Fujifilm X-T5 + Kodak Portra 800 v3 Film Simulation Recipe
This morning I headed out with my Fujifilm X-T5 to capture some images, so that I could do a side-by-side comparison of the new Kodak Portra 800 v3 Film Simulation Recipes with the other two Portra 800 options, plus Kodak Portra 400 v2. As I explained in the article for the new Recipe, Peter McKinnon’s Portra 800 photographs were the inspiration for it, and it is also reminiscent of some of Kyle McDougall’s An American Mile Portra 400 pictures. With all of these Recipe options, perhaps you are unsure which one you should use. Just because I published a new version, doesn’t mean that it is inherently the best one or the right one for you; it’s simply an alternative that you may or may not like. Hopefully, this article will help you with your decision. I do believe that many of you will appreciate the new Kodak Portra 800 v3 Recipe.
It’s important to understand that one film can produce many different looks based on a whole host of factors: how shot (film format, lens, exposure, filters, light, etc.), how developed (push/pull, brand of chemicals, freshness of chemicals, timing, temperature and pH of the water, etc.), how printed (paper, chemicals, timing, filters, etc.) and/or how scanned (brand of scanner, correction profiles, post-editing, etc.). Even within one photographer’s collection of one specific emulsion, there can be some noticeable variances. In the case of Peter McKinnon and his Kodak Portra 800, there is indeed significant divergences in the exact look of different pictures. My Kodak Portra 800 v3 Recipe does not accurately mimic all of his pictures captured with the film, but it is pretty close to some of them.
These three Kodak Portra 800 Recipes can all resemble the film; however, they’re much different from each other. Since one emulsion can produce divergent results, you can achieve various looks by choosing different Film Simulation Recipes. My original Kodak Portra 800 Film Simulation Recipe was a joint venture between myself and Thomas Schwab based on “memory color” (as Fujifilm likes to put it) of the film. The next version, Kodak Portra 800 v2, was created entirely by Thomas Schwab after he shot a roll of the film and his Fujifilm X-Pro3 camera side-by-side. The third version was created by me after carefully examining Peter McKinnon’s pictures of Kodak Portra 800 film. I included my Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe in this comparison because it is fairly similar to the Kodak Portra 800 v3 Recipe, and because there is an obvious resemblance with the new Recipe to some Portra 400 film photographs.
With all of that said, let’s jump right into the comparison! Because X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film sims, I adjusted Color Chrome FX Blue down one notch on Kodak Portra 800 and Kodak Portra 800 v2 to make them compatible with my X-T5.
For me, personally, it’s really hard to beat Kodak Portra 400 v2. It’s one of my all-time personal favorite Film Simulation Recipes, and it’s also one of the most popular. In each of these five sets, it’s the Recipe that I’m most drawn to. Kodak Portra 800 v3 is the most warm of these four options; a comparison of warmer Recipes—1970’s Summer, 1971 Kodak, Vibrant Arizona, Kodak Vericolor Warm, Kodak Portra 400 Warm, Bright Summer, Bright Kodak, and the new Kodak Portra 800 v3—would be interesting. The original Kodak Portra 800 Recipe is the punchiest, Kodak Portra 800 v2 is the softest, and v3 is the warmest. Ignoring the Kodak Portra 400 v2 pictures, I like Kodak Portra 800 v3 the best in the first set (with the truck), the third set (broken window, wide), and the fourth set (gas station); I like the original Kodak Portra 800 Recipe the best in the second set (broken window, tall) and the last set (Motor Hotel); while I do like Kodak Portra 800 v2 in each set, it wasn’t my top choice in any.
Now it’s your turn! From this test, which of these four Film Simulation Recipes did you like best? Which was your favorite for each set? Let me know in the comments!
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South Rim Sunrise – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Portra 800 v3
My wife recently challenged me to create a Film Simulation Recipe that mimics the aesthetic of Kodak Portra 800 film that Peter McKinnon has been sharing on Instagram and YouTube. I’m really drawn to his analog photography—I think they’re some of his best photographs. While there were plenty of examples of his Portra 800 to examine, I found it to be a difficult endeavor to replicate on my Fujifilm cameras.
As I’ve said many times, one film can produce many different looks based on a whole host of factors: how shot (film format, lens, exposure, filters, light, etc.), how developed (push/pull, brand of chemicals, freshness of chemicals, timing, temperature and pH of the water, etc.), how printed (paper, chemicals, timing, filters, etc.) and/or how scanned (brand of scanner, correction profiles, post-editing, etc.). Even within one photographer’s collection of one specific emulsion, there can be some noticeable variances. In the specific case of Peter McKinnon and his Kodak Portra 800, there is indeed significant divergences in the exact look of different pictures.
Mineral Stains on a Dry Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak Portra 800 v3
Before I get any deeper into this, let me give a brief history of Kodak Portra 800 and my Film Simulation Recipes that mimic this film. Kodak introduced Portra 800 in 1998 at the same time as Portra 160 and Portra 400. Portra 160 and Portra 400 both originally came in a “VC” (vivid color) and “NC” (neutral color) versions, which were later merged into in-between emulsions that still exists today; however, Portra 800 only ever came in one variety. I don’t know if it is true, but I read that Portra 800 was based on the older Vericolor/Vision2 technology, while Portra 160 and Portra 400 were based on T-Grain/Vision3 advancements. In any event, all of these films have been tweaked and updated by Kodak several times over the years. While it has become increasingly expensive, all three ISO versions of Portra are still being manufactured today by Kodak. In fact, the current version of Lomography 800 is supposedly repacked Portra 800 (although it might be a run that didn’t pass quality control).
My original Kodak Portra 800 Film Simulation Recipe was a joint venture between myself and Thomas Schwab based on “memory color” (as Fujifilm likes to put it) of the film. The next version, Kodak Portra 800 v2, was created entirely by Thomas Schwab after he shot a roll of the film and his Fujifilm X-Pro3 camera side-by-side. This new third version was created by me after carefully examining Peter McKinnon’s pictures of Kodak Portra 800 film.
Pink Girl on a Green Slide – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Portra 800 v3
I divided Peter’s Portra 800 pictures into seven groups. Each group contained photos that seemed similar in overall aesthetics to each other. The commonality within each group tended to be (for the most part) the lighting condition that the film was shot in (although it was not universally so). I picked one group, and tried to replicate the look of it as closely as possible using the options available on my Fujifilm X-T5 (or should I say my Kodak Retina camera?), choosing similar light and colors for my pictures. Once I was satisfied that I was close, I used those settings to create images similar to the photographs in the other groups; however, this is where it fell apart. One Recipe was not able to replicate multiple aesthetics from the same film, which is not surprising. I made a bunch of small modifications until I had one Film Simulation Recipe that was a fairly faithful facsimile to multiple groups of Peter’s Portra 800 pictures. I say “fairly faithful” because compromises had to be made in order to match multiple groups. These settings are in the ballpark of four of the seven groups (and most similar to just two), and not especially close to the other three, unfortunately. This is not a 100% faithful recreation of any of his picture aesthetics, but in being less faithful to one specific look, I was better able to replicate the film examples overall.
This new Kodak Portra 800 v3 Film Simulation Recipe is intended for fifth-generation Fujifilm X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20 (yes, the X-S20), and the upcoming X100VI. To make this Recipe compatible with some X-Trans IV models—specifically, the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II—I simply set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Off, since X-Trans V cameras render blue more deeply on some film simulations. For those with the X-Pro3 or X100V, consider setting Shadow to 0 instead of 0.5. I do think that the original Kodak Portra 800 Recipe, as well as Kodak Portra 400 v2, are not very far off from Peter’s pictures, and could be good alternatives.
The Kodak Portra 800 v3 Film Simulation Recipe is great for both golden-hour and midday light. While it is intended for sunny daylight conditions, it does pretty well in shade, too. It’s alright for overcast days, depending on the specific cloud cover conditions. It’s great for natural-light indoors, and surprisingly decent for nighttime photography, but I’d avoid it for artificial light scenarios with warm bulbs. This Recipe is fairly versatile, despite it’s warm Kodak-like colors. In the right light, it can look pretty darn close to some of the Kodak Portra 800 scans that Peter McKinnon has been sharing on his social media channels. Interestingly, there’s also similarities to some of the Kodak Portra 400 images in Kyle McDougall’s An American Mile series. I have a feeling that this will quickly become a favorite option for many of you—personally, I really love this one!
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off (X-Trans V); Weak (X-Trans IV) White Balance: 6600K, -1 Red & -3 Blue Highlight: -2 Shadow: -0.5 Color: +3 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Kodak Portra 800 v3 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Morning Lightbulbs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Read Leaves on a Block Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Rounded Light on an Circular Table – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Orange Tables and Leaf – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Main Street Market – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sunny Suburbia – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Ready for an Adventure – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Rainy Day Rose Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Kodak Portra 800 v3 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Sunrise Beyond Grandeur Point – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dead Tree at the Rim’s Edge – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Golden Sunset inside the Grand Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Morning at the Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Maricopa Point at Midday – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Canyon Ridge in Golden Light – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunrise over icy South Rim Trail – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bright Angel Trail from Above – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Too Close to the Icy Ledge – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Lookout Studio – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Grand Canyon Railway 237 – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Williams Flyer – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
American Painted Horse – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Swift Trailer – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Barrel, Red Bricks – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Raindrop on a Lightbulb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Raindrops of Fall Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hanging Lightbulbs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fingers as Carrots – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sitting Siblings – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Minolta & Film Book – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Camera, Books – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Busy Parking Lot – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Window Paperclip – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Window Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hanging Plastic Golfballs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blossoming Trumpet Flower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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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 used 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 last month (January 2024).
Most of the time these lists are pretty predictable. Those with Kodak brand names in the title—Kodachrome, Portra, Gold, Tri-X, etc., etc.—are the most popular. Classic Chrome is the king of film simulations, as the majority of the most-viewed Recipes are based on that film simulation. X-Trans IV Recipes, especially for the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, tend to be the most popular.
This time, however, I was a surprised by many of the rankings. The top two—Kodachrome 64 and Kodak Portra 400 v2—did not surprise me at all. Those particular Recipes are far-and-away the most popular. Third place, which made this list despite being so new (released towards the end of the month), is a good deal behind the top two. Reala Ace is now the most popular Classic Negative Recipe, edging out Pacific Blues. Kodak Vision3 250D is the only Recipe that uses Eterna, and Kodak Vision3 250D v2 is the only one that uses Nostalgic Neg.. There’s also only one PRO Neg. Std Recipe and one Acros, while five use Classic Negative and 16 (of the 25) use Classic Chrome. By far the most popular X-Trans II Recipe is Classic Kodak Chrome, which ranks 21st. Fujicolor C200 v2 is the only App Patron Early-Access Recipe that I’ve ever seen make it into one of these lists.
Without any further delay, below are the most popular Recipes of last month!
Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes of January 2024
The premise of this Film Simulation Recipe was simple: what would my Vintage Kodachrome Recipe look like if I used Eterna instead of Classic Chrome? As it turns out, it looks alright; however, after I made a few more modifications, it looks much better!
The Vintage Eterna Film Simulation Recipe is actually three Recipes: one for the X-H1, X-T3, and X-T30, another for the other X-Trans IV models (X-Pro3 and newer), and one for X-Trans V cameras. I initially created this on my Fujifilm X-E4, but then I wanted a version for my X-H1, so I made a recipe compatible with that camera, and also used it on my X-T30. Later, I made a small modification for use on my X-T5, since X-Trans V cameras render blue more deeply on some film simulations. If you have an X-H1 or any X-Trans IV or V camera, you can use the Vintage Eterna Recipe—just find the version below that’s compatible with your model.
While this Recipe wasn’t modeled after any specific emulsion, it definitely has a vintage film vibe. It’s vaguely reminiscent of color photographs from the 1950’s or ’60’s shot on Kodak film. It also has a bit of a cinematic quality to it. I don’t think this will be anyone’s favorite Recipe for everyday photography, but I suspect that some of you will love it for occasional use when retro results are desired. It pairs well with vintage glass or cheap third-party lenses with character.
This was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, but it has been replaced by a different Early-Access Recipe, so now everyone can use it! One perk of being an App Patron subscriber is that you get early access to some new Film Simulation Recipes, including the one that replaced this Recipe.
Rainy Day in the Neighborhood – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vintage Eterna Recipe
Vintage Eterna for the Fujifilm X-H1, X-T3, & X-T30
Film Simulation: Eterna Dynamic Range: DR100 Grain Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect: Off or N/A White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -5 Blue Highlight: +3 Shadow: -1 Color: +2 Sharpness: -1 High ISO NR: -4 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to 0 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Vintage Eterna Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-H1 and Fujifilm X-T30:
Cloud Above Roof – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Summer Blossoms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Sky Vines – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Backlit Leaves of Summer – Fujifilm X-H1
Hummingbird Feeder – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Golden Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Yellow Trumpet Flower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Red Trumpet Flower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Garden Wall Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Vintage Eterna for Fujifilm X-Trans IV
Film Simulation: Eterna Dynamic Range: DR100 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -5 Blue Highlight: +3 Shadow: -1 Color: +2 Sharpness: -1 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to 0 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Vintage Eterna Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Labyrinth – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sky Dome – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Little Desert Berries – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Saguaro & Storm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Birdie Footprints – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Distant Downtown – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sky Rays – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Saguaro Silhouette – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Purple Plant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Vintage Eterna for Fujifilm X-Trans V
Film Simulation: Eterna Dynamic Range: DR100 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -5 Blue Highlight: +3 Shadow: -1 Color: +2 Sharpness: -1 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to 0 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Vintage Eterna Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Sunset Light on the North Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Covered Horse – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
See Fingers as Carrots – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Buckets – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Wet Bougainvillea Flower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Wet Lightbulb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunlit Yellow Bloom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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Blooms by the Pavilion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Emulsion Recipe
I love this new Kodak Emulsion Film Simulation Recipe, even though it was a happy accident. I was trying to replicate the aesthetic of some Kodak ColorPlus 200 film scans that someone shared with me, but I was unsuccessful; however, in the process of failing, I discovered these settings, which are absolutely great!
Even though this Recipe doesn’t accurately mimic any specific emulsion (as far as I’m aware), it still looks very analog-like, and highly reminiscent of a few different Kodak negative stocks. I bet you could convince some people that you actually shot with film, and not a modern digital camera. While I used my Fujifilm X100V to capture these pictures, if I were to choose an interchangeable-lens model paired with vintage glass, I’m certain it would be even more convincing.
This Kodak Emulsion Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all “newer” X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II), but not the X-T3 or X-T30. Technically it is compatible with X-Trans V models, but, because X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations, it will look slightly different (try it anyway!). I’m sure that you can also use this Recipe on newer GFX cameras; however, I don’t have any personal experience with that, and I’m sure it will render slightly different (again, give it a try, as you might like it).
This Kodak Emulsion Film Simulation Recipe is an 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 that 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!
If you are a Fuji X Weekly Patron, it’s available to you right now on the App!
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Emulsion Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:
Autumn Sun – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Autumn Tree Leaves on a Shrub – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Minolta SLR – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Homework – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Flash On
Vines Along a Shaded Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sunlit Table & Chairs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Potted Flowers & Pavilion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Flowers at a Neighborhood Park – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Palm Tree & White Building – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Hanging Lightbulbs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Flag in the Wind – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Bougainvillea Branch on a Bright Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Yellow Wildflowers in the Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Yellow Flowers Blooming – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Tall Saguaro Behind Dead Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Reaching Saguaro Fingers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Damaged Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
A Desert Landscape – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Dirt Road After Rain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Eastman Color Negative II 100T, which was also known as ECN-2 Type 5247/7247, was a 100 ASA Tungsten-balanced motion picture film made by Kodak between 1974 and 1983 (although, apparently, it could still be found and was used into the early 1990’s). A lot of iconic movies used this emulsion for at least some shots, including Star Wars, Back to the Future, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and many more. This Film Simulation Recipe is intended to mimic the aesthetic of this film stock that’s long-expired and developed in C41 chemistry after having the Remjet layer removed. In other words, this recipe isn’t intended to look like the film as it’s seen in the movies, but expired film that’s been developed in C41 chemistry instead of the ECN-2 process.
Tungsten film was intended for use in artificial light; for use in daylight, a Color Correction filter would be attached to the lens to adjust the white balance. This “Expired ECN-2 100T” Recipe does not replicate the use of Color Correction filters, and is more like shooting without it. The results can be quite unusual, especially in daylight. But if you are looking for something unusual, maybe this Film Simulation Recipe is for you. I don’t think it will be anyone’s go-to option, but for occasional use, if you want a lomo-like look, give this one a try. Also, it’s pretty decent for nighttime. This Recipe produces a green or yellow cast (depending on the light) when used at night, and a strong teal-ish cast when used in daylight.
The Expired ECN-2 100T Film Simulation Recipe was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe; however, it has been replaced by a different Early-Access Recipe, so now everyone can use it. It is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, plus fifth-generation models, which are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20 (yes, the X-S20), and the upcoming X100VI, by selected Color Chrome FX Blue Weak (instead of Strong). I believe it will also work on newer GFX cameras, although I have not tried it myself.
Film Simulation: Eterna Bleach Bypass Dynamic Range: DR400 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong — Weak for X-Trans V White Balance: 6000K, -9 Red & -6 Blue Highlight: +0.5 Shadow: -1 Color: +1 Sharpness: -3 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -4 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Expired ECN-2 100T Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Saguaro Green – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Stop, All Ways – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Truck Mirror – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Lightning McQueen’s Home – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Truck – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Texting & Walking – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea Over Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Shaded Hummingbird Feeder – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sidewalk Chalk & Red Bucket – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Red Soccer Ball – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Friendly Skeleton – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Kodak Instamatic Camera – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Expired ECN-2 100T Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Night Board – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Empty at Night – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Flag and Lights – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Plant at Night – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Closed Door – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bokeh Behind Chainlink – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Lamp & Gated Patio – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
A-Team – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Barrel – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mailbox, Maybe – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Unlit hanging Bulbs – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
No Teasing – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Patriotic Equine – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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View of the North Rim from the South – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1971 Kodak
I was flipping through the pages of a photo album that my grandma had put together a long time ago, when I saw something interesting. Most of the pictures in this book were captured before I was born, and some when I was very young. I came across a group of color prints that all looked similar. They were warm—very yellowish—with fairly subdued colors, kind of flat-looking, yet with a decent amount of contrast. Blown-out highlights was a commonality among many (but not all) of the prints. A month and year were printed on the border, along with a red fox. Kodak is faintly visible on the back of the paper.
I was very intrigued by the aesthetic of these photographs. There was an obvious resemblance to my 1970’s Summer Film Simulation Recipe, although not quite identical. So I set out to recreate it with my Fujifilm X-T5.
Grand Dome – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1971 Kodak
From the clues, I determined that the film was most likely Kodacolor-X, which was a popular color negative film from that era. It required the C-22 development process, which was a predecessor to C-41. The prints likely are a bit discolored and faded due to age, and probably looked slightly different when they were newly made. Many of them were square, and those were likely shot on a Kodak Instamatic camera and on 126 format film; the rectangular pictures are from 35mm film. Most of the prints were developed in 1971, although some had dates in 1972 printed on the border. The red fox indicates that it was developed at Fox Photo, which at the time was a popular one-hour photo lab. Interestingly, in the iconic mall scene in Back to the Future, it’s a Fox Photo that get’s destroyed by the VW van.
I made a scan of one of the prints, and it really messed up the look. I did my best to correct it to closely match the print, and I did get pretty close; however, it’s not 100% identical. I didn’t use this scan, but the prints themselves, to create the 1971 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe. I think you can still get a pretty good idea of what the prints look like from the scan.
A scan of one of the prints from 1971. The kid on the right with the trombone is my dad when he was 15.
The aesthetic that the 1971 Kodak Recipe produces is very similar to Kodacolor-X film printed on Kodak paper in the early-1970’s, and viewed today after aging. The most similar Recipe to this is 1970’s Summer, and I’ve included a comparison at the bottom so that you can see the difference. This Recipe is compatible with fifth-generation X-Trans cameras from Fujifilm, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20 (yes, the X-S20), as well as the upcoming X100VI. I’m sure that you can use it on the latest GFX models, too; however, I don’t have any personal experience with that, and it’s likely to render slightly different (try it anyway). This Recipe pairs very well with vintage glass (or inexpensive third-party lenses with character), and is best for sunny daylight scenarios.
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! If you are an App Patron, be sure to look for this new Recipe in the App!
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this 1971 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
BM&LP RR 6001 – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Standing at the edge of the Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Four Kids at the Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Golden Sunlight in the Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Garden Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Last of Autumn – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Backlit Backyard Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Leaf Pile – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Autumn Tree and Grey Sky – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Construction – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Old Saguaro Reaching High – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pinyon Pine at the South Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Lookout Store Sign – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Swift – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
No Teasing the Horses – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Comparison:
1970’s Summer Film Simulation Recipe
1971 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe
1970’s Summer Film Simulation Recipe
1971 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe
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Morning at the South Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – McCurry Kodachrome
I received an email from Anders Lindborg back in November, and the subject line read, “The Last Roll.” Anders explained to me that himself and John Sevigny had co-created a Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe based on Steve McCurry’s last roll of Kodachrome film, which was (as you likely know) famously developed on July 12, 2010, at Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas.
Writing this article has been difficult for me, because of John’s passing. But I hope that this is somehow honoring to him. He was an extraordinarily knowledgable photographer who was always eager to help. It’s a humble privilege for me to share with all of you this Recipe that Anders and John co-created.
“The goal was to create a recipe that both looked and behaved like Kodachrome 64,” Anders wrote. “It should also be based on science, not just trying to look like the real thing during very special conditions. Our starting reference were the photos taken by Steve McCurry on the quite-famous last roll of Kodachrome project. We also studied every little detail of the documentary to find out the exact conditions for how the photos were made. Even that was not enough, so we started to hunt down every single Kodachrome 64 photo we could possibly find. Luck was on our side, as we managed to locate a whole bunch that were actually developed by Dwayne’s Photo.”
Anders continued, “After about eight months of testing every single scenario we could come up with, using similar lighting equipment that was used for the last roll project, we started to feel like we had done all that was possible with the given tools. Everything matched our reference photos, and we both got stunning results with every test we made, but we still decided to test it for just a bit longer to make sure we actually had captured the true spirit of this film. John also travelled parts of the USA and South America, shooting nothing but this recipe for color work.”
Kodachrome was first introduced in 1935, and was discontinued in 2009. There are three distinct eras of the film, and Kodachrome 64, which was introduced in 1974, was in the third and final era. Kodachrome was actually a black-and-white film, and the color dyes were added during the development process. Because of this, it is probably the most difficult film to scan, and, if not properly color corrected, will often have a pronounced blue cast. Even a scan that is carefully corrected can lean slightly blue compared to the slide being projected or viewed on a light table. McCurry’s “last roll” slides were scanned by Richard Jackson, who was regarded as a leading expert on Kodachrome scanning.
Kodachrome 64 slides on a light table – Fujifilm X100V – McCurry Kodachrome
There are some differences between this McCurry Kodachrome Recipe and my Kodachrome 64 Recipe, but there are also a lot of similarities. My Recipe is more like Kodachrome as viewed via a slide projector or light table, while the McCurry Kodachrome Recipe is more like quality scans of the film. There’s a comparison of the two Recipes at the very bottom of this article.
Like the actual film, this McCurry Kodachrome Recipe has a narrow dynamic range, and must be carefully exposed. Pay extra attention to the highlights, because they can clip easily. Also, try to keep the ISO as low as practical. I used this Recipe with the ISO all the way to 6400, and it was fine, but for best results that better match the film, don’t go above ISO 1600. McCurry Kodachrome is fully compatible with all X-Trans IV models—including the X-T3 and X-T30; for X-Trans V, blues will render slightly more deeply, so the results will be just a tad different, but feel free to try anyway.
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR100 Grain Effect: Weak, Small — Weak for X-T3/X-T30 Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off — N/A for X-T3/X-T30 White Balance: 5900K, -1 Red & +4 Blue Highlight: 0 Shadow: 0 Color: +2 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -2 Clarity: 0 — N/A for X-T3/X-T30 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 1600 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)
Example photos, all camera made JPEGs using this McCurry Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:
Siblings Playing Video Games – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Little Palms in a Pot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Promenade – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Broken Haircut Chair – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Bougainvillea Below Window – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Bougainvillea & Stucco – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Blossom Along Sidewalk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Sunny Day Along Suburban Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Suburban Desert Sunset – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sunset Over Desert Brush – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Golden Coast Blossoms – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Comparison:
Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)
McCurry Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)
Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)
McCurry Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)
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Morning at the South Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Upcoming Recipe
Tomorrow I will unveil a brand-new Film Simulation Recipe! I’ve been shooting with this new Recipe for nearly two months, and I think that you’re really going to like it, too. It will certainly be utilized by many of you, and will quickly become a popular choice. I’m not going to give any more details about it until then, so you will want to stay tuned.
Actually, you’ll want to tune in! You see, Season 4 of SOOC Live will kick off tomorrow, and we’re going to discuss this new Recipe in-depth. This is a don’t-miss type of episode. Be sure to follow SOOC Live on YouTube if you don’t already, so that you’re notified of all the new content.
There will actually be two broadcasts tomorrow. The first will be at 8:30 AM Pacific Time, 11:30 AM Eastern. This will be more relaxed and less formal, and will just introduce the new season and explain some changes. It’s kind of like a pre-show. Following that will be Episode 01 at 9:00 AM Pacific Time, noon Eastern. This is the broadcast where we will introduce and discuss the brand-new Film Simulation Recipe. I hope that you can join us for both, but if you can only make one, be sure to tune in to the second.
I’ve included both broadcasts below, so that you can easily find them tomorrow.
Which Film Simulation Recipes are the most versatile? What makes a particular Recipe especially versatile, anyway? What does White Balance have to do with any of it? These are questions that I get asked pretty regularly, so I thought I would answer them today.
Let’s start with White Balance, including White Balance Shift. In the analog days, with a few exceptions, film was either Daylight-balanced or Tungsten-balanced. Daylight-balanced film, as you can imagine, was intended for use in sunny daytime scenarios, with a Kelvin temperature around 5500-5600K. Tungsten film was intended for artificial light scenarios, with a Kelvin temperature around 3200K. Because film was made for one of two specific light situations, you had three basic options for use outside of those scenarios: 1) accept the results for what they are, 2) use Color Correction Filters to adjust the Kelvin temperature to more closely match the light, or 3) use lighting equipment to artificially make the light match the film.
Digital cameras have a large number of White Balance options, which, when combined with WB fine-tuning (Fujifilm calls it WB Shift), can match the precise light that you are photographing in. If the White Balance is exactly correct for the light, things that are pure white in real life will appear pure white in the photograph, no color tint. But, just because the White Balance is technically correct, doesn’t mean that it is artistically correct. Nobody said that the White Balance must always be spot-on accurate—maybe you don’t want it to be, for aesthetic reasons. In fact, in the film days, it was quite common for the Kelvin temperature to be a mismatch for the light, at least a little. Kodak—the most popular film maker—was known for making emulsions with a warm color cast. In other words, achieving a perfectly accurate White Balance, which wasn’t particularly common until somewhat recently, might not be desirable. However, in the digital age with Auto White Balance, we’re often used to having a highly accurate White Balance in our photographs, and seeing it not spot-on accurate can perhaps be a bit unnerving, especially if it is pretty far off.
Many of the Fuji X Weekly Film Simulation Recipes are facsimiles of actual film stocks, and often that means using a fixed White Balance. Unless you have Color Correction Filters or are artificially lighting the scene to match the White Balance (both of which are unlikely), if the scene’s light is a mismatch for the Recipe, you can get undesirable results sometimes (just like with film). My best advice is to use a Film Simulation Recipe that is a match for the scene. For example, Fluorescent Night might be a better choice for nighttime photography than 1970’s Summer, since the former is more like Tungsten-balanced and the latter is more like Daylight-balanced. Sometimes the best Recipe for a particular light situation might be obvious, and other times it might not be, and trial-and-error is necessary to figure it out—my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When? series is intended to help out with this.
Not all of the Recipes use a fixed White Balance; instead, some call for Auto White Balance. Newer Fujifilm cameras actually have three AWB options: Auto White Priority, Auto, and Auto Ambience Priority. White Priority leans cooler in artificial light than standard Auto, while Ambience Priority leans a little warmer in artificial light. All three AWB options are intended to produce reasonably accurate White Balances in all light situations. Because of this, Recipes that use AWB tend to be a lot more versatile than Recipes with a fixed White Balance, since you can use them in all sorts of light situations, and not just one. This is much less film-like, but perhaps can be equated to carrying a bunch of different Color Correction Filters with you all of the time. The easiest way to find my Film Simulation Recipes that use AWB is to Filter By White Balance (available to App Patrons) in the Fuji X Weekly App.
White Balance and WB Shift are probably the largest factor in determining the versatility of a particular Recipe, but it’s far from the only factor. Film Simulation, Dynamic Range, Highlight and Shadow, Color, etc., all play a role. One Recipe that uses AWB might be more versatile than another that also uses AWB, and some Recipes that use a fixed White Balance can be surprisingly versatile. However, what one person likes might be different from another, since each person has their own unique tastes. I might like a particular Recipe for a specific scenario, but you might dislike it for that exact same situation.
The pictures in this article were all captured with Film Simulation Recipes that use AWB and that I find to be especially versatile. Use them anytime of the day or night, in any light situation, and for any subject. If you want a versatile option to program into your Fujifilm camera, those are ones to consider. But they are far from the only versatile Recipes, and they might not be the best, either. If one of them stands out to you, I definitely invite you to try it.
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.
There are certain Film Simulation Recipes that are great for regular use. Maybe they’re not completely versatile, and cannot be used effectively in all situations, but they’re good for a lot of photographs. There are other Recipes that are good only for certain instances, such as night photography. There are also some Film Simulation Recipes that I would categorize as fun. They’re not necessarily intended to be used often, they’re not necessarily versatile, and they’re not necessarily even meant for specific scenarios. They’re just for fun, when you want results that are a little different.
While I have included five of these fun Recipes below, I have published a lot more than just five of them. These are ones that I have personally used within the last couple of weeks. I thought if I used them and appreciated the results, perhaps you would like to try them, too. Overall, there are probably a couple dozen Recipes (maybe even more than that) that could be included in this category. Perhaps it’s unfair to say that these are the only fun ones, because in my opinion all of the Recipes are fun, but these are just for fun, if that makes sense.
The five fun Recipes below are not in any particular order. I invite you to try them today!
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.
Cold Morning at the South Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor C200 v2
The original Fujicolor C200 Film Simulation Recipe is great! This isn’t intended to replace that Recipe—there’s no need to replace it, since it’s excellent—but instead provide an alternative option for those looking for something slightly different. One film can produce many different looks, depending on a host of factors, including how it was shot, developed, and printed or scanned. In this case, a Fuji X Weekly reader wanted a Recipe that more closely matched his particular Fujicolor C200 scans. Oh, and it needed to be compatible with the Fujifilm X100V and X-Pro3, which the original version is not.
Fujifilm introduced Fujicolor C200 in 1990 as a low-budget, consumer-grade color negative film. I’ve shot a few rolls of it over the years, although it was never my go-to option. Fujifilm gave it a small refresh in 2017. Sadly, in late 2021, Fujifilm began selling rebranded Kodak Gold 200 as Fujicolor C200. Even though C200 is a cheap color film, it has a cult-like following, and many people enjoy its aesthetic and choose it over more expensive emulsions.
Bougainvillea Peeking over Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor C200 v2
This Fujicolor C200 v2 Film Simulation Recipe is an App Patron Early-Access Recipe. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, you have access to it right now. If not, no worries, as it will eventually be made available to everyone, once it is replaced by a new Early-Access Recipe. With the exception of the X-T3 and X-T30, it is fully compatible with X-Trans IV cameras: X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. For fifth generation models, simply set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong.
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Fujicolor C200 v2 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V and Fujifilm X-E4:
Main Street – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Dim Light & Neon Reflections – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Coffee Shop Christmas Tree – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Backlit Potted Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Afternoon Jo – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sitting on a Backyard Bench – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Swinging Seat – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Potted Blossoms – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Artificial Flowers – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
AC – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
The Grinch that Stole a Golf Cart – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Autumn Path – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Autumn Canopy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Bird on a Cross – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Icy Morning at the Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Canyon Between the Pines – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Morning Shadows – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Comparison:
Original Fujicolor C200 Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)
This new Fujicolor C200 v2 Film Simulation Recipe (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.
Bell Tower – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Print Recipe
This Film Simulation Recipe began when my wife suggested that I should try to emulate a certain look that she had found. I wasn’t successful, but in my efforts I discovered these settings, which I thought looked interesting nonetheless. They remind me of vintage color prints—not from any specific film or process, but just my “memory color” (as Fujifilm puts it) of some old prints that I’ve seen in the past. It has almost a classic magazine quality to it, or even a bit of a post-card resemblance. Whatever it may or may not look like, it definitely has a vintage-like aesthetic that some of you might really appreciate.
Most of these pictures were captured using manual vintage lenses, including—actually, mainly—a Helios 44-2. I also used a 5% CineBloom or 10% CineBloom filter with about half of them. I did this to help achieve an analog aesthetic. The use of vintage glass and diffusion filters aren’t required for this recipe, but you are certainly welcome to do so if you want—I think they help a little to take the digital edge off of the pictures.
This Vintage Print Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. For use on fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak (instead of Strong), because those cameras render blue more deeply on certain film simulations. Those with newer GFX cameras can use it, too; however, it will render slightly differently. This was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, but has been replaced by a different Recipe, so now it’s available to everyone.
Film Simulation: Classic Negative Dynamic Range: DR200 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: Daylight, +3 Red & -6 Blue Highlight: +2 Shadow: -2 Color: -4 Sharpness: -4 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -4 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to +1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Vintage Print” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Pops of Bougainvillea Red – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Growing Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Joshua at a Stucco Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Big Storm Looming in the Background – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Lake, House – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Jon is Happy – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Labyrinth Church – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Saguaro & Dust – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Twin Saguaros – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Saguaro as Seen Through a Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Teddy Bear Cholla – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Desert Spikes – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Desert Barrel – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Trumpets Down – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bright Bougainvillea – 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.
The list of Film Simulation Recipes below are my “Essential 7” for X-Trans I cameras, which are the X-Pro1, X-E1, and X-M1 (the X-M1 doesn’t have the PRO Neg. Hi and PRO Neg. Std film sims, so it is a bit more limited; it doesn’t have C1-C7, either). If you are not sure which Recipes to program into your C1-C7 Custom Presets, these are my suggestions for you to begin with. These are the ones that you must try, in my opinion. You might love all of them, you might only appreciate some of them, or you might not like any of them. Each person has their own styles and tastes, and there’s no one single Recipe that’s universally loved by everyone (although a few seem close). Still, give these seven a try—keep the ones you like, and replace the ones that you don’t.
Arched Window – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Kodachrome I
A couple of important side notes here. First, this list isn’t necessarily made up of versatile Recipes. Like film, most Film Simulation Recipes have specific use cases—such as sunny daylight—so not all of these option will be good for night photography, for example, or perhaps other situations. Also, X-Trans I models cannot save a White Balance Shift within the C1-C7 Custom Presets. You can only save one WB Shift per White Balance type, which means you’ll have to remember to adjust the WB Shift each time you change Recipes. Since X-Trans I was excluded from the Which Film Simulation Recipe, When? series, I decided to take WB Shift into account for this article, and choose Recipes with a variety of WB types. This will make the user experience more enjoyable, but it does exclude some Recipes that might be preferable over others, since I’m avoiding multiple Recipes with the same WB type. For the 7th Recipe, use Daylight/Fine instead of Auto; by doing so, you’ll still get a similar result, and, since the two Daylight WB Recipes share the same WB Shift, you’ll be good to go.
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to program into your X-Trans I camera first:
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.
The list of Film Simulation Recipes below are my “Essential 7” for X-Trans II cameras, which are the X100S, X100T, X-T1, X-T10, X-E2, X-E2s, X70, X20, X30, XQ1, and XQ2. A few of the older models—X100S, X20, and XQ1—don’t have Classic Chrome, so I have a set of Recipes at the bottom that exclude the Classic Chrome film simulation. To complicate it more, I don’t believe that either of the XQ models have PRO Neg. Hi or PRO Neg. Std (but they also don’t have C1-C7). If you are not sure which Recipes to program into your C1-C7 Custom Presets, these are my suggestions for you to begin with. These are the ones that you must try, in my opinion. You might love all of them, you might only appreciate some of them, or you might not like any of them. Each person has their own styles and tastes, and there’s no one single Recipe that’s universally loved by everyone (although a few seem close). Still, give these seven a try—keep the ones you like, and replace the ones that you don’t.
A couple of important side notes here. First, this list isn’t necessarily made up of versatile Recipes. Like film, most Film Simulation Recipes have specific use cases—such as sunny daylight—so not all of these option will be good for night photography, for example, or perhaps other situations. Be sure to visit my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When?article for a more comprehensive group of options for various use cases. Also, X-Trans II models cannot save a White Balance Shift within the C1-C7 Custom Presets. You can only save one WB Shift per White Balance type, which means you’ll have to remember to adjust the WB Shift each time you change Recipes. The suggestions below do not take this into account; however, the Which Film Simulation Recipe, When? article does, so be sure to read it.
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to program into your X-Trans II camera first:
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.
The list of Film Simulation Recipes below are my “Essential 7” for X-Trans III cameras, which are the X-Pro2, X100F, X-T2, X-T20, X-E3, and X-H1. If you are not sure which Recipes to program into your C1-C7 Custom Presets, these are my suggestions for you to begin with. These are the ones that you must try, in my opinion. You might love all of them, you might only appreciate some of them, or you might not like any of them. Each person has their own styles and tastes, and there’s no one single Recipe that’s universally loved by everyone (although a few seem close). Still, give these seven a try—keep the ones you like, and replace the ones that you don’t.
Follow the Bird to Salt Lake – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – Cross Process
A couple of important side notes here. First, this list isn’t necessarily made up of versatile Recipes. Like film, most Film Simulation Recipes have specific use cases—such as sunny daylight—so not all of these option will be good for night photography, for example, or perhaps other situations. Be sure to visit my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When?article for a more comprehensive group of options for various use cases. Also, X-Trans III models cannot save a White Balance Shift within the C1-C7 Custom Presets. You can only save one WB Shift per White Balance type, which means you’ll have to remember to adjust the WB Shift each time you change Recipes. The suggestions below do not take this into account; however, the Which Film Simulation Recipe, When? article does, so be sure to read it.
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to program into your X-Trans III camera first:
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.
The list of Film Simulation Recipes below are my “Essential 7” for the X-T3 and X-T30. Fujifilm left these two models on an island (didn’t give them the same JPEG options as the other X-Trans IV models), so that’s why they get their own article. If you are not sure which Recipes to program into your C1-C7 Custom Presets, these are my suggestions for you to begin with. These are the ones that you must try, in my opinion. You might love all of them, you might only appreciate some of them, or you might not like any of them. Each person has their own styles and tastes, and there’s no one single Recipe that’s universally loved by everyone (although a few seem close). Still, give these seven a try—keep the ones you like, and replace the ones that you don’t.
Evening at Monument Valley – Monument Valley, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia
A couple of important side notes here. First, this list isn’t necessarily made up of versatile Recipes. Like film, most Film Simulation Recipes have specific use cases—such as sunny daylight—so not all of these option will be good for night photography, for example, or perhaps other situations. Be sure to visit my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When?article for a more comprehensive group of options for various use cases. Also, the X-T3 and X-T30 cannot save a White Balance Shift within the C1-C7 Custom Presets. You can only save one WB Shift per White Balance type, which means you’ll have to remember to adjust the WB Shift each time you change Recipes. The suggestions below do not take this into account; however, the Which Film Simulation Recipe, When? article does, so be sure to read it.
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to program into your X-T3 or X-T30 camera first:
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.
The list of Film Simulation Recipes below are my “Essential 7” for X-Trans IV cameras (except for the X-T3 and X-T30, which will be found in Part 3). If you are not sure which Recipes to program into your C1-C7 Custom Presets, these are my suggestions for you to begin with. These are the ones that you must try, in my opinion. You might love all of them, you might only appreciate some of them, or you might not like any of them. Each person has their own styles and tastes, and there’s no one single Recipe that’s universally loved by everyone (although a few seem close). Still, give these seven a try—keep the ones you like, and replace the ones that you don’t.
An important side note here: this list isn’t necessarily made up of versatile Recipes. Like film, most Film Simulation Recipes have specific use cases—such as sunny daylight—so not all of these option will be good for night photography, for example, or perhaps other situations. Be sure to visit my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When?article (this one, too) for a more comprehensive group of options for various use cases.
This list is for X-Trans IV cameras (except for the X-T3 & X-T30), which include the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. The X-S20’s exclusion is a bit controversial because it has an X-Trans IV sensor paired with the X-Trans V processor, but since it seems to render more similar to X-Trans V than X-Trans IV, and has the X-Trans V JPEG options, it’s not in this list, but with the X-Trans V cameras.
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to program into your X-Trans IV camera first:
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 is Part 1 of what will be a series of articles on this topic. I actually attempted to do this back in the summer, but got sidetracked, and never made it beyond the first post. So those with an X-Trans V camera get a little bonus. My hope is to make it all the way through X-Trans I, so if you have an older model, don’t worry—we’ll get to your camera soon.
The list of Film Simulation Recipes below are my “Essential 7” for X-Trans V cameras. If you are not sure which Recipes to program into your C1-C7 Custom Presets, these are my suggestions for you to begin with. These are the ones that you must try, in my opinion. You might love all of them, you might only appreciate some of them, or you might not like any of them. Each person has their own styles and tastes, and there’s no one single Recipe that’s universally loved by everyone (although a few seem close). Still, give these seven a try—keep the ones you like, and replace the ones that you don’t.
Left the Lights On – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fluorescent Night
An important side note here: this list isn’t necessarily made up of versatile Recipes. Like film, most Film Simulation Recipes have specific use cases, such as sunny daylight, so not all of these option will be good for night photography, for example, or perhaps other situations. Be sure to visit my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When?for a more comprehensive list of options for various use cases.
This list is specifically for X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20. The X-S20 is a bit controversial to be included here because it has an X-Trans IV sensor paired with the X-Trans V processor, but since it seems to render more similar to X-Trans V than X-Trans IV, and has the X-Trans V JPEG options, it is included in this list. Also, use this list for the upcoming X100V successor, once it comes out (in February or March, most likely). Next up in this series is X-Trans IV.
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to program into your X-Trans V camera first:
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.
Yesterday, MPB (“an online platform for used photography and videography equipment”) published an article entitled How to Install and Use Fujifilm Recipes, which was largely written by Michael Schulz. I knew that this story was in the works because MPB had reached out to me several weeks ago just to make sure that it was ok to mention Fuji X Weekly in an upcoming piece; however, I only found out that it was published because I noticed a number of clicks to this website from theirs within today’s daily stats. What I love about the MPB article are the lovely photographs by Michael captured with his Fujifilm X100V, using mostly the Pacific Blues, Kodak Gold 200 (or is it this one?), and Kodak Portra 400 v2 (maybe Vibrant Arizona, too…) Film Simulation Recipes. It’s a real testament to what can be done straight-out-of-camera with Fujifilm models.
I was thinking today: why are camera stores talking about Fuji X Weekly and Film Simulation Recipes? It would be more obviously understood if I had merchandise for sale in their stores or on their websites, but I don’t. What’s in it for them? I think the answer is pretty simple: Fuji X Weekly Recipes sell Fujifilm cameras.
Golden Light in Abandoned House – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor Reala 100 Recipe
Recipes are one of the reasons why the X100V has been so hard to find for over a year now. Social media influencers began saying that the X100V’s pictures “mimic film” and require “zero editing”—next thing you know they’re out of stock everywhere. With a little research I found out that these influencers were using my Film Simulation Recipes.
If you have a camera store and want to move your Fujifilm inventory, the best way is to point out to customers that the straight-out-of-camera pictures look so darn good, and post-editing isn’t necessary. Specifically, Film Simulation Recipes make it easy to get great-looking pictures without fuss, which can make photography more accessible and enjoyable, saving tons of time and frustration. There’s even an app! I think Fujifilm themselves have overall done a fairly poor job of communicating this; it’s been influencers and camera stores and really just word-of-mouth by Fujifilm photographers that has spread the message to the community at large. Outside of Fujifilm circles, this whole concept is fairly unknown or misunderstood, so there’s still a lot of work to go. MPB’s article will help; hopefully there will be more like it in the near future.
