and the many bonus articles.
In Issue 20 I describe how I used my Fujifilm X100V to replicate the aesthetic of small Kodak negatives. It includes 26 pictures (including the cover) spread across 20 pages.
Note: This was a Creative Collective article, but it is now available to everyone.
Click the link below to open the .pdf. Once open, to save the file to your computer depends on the browser you are using—look for the save icon, or you might have to select “File” at the top (each browser is different).
Fujifilm couldn’t make enough copies of the camera to keep up with the newfound demand. The X100V was out-of-stock everywhere. The backorder list quickly grew long. A large camera store told me months ago that if there were no new orders, and at the current rate that Fujifilm was manufacturing the X100V, it would take them six months just to fulfill all of those backorders; however, the backorder list was growing faster than Fujifilm was delivering new cameras.
Some of those who did have an X100V—even a used one—were selling them at significantly inflated prices. I saw one listed at $1,000 above MSRP in one instance. And people were actually buying them! The price for older versions, such as the X100F, but going back all the way to the 12-year-old original X100, also increased and became more difficult to find. Even other Fujifilm series, such as the X-E line (and even Ricoh GR), saw a bump in demand as people looked for alternatives to the X100V.
Yellow Kayaks, White Trucks – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
It’s been about nine months since the craze began and it hasn’t slowed. The X100V has been an in-demand model during that time, but Fujifilm just can’t keep up with it, due to things like parts shortages and balancing manufacturing demands with the also-hot-selling X-T5. Ideally Fujifilm would have been able to truly capitalize on their fortuitous situation, but they really haven’t. Perhaps the only thing that Fujifilm has been able to do is continue to limp the manufacturing of this model a little longer than they originally anticipated, delaying the discontinuation date by as much as a year.
When you look at the history of the X100-series, a release pattern emerges. The X100S came out about two years after the original X100, the X100T came out about two years after the X100S, and the X100F was released about two years after the X100T; however, the X100V was released three years after the X100F, and we’re already beyond the three-year-mark since the X100V came out. I believe that Fujifilm would have liked to have announced the next X100-series camera, which I’ll call the X100Z, back in February, but that obviously didn’t happen. I anticipate that it will be February 2024.
Why didn’t it happen in 2023? The X100V is selling faster than they can be made. What’s the hurry in releasing a successor? I do believe the issues that plagued not only Fujifilm but also most of the tech industry are still problematic to an extent, and this gives Fujifilm more time to get their parts supply and manufacturing operations back on track. I bet Fujifilm is hoping to make just enough copies of the X100V to give a glimmer of hope that one can be obtained with enough patience—and that the buzz continues for a bit longer—but not so many that the demand is deflated when the X100Z (or whatever Fujifilm will call it) is announced in eight months or so. Honestly, Fujifilm should release one or two limited-run special-edition X100V versions between now and then.
Flare over a Log– Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor 100 Gold
The X100-series doesn’t change much with a new release. The improvements are just enough to make you desire the new model, but are never groundbreaking. There’s not going to be a redesign. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. What can we expect in an X100Z? What do I wish for?
I do believe the biggest “upgrade” will be the 40-megapixel X-Trans V sensor and processor. While I actually prefer the 26-megapixel sensor in general (as 40mp is overkill for most people), as I’ve thought about it, this sensor makes a lot of sense in an X100 because of the Digital Teleconverter, something I used far more frequently on my recent trip to California’s Central Coast than I had at any point in the two years prior. The X100V has 35mm full-frame-equivalent lens, and the Digital Teleconverter, which is a digital zoom with some smart upscaling, produces a 50mm-equivalent or 70mm-equivalent picture, adding versatility to the fixed-lens camera. There is a noticeable loss in quality when set to 70mm, but it’s still surprisingly good; however, the 40mp sensor would make this feature better and more practical for routine use. In fact, Fujifilm could even add 80mm if they wanted. The one thing I’d like Fujifilm to fix with regards to the Digital Teleconverter is scale the faux Grain, because Strong/Large Grain looks massive when using the 70mm option, but it should appear to be the same size as if the Digital Teleconverter wasn’t used.
The new sensor and processor will bring several improvements to the spec sheet for both stills and video. Autofocus will see a boost. In an age of diminishing returns, I don’t think any of that makes a big difference, but the marketing department will still use it to promote the camera and reviewers will still use it to get clicks and likes.
Playing with Waves – Cambria, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Will the X100Z have IBIS? Fujifilm has made some significant strides with their In-Body-Image-Stabilization, but I’d be mildly surprised if the new model has it. The argument is that the Ricoh GR III has IBIS, and it’s a much older and smaller camera, so why can’t the X100-series? First, IBIS isn’t really needed in the GR III and it’s pretty mediocre anyway, so it’s often overstated as a feature in that model. I do think it makes more sense in the X100-series than in the Ricoh, but if it makes the body larger or more expensive, Fujifilm will have to carefully consider the potential consequences of that. I think, with the higher-resolution sensor, a digital stabilizer for video would be sufficient.
What I would love to see in the Fujifilm X100Z are more film simulations and JPEG options. Of course that’s what I’d love to see, since I make Film Simulation Recipes. What I don’t think Fujifilm or the photography community in-general realizes is that the ability to get analog-like results straight-out-of-camera is what’s largely driving the interest in the X100V. While many long-time Fujifilm photographers purchased the X100V, for a lot of people the camera is (or would be if they could find one in stock) their first Fujifilm—whether they mainly shoot Canon, Sony, Nikon, etc., or it’s their first “real” camera—and it makes a lot of sense because it doesn’t require investing in a whole system. They can get their feet wet with something fun, and maybe later they’ll jump into the deep end. In the meantime, they’ve got a cool camera that doesn’t require sitting in front of a computer to get great results. Not only does this drive camera sales, but it is also a big reason why many end up sticking around and not moving onto something else.
Spooner Cove – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor 100 Gold
So what would I like Fujifilm to add to the X100Z? Obviously Eterna Bleach Bypass and Nostalgic Neg. will be included, but I think Fujifilm should strongly consider introducing a new film sim with this camera. Some ideas are Fujicolor Pro 400H (that with overexposure behaves similarly to the film), Fujicolor Pro 800Z (would make a lot of sense if they name the camera X100Z), Fujichrome Sensia, Fujichrome Fortia, cross-process, infrared, Instax, Neopan 400CN, etc.—there are still a ton that Fujifilm could and should do. Some JPEG options that I’d like to see are mid-tone adjustments (additional to Highlight and Shadow), black-point (a.k.a. fade, to lift blacks), split-toning (for both B&W and color pictures), more Grain options (Weak, Medium, Strong; Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Large; plus maybe various patters?), and maybe even a tint slider for the major colors to tweak their rendering? I think Fujifilm has to be careful balancing new features with simplicity, so that the many options don’t become overwhelming—in other words, pick a couple of things to add and not everything, as much as I’d love to have everything.
The X100Z will be a very successful camera for Fujifilm, and for a lot of people standing in the long line for an X100V, this new model can’t get here fast enough. There won’t likely be a huge difference between the two versions—just the new sensor and some new features, but it will nonetheless be a nice refresh. While it might seem to be a long ways off, Fujifilm will announce this camera in the not-too-distant future, and it will be here before you know it. In the meantime, I’ve included below a video published today by Leigh & Raymond Photography that discusses this very topic.
