Film Simulation Recipes | FUJI X WEEKLY

10 Underrated Film Simulation Recipes You Probably Skipped (but should try)

*Sentinel & Merced* – Yosemite NP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Vintage Color

Some Film Simulation Recipes are extremely popular. Some are classics. Kodachrome 64, Reggie’s Portra, Vibrant Arizona, Kodak Portra 400 v2, Pacific Blues, and many others, are frequently used by a lot of photographers. But there are some others that just seem to get used a lot less. Website page-view statistics indicate that the 10 Recipes below are less popular, which I think is confirmed by the infrequency that I’ve seen them mentioned on social media. Just because they’re not as popular doesn’t mean they’re not good—in fact, some of them are my personal favorites.

The list below does not represent the least popular Recipes on Fuji X Weekly. A few of them are in the Top 50 (out of more than 400), which puts them in the Top 12%-15% or so. Compared to the most popular, though, they’re overshadowed. The 10 Recipes below are often overlooked, and they deserve a bit more attention. If you’ve not tried them yourself, I invite you to load them into your camera and create some photographs—perhaps one or two of them will become favorites for you, too.

Fujicolor Super HG

The Fujicolor Super HG Recipe was created by Thomas Schwab, who has made many fantastic Recipes, including a few on this list. This Recipe, which uses Classic Negative, resembles an older Fujifilm emulsion from the mid-1980’s through the late-1990’s. While it is very similar to Fujicolor Super HG v2, which was a collaborative effort between myself and Thomas, this v1 isn’t nearly as popular, probably because the v2 Recipe is more versatile (due to its white balance); however, this version is really good, and deserves more attention. Fujicolor Super HG is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II); for fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.

Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled

Another Recipe by Thomas Schwab, Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled is simply fantastic for indoor and artificial light situations. It’s been one of my personal favorite Recipes for years. I highly recommend it if you’ve never tried it. This Recipe, which also uses Classic Negative, is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II); for fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.

Timeless Negative

For whatever reason, Timeless Negative has been my go-to Film Simulation Recipe for holiday snapshots during November and December. It’s quite versatile, so it can be used in a variety of lighting conditions. This particular version uses Eterna and is for most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II); for fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off. There’s a version of Timeless Negative that uses Nostalgic Neg., which is also really good, for those who have X-Trans V cameras.

SantaColor

The SantaColor Recipe, which uses Eterna, is a fun one. It doesn’t always work well, but sometimes it works really well. It’s another Recipe that’s for most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II). You can use it on fifth-generation models, but just note that it will render slightly different.

Ferrania Solaris FG 400

The Ferrania Solaris FG 400 Recipe is simply Kodak Portra 400 v2 with Eterna Bleach Bypass instead of Classic Chrome. Most Recipes don’t look particularly good when you change the film simulation, but in this case it does. This Recipe is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II); for fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off.

CineStill 400D v1

Definitely not a Recipe for every subject and situation, but CineStill 400D v1 can produce really striking results sometimes. It’s the only Astia-based Recipe in this list. CineStill 400D v1 is for the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III cameras.

Thommy’s Ektachrome

As you might have guessed, this is another Recipe by Thomas Schwab. I find that it works well for both sunny and dreary weather. Thommy’s Ektachrome uses the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, which makes it compatible with fifth-generation cameras.

Kodak Vision3 250D v2

This is an updated version of the Kodak Vision3 250D Recipe, but using Nostalgic Neg. instead of Eterna. This is one of those Recipes that doesn’t always work well, but when it does, it really does! Kodak Vision3 250D v2 is compatible with all fifth-generation models.

Vintage Color

Some of my favorite photographs were created using the Vintage Color Recipe. It’s another one that doesn’t always work well, but when it does, it’s really good. This Recipe, which uses Eterna, is for most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II); for fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.

1960 Chrome

Last—but far from least—is 1960 Chrome, which uses Eterna Bleach Bypass and has compatibility with fourth and fifth generation models. The aesthetic comes from several photographs in various issues of Arizona Highways magazine from the 1960’s. If you’re looking for a vintage aesthetic, this is a great option.

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Classic Amber – Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on November 1 by Ritchie Roesch

*Golden Appalachian Light* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-T5 – Classic Amber

I made this Classic Amber Film Simulation Recipe before leaving on my trip to Tennessee last month, with the intention of using it on that adventure. I had in mind a warm and contrasty negative film rendering that would pair well with autumn colors. It turned out that I was a little early for the peak fall display, and only found pops of color here-and-there; however, this Recipe ended up being absolutely perfect for the early morning forest, which was still shadowed despite being past sunrise. I also liked it in some other situations, such as sunrise, daytime, and even for concert photography. It works most ideally in low-contrast situations with cool light. This Recipe can easily be too warm and too contrasty, so it’s not for every subject or situation—you may have to use it cautiously. When it works, it really works; when it doesn’t, it really doesn’t.

I didn’t model this Recipe after any specific film. Interestingly enough, after I returned home I researched what it might be closest to, and I was surprised by what I found. This Classic Amber Recipe seems to be the most similar to Kodak Portra 400 that’s been push processed by one stop, and scanned with a Noritsu. I would add that maybe the use of a warming filter with the film, such as an 81B, might help solidify the similarities. If you Google search “Portra 400 push process” you’ll find a number of examples that are surprisingly similar to this Recipe (but, like with any film, you’ll also find many non-similar examples). If push-processed Kodak Portra 400 (perhaps with a warming filter) is the look you’re after, this Recipe (unintentionally) is a good facsimile of it. In the right situations, it’s easy to love the results.

*Corn Crib* – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5 – Classic Amber

The Classic Amber Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. It’s also compatible with the GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF. While you can technically use it on some fourth-generation X-Trans cameras (X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II), it will render slightly different (try it anyway, though, and see if you like the results).

Film Simulation: Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Weak, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong
White Balance: Fluorescent 1, +1 Red & -6 Blue
Highlight: -1.5
Shadow: +2.5
Color: +4
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Classic Amber Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

*Forest Road 1* – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Forest Road 2* – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Forest Road 3* – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Autumn Flowers* – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Autumn Blooms* – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Bright Bougainvillea* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Suburban Vines* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Arizona Palm* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Ober (not Uber)* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Smoky Hill* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Pops of Red* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Smoky Mountains* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Morning Mountain* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Morning Light* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Leaves in the Water* – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Leaves on River Rock* – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Small Waterfall* – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Creek & Waterfall* – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Four Trees* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Partially Eaten Leaf* – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Cabin* – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Skating Rink Joy* – Woodstock, GA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Rock ‘n’ Roll Guitar* – White House, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Phil Keaggy* – White House, TN – Fujifilm X-T5

*Space Guitar* – White House, TN – 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.

Fujifilm X-T5 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira

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Has Fujifilm Regained its Soul?

Posted on October 30 by Ritchie Roesch

*Fujifilm Photowalk* – Ann Arbor, MI – Fujifilm X-T50 – Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm – by Dave Geffin

A little over three years ago, I published Is Fujifilm Losing Its Soul?, which was my personal criticism of the direction the brand seemed to be heading at that time. “Fujifilm has already lost its soul,” I wrote. “It’s done gone. Elvis left the building awhile ago.”

In that article, I argued, “Fujifilm’s philosophy for their X-series cameras was analog-inspired innovations with a focus on the photographer’s experience (both while using the camera for photography, and as customers of the brand). This was their soul. That philosophy, which seemed to be clearly understood, is what drove the camera department of the company. From the design decisions to the Kaizen firmware updates and everything in-between, this philosophy oozed out—it was both obvious and attractive, and is why Fujifilm was suddenly successful….”

*Photowalk in Infrared* – Ann Arbor, MI – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2

My two main arguments were that Fujifilm had abandoned Kaizen (which, for a time, they had… hello, X-T3, and even X100V and X-Pro3), and they were more focused on attracting new customers from Canikony brands than they were on making their long-time loyal customer base happy. There was a time when that seemed to be very true. But we’re more than three years since now, is it still true today? Or has Fujifilm regained its soul?

While I’d love to see even more Kaizen (such as giving the X-T50 and X-M5 the ability to save Recipes in FS1/FS2/FS3), Fujifilm did show some love when they gave the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20 the Reala Ace Film Simulation. After a pause, Fujifilm did bring back Kaizen, but it’s time for a little more of it. I understand that the firmware department is probably swamped, and providing updates for older models probably isn’t as large of a priority as making firmware for upcoming cameras, but this should still be an important aspect of the brand, and not neglected. So I would say that progress has been made on this front, but there’s room for improvement.

*Camera Conversations* – Ann Arbor, MI – Fujifilm X-T50 – Superia Negative

As for the types of cameras that Fujifilm makes and what the intended customer base is for those models, I think Fujifilm has done a great job over the last couple of years with this. They listened to their customers, and took some risks. I think they have begun to realize what their actual advantage is over the other brands, and have done a much better job communicating why that might be preferable. Again, there’s definitely room for improvement, but they seem to have pivoted slightly, and they’re on a better course now, in my opinion.

Fujifilm’s largest asset is not a product—it’s the community that has sprung up around straight-out-of-camera photography from their cameras (think Film Simulations and/or Film Simulation Recipes). This community is passionate, helpful, and kind—generally, just good people. And this community, which has grown and grown and grown, has done far more to sell Fujifilm cameras than any marketing campaign could ever dare to achieve. Fujifilm could do more to support and facilitate the growth of this community, but 1) they recognized the existence and importance of this large group and 2) they’re doing a heck-of-a-lot more now than three years ago. Fujifilm has made large strides, and are even making products and design choices with these people in mind. This community is an important part of the brand, and Fujifilm finally figured that out. Much of the success that Fujifilm has experienced over the last few years has been because of these people.

*Photowalk Discussion* – Ann Arbor, MI – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor Negative – by Amanda Roesch

The question is: what should Fujifilm do moving forward? I already mentioned more Kaizen. An X-Pro3 successor is already in the works, so I’ll skip past that. I think a flagship model with retro styling and traditional tactile controls should be high on Fujifilm’s to-do list… that could be the upcoming X-Pro, an upgraded X-T6, or a brand-new line—the long-time loyal base shouldn’t have to settle for PASM (I know that some people prefer PASM) in order to have the best-of-the-best X-series camera. The GFX100RF shouldn’t be the only retro-styled GFX offering, either. Fujifilm should make programming Recipes into their cameras easier (I’m happy to help with that, btw, if Fujifilm is interested). There are probably a thousand ideas that I could propose, these are just scratching the surface—hopefully someday I’ll have the opportunity to share them with the company.

To answer the question asked in this article’s title, Fujifilm has taken many steps towards regaining its soul in the three years since I wrote that article. Elvis has returned for an encore, and what an encore it has been! But there’s certainly more that they could and should do. It’s not all rainbows and lollipops, but I’m quite happy with the path that Fujifilm currently seems to be heading down. In my opinion, I think they briefly lost their way, but they’re back on track, and have been for a couple of years now.

Vivid Velvia – Fujifilm X-E5 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on October 28 by Ritchie Roesch

*Roaring Fork* – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Fujifilm X-E5 – Vivid Velvia

One item on my “bucket list” was to visit the Great Smoky Mountains in the fall. Two weeks ago I was able to check that one off; however, I was a little early for the peak autumn show. The trees were only just starting to show fall colors, with little pops here and there. I’ll have to try again sometime in the future, and hopefully time it just a little better. Even though I was a week or two early, it was still an amazing place to visit, and I’m so glad that I was able to go.

I created the Vivid Velvia Film Simulation Recipe in preparation for the trip, intending to use it on this adventure. My two favorite Velvia-based Recipes are The Rockwell and Velvia Film. The Rockwell Recipe, named after Ken Rockwell and designed to be similar to his aesthetic (he actually used it!), is very bold and a bit over-the-top, sometimes a smidge too much. The Velvia Film Recipe, which is a part of the Film Dial universal Recipe set, is very nice, but occasionally not bold enough. This Recipe is intended to bridge the gap between the two, sitting right in-between both of them. It’s a slightly less over-the-top alternative to The Rockwell, and a slightly more bold version of Velvia Film; overall, it’s similar to both.

*Autumn Spires* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5 – Vivid Velvia

After using this Vivid Velvia Recipe quite extensively on the trip, I’m very happy with the results. It does well in a variety of situations, including nighttime photography. Obviously, this is not a good choice for portraits, but it’s one of the best options for colorful landscape pictures. This Recipe is compatible with “newer” X-Trans IV cameras (Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II), all fifth-generation X-Trans models (X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III), and “newer” GFX cameras (GFX100S, GFX100S II, GFX100 II, and GFX100RF).

Film Simulation: Velvia
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak
White Balance: Auto Ambience Priority, +1 Red & -3 Blue
Highlight: -1
Shadow: -1
Color: +4
Sharpness: +1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: +3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Vivid Velvia Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E5:

*Rotary Club* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Lights Left On* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Cold Drinks* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*White House* – Canton, GA – Fujifilm X-E5

*Abandoned Garage* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Sky Tram* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Compass Tower* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Fall Colors* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Fall Bridge* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Fall Trees* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Pine Trees* – Canton, GA – Fujifilm X-E5

*Sunlight through Tree Branches* – Canton, GA – Fujifilm X-E5

*Ely’s Mill Trucks* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Leconte Creek* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Roaring Fork Waterfall* – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Thousand Drips* – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Falls Between Boulders* – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Autumn Leaves on Rocks* – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Log Fence* – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Log Cabin* – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Ephraim Bales Cabin* – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Red Gondolas* – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Nantahala River* – Wesser, NC – Fujifilm X-E5

*Stop at Ela Cabins* – Ela, NC – Fujifilm X-E5

*Abandoned Store at Night* – White House, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Rock Concert* – White House, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Electric Guitars* – White House, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

*Blues & Red* – White House, TN – Fujifilm X-E5

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-E5 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-E5 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 400 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

12 Recipes for Concert Photography (Part 1)

Posted on October 23 by Ritchie Roesch

*We Came From Space – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Superia Negative Recipe*

I’m not a concert photographer. I attend maybe one or two each year, and generally don’t have good seats; besides, the events often have a “no camera” policy. But I get asked quite frequently which Film Simulation Recipes are best for concert photography. I never have a good answer (only guesses), so when the opportunity came to try out various Recipes at a rock concert, I jumped at the chance. All of these pictures were captured from my seat at the back-right corner of the venue—not the best spot, but not terrible, either.

This will be a series of articles, with this post serving as Part 1. I loaded eight Recipes into my Fujifilm X-T5 (plus 11 in my X-E5), and reshuffled a bit at intermission. This was actually a three-day concert, so I did this multiple times. Later, I reprocessed some of the RAW files in-camera to see how some additional Recipes would do. For Part 1, the twelve Recipes are Superia Negative, Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm, Velvia Film, Cinematic Film (those four are all Film Dial Recipes), Reala Ace, Pacific Blues, Superia Xtra 400, Nostalgic Americana, Nostalgia Negative, Kodak Negative, Kodak Portra 400 v2, and Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1. The one requirement that I gave myself is that the Recipes needed to use DR400 to help keep the highlights in check.

*Cosmic Cathedral – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Reala Ace Recipe*

All of these 12 Recipes seemed to do well. None were busts. My favorites were the Classic Negative-based Recipes: Superia Negative, Pacific Blues, Reala Ace, and Superia Xtra 400. I can definitely recommend those, especially Superia Negative and Reala Ace. I also liked the Nostalgic Neg.-based Recipes: Nostalgic Americana, Nostalgia Negative, and Kodak Negative. My least favorite were the Velvia-based Recipes: Velvia Film and Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1. That’s not to say those Recipes were bad, only that I liked the others better. I think any of these 12 would work, but, in the future, I’d probably choose a few Classic Negative options, plus one or two Nostalgic Neg., and call it good.

The band in top photo is We Came From Space, which you’ll see a little more of in the upcoming parts (I’m not sure yet just how many posts there will be in this series, but likely three). They’re a classic rock/synth rock/blues rock/prog rock/pop fusion with out-of-this-world talent (sorry for the pun). All the remaining photos are of Cosmic Cathedral, a groove-oriented progressive rock super group featuring Phil Keaggy on guitars/vocals, Neal Morse on keyboards/guitar/vocals, Bryon House on bass, and Chester Thompson on drums (if you’ve ever seen Genesis or Phil Collins live, you’ve likely heard Chester keeping time). A number of additional musicians joined the band to complete the sound. This was their first concert as a band, and it was such a great show!

*Cosmic Cathedral – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm Recipe*

*Cosmic Cathedral – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Superia Negative Recipe*

*Cosmic Cathedral – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Pacific Blues Recipe*

*Cosmic Cathedral – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Velvia Film Recipe*

*Cosmic Cathedral – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Nostalgic Americana Recipe*

*Cosmic Cathedral – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Superia Xtra 400 Recipe*

*Cosmic Cathedral – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe*

*Cosmic Cathedral – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 Recipe*

*Cosmic Cathedral – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Nostalgia Negative Recipe*

*Cosmic Cathedral – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Kodak Negative Recipe*

*Cosmic Cathedral – Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 90mm f/2 – Cinematic Film Recipe*

Part 2 coming soon!

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-T5 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira
Fujinon 90mm f/2:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex

Find these Film Simulation Recipes and hundreds more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Most ideal Film Dial ideas

Posted on October 20 by Ritchie Roesch

I just got back into town from an epic 10-day trip. I’ve been up since 1:30 AM, so I apologize for the typos that will inevitably be found in this article. This is a followup to my last post, which I wanted to write while traveling, but it just didn’t work out. The basic premise of this is simple: if I were to design the ultimate Film Dial for Fujifilm, what would that look like?

Fujifilm introduced the Film Dial on the X-T50 about a year-and-a-half ago. They included one on the X-M5. The upcoming X-T30 III will apparently have one, too. The Fujifilm X-E5 also has one, although implemented slightly differently. It’s safe to say that the Film Dial is sticking around for awhile, and for good reason: it places one of Fujifilm’s most important and beloved features in a highly visible and easily accessible position on the camera. The initial implementation of it is good, but certainly not perfect. There’s room for improvement, and I believe Fujifilm is working towards that. As they make it better, don’t be surprised to find it on more and more models in the future.

Going forward, I believe there will be two variations of the Film Dial: knob and wheel. The knob version is found on the X-T50, X-M5, and the upcoming X-T30 III; the wheel version is currently only on the X-E5, but it could be included on the eventual X-Pro3 successor, as well as the someday X100VII. They’re similar, but not identical—the knob version has eight Film Simulations (plus three custom slots, as well as “C” which is Off), while the wheel version has only six Film Sims. The wheel Film Dial has the ability to save Recipes into FS1/FS2/FS3, and hopefully that functionality comes to the knob version at some point.

*Fujifilm X-E5 & 23mm f/2.8 – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Velvia Film (Film Dial Recipe)*

Whether we’re talking about the knob or wheel Film Dial, very simply it could be made much better. Perhaps this is something Fujifilm will consider for X-Trans VI, which will likely debut next year. The Film Dial should have the ability to save Film Simulation Recipes for each Film Simulation, and not just FS1/FS2/FS3. Undoubtedly, it can be done. It could even be done retroactively for the X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III via a firmware update, probably somewhat easily.

For the most ideal setup, though, I would take it a step further. Each Film Simulation should have the ability to store up to three Recipes. You could program three different Velvia Recipes into the Velvia slot, for example. To select which one of the three you want would be via a switch, maybe around the knob (for the knob version) or on the back of the camera (for the wheel version). It would have Recipe 1, 2, 3, Off as the options. Recipe Off would simply mean that the Film Dial would function as it does now, where it changes the Film Simulation and nothing else. Whatever JPEG parameters are programmed into the IQ Menu set is what it would default to, aside from (of course) the Film Simulation. Recipe 1, 2, 3 would be which of the three Recipes you want to use. If a Recipe hasn’t been programmed into that slot, the camera would prompt you to add one. These Recipes should have the ability of a custom name, so you can remember which is which.

FS1/FS2/FS3 would no longer need to take up three positions on the Film Dial; instead, you’d have FS-C, and the Recipe 1, 2, 3 switch would determine which FS1/FS2/FS3 you have selected (Recipe Off with FS-C selected would default to whichever Film Simulation you have set it to be within the camera’s menu). Also, the C position would no longer be necessary, opening up three Film Dial positions for Film Simulations that were previously left out. For the knob version, that might be PRO Neg (selecting either Hi or Std from within the menu), Eterna Bleach Bypass, and Monochrome; for the wheel version, it would likely be PRO Neg (again, selecting either Hi or Std from within the menu), Classic Negative, and Nostalgic Neg..

*Fujifilm X-E5 & 23mm f/2.8 – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Kodak Pro 400*

Since this setup would allow users to program up to 30 Recipes on the wheel Film Dial, and up to 36 Recipes on the knob Film Dial, Custom Settings presets (C1-C7 on most cameras, C1-C6 on some, and C1-C4 on others) would no longer be necessary for Recipes. In other words, Fujifilm should not include the IQ Menu options within Custom Settings presets. You’d still have C1-C7, for example, but it would be focus settings and sound settings and things like that, and not Recipe settings. This would solve an issue that a lot of people have vocalized about how Custom Presets currently work, while also greatly increasing the number of Recipes that can be programmed into the camera at any one time. It’s a big win-win.

There are a few other things that Fujifilm should do. First, when it comes to Acros and Monochrome, there needs to be a way to switch between the +Ye, +R, and +G filter options quickly and easily when using the Film Dial. Maybe a customizable Fn button? Second, the camera should come factory-default with Recipes programmed into the Recipe 1 position for all of the Film Simulations (except, perhaps, for FS1). It could be Recipes that Fujifilm themselves have created, or they could tap into the community for this (I’d be happy to help). Lastly, there should be a way to transfer Recipes directly from your phone to the camera (again, I’d be happy to help).

That’s how I believe the Film Dial should most ideally be implemented. It would greatly increase the number of potential Recipes available in-camera, and it would solve a menu problem that many have complained about. Not everyone will love it (particularly the anti-Film Sim, RAW-only, JPEG-never types), but I’m confident that most people will appreciate it, and it would certainly be a major selling point for whichever cameras have the Film Dial.

The Film Dial is Awesome

Posted on October 9 by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm’s Film Dial is probably the third most controversial design decision from the brand. First is the entirety of the X half camera, which has a vertically orientated sensor and frame advance lever. Second is the backwards-mounted rear LCD on the X-Pro3. Unlike the other controversies, the Film Dial is not just found on one model, but three (soon to be four) with certainly more to come in the future. With these contentious features, it’s understandable that people have mixed reactions.

Some people love the Film Dial. Some people could take-it-or-leave-it and its inclusion or exclusion is unimportant. Some people don’t mind it, but would prefer a different dial instead. And some people just loathe it.

Fujifilm had sent me an X-T50 to try out prior to its announcement. I didn’t know what the Film Dial was—it looked cool, but how do you use it? Initially, I didn’t really like it. I shoot with Film Simulation Recipes, and most Recipes work well with one specific Film Simulation and not nearly as well with others. Since the Film Dial (except on the X-E5… we’ll get to that later) only changes the Film Simulation and nothing else, it seemed like a useless feature to my photography. But then I had an epiphany: what if there was a “universal” Recipe or two, which was specifically designed for use with any and all Film Simulations? The Film Dial would become an important tool for maximizing in-camera picture aesthetics. So I went from disliking it to loving it rather quickly.

I think some of the criticisms are valid. Is a Film Dial more useful than a Drive Dial or ISO Dial? Fujifilm has never replaced an ISO Dial with a Film Dial, and I hope they never do. Complaining that a Film Dial was implemented instead of an ISO Dial is a little silly since the camera lines in question never had an ISO Dial in the first place. Still, of the two potential knobs, many people would prefer ISO over Film Simulation, and perhaps that is something Fujifilm should take into consideration. Fujifilm has replaced the Drive Dial with the Film Dial, and, for those who commonly use the Drive Dial, I can see how that might be annoying. Instead of a knob on top, Drive is now a button like on the X-E, X100, and X-Pro series. Most ideal might be to use a dual knob like the ISO/Drive dial on the X-T series (except Film Simulations instead of ISO), but Fujifilm hasn’t tried that yet—who knows, they might at some point. I don’t think this is a big deal for most people, but it is understandable. There was a similar sentiment when the four-way D-Pad was removed on most models, and it turned out that the majority acclimated without much heartache. My guess is that the lack of a Drive Knob on certain models will prove to be rather trivial in the long run.

*Union Station* – Denver, CO – Fujifilm X-T50 – Classic Negative + Film Dial Recipe

The majority of complaints are from the loathers. They really hate the Film Dial and don’t even want to see it when they look at their camera. It bothers them deeply. Some even claim that they’ll leave the brand over its inclusion. It’s like kryptonite or something. I find this very, very strange. It’s weird. The main issue seems to be that the Film Dial is something they’d never, ever use. They dislike Film Simulations so much that they don’t want anyone to even think that they might (gasp!) use one. Of course the irony is that, outside of some drastic measures, they’re using one: Provia. That’s how their camera sees the world, and where their RAW edits begin. Yes, they can manipulate the files any which way and make any number of unique adjustments, but you have to admit that using Provia has at least a small influence over the final edited photo. Almost all of the Film Simulation haters are using a Film Simulation if they shoot a Fujifilm camera, but they’re either ignorant to that fact or they’re fully aware and are just being dishonest.

For (nearly) the last 15 years, many people have been buying and using Fujifilm cameras without digging into the menus, and as such never ventured beyond the Provia/STD Film Simulation. I’ve had a number of people tell me this. They’ve owned many Fujifilm cameras over the years, and never bothered to change the various IQ Menu items like Film Simulation, Dynamic Range, Color, etc., etc., until recently. When people say that they don’t use Film Simulations, what they often mean is that they’ve never tried anything other than Provia. They don’t know what they’re missing, and perhaps they don’t realize that it can be beneficial to their photography.

For example, a strictly RAW photographer might dismiss Film Simulations (and only use Provia), but not realize that a different Film Simulation might help them to better pre-visualize the shot. Perhaps a different Film Simulation is a closer aesthetic match to their style, and seeing the scene in those colors might help them, and maybe even improve their photography. I know of several photographers—some fairly well known—that use Recipes for this purpose. They’re not JPEG photographers—they RAW edit, and a couple even sell Lightroom presets—but the Recipes help them to visualize the finished photo while in the field, which helps them produce better pictures. Those who dismiss Film Simulations forfeit this great tool.

There’s no right or wrong way to do photography. There’s no right or wrong way to use Film Simulations or Recipes (I’m surprised sometimes how people use Recipes, occasionally in very unexpected ways). Do what works best for you, whatever that is. If you only ever want to use Provia and factory-default IQ settings, that’s cool. I just don’t understand the disdain that some have for the other Film Sims, and (more importantly) for those who appreciate them. There shouldn’t be such hate. There are some buttons that I never use on some of my cameras, and I don’t look at those buttons with disgust or think less than of people who do use them—it would be ridiculous of me to do so. How silly and strange would that be! Yet there are people who do just that when it comes to the Film Dial, and are very open about it, plastering it across the internet.

*Level Flight* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Classic Negative + Film Dial Recipe

A long-time Fujifilm photographer told me recently that he never bothered with the various Film Simulations because he shoots RAW and didn’t see the point in trying them. Then he purchased a Fujifilm X-T50. Seeing the Film Dial on the top of the camera made him curious, so he began to try the different Film Sims, and he realized that he likes some more than Provia, especially Classic Negative. Eventually this led him to find Film Simulation Recipes, and he begun shooting JPEGs for the first time. He told me that none of this would have happened if the camera had a Drive Dial instead of a Film Dial. That’s why Fujifilm is putting one of their greatest assets—their amazing in-camera profiles—right on top of their cameras for all to see, and super convenient to use. It was such a great move by the brand.

The Film Dial isn’t perfect, though. First, the X-T50 and X-M5 (along with the upcoming X-T30 III) should have the ability to save Recipes into FS1, FS2, and FS3, just like the Fujifilm X-E5. I really hope Fujifilm does that. Second, why can’t all of the Film Simulations on the Film Dial have the ability to save Recipes? I should be able to program a Provia Recipe, a Velvia Recipe, an Astia Recipe, a Classic Chrome Recipe, etc., etc., into the various slots on the dial. That would be strongly welcomed by a large portion of Fujifilm’s customers. Third, Classic Negative was inexplicably left off the X-E5 Film Dial; I know that not every Film Simulation can make the cut, but Classic Negative should have been included. There’s room for improvement, and I think Fujifilm is working towards making it better.

Personally, I like the Film Dial and appreciate seeing it on more and more cameras. It can be quite useful, especially when paired with a “universal” Recipe. And it will only improve with time. Those who complain about the Film Dial, there’s validity to some of the criticisms and Fujifilm should ponder those; however, some criticisms are just plain silly. Those who say that it’s dumb or garbage or makes them feel sick or want to change brands—I just don’t get it. Nobody said that you have to use the Film Dial (simply keep it set to C), or even that you have to buy a camera with a Film Dial. Nobody is forcing you to do it. And the world doesn’t revolve around you, anyway. People use cameras in all sorts of ways, and all of those ways are valid. Fujifilm has no obligation to make a camera for your preferences and your preferences alone. To think otherwise is strange and narcissistic. The Film Dial is not kryptonite, and you’re not Superman. It can be a useful tool if you take a moment to figure out how to best utilize it for your photographic circumstances—even if you’re a strictly RAW shooter who dislikes Film Simulations, it can be used to your advantage. For the JPEG photographer, it adds significant straight-out-of-camera aesthetic versatility. In other words, the Film Dial is awesome! I think it’s quite smart for Fujifilm to prominently place it on particular cameras, like the X-T50, X-M5, and X-E5.

15 Cool Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm Cameras

Posted on October 8 by Ritchie Roesch

*Backlit Lupine* – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Thommy’s Ektachrome

I get feedback sometimes that many of the Fuji X Weekly Film Simulation Recipes produce too strong of a warm, yellowish cast. Often this feedback is specific to artificial light photography. The majority of Recipes, like film, are intended for sunny daylight conditions, and when you use them in a different light scenario the results can be a mixed bag. My best suggestion is to—again, like film—use the most appropriate Recipe for the specific situation. Other feedback I get is that some Recipes are too warm even in the most ideal daylight situations. Of course, this is a personal taste situation—what one person might love, another might hate. We each have our own preferences and styles. With over 400 Recipes on this website and the Fuji X Weekly App, there’s bound to be at least one that fits your photography well.

This article is for those who are in search of cooler Recipes—ones that are less warm, and with a blueish cast and not yellow. Of course, it should be noted that Recipes which utilize Auto White Balance are much less prone to being too warm. That might be your best option, and if you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, you can find those really easily using the Filter by White Balance feature in the App. For this article, I wasn’t specifically considering AWB, and only one in this list uses it. These Recipes are specifically intended to produce (to varying degrees) a cool, blueish cast in sunny daylight conditions—some much more so than others. If you are trying to avoid yellowish results, the 15 Film Simulation Recipes below are ones to consider. This is not an exhaustive list, and there are many others worth trying that are not mentioned here.

Jeff Davenport Night

The Jeff Davenport Night Recipe, as the name implies, is for nighttime photography. When used during daylight, you get a strong blue cast. For sunny situations, I find that it works best during overly warm golden hour light, and especially when you want to convey that it’s literally cold outside. It should come as no surprise that it works especially well in artificial light conditions. This Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T3, X-T30, and GFX100.

CineStill 800T

Like the film of the same name, this Recipe is intended for nighttime and artificial light scenarios. It’s not nearly as blue during sunny daylight as Jeff Davenport Night, but it still has a strong cool cast. This Recipe is for the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF; there’s also a version for the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S, a version for X-Trans III cameras plus the X-T3 and X-T30, and a version for X-Trans II.

Kodacolor VR 200

This Recipe, which was made by Thomas Schwab, resembles a version of Kodacolor film from the early 1980’s, especially prints that have begun to color-fade. This one still has a touch of warmth, but is cooler than a lot of daylight-balanced Recipes. Kodacolor VR 200 is for the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF; for the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Strong.

Thommy’s Ektachrome

Another Recipe created by Thomas Schwab, this one is similar to Kodak Ektachrome images printed in classic magazines like National Geographic and Arizona Highways. It’s intended for daylight photography, and still has a touch of warmth, but has a cooler rendering than a lot of other Recipes. This is compatible with the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Ektachrome E100

This Recipe also mimics Kodak Ektachrome film, but more specifically the new version of the emulsion. It was made with a little assistance from Dan Allen, and is currently an App Patron Early-Access Recipe (only available to FXW App subscribers, currently). Like the two previous Recipes, this one is also intended for sunny daylight situations, and it, too, has a touch of warmth, but less so than a lot of the other options. This Recipe is for the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Chrome Slide

This is yet another Recipe that’s intended for sunny daylight situations, but will often produce a cool cast, with a bit of an Ektachrome-like quality to it. This Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S; for the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.

Kodachrome Blue

The Kodachrome Blue Recipe mimics improperly scanned Kodachrome slides. Due to its unique design, Kodachrome is the most difficult slide film to accurately scan, and therefor there are a lot of examples of the film with a blue cast, including some of my own that the lab did a poor job scanning. This Recipe is daylight-balanced, but often produces a somewhat cool cast. The Kodachrome Blue Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S; for the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.

Fujicolor Blue

This Recipe is also intended for sunny daylight, but has a slight blue cast caused simply from removing some red that’s naturally in the Classic Negative film simulation. Fujicolor Blue is currently an App Patron Early-Access Recipe (only available to FXW App subscribers, currently). It’s compatible with the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Nostalgic Print

This Recipe mimics the aesthetic of prints from one-hour labs on Crystal Archive paper (at least one specific print). Like a lot of the Recipes in this list, it’s intended for sunny daylight photography, and can have a touch of warmth, but overall the photos have a slight cool cast. This Recipe is for the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, GFX100S, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Classic Slide

Kind of roughly a Kodak Elite Chrome aesthetic, this is yet another daylight-balanced Recipe with a slightly cool cast. Classic Slide is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro2, X100F, X-T2, X-T20, X-E3, X-H1, X-T3, X-T30, and GFX100.

Standard Provia

A slightly cooler, more contrasty, and more vibrant rendering than the Provia film simulation with everything set to factory defaults. This Recipe is for the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, GFX100S, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Fujichrome Provia 100F

This Recipe mimics a popular Fujichrome slide film, and as such has a cooler cast than many that replicate Kodak emulsions. It’s compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S; for the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.

AgfaChrome RS 100

More of a European color aesthetic, this Recipe is daylight-balanced, but isn’t nearly as warm as a lot of the other options. This is for the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S; for the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.

Agfa Ultra 100

This Recipe is not too dissimilar from the one above. It’s for the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S; for the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.

Urban Vintage Chrome

This Recipe was also created by Thomas Schwab, and it has kind of a bleach bypass aesthetic. It has a tinge of warmth, but overall is not nearly as yellow as a lot of other Recipes, and the colors quite muted. This one is like a more contrasty version of the Nostalgic Print Recipe. It’s compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro2, X100F, X-T2, X-T20, X-E3, X-H1, X-T3, X-T30, and GFX100.

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What’s the Most Pivotal Recipe?

Posted on October 2 by Ritchie Roesch

*The Early Photographers* – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Vintage Kodachrome

After publishing yesterday’s article Camera Makers are Joining the Recipe Fun, I took a moment to consider what was the most pivotal Film Simulation Recipe that ultimately kicked off the Recipe revolution. What one Recipe deserves the most credit? There are definitely a few worth considering, but one stands out to me as the most crucial, and without it, we might not be talking about Recipes today.

I considered the original Classic Chrome Recipe from August 2017 (it was the sixth article published on Fuji X Weekly). It actually predates this website (it was originally published on a now long-defunct blog), so it’s been around a long time. It was one of the very first Recipes for Fujifilm cameras—heck, maybe the first, I’m not certain (and probably depending on how strictly you define it). Right now it’s the sixth most popular Recipe of all time (based on page-view statistics). I think it would be easy to pick the original Classic Chrome Recipe as the most important; while it is clearly a crucial Recipe, I don’t think it is quite the most pivotal.

*Onaqui Horses* – Dugway, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Vintage Kodachrome

Next up I considered the X-T3/X-T30 version of Kodachrome 64. There was a big leap in growth for this website in 2020, unlike anything before or since. While each year has seen some growth, the jump from 860,000 page-views in 2019 to 3.7 million in 2020 was incredibly massive—over 400% increase! (For those wondering, we’ve had over 10 million page-views for the last two years in a row, and we’re on track to top it again this year). By far, the most popular Recipe of 2020 was Kodachrome 64, so it obviously played a big role in the popularity of Recipes in-general.

Another one that certainly deserves some credit is the followup version of Kodachrome 64 for X-Trans IV (except the X-T3/X-T30), which is the all-time number one most popular Recipe on Fuji X Weekly, viewed well over 600,000 times on this website. This has been the long-time most popular Fuji X Weekly Recipe, until very recently when it was overtaken in 2025 by Reggie’s Portra.

Above: Vintage Kodachrome Recipe

There are a number of Recipes that played a critical role in perpetuating straight-out-of-camera photography, but one stands out to me as the most important: Vintage Kodachrome. Published on October 21, 2017, it’s one of the oldest Fuji X Weekly Recipes—the fifth oldest, in fact. It’s a long-time fan favorite—the fourth most-viewed of all time—and obviously its popularity was particularly paramount in the growth of this website and Recipes in-general. What makes it the most crucial, though, are two things: it was the first Recipe that required more radical adjustments (such as maximum Highlight and minimum Shadow combined with underexposure), and the first to mimic a specific film stock from a specific era. This particular Recipe opened my eyes to what might be possible on Fujifilm cameras. I realized that I could do so much more; a lot of future Recipes would never have happened without this one first. So, yes, it’s one of the all-time most popular, but it also set the stage for future Recipes like Kodachrome 64 and many, many others. I can’t think of another Recipe that was more important than this one.

If not for Vintage Kodachrome, Fujifilm might not have given the X-E5 the ability to save three Film Simulation Recipes on the Film Dial (including using the word “Recipe” within the camera’s menu). There likely wouldn’t be a Fuji X Weekly App. I probably would never have made Ricoh Recipes. Nikon might not have Imaging Recipes. OM Systems likely would not have just announced Creative Recipes. Vintage Kodachrome was a critical step in the advancement of Fujifilm Recipes, and without it things probably would look just a little different today—not just within Fujifilm, but across the photo world.

Camera Makers are Joining the Recipe Fun

Posted on October 1 by Ritchie Roesch

I was quite surprised this morning to see OM Systems (formally Olympus) using the Recipe concept and name for their OM-3 cameras. Instead of calling it Film Simulation Recipes, they named it Creative Recipes. Last year, Nikon also began using the Recipe concept, with the title Imaging Recipes. There are other similar concepts, like Panasonic LUTs, that have recently emerged.

When I published my first two Film Simulation Recipes—which were originally shared on my previous (and now long-defunct) website before they were posted to Fuji X Weekly when I began this blog in 2017—the whole Recipe concept was brand-new. The straight-out-of-camera JPEG community was much, much smaller back then, and often this community existed in the shadows because not shooting RAW was heavily stigmatized. Some photographers were shooting JPEGs, and a few shared their settings, which typically more simply looked like: Classic Chrome, Color +1, Highlight -1, Sharpness -1. In 2017, almost nobody had heard the term Film Simulation Recipe, and for those who had, most—if not all—were visitors to this website.

*Hair & Lips* – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X100F – Classic Chrome Recipe

The word “recipe” has existed within the photo community for a long time now—I certainly didn’t invent it. Film photographers would create and share darkroom recipes, which were the specific chemicals and times to achieve certain results with specific films. I learned fairly recently that both Capture One and VSCO call their custom-built presets “recipes” and have done so for many years. Five or six years ago someone asked me why I used the word Recipe for JPEG camera settings, and my answer was: they remind me of cookbook recipes. When my wife learned that I was calling them Recipes, she told me it was cringe, and I probably should have thought of a different word.

But here we are eight years later, and Recipe has solidified itself within the lexicon. Fujifilm is officially using it, as are Nikon and OM Systems. It’s becoming increasingly common terminology across the photography continuum. Perhaps more important than that, the acceptance of straight-out-of-camera JPEG photography as a legitimate path has increased by leaps and bounds. There are still some gatekeepers who insist that all serious photographers must shoot RAW, and JPEG photography is only for amateurs, but that ideology has significantly decreased over the last few years. There’s no right or wrong way to do photography—do what works best for you, whatever that is.

*California Coast* – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Ricoh GR III – Vibrant Nostalgia Recipe

I’ve published over 400 Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras since 2017. In August 2021, I began publishing Recipes for Ricoh GR cameras. I published some Nikon Z Recipes in 2022. This helped spread the concept across brands, reaching new communities. This whole thing has grown rapidly, and I’ve had a front-row seat to it all. I’m amazed to see how far it’s come, and honored to have played a major role in it.

One difference between Fujifilm and Ricoh Recipes vs. Nikon and OM Systems Recipes is that the former is largely community driven and the latter is largely corporately driven. In other words, what exists for Fujifilm—the whole community—is almost entirely an organic movement, which started with regular customers—people who weren’t well-known—who spread it across the brand by word-of-mouth. It was a bottom-up initiative, and not top-down. Same for Ricoh. It came very naturally from the enthusiasm of the customers. Nikon and OM Systems (and I’ll throw Panasonic into this, too) are attempting to jumpstart the movement from HQ. I don’t blame them for doing so—if I were a camera maker, I’d want to do everything possible to foster such a community for my brand. If it’s not happening organically quickly enough, why not build it yourself? Other camera makers will inevitably join in. By the way, this isn’t my observation; an industry insider pointed it out to me, with the prediction that the corporately-driven communities are less likely to be as strong as the organic communities. Time will tell, I guess. I sincerely wish them all great success, and I truly hope that it does catch on for every brand, and isn’t just a passing fad. I’d like to see this continue to grow and grow and grow across all of photography.

*Fire, Truck* – Lordburg, NM – Fujifilm GFX100S II – 1970’s Summer

Something that I’d like for Fujifilm to help implement—something that some of these other companies are doing better—is an easier process to add Recipes to the camera. Right now it’s pretty much an all-manual process. You should be able to transfer Recipes directly from your phone to the camera; preferably, you shouldn’t have to manually input them or even connect your camera to a computer. Best case scenario is that it’s done wirelessly right from your phone. I’d love to help Fujifilm create such a process, if they’re willing.

If you are unsure why JPEG Recipes—whether they’re Film Simulation Recipes, Ricoh Recipes, Creative Recipes, or Imaging Recipes—are popular right now, it’s because they’re so transformative. As I’ve said in the past: shoot more, edit less, and let your camera be your darkroom. In other words, Recipes make photography easier, more authentic, and more enjoyable. Film Simulation Recipes changed my life, no hyperbole. I became a more productive photographer while simultaneously improving my home life, while not sacrificing image quality. The journey has been incredible. The community that has sprung from Recipes is nothing short of fantastic—you all are truly the best. The community is the recipe.

The Fujifilm Charm — Create With Us Recap

Posted on September 30 by Ritchie Roesch

*Me, at Create With Us, During Setup* – Minneapolis, MN – Fujifilm X-E5 – 1970’s Summer

I returned home late last night from Fujifilm’s Create With Us event in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This was their third annual Create With Us—I was fortunate to be at the last one, too, which was in Austin, Texas. It was a very quick trip: I flew out Saturday evening, and the returning flight landed just before midnight on Sunday. It was a whirlwind, but I’m so glad that I got to be a part of it.

Fujifilm assigned me three jobs: assist with a Fujifilm X-E5 and X-T50 touch-and-try station, cohost a Tech Talk with Christopher Gilbert, and lead a photowalk. The topic of the Tech Talk was straight-out-of-camera photography. Christopher and I discussed the various Film Simulations, how to set up a Film Simulation Recipe in the camera, and how to reprocess a RAW file using the in-camera RAW converter. It was a fun experience, and hopefully educational for those in the audience (the next Tech Talk is on Wednesday, October 1st).

*Rooftop View* – Minneapolis, MN – Fujifilm X-E5 – Kodak Vericolor VPS

The photowalk was great. It was supposed to be limited to 15 attendees, plus myself and two assistants (someone from Fujifilm, and a local photographer), and two models. We ended up with over 25 people in total (including myself, the two assistants, and the two models). The new Fujifilm North America CEO Ryuichi “Richie” Matoba (forgive me if his official title is not exactly that) also attended. He was the CEO of Fujifilm Australia, but as of a month ago Richie was given the reins of the North America office. It was an incredible honor to have him join the photowalk! I didn’t get a chance to talk much with him, but I would love an opportunity for a longer conversation (I have a lot of feedback and ideas), should he happen to read this.

It was an honor to photograph with and meet in-person all those who attended the photowalk. The two models were great, too. I’m grateful for those who stopped by the touch-and-try booth to say hello. It was a really good event, and I’m sure all who attended can attest to that. If there’s ever a Create With Us event near you in the future, be sure to attend—it’s well worth whatever effort it takes to get there.

*Eterna 55* – Minneapolis, MN – Fujifilm X-E5 – Kodak Pro 400

The only camera I brought with me was my Fujifilm X-E5. This is such a great travel camera, and for a quick there-and-back adventure, I really didn’t need anything else. I especially appreciate that you can program up to 11 Recipes into the X-E5. I attached the new Fujinon 23mm f/2.8 pancake lens to the camera, and also brought along a Pentax-110 50mm f/2.8 lens and adapter for a second option. One spare battery, which I didn’t even use, rounded out the kit.

Probably the most interesting thing that I learned at Create With Us was from a somewhat off-handed comment from a Fujifilm employee. It would have been really easy to overlook what was said. I don’t think it was intended to be interpreted as an official statement, but I was fascinated by it, so I want to share it with you: “Each sensor generation has its own unique charm. Some people like the Provia rendering of X-Trans I, some people like the Velvia rendering of X-Trans II—each one is different.” I might not have the quote 100% correct, but that’s the gist of it.

*Eterna Demo* – Minneapolis, MN – Fujifilm X-E5 – Cinematic Film

The insinuation was (at least as I understood it when it was said) is that the small differences in image rendering between sensor generations, and even the much more subtle differences camera-to-camera within the same sensor generation, is intentional and even a feature. It’s kind of like when an emulsion is updated, it looks slightly different than it used to; one person might prefer the “old” version of the film, while another might prefer the updated iteration. For example, when Kodak went from the second to third generation of Kodachome in 1974, some photographers liked the change, and some (like William Eggleston) didn’t. If you preferred the old version of Kodachrome, you were soon out of luck once it sold out. Fujifilm cameras are a different story because you can still buy the old models on the second-hand market. You can find and use the one with the charm that you most prefer. Maybe that’s the X-Pro1. Perhaps it’s the X-T1. It could be the X100F. Possibly it’s the X-E4. Maybe it’s the X-T50. Or some other camera. It’s up to you to find the one that you especially love, and the intention is that you’ll continue making photographs with it for a long time, and not just for a couple of years until the next iteration is released.

The specific hardware and software in the camera plays a role in the image rendering. It would be extraordinarily difficult to 100% match the output of various sensors and processors. You can get very, very close, though; however, 100% exactly matching is not quite possible. That’s certainly a part of it. Maybe you don’t want to perfectly match the output anyway, if it would require ignoring a benefit of the updated technology. It could be that the new technology allows the programmers to better achieve the intended results, which were less possible with the older technology. Perhaps the vision of what those results should be has been tweaked a little over time. All of that is a factor. But that’s not the point that was made: each Fujifilm camera generation has its own unique quality, which was purposefully crafted, and you might especially like the particular charm of one more than the others. Since they’re not all perfectly identical, you get to decide which is your favorite.

Above: Fujifilm X-E5 — Kodak Tri-X 400 — Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Arizona

My personal favorite is the fourth generation. I think the JPEG output of the X100V, X-T4, and X-E4 (I own those specific models) is special. The fifth generation, which has the advantage of Nostalgic Neg. and Reala Ace, is a very close second-favorite for me. There’s an obvious difference in output between those two generations, most notable (but not limited to) how deeply blue is rendered on some film simulations. Whether you prefer either of those two generations—or a different one entirely—is up to you; I really like the output from the Fujifilm X-Pro2, for example.

We’re all unique. Each of us have our own unique styles. We all have our own tastes. As the saying goes: Different strokes for different folks. The beauty of Fujifilm’s approach is that no X-series camera generation is objectively better than another. Each one might be considered subjectively better, just depending on who you ask, but they each have their own charm. You might even prefer certain aspects of one and certain aspects of another, and use both.

Above: Fujifilm X-E5 — Superia Negative — Minneapolis, Minnesota

When it comes to other brands, for the most part you really don’t hear people talk about the picture charm of various models. People don’t discuss the image quality magic of (say) the Canon Rebel T7i or debate which Sony A6000 series model has the best picture profile rendering. This seems more exclusive to Fujifilm, and it’s because Fujifilm intended each iteration to have a unique allure, which sparks the discussions and debates, but more importantly it provides an avenue to connect with and really love the gear you use.

Below are the photographs that I captured on the Create With Us photowalk in Minneapolis with my Fujifilm X-E5.

*Fujifilm X-E5 & Fujinon 23mm f/2.8 — Kodak Portra 400 v2*

*Fujifilm X-E5 & Fujinon 23mm f/2.8 — Superia Negative*

*Fujifilm X-E5 & Fujinon 23mm f/2.8 — Kodachrome 64*

*Fujifilm X-E5 & Fujinon 23mm f/2.8 — Nostalgic Film*

*Fujifilm X-E5 & Pentax-110 50mm f/2.8 — Superia Negative*

*Fujifilm X-E5 & Pentax-110 50mm f/2.8 — Kodak Portra 400 v2*

*Fujifilm X-E5 & Fujinon 23mm f/2.8 — Xpro ’62*

*Fujifilm X-E5 & Fujinon 23mm f/2.8 — Kodak Tri-X 400*

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-E5 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-E5 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira

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My Top 10 Favorite Recipes of 2025 (so far)

Posted on September 25 by Ritchie Roesch

*Buckeye Motor Hotel* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 – Summer Sun

So far in 2025, I have published 29 Film Simulation Recipes; however, 14 of those were a part of the Universal Negative Recipe set, which if you only counted that as one Recipe (and not 14), that means I’ve published 16. For the purpose of this article I’m counting all 14, so 29 total. Of those, I wanted to share which 10 are my personal favorites and why you might want to try them yourself. The list below are not in any particular order. Let’s dive in!

Kodak Vericolor VPS

I published the Kodak Vericolor VPS Recipe on July 7th. It uses the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, and has a retro negative film aesthetic. It’s surprisingly versatile—I’ve had good results in sunny daylight, overcast, indoor, and even at night. This Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Kodak Pro 400

This is the second most recent Recipe, published earlier this month on September 5th. It’s an alternative Kodak Portra 400 aesthetic, using the Reala Ace film simulation. Like the first Recipe, this one is surprisingly versatile—I’ve had good results in sunny daylight, overcast, indoor, and even at night. This Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Kodak Portra do Sol

The Kodak Portra do Sol Recipe, which was created by Gilson Teixeira, was published back on April 23rd. It’s a modification of my Bright Kodak Recipe, and uses Classic Chrome film simulation. This is excellent in sunny daylight conditions, and works pretty well in blue hour, as well. It’s intended for the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S.

Summer Sun

I published this Summer Sun Recipe, which uses the Reala Ace film simulation, on June 26th. It’s along the lines of Bright Summer, Eterna Summer, Summer of ’59, 1970’s Summer, California Summer, Texas Sun, Kodak Portra 800 v3, and others. Summer Sun works best in sunny daylight conditions, and is compatible with the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Provia Summer

The Provia Summer Recipe is a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, published way back on January 22nd. Unsurprisingly, it uses the Provia film simulation. Like Summer Sun, it is also along the lines of those same “Summer” Recipes, and it works best in sunny daylight situation (I did have some good luck at night with this). Provia Summer is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100S, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Velvia Slide

This is another Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, published on May 19th. It has a Fujichrome aesthetic similar to Velvia 100, and works best in sunny daylight, but can be good in some other light situations sometimes. This Recipe, which uses the Velvia film simulation, is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100S, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Retro Negative

This is a Universal Negative Recipe, which was published back on March 28th. It uses the Reala Ace film simulation, and is roughly reminiscent of photo prints from the 1990’s. It’s surprisingly versatile—I’ve had good results in sunny daylight, overcast, indoor, and even at night. This Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Fujicolor Superia 200

Another Universal Negative Recipe that was published back on March 28th, the Fujicolor Superia 200 Recipe, which uses the Classic Negative film simulation, is reminiscent of the film of the same name. Like Retro Negative, this is surprisingly versatile—I’ve had good results in sunny daylight, overcast, indoor, and even at night. This Recipe is intended for the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Classic B&W

The Classic B&W Recipe was invented on a photowalk in Colorado. It uses the Acros+G film simulation, and was published on August 2nd. It’s already one of my personal favorite B&W Recipes. It’s compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100S, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Kodak Plus-X 125

This is the latest Recipe, published just a few days ago on September 20th. It uses the Acros film simulation, and was invented by Dylan Van Matre with some help from Anders Linborg. It’s going to be a fan favorite, I already know it. I don’t think it will overtake the Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe as the most popular B&W Recipe, but it might become the second most popular—we’ll see. This Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100S, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

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15 Film Simulation Recipes for Fall Foliage Photography

Posted on September 24 by Ritchie Roesch

*Field of Gold* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Gold 200

It’s officially fall! The leaves on the trees will soon change colors, putting on a vibrant show before they drop off completely in time for winter. Autumn is such a great time for landscape photography. The season goes by quickly, and it’s easy to miss out if you procrastinate. That means the time is now to prepare your gear.

One aspect of getting your cameras ready is choosing the Film Simulation Recipes that you may want to use. A common question that I get at this time of the year is: Which Recipes are good for fall foliage photography? There are over 400 to choose from, and they all might be at least ok for this purpose situationally speaking, but there are some that are certainly better than others.

The fifteen Recipes below are all good for autumn pictures. I have used each of them, and can attest that these are excellent options. This is not intended to be a comprehensive list by any means, and some that might be quite good for fall photos aren’t included—if one of your favorites isn’t found below, feel free to mention it in the comments. Also, what one might like another might not; everyone has their own tastes and styles. Perhaps only a few of these 15 are a good match for your personal taste, style, and situation—there’s bound to be at least one that you’ll appreciate.

Without any further delay, here are 15 Film Simulation Recipes for Fall Foliage Photography!

Kodachrome 25

Sharp, clean, and classic. This version of the Recipe is for the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S, and there’s another version for the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Elite Chrome 200

Consumer-grade Kodak slide film aesthetic. Compatible with all X-Trans IV cameras except the X-T3 and X-T30, as well as the GFX100S; for fifth-generation X-Trans and newer GFX, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off instead of Weak.

Kodak Gold 200

Warm negative film look. This version is for the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF, and there is another version that is compatible with the X-Pro2, X100F, X-E3, X-T2, X-T20, X-H1, X-T3, X-T30, and GFX100.

Kodak Ektar 100

Warm, colorful, and clean. Compatible with all X-Trans IV cameras except the X-T3 and X-T30, as well as the GFX100S; for fifth-generation X-Trans and newer GFX, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off instead of Weak.

Kodak Portra 160 v2

Soft and warm negative film aesthetic. Compatible with the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF; for the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Strong instead of Weak.

Kodak Portra 400 v2

Warm negative film look. This version is for the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF, there’s another version for the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S, and another version for the X-T3 and X-T30.

PRO Negative 160C

Fujicolor negative film look. This Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

CineStill 400D v2

Warm and cinematic. Compatible with all X-Trans IV cameras except the X-T3 and X-T30, all fifth-generation X-Trans models, as well as the GFX100S, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Fujicolor Superia 100

Soft Fujicolor Superia aesthetic. This version of the Recipe is for the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S, and there’s another version for the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Superia Xtra 400

Warmer and more colorful—yet more versatile—Superia aesthetic. This version of the Recipe is for the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S, and there’s another version for the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Pacific Blues

Moody and bold. This version of the Recipe is for the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF, and there’s another version for the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, and GFX100S.

Vintage Vibes

Retro aesthetic. Compatible with all X-Trans IV cameras except the X-T3 and X-T30, as well as the GFX100S; for fifth-generation X-Trans and newer GFX, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off instead of Weak.

Velvia Film

Colorful, warm, and versatile. This Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100S, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

The Rockwell

Vibrant, sharp, and bold. Compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, GFX100S, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF.

Velvia

Colorful and sharp. This Recipe is for the Fujifilm X-Pro2, X100F, X-E3, X-T2, X-T20, X-H1, X-T3, X-T30, and GFX100.

My Post-Processing Workflow

Posted on September 22 by Ritchie Roesch

*Red Barn* – Ronks, PA – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Kodachrome 64

Sometimes I like to go back through the archives of this website, just to see what I wrote years ago. For example, on this day in 2018, I published My Fujifilm Post-Processing Workflow, which, looking back, wasn’t my best work. I had to reread one of the paragraphs twice just to understand what I meant—and I was the one who write it! That’s embarrassing. So I decided to rewrite the article, and make it relevant to 2025.

The question is: What is my post-processing workflow? In other words, what do I do with my photographs after they’ve been recorded to the SD Card? The answer is very simple: Download, crop/straighten, and upload. Of course, that’s the short, simplified answer. Let’s get right into a longer explanation.

*Horsetail Falls from Bridge* – Columbia River Gorge, OR – Fujifilm X100V – Improved Velvia

I’m a straight-out-of-camera photographer. I use Film Simulation Recipes to get the looks that I want in-camera, and avoid editing. This isn’t how I always did it. I used to shoot RAW and post-process my photographs in software on a computer. Once I realized that I could achieve my desired aesthetics in-camera without editing, I abandoned post-processing. This was immensely freeing, and it quite literally changed my life (no hyperbole). I became more productive, photography became more enjoyable, and my at-home life benefitted significantly, too.

When I wrote the original version of this in 2018, I was strictly JPEG-only at that time. I stopped shooting RAW altogether for awhile; however, RAW+JPEG has significant benefits, and for years now I’ve been shooting RAW+JPEG. One benefit of having the RAW file is that it can be reprocessed in-camera or with X RAW Studio (which, essentially, are the same thing—I don’t use X RAW Studio personally; I reprocess in-camera). First, it makes creating new Recipes much, much simpler (not simple, just simpler than doing so in a strict JPEG-only process). Second, I’m able to correct small exposure mistakes by reprocessing in-camera using the Push/Pull Processing feature (which is an exposure adjustment, and does not mimic push or pull processing in a darkroom). Third, I can change to a different Recipe altogether if I decide that I used the wrong one—this is something I try to avoid (it’s better to select the right one in-the-field), but it is sometimes worthwhile when the picture would have been better with a different Recipe. To reprocess a RAW file in-camera, simply push the Q-button while in playback mode.

The RAW files never leave my SD Card. Some people will keep them just incase they may wish to edit them in the future. It gives them a backup. I will keep the RAW file on the SD Card for awhile, but when the card fills up, I erase it. I don’t keep the RAW files. I see the JPEG as the finished photo, so I don’t desire to fill up an external hard drive or cloud storage with RAW files that I’m unlikely to ever have any use for.

Once I’m done photographing and ready to do something with my photos, I will cull through the images on my camera. Which ones do I want to keep? I select the frames I want, and transfer those JPEGs from my camera to my phone using the Cam Remote App or X App. I have both apps on my phone, and much prefer the old Cam Remote App, because 1) I’ve been able to get it to work for me consistently and flawlessly and 2) it is compatible with all of my cameras, and not just some (although the latest firmware updates for the newer cameras remove compatibility with the old app). The main point here is that I use one of Fujifilm’s apps to transfer the photos to my phone.

*Pool Remnant* – Rodanthe, NC – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Kodak Tri-X 400

After that, I use the Photos app on my iPhone to crop and/or straighten the pictures that need it. Even with the electronic level, I am so bad at getting a straight picture. For Recipes that use Strong/Large Grain, the Photos app will sometimes put a weird grid pattern on the picture (mainly with the Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe), so for those I will use the Snapseed app for cropping/straightening. Most of my post-processing edits are complete at this point. For the majority of pictures, that’s it; however, some picture do require a minor exposure/brightness adjustment, and I also use the Photos app for that. For 99%+ of my photographs, that is the full extent of the editing. On a rare occasion, I will use Snapseed or the RNI app to apply further edits, but that’s pretty unusual nowadays, especially for pictures from my Fujifilm cameras.

Once I’m done with the editing stage, I upload the pictures to cloud storage. That’s it! I’m done, and ready for more photography. Downloading the pictures from the camera and uploading them to the cloud is probably the most time-consuming part of the process. The edit stage is pretty quick because not every picture needs an edit, and for those that do, it’s mostly just a quick tilt or a crop to remove a small distraction from the edge of the frame. I can have a whole vacation completely finished within a couple of hours.

*Orange Twist* – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X100VI – California Summer

A question that I often get is: If you print those pictures do they look good? Absolutely, they look great! I recently did some 2′ x 3′ prints from straight-out-of-camera JPEGs that look amazing. I’ve had great results with 16″ x 24″ prints from the 24mp and 26mp sensor cameras, and 12″ x 18″ prints from the 16mp sensor cameras. I think you can go larger than those sizes, but for sure you can go that large. I don’t do anything to prepare the images for print, I just have them printed at a quality lab, who I know will do a good job.

Post-processing can be as complicated or as simple as you’d like it to be. I much prefer a simple workflow, which has made a world of difference for me personally. I avoid editing, and mostly just crop and/or straighten, and sometimes make minor exposure adjustments. I can get through a whole day’s worth of pictures pretty quickly, which allows me to move onto other things, like more photography or spending time with my family.

10 Fujifilm Recipes for Street Photography (that don’t use Classic Chrome)

Posted on September 17 by Ritchie Roesch

*St. Anthony’s Feast* – Boston, MA – Fujifilm X-T50 – Superia Negative

A common question that I get asked is which Film Simulation Recipes are best for street photography. It’s a popular genre that a lot of people enjoy. I wouldn’t call myself a street photographer per se, but I’ve definitely done it. I dabble in it from time-to-time, but it’s not my primary photographic interest; however, I do believe I have enough experience to give some good suggestions.

With over 400 Fujifilm Recipes on this website and in the Fuji X Weekly App, there are tons of choices. Situationally specific, each one of those 400+ Recipes could be good options for street photography. I want to narrow it down a bit for you, though, by suggesting ten to consider trying. Probably all ten won’t be good options for your style, but perhaps one or maybe a few will be. I’m also skipping over some of the most obvious: Kodachrome 64, Reggie’s Portra, Kodak Portra 400, Kodak Portra 400 v2, and Kodak Gold 200. My assumption is that you have already tried those, or are already aware that those are good options for street photography. Actually, I didn’t choose any Recipes that use Classic Chrome, even though that particular film simulation is by far the most popular by those who use Recipes. This article highlights some Recipes that you might not otherwise consider.

The ten Recipes below are not a comprehensive list, and just because I didn’t include one doesn’t mean it’s not good for street photography. In fact, some that I didn’t list might be better than the ones that I did. Each person has different tastes and styles, so what I suggest might not be the best options for you personally. Feel free to comment below which Film Simulation Recipe—whether in this list or not—is your favorite for street photography. I do think, if you are unsure which to try, at least one of the ten Recipes below will be a good choice for you, and worth trying the next time you are out with your camera in an urban environment.

Appalachian Negative

The Appalachian Negative Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with fifth-generation X-Trans cameras and the newer GFX models. Built on top of the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, it’s produces a warm, amber-washed aesthetic with a distinct retro quality. It has an ability to transform the ordinary into something emotive. It’s good for retaining shadow detail, holding back blown highlights, and infusing everyday moments with a sense of timelessness. This Recipe works best in sunny daylight situations.

1976 Kodak

The 1976 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, and the newer GFX models. It was inspired by the work of Joel Meyerowitz, particularly his mid-1970s street, coastal, small town, and landscape photography. This Recipe uses the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, and combines richly warm colors with strong contrast, producing a vintage analog aesthetic. It’s great for street photography because it brings warmth and depth to mundane moments. Since this Recipe uses Auto White Balance, it works well across a variety of lighting conditions.

Kodak Vision3 250D

The Kodak Vision3 250D Film Simulation Recipe is made for X-Trans IV cameras (except the X-T3 and X-T30, which has its own version; there’s also a v2 version for fifth-generation models). It aims to evoke the look of the Kodak Vision3 250D motion picture film as used for still photography. The Eterna film simulation, which has a soft cinematic tonality, is the base; however, this Recipe adds significant contrast, producing a more dramatic aesthetic that still feels film-like. It works best in sunny daylight situations, but can sometimes be good in various light scenarios.

Nostalgic Americana

The Nostalgic Americana Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with fifth-generation X-Trans cameras and newer GFX models. It draws its inspiration from vintage issues of Arizona Highways magazine from the ’60’s and ’70’s during the American New Color era. This Recipe uses Nostalgic Neg. as its base, and produces a warm yet slightly muted color rendering combined with softened tonality. The result is a distinctly retro rendering that feels sun-warmed and aged. It works especially well for sunny daylight scenes, but can also be good in overcast conditions.

Eterna Summer

The Eterna Summer Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with “newer” X-Trans IV and all X-Trans V models, plus newer GFX cameras. Specifically, this Recipe, which uses the Eterna film sim., is intended to fit well in a photo series that also contains Classic Chrome-based Recipes. It produces a cinematic aesthetic with warm summertime vibes, and works best in sunny daylight situations.

Reala Ace

The Reala Ace Film Simulation Recipe is intended for fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, and can also be used on newer GFX models. It mimics Fujicolor Reala Ace film, but uses Auto White Balance for maximum versatility. Despite the name, it uses Classic Negative and not the new Reala Ace film simulation. It has a 4th-layer Fujicolor negative film aesthetic, and offers a lot of versatility for various light conditions.

Pacific Blues

The Pacific Blues Film Simulation Recipe is for fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, plus newer GFX models; there’s also a version for X-Trans IV cameras. It uses the Classic Negative film simulation, and was inspired by Lucy Laucht’s Spirit of Summer series, and especially the Positano Blues images.
It’s specifically intended for a sunny day at the beach, but it can work well in many other scenarios, including dreary overcast and fog. It’s great for street photography because it can turn everyday scenes into something dramatic without being over-the-top.

Superia Negative

The Superia Negative Film Simulation Recipe is for fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, plus newer GFX models. It uses the Classic Negative film simulation, and has a similar aesthetic to Fujicolor Superia film. It belongs to the Film Dial Recipe set, which means that the underlying settings work well with all of the different film simulations. This Recipe uses the Auto White Priority White Balance, and is especially versatile.

Fujifilm Negative

The Fujifilm Negative Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with Fujifilm’s fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, plus newer GFX models. It uses the new Reala Ace film sim., and draws inspiration from Fujicolor PRO 160NS film. It feels restrained and natural, but with a distinct analog aesthetic. Because it does so well with skin tone rendering, this Recipe might be the best of these ten options for street portraits. It’s best for sunny daylight situations, but can also do well in a variety of light situations.

Kodak Tri-X 400

The Kodak Tri-X 400 Film Simulation Recipe has compatibility with X-Trans III, IV, and V cameras, plus all GFX models. It uses the Acros film simulation, and is the most popular B&W Recipe on Fuji X Weekly. For some reason, B&W Recipes are not nearly as popular as color. If you have not tried this one, whether for street photography or other situations, now is the time. It’s my personal favorite monochromatic Recipe, and one of my favorites out of all the Recipes.

Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more in the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

A Quick Trip to Los Angeles — First Time Using My Fujifilm X-E5

Posted on September 15 by Ritchie Roesch

This last Saturday I had a quick adventure to Los Angeles, and it was my first time using my brand-new Fujifilm X-E5. In fact, the picture below, Sky Harbor Tower, was frame 0001. I had plenty of experience with the X-E5 already because Fujifilm had loaned me one shortly after it was announced, but I had to give it back after a couple of weeks. While I’ve had my X-E5 for a week, I didn’t have an opportunity to use it until this trip.

I charged the battery the day before, and set the camera up, programming 11 Recipes into it. The ones I chose for C1-C7 are Kodak Portra 400 v2, Kodak Pro 400, Kodachrome 64, Kodak Tri-X 400, Superia Negative (Film Dial Recipe), Reala Ace, and 1970’s Summer. I set Xpro ’62 as the “Nothing Selected” Recipe in the IQ Menu. On the Film Dial, I programmed Pacific Blues into FS1, Kodak Vericolor VPS into FS2, and 1960 Chrome into FS3. I don’t know if I’ll keep those 11 for awhile or switch some of them out—I’m still deciding—but those are the ones I had available in the camera on this trip. I didn’t use all of them this time around, only five.

*Sky Harbor Tower* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 – 1970’s Summer

The purpose of this trip was to lead a Fujifilm X half photowalk with Samy’s Camera and Fujifilm. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve already seen the X half pictures. I flew in that morning from Phoenix and flew out of LA that night. It was a quick adventure. I had a lot of fun, and it was great to meet some of you in person and photograph with you.

A lot of times when I travel I take way too much gear with me. I go back-and-forth, actually. I’ll take a ton of gear and feel overwhelmed and burdened by it, so I’ll slim it back to a real minimal kit, but it will slowly get larger and larger and larger over time as I think I might need this or that, then the cycle repeats. I’m at the minimal kit spot right now. The only gear I brought along was the X half and the X-E5 with the 23mm f/2.8 pancake lens, plus one spare battery. Everything else stayed home. This seemed to work out quite well, but I’m sure pretty soon I’ll pack more gear into the bag before heading off on an outing somewhere, and it will once again begin to get bulkier and heavier. I have to remind myself: oftentimes, less is more.

*Can* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 – 1970’s Summer

*Marshaller* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 – 1970’s Summer

*Tempe Aerial* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 – 1970’s Summer

*Inversion* – Ontario (?), CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Kodak Tri-X 400

*Marine Layer* – Bell Gardens (?), CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Kodak Tri-X 400

*SoFi Stadium* – Inglewood, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Kodak Tri-X 400

*Fabez* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Kodachrome 64

*Pro Writing Tool* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Kodachrome 64

*7614* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Pacific Blues

*Dripping Happiness* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Pacific Blues

*Fuji* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Pacific Blues

*Morning Sun* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – 1970’s Summer

*Multiple Exposures* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – 1970’s Summer – This photo by Tom Baumgaertel (@bewaremyfuji) is on the wall of Samy’s Camera

*Level Flight* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Superia Negative

*Final Approach* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Superia Negative

*Southwest Sunset* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Superia Negative

*Landing* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Superia Negative

*Flight Watch* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Superia Negative

*Into the Sunset* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Superia Negative

*Tying Shoe* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Kodak Tri-X 400

*Airport Night* – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 – Kodak Tri-X 400

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-E5 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-E5 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira

Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more in the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Continue Making Digital Look Like Film (but only if you want to)

Posted on September 9 by Ritchie Roesch

*Fire, Truck* – Lordburg, NM – Fujifilm GFX100S II – 1970’s Summer Recipe

There’s a strange article up on PetaPixel entitled Stop Making Digital Look Like Film by Bimal Nepal, that I want to offer a rebuttal to. I understand that there’s only so much that happens within the photo world on any given day, and on the slow days you might put out a controversial piece (a.k.a. click bait) to get views and such, especially when ad revenue is a major part of the business strategy. I don’t necessarily have a problem with that—after all, I have written some controversial articles, and I also have advertisements on my website—but I do think PetaPixel should be careful not to overplay it, or they risk losing credibility. I can’t imagine that the editors actually agree with this piece (I hope not), but they’re certainly promoting it. An article that explores why people like the film look when using digital cameras would have been significantly more interesting. Published just one day later, Film Photography in 2025 Is Bluer and Less Saturated is actually quite fascinating, and (ironically and surprisingly) somewhat related to the article in question. My guess—based only on the number of comments—is that the click bait article got a lot more attention, and I suspect that will encourage more similar content in the future, unfortunately.

The main problem with Bimal’s piece is that it demands you change your photography. You aren’t doing it right. The title is second-person declarative: “(You) stop making digital look like film.” It’s a command, and you are being told what to do. The body of the post continues the sentiment. It would not be controversial had the author simply stated, “This is why I don’t make my digital pictures look like film.” That’s great. We all have our reasons for doing what we do, and maybe we can even learn from each other. But the article is more like: my way is right, your way is wrong. It’s just like the whole “You must shoot RAW” thing, which is tired, outdated, inaccurate, and needs to stop. It would have been equally as wrong if the author had demanded that everyone apply (say) VCSO filters to their pictures.

*Pool Remnant* – Rodanthe, NC – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe

There’s no right or wrong way to do photography. There are thousands of paths, and you might take multiple trails at various times. If something works for you, that’s awesome! That’s what matters—finding what works for you personally. If someone tells you that you are doing photography wrong, and especially if they tell you that you must do it their way, I strongly advise you to take that advice for what it’s worth, which is not much of anything, certainly not two pennies (or a click to PetaPixel). You do photography however you want to do photography, whatever that looks like.

I might be reading too much into this, but the author seems to dislike Fujifilm, and especially the Fujifilm Recipe community (that’s you and I), which is known for analog aesthetics on digital images. He never states Fujifilm specifically, but what caught my attention was the mention of Film Simulations. In another PetaPixel article, he seems to dislike mirrorless cameras, or—perhaps more accurately—prefers DSLRs to mirrorless. Fujifilm, of course, does not make DSLRs (at least not since the S5 Pro, which was built on a Nikon D200, and is long discontinued), and all of their cameras for the last 20 years feature Film Simulations. Like I said, I could be connecting dots that were never meant to connect, and making much more of this than the author intended, but it seems like Fujifilm photographers in particular are doing digital photography all wrong, if you were to ask Bimal.

So let me get to the rebuttal. Below are five reasons why a photographer might prefer to make their digital photographs look like film—five reasons why you may want to continue making your pictures appear analog.

Digital is Clinical

*Misty Saguaro* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Pacific Blues Recipe

Modern digital cameras are really good. They produce images that are especially clean and clear, free from defects and artifacts, which was nearly impossible in the film era. It’s great but also sterile, like a hospital room prepped for surgery. This might be preferable, but I find it boring, lacking character. Adding an analog aesthetic to digital pictures can make them less perfect, which can more easily convey certain feelings or moods. This is just my opinion, and it’s perfectly ok to disagree with it. There’s no right or wrong answer here, just personal preferences. Personally, I don’t like my pictures to appear so perfect, so clinical, so digital.

Film is Appealing

The reason why I like the aesthetic of film is because it has character. It has texture. Each emulsion has unique qualities. There are emotions that each look conveys to the viewer. It can be serendipitous, with wonderful surprises. Film photography requires much patience and thoughtfulness. One must have a willingness to fail and an acceptance for when that inevitably happens. Those are good qualities, but they’re born out of frustrating circumstances. I love the look of film, but not always the process of analog photography.

Digital is Convenient

*Two Caballeros* – Culleoka, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodachrome 64 Recipe

A common response to this article is going to be, “If you like the look of film, just shoot film.” Yeah, that’s great and all, and certainly something I have done for many years, but digital is much faster, more reliable, more flexible, and probably less expensive (depending on how many rolls of film you shoot). Digital cameras are so much more convenient than film, and that’s why I like digital photography. If there’s a way to get the best of both worlds—the convenience of digital with the look of film—that’s a major win-win. And, thankfully, you can get the best of both worlds. There’s nothing wrong with digital photography, there’s nothing wrong with film photography, and there’s nothing wrong with mimicking film-like looks with digital cameras.

Authenticity is King

*Cold Rim, Warm Light* – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Vision3 250D v2 Recipe

The pictures produced by Fujifilm cameras feel authentic and film-like because they reflect in-camera processing designed by Fujifilm utilizing their renown film heritage. When you use Film Simulation Recipes, what you see is what you get, and the pictures don’t require manipulation—they’re not “photoshopped” (which, right or wrong, has become a bad word in recent times). Like using a particular film across a series of photos, choosing one Recipe can give your images a cohesive, intentional, and stylized aesthetic. Not having to edit allows for a simple and efficient workflow, which can save you a lot of time while increasing your productivity.

Using Recipes is Fun

*Happy* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm Recipe

Last but far from least, shooting straight-out-of-camera JPEGs using Film Simulation Recipes is fun. A lot of people do it because they enjoy it. I can’t tell you how many times people have told me that using Recipes has made photography fun for them again. You should be enjoying the process of making pictures, and if you’re not, it might be time to ask yourself why, and consider if you should make any changes to your process. Maybe you don’t find Recipes and camera-made JPEGs enjoyable, and that’s ok. Different strokes for different folks. But a lot of people do find it fun, and it’s become a big part of the Fujifilm appeal. The Fujifilm Recipe community continues to grow and grow, and for good reason.

These five points highlight why a Fujifilm photographer using Film Simulation Recipes might love making their digital images look like film. Recipes combine some of film’s iconic character with digital’s convenience, consistency, and immediacy. There’s a very large community who appreciates the aesthetics of film and use it to purposefully convey certain feelings and moods through their pictures, but they also appreciate the ease of digital. The ability to combine both into a simplified workflow is quite attractive, which is why so many people are making their digital pictures look like film—and, no, unless they want to, they should not stop.

Kodak Pro 400 — Fujifilm X-Trans V Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on September 6 by Ritchie Roesch

*Hillside* – Elk, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Pro 400

One film can produce many various looks depending on a whole host of factors. How was it shot: overexposed (and by how much), box speed, or underexposed (and by how much)? What gear was used, especially which lens? Were any filters used? What was the exact light situation? How was the film stored and handled? How was it developed, including how fresh were the chemicals, and what was the temperature and pH of the water? If it was printed, how was that handled and what paper was used? If it was scanned, which scanner was used, what were the settings, and what post-processing was done? How are you viewing the photo: print, light table, computer monitor, cellphone screen? There are a thousand factors that can affect the outcome—some a little, some a lot.

Sometimes I’ll get contradicting feedback on a certain Film Simulation Recipe. One person will say, I’ve shot with that film, and the Recipe matches almost exactly; another will say, I’ve shot with that film, and the Recipe is way off. That shouldn’t be surprising for the reasons pointed out in the last paragraph—both statements are probably quite true. There are other factors, of course, that are worth considering. One is called “memory color” (which is often mentioned by Fujifilm), in which we remember a film looking a certain way, but in reality our memory of it is a little off. I’ve experienced this personally, where I thought a certain group of settings looked exactly like some emulsion, but when I actually compared them side-by-side it was not such a close match after all. Which is preferable: memory color accuracy or technical accuracy? There’s no correct answer to that question, but you may prefer one over the other. Another significant factor is that, although Fujifilm does provide a fair amount of tools to customize aesthetics in-camera, there’s only so much that you can do with the options available to achieve a certain look. You can only get so close, and not a 100% match; however, it is surprising how close a Recipe will get sometimes. Also worth mentioning is that digital sensors and silver film behave quite divergently sometimes.

Fujifilm modeled the Classic Chrome Film Simulation after (non-specific) Kodak slide films from the 1980’s and ’90’s. Classic Chrome has some obvious similarities to both Kodachrome and Ektachrome; however, it’s not an exact facsimile of either (think of it more like a fictitious Kodak slide film). It does have a distinct Kodak-esque color palette, so it is a great Film Simulation to build Kodak Recipes on. The Nostalgic Neg. Film Simulation also has a Kodak-like palette, but it is intended to resemble prints from the 1970’s, and not projected slides or scanned film. Eterna and (to a lesser extent) PRO Neg. Std can be modified into Kodak aesthetics; however, they’re not modeled after any Kodak stocks. Circling back to Classic Chrome, I want to emphasize that it is primarily intended to replicate color reversal (slide) film, and not negative film.

*Garden Lake* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – Kodak Pro 400

The newest Film Simulation, called Reala Ace, is modeled after color negative film, and most closely resembled Fujicolor PRO 160C. Despite its name, it’s quite obviously inspired by the ISO 160 Fujicolor PRO line of films; basically, it’s a new-and-improved PRO Neg. Film Simulation—a similar yet better iteration of PRO Neg. Std and PRO Neg. Hi (kind of like when Kodak replaced the NC and VC versions of Portra and introduced a new iteration of the films in 2011, except we still have the two PRO Neg. options…). Reala Ace doesn’t have a distinct Kodak palette, but, like PRO Neg. Std, it can be made into a Kodak-like look. The advantage of using Reala Ace instead of Classic Chrome is that it retains that “print film” quality of the Film Simulation.

This new Kodak Pro 400 Recipe came about after some feedback that Reala Ace might be a better foundation for a Kodak Portra 400 look than Classic Chrome. I had previously considered the possibility, but hadn’t put any effort into creating it. So I researched pictures and fiddled with the camera settings. I made a few different versions, which matched some certain examples but were notably off from others. I had to narrow it down to which specific Kodak Portra 400 look I wanted to replicate, and get as close to that as I could, with some compromises. It was definitely a process, and sometimes quite frustrating, but I settled on these settings. One disadvantage of using Reala Ace, obviously, is that, at its core, it’s a Fujicolor look, and sometimes that still comes through. You could think of it as printing Kodak film on Crystal Archive paper instead of Endura or Ektacolor. That’s not what this Recipe mimics, but it is a way to make peace with the issue. Most of these pictures were reprocessed in-camera using this Recipe, and not directly captured with it; however, I do have a bunch of other pictures (that are perhaps “less inspiring”) that were actually captured with the Recipe, but I only included a couple of them.

In the end, I feel that I got close-but-no-cigar. I think, in certain situations with certain subjects and lighting, this Recipe can be quite convincing at mimicking Kodak Portra 400 film. There are pictures in this article that you could put side-by-side with certain Kodak Portra 400 frames, and it would be difficult to distinguish which was the film and which was the Recipe. But there are other images that are so far off that I could not find a matching Portra 400 look (trust me, I tried). So I would say that this Recipe is hit-or-miss, and that’s why I didn’t name it Kodak Portra 400 v3 (although that’s what it’s named in my cameras right now). It’s definitely Portra 400 related. The full name of the film is Kodak Professional Portra 400, so I’m calling this Recipe Kodak Pro 400. There’s also Pro Image 100, another Kodak negative film, and this Recipe by chance isn’t terribly far off from that, either; however, it’s not intended to resemble that emulsion, and isn’t quite as good of a match. Either way, like the other Portra Recipes, how close it is or isn’t depends on which pictures you are looking at.

*Walking the Museum Grounds* – Savannah, GA – Fujifilm X100VI – Kodak Pro 400

I included a lot of sample pictures in this article, which will hopefully help to determine when this Recipe works well and when maybe it’s less than ideal. Like the film, it thrives in daylight, but this might be a better choice than some others in overcast situations. I also included a comparison of this Kodak Pro 400 Recipe with Reggie’s Portra, Kodak Portra 400, and Kodak Portra 400 v2 at the bottom of this article (for Reggie’s Portra and Kodak Portra 400, I set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off). I find it interesting that there are some common settings between this and the Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe, and also some opposite settings—that’s unintentional, just the way it worked out. Because this Recipe uses Reala Ace, it’s compatible with fifth-generation models, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, and X-E5. It’s also compatible with the latest GFX cameras: GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF. Those who have been dissatisfied with the Portra 400 Recipes may find that they like this one better; those who love the Portra 400 Recipes might not be convinced that this is an improvement. Personally, I really like it, and I might keep both this and Kodak Portra 400 v2 in my C1-C7, as there are times when one might be preferable over the other.

Film Simulation: Reala Ace
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong
White Balance: 5200K, +2 Red & -3 Blue
Highlight: -2
Shadow: 0
Color: +1
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Kodak Pro 400 Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-T5 and X100VI:

*Birthday Boy* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*(Not) Riding a Trolley* – Washington, D.C. – Fujifilm X100VI

*We’re on a Roll* – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI

*AMC* – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI

*Electric Sunset* – Elk, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*California Sunset* – Elk, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Full Moonrise* – Elk, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Light, Reflected Light* – Elk, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Canon Camera* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI

*Sunset in the Mirror* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI

*Terminally Waiting* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI

*Underground Station* – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI

*Roundhouse Locomotive* – Savannah, GA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Shop Interior* – Savannah, GA – Fujifilm X100VI

*The Tides* – Bodega Bay, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Bodega Bay* – Bodega Bay, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Greenwood Cove* – Elk, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Turquoise Pacific* – Elk, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Fog over Wild Brush* – Elk, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Fog Rolling In* – Elk, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Magnolia* – Savannah, GA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Wet Sidewalk* – Savannah, GA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Wet Alley* – Savannah, GA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Red Bull* – Savannah, GA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Squirrel Box* – Washington, D.C. – Fujifilm X100VI

*Turn Arrow* – Washington, D.C. – Fujifilm X100VI

*Corridor* – Arlington, VA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Gravestones* – Arlington, VA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Empty Trail* – Navarro, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Southwest Sky* – Arlington, VA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Pilot Paused* – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI

*Bus Stop* – San Francisco, CA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Box Truck* – South San Francisco, CA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Jackpot* – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI

*Bike, Parking* – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI

*Blue Car* – San Francisco, CA – Fujifilm X100VI

99 – San Francisco, CA – Fujifilm X100VI

*No Parking, unless it’s an RV* – Fort Bragg, CA – Fujifilm X100VI

*Tall Saguaro* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI

Comparison

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-T5 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 400 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Join me THIS Saturday in Scottsdale, AZ

Posted on September 1 by Ritchie Roesch

I’ll be leading a class at Nuzira THIS Saturday, September 6th, at 11:00 AM in Scottsdale, Arizona. Please join me in-person as we discuss Fujifilm’s Film Simulations and Fuji X Weekly Recipes. Click here for more information, and to register for free. Spaces are very limited. I hope to see you there!

Also, for those in Southern California, be sure to join me on September 13th at 2:00 PM for a Fujifilm X half photowalk with Samy’s Camera, as part of their 49th Anniversary three-day event. Spaces are limited and won’t likely last long, so be sure to register today! It’s $25 per-person ($27.13 after taxes), but each participant will receive a $25 Samy’s gift card, essentially making it free. Please bring an SD Card so you can take your photos home.

Aerochrome v2 — Fujifilm X-T3/X-T30 Full Spectrum Infrared Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on August 20 by Ritchie Roesch

*Red Coast* – Fort Bragg, CA – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – This new Aerochrome v2 Recipe

Last year, I started my infrared photography journey when I purchased a Fujifilm X-T4 ES full-spectrum IR camera. Since then, I’ve published seven infrared Film Simulation Recipes for the X-T4 ES, which can also be used on full-spectrum converted X-Trans IV (except the X-T3 & X-T30) and X-Trans V cameras. You must have a full-spectrum model to use these Recipes, which requires an expensive and invasive procedure from a third-party vendor; otherwise, the X-T4 ES (“Extended Spectrum”) is a full-spectrum camera briefly offered by Fujifilm to the general public (it’s very difficult to find, but in my opinion totally worth owning). If you have a “normal” (non-converted) camera, these Recipes will not work.

One camera that people have commonly converted (as common as it gets, anyway) is the Fujifilm X-T3. While the X-T3 is X-Trans IV, it has JPEG options more similar to X-Trans III—it’s missing some that are available on later X-Trans IV models. Because of this, my seven infrared Recipes won’t work on a full-spectrum converted X-T3 or X-T30. Dan Allan has a full-spectrum X-T3, and he really wanted to use my Aerochrome v2 Recipe, so he modified it to be compatible with his camera. It’s not 100% the same, but pretty close, and quite nice. Those with a full-spectrum converted X-T3 or X-T30 can now join the infrared Recipe fun!

Above Left: Original Fujifilm X-T4 ES Aerochrome v2 Recipe; Above Right: This new Aerochrome v2 Recipe for the X-T3/X-T30.

Dan was kind to share his modification with me (and all of you), and also allowed me to publish his wonderful photos in this article, which you’ll find below (thank you, Dan!). If you have an X-Trans III full-spectrum model, this Recipe will work by ignoring Color Chrome Effect, but it will render a little different (feel free to try, though). If you have a Fujifilm X-T4 ES—or an X-Trans IV (other than the X-T3 & X-T30) or X-Trans V camera that has been full-spectrum modified—this Recipe will work by choosing Grain size Small, Color Chrome FX Blue set to Off, and Clarity set to 0. Depending on your preferences, you might actually like this version a bit better. The blue sky is the most obvious difference (interestingly, it seems slightly less divergent in Dan’s pictures than in the set above), but there are other more subtle variances; however, the overall vibe is the same between the original Aerochrome V2 Recipe and the new version. This Recipe requires three filters: Kolari Vision IR Chrome filter, Hoya G(XO) Yellow-Green filter and Tiffen Yellow 2 #8 filter. The IR Chrome filter is intended for infrared photography, while the Yellow-Green and Yellow filters are for B&W film. I’m not sure if the order matters, but I have the Yellow filter first (closest to the lens), the IR Chrome next, and the Yellow-Green last (furthest from the lens).

Edit: Dan informed me that he has the IR Chrome filter first (closest to the lens), followed by the G(XO), and then the Yellow 2 #8 (furthest from the lens). He isn’t sure if the order matters, but it might. He also wanted to mention that his conversion was with Kolari, with their anti-reflection glass, which might have a minimal impact on the outcome vs the X-T4 ES.

Filters: Kolari Vision IR Chrome, Hoya G(XO) Yellow-Green & Tiffen Yellow 2 #8
Film Simulation: Velvia
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
White Balance: 5000K, +7 Red & +7 Blue
Highlight: +2
Shadow: 0
Color: +4
Sharpness: 0
High ISO NR: -4
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured by Dan Allen using this Aerochrome v2 Film Simulation Recipe on his full-spectrum converted Fujifilm X-T3:

*Full-Spectrum Fujifilm X-T3 & Aerochrome v2 Recipe — Photo by Dan Allen*

Find this Aerochrome v2 and other IR Recipes in the Fuji X Weekly App, available for both Android and Apple.