Spooner Cove – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor 100 Gold
When I published my Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes of 2023 (so far…), what was surprisingly absent were any that were modeled after or inspired by Fujifilm emulsions. The Top 25 were almost entirely Kodak-like Recipes. That shouldn’t be too surprising since Kodak was the most popular film manufacturer, so the desire for a Kodak rendering is to be expected. But, personally, I really appreciate many of the Fujicolor Recipes, and their complete exclusion from the Top 25 list was a bit unexpected.
Someone suggested that I should make a new list, this one showcasing the most popular Fujifilm-like Recipes. Just like the Top 25 list, this one is based on page-view website statistics. It’s a flawed method, but the best that I have available to me. I included the overall ranking, too, just so that you can see where they stand in the big picture.
The number one most popular Fujicolor Recipe is for X-Trans III cameras (plus the X-T3 and X-T30), as is number eight. The tenth spot is an X-Trans V Recipe. All the others are for X-Trans IV cameras. Eight of these use Classic Negative as the base, one uses PRO Neg. Std, and one uses Velvia. Some of these are personal favorite Recipes of mine, while some of my other personal favorite Recipes that are modeled after or inspired by Fujifilm emulsions didn’t make this list.
Without any further delay, here are the Top 10 Fujicolor Film Simulation Recipes:
In early 2023, Artificial Intelligence burst onto the Film Simulation Recipe scene, and, at the request of photographers across the world, AI began creating all sorts of camera settings to emulate all sorts of different aesthetics for Fujifilm models. I was on the leading edge of this, and in March published Using AI to Create Film Simulation Recipes, which included the ChatGPT-created Urban Dreams Recipe.
I didn’t stop there. In April I published a YouTube video (which you’ll find below) entitled Kodachrome X Fujifilm Recipe made by ChatGPT vs Fuji X Weekly Kodachrome II. I don’t publish very many YouTube videos (only three in 2023); however, I felt this topic was important enough to dedicate a video to it. Shortly thereafter, also in April, I published a companion article called Can AI Make a Fujifilm Recipe?, which included the ChatGPT-created Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 Recipe (along with the non-AI v2).
I didn’t quit there—not even close! In June, on the SOOC Live broadcasts, Fujifilm X-Photography Nathalie Boucry and myself chatted twice (for about three hours in total) about ChatGPT Film Simulation Recipes. If you’re curious about this topic, that’s probably the most informative discussion you’ll find. I’ve included both of those videos below.
Also in June, as a companion piece for those two SOOC Live episodes, I published an article entitled Shooting with ChatGPT AI Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes. That article included two more AI-made Recipes: Soft Blue Classic and Vivid Summer Glow. I’ve published a total of four ChatGPT Film Simulation Recipes on this website. I think two are pretty good, and two are very mediocre—only the two that are “good” are in the Fuji X Weekly App.
While I’ve published four AI-made Recipes, I’ve asked ChatGPT to create probably close to 50 (using multiple accounts). Most of them weren’t good, so they never saw the light of day. I’ve talked about all of this before, but just to quickly rehash, here are some of the big issues with using ChatGPT to create Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras:
AI will always give you an answer, but whether that answer has any value is another question entirely.
AI can’t see, and doesn’t know how the various camera settings translate to real-world use. It can only attempt to match descriptions.
If you ask it to create the same Recipe—using the same exact wording—on multiple accounts, you will get multiple answers, often quite divergent from each other.
I’ve never experienced an instance where all of the required Recipe parameters were included in the first try. Each time, I’ve had to identify the missing camera settings, and ask AI to add those to the Recipe.
AI will sometimes include nonexistent or nonsensical settings.
ChatGPT is very predictable, and will not usually stray outside of certain box. Ask it to make enough of these, and the box is easily identifiable.
ChatGPT doesn’t cite its sources, even when asked. It definitely operates unethically, and probably (in my opinion) illegally—eventually courts will make various rulings as they hear different lawsuits.
So why bring this up again? First, I’ve had several people over the last month comment that ChatGPT is a wonderful resource for Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes. I strongly disagree with that for the reasons mentioned above, and I thought it worthwhile to discuss those reasons again for those who might be unaware. Second, someone asked if Google’s Bard AI was any better than ChatGPT at creating Film Simulation Recipes. I wasn’t sure, so I spent some time over Thanksgiving putting it to the test. So let’s find out!
Captured with the AI-made Soft Blue Classic Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V.
The first question I asked Bard was, “Make me a Film Simulation Recipe for my Fujifilm X-T5 that mimics the aesthetic of Kodachrome 64 film.” Well, I could tell very quickly that this wasn’t going to work out well, as the first setting it gave was the Acros film simulation. It included the nonsensical setting of Color +2 (you cannot select Color when using Acros). The settings that Bard failed to provide were Dynamic Range, White Balance Shift, Color Chrome Effect (although it did give Color Chrome FX Blue), and Clarity. I assume that it would have also missed Grain size, but it said to set Grain to Off.
Obviously that “Kodachrome 64 Recipe” will not look anything like actual Kodachrome 64 slides, even if it did somehow make sense. I asked Bard to cite its sources, and to my surprise it did! It gave me (broken) links to my website, including these articles: Kodachrome 64, Kodachrome 25, and Monochrome Kodachrome. Apparently, Bard has been trained using Fuji X Weekly (or to search for it… Bard is a Google product after all), but it’s not very good at it. In my opinion, AI should provide a bibliography of its sources upfront without being asked. Even Wikipedia does that, and apparently it’s not a reliable enough source for serious work. Bard will cite its sources when asked, which is better than nothing, while ChatGPT won’t even do that. If Wikipedia can’t be taken seriously, than AI should be taken even less so. It’s super sketchy that AI doesn’t cite it’s sources, but at least Bard will do so when prompted to.
I asked Bard to tell me why it chose the settings that it did. This demonstrates very clearly that trying to match descriptions of camera settings with descriptions of the film is an unrealistic method for achieving accurate approximations of various looks. For example, “Acros is a black and white film simulation that provides a good starting point for replicating Kodachrome’s tonal range and contrast.” And, “Kodachrome had a tendency to lift shadows, creating a slightly brighter and more open appearance. Raising the shadow setting by 0.5 replicates this effect.” And, “Kodachrome had a subtle ability to retain detail in highlights, preventing them from becoming blown out. Lowering the highlight setting by -1 helps achieve this result.” If you know even a little about Kodachrome 64 film and Fujifilm camera settings, you should have no issues identifying the problems there.
Bard’s “Kermit the Frog juggling Elmo Recipe” is not a good choice for portraits.
I didn’t stop with that one Recipe. I asked Bard to make many more. After a number of tries, I began to ask it for ridiculous Recipes, just to see what it would do. Make me a Film Simulation Recipe that mimics Kermit the Frog juggling Elmo. Make me a Film Simulation Recipe that mimics the look of digesting rotten apples that are crawling with spiders. Make me a Film Simulation Recipe that mimics the aesthetic of comedian Brian Regan hitchhiking across the Delaware River during the Clone Wars. In each case—instead of responding with “you are nuts” or “that makes no sense”—it provided me with a Recipe. It always will. For the Brian Regan Recipe, it tells me, in order to capture the essence of his adventure, I should photograph him on a rural road next to a river bank with some fog. Sounds intriguing, but there’s a problem.
You see, Bard has a bigger tendency than even ChatGPT to include nonexistent settings. Some of these are Color Chrome FX Red (which, arguably, could be just Color Chrome Effect), Color Chrome FX Green, Grain Effect Medium, WB Shift +1, and Image Enhancement On. This is in addition to the missing settings that are required for a Recipe but weren’t included, and the occasional nonsensical ones (like Color +2 with Acros). Sometimes it’s hard to make sense of what Bard provides when asked to make a Recipe.
For those wondering about Color Chrome FX Green, Bard had this to say: Color Chrome FX Green increases saturation and vibrancy of green pixels and slightly lifts green shadows for a more balanced tonal range. Use sparingly, as a subtle application of Color Chrome FX Green can produce pleasing results. Excessive use may make the image appear unnatural. Of course, there is no such thing as Color Chrome FX Green, but even if there was, it wouldn’t work as described by Bard.
The conclusion of this whole article is that ChatGPT and Bard are not good resources for Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras. They are both capable of making Recipes (they will always give you one if you ask), but whether or not those Recipes are worth using or resemble what they’re supposed to is another story entirely. A broken clock is correct twice each day, and sometimes you can get a good Recipe by chance when using AI, but most often that won’t be the case. However, because these chatbots tend to stay within a box and don’t often stray outside of it, the Recipes that they make are often not terrible, they’re usually okay-ish. But you have to put up with the missing, nonexistent, and nonsensical settings. And you have to be alright with the unethical nature of it. My personal advice, if you want a Recipe that is more likely to give you good results, is to look no further than my website.
Someone said that AI will usually do a better job than a complete novice, but never as good as an expert. I agree with that assessment. I think if you ask ChatGPT or Bard enough times for Film Simulation Recipes, you are bound to get some that are trash, a bunch that are so-so, and a couple that are actually good. You could probably have as much luck rolling dice or throwing darts to create Recipes. That’s just the way it is. However, the technology is advancing rather quickly, and it’s only a matter of time before AI will be able to analyze pictures, have a good understanding of Fujifilm camera settings, and be able to approximate an accurate replication of picture aesthetics with the available JPEG settings. We’re not there yet, though. There’s a significant gap. I don’t doubt that the technology will get there eventually, perhaps in another five or ten years.
That will put me out of business. I understand that day is eventually coming, and that’s ok. It is what it is, as they say. The sad thing is that AI is using my own words and work against me. The more I publish, the more resources OpenAI and Google have to train their AI. It’s a type of theft. I do think that the courts will eventually rule that much of what they’ve done doesn’t qualifying as “fair use” under the law, but the damage will already have been done, and folks like me wont be compensated a dime for it. That’s the way life goes sometimes. The big guy walks all over the little guy. But, when life throws you punches, bob and weave (I’ve heard that quote attributed to Joe Frazier, but I’m not certain), which simply means that I have to evolve. As Bob Dylan sang, the times, they are a changin’. They always have been, and always will be. That’s why I spent so much time this year exploring the topic of AI Film Simulation Recipes. I had to know where Fuji X Weekly stands in all of it. This website has evolved a whole bunch since its launch in 2017, and it will continue to do so in the coming months and years. I appreciate all of those who have come along for the ride, and I look forward to seeing where this Fuji X Weekly thing goes as the future unfolds. If anything, it will be an interesting adventure, perhaps like Brian Regan’s hitchhiking escapades along the foggy Delaware River during the Clone Wars.
Working – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak Vision3 250D Recipe
This is a long-overdue adaptation of the X-T3/X-T30 Kodak Vision3 250D Film Simulation Recipe for use on “newer” X-Trans IV cameras. Kodak Vision3 250D is one of my favorite Recipes, but it’s only compatible with the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30; however, I’ve been using it on my X100V and X-E4 occasionally for years. It’s not hard to adapt X-T3/X-T30 or X-Trans III Recipes for use on newer models by simply selecting a Grain size (Small or Large), setting Color Chrome FX Blue (and Color Chrome Effect for X-Trans III Recipes) to Off, and Clarity to 0. In the case of this Recipe, I prefer Clarity set to -2 and not 0, but it’s acceptable either way.
Vision3 250D is a medium-speed daylight-balanced color motion picture film introduced by Kodak in 2009. It was a replacement for the similar (yet slightly inferior) Vision2 250D. Vison3 250D can be developed in ECN-2 chemistry or C-41. There is a lot of variation in how the film can look depending on a host of factors—especially how shot, developed, and scanned—but I’ve always been impressed with how closely this Recipe mimics some of the aesthetics produces by the emulsion.
This Kodak Vision3 250D Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. For fifth-generation models, which are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20 (yes, the X-S20!), you can use this Recipe, but blue will render more deeply, so it will look slightly different.
Film Simulation: Eterna Dynamic Range: DR100 Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: Fluorescent 1, -3 Red & -1 Blue Highlight: +3 Shadow: +4 Color: +3 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 captured using this Kodak Vision3 250D Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
MartAnne’s – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Dancing Joy – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
No Fun – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Urban Daisies – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Boat on Lake Hamilton – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Rainy Rose – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Willow – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Afternoon Joy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Desert Creek – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Arizona Date Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea & Palm Trunk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Potted Flower Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Park Gazebo – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 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.
Suburban Abstract – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Xpro”
This Xpro Film Simulation Recipe came about after some experiments with white balance and shifts. It went through several iterations before I settled on these settings. The results remind me of cross-processed Fujichrome Sensia or perhaps Elite Chrome. Cross processing film (also called Xpro) is developing it in chemistry that it wasn’t intended to be developed in, most commonly color slide film (E6) in color negative film (C41) chemistry. Different films can give different results when cross processed. I have several other cross-process inspired Film Simulation Recipes (here, here, here, and here); this one is simply a little different aesthetic.
This was a Patron Early-Access Film Simulation Recipe in the Fuji X Weekly App, available to App Patrons for over a year. It’s been replaced by a different Early-Access Recipe, so now it’s available to everyone. It’s not one that you’ll want to use all of the time, but occasionally for a different look it is great. It’s more of a “fun” Recipe. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, be sure to look for the new Early-Access Recipe!
Storm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Xpro”
This Xpro Film Simulation Recipe is fully compatible with X-Trans III cameras, which are the X-Pro2, X100F, X-E3, X-T2, X-T20, and X-H1, plus the X-T3 and X-T30. For newer cameras, you’ll have to decide on a Grain size (Small or Large), set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and Clarity to 0. This Recipe can also be used on the “older” GFX models (50R and 50S), but will render slightly differently.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1 Shadow: +3 Color: +4 Color Chrome Effect: N/A (X-Trans III) or Off (X-T3/X-T30) Sharpness: -1 Noise Reduction: -4 Grain: Weak White Balance: 3400K, -6 Red & -9 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Xpro Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-H1 and X-T30:
Associated Fence – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Green – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Structured Abstract – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Roof & Fence Lines – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Tile Roof – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Cactus Hotels – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Barrel Cactus – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Secret Garden Gate – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Don’t, This Way – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Light Bulb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Closed Window – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Pigeon Pipe – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Pergola in the Rain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Arizona Architecture – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Hanging Blossoms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Dark Flowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Light Pink with Green – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 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.
Small Clouds Above the Roof – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 – Pro Neg Recipe
This Film Simulation Recipe is one that I’ve been working on and have had programmed into my Fujifilm X-T30 for some time now. It’s been through a lot of iterations, with small tweaks here and there over the last several months, before I landed on the final settings. The idea was to create a generic Kodak-ish color negative film aesthetic, perhaps something similar to ColorPlus 200 or Pro Image 100. While I did look at both of those emulsions a number of times during the development of this Recipe, I didn’t set out to strictly emulate either of them. I think there can be similarities at times to those two film stocks, but generally speaking this Recipe isn’t a replication of either. I hope that makes sense. I do think it does a good job at producing a generic color negative film aesthetic that is by-and-large Kodak-like, with occasional similarities to both ColorPlus 200 and Pro Image 100.
Pro Neg is a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe. The Fuji X Weekly App is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron unlocks the best App experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new Film Simulation Recipes. These Early-Access Recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no App. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!
Beautiful Bougainvillea Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 – Pro Neg Recipe
This Pro Neg Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T3 & X-T30, plus all X-Trans III cameras, which are the X-Pro2, X100F, X-E3, X-T2, X-T20, and X-H1. For newer cameras, you’ll have to decide on a Grain size (Small or Large), set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and Clarity to 0. This Recipe can also be used on the “older” GFX models (50R and 50S), but will render slightly differently.
Find the Pro Neg Recipe in the Fuji X Weekly App! If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, it’s available to you right now.
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Pro Neg Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:
Empty Schoolyard – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Backyard Wall View – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Hidden Triangle – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Gila River Hat – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Tree by Field 4 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Bougainvillea Petals – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Little Cloud Between the Trees – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Twin Palms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Palm Behind Bougainvillea Blossoms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Suburban Colors – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Bougainvillea in the Sky – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Basketball Hoop at Dusk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Hoop & Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Court Cycle – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Dusk Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
One Fallen, One Standing – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Window Reflection – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Yellow Trumpet – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Backyard Rose Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
I get asked sometimes a very fair question: why use Film Simulation Recipes when Fujifilm’s factory-default film simulations are just so darn good?
Fujifilm has, in my opinion, the best JPEG output of any brand. Their film simulations are significantly influenced by Fujifilm’s vast experience with analog film, and it should not surprise anyone that they look good without any modifications. However, Fujifilm does provide a number of tools to customize and fine-tune the straight-out-of-camera results, which I believe makes them even better.
For those who don’t know, Film Simulation Recipes are settings for Fujifilm cameras that produce certain aesthetics, often modeled after classic film emulsions. I have published over 300 of them, which you can find on this website and the Fuji X Weekly App. Recipes are intended to be shot as JPEGs (or RAW+JPEG, if you prefer), and produce out-of-camera pictures that don’t require any editing, or perhaps minimal post-processing if you like. They appear as though they were edited, or even film-like. This saves a lot of time, hassle, and possibly money. It opens up photography to those who don’t know how to RAW edit, or don’t have the desire to learn, or maybe don’t even have access to editing software. This also makes photography more enjoyable to folks (like me) who have RAW-edited for years but don’t care much for it, and would rather be doing other things (like capturing more pictures!).
Golden Light in Abandoned House – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor Reala 100
Many photographers who own a Fujifilm camera never dive into the menu to adjust the JPEG parameters. They keep it on Provia/STD and at factory defaults, which is 0, Off, or Auto. Or maybe they try the other film simulations, but they still keep everything else set to the default settings. It’s completely understandable. The results are already good, and, besides, the options can seem overwhelming and confusing. Film Simulation Recipes, which takes the guesswork out of the various options, improve upon the standard film sims, but also provide some variety. If you only ever use the default options, you are limited to (for example) a maximum of 10 looks for color photography (11 if you have the latest GFX model with Reala Ace), but there are over 300 Film Simulation Recipes, so (depending on your camera model) you could have hundreds to choose from. You can find the Recipes that produce aesthetics that best match your style and taste.
This is in no way intended to put down factory-default film simulations, or those who use them. My intention is to simply compare a default film sim photograph with a Film Simulation Recipe. Maybe you like the non-Recipe picture better, and that’s ok if you do. There are so many other Recipes to choose from, and I bet at least one would produce a look that you like more than the default film sim—for example, there are 80 Recipes in the Fuji X Weekly App that use Classic Chrome, so if you don’t like the Recipe I chose for this article, there are 79 others that could possibly be a better match for you.
Some Film Simulation Recipes are drastically divergent from the default film simulations, and some are only subtly altered. Many are intended for certain light situations (sunny daylight or artificial light, for example), while Auto White Balance is the factory standard. There’s no one single “right” Recipe or even a perfect film simulation. What matters is finding what works best for you and your photography. That could be a collection of Film Simulation Recipes, it could be a default film sim, or it might be shooting RAW and editing with the software of your choice, or any combination thereof or something different entirely. There’s no right or wrong way. For me, it’s shooting straight-out-of-camera JPEGs using Film Simulation Recipes.
Below are examples of factory-default film simulations compared to Film Simulation Recipes.
Find these Film Simulation Recipes and about 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.
Yellow Aspen Forest – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Portra 160 v2 – DR-P Auto
Fujifilm introduced a feature called D-Range Priority (abbreviated DR-P) on the Fujifilm X-T3 in late-2018. Except that’s not entirely true, as the history of DR-P goes back much further than that. You see, Fujifilm EXR cameras, which were before X-Trans and utilized pixel-binning, also had something called D-Range Priority. Oh, and on their Frontier scanners, Fujifilm had something nearly identical to DR-P called Hypertone. The origins of DR-P seem to be found somewhere in the 1990’s.
My first camera that had D-Range Priority—a Fujifilm X-T30—arrived at my doorstep in early-2019, but I haven’t utilized the feature all that much, only sparingly. I get questions about it fairly regularly, particularly after I publish a Film Simulation Recipe that uses it, so I thought I’d take a moment and explain what DR-P is, plus how, when, and why to use it.
Let’s go back to Fujifilm’s Frontier scanners, which were common in photo labs in the 1990’s and 2000’s. Fujifilm modeled their film simulations—at least in part—after scans of films with corrections applied. Those scans were likely from Frontier scanners, and one of the corrections that Fujifilm recommended was Hypertone set to Auto. One limitation of digital camera sensors compared to color negative film is dynamic range. Negative film often has a larger dynamic range than digital cameras (especially in the early days of digital). Film tends to be more forgiving to overexposure (highlights), where digital tends to be more forgiving to underexposure (shadows). Hypertone was a software trick to maximize dynamic range so that it would digitally render more similarly to printed film on Fujicolor paper. D-Range Priority is a trick to achieve a dynamic range more similar to Frontier film scans that had Hypertone enabled.
Which answers the question of why to use it. D-Range Priority maximizes dynamic range, so as to keep highlights and shadows in check, but especially highlights. It’s more difficult to blow out highlights when you use DR-P. If you want to have the greatest dynamic range so as to avoid clipped highlights and blocked-up shadows, this is your best tool.
A few notes. First, like the regular Dynamic Range options (you know, DR100, DR200, DR400, and DR-Auto), D-Range Priority is ISO dependent. In this regard, DR-P Weak is like using DR200, and DR-P Strong is like using DR400. D-Range Priority is used in lieu of the Dynamic Range settings, so you cannot choose (for example) both DR200 and DR-P Weak simultaneously, only one or the other. Also, D-Range Priority disables the Tone Curve, so you cannot select a Highlight and Shadow setting. When enabled, DR-P is the Tone Curve. Interestingly, DR400 with both Highlight and Shadow set to -2 produces similar results to DR-P Weak. DR-P Auto chooses DR-P Weak almost always, and only selects DR-P Strong when there is a very bright light source, like shooting directly at the sun. D-Range Priority Strong produces a very low-contrast image, while DR-P Weak is a little less flat, but is still low-contrast.
To choose D-Range Priority, within the IQ section of the camera’s main Menu find D-Range Priority and select Auto, Strong, or Weak. Normally, D-Range Priority is set to Off. You only enable it when you want to use it. You can also choose D-Range Priority within Edit/Save Custom Presets, and have it enabled on any of your C1-C7 (or C1-C4, depending on your model) options.
To answer the when to use D-Range Priority question, it’s important to remember what DR-P does: produce a low-contrast picture that maximizes dynamic range to protect shadows and especially highlights. If you want punchy pictures, DR-P is not what you want to use (although in high contrast situations, you might still get dramatic results). If you want light pictures that might more closely resemble film scans (particularly from Frontier scanners), then DR-P is an option that you’ll want to consider.
While D-Range Priority is a fairly recent addition to X-Trans cameras—first introduced on X-Trans IV models—it turns out to have a much longer history. For years I assumed that D-Range Priority was for emergency use in extreme situations only, so I pretty much ignored it. I have since warmed up to DR-P, and I use it much more often than I used to. I still feel it’s probably not an option to utilize all of the time, but in the right situations or for a certain look, it works really well.
No Cigarettes – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodachrome 64 Recipe
I get asked fairly regularly which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular. For me, this is a fascinating topic, but it’s definitely hard to know definitively. While I get a glimpse on social media, my best gauge is the Fuji X Weekly website statistics; specifically, which Recipe articles are viewed the most. I don’t collect any data on the Fuji X Weekly App, so that’s no help—although, if I did, it would likely offer the most accurate picture; however, it would still be impossible to know which Recipes people programmed into their Fujifilm cameras, or how often they use each. Perhaps a survey would be particularly useful, yet even it has its limitations. While certainly a flawed method, page-view website statics offer the best glimpse at which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular, so that’s what I’m using for this article. These are simply the Top 25 most-viewed Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website.
There’s a lot that can be gleaned from this exercise, but also a grain of salt must be consumed, too. For example, Vibrant Arizona actually has four Recipes in that article (two versions of two), so it would certainly rank lower if it only had one; also, it was published near the end of April, so it has a time disadvantage, as do all of the other Recipes published after January 1st. But, setting those limitations aside, there are still some fascinating trends to be explored. Some of these rankings are quite surprising to me, and others are not surprising at all.
Classic Chrome is the king of film simulations. The five most popular Fuji X Weekly Recipes all use Classic Chrome, as do 21 of the Top 25. Second place, which is Classic Negative with two, is a very distant second. Acros and PRO Neg. Std have one each. The other film simulations don’t even chart on this list. For those who use Film Simulation Recipes, Classic Chrome is clearly the film sim of choice for most.
Not surprisingly, Recipes with Kodak brand names are the most popular. 13 have Kodak in the name, eight have Portra in the name, and five have Kodachrome in the name. Kodak was the most popular film brand, so it should be expected that Film Simulation Recipes that mimic those emulsions would also be popular. What is surprising to me is that none with Fujifilm, Fujicolor, Superia, Provia, Velvia, etc., in the Recipe name made this list, as some of those are my personal favorites.
10 of these Recipes use a Kelvin White Balance, eight use Auto White Balance, six use Daylight, and one uses a Custom White Balance measurement. Almost all of them are warm, at least a little. Only one B&W Recipe made this list, which isn’t a shock to me because the color Recipes are typically far more popular than monochrome. Only one Recipe specifically intended for night photography made this list, and I’m actually a little surprised by which one and how high it ranks. 10 Recipes use DR200, nine use DR400, five use DR-Auto, and one uses D-Range Priority Strong.
Most people who use Recipes do so on X-Trans IV cameras, specifically the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II models. Of the Top 25 Recipes, 16 of them are for those specific X-Trans IV cameras, including each of the Top 3. Six are for X-Trans III cameras plus the X-T3 and X-T30, two are for X-Trans V, and one is for X-Trans II (the very last one). But it’s a little more convoluted than that, because some Recipes (Vibrant Arizona and Kodak Tri-X 400 for sure, and probably others) are being used on X-Trans V cameras. Some of the X-Trans III plus X-T3 and X-T30 Recipes are likely being used on X-Trans IV and X-Trans V models to some extent. The majority of X-Trans V Recipes are at a disadvantage because they were published after January 1st, and there are only four fifth-generation X-Trans models anyway. I think the biggest takeaway is that the majority of people who shoot with Film Simulation Recipes in 2023 are doing so on X-Trans III and newer cameras, and X-Trans IV is the largest group within that. Recipes are not as popular on EXR, X-Trans I, X-Trans II, Bayer, and GFX models, although there are certainly many who do use them.
There are some rankings that surprise me. Vibrant Arizona is the only one published in 2023 to make the Top 25, although the fact that there are actually four Recipes in that article certainly affect its page-views. The X-Trans III version of Kodak Portra 400 requires a hard-to-get-right custom White Balance measurement, so it’s always surprising to me that so many use it. Kodak Portra 400 Warm and Bright Summer are especially warm, and their use case is more narrow than the others. If you had asked me what the second-most popular Recipe that uses the Classic Negative film sim, I would not have guessed Kodak Max 800, yet here it is! The X-Trans III version of Kodachrome II was ranked #7 last year, the X-Trans IV version of Kodachome II was ranked #8, Nostalgic Negative was #9, and Kodak Ektar 100 was #10, so those have fallen significantly, now ranked #12, #19, #24, & #16, respectively. I’m a little surprised that Classic Kodak Chrome is the most popular X-Trans II Recipe.
Anyway, I’ve held you up long enough. Let’s get to the list!
Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes of 2023 (…so far)
There are over 300 Film Simulation Recipes on this website and the Fuji X Weekly App. Having so many options to choose from is great, because no matter your style there’s bound to be at least one that you love, and different Recipes are sometimes best in specific situations. The only problem with having all these options is that sometimes it’s hard to know which ones to choose. There can be a paralysis of choice, or, at the very least, it can seem overwhelming.
But not to worry, I’m here to help! Over the last year I’ve been publishing articles to help with this specific problem—to be a guide of sorts through the many Recipes. There’s no comprehensive list (nor should there be, I think) of when to use each option, because whether or not a particular Recipe is great for a specific scenario is subjective. I might like one, but you might dislike it. However, I can provide some direction—something that I have been attempting to do over the last 12 months.
The problem with my method, though, is that it’s easy for my articles on this subject to get lost in the shuffle. So I thought it would be helpful to round them up, and put them into one place. That’s the intention of this article.
First up is my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When? series. If you only open one article, that’s the one to choose. I think it’s probably the most helpful out of all of them in this post. You might appreciate many of the others, too, so I would encourage you to click on more than one article to read, especially if the number of Film Simulation Recipes feels overwhelming to you, or you’re just not sure where to begin. I hope this helps with that, and you’ll have a little more confidence choosing some to program into your camera.
Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
Help Support Fuji X Weekly!
Nobody pays me to write the content found on the Fuji X Weekly blog. There’s a real cost to running this website. I also put a lot of my own time into writing the posts. If you’ve found something on Fuji X Weekly helpful to you and you’d like to give back, this is a good place to do it. You can donate to this blog using PayPal by clicking below. I appreciate it! Thank you for your support! Please do not feel obligated to give, but do so only if you want to.
Field of Gold – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Gold 200 Recipe
A favorite Film Simulation for the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30, plus X-Trans III cameras, is Kodak Gold 200. I published this Recipe about two-and-a-half years ago, and have had many requests to adapt it for newer models, something that I just recently got around to doing. I took the opportunity to see if I could improve it, utilizing the options that have come out since. While it is still quite similar to the original, I really like how this Kodak Gold 200 Film Simulation Recipe came out.
Kodak introduced Gold color negative film in 1986, and it is still around today. It was originally called Kodacolor VR-G, then Kodacolor Gold, and finally Gold. It replaced Kodacolor VR, which actually (and interestingly) still exists today as ColorPlus. While the film has been improved a few times over the years, it still looks pretty much the same today as it did in the 1980’s. The film is prone to color shifts, and results can vary significantly depending on how i was shot, developed and printed or scanned. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to emulate all of the possible aesthetics of Gold in one Recipe, so this is only a facsimile of one particular Kodak Gold 200 look.
This Kodak Gold 200 Film Simulation Recipe, which will work best in sunny daylight situations, is intended for and is fully compatible with all fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20 (yes, X-S20). Because X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations, setting Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak (instead of Off) will make this Recipe compatible with newer fourth-generation X-Trans cameras—specifically, the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. This Recipe is not compatible with the X100V and X-Pro3; however, you can either try this one with Highlight set to -2 and Shadow set to +1 (and maybe increase exposure by 1/3 stop), or adapt the old Recipe by selecting Grain size Small, Color Chrome FX Blue Off, and Clarity set to 0. Those with newer GFX cameras can use this Recipe, too, but it will render slightly different (give it a try).
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Weak Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: Daylight, +4 Red & -5 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1.5 Shadow: +0.5 Color: +3 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Gold 200 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Evening Hoop – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Jon on the Gold Coast – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Wave Crashing – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Rainbows & Palms – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Vines & Cage – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Trumpet Blossom Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sun Pouring Over Tree Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rays & Leaf – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Happy Thoughts – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Golden Hour Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Golden Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea Arm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mission Inn & Flag – Riverside, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dodge Van Steering Wheel – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Bird on a Twisted Dead Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Leaf Alone – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red Leaves – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Golden Trees – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Yellow Forest – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Autumn Woods – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Aspen Leaves – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Golden Aspen – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dream – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 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.
Help Support Fuji X Weekly!
Nobody pays me to write the content found on the Fuji X Weekly blog. There’s a real cost to running this website. I also put a lot of my own time into writing the posts. If you’ve found something on Fuji X Weekly helpful to you and you’d like to give back, this is a good place to do it. You can donate to this blog using PayPal by clicking below. I appreciate it! Thank you for your support! Please do not feel obligated to give, but do so only if you want to.
Coastal Blossoms at Sunset – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Portra 160 Recipe
Kodak introduced the Portra line in 1998, with two ISO 160 versions, two ISO 400 versions, and an ISO 800 emulsion (plus a short-lived ISO 100 Tungsten film, for those keeping score). Portra saw a couple of updates by Kodak, and in late-2010 the two ISO 160 versions were merged into one, as well as the two ISO 400 versions. The film has become iconic, with its warm yet natural colors. As the name implies, it was meant for portrait photography, but is popular for many genres.
Originally, Kodak Portra 160 came in “NC” (neutral color) and “VC” (vivid color) versions; Portra 160 NC was more popular for portraits and Portra 160 VC was more popular for landscapes. When Kodak merged the two, it fell kind of in-between the two emulsions—more vibrant than NC but less than VC. This Film Simulation Recipe is intended to mimic the merged Portra 160 that Kodak introduced in 2010.
I already have a Kodak Portra 160 Recipe that is compatible with X-Trans III cameras plus the X-T3 and X-T30, but not one for newer models. This update is long overdue, and I’m thrilled to finally publish it. Instead of simply making a quick adjustment to the “old” Recipe, I started from scratch. While the results are still very similar, it’s a significant redesign, and (hopefully) it’s just a tad better. This Recipe pairs really well with diffusion filters; for the California pictures in this article I used a 10% CineBloom filter, and for the Arizona pictures I used a mix of a 5% CineBloom and no diffusion filter at all. I did not adjust Clarity when using the diffusion filters.
Glass View – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Portra 160 Recipe
This Kodak Portra 160 Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. For fifth generation X-Trans models, which are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong. This Recipe will also work on newer GFX cameras, but the results will likely be slightly different.
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: 4900K, +4 Red & -6 Blue Highlight: -1 Shadow: -2 Color: 0 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Kodak Portra 160 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:
Golden Coast – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Pacific Gold – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Bluff Above the Golden Coast – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Blooms Above the Pacific Ocean – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Gold Coast Blooms – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Sunset Selfie – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Blooming Bush on Pacific Bluff – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Pacific Overlook – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Red Coastal Flowers – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Aliso Beach – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Hotel – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Floral Arch – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Flowers & Palms – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Bunch of Blossomed Flowers – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Flowers & Water – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Coastal Peek – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Wedding Guests – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Flower Petals – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Book & Mirror – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Gifts & Snacks – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Mirror – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
You Like Jazz? – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Twin Palms & Concrete – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Empty Cage – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Trumpet Haze – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Streaking Light over Tree Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Spiderweb in the Shrub – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
LavAzza Cactus – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Trash Moon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Orange Leaf – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Apartment – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Top of the Playground – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Playground Canopy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Palmin the Sky – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Tree-Lined Path – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Bougainvillea Warm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Arizona Jon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Waterless Lions – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Evening Light Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Oleander Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Bougainvillea Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 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.
Help Support Fuji X Weekly!
Nobody pays me to write the content found on the Fuji X Weekly blog. There’s a real cost to running this website. I also put a lot of my own time into writing the posts. If you’ve found something on Fuji X Weekly helpful to you and you’d like to give back, this is a good place to do it. You can donate to this blog using PayPal by clicking below. I appreciate it! Thank you for your support! Please do not feel obligated to give, but do so only if you want to.
With over 300 Film Simulation Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly App, there are bound to be some that are underutilized. Several are intended for very specific scenarios and aren’t especially versatile, so it’s understandable why those are chosen less often than others. Some might just get lost in the crowd; perhaps my sample pictures weren’t strong enough to demonstrate the Recipe’s potential. There’s a group, however, that should be more popular than they are, but are underutilized because they’re not yet available to everyone. These are the Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipes.
My Film Simulation Recipes are free, and the Fuji X Weekly App is free; however, there’s a real expense to all of this, and I do want a little reward for all of my efforts. The best way to support this website is to become a Patron subscriber to my Apps (aside from the Fuji X Weekly App, there’s also the Ricoh Recipes App and the RitchieCam App). As a reward for supporting Fuji X Weekly, the Patron subscription unlocks the best App experience.
Nostalgic Emulsion Recipe
What, exactly, does “the best App experience” mean? For one, Filtering is unlocked. Want to see only the Recipes that are fully compatible with your specific camera model? Want to display only Recipes that use a certain film simulation, white balance type, or dynamic range setting? That’s the Filter feature, and it’s available to Patrons. Another is Favoriting. There are five different colored stars that can be used to organize Recipes into categories. For example, you can use red stars for Recipes that you found to be good options for portraits, yellow for golden hour, green for landscapes, etc.. Or, yellow stars for what is currently in C1-C7, blue for what you want to try next, green for ones you tried and liked, and red for ones you tried and didn’t like. You can use these however it makes the most sense for you, but only if you are a Patron. Oh, and if you’ve made your own custom Film Simulation Recipe, you can use blank Recipe cards to add them to your App.
Another perk of being a Fuji X Weekly App Patron is that you get early access to some new Film Simulation Recipes. These Early-Access Recipes will become available to everyone in time (as they are replaced by new ones), but for now only Patron subscribers can view them. Some aren’t publicly available for everyone for a short time—usually at least a few months—and others stay as Early-Access Recipes for a year or more. For example, Eterna Bleach Bypass was a Patron Early-Access Recipe for over a year, and just two days ago it became freely available to everyone after it was replaced by Expired Kodak Vision2 250D. Currently, there are 14 Early-Access Recipes in the Fuji X Weekly App.
Because not everyone can use these Early-Access Recipes, they’re not nearly as popular as the ones that are available free to everyone. Only App Patrons can use them. Some of these Recipes are really good, though, deserving of much greater attention than they’ve received. This article is simply shining a spotlight on five of them. If you are a Patron, I invite you to find them in the App and give them a try. If you are not a Patron, I ask that you consider supporting this website by becoming a Patron subscriber, which will in turn give you access to them. If you don’t have the Fuji X Weekly App on your phone, download it for free today!
Royal Gold 400 was introduced by Kodak in 1994 as a replacement to the original Kodak Ektar 400 film (which is a little different from the Ektar that came later). The Royal Gold line, which also came in ISO 100 and 200 versions, was marketed as a “step up” from Kodak Gold, with finer grain and more vibrant colors. It was more-or-less an updated Ektar emulsion that was renamed for marketing reasons (Gold sold a lot more than Ektar). In the early 2000’s Royal Gold was replaced by the High Definition/Royal Supra line.
This Film Simulation Recipe wasn’t initially intended to replicate Royal Gold, but simply began as an attempt to achieve a “memory color” aesthetic of photographic prints from the 1990’s and early 2000’s; I wasn’t concerned about the specific films or processes. After shooting with this Recipe and reviewing the results, I was reminded of Kodak Royal Gold 400 film… sometimes. Of course, one film can produce many different aesthetics, depending on (among other things) how it was shot, developed, scanned and/or printed. Royal Gold 400 didn’t always or even usually look like this, but sometimes it did, and I found some examples in a photo-box and online that were quite similar—I’m not sure why, but my suspicion is that the film was mishandled, either from being stored improperly (possibly exposed to too much heat) or waiting too long to develop after exposing. Film can be finicky, but that serendipity is something that makes it special.
The 1981 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe was modeled after some old family pictures found in a photo box. These prints were made in July of 1981—a date stamped on the back—and printed on Kodak paper. The other technical details are unknown, but most likely they were captured with a cheap point-and-shoot of some sort (possibly even a 110 camera) with Kodacolor II color negative film, which was the most popular amateur emulsion of that era. Due to age and improper storage, the prints are fading, with a pronounced orange (sometimes yellow, sometimes red) cast, and colors overall less vibrant than they once were.
I thought that the aesthetic was interesting, so I began to develop a Recipe inspired by these photographs. It took a couple of days, and a few compromises, but I was able to create a look that mimics the general feel of those old pictures made in 1981 and printed on Kodak paper—the reason why I call this Recipe 1981 Kodak.
I binge-watched a number of classic movies from the 1950’s, and I was really inspired by their picture aesthetics. After some research, I discovered that Kodak ECN 5248 25T motion picture film was used in several of these flicks. The problem, of course, with trying to replicate the look of a motion picture film stock is that not only is the aesthetic dependent on the usual factors of how shot and developed, but also on the lighting and filters used, which can be different movie-to-movie and even scene-to-scene. Instead of attempting to mimic the look of any particular movie or cinema film stock, I wanted to create a certain feel or mood—a “memory color” reminiscent of color movies from the 1950’s.
Kodak made Kodachrome color-reversal (slide) film from 1935 through 2009. There are three era’s of Kodachrome: 1935-1960, 1961-1973, and 1974-2009. Each era has its own look; the second and third eras are probably the most similar. Kodachrome is actually a B&W film, with color dyes added during development. It was a unique and complicated process. Because of how the film works, it’s the most difficult emulsion to scan, often producing a blue cast that doesn’t exist when viewing the slides through a projector or on a light table.
Professional labs will have a profile to color-correct Kodachrome scans, but even that’s not usually a 100% match. As it used to be said, “There’s nothing like projected Kodachrome!” If the scans aren’t carefully corrected, the results are often significantly more blue than the slides. The feeling that all the world’s a sunny day (as Paul Simon sang) is completely gone. Once you know what to look for, it’s easy to spot these incorrectly color corrected Kodachrome images, and they’re prevalent. This Recipe mimics those too-blue scans of Kodachrome film.
This Nostalgic Emulsion Recipe was a collaboration between myself and my 15-year-old daughter, Joy. She wanted a certain look, which she described as “dark with deep greens” and similar to some music videos, including Daylight by David Kushner. “That’s the aesthetic I want to make,” she told me, while stopping on a forested scene.
I really like the moody and nostalgic feeling that this Film Simulation Recipe produces. It has a retro negative film look, maybe along the lines of Fujicolor Super HQ or Agfa XRG or something like that, but not exactly like any specific emulsion. You can expect dark shadows and a cool cast that leans green. I think it works best when there’s a lot of lush vegetation, and is good for toning down an overly warm scene.
Luxury Among Palms – Laguna Hills, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Reala Ace Recipe
Fujifilm introduced a new film simulation with the GFX100 II called Reala Ace. Fujifilm says that it “combines faithful reproduction with hard tonality,” showing it with a little higher vibrancy than Classic Negative paired with a tonality more similar to Provia. Some have described it as being true-to-life. Photographs that I have found captured with the new film simulation have a Classic Negative look, but with an increase in color, a reduction in contrast, and significantly more blue. I think this new film sim could have been called Classic Negative v2, but Fujifilm named it Reala Ace instead.
Fujicolor Reala 100 was Fujifilm’s first Superia film, even though initially it did not have Superia in the name. Superia films shared Fuji’s “4th layer technology” and Reala was the first to have it, but Reala was marketed towards “pro” photographers while Superia was marketed towards “consumer” photographers. Eventually, though, Fujifilm added Superia to Reala’s name. There were several different versions of Reala manufactured, including a high-ISO Tungsten one made for motion pictures, but Reala 100 was the most popular. Reala was very similar to Superia, but Superia was intended for “general purpose” photography while Reala was intended for portrait and wedding photography. Colors are rendered a little differently between the two films, especially blue, which is deeper and more saturated on Reala, despite Reala being overall slightly less saturated than Superia 100. Fujifilm discontinued Reala in 2013. I have a Film Simulation Recipe that replicates Fujicolor Reala 100, which uses Classic Negative as the base, since Classic Negative is closely modeled after Superia film.
On occasion, Fujifilm named certain film stocks differently in Japan than the rest of the world, and there were several film stocks made available only in Japan. Fujicolor Reala Ace 100 was a color negative film sold only in Japan. Some speculated that it was the exact same thing as Fujicolor Superia Reala 100 just sold under a slightly different name, while others said that Fujicolor Reala Ace 100 was a unique film similar to the Reala sold worldwide except fine-tuned for Japanese skin tones. There doesn’t seem to be any consensus on which is correct, but I’d bet that the latter is true. It was said for decades that Fujifilm kept their best emulsions in Japan. For whatever reason, Fujifilm went with the name Reala Ace for their new film simulation, and not simply Reala. Not all film sims are accurate reproductions of the emulsions that they’re named after, but Reala Ace seems to have the right vibe for replicating actual Reala film.
Red Cliffs – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Reala Ace Recipe
I have never used the new Reala Ace film simulation. There aren’t a lot of examples of it, but there are some; however, it’s impossible to know if those images are straight-out-of-camera factory-default Reala Ace JPEGs, or if the photographer adjusted some parameters or post-edited the pictures in some way. Trying to emulate new film simulations when there’s not a lot known about it is tricky, and the results are often wrong. For example, my attempt at Classic Negative was way off, and I stated that it would likely be—I was hesitant to publish it for that reason. Nostalgic Negative was a near identical story, and I stated, “…this Recipe will likely turn out to be an inaccurate facsimile to the real Nostalgic Negative film simulation.” I was right about that. This time, though, is different, as I am confident that this Reala Ace film simulation is a close approximation of the real thing. It might not be perfect, but it is definitely in the ballpark. I bet that it is a 95% match—if not closer—but it’s impossible to know for certain until more samples come out, and (even better) it trickles out to other models and I have a chance to try it myself. It’s definitely close enough that I feel quite good calling it Reala Ace.
Fujifilm said of the new film sim, “As an approach to rich gradation expression, the new sensor for the GFX100 II is the best fit for it. Without this sensor, we are not able to realize the Reala film simulation in it.” They talked about silver halide and signal-to-noise ratios and stuff. You might think this means that Reala Ace won’t make its way to the X-series; however, Fujifilm said something very similar about Nostalgic Neg., yet it is now available for X-Trans V generation models, including the X-S20, which has an X-Trans IV sensor. I think this is just Fujifilm’s way of saying that it’s not coming to X-Trans right away. I, of course, believe that this is a big mistake, because the majority of GFX users don’t use Film Simulation Recipes and won’t really care about this new film sim, while a whole lot of X-series owners do use Recipes and do care a lot about new film simulations. Fujifilm is letting what could be a big promotional opportunity just slip through their fingers, which is exactly what they did with Nostalgic Negative. I hope someday they learn this lesson, and stop making the same mistake over and over. Fujifilm: seriously, and I cannot state this any louder or more clearly, you need to introduce new film simulations with significant X-Trans releases, and not GFX. We can all see through the bogus it-has-to-be-100mp excuse, because I did in three days (and with much more limited resources) what you said wasn’t possible, and made Reala Ace available to all those with X-Trans V cameras. Please don’t hate me for rectifying your mistake, as this Recipe will likely influence more people to buy an X-series camera than Reala Ace will cause people to buy the GXF100 II. For those looking for an excuse to upgrade to an X-Trans V model, this Reala Ace Film Simulation Recipe might just be it for you, because it is that good.
Dodge Van Steering Wheel – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Reala Ace Recipe
I love this new Reala Ace Film Simulation Recipe, and for me it’s an instant favorite! It is kind of like a cross between the Fujicolor Reala 100 and Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled Recipes—you could consider it a “v2” of either of those two, although it has a much stronger Reala vibe than NPS 160. The Recipe is soft yet colorful, highly versatile, and has a clear analog-like aesthetic. It’s just as Fujifilm put it: suitable for all subjects and situations. If you have a fifth-generation X-Trans camera, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20 (yes, the X-S20!), I invite you to try this Reala Ace Recipe today! If you have a fourth-generation X-Trans camera with Classic Negative and half-point Highlight/Shadow adjustments, which are the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II, you can also use this Recipe, but know that blues will be render slightly less deeply (try it anyway). For the X-Pro3 and X100V, consider Highlight set to -1 in low contrast situations and -2 in high contrast situations.
Film Simulation: Classic Negative Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: Auto, -1 Red & +1 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1.5 Shadow: -2 Color: +2 Sharpness: 0 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Reala Ace Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Amaricana Equestrian – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea Blooms & Blue Sky – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunlit Bougainvillea Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Twin Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Little Vibrant Blooms – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Fish Out of Water – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Fake Fern – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Potted Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Morning Johanna – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Flowing Fountain – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
China in America – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Hill Houses – Laguna Hills, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Setting Sun over the Pacific Ocean – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Young Surfer – Laguna Hills, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Golden Ocean – Laguna Hills, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Jon on the Gold Coast – Laguna Hills, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Rainbow & Palms – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Hazy Paifang – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Evening Hoop – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Evening Palms & Clouds – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rays from Behind a Big Cloud – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Clouds & Coaster – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Cup Ride – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Happily Anticipating the Thrill Ride – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Bumper Cars – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Blacksmith Working – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Faux Tree Branch – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Three Bathtub Ducks – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red Comb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dog Resting in the Shade – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Paseo Avila – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Illuminated Dilapidation – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Permanently Opened Door – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hole in the Wall – Litchfield, Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sonoran Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Cholla Cactus – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Unlit Headlamp – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Tattoo & Turkish Pizza – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Thunderbird Tire – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Thunderbird Taillight – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Inside Dodge Travel Van – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Summer Season in the Suburbs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 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.
Help Support Fuji X Weekly!
Nobody pays me to write the content found on the Fuji X Weekly blog. There’s a real cost to running this website. I also put a lot of my own time into writing the posts. If you’ve found something on Fuji X Weekly helpful to you and you’d like to give back, this is a good place to do it. You can donate to this blog using PayPal by clicking below. I appreciate it! Thank you for your support! Please do not feel obligated to give, but do so only if you want to.
I don’t believe that the new film simulation will be an accurate replication of Reala film, since Classic Negative is so close already; instead, I think Fujifilm is simply going to use the brand name for a film sim that has a neutral and natural rendering (true-to-life or real-like, yet leaning towards soft tonality and muted colors). I don’t know for certain what the new Reala film simulation will look like, this is only a guess based on something Fujifilm said a few weeks ago. We’ll know for sure next week. But I do know that if you want a Reala aesthetic from your Fujifilm X-Trans V camera, this Recipe will produce that!
Fujicolor Reala 100 was Fujifilm’s first Superia film, even though initially it did not have Superia in the name. Superia films shared Fuji’s “4th layer technology” and Reala was the first to have it, but Reala was marketed towards “pro” photographers while Superia was marketed towards “consumer” photographers. Eventually Fujifilm added Superia to Reala’s name. There were several different versions of Reala manufactured, including a high-ISO Tungsten one made for motion pictures, but Reala 100 was the most popular. Reala was very similar to Superia, but Superia was intended for “general purpose” photography while Reala was intended for portrait and wedding photography. Colors are rendered a little differently between the two films, especially blue, which is deeper and more saturated on Reala, despite Reala being overall slightly less saturated than Superia 100. Fujifilm discontinued Reala in 2013.
China in California – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor Reala 100 Recipe
If you have a fifth-generation Fujifilm X camera, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2, X-H2S, X-T5, and X-S20, I invite you to try this Fujicolor Reala 100 Film Simulation Recipe. If you have a Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II, use the X-Trans IV version instead. If you have a newer GFX model, I’m not certain which of the two versions will be most accurate on your camera, so maybe try both and see which you like better.
Film Simulation: Classic Negative Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: Daylight, 0 Red & 0 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1 Shadow: -1 Color: 0 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Fujicolor Reala 100 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Luxurious Living – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Mission Inn – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Pawlished Fountain – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Fishing by Hand – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Urban Structure Abstract – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
I Spy with my Little Eye – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
9205 – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Market Building – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Suburban Shrub – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Dodge Van – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Dodge Steering Wheel – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Blacksmith – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Cowboy – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Wagon Wheel & Cacti – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Sun Fountain – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Strength over Thrill – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Tied up in Knotts – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Flight – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Rainbows & Palms – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Treasure Island Beach – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Eek! – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Pacific Surf Rider – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Leaving the Water – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Happiness – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Golden Glow – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Setting Sun – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Night Light – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Amanda using RitchieCam– Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Waving – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Night Truck Driver – Buena Park, CA. -Fujifilm X-T5
Don’t Text & Drive – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Empty Road – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and 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.
Help Support Fuji X Weekly!
Nobody pays me to write the content found on the Fuji X Weekly blog. There’s a real cost to running this website. I also put a lot of my own time into writing the posts. If you’ve found something on Fuji X Weekly helpful to you and you’d like to give back, this is a good place to do it. You can donate to this blog using PayPal by clicking below. I appreciate it! Thank you for your support! Please do not feel obligated to give, but do so only if you want to.
I get asked somewhat regularly which Film Simulation Recipes one should try first. Perhaps you just purchased your first Fujifilm camera, or maybe you’ve had one for awhile but have never tried Recipes before—with so many to choose from (there are now 300 Film Simulation Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly App!), it can be hard to know where to start. Which Recipes are essential to program into your camera right away?
Everyone has their own tastes and style, so what one person might love another might not. That’s why it’s great to have such a wide variety to choose from—there’s bound to be at least a few that you’ll appreciate. Options are good up until the point where there are too many, and it becomes difficult to decide. I don’t want you to be paralyzed by choices, so let me suggest seven to program into your C1-C7 Custom Presets first. You might love all of them, or you might find that only one or two suit you well. Either way, these are ones that you should definitely try.
This will be a series of articles. The first one, which you are reading now, is for X-Trans V models, and I’ll work my way through the other sensors in the parts to come. If you have a Fujifilm X-H2, X-H2s, X-T5, or X-S20, I invite you to program the Film Simulation Recipes below into your camera.
There are a couple of special notes about the X-S20. First, it has an X-Trans IV sensor but an X-Trans V processor, so it’s a bit iffy if it should be included in this list or with the X-Trans IV cameras; however, reports I have received indicate that, due to its rendering and options, it best fits in the X-Trans V category. Second, the X-S20 has only four custom presets and not seven, so pick the four below that are the most intriguing to you, and once you’ve had a chance to try those, then replace your least favorite with another from this list.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at seven Film Simulation Recipes to program into your Fujifilm X-Trans V camera first!
Kodachrome 64 was a classic slide film, and it’s become a classic Film Simulation Recipe. It’s very popular, and it would be a shame to not include it—in fact, I put it first for a reason. This is one of those Recipes that everyone should try! It produces a retro 1970’s through 1990’s slide film aesthetic reminiscent of the pictures found on the pages of magazines like National Geographic. For best results use in sunny daylight; however, it can be decent in other situations, too, like overcast, shade, and blue hour.
This Recipe mimics the aesthetic of one of Kodak’s most-loved color negative film stocks: Portra 400. As the name implies, it’s especially well suited for portraits, but it is also good for many genres of photography. Kodak Portra 400 v2 is another Film Simulation Recipe intended for use in sunny daylight situations, and it’s my favorite option for golden hour images.
Fujicolor Super HG v2 produces a 1980’s Fujifilm color negative film vibe, which is notably divergent from the aesthetic of the first two suggested options. Perhaps more importantly, this Recipe is highly versatile, and can be used for almost any subject or light—including overcast, indoor artificial light, and nighttime cityscapes—where some other Recipes might be less than ideal. If you are after one option that can do it all, take a look at this one.
The Pacific Blues Film Simulation Recipe is specifically intended for a sunny summer day at the beach, which it is absolutely incredible for, but it’s surprisingly good for other situations, too. I’ve had great success with it on dreary overcast and foggy days. I’ve used it for portraits. I’ve used it for natural light indoors. It’s definitely not always the best Recipe for a given situation, but it often does quite well, and sometimes the pictures it produces are just stunning.
If you want a vintage vibe from your photographs, 1970’s Summer is for you! It produces a New American Color aesthetic that will transport you back in time 50 or so years. For best results, use in sunny daylight—this is a great option for when the sun is high in-between the two golden hour periods. This Recipe isn’t particularly versatile, but when it works it’s absolutely incredible.
Vibrant Arizona mimics the Wes Anderson look that’s in-style right now. It’s bright, warm, and colorful. This Recipe is intended for use in sunny daylight, especially harsh midday light. It’s not always the best option, but in the right situations it’s wonderful.
It would be a shame not to include a black-and-white Recipe in this list, so we’ll conclude with Kodak T-Max P3200, which is not only a great monochrome option, but is also excellent for high-ISO photography. If the light is getting dim and you need to bump the ISO up a bit, this is a great one to use. Or if you want classic B&W pictures with grain and good contrast, the Kodak T-Max P3200 Film Simulation Recipe will produce that for you.
Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Nobody pays me to write the content found on the Fuji X Weekly blog. There’s a real cost to running this website. I also put a lot of my own time into writing the posts. If you’ve found something on Fuji X Weekly helpful to you and you’d like to give back, this is a good place to do it. You can donate to this blog using PayPal by clicking below. I appreciate it! Thank you for your support! Please do not feel obligated to give, but do so only if you want to.
American Paint Horse – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodachrome Blue
Kodak made Kodachrome color-reversal (slide) film from 1935 through 2009. There are three era’s of Kodachrome: 1935-1960, 1961-1973, and 1974-2009. Each era has its own look; the second and third eras are probably the most similar. Kodachrome is actually a B&W film, with color dyes added during development. It was a unique and complicated process. Because of how the film works, it’s the most difficult emulsion to scan, often producing a blue cast that doesn’t exist when viewing the slides through a projector or on a light table.
Professional labs will have a profile to color correct Kodachrome scans, but even that’s not usually a 100% match. As it used to be said, “There’s nothing like projected Kodachrome!” If the scans aren’t carefully corrected, the results are often significantly more blue than the slides. The feeling that all the world’s a sunny day (as Paul Simon sang) is completely gone. Once you know what to look for, it’s easy to spot these incorrectly color corrected Kodachrome images, and they’re prevalent.
Rebels – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodachrome Blue
Over the last few weeks I’ve stumbled across several sets of these incorrectly color corrected Kodachromes while perusing the web, mostly from the second era of the film. I thought that the look was interesting, so I set out to recreate it on my Fujifilm X-E4; however, the process was more challenging than I had anticipated. I had assumed that Classic Chrome would be the best film simulation to base this new Film Simulation Recipe on—it was the obvious choice, right?—but I couldn’t get it to look right. It was actually the fifth film sim I tried before I decided that I was finally on the right track.
After four different modifications, I felt I got it as close as I could, and had a reasonable facsimile of the film when not appropriately color corrected. Interestingly, I compared my Recipe to some incorrectly colored Kodachrome 64 film scans in my collection—some frames I captured on a Canon AE-1 back in 1999 that (when I later had them scanned) the lab rendered too blue—and the resemblance was striking. I made one more small change to the Recipe to get it even closer, and called it good. One thing that I wish was possible is a little more color saturation, but +4 is the highest option; if +5 or maybe +6 were available, I’d have bumped Color just a tad higher.
Actual Kodachrome 64 film — improperly color-corrected scan
Actual Kodachrome 64 film — improperly color-corrected scan
Actual Kodachrome 64 film — improperly color-corrected scan
This Kodachrome Blue Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. For X-Trans V models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak. You can use it on newer GFX cameras, but it will render slightly differently, and I recommend setting Shadow to +1. This isn’t a Recipe that I suspect will be anyone’s go-to for everyday use—I’d look at Kodachrome 64 or Kodachrome II for general photography—but it’s a fun one that I think some of you will really appreciate in certain circumstances. I personally like the retro feelings that Kodachrome Blue produces.
The Fuji X Weekly App is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron unlocks the best App experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new Film Simulation Recipes, such as this one. These Early-Access Recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no App. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!
Find Kodachrome Blue in the Fuji X Weekly App! If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, it’s available to you right now.
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Kodachrome Blue Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Play Garden Tools on a Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Stormy Day Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Growing Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea Blue – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Building Storm over Street Lamp – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Three Palms over Building – Buckeye, AZ. -Fujifilm X-E4
Palm Lights – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Corner Tower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Neighborhood Roof – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Concrete Roof Tiles – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sunlight From Above – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Little Blue Rainbow – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Red Umbrella on a Sunny Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
