Firework over Super Moon – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Ultramax 400 – 70mm Digital Teleconverter
July 4th is an American holiday, often celebrated with family, fireworks, watermelon, and barbecues. I chose to document the day with my Fujifilm X100V loaded with seven Film Simulation Recipes, each picked for a specific reason. I made a point to try all seven throughout the day, and especially during the fireworks show. Let’s take a look at how that worked out!
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Small Windmill – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor Superia 100
Fujicolor Superia 100 was a daylight-balanced color negative film produced by Fujifilm between 1998 and 2009. It replaced Fujicolor Super G Plus 100, which, honestly, didn’t look all that much different. Superia 100 had improved grain, sharpness, and more accurate color under florescent light; under normal conditions, and without a very close inspection, the two films looked nearly identical. Superia 100 was a “consumer” film that was widely found in drug and convenient stores. It was regularly used for family snapshots, but was also popular among photojournalists, as well as portrait and wedding photographers. Superia 100 was marketed as a “general use” low-ISO color film. Like the film, this Fujicolor Superia 100 Film Simulation Recipe could serve as a general-use option.
This Film Simulation Recipe has fairly low contrast—but not too low—and produces very nice colors. It has a nostalgic quality to it, since the film that it’s based on was widely used for family snapshots in the 1990’s and 2000’s. You can use it for portraits or street photography or landscapes—really, it’s good for most situations. Like the film, in indoor artificial light it will render especially warm, which you might or might not appreciate. This Recipe is compatible with X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, X-H2s, and X-S20. For newer GFX models, you can use either version, but I’m sure it will look slightly different than an the X series.
Film Simulation: Classic Negative Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: Daylight, 0 Red & -1 Blue Dynamic Range: DR-Auto Highlight: -1 Shadow: -2 Color: +1 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Fujicolor Superia 100 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Red Bike – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Taillight – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Snooze – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Jon with a Camera – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Water & Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spiderweb Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Greens of Summer – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Birdcage Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Americana Girl – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Backlit Girl in the Garden – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea Blooms of Summer – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blooms Above Blocks – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Tiny Purple Backyard Blossoms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Flowerpot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Love Lost – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Concentration – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hanging Lamps – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Yellow Coffee – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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Photography is moving in a clear direction, and it is unedited. Let me explain.
There’s a new photography trend on the iPhone. Instead of using the front-facing camera to take selfies, people are taking screen shots of the preview from the selfie camera. Why? What’s the difference? The pipeline for the image preview and the actual photographs are different on the iPhone. Most notably, Apple applies an HDR processing to the exposure (but not the preview), which creates a less-contrasty picture. If you are going to apply a filter to the photo and edit it, having a flatter starting point makes sense; however, if you are not editing, one might prefer the more-contrasty image preview. Aside from that, it can be frustrating that the preview doesn’t match the photograph.
My RitchieCam iPhone camera app uses the same pipeline for both the image processing and the preview, so it doesn’t have this issue. The preview you see will be the picture you get. No need to screenshot, which produces a much-lower resolution image. Those using my camera app (instead of the native iPhone app) won’t need to go through the hassle of the screen shot (plus cropping out the non-image part); instead, they’ll have better quality pictures with an analog-inspired aesthetic to post to social media.
Photo by Amanda Roesch – iPhone 13 Pro – RitchieCam App – Standard Film filter – unedited
Of course, we’re not talking about photographers here, but snap-shooters, as I doubt that anyone who would self-identify as a photographer is taking screenshots instead of using the camera. It shouldn’t be surprising that they’re uninterested in picture manipulation, and just want good results without fuss. Maybe they don’t know how to edit pictures, and the idea of doing so is very intimidating, so they have no interest in learning. It could be that they don’t want to spend their time with picture editing, and just want to share (either through text or social media) their snaps quickly—the easier the better, but the pictures still need to look decent. Others don’t edit because doing so seems less authentic; Photoshop is a bad word, and picture-manipulation equals people-manipulation. Let’s not forget that the vast majority of photos captured across the world are by amateurs, so their opinions, preferences, and trends do matter.
For the advanced-hobbyist or professional, surely photo manipulation is a requirement, right? There’s a growing movement towards reduced (or even eliminated) photo editing. First, the less time spent sitting at a computer equals more production and/or more time with friends and family. For a lot of people, for every hour out with a camera photographing means two hours in Lightroom or Capture One fiddling with the RAW files; if those two hours can be reduced by 50% or more (especially more), that’s a huge win! Second, shooting camera-made JPEGs affords the advantage of knowing exactly what you’re going to get before even pressing the shutter. Don’t like what you see? Simply make a few quick adjustments until you do, then take the picture. Not having to pre-visualize in your mind the finished photo, but seeing it right there in the viewfinder in real time, is a game-changer for many. Third, getting great (often analog-like) results straight-out-of-camera can be a much more fun photographic process, especially if you don’t enjoy sitting for hours at a computer post-processing pictures.
I used to shoot RAW and edit, but thanks to Fujifilm cameras and Film Simulation Recipes, I now use unedited (or sometimes lightly-edited) camera-made JPEGs. I will crop or straighten when needed, which is the majority of my post-processing; occasionally I will adjust the brightness a notch, but very rarely do I manipulate any further than that. Most of my pictures are unedited, even to a strict definition. This has changed my life, no hyperbole! My post workflow takes minutes instead of hours, which has made me a much more productive photographer while simultaneously improving home-life, because I can now spend more time with my wife and kids. That’s amazing!
Pacific Poppies – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues – unedited
For example, on a recent trip to the California coast, during the downtimes—such as while at lunch, as a passenger in a car, or at night before bed—I transferred the JPEGs from my cameras to my phone, cropped if needed, and uploaded to cloud storage. A few minutes here and there meant that, by the time I got home, my workflow was essentially already complete. For most photographers, once back home the work would just be getting started, with many hours sitting at a computer.
But, but, but… surely the unedited camera-made JPEGs are not good enough for serious photography, right? You couldn’t do true professional work like this, could you? You can’t print very large and still look stunning, can you? Actually, yes—you can! I know because several successful professional photographers have told me that this is how they now do their paid work. You’d be surprised by just how many are doing some or even all of their pro photo work completely unedited or just lightly edited.
It’s not just photographers who benefit from a simplified workflow, but clients. Because of social media, people often desire to have a quick turnaround on their professional photographs. The newlywed couple doesn’t want to wait two weeks for the wedding pictures to be done, and in fact their parents wished for them that very day! If you can deliver the images quickly, you have a clear advantage over your competition.
In fact, Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry told me about two recent corporate events where the client wanted the photos as the event was happening! Periodically, every so many minutes throughout the day, she would download the straight-out-of-camera images from her camera to her phone, then upload them to a cloud location that the client had access to. As the event was happening, they were able to share the pictures to their social media accounts. Delivering real-time results to the client is going to be the future of event photography. Nathalie was able to do this thanks to the Film Simulation Recipes that she had programmed into her Fujifilm cameras.
Whether it is professional, hobby, or snap-shooting, photography is slowly and stubbornly moving towards less editing. It is easier and quicker and more fun, the disadvantages of it are disappearing, and the stigmatization is dissipating. More and more, people want great results without fuss. Editing is no longer a requirement, especially if you have gear that will deliver solid out-of-camera pictures, such as Fujifilm cameras or the RitchieCam app.
The next battle will be AI. Technology allows one to simulate a photograph with a string of words, or add to an image what wasn’t there—all with a similar ease to shooting camera-made JPEGs. It will come down to authenticity. I believe that as tech pushes us towards an augmented or even fully artificial reality, society will push back with an equal and opposite force towards the genuine. People will generally prefer authenticity over artificial, but it will be a divide. Camera makers should carefully consider how to move forward through all of this, and how they can improve their straight-out-of-camera experience. Fujifilm has a clear advantage, which materialized in the recent explosion in demand for the X100V. A simplified workflow with less editing or even no editing is the future of photography, and the future is now.
This was the final day of my trip to California’s Central Coast. Only the morning was spent at the ocean—my wife and I took the kids tide pooling, which was a lot of fun. Afterwards we hit the road back home, waving goodbye the Pacific coast.
I love the ocean, and find myself often drawn to it. The central coast of California is probably my favorite stretch of shoreline—such a magical place! I enjoyed time with my family, and the lasting memories we made together. The two days spent with Ken Rockwell and Dave Wyman were great—I captured a bunch of photographs and learned some things. Hopefully I can join in on one of their other tours in the future. This was a good week, and it was sad that it seemed to end so soon. I guess that means I’ll have to return, perhaps for a bit longer next time.
Rocky Water – Pismo Beach, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
The photographs below are in order of when they were captured. The picture at the top of this article, Yellow Kayaks, White Trucks, fits in-between Seaside Home and Blue & Yellow. The second photo, Rocky Water, fits in-between Yellow Kayaks in the Big Blue and Jon & Crab Claw. I hope that you enjoy these pictures, and have appreciated the photographs throughout this series!
Two Seagulls – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Wave on Rocky Coastline – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Beach Joy – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Crab Grass – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Seaweed Wood – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Yellow Kayaks in the Big Blue – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Jon & Crab Claw – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Seaside Home – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor 100 Gold
Blue & Yellow – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
One In, One Out – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Sandbag – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
White Bike – Santa Barbara, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Xpro ’62
Montecito Bus – Santa Barbara, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Searching for Something – Santa Barbara, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Sent by Large Marge – Cabazon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
That’s it! You’ve reached the end of the Central Coast of California tour. I had so much fun, and I hope you did, too!
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Day 5, Part 2 — June 9, 2023 — San Simeon & Morro Bay
There were twelve photographers on the Central Coast tour: Dave Wyman, Ken Rockwell, myself, and nine others. Seven of those nine had previously been on at least one other of these tours (some had been on several), which I think speaks strongly of the value the excursions. It was mostly an older crowd; there was a young college student, I was second youngest (at 43), and I’m pretty sure everyone else was in their 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s—most above the age of 60. One was shooting Canon. Three had Sony. I, of course, was using Fujifilm. The other seven had Nikon. Ken seems to especially like Nikon, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that so many on this tour had that brand. I believe there were more DSLRs than mirrorless. I saw a lot of long telephoto lenses.
For this part of Day 5, after the abandoned cars, we wound our way back to the Pacific Coast Highway, then up to Elephant Seal Vista Point north of San Simeon. I had already photographed this location on Day 2, so I used the opportunity to try some underutilized lenses in my bag, and take a more laid-back approach. Following that, we went to the San Simeon Pier below Hearst Castle. The last stop of the day was Morro Bay to photograph the famous monolith.
The group was going to assemble one more time the next morning, but I wasn’t going to join them, so this was the end of Ken and Dave’s tour for me. I captured a lot of images—more than I’ve shown in this article series—and it was a highly rewarding experience. I would definitely recommend it, for anyone considering joining one of these tours in the future. It was very insightful, and I had a good time. I said goodbye and called it a night.
Boats in the Bay – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Pacific Blues
The photographs below are in order of when they were captured. The picture at the top of this article, Flowers on the Coastal Bluffs, was the first image captured during this part of the day. The second photo, Boats in the Bay, fits in-between Lifeguard Tower 1 and Cocktail Cruise. I hope that you enjoy the pictures!
Yellow Flowers, Grey Coast – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Pergear 10mm – Kodachrome 64
Green Bushes, Grey Coast – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Pergear 10mm – Kodachrome 64
Elephant Seal Beach – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Xuan 30mm – Vintage Color
Gloomy Coast 1 – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – Vintage Color
Gloomy Coast 2 – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – Vintage Color
Gloomy Coast 3 – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – Vintage Color
It Was all Yellow – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – Vintage Color
Lazy Seals – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – The Rockwell
Flowery Bluffs – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – Kodachrome 64
Right – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – Vintage Color
Gull – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – Vintage Color
Flight – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – The Rockwell
White & Yellow – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Kodachrome 64
They May Bite – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Hearst Ranch Schoolhouse – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Biting Horses – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – 1981 Kodak
School Horse – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Tractor on Display – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Green Chevy Wagon – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Kodachrome 64
Green Car – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Kodachrome 64
Driver – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Kodachrome 64
Pier Railing – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Kodachrome 64
Pier Corner – San Simeon, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
San Simeon Pier – San Simeon, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Morro Beach – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Morro Rock behind Ice Plant – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Rock & Ice – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Rock View – Morro Bay, CA – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam App – Standard Film
Morro Shores – Morro Bay, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Lifeguard Tower 1 – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Cocktail Cruise – Morro Bay, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Rosana’s Ride – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Pacific Blues
Fujifilm couldn’t make enough copies of the camera to keep up with the newfound demand. The X100V was out-of-stock everywhere. The backorder list quickly grew long. A large camera store told me months ago that if there were no new orders, and at the current rate that Fujifilm was manufacturing the X100V, it would take them six months just to fulfill all of those backorders; however, the backorder list was growing faster than Fujifilm was delivering new cameras.
Some of those who did have an X100V—even a used one—were selling them at significantly inflated prices. I saw one listed at $1,000 above MSRP in one instance. And people were actually buying them! The price for older versions, such as the X100F, but going back all the way to the 12-year-old original X100, also increased and became more difficult to find. Even other Fujifilm series, such as the X-E line (and even Ricoh GR), saw a bump in demand as people looked for alternatives to the X100V.
Yellow Kayaks, White Trucks – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
It’s been about nine months since the craze began and it hasn’t slowed. The X100V has been an in-demand model during that time, but Fujifilm just can’t keep up with it, due to things like parts shortages and balancing manufacturing demands with the also-hot-selling X-T5. Ideally Fujifilm would have been able to truly capitalize on their fortuitous situation, but they really haven’t. Perhaps the only thing that Fujifilm has been able to do is continue to limp the manufacturing of this model a little longer than they originally anticipated, delaying the discontinuation date by as much as a year.
When you look at the history of the X100-series, a release pattern emerges. The X100S came out about two years after the original X100, the X100T came out about two years after the X100S, and the X100F was released about two years after the X100T; however, the X100V was released three years after the X100F, and we’re already beyond the three-year-mark since the X100V came out. I believe that Fujifilm would have liked to have announced the next X100-series camera, which I’ll call the X100Z, back in February, but that obviously didn’t happen. I anticipate that it will be February 2024.
Why didn’t it happen in 2023? The X100V is selling faster than they can be made. What’s the hurry in releasing a successor? I do believe the issues that plagued not only Fujifilm but also most of the tech industry are still problematic to an extent, and this gives Fujifilm more time to get their parts supply and manufacturing operations back on track. I bet Fujifilm is hoping to make just enough copies of the X100V to give a glimmer of hope that one can be obtained with enough patience—and that the buzz continues for a bit longer—but not so many that the demand is deflated when the X100Z (or whatever Fujifilm will call it) is announced in eight months or so. Honestly, Fujifilm should release one or two limited-run special-edition X100V versions between now and then.
Flare over a Log– Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor 100 Gold
The X100-series doesn’t change much with a new release. The improvements are just enough to make you desire the new model, but are never groundbreaking. There’s not going to be a redesign. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. What can we expect in an X100Z? What do I wish for?
I do believe the biggest “upgrade” will be the 40-megapixel X-Trans V sensor and processor. While I actually prefer the 26-megapixel sensor in general (as 40mp is overkill for most people), as I’ve thought about it, this sensor makes a lot of sense in an X100 because of the Digital Teleconverter, something I used far more frequently on my recent trip to California’s Central Coast than I had at any point in the two years prior. The X100V has 35mm full-frame-equivalent lens, and the Digital Teleconverter, which is a digital zoom with some smart upscaling, produces a 50mm-equivalent or 70mm-equivalent picture, adding versatility to the fixed-lens camera. There is a noticeable loss in quality when set to 70mm, but it’s still surprisingly good; however, the 40mp sensor would make this feature better and more practical for routine use. In fact, Fujifilm could even add 80mm if they wanted. The one thing I’d like Fujifilm to fix with regards to the Digital Teleconverter is scale the faux Grain, because Strong/Large Grain looks massive when using the 70mm option, but it should appear to be the same size as if the Digital Teleconverter wasn’t used.
The new sensor and processor will bring several improvements to the spec sheet for both stills and video. Autofocus will see a boost. In an age of diminishing returns, I don’t think any of that makes a big difference, but the marketing department will still use it to promote the camera and reviewers will still use it to get clicks and likes.
Playing with Waves – Cambria, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Will the X100Z have IBIS? Fujifilm has made some significant strides with their In-Body-Image-Stabilization, but I’d be mildly surprised if the new model has it. The argument is that the Ricoh GR III has IBIS, and it’s a much older and smaller camera, so why can’t the X100-series? First, IBIS isn’t really needed in the GR III and it’s pretty mediocre anyway, so it’s often overstated as a feature in that model. I do think it makes more sense in the X100-series than in the Ricoh, but if it makes the body larger or more expensive, Fujifilm will have to carefully consider the potential consequences of that. I think, with the higher-resolution sensor, a digital stabilizer for video would be sufficient.
What I would love to see in the Fujifilm X100Z are more film simulations and JPEG options. Of course that’s what I’d love to see, since I make Film Simulation Recipes. What I don’t think Fujifilm or the photography community in-general realizes is that the ability to get analog-like results straight-out-of-camera is what’s largely driving the interest in the X100V. While many long-time Fujifilm photographers purchased the X100V, for a lot of people the camera is (or would be if they could find one in stock) their first Fujifilm—whether they mainly shoot Canon, Sony, Nikon, etc., or it’s their first “real” camera—and it makes a lot of sense because it doesn’t require investing in a whole system. They can get their feet wet with something fun, and maybe later they’ll jump into the deep end. In the meantime, they’ve got a cool camera that doesn’t require sitting in front of a computer to get great results. Not only does this drive camera sales, but it is also a big reason why many end up sticking around and not moving onto something else.
Spooner Cove – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor 100 Gold
So what would I like Fujifilm to add to the X100Z? Obviously Eterna Bleach Bypass and Nostalgic Neg. will be included, but I think Fujifilm should strongly consider introducing a new film sim with this camera. Some ideas are Fujicolor Pro 400H (that with overexposure behaves similarly to the film), Fujicolor Pro 800Z (would make a lot of sense if they name the camera X100Z), Fujichrome Sensia, Fujichrome Fortia, cross-process, infrared, Instax, Neopan 400CN, etc.—there are still a ton that Fujifilm could and should do. Some JPEG options that I’d like to see are mid-tone adjustments (additional to Highlight and Shadow), black-point (a.k.a. fade, to lift blacks), split-toning (for both B&W and color pictures), more Grain options (Weak, Medium, Strong; Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Large; plus maybe various patters?), and maybe even a tint slider for the major colors to tweak their rendering? I think Fujifilm has to be careful balancing new features with simplicity, so that the many options don’t become overwhelming—in other words, pick a couple of things to add and not everything, as much as I’d love to have everything.
The X100Z will be a very successful camera for Fujifilm, and for a lot of people standing in the long line for an X100V, this new model can’t get here fast enough. There won’t likely be a huge difference between the two versions—just the new sensor and some new features, but it will nonetheless be a nice refresh. While it might seem to be a long ways off, Fujifilm will announce this camera in the not-too-distant future, and it will be here before you know it. In the meantime, I’ve included below a video published today by Leigh & Raymond Photography that discusses this very topic.
My personal favorite of these four is Urban Dreams, which has a Kodachrome 200 vibe. Especially during overcast conditions and blue-hour, this is a Recipe that I really enjoy using—I shot a lot with it on my coastal trip. Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 is my second favorite, which is good for sunny days when you want colors to pop. My third favorite is Vivid Summer Glow, which has some similarities to the Kodachrome II Recipe, but I like Kodachrome II better. Last and least, Soft Blue Classic does alright when the sun is high and the light is warm, but overall I didn’t like it very much.
The next SOOC Live broadcast will be this coming Thursday, June 29th, at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern. We’ll finish our discussion of these four AI-made Film Simulation Recipes, and much more. I hope that you can join us, because it’s an interactive program, and your participation makes it better!
During the last SOOC Live show, we challenged you to shoot with these four ChatGPT Film Simulation Recipes. I hope that you’ve had fun trying them! As a reminder, you have until tomorrow (June 27th) to upload your pictures captured with these Recipes (click here) for the next show, so you’ll want to do so quickly if you haven’t already. Be sure to include the name of the Recipe used in the file name, so that we can keep track of which is which.
I hope to see you on Thursday!
Pacific Cove – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1
Lower Sea Cliff – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Soft Blue Classic”
Wave Crashing on Rock – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Vivid Summer Glow”
House on the Seaside Cliffs – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Red Blossom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – Expired Velvia Recipe
Film has an expiration date. Typically two years after it was manufactured, unused film starts to degrade, and the results will be different. Freezing film prolongs the degenerative process, making it possible to get good results years after expiring. Film should be developed within a day or two of use, but you’re ok to wait a few weeks or even months if stored in a refrigerator. Most photographers take care to use their film before the expiration date, and to thoughtfully store their film in a dark, cool place, but some don’t. There are even some photographers who purposefully seek out film that is well-expired and/or stored incorrectly, just for the unpredictable and unusual results that one might get—there is a bit of serendipity to the style, which can be desirable.
This Film Simulation Recipe, called Expired Velvia, came about after a Fuji X Weekly reader shared with me some photographs that he had captured on long-expired Velvia 50 color reversal film. He didn’t have the lab adjust the development time for the expired film, so they were all underexposed (at least a little); however, they turned out really interesting, with an aesthetic that leaned more towards Superia than Velvia. This Recipe does a great job of mimicking that look!
If you are searching for a Film Simulation Recipe that’s a little different, this is one to try! It’s definitely not for everyone, but some of you will love it. It’s compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. For X-Trans V models, you can use this Recipe, but because blue is rendered more deeply on some film simulations, the results will be slightly different. This Recipe was an App Patron Early-Access Recipe, but it has been replaced by a new one, so if you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, be sure to look for that new Early-Access Recipe in the App!
Film Simulation: Classic Negative Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: 6400K, -1 Red & +8 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +2 Shadow: -2 Color: +3 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -4 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -1 to -1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Expired Velvia Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4 and Fujifilm X100V cameras:
Dodge, Didn’t Dodge – Cambria, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Dena Boat – Morro Bay, California – Fujifilm X100V
In the Same Boat – Cayucos, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Help Protect – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Light Post – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Hotel Door – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Restaurant – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Webs We Weave – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Outdoor Chair Cushion – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Jo Playing with Roly Polies – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
A Boy & His Fishing Pole – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Covered Boat Dock – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Lake Houses – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
‘Bout to Blossom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Wet Rose – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Triangles – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Fenced Sun – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4
A Whale of a Sunset – Branson, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and nearly 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
Day 4, Part 2 — June 8, 2023 — Avila Beach, San Luis Obispo, Montaña de Oro & Pismo Beach
Buckle up! Part 2 of Day 4 was very busy, and I captured a whole bunch of pictures. I don’t like to include any more than 50 photographs in an article because it can cause the page to load slowly (even 50 can be problematic), but I exceeded that pretty significantly here. If the images are not loading quickly, I apologize up front. On the positive side, if you like viewing photos, there are a ton to enjoy!
After Prefumo Canyon, Dave Wyman led the tour to Avila Beach where we walked down the historic Harford Pier, built in 1919. There used to be a townsite at the pier called Port Hatford, which was founded in 1871, but the pier is pretty much all that remains today. Although it’s still a working pier, it is open to the public, and you can even drive down it.
The midday sun was high, which isn’t the best time for photography, but I kept my eye out for picture opportunities anyway. Something I have learned is that there are photographic opportunities anytime of the day or night if you look hard enough, and it is up to the photographer to find them. Some times of the day, such as golden hour, tend to offer more obvious options, but even during midday sunlight there are chances to use your camera.
No Cigarettes – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
After the pier we hiked a short distance down the Bob Jones City-to-the-Sea Trail, then we headed back to San Luis Obispo to visit the historic Octagon Barn. This unusual structure is one of those places you’d not likely stop at unless your tour guide drove you there, which is exactly what Dave did. The site is surprisingly well kept and photogenic.
The next stop was Montaña de Oro State Park near Los Osos, which is just an incredible place! This landscape is quite diverse, with steep cliffs, miles of shoreline (both sandy and rocky), sand dunes, coastal plains, trees, streams, canyons, and hills—a photographer’s playground! The sun was beginning to move a little lower in the sky (especially towards the end of the visit), but it was still harsh light that wasn’t ideal for photography; however, some of my favorite pictures from the trip were captured at Montaña de Oro State Park.
We did a fair amount of walking and hiking on this day, and by the time we got back to the cars I was pretty exhausted. It probably didn’t help that I had a short night of rest. I think most people on the tour felt similarly, and Dave made the decision to go back to the hotel and take an intermission. I called it a day and returned to my accommodations, and spent the remainder of the evening with my wife and kids. We did walk to the Pismo Beach Pier, but I purposefully left my cameras behind and only used my iPhone. I believe everyone else walked around San Luis Obispo that evening.
Window View – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
The photographs below are in order of when they were captured. The picture at the top of this article, Pacific Poppies, fits in-between Seaside Poppies and Native Plants & Bird. Sometimes it takes a few tries to capture the strongest picture. The second image, No Cigarettes, fits in-between Boat in the Cove and Pro Boat. The third image, Window View, fits in-between Spooner Cove and Window Rock. Otherwise, the order is correct. I hope that you enjoy these pictures!
Peeling Paint – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – The Rockwell
Restaurant Rose – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Rafter Light – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor 100 Gold
Ceiling Lines Abstract – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Three Small Boats – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Red Buckets – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Pier Stairs – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Yellow Bag on Buckets – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Caution – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Lift – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Big Tire – Avila Beach, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Crab Cages – Avila Beach, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
For Crabs – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Boat in the Cove – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Pro Boat – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Curious Seal – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Bike & Can – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Seagull – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Bob Jones – Avila Beach, CA – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam App – Standard Film
Yellow Ice – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Vintage Color
White Barn – San Luis Obispo, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Dramatic Barn – San Luis Obispo, CA – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam App – Dramatic B&W
Octogon Ceiling – San Luis Obispo, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – Kodak Portra 400 v2
Hole with a View – San Luis Obispo, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – Kodak Portra 400 v2
Octogon Barn & Poppies – San Luis Obispo, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – Kodak Portra 400 v2
Windmill – San Luis Obispo, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – Kodak Portra 400 v2
Eucalyptus Forest – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Ken’s Hood Ornament – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Ocean Overlook – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Small Creek – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Small Pond – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Ken Twice – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Tide Pond – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Pacific Pool – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Rock & Reflection – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Morro Bay far Away – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Rocks & Water – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Stones & Water – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Tide Creek – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Rocks in the Water – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Dave Wyman using RitchieCam – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Dave Wyman using RitchieCam 2 – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Rocky Ocean – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam App – Dramatic B&W
Rocks & Waves – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Colorful Hill – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Colorful Hill 2 – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Purple Flower – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Colorful Beach – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Dave & Phone – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Green Hills, Blue Ocean – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – The Rockwell
Gold Coast – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor 100 Gold
Spooner Cove – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor 100 Gold
Window Rock – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Cave – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Stay Back – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Cloudy Countryside – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Dave & RitchieCam – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Morro in the Distance – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Yellow Weeds 1 – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Yellow Weeds 2 – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Across the Cove – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Two Poppies – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Seaside Poppies – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Native Plants & Bird – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Kodak Portra 400 v2
About to Fly – Pismo Beach, CA – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam App – Instant Color 1
I’m not a morning person. When my alarm sounded and it was still very dark outside, I didn’t want to jump out of the warm bed that I was comfortably resting in. I knew this was going to be a fun, memorable, and photographically productive day, so I wiped the sleep from my eyes and began to get ready. I was finally going to meet Ken Rockwell and Dave Wyman, and all the others who also signed up for the Central Coast of California tour, and I did not want to be late.
Everyone knows who Ken Rockwell is. His longstanding website has been one of the most popular in photography for decades. Dave Wyman is perhaps less well-known, but he has been teaching photography, leading tours, and publishing books for a long, long time—an incredible talent who deserves to be a household name in photography circles. I was very excited for the opportunity to meet them both in-person.
The tour began at a hotel in San Luis Obispo, where we all met up and decided who would be driving and who would be riding in which car. There were twelve of us total, including Ken and Dave, which means there were 10 attendees, including myself. Interestingly, I found out that seven were repeat customers, and had participated in at least one of Ken and Dave’s tours before.
After everyone had their gear loaded up, and as the sun was rising, we carpooled and caravanned to Prefumo Canyon, which is a mountainous area in-between San Luis Obispo and Avila Beach. It’s not a place anyone would likely stumble upon, unless they were purposefully exploring back roads that few ever take. But Dave knows these hidden gems very well thanks to the research he did for his first two books: Backroads of Northern California and Backroads of Southern California. While Dave does take his tours to the iconic locations that everyone photographs, he also goes to places almost nobody else does because virtually no one else knows where they are. Prefumo Canyon is one such spot.
Light in the Woods – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1
Dave Wyman is the tour organizer and leader, while Ken Rockwell is brought along as a subject matter expert. They are both available during the trip for any questions or advice that anyone might have. There’s no classroom portion of the tour—it’s all “en plein air”—so any and all education is done in-the-field. One can learn as much or as little as one wants to, and it is up to the attendees to ask any questions that they might have. Both Dave and Ken make themselves available throughout the tour; however, the information and advice that they provide is limited until questions are asked. If anyone is considering joining one of their tours in the future, my advice is to think about what you want to learn, and have a list of questions written down in advance. Also, don’t be afraid to approach Dave and Ken, as they’re both eager to help.
We spent much of the morning in Prefumo Canyon, photographing in a few different locations before moving on to Avila Beach. Thankfully the sun was shining—this would be the only non-dreary day of the entire trip! I did so much photography at this spot that I decided to separate Day 4 into two parts.
The photographs below are in order of when they were captured. The picture at the top of this article, Bench with a View, fits in-between Retro Yellow and Dave with Rolleiflex. The second image, Light in the Woods, fits in-between Light in the Dark Forest and Ken & Distant Moon. Otherwise, the order is correct. I hope that you enjoy these pictures!
Morro Rock from Above – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Curvy Canyon Road – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Tall Grass & Fence Post – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
California Hills – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Post & Shrub – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 18mm – The Rockwell
Hilltop view of Morro Rock – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Dave Wyman – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Rock Vista – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Pyramid – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Poison Oak – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Hills with Distant Clouds – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
En plein air is a French expression that means outside or outdoors. Specific to art, it was made popular by Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes in 1800, who encouraged artists to immerse themselves into the landscapes that they were creating by painting the scene while at the scene, and not in a studio (the most common practice at the time). The en plein air philosophy was embraced by impressionist painters, such as Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, and others.
Dave Wyman calls the Central Coast of California tour “En Plein Air” because there’s no classroom or lecture portion—everything happens while out in the landscape actively capturing photographs. It’s about learning to see and interpret the scene around you by being immersed in it. Additionally, this part of California has some similarities to some French and Italian regions, so applying the en plein air expression seems appropriate.
While this was Day 3 for me, for everyone else on the tour it was Day 1. This was their travel day. Once settled into their hotel, they spent the evening photographing San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach; however, I did not join them yet. The prior day was busy, and I knew the next several days would be, too, so I kept this one low-key with my family. We did make it to the ocean a few different times at various locations around Pismo Beach and Avila Beach, but I purposefully did less with my cameras and tried to just be in the moment more often.
Shell – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Regarding the order, the top picture, House on the Seaside Cliffs, was the very first photo of the day, while Shell fits in-between Hanging Ice Plant and Camera Fight with Jon. Although I used my cameras less on this day, and despite the drab overcast weather, I still was able to capture a few good shots. I hope that you enjoy these pictures!
Seaweed on the Seashore – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Grey Coast – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Hanging Ice Plant – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Camera Fight with Jon – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Kodachrome 64
Green Dodge Van – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Kodachrome 64
Dodge – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Kodachrome 64
Old Man & the Sea – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Kodak Portra 400 v2
Waiting to Rescue – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Xpro ’62
Sibling at the Seashore – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Xpro ’62
Incoming Surf – Avila Beach, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Prelaunch – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Kodak Portra 400 v2
Preparing to Launch – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – The Rockwell
Dry Dock – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – The Rockwell
Little Giant – Avila Beach, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Violet Night – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Serr’s 500T
Dee’s Pizzeria – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Serr’s 500T
Lonely Lamp – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Serr’s 500T
Empty Pier – Pismo Beach, CA – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam App – Night Negative
Ocean Airstream – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Serr’s 500T
Pier View – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Serr’s 500T
Town, Reflected – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Serr’s 500T
Spirit of the Sea – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Serr’s 500T
Pismo Beach at Night – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Serr’s 500T
Day 2 — June 6, 2023 — Morro Bay, San Simeon & Cambria
This was our first full day at the ocean. My wife and I decided to drive up the Pacific Coast Highway to explore Morro Bay, followed by the elephant seals north of San Simeon, and finally Moonstone Beach in Cambria on the way back down. This area is just incredible, and is one of my favorite sections of coastline in California!
Did you know that there are wild zebras near San Simeon? There are! Actually, they were once part of William Hearst’s private zoo, but they escaped (were released?), and now live wild in the coastal hills below Hearst Castle. Sometimes you can spot them from the highway. We were fortunate to find a few; while they weren’t very close, I was able to photograph a couple of them with my 90mm lens. I would have loved to visit the castle on this trip, but it just didn’t work out this time.
The weather was cool and overcast. It was fairly poor light for photography. A couple of times the sun did briefly try to peek through, but it mostly remained drab all day. Still, this area is stunning, so there were many photographic opportunities—in fact, the potential for great photography always exists no matter the time and location, and it is up to the photographer to find it.
Playing with Waves – Cambria, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe
The camera gear that I used on Day 2 (you can read the entirety of the gear that I brought with me in my Ultimate Travel Compact Camera Kit article) was a Fujifilm X100V with a 5% CineBloom filter, a Fujifilm X-E4 with a Fujinon 90mm f/2 lens, a Ricoh GR III, and a Samsung ST76 digicam. The X100V was utilized the most and the X-E4 + 90mm was second most. The GR III and Samsung digicam were barely used, while everything else remained in the camera bag on this day.
The photographs below are in order of when they were captured. The picture at the top of this article, Splash, fits in-between Wave Crash on Rock and Picture-in-Picture. The second image, Playing with Waves, fits in-between Beach Play and Self Portrait. Despite the drab weather, I was able to get a few good shots (interspersed between some so-so images)—with four more days still to go (including with Ken and Dave), there would be many, many more photographic opportunities to come.
X Leaves – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Two Stacks – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Bay Boats – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Sea Weed – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Dena’s Boat – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Expired Velvia
Fender – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Rock Veiled by Poles – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Sub Sea – Morro Bay, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Happy Boat – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Notice – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Kodachrome 64
Penal Code – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Kodachrome 64
Better View – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Kodachrome 64
How Thou Cow? – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Kodachrome 64
Cows & Zebra – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Kodachrome 64
Zebra Below Castle – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2
Yellow Coast – San Simeon, CA – Samsung ST76 – Retro filter
Blossom Cliff – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Yellow, Green & Sea – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Blooms Above Waves – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Yellow Cliff – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Protect our Wildlife – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Resting – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Kodachrome 64
Yawning – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Fighting – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Watching – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Biting – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Elephant Seal Beach – San Simeon, CA – Samsung ST76 – Retro filter
Seals – San Simeon, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Coastal Flowers Reaching – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Two Rocks – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Patch of Yellow – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Pacific Blues
Seaside Cliffs – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Colorful Cliffs – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Green Shrub – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Wave Crash on Rock – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Picture-in-Picture – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – The Rockwell
Rocky Coast – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Xpro ’62
Rocks in the Water – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Xpro ’62
Cloudy Coast – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Xpro ’62
No Lifeguard on Duty – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Day 1 — June 5, 2023 — Travel Day
I recently returned from photographing California’s amazing central coast with Ken Rockwell and Dave Wyman. It was such an incredible adventure! I’m getting a little ahead of myself, though, so let me give you a little backstory first.
After more than a decade of shooting film, I purchased my first digital camera in 2009. I was one of those “holdouts” who stubbornly refused to go digital, and who would proudly proclaim why analog was preferable. Eventually I gave in; however, the transition wasn’t easy. In many ways it was like learning photography all over again. So in 2010 I began searching the internet for help and advice, and unsurprisingly I stumbled upon Ken Rockwell, who’s website has been one of the most popular photography pages for decades.
Ken is well-known and controversial. People seem to either love or loathe him. I found his website to be helpful; while I didn’t agree with everything he said, I did read a lot of useful information, and Ken’s advice was occasionally critical. In fact, it was an off-hand remark by Ken that convinced me to start blogging in the first place.
Nearly three years ago I published a Film Simulation Recipe called The Rockwell, which was inspired by Ken. I stated that it’s “a Recipe that Ken might use on his X100V if he ever read this article.” Well, to my surprise, a year later Ken did use The Rockwell Recipe and talked a little about it in his Fujifilm X-S10 review! It turned out that Leigh and Raymond Photography (formally known as The SnapChick) tipped Ken off to the Recipe, and then Ken actually emailed me, and we had a brief back-and-forth conversation.
Ken has been conducting photo tours—mostly in California—with Dave Wyman for years. Dave is a super-talented photographer who has published four books: Backroads of Northern California, Backroads of Southern California, Yosemite in Photographs, and Fearless Photographer: Nature. He’s been leading tours—not just photography tours, but various nature tours—since the mid-1970’s. Even though he’s 75, he has more energy than I do. Anyway, I’ve wanted to join in on one of these photo tours for years and years, but the opportunity never came until this year. The timing of Central Coast of California En Plein Air was perfect, so I signed up!
Rusty Rail – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
The tour began on the June 7th in the late-afternoon, but I arrived two days early on June 5th. My wife, Amanda, and our four kids came along, too, although they did not take part in the tour (maybe next time). It was a long drive to the Pacific Coast from my home near Phoenix, Arizona; a stop in Bakersfield allowed us to stretch our legs. Once we settled into our accommodations at Pismo Beach, we took a stroll to the ocean. It was overcast, and as daylight began to fade into blue-hour, the weather turned into rain and thunder.
The complete list of photography gear that I brought on this trip can be found in my Ultimate Travel Compact Camera Kit article, where I go into much more detail. Specific to Day 1, I used a Fujifilm X100V with a 5% CineBloom filter, a Fujifilm X-E4 with a Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 lens, a Ricoh GR III, and the RitchieCam App on my iPhone 11. If I had known it was going to rain, I wouldn’t have taken the X-E4 and GR III out, but thankfully I was able to keep them mostly dry.
The photographs below are in order of when they were captured. The picture at the top of this article, No Lifeguard on Duty, fits in-between By-the-Wind Sailor and Josh on a Stump. The second image, Rusty Rail, fits in-between Yellow Ice Flower and Clean Up Your Dog. Otherwise, the order is correct. Although these are mostly snapshots, I hope that you still enjoy them—my photography got a little more serious as the week progressed.
Open AI’s ChatGPT can make Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras. But are they any good? Should you use them? Should you ask ChatGPT to make you a custom Recipe for your camera? What can you expect from these Recipes?
Back on June 2nd, Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and myself chatted about using ChatGPT to make Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras. We even asked the AI to create one for us live during our SOOC Livebroadcast. If you’ve ever been even remotely curious about this topic, it’s worth watching—I’ve included it below.
There’s so much that could and should be said, and we covered much of that in the broadcast. If you haven’t yet watched the video, be sure to do so!
One issue about using AI to create Film Simulation Recipes is that ChatGPT only examines descriptions. For example, how does it “know” what Kodachrome film looks like? It has been trained on people’s descriptions of the emulsion. Whether or not those descriptions are accurate (or if Open AI received permission to use those descriptions) is anyone’s guess. How does it “know” what the Astia film simulation looks like? It has been trained on someone’s description of the setting. When you ask it to make a Film Simulation Recipe, it simply searches its database for descriptions that seem to match, and then spits out some settings that may or may not make sense.
Abandoned Ford – Cambria, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
How does ChatGPT even know what a Film Simulation Recipe is? It’s been trained on Fuji X Weekly and other websites (without permission or citation). There are some significant ethical considerations, and probably some legal ones, too, that will hopefully get hashed out in time.
Another issue is that it rarely ever gives a complete Recipe. You have to know which parameters are required, spot the missing ones, and ask ChatGPT to provide them to you. Occasionally it will give you some setting that doesn’t actually exist. You have to be well versed in Fujifilm camera settings to know if you’ve actually got a complete Recipe; otherwise, you’re likely to have a few that are missing.
Aside from that, if you ask ChatGPT to make a particular Film Simulation Recipe more than once, each time you’ll get a different answer. Even with identical prompts, the answer will be different, sometimes wildly so. It all seems very random. If a particular ChatGPT Recipe is any good is more by chance than anything else. You’re just as likely to get a good Recipe from rolling dice.
This is the case because Open AI’s ChatGPT is a bit of a card trick. It’s very impressive until you spot the slight-of-hand. It will always give you a response; if you are a novice on the topic, the answer will likely be better than you could have come up with on your own, but if you are an expert, it will always be worse, perhaps much worse. Despite “learning” from human input, there’s no humanity in the answer—if you want authenticity and creativity, you need a person’s experience to be at the core. The software can do its best to take from others and spit out a Recipe, but it will always be untested, based on descriptions, without any personal experience behind it.
Lower Sea Cliff – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Soft Blue Classic”
That doesn’t mean it’s not fun to try. I’ve used ChatGPT a bunch of times just to see what it comes up with and to understand what exactly it’s doing. The Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 and Urban Dreams Recipes are from ChatGPT. For every AI Recipe that’s good there’s probably five or more that aren’t any good. Actually, the majority are mediocre—neither terrible nor great—because ChatGPT doesn’t stray very far from the default settings, rarely ever going beyond +/- 2 on anything.
I made a video about the Kodak Ektachrome E100VS Recipe, which you’ll find below. I asked AI to make a Film Simulation Recipe that mimics Kodachrome X. What it came up with by chance looked pretty good, but didn’t much resemble the second era of Kodachrome. Take a look, if you haven’t yet seen it.
What about the Vivid Summer Glow and Soft Blue Classic Film Simulation Recipes I referenced in two of the pictures above? Those were also made by ChatGPT. Vivid Summer Glow was created live during the last SOOC Live broadcast. Soft Blue Classic was created for Nathalie during preparations for the show. In the broadcast we challenged you to shoot with Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1, Urban Dreams, Soft Blue Classic, and/or Vivid Summer Glow, and upload your results (click here) by June 27th to be potentially featured in the next episode, and to be included in the Viewer’s Images slideshow.
Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 and Urban Dreams can both be found in the Fuji X Weekly App. Soft Blue Classic and Vivid Summer Glow are not “official” Recipes, so I’ve included them at the bottom of this article should you want to try them yourself.
Also on June 2nd, Nathalie and I finally finished the much-delayed conclusion to our Storytelling theme. If you missed it when it was live, I’ve included it below. Also, right below that, is the most recent Viewer’s Images slideshow video. If you don’t yet subscribe to the new SOOC Live YouTube channel, be sure to do so now!
Now, to the two new AI-made Film Simulation Recipes: Soft Blue Classic and Vivid Summer Glow!
Soft Blue Classic
Boat Ashore – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Soft Blue Classic”
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: -1 Shadow: -1 Color: -2 Noise Reduction: -2 Sharpness: +1 Clarity: 0 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: Auto, -1 Red & -1 Blue
This AI Recipe is compatible with “newer” Fujifilm X-Trans IV cameras: X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. For X-Trans V, just know that blue will render more deeply. For the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30, ignore Grain size, Color Chrome FX Blue, and Clarity (the results should be the same); for X-Trans III models, additionally ignore Color Chrome Effect.
Vivid Summer Glow
Wave Crashing on Rock – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Vivid Summer Glow”
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +1 Shadow: +2 Color: +1 Noise Reduction: -1 Sharpness: +1 Clarity: +1 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -1 Blue
This AI Recipe is compatible with “newer” Fujifilm X-Trans IV cameras: X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. For X-Trans V models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak (instead of Strong).
As you can see, I used all four of these ChatGPT Film Simulation Recipes while on a roadtrip to California’s Central Coast. I liked Urban Dreams—which has some similarities to Kodachrome 200 film—the most, but Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 did pretty well for a few shots, too. Vivid Summer Glow (which isn’t a good name for the Recipe in my opinion) is not bad at all, and isn’t all that much divergent from my Kodachrome II Recipe (did AI copy it, just making a few changes?). Soft Blue Classic was my least favorite, but it can produce good results in harsh overly-warm light.
I packed my bags and disappeared for a week. It might have seemed as though I dropped off the face of the planet, but I assure you I was on Earth the entire time. I returned home late last night. I’m sure it will take some time to catch up on everything, such as comments, emails, etc., but I promise that I will. Thanks for being patient!
Where did I go? I took a roadtrip to the central California coast, which is one of my absolute favorite places. I had a great time and captured tons of pictures—expect a lot of articles about the journey in the coming weeks! I had planned to do a little work while out of town, but each day was so busy that it just didn’t happen.
The pictures in this article are a little teaser of what I did and what you can expect to see more of soon. I have some great content ideas that I plan to publish in the coming days and weeks. You won’t want to miss any of it, so stay tuned. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy these photographs that I captured last week while at the California coast!
Playing with Waves – Cambria, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe
What’s better, the Ricoh GR III or the Fujifilm X-E4 with a Fujinon 18mm f/2 lens? They’re both compact APS-C cameras that are reasonably affordable. They are both capable of producing excellent straight-out-of-camera JPEGs that don’t require editing. But which one is the best? If put head-to-head, which one will come out on top? Let’s find out!
The biggest pro for the Ricoh GR—and let’s be honest, this is the reason to own it—is its super compact size—the smallest APS-C camera, in fact. The GR III easily fits into my pants pockets or nearly anywhere. It’s perfect for travel or for just carrying around. The inconspicuous design lends itself well for street photography. The GR III has IBIS, albeit a mediocre one that’s not particular necessary with an 18mm lens (but, still, it has it). Snap focus is a pretty useful feature. Ricoh just gave it a new Image Control Effect (their version of a Film Simulation) with a Kaizen firmware update, something Fujifilm hasn’t done in a long time. Perhaps the second biggest pro to the Ricoh GR III is that you can actually buy one without too much difficulty.
The biggest con for the Ricoh GR is that it has a fixed lens. That could be good or bad, depending on your perspective, but for certain it lacks versatility—the GR III is a one-trick pony, but of course it does that one trick very well. Another big con is that it lacks a viewfinder; because the LCD doesn’t move, the camera can be hard to use in harsh light conditions. I don’t like that it has a PASM dial, as I much prefer the manual tactile controls found on most Fujifilm cameras. While the camera-made JPEGs do look good, I prefer those from the Fujifilm X-E4, as I think Fujifilm’s JPEGs are a little better than Ricoh’s. Finally, the GR III is now over four years old, and it’s perhaps beginning to feel slightly dated.
For the Fujifilm X-E4, the biggest pro is Fujifilm’s renown JPEG output and the large number of Film Simulation Recipes available for it. For straight-out-of-camera photography, it’s very hard to beat this camera! The X-E4 has an electronic viewfinder, as well as a tilting LCD. You can attach any number of different lenses to it; the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 is my favorite. The Fujinon 18mm f/2 is a full stop brighter than the f/2.8 lens on the Ricoh GR III, which can occasionally be a big deal, but most of the time isn’t. The X-E4 has the traditional camera controls that Fujifilm cameras are known for. Fujifilm released the X-E4 two years after Ricoh released the GR III, and to a small extent you can tell.
The biggest con for the Fujifilm X-E4 is that it’s difficult to find, and, if you do, it might be at an inflated price. Due to parts shortages, Fujifilm couldn’t keep up with demand, and then they (inexplicably) discontinued the camera. Good luck finding one. While the X-E4 is small and pocketable if your pockets are large enough, it’s significantly bigger than the Ricoh GR III. It doesn’t have IBIS, although with the 18mm lens it’s not really necessary. The Fujifilm X-E4 paired with the Fujinon 18mm f/2 has an MSRP of $1,450, while the Ricoh GR III has an MSRP of only $900.
Comparing the Ricoh GR III to the Fujifilm X-E4 with the Fujinon 18mm f/2 lens isn’t really fair. They’re two different tools for two different purposes. But there are enough similarities and crossover that they do make some sense to test side-by-side. I like the Fujifilm X-E4 better—much better, in fact—than the Ricoh GR III, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best camera. Best is subjective, and it kind of depends on your goals and how you’ll use the cameras.
The Ricoh GR III is significantly cheaper and you can buy it right now without too much trouble. The Ricoh GR III is easier to carry around and is more inconspicuous. The Fujifilm X-E4 offers a more fun shooting experience and is much more versatile. I prefer the pictures from the X-E4, but those from the Ricoh GR III are still very good. Ultimately the winner is the one that makes the most sense to you. I own both cameras, and I use the Fujifilm X-E4 probably ten or maybe fifteen times more often than the Ricoh GR III, so it is my winner; however, you might prefer the GR III for various reasons, so it could be your winner. Even though I use the X-E4 much more often, there are times that the GR III is more practical to have with me, so I’m glad that I own it.
Below are some pictures that I recently captured with a Ricoh GR III and a Fujifilm X-E4 with a Fujinon 18mm f/2 lens.
