Film Simulation Settings

Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes in March 2024

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Round Window – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400

I get asked fairly regularly which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular. For me, this is a fascinating topic, but it’s definitely hard to know definitively. While I get a glimpse on social media, my best gauge is the Fuji X Weekly website statistics; specifically, which Recipe articles are viewed the most. I don’t collect any data on the Fuji X Weekly App, so that’s no help—although, if I did, it would likely offer the most accurate picture; however, it would still be impossible to know which Recipes people programmed into their Fujifilm cameras, or how often they used each. Perhaps a survey would be particularly useful, yet even it has its limitations. While certainly a flawed method, page-view website statics offer the best glimpse at which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular, so that’s what I’m using for this article. These are simply the Top 25 most-viewed Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website last month (March 2024).

Most of the time these lists are pretty predictable. Those with Kodak brand names in the title—Kodachrome, Portra, Gold, Tri-X, etc., etc.—are the most popular. Classic Chrome is the king of film simulations, as the majority of the most-viewed Recipes are based on that film simulation—in fact, 17 of the 25 below are Classic Chrome Recipes. X-Trans IV Recipes, especially for the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, tend to be the most popular, although I see a spike in interest in X-Trans V.

Reflection of a Broken Door – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Fujicolor 100 Gold

For the month of March, there weren’t too many surprises, but there were a few. Fujicolor Natura 1600 jumped right up into the Top 10 despite being new; Bright Summer doesn’t usually rank high enough to make these lists, but suddenly jumped all the way to number nine. Some Recipes dropped—for example, McCurry Kodachrome fell from number four to number sixteen. As usual, the rankings moved around compared to the previous month.

Without any further delay, below are the most popular Recipes of last month!

Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes of March 2024

#1:

Kodachrome 64

A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that is the long-time most popular Film Simulation Recipe for Fujifilm cameras. In February it was number two—a rare occurrence—but now it is back in the top spot.

#2:

Kodak Portra 400 v2

A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that is almost always number two in these types of lists. In February it briefly slipped to number three; however, for March it returned to its usual second place.

#3:

Reala Ace

Reala Ace is the most popular Classic Negative based Recipe, and the most popular Recipe for X-Trans V cameras. It was ranked number one in February, but slipped to third place for March.

#4:

Reggie’s Portra

Another popular Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras. It moved up one spot since February.

#5:

Vibrant Arizona

A Wes Anderson inspired Recipe based on Classic Chrome for X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras. It was ranked #8 for February.

#6:

Kodak Portra 800 v3

A fairly recently published Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras. It stayed in the same place as last month.

#7:

Fujicolor Natura 1600

Published at the very end of February, Fujicolor Natura 1600 was quite surprisingly the second most popular Classic Negative based Recipe in March. This one is for X-Trans V models, but there is a version for X-Trans IV.

#8:

Kodak Portra 400

This version of Kodak Portra 400 was commonly the third most popular Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly for a long time; however, it’s been slowly slipping over the last half a year or so. Last month it was ranked one spot higher.

#9:

Bright Summer

Bright Summer—another Classic Chrome based Recipe—is sometimes called Preetra 400, because it is modeled after Preet’s aesthetic (Preet himself is the one who gave it that nickname, btw). It doesn’t usually crack the Top 25, so it’s surprising that it is suddenly in the Top 10.

#10:

Kodak Portra 400 v2

This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Portra 400 v2. It was ranked #13 in February.

#11:

Kodak Tri-X 400

By far the most popular B&W Recipe, Kodak Tri-X 400 is based on the Acros film simulation, and has compatibility X-Trans III, X-Trans IV, and X-Trans V models. It was ranked number nine last month.

#12:

Pacific Blues

Pacific Blues used to be the highest-ranked Classic Negative based Recipe, but in March it was third. This particular one is compatible with X-Trans IV models, but there is an X-Trans V version. It fell one spot compared to February.

#13:

Kodachrome 64

This is the X-Trans V version of Kodachrome 64. It fell one spot compared to last month.

#14:

Kodak Royal Gold 400

This had been an App Patron Early-Access Recipe for a long while, but in March it became available to everyone, and quickly shot up to number fourteen. It is the fourth most popular Classic Negative based Recipe currently.

#15:

Vintage Kodachrome

Vintage Kodachrome, which is based on Classic Chrome, is one of the older Film Simulation Recipes on Fuji X Weekly, and is compatible with X-Trans III cameras. It was ranked #10 last month—this is the first time that I remember it not being in the Top 10.

#16:

McCurry Kodachrome

This is a fairly new Recipe, published in January of 2024. It is based on Classic Chrome, and is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras. Last month it was ranked #4, so it fell quite a bit in March.

#17:

Kodak Portra 400

This is the original Kodak Portra 400 Recipe, and is compatible with X-Trans III cameras. This used to be commonly in the Top 10, but has been very slowly falling over the last year. It was number fourteen in February.

#18:

Fujicolor Super HG v2

A Classic Negative based Recipe that’s compatible with X-Trans V cameras (there’s also an X-Trans IV version). It was ranked #21 last month, and has been slowly rising.

#19:

Kodak Gold 200

Another Classic Chrome based Recipe for use on X-Trans III models, plus the X-T3/X-T30. There was no change in ranking from February to March.

#20:

Kodak Gold 200

This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Gold 200. This is the first time it cracked the Top 25.

#21:

Classic Chrome

This was the very first Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly, and is compatible with X-Trans III cameras. It was ranked #15 last month.

#22:

PRO Negative 160C

A brand-new Recipe, and the very first to use the new Reala Ace film simulation. At this moment, it is only compatible with the Fujifilm X100VI.

#23:

Kodak Portra 160

Another Classic Chrome based Recipe, Kodak Portra 160 is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras. Last month it was ranked #16.

#24:

Fujicolor 100 Gold

A lovely and warm Classic Negative based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that doesn’t often make these types of lists.

#25:

CineStill 800T

The original CineStill 800T Recipe, intended for X-Trans III cameras. It is based on the PRO Neg. Std film simulation, and was ranked #18 last month.

See also:
How To Add Film Simulation Recipes To Your Fujifilm Camera
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to Program Into Your Fujifilm Camera First

Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App!

PRO Negative 160C Film Simulation Recipe for Fujifilm X-Trans IV & X-Trans V

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Closed – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – PRO Negative 160C

After discovering that the new Reala Ace film simulation is a version of PRO Neg., and is similar to both PRO Neg. Hi and PRO Neg. Std, I decided that I wanted to replicate as closely as possible my first Reala Ace-based Film Simulation Recipe—PRO Negative 160C—for those camera that don’t have the new film simulation. Right now Reala Ace is only available on the Fujifilm X100VI (and GFX100 II), but Fujifilm has stated that they will be bringing it to the other fifth-generation models (X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20) sometimes this summer.

For whatever reason, PRO Neg. Std seems to work easier for replicating the Reala Ace film sim than PRO Neg. Hi, but they are both in the general neighborhood. Obviously Fujifilm didn’t make Reala Ace identical to either, and it is its own unique profile. With that said, it’s possible to get fairly close to it using either PRO Neg. Hi or especially PRO Neg. Std; however, the PRO Negative 160 Film Simulation Recipe has Color set to +4, which meant that only PRO Neg. Hi could be used, as Std doesn’t have enough vibrancy.

Blossom Vine – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – PRO Negative 160C

This PRO Negative 160C Film Simulation Recipe, which uses PRO Neg. Hi, is not a perfect match to the original version that uses Reala Ace, but is probably 90-95% similar. I like the Reala Ace one just a little more, but if your camera doesn’t have that as an option, this is a good alternative. This new version is compatible with (as of this writing) the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, and X100VI. For the X100VI, I recommend using the Reala Ace version and not this one, but you can choose whichever you personally prefer.

Film Simulation: PRO Neg. Hi
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak
White Balance: Auto, +1 Red & -3 Blue
Highlight: +0.5
Shadow: -1.5
Color: +4
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this PRO Negative 160C Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujifilm X-T5:

Mountain Sunset from a Car Window – Patagonia, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Patagonia Lake – Patagonia, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Lake Boat – Patagonia, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pigeon in a Tree – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Josh at the Park – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Rolling – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Abandoned Trailer Home – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Abandoned Home in the Desert – Arlington, TX – Fujifilm X-T5
I Spy With My Little Eye… a Cat – Palo Verde, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
No Parking, One Way – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
End of the Road – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hall’s – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Four Palm Trees – Palo Verde, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spiky Arms – Saguaro National Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Travel Trailer – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Brick Steps – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Basket – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Chevy Van – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

Comparison:

The original PRO Negative 160C Recipe using Reala Ace
This new PRO Negative 160C Recipe using PRO Neg. Hi

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

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

My 5 Favorite Film Simulation Recipes that use Nostalgic Neg.

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Duck Pond – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer

Provia — Velvia — Astia — Classic Chrome — PRO Neg. Hi —PRO Neg. Std — Classic Negative — Eterna — Eterna Bleach Bypass — Acros

There are 20 different film simulations on the new Fujifilm X100VI. Since there are likely many newcomers to Fujifilm who aren’t all that familiar with the various film sims and Film Simulation Recipes, I thought it would be worthwhile to discuss each one in more detail, and offer my personal favorite Recipes for each. So far I only have one Recipe that uses the new Reala Ace film simulation, so that one will be excluded from this. Also, I’ll combine the four Acros film sims into one article, and the four Monochrome film sims (and probably Sepia, too) into another.

The Nostalgic Neg. film simulation (sometimes called Nostalgic Negative) is modeled after 1970’s American New Color photographic prints by famed photographers William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, Joel Sternfeld, and Richard Misrach. Obviously there are quite a few differences between the aesthetics of those photographers, and even from the same photographer there can be some significant variances; however, Fujifilm found some commonalities, and used that to make a film simulation. Nostalgic Neg. is fairly new, and only fifth-generation X-Trans cameras (as of this writing: X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, and X100VI) and some GFX models have it.

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

Nostalgic Neg. is one of my favorite film sims, along with Classic Chrome, Classic Negative, Acros, and Eterna. There are some resemblances between Eterna and Nostalgic Neg., so if your camera doesn’t have NN but does have Eterna, you can sometimes achieve a similar look using that. Because Nostalgic Neg. is fairly new, I have only a limited number of Film Simulation Recipes that use it, but many of these have become personal favorites of mine, and it was difficult to pick only five for this article.

The five Film Simulation Recipes below are my favorites that use Nostalgic Neg. as the base. Everyone has different tastes, so you might like other ones more. I count 15 Recipes in the Fuji X Weekly App that use Nostalgic Neg., so you have some good choices. But, if you are unsure which Recipe to try, let me suggest picking one from my list below.

#1:

1970’s Summer

This is a warm Recipe that has a retro analog aesthetic, and is my top choice for Nostalgic Neg.. Use on sunny days for best results.

#2:

Kodak Vision3 250D v2

The Kodak Vision3 250D v2 Recipe replicates one look of a daylight motion picture film. Best for sunny daylight, but decent for other situations, too. There’s also a version for the X-T3 and X-T30 that uses Eterna, plus another for the other X-Trans IV cameras.

#3:

1976 Kodak

A versatile Recipe that mimics one of Joel Meyerowitz’s aesthetics.

#4:

Agfa Ultra 100 v2

Agfa Ultra 100 v2 is a lovely Recipe that produces an obvious analog-like look. While it is best for sunny daylight, it is decent for other situations, too.

#5:

Timeless Negative

A versatile Recipe that is a modification of Fujifilm’s recommended Nostalgic Neg. settings. I use this one a lot around the Thanksgiving and Christmas timeframe. I also have a version for X-Trans IV that uses Eterna.

See also:
How To Add Film Simulation Recipes To Your Fujifilm Camera
Why Film Simulation Recipes are BETTER than default Film Simulations
Why Shooting JPEGs Is So Popular

Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App!

PRO Negative 160C — Fujifilm X100VI Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Amazing Grace – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – PRO Negative 160C

This is the very first Film Simulation Recipe that I created using my brand-new Fujifilm X100VI camera, and also the very first using the new Reala Ace film simulation. I’m very excited to share it with you, because I think many of you who have received their X100VI cameras will love it, and those still waiting for their order to be shipped can look forward to it—as well as those with the other X-Trans V cameras whenever it is that Fujifilm gives the Reala Ace film simulation to those models via a firmware update, which Fujifilm has said that they will do.

I mentioned a few days ago that Reala Ace isn’t much like Reala film, but is actually similar to PRO Neg. Std, mostly with just a small increase in Highlight and a moderate increase in Color. It is essentially a third PRO Neg. option, with a tonality in-between Hi and Std, and saturation more similar to Hi (just a little more, actually); for whatever reason, it’s easier to replicate the Reala Ace film sim with PRO Neg. Std than PRO Neg. Hi, but you can get pretty close with either. The most similar emulsion to the new Reala Ace film sim is, in my opinion, Fujicolor PRO 160C, which was made by Fujifilm between 2004 and 2010. “PRO Neg. C” is probably a more appropriate name for the new film sim than Reala Ace, but that’s not what Fujifilm chose.

Vibrant Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – PRO Negative 160C

I didn’t necessarily set out to recreate Fujicolor PRO 160C with this PRO Negative 160C Film Simulation Recipe, although I had it in my mind because I had just looked at a bunch of pictures captured with the film. More simply, I was intending a PRO Neg. Std tonality, but with vibrancy more like (or possibly slightly beyond) PRO Neg. Hi with Color set to +4. You can get about 90% similar to this Recipe using PRO Neg. Hi, but you can’t quite match it. You could probably get a 95% match if PRO Neg. Std had a +6 Color option, but alas +4 is the most that Fujifilm provides. Even though this wasn’t exactly meant to replicate Fujicolor PRO 160C film, it is definitely in the ballpark of that emulsion, and you could probably convince some people that used the film, and not a digital camera.

For those unfamiliar with Fujicolor PRO 160C, it was a natural-yet-vibrant low-ISO color negative professional-grade daylight film. Fujifilm made three different emulsions in the PRO 160 line: 160S, 160NS, and 160C. The PRO 160 series was intended to compete against Kodak’s Portra 160 films; specifically, PRO 160S was Fujifilm’s answer to Portra 160NC, PRO 160C was Fujifilm’s answer to Portra 160VC, and PRO 160NS was Fujifilm’s answer to (the later updated) Portra 160. With that said, Fujifilm’s emulsions were significantly divergent from Kodak’s offerings; while Portra is now legendary, PRO 160 has nearly been forgotten. I never shot with PRO 160C personally, but I did use PRO 160S a couple of times; in retrospect, I think I would have liked 160C more.

Railroad Water Tower – Gila Bend, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – PRO Negative 160C

As of this writing, the only Fujifilm cameras this PRO Negative 160C Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with are the X100VI and GFX100 II. I’ve not tested this on the GFX model, but I’m certain that it will render slightly differently, although that shouldn’t stop you from trying it. Eventually all X-Trans V cameras will be able to use it once Fujifilm releases it to those models, but I’m not certain exactly when that will happen (hopefully soon). This is a versatile Recipe—use it anytime of the day or night! I believe that it could be your go-to option for everyday photography.

Film Simulation: Reala Ace
Dynamic Range: DR200
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: Auto, +1 Red & -2 Blue
Highlight:-1
Shadow: -1
Color: +4
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this PRO Negative 160C Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100VI:

Afternoon in Spring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Bougainvillea & Arch – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Shrub along Stucco Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Water Angels – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Yellow Wall – Gila Bend, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Abandoned Service Station – Gila Bend, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Old Fire Engine – Gila Bend, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Old Fire Engine Cab – Gila Bend, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Steering Wheel in an Abandoned Truck – Gila Bend, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Yellow Wall, Abandoned Building – Gila Bend, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Window Basket – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Jon with a Camera – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
American Turkey Legs – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Bud Bud, Light Light – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Thunderbird & Canopies – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Mirrored Jets – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Four Birds in the Sky – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Collision Course – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Travis – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Twin Engine – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Blue Angel 0 – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Green Buckets – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Rescue – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Airmen in Sunglasses – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Palm Tree Checkerboard – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
It’s all Greek to Me – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Little Lights, Big Lights – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
The Black Hole – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Kool & The Gang, Crowd – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI

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

Fujifilm X100VI in black: Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in silver: Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

The New Reala Ace Film Simulation is Actually….

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

My Fujifilm X100VI arrived in the mail yesterday. Eagerly I opened the box, pulled out the X100V (but with an “I” after the “V”), placed a freshly charged battery inside, inserted an SD Card, programmed my C1-C7 custom settings presets, and went out shooting. The main reason why I wanted the X100VI was for the brand-new Reala Ace film simulation. I think a big reason why Fujifilm cameras are so in-demand right now are the film simulations and the many Film Simulation Recipes that can achieve various film-like looks straight-out-of-camera, no editing needed. Anytime that Fujifilm adds a new film sim is a good time, and is always a top reason for myself to spend money on a new camera that I don’t actually need.

My very first impression of the X100VI is that it’s an X100V. The two models are identical twins at initial glance. That’s not a bad thing whatsoever, because I absolutely love my X100V; if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The new camera is slightly heavier (but, really, you need to have one in each hand to be able to tell), and there’s a small amount of noise when you shake the X100VI due to the IBIS inside, but otherwise there’s not a lot to distinguish the two apart. Internally, the new camera has IBIS (which I haven’t had a chance to test yet since I only used it in bright daylight so far), the 40mp X-Trans V sensor and processor, and the latest JPEG options, including Eterna Bleach Bypass, Nostalgic Neg., and Reala Ace—all of which are the largest distinctions between the old and new versions.

I tried Reala Ace right away. The new film simulation was named after Fujicolor Superia Reala Ace 100 color negative film, a version of Fujicolor Superia Reala 100 that was only sold in Japan. Reala was introduced in the late-1990’s and discontinued in 2013, and was the first Superia film (although initially it didn’t have Superia in the name), the first with their 4th emulsion layer. The Classic Negative film simulation, which is closely modeled after Superia film, is the best way to replicate Reala on your Fujifilm camera; specifically, try my Fujicolor Reala 100 Film Simulation Recipe. My Reala Ace Recipe was intended to mimic the new Reala Ace film sim using Classic Negative, but it can also be thought of as a v2 for replicating Fujicolor Reala film. Unfortunately, the new Reala Ace film simulation is not modeled after the film that it was named after.

When there are not many example photographs of a new film sim, there’s not a lot to go on for replicating it. It’s impossible to know if the samples are straight-out-of-camera with everything set to factory defaults, or if some of the parameters were adjusted, or if post-editing was done, unless the photographer discloses that. When Reala Ace was introduced on the GFX100 II, I believe that many of the samples that initially came out were post-edited to some degree (one photographer did specifically state that their’s was), and that makes sense since most GFX owners are not shooting SOOC JPEGs. My Reala Ace Recipe is probably as close as one can get to the Reala Ace film sim using Classic Negative, and is more similar to the actual film than the Reala Ace film sim is; overall, my Recipe is only a so-so match to the new film sim, and is off in several aspects.

My Reala Ace Film Simulation Recipe
Default Reala Ace film sim, except DR200, Grain Weak/Small & High ISO NR -4

Fujifilm placed the Reala Ace film simulation right above PRO Neg. Hi in the film sim list, and I quickly discovered why. The two PRO Neg. film simulations are not closely modeled after any emulsions, but are generally inspired by Fujifilm’s PRO lines of film, such as PRO 160S, PRO 160NS, PRO 160C, and PRO 400H. The main difference between PRO Neg. Hi and PRO Neg. Std is that the Hi version has more contrast and saturation, and the Std version has less. Reala Ace is quite similar to both PRO Neg. Std and PRO Neg. Hi, and you can more-or-less approximate the Reala Ace film sim with either. I found that PRO Neg. Std is actually the best option for replicating Reala Ace, so if your camera has PRO Neg. Std, you pretty much have Reala Ace. Fujifilm should have named the new film sim PRO Neg. C, since it is the third version of PRO Neg. (“C” is the third letter in the alphabet), and the emulsion that the new film sim is most similar to is Fujicolor PRO 160C (and not Reala).

To get close to Reala Ace (PRO Neg. C) using PRO Neg. Std, make these adjustments:
– For Reala Ace, I set both Highlight and Shadow to -0.5. Additionally, I used DR200, Grain Weak/Small, and High ISO NR -4; otherwise, everything else was factory defaults (Off, Auto, or 0).
– For PRO Neg. Std, I set Highlight to +1, Shadow to -0.5, Color to +2, Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak, DR200, and Grain Weak/Small; otherwise, everything else was factory defaults (Off, Auto, or 0).
You might question why, for example, I didn’t keep Reala Ace at Highlight/Shadow 0, and on PRO Neg. Std simply adjust Highlight to +1.5? I tried that, but for whatever reason, the changes I made are an ever-so-slightly closer match. Both are acceptable, though.

Can you guess which is Reala Ace (PRO Neg. C) and which is PRO Neg. Std in the sets below, Pic 1 or Pic 2?

Pic 1
Pic 2
Pic 1
Pic 2
Pic 1
Pic 2

There are, of course, some small differences. Reala Ace renders blue slightly deeper, but applying Color Chrome FX Blue Weak to PRO Neg. Std is a little too much to exactly match; CCEB Extra-Weak would be perfect, but that doesn’t exist. A WB Shift of -0.5 Blue (-1 Blue is too much) to PRO Neg. Std would be good if you could; I used Auto WB, but if you used Kelvin instead, you could try something like 5100K on PRO Neg. Std to replicate 5000K on Reala Ace. Setting Color to +2.5 on PRO Neg. Std would be great, but that doesn’t exist, either. There are small differences in both Highlight and Shadow rendering, but you’d need 0.25 adjustments to more accurately match them. There is a level of fine-tuning required to precisely replicate Reala Ace that’s not available on Fujifilm cameras, but you can get pretty darn close nonetheless.

The larger point is that if you want a Reala Ace (PRO Neg. C) film simulation look, all you really need is PRO Neg. Std. Simply increase Highlight by +1 and Color by +2 and you’re pretty much there—a little more fine-tuning can get you slightly closer. You can’t 100% match them, but you can get pretty darn close—nobody would be able to tell without a side-by-side comparison, and even then it’s not completely obvious without studying closely.

Reala Ace film simulation

For those still wondering which is which in the photos above, Pic 1 in each set is PRO Neg. Std, and Pic 2 is Reala Ace. You can spot the differences when you know what to look for, but otherwise they’re very similar. Reala Ace is a little nicer at factory defaults than PRO Neg. Std, perhaps more like PRO Neg. Std that has been adjusted into a Film Simulation Recipe. I think there is potential for some new Recipes utilizing Reala Ace as the base; overall, I prefer my Reala Ace Recipe that uses Classic Negative. I am looking forward to seeing what can be done with the new film sim, so expect some Reala Ace (PRO Neg. C) Recipes 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 X100VI in black: Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in silver: Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

Kentmere Pan 400 — Fujifilm X100V (X-Trans IV & V) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Cash for your Scrap – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kentmere Pan 400 – Photo by Jon Roesch

Even though Kentmere Pan 400 is a fairly new film, the history of it is a bit grey (pun intended). Harman Technologies is the parent company of both Ilford and Kentmere; prior to the Harman purchase, Kentmere did not produce any photographic films (they did make photo paper), so it would seem that Kentmere 400, which was introduced in 2009, is essentially an Ilford emulsion. Sometime a few years ago “Pan” was added to the name, although it is unclear if the emulsion was modified, or if it stayed the same and the name change was only marketing.

Kentmere Pan 400 is a low-budget black-and-white negative film marketed towards photography students. Harman has stated that Kentmere Pan 400 is similar to Ilford HP5 Plus 400, and the reason that they can sell it for cheaper is that it contains less silver. For this reason some people have speculated that it is simply HP5 Plus with less silver; however, Ilford also makes a Pan 400 film, and so some others have speculated that Kentmere Pan 400 is actually Ilford Pan 400 with less silver. Oh, and then there’s AgfaPhoto APX 400 (2013 and onward, anyway), which apparently is the same emulsion as Kentmere Pan 400, and possibly even Rollei RPX 400. It’s hard to know exactly what the truth is, other than Kentmere Pan 400 is a cheap B&W film made by Ilford, who has produced many excellent B&W films for a long time.

This Film Simulation Recipe was developed by Dan Allen. He shot a few rolls of Kentmere Pan 400 film, and during that time also shot a bunch of frames side-by-side with his Fujifilm X-Pro3. Using X RAW Studio, he fiddled with the Fujifilm files until they closely matched the Kentmere scans. One film can produce many different looks—depending on a host of factors, including how shot, developed, and printed and/or scanned—and even within this experiment, Dan discovered that there were some variances; these settings aim at the middle ground of those results. For many pictures, this Recipe is strikingly similar to the film, and you can tell that he put a lot of work and care into creating it. Thank you, Dan!

Lockers – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kentmere Pan 400

This Kentmere Pan 400 Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all X-Trans IV cameras—except the X-T3 and X-T30—and all X-Trans V cameras: the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, and X100VI (as of this writing). I’m sure you can also use it on newer GFX models, although it might render very slightly different (try it anyway). Because Kentmere Pan 400 film is intended for student photographers, I had my 14-year-old son, Jonathan, use this Recipe—half of the pictures in this article are his.

Film Simulation: Acros+G
Monochromatic Color (Toning): Off (WC 0 & MG 0)
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: Auto, +7 Red & +6 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR-Auto
Highlight: +1
Shadow: +1
Sharpness: +3
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: +1
ISO: up to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kentmere Pan 400 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Rentals – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Photo by Jon Roesch
Street Lamp – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Photo by Jon Roesch
Power Pole & Street Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Photo by Jon Roesch
Slug Bug – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Photo by Jon Roesch
Crushed Monster – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Photo by Jon Roesch
Back Alley – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Photo by Jon Roesch
Dark Parking Garage – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
I C – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Photo by Jon Roesch
Roadrunner – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Photo by Jon Roesch
Table & Chair – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
FED 5c & Yosemite – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Snowman – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Photo by Jon Roesch
Nicolas in a Window – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
White Flower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Courtyard – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Education Building – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Twin Palms & Building Corner – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Two Palms, One Shadow – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

See also: How To Add Film Simulation Recipes To Your Fujifilm Camera

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Summer of ’59 — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) FXW App Patron Early-Access Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Stop Time – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of ’59

This Film Simulation Recipe began as an attempt to recreate the aesthetic of some of Saul Leiter’s color photographs from the 1950’s and early-1960’s, particularly images like Paris 1959, Foot on El 1954, Bus 1954, San Carlo Restaurant 1952, Taxi 1957, Near the Tanager 1954, Phone Call 1957, and Pipes 1960—among others—with the greatest emphasis on Paris 1959. While I don’t think it’s possible to faithfully reproduce that look exactly on Fujifilm cameras, this Summer of ’59 Recipe is definitely at times pretty darn close. Also, some of Saul’s other photographs from that same era had a divergent aesthetic, and this Recipe isn’t good for replicating those.

During this time, Saul Leiter was using the first era of Kodachrome film. Something interesting that I learned while researching this is that Saul preferred shooting Kodachrome that was past the expiration date. He liked the way the film looked when expired, and especially the serendipity of not knowing what the precise aesthetic was going to be. An alternative name for this Film Simulation Recipe could be Expired Vintage Kodachrome.

Saul Leiter liked reflections, shooting through glass, and using layers. He kept his eyes out for catchy colors. He wasn’t afraid of shadows. His favorite lenses were telephoto, particularly 90mm and 150mm. If you are really trying to replicate his look, those are things you’ll want to consider. Vintage lenses might help, too.

Mint Chocolate Shake – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of ’59

This Summer of ’59 Film Simulation Recipe is an App Patron Early-Access Recipe. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, you have access to it right now. If not, no worries, as it will eventually be made available to everyone, once it is replaced by a new Early-Access Recipe. It is fully compatible with X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, and X100VI.

One consideration is White Balance Shift: I wen’t back-and-forth on both Red and Blue, and I think +5 Red could alternatively be used, and/or -7 Blue could be alternatively used. All of the sample pictures in this article are with the WB Shift as published, and not the divergent options mentioned above.

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Summer of ’59 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

Hanging Glass – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Falling Water in a Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Lion Water – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pet Waste Station – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red & White Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainville & Palm Tree Trunk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Summertime Feelings – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Founder’s Day Weekend – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Flags – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Power Lines – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
An Arizona Home – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Corner – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Yellow Car – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea Along a Sidewalk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Jogger – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
CVS Pharmacy Sign – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Next Time – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunlit Lamp – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fake House Plant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bedroom Plant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
1000 Record Covers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fountain Pot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Jo in the Backyard – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bench End – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Twin Seats – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fashion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Outdoor Potted Plant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Cactus Landscape – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
The Boys – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red Hots – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Protection – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pick Up – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Kodak Royal Gold 400 — Fujifilm X-Trans IV & X-Trans V Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

This Old House is now a Business – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Royal Gold 400

This Film Simulation Recipe began as an attempt to achieve a “memory color” aesthetic of photographic prints from the 1990’s and early 2000’s; when creating this recipe I wasn’t concerned about the specific films or processes. After shooting with this recipe and reviewing the results, I was reminded of Kodak Royal Gold 400 film… sometimes. Of course, one film can produce many different aesthetics, depending on (among other things) how it was shot, developed, scanned and/or printed. Royal Gold 400 didn’t always or even usually look like this, but sometimes it did, and I found some examples in a photo-box and online that were quite similar—I’m not sure why, but my suspicion is that the film was mishandled, either from being stored improperly (possibly exposed to too much heat), waiting too long to develop after exposing, or maybe even improper storage. Film can be finicky, but that serendipity is something that makes it special.

Royal Gold 400 was introduced by Kodak in 1994 as a replacement to the original Kodak Ektar 400 film. The Royal Gold line, which also came in ISO 100 and 200 versions, was marketed as a “step up” from Kodak Gold, with finer grain and more vibrant colors. It was more-or-less an updated Ektar emulsion that was renamed for marketing reasons (Gold sold a lot more than Ektar). In the early 2000’s Royal Gold was replaced by the High Definition/Royal Supra line. This Kodak Royal Gold 400 Film Simulation Recipe is a “happy accident” facsimile of one possible aesthetics from the film.

Bougainvillea Among Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Royal Gold 400”

This Kodak Royal Gold 400 Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with Fujifilm X-Trans IV cameras, specifically the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II (but not the X-T3 and X-T30), as well as fifth-generation X-Trans camera, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, and X100VI (just follow the Color Chrome FX Blue adjustment). This was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, and has been available to App Patrons for awhile; however, it’s been replaced by a different Early-Access Recipe, so now everyone can use it.

Film Simulation: Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong (X-Trans IV), Weak (X-Trans V)
White Balance: Shade, +3 Red & +5 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 +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs captured using this Kodak Royal Gold 400 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V and Fujifilm X-T5:

Mending Blue – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Quality Auto Service – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
A-Town Garage – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Clubhouse – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
A Little Red – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
4 Sale – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Shapes – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Cactus Liquor – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sideways Saguaro Stop – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Library – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Lock & Safe – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Going to the Dentist – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sidewalk Bicyclist – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Red Car & Wine Bar – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Americana Icon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Avon – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
N Recep – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Park Hoop – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Outfield – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Bougainvillea Among Trumpets 2 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Butterfly Cage – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Pink Bloom in the Garden – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sunlit Table Corner – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Orange Soda Cup – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Lion Hair – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Promenade Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Modern Bench – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Urban Plant – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Smiling for the Camera – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pavilion View – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Potted Flowers at the Park – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fast Car – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dodge Vannin’ – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Six Palms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Stop All Way – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

See also: How To Add Film Simulation Recipes To Your Fujifilm Camera

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App!

Fujicolor Natura 1600 — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Lantana Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor Natura 1600

Fujifilm produced Fujicolor Natura 1600, a high-ISO color negative film, from 2003 through 2017. It was only sold in Japan, but it became renown worldwide as word got out about this wonderful emulsion. A lot of speculation has surrounded it. Is it simply renamed Fujicolor Superia 1600? Many people think so. Is it slightly modified Superia 1600 for Japanese skin-tones? Some people think so. Is it slightly modified Superia 1600 made specifically for the Fujifilm Natura camera? Perhaps so. I haven’t found any definitive evidence to conclude if Natura 1600 is unmodified Supera 1600 or a slightly modified variant of it; if it isn’t identical, it’s very similar.

I have a Fujicolor Superia 1600 Film Simulation Recipe already, and it’s a Recipe that I personally quite like. One film can have many different aesthetics, depending on a whole host of factors, including (but not limited to) how it was shot, developed, and scanned. In a sense, you could consider this a v2 of the Fujicolor Superia 1600 Recipe; however, it was modeled after examples of Fujicolor Natura 1600 scans that I found online (and not Superia). This Fujiclor Natura 1600 Recipe isn’t new, but simply a modification of the X-Trans IV version for use on X-Trans V cameras. Because X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations, a slight change was needed to Color Chrome FX Blue, but otherwise the two versions are identical.

Fiat – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor Natura 1600

This Fujicolor Natura 1600 Film Simulation Recipe is intended for fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, and X100VI. For X-Trans IV, use the X-Trans IV version (click here). For newer GFX cameras, you can use this Recipe, but know that it will render slightly different (try it anyway). Click here if you’re not sure how to program a Film Simulation Recipe into your Fujifilm camera.

Film Simulation: Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak
White Balance: 5500K, -1 Red & -2 Blue
Highlight:-1.5
Shadow: +1.5
Color: -2
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -4
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Fujicolor Natura 1600 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

Newly Sprouted Bougainvillea Branch – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea in the Neighborhood – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
A Frame, Dormant Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea by Twin Windows – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Americana Suburbia – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Suburban Spanish Architecture – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset over Suburban Home – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Apartments behind Pond – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Tree Reflections – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Reflection Abstract – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset Light on Jonathan – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Parking Garage at Dusk – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Parking Garage at Night – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Library Shelves – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Don’t Look – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dying Blossoms – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pallets & Blocks – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Caution Light – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Car Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rover Mini Headlamps – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mini Wheel – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Car Rider – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

Comparison:

Fujicolor Natura 1600 Film Simulation Recipe
Fujicolor Superia 1600 Film Simulation Recipe

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

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

How to Program Film Simulation Recipes to your Fujifilm Camera

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

My Film Simulation Recipes are popular, but programming them into your Fujifilm camera can be confusing for those trying to use them for the first time. A little over three years ago I published an article explaining how, but I think, with the new X100VI coming out, it would be worthwhile to try again, and perhaps offer a little more clarity. If you are new to Film Simulation Recipes, then this article is for you!

To start with, there are some variances between models. It’s important to read your camera’s manual, which thankfully Fujifilm makes easy: click here to find your owner’s manual online. For most cameras, within the manual, navigate to the Shooting Menus set, select Image Quality Setting (Still Photography), and finally Edit/Save Custom Setting. For example, click here to view this for the X-T5. Also, I’ve included a screenshot of this section from the X100V manual below. Everything you need to know for your specific camera is found in your manual, so that’s why it’s important to review it first.

There’s an easy shortcut for navigating to the Edit/Save Custom Settings Menu. Simply press the Q-Button, which brings up the Quick Menu, then press-and-hold the Q-Button, which activates the Edit/Save Custom Settings Menu. This shortcut works on most Fujifilm cameras. A shortcut to edit the Quick Menu is to press-and-hold the Q-Button from outside of the Quick Menu.

A Film Simulation Recipe is simply a set of JPEG parameters that produce a certain look straight-out-of-camera, mostly inspired by film stocks. Each Recipe contains a specific set of settings that must be programmed into your camera, either in the Edit/Save Custom Settings Menu or the IQ Menu. The newer the camera, the more options and parameters there are to program.

Duck Pond – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer Recipe

On the latest cameras, a Film Simulation Recipe contains: Film Simulation, Dynamic Range, Grain Effect, Color Chrome Effect, Color Chrome FX Blue, White Balance and WB Shift, Highlight, Shadow, Color, Sharpness, Noise Reduction, Clarity, ISO, and Exposure Compensation. All of those settings together make up a Recipe. The older the camera, the fewer parameters there are, and might only include: Film Simulation, Dynamic Range, White Balance and WB Shift, Highlight, Shadow, Color, Sharpness, Noise Reduction, ISO, and Exposure Compensation. On the newer models, Noise Reduction was renamed High ISO NR (it is the same thing) and Highlight and Shadow were combined into Tone Curve.

One parameter that cannot be saved is “Typical Exposure Compensation.” On most Fujifilm cameras, there is an Exposure Compensation knob on the top of the camera, which is where this is adjusted (unless you are in Manual Mode, in which case you’ll have to do it manually). An important note is that the suggested Exposure Compensation in each Recipe is only meant to be a starting point, and not a rule; each exposure should be judged individually. Also, most often I use Auto-ISO, but it is certainly alright to manually set the ISO. You might prefer different ISO parameters than what I like, and that is perfectly fine. It’s always ok to “season to taste” any Recipe to make it work better for you.

Pacific Poppies – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues Recipe

Most Fujifilm cameras have seven Custom Settings (sometimes called Custom Presets), that are often referred to as C1-C7. The X-S10 and X-S20 have only four (C1-C4), and I believe there are some GFX cameras with six (C1-C6). Edit/Save Custom Settings is where you’ll program Film Simulation Recipes into your camera; however, some older Fujifilm models don’t have Custom Settings. In that case, you’ll program the desired Recipe parameters into the IQ Menu subset. Also, the newest Fujifilm models will allow you to program a Recipe into the IQ Menu subset in addition to the Custom Settings presets (basically, a bonus Recipe).

An important side note is that the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30 (however, not the X-T30 II), along with all of the cameras that came before it—X-Trans I, X-Trans II, X-Trans III, and older GFX—cannot save a White Balance Shift within the Custom Settings. Only the newer cameras can: X-Trans IV (except for the X-T3/X-T30), X-Trans V, and newer GFX. For those models that cannot save a WB Shift within the Custom Settings, you’ll have to program it from within the White Balance Menu found within the IQ Menu set. Also, those cameras will only remember one WB Shift per WB type, so choosing Recipes that either share the same WB Shift or use different WB types will make the user experience more enjoyable.

Autumn in a Mountain Meadow – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor Superia 100 Recipe

I don’t have any step-by-step instructions to program a Film Simulation Recipe into your specific camera, because there are variances between some models, and each step can be slightly different. It’s not difficult to program a Film Simulation Recipe, and once you’ve done it a couple of times it becomes quite easy. It’s just getting through the first time or two that can be confusing. Should you find yourself stuck, there are a few videos on YouTube that walk you through the process. If you are a visual learner, you might find these especially helpful to you: How to Save Fujifilm Simulation Recipes by Scott Dawson, Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes — How to Find & Save Them by Craig Pitts, and What are Fuji Film Simulation Recipes — Getting Started by TB-Photography. Even if you have a different model than what’s in those videos, the process for most cameras is similar enough that you should be able find your way through.

For those with the newest cameras, Custom Settings saves more than just your Recipes, but literally most camera settings, including focus preferences and even sound settings. My best recommendation is to program C1 with everything just as you want it to be, then copy that preset to the other C2-C7 (or C2-C4), so that they’re all exactly the same. Then, you just have to update them with the Film Simulation Recipe parameters for the specific Recipes that you wish to program. I also recommend disabling Auto Update Custom Setting. If your camera doesn’t have those options, then disregard this paragraph.

Arizona Barn – Sedona, Arizona – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vibrant Arizona Recipe

A common question is what about the settings that aren’t in the Film Simulation Recipe? What should those be set to? There are some options that are user-preference, so I don’t provide those as Recipe parameters. Choose whatever works for you. Let me touch on a few of them real quick, though.

I most often choose Image Size Large 3:2. I used to shoot with Image Quality Fine, but now choose Fine+RAW, as the RAW files can be reprocessed in-camera, which makes creating new Film Simulation Recipes much easier. My RAW files are Uncompressed. I choose JPEG over HEIF because Clarity isn’t available with HEIF (by the way, Clarity causes a short storing pause when set to anything other than 0). I don’t like Smooth Skin Effect personally, so I set it to Off. Lens Modulation Optimizer is often set to On, but it can be interesting when set to Off. Color Space is sRGB, as I had a bad experience once many years ago with AdobeRGB and have avoided it ever since. I usually use Multi Mode for metering (Photometry), but sometimes I use Spot.

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

There are over 300 Film Simulation Recipes in the Fuji X Weekly App, which is free (consider becoming an App Patron to unlock the best experience and to support this website), and available for both Android and Apple. Otherwise, find them here:

EXR Recipes
Bayer Recipes
GFX Recipes
X-Trans I Recipes
X-Trans II Recipes
X-Trans III Recipes
X-Trans IV Recipes
X-Trans V Recipes

If you are not sure which Film Simulation Recipes to try first, no problem! I have several articles that might help with this, including:
Which Film Simulation Recipe, When?
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to Program Into Your Fujifilm Camera First
Try These 3 Film Simulation Recipes, No Matter Your Fujifilm Camera
Helping You Decide Which Film Simulation Recipes to Choose

See also: Answers to the 10 Most Common Fujifilm How-To Questions

Fujicolor Superia 1600 — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Senna Shrub Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor Superia 1600

Fujifilm introduced Superia 1600 in 2000. It was the highest ISO version of Superia, and was one of the best ultra-high ISO color negative films ever made. There are some reports that both Natura 1600 and Press 1600 were the same emulsion as Superia 1600, but they might be slightly varied; Fujifilm was known for keeping their “best” emulsions in Japan, sometimes tweaking the film to best reproduce Japanese skin tones. Whatever the case, there were plenty of photographers who were disappointed by its discontinuation in 2016.

This is a quick update to the X-Trans IV Fujicolor Superia 1600 Film Simulation Recipe for compatibility for fifth-generation X-Trans cameras. Because X-Trans V cameras render blue more deeply on some film simulations, including Classic Negative, a small tweak to Color Chrome FX Blue is necessary. Aside from that small change, this Recipe is identical to the X-Trans IV version. If you have a fifth-generation X-Trans camera, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, and X100VI, use this version of Fujicolor Superia 1600.

Desert Sunset 1 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor Superia 1600

Film Simulation: Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak
White Balance: Daylight, +3 Red & +1 Blue
Highlight:0
Shadow: +2
Color: -3
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -4
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 — for best results: 1600 to 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Fujicolor Superia 1600 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

Standing Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Senna Along Fence – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Vines on Cinderblock Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Window into the Abandoned – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bench & Trashcan – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Light on a Tree Trunk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Unlit Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Crawling Thru – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
iMaGiNe – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Sunset 2 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Go – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Palm Trees at Night – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

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

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

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Agfa Ultra 100 v2 — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Yellow Blossoms Along a Fence – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Agfa Ultra 100 v2

Ultra 100 was a short lived color negative film made by Agfa from 2003 to 2005. After its discontinuation it gained a cult-like following; unsurprisingly, I’ve been asked many times to replicate the aesthetic for Fujifilm cameras. The supply of this emulsion has been getting smaller and smaller, and before long it will likely be completely gone. Nowadays, a digital approximation will be your best bet to achieve an Agfa Ultra 100 look.

Two years ago I published an Agfa Ultra 100 Film Simulation Recipe, using Classic Negative as the base. I said of it, “I’m actually not fully satisfied with this Recipe. I think sometimes it’s pretty spot-on, and I think other times it is significantly off.” Two years later, having just re-reviewed a lot of Agfa Ultra 100 photographs in preparation for this article, I completely agree with that assessment: some of the pictures captured with my Agfa Ultra 100 Recipe look extremely similar to some pictures I found captured with the film stock, while others don’t look especially alike. That shouldn’t be too surprising because one film can produce many different looks based on a host of factors, including how shot, developed, printed and/or scanned.

Vibrant Spring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Agfa Ultra 100 v2

I recently received an email from a film photographer who has been shooting with Agfa Ultra 100 for many years. He purchased a large supply of the film back in 2007, and has kept it in his freezer ever since. With his supply now running low, he began to look for alternatives, and in the process stumbled upon Fuji X Weekly. Unfortunately, my Agfa Ultra 100 Film Simulation Recipe wasn’t a good match for his pictures, so he reached out to me to see if it would be possible to better replicate his photographs. He sent me some samples, and I noticed right away that it was dissimilar from my Recipe. His pictures had a distinct Nostalgic Neg. vibe, so I thought I could probably recreate the aesthetic using that film simulation.

His Agfa Ultra 100 pictures were captured with Pantax MZ-S 35mm SLR, overexposed slightly to compensate for the film being expired, developed by MPix, and scanned on a Noritsu. No post-processing was done, other than whatever corrections the lab may have made while scanning. The resulting pictures looked different than my Recipe, and also different from most of the photographs captured with the film that I found online. In particular, his photographs were significantly warmer and a tad more vibrant than my original Recipe. After a few days of tweaking, I feel like I got really close to the specific aesthetic of his pictures. He only sent me a handful of images to examine, so it’s based on a small sampling; however, this new Recipe seems like a pretty good match overall.

Maricopa Trail – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Agfa Ultra 100 v2

My new Agfa Ultra 100 v2 Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, and X100VI cameras. Those with newer GFX cameras that have the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation can use it, too; however, it will render slightly different (try it anyway). While this Recipe is intended for sunny daylight situations, it does surprisingly well in a variety of light scenarios.

Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg.
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Weak, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak
White Balance: 5800K, -3 Red & -3 Blue
Highlight:+1.5
Shadow: +1
Color: +3
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Agfa Ultra 100 v2 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

SRT303 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Empty Shell Station – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dusk Lamp – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Corner House at Dusk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Groceries & Meat – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Joshua in Window Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fake Orchid – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Curtains & Blinds – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bright Buzz People Happen – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
PARK – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset from a Parking Garage – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset Reflected in a Pond – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Golden Suburbia – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Roofline & Lens Flare – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea Green – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Yellow Desert Flowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sharp Spikes – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rad – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
American – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red Stripe – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Repurposed Fire Hydrant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bell Tower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Do Not – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fish Fan – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Girl on the Green Grass – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pavement, Grass & Shadows – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Roofscape – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Open Window – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Broken Home – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Home in Ruins – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mitsubishi – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Monroe Ave Sidewalk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

Comparison:

Original Agfa Ultra 100 Film Simulation Recipe
New Agfa Ultra 100 v2 Film Simulation Recipe

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

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Kodak Portra 800 v3 — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) & X-E4 (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

South Rim Sunrise – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Portra 800 v3

My wife recently challenged me to create a Film Simulation Recipe that mimics the aesthetic of Kodak Portra 800 film that Peter McKinnon has been sharing on Instagram and YouTube. I’m really drawn to his analog photography—I think they’re some of his best photographs. While there were plenty of examples of his Portra 800 to examine, I found it to be a difficult endeavor to replicate on my Fujifilm cameras.

As I’ve said many times, one film can produce many different looks based on a whole host of factors: how shot (film format, lens, exposure, filters, light, etc.), how developed (push/pull, brand of chemicals, freshness of chemicals, timing, temperature and pH of the water, etc.), how printed (paper, chemicals, timing, filters, etc.) and/or how scanned (brand of scanner, correction profiles, post-editing, etc.). Even within one photographer’s collection of one specific emulsion, there can be some noticeable variances. In the specific case of Peter McKinnon and his Kodak Portra 800, there is indeed significant divergences in the exact look of different pictures.

Mineral Stains on a Dry Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak Portra 800 v3

Before I get any deeper into this, let me give a brief history of Kodak Portra 800 and my Film Simulation Recipes that mimic this film. Kodak introduced Portra 800 in 1998 at the same time as Portra 160 and Portra 400. Portra 160 and Portra 400 both originally came in a “VC” (vivid color) and “NC” (neutral color) versions, which were later merged into in-between emulsions that still exists today; however, Portra 800 only ever came in one variety. I don’t know if it is true, but I read that Portra 800 was based on the older Vericolor/Vision2 technology, while Portra 160 and Portra 400 were based on T-Grain/Vision3 advancements. In any event, all of these films have been tweaked and updated by Kodak several times over the years. While it has become increasingly expensive, all three ISO versions of Portra are still being manufactured today by Kodak. In fact, the current version of Lomography 800 is supposedly repacked Portra 800 (although it might be a run that didn’t pass quality control).

My original Kodak Portra 800 Film Simulation Recipe was a joint venture between myself and Thomas Schwab based on “memory color” (as Fujifilm likes to put it) of the film. The next version, Kodak Portra 800 v2, was created entirely by Thomas Schwab after he shot a roll of the film and his Fujifilm X-Pro3 camera side-by-side. This new third version was created by me after carefully examining Peter McKinnon’s pictures of Kodak Portra 800 film.

Pink Girl on a Green Slide – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Portra 800 v3

I divided Peter’s Portra 800 pictures into seven groups. Each group contained photos that seemed similar in overall aesthetics to each other. The commonality within each group tended to be (for the most part) the lighting condition that the film was shot in (although it was not universally so). I picked one group, and tried to replicate the look of it as closely as possible using the options available on my Fujifilm X-T5 (or should I say my Kodak Retina camera?), choosing similar light and colors for my pictures. Once I was satisfied that I was close, I used those settings to create images similar to the photographs in the other groups; however, this is where it fell apart. One Recipe was not able to replicate multiple aesthetics from the same film, which is not surprising. I made a bunch of small modifications until I had one Film Simulation Recipe that was a fairly faithful facsimile to multiple groups of Peter’s Portra 800 pictures. I say “fairly faithful” because compromises had to be made in order to match multiple groups. These settings are in the ballpark of four of the seven groups (and most similar to just two), and not especially close to the other three, unfortunately. This is not a 100% faithful recreation of any of his picture aesthetics, but in being less faithful to one specific look, I was better able to replicate the film examples overall.

This new Kodak Portra 800 v3 Film Simulation Recipe is intended for fifth-generation Fujifilm X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20 (yes, the X-S20), and the upcoming X100VI. To make this Recipe compatible with some X-Trans IV models—specifically, the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II—I simply set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Off, since X-Trans V cameras render blue more deeply on some film simulations. For those with the X-Pro3 or X100V, consider setting Shadow to 0 instead of 0.5. I do think that the original Kodak Portra 800 Recipe, as well as Kodak Portra 400 v2, are not very far off from Peter’s pictures, and could be good alternatives.

Minolta – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Portra 800 v3

The Kodak Portra 800 v3 Film Simulation Recipe is great for both golden-hour and midday light. While it is intended for sunny daylight conditions, it does pretty well in shade, too. It’s alright for overcast days, depending on the specific cloud cover conditions. It’s great for natural-light indoors, and surprisingly decent for nighttime photography, but I’d avoid it for artificial light scenarios with warm bulbs. This Recipe is fairly versatile, despite it’s warm Kodak-like colors. In the right light, it can look pretty darn close to some of the Kodak Portra 800 scans that Peter McKinnon has been sharing on his social media channels. Interestingly, there’s also similarities to some of the Kodak Portra 400 images in Kyle McDougall’s An American Mile series. I have a feeling that this will quickly become a favorite option for many of you—personally, I really love this one!

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off (X-Trans V); Weak (X-Trans IV)
White Balance: 6600K, -1 Red & -3 Blue
Highlight: -2
Shadow: -0.5
Color: +3
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Kodak Portra 800 v3 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

Morning Lightbulbs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Read Leaves on a Block Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Rounded Light on an Circular Table – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Orange Tables and Leaf – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Main Street Market – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sunny Suburbia – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Ready for an Adventure – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Rainy Day Rose Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Kodak Portra 800 v3 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

Sunrise Beyond Grandeur Point – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dead Tree at the Rim’s Edge – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Golden Sunset inside the Grand Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Morning at the Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Maricopa Point at Midday – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Canyon Ridge in Golden Light – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunrise over icy South Rim Trail – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bright Angel Trail from Above – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Too Close to the Icy Ledge – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Lookout Studio – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Grand Canyon Railway 237 – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Williams Flyer – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
American Painted Horse – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Swift Trailer – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Barrel, Red Bricks – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Raindrop on a Lightbulb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Raindrops of Fall Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hanging Lightbulbs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fingers as Carrots – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sitting Siblings – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Minolta & Film Book – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Camera, Books – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Busy Parking Lot – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Window Paperclip – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Window Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hanging Plastic Golfballs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blossoming Trumpet Flower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hazy Tree Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Spring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hill behind Yellow – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Go Right – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

Comparison:

Kodak Portra 800 Film Simulation Recipe
Kodak Portra 800 v2 Film Simulation Recipe
This new Kodak Portra 800 v3 Film Simulation Recipe
Kodak Portra 400 v2 Film Simulation Recipe

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

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Vintage Eterna — Fujifilm X-Trans V, X-Trans IV, & X-H1 Film Simulation Recipes

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Cactus Spikes – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Eterna Recipe

The premise of this Film Simulation Recipe was simple: what would my Vintage Kodachrome Recipe look like if I used Eterna instead of Classic Chrome? As it turns out, it looks alright; however, after I made a few more modifications, it looks much better!

The Vintage Eterna Film Simulation Recipe is actually three Recipes: one for the X-H1, X-T3, and X-T30, another for the other X-Trans IV models (X-Pro3 and newer), and one for X-Trans V cameras. I initially created this on my Fujifilm X-E4, but then I wanted a version for my X-H1, so I made a recipe compatible with that camera, and also used it on my X-T30. Later, I made a small modification for use on my X-T5, since X-Trans V cameras render blue more deeply on some film simulations. If you have an X-H1 or any X-Trans IV or V camera, you can use the Vintage Eterna Recipe—just find the version below that’s compatible with your model.

Bougainville Branch Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – Vintage Eterna Recipe

While this Recipe wasn’t modeled after any specific emulsion, it definitely has a vintage film vibe. It’s vaguely reminiscent of color photographs from the 1950’s or ’60’s shot on Kodak film. It also has a bit of a cinematic quality to it. I don’t think this will be anyone’s favorite Recipe for everyday photography, but I suspect that some of you will love it for occasional use when retro results are desired. It pairs well with vintage glass or cheap third-party lenses with character.

This was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, but it has been replaced by a different Early-Access Recipe, so now everyone can use it! One perk of being an App Patron subscriber is that you get early access to some new Film Simulation Recipes, including the one that replaced this Recipe.

Rainy Day in the Neighborhood – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vintage Eterna Recipe

Vintage Eterna for the Fujifilm X-H1, X-T3, & X-T30

Film Simulation: Eterna
Dynamic Range: DR100
Grain Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Off or N/A
White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -5 Blue
Highlight: +3
Shadow: -1
Color: +2
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to 0 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Vintage Eterna Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-H1 and Fujifilm X-T30:

Cloud Above Roof – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Summer Blossoms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Sky Vines – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Backlit Leaves of Summer – Fujifilm X-H1
Hummingbird Feeder – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Golden Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Yellow Trumpet Flower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Red Trumpet Flower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Garden Wall Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

Vintage Eterna for Fujifilm X-Trans IV

Film Simulation: Eterna
Dynamic Range: DR100
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong
White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -5 Blue
Highlight: +3
Shadow: -1
Color: +2
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to 0 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Vintage Eterna Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

Labyrinth – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sky Dome – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Little Desert Berries – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Saguaro & Storm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Birdie Footprints – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Distant Downtown – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sky Rays – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Saguaro Silhouette – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Purple Plant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

Vintage Eterna for Fujifilm X-Trans V

Film Simulation: Eterna
Dynamic Range: DR100
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak
White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -5 Blue
Highlight: +3
Shadow: -1
Color: +2
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to 0 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Vintage Eterna Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

Sunset Light on the North Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Covered Horse – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
See Fingers as Carrots – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Buckets – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Wet Bougainvillea Flower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Wet Lightbulb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunlit Yellow Bloom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

Find these Film Simulation Recipes and over 300 more in the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Kodak Emulsion — Fujifilm X100V (X-Trans IV) FXW App Patron Early-Access Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Blooms by the Pavilion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Emulsion Recipe

I love this new Kodak Emulsion Film Simulation Recipe, even though it was a happy accident. I was trying to replicate the aesthetic of some Kodak ColorPlus 200 film scans that someone shared with me, but I was unsuccessful; however, in the process of failing, I discovered these settings, which are absolutely great!

Even though this Recipe doesn’t accurately mimic any specific emulsion (as far as I’m aware), it still looks very analog-like, and highly reminiscent of a few different Kodak negative stocks. I bet you could convince some people that you actually shot with film, and not a modern digital camera. While I used my Fujifilm X100V to capture these pictures, if I were to choose an interchangeable-lens model paired with vintage glass, I’m certain it would be even more convincing.

This Kodak Emulsion Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all “newer” X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II), but not the X-T3 or X-T30. Technically it is compatible with X-Trans V models, but, because X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations, it will look slightly different (try it anyway!). I’m sure that you can also use this Recipe on newer GFX cameras; however, I don’t have any personal experience with that, and I’m sure it will render slightly different (again, give it a try, as you might like it).

Fallen Giant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Emulsion Recipe

This Kodak Emulsion Film Simulation Recipe is an App Patron Early-Access Recipe. The Fuji X Weekly App is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron unlocks the best App experience! One benefit of being a Patron is that you get early access to some new Film Simulation Recipes. These Early-Access Recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no App. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!

If you are a Fuji X Weekly Patron, it’s available to you right now on the App!

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Emulsion Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Autumn Sun – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Autumn Tree Leaves on a Shrub – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Minolta SLR – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Homework – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Flash On
Vines Along a Shaded Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sunlit Table & Chairs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Potted Flowers & Pavilion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Flowers at a Neighborhood Park – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Palm Tree & White Building – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Hanging Lightbulbs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Flag in the Wind – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Bougainvillea Branch on a Bright Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Yellow Wildflowers in the Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Yellow Flowers Blooming – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Tall Saguaro Behind Dead Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Reaching Saguaro Fingers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Damaged Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
A Desert Landscape – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Dirt Road After Rain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

Expired ECN-2 100T — Fujifilm X-Trans IV & X-Trans V Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Palm Trunk & Arches – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Expired ECN-2 100T”

Eastman Color Negative II 100T, which was also known as ECN-2 Type 5247/7247, was a 100 ASA Tungsten-balanced motion picture film made by Kodak between 1974 and 1983 (although, apparently, it could still be found and was used into the early 1990’s). A lot of iconic movies used this emulsion for at least some shots, including Star Wars, Back to the Future, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and many more. This Film Simulation Recipe is intended to mimic the aesthetic of this film stock that’s long-expired and developed in C41 chemistry after having the Remjet layer removed. In other words, this recipe isn’t intended to look like the film as it’s seen in the movies, but expired film that’s been developed in C41 chemistry instead of the ECN-2 process.

Tungsten film was intended for use in artificial light; for use in daylight, a Color Correction filter would be attached to the lens to adjust the white balance. This “Expired ECN-2 100T” Recipe does not replicate the use of Color Correction filters, and is more like shooting without it. The results can be quite unusual, especially in daylight. But if you are looking for something unusual, maybe this Film Simulation Recipe is for you. I don’t think it will be anyone’s go-to option, but for occasional use, if you want a lomo-like look, give this one a try. Also, it’s pretty decent for nighttime. This Recipe produces a green or yellow cast (depending on the light) when used at night, and a strong teal-ish cast when used in daylight.

Truck Tire – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Expired ECN-2 100T”

The Expired ECN-2 100T Film Simulation Recipe was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe; however, it has been replaced by a different Early-Access Recipe, so now everyone can use it. It is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, plus fifth-generation models, which are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20 (yes, the X-S20), and the upcoming X100VI, by selected Color Chrome FX Blue Weak (instead of Strong). I believe it will also work on newer GFX cameras, although I have not tried it myself.

Film Simulation: Eterna Bleach Bypass
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong — Weak for X-Trans V
White Balance: 6000K, -9 Red & -6 Blue
Highlight: +0.5
Shadow: -1
Color: +1
Sharpness: -3
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -4
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Expired ECN-2 100T Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

Saguaro Green – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Stop, All Ways – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Truck Mirror – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Lightning McQueen’s Home – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Truck – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Texting & Walking – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea Over Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Backlit Bougainvillea & Lens Flare – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Light Pink Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sunlit Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Shaded Hummingbird Feeder – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sidewalk Chalk & Red Bucket – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Red Soccer Ball – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Friendly Skeleton – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Kodak Instamatic Camera – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Expired ECN-2 100T Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

Night Board – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Empty at Night – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Flag and Lights – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Plant at Night – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Closed Door – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bokeh Behind Chainlink – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Lamp & Gated Patio – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
A-Team – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Barrel – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mailbox, Maybe – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Unlit hanging Bulbs – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
No Teasing – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Patriotic Equine – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more in the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

1971 Kodak — A Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) FXW App Patron Early-Access Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

View of the North Rim from the South – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1971 Kodak

I was flipping through the pages of a photo album that my grandma had put together a long time ago, when I saw something interesting. Most of the pictures in this book were captured before I was born, and some when I was very young. I came across a group of color prints that all looked similar. They were warm—very yellowish—with fairly subdued colors, kind of flat-looking, yet with a decent amount of contrast. Blown-out highlights was a commonality among many (but not all) of the prints. A month and year were printed on the border, along with a red fox. Kodak is faintly visible on the back of the paper.

I was very intrigued by the aesthetic of these photographs. There was an obvious resemblance to my 1970’s Summer Film Simulation Recipe, although not quite identical. So I set out to recreate it with my Fujifilm X-T5.

Grand Dome – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1971 Kodak

From the clues, I determined that the film was most likely Kodacolor-X, which was a popular color negative film from that era. It required the C-22 development process, which was a predecessor to C-41. The prints likely are a bit discolored and faded due to age, and probably looked slightly different when they were newly made. Many of them were square, and those were likely shot on a Kodak Instamatic camera and on 126 format film; the rectangular pictures are from 35mm film. Most of the prints were developed in 1971, although some had dates in 1972 printed on the border. The red fox indicates that it was developed at Fox Photo, which at the time was a popular one-hour photo lab. Interestingly, in the iconic mall scene in Back to the Future, it’s a Fox Photo that get’s destroyed by the VW van.

I made a scan of one of the prints, and it really messed up the look. I did my best to correct it to closely match the print, and I did get pretty close; however, it’s not 100% identical. I didn’t use this scan, but the prints themselves, to create the 1971 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe. I think you can still get a pretty good idea of what the prints look like from the scan.

A scan of one of the prints from 1971.
The kid on the right with the trombone is my dad when he was 15.

The aesthetic that the 1971 Kodak Recipe produces is very similar to Kodacolor-X film printed on Kodak paper in the early-1970’s, and viewed today after aging. The most similar Recipe to this is 1970’s Summer, and I’ve included a comparison at the bottom so that you can see the difference. This Recipe is compatible with fifth-generation X-Trans cameras from Fujifilm, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20 (yes, the X-S20), as well as the upcoming X100VI. I’m sure that you can use it on the latest GFX models, too; however, I don’t have any personal experience with that, and it’s likely to render slightly different (try it anyway). This Recipe pairs very well with vintage glass (or inexpensive third-party lenses with character), and is best for sunny daylight scenarios.

The Fuji X Weekly App is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron unlocks the best App experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new Film Simulation Recipes. These Early-Access Recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no App. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons! If you are an App Patron, be sure to look for this new Recipe in the App!

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this 1971 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

BM&LP RR 6001 – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Standing at the edge of the Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Four Kids at the Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Golden Sunlight in the Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Garden Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Last of Autumn – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Backlit Backyard Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Leaf Pile – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Autumn Tree and Grey Sky – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Construction – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Old Saguaro Reaching High – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pinyon Pine at the South Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Lookout Store Sign – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Swift – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
No Teasing the Horses – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

Comparison:

1970’s Summer Film Simulation Recipe
1971 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe
1970’s Summer Film Simulation Recipe
1971 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more in the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

McCurry Kodachrome — A Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Morning at the South Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – McCurry Kodachrome

I received an email from Anders Lindborg back in November, and the subject line read, “The Last Roll.” Anders explained to me that himself and John Sevigny had co-created a Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe based on Steve McCurry’s last roll of Kodachrome film, which was (as you likely know) famously developed on July 12, 2010, at Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas.

Over the last several years, Anders has made a number of Film Simulation Recipes that have been published on Fuji X Weekly, including Kodak Tri-X 400, Ilford FP4 Plus 125, Ilford HP5 Plus 400, Ilford Pan F Plus 50, Kodak Gold v2, seven Fujicolor Pro 160NS Recipes, and seven Fujicolor Pro 400H Recipes. Anders and John collaboratively made the Kodak T-Max P3200 Recipe. They had intended to share this new Recipe with everyone, but were waiting until after the finishing touches were complete on a book that John was intending to publish. Sadly, before that happened, John Sevigny died on November 9th, after suffering a massive stroke.

Writing this article has been difficult for me, because of John’s passing. But I hope that this is somehow honoring to him. He was an extraordinarily knowledgable photographer who was always eager to help. It’s a humble privilege for me to share with all of you this Recipe that Anders and John co-created.

Orange Pot, Tables & Leaf – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 – McCurry Kodachrome

“The goal was to create a recipe that both looked and behaved like Kodachrome 64,” Anders wrote. “It should also be based on science, not just trying to look like the real thing during very special conditions. Our starting reference were the photos taken by Steve McCurry on the quite-famous last roll of Kodachrome project. We also studied every little detail of the documentary to find out the exact conditions for how the photos were made. Even that was not enough, so we started to hunt down every single Kodachrome 64 photo we could possibly find. Luck was on our side, as we managed to locate a whole bunch that were actually developed by Dwayne’s Photo.”

Anders continued, “After about eight months of testing every single scenario we could come up with, using similar lighting equipment that was used for the last roll project, we started to feel like we had done all that was possible with the given tools. Everything matched our reference photos, and we both got stunning results with every test we made, but we still decided to test it for just a bit longer to make sure we actually had captured the true spirit of this film. John also travelled parts of the USA and South America, shooting nothing but this recipe for color work.”

Kodachrome was first introduced in 1935, and was discontinued in 2009. There are three distinct eras of the film, and Kodachrome 64, which was introduced in 1974, was in the third and final era. Kodachrome was actually a black-and-white film, and the color dyes were added during the development process. Because of this, it is probably the most difficult film to scan, and, if not properly color corrected, will often have a pronounced blue cast. Even a scan that is carefully corrected can lean slightly blue compared to the slide being projected or viewed on a light table. McCurry’s “last roll” slides were scanned by Richard Jackson, who was regarded as a leading expert on Kodachrome scanning.

Kodachrome 64 slides on a light table – Fujifilm X100V – McCurry Kodachrome

There are some differences between this McCurry Kodachrome Recipe and my Kodachrome 64 Recipe, but there are also a lot of similarities. My Recipe is more like Kodachrome as viewed via a slide projector or light table, while the McCurry Kodachrome Recipe is more like quality scans of the film. There’s a comparison of the two Recipes at the very bottom of this article.

Like the actual film, this McCurry Kodachrome Recipe has a narrow dynamic range, and must be carefully exposed. Pay extra attention to the highlights, because they can clip easily. Also, try to keep the ISO as low as practical. I used this Recipe with the ISO all the way to 6400, and it was fine, but for best results that better match the film, don’t go above ISO 1600. McCurry Kodachrome is fully compatible with all X-Trans IV models—including the X-T3 and X-T30; for X-Trans V, blues will render slightly more deeply, so the results will be just a tad different, but feel free to try anyway.

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR100
Grain Effect: Weak, Small — Weak for X-T3/X-T30
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off — N/A for X-T3/X-T30
White Balance: 5900K, -1 Red & +4 Blue
Highlight: 0
Shadow: 0
Color: +2
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -2
Clarity: 0 — N/A for X-T3/X-T30
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 1600
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photos, all camera made JPEGs using this McCurry Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:

Siblings Playing Video Games – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Little Palms in a Pot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Promenade – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Broken Haircut Chair – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Bougainvillea Below Window – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Bougainvillea & Stucco – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Blossom Along Sidewalk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Sunny Day Along Suburban Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Palm Trunk & Palm Shadow – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Rainbows on Sunny Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Walkway Chair – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Block Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30
Primetime Vannin’ – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

Example photos, all camera made JPEGs using this McCurry Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Red Scion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Colorful Shoes – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Jon Dressed Up – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
It’s a Dreary Day in the Neighborhood – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Old Chair Swing – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Glass Maker – Harmony, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Joshua Playing Air Hockey – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Red Blanket – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Winter Morning at the Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Canyon Behind Trees – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Tree & Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Cold Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
The Big, Giant Hole in the Ground – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Moon over Dilapidated Barn – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X100V
Roofline & Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Suburban Skies – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Growing Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Bougainvillea & Cinder Block Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Pops of Yellow – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Golden Hour Girl – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Backyard Sunset – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Suburban Desert Sunset – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sunset Over Desert Brush – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Golden Coast Blossoms – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V

Comparison:

Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)
McCurry Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)
Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)
McCurry Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

White Balance & Film Simulation Recipe Versatility

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm X-T5 — Reala Ace

Which Film Simulation Recipes are the most versatile? What makes a particular Recipe especially versatile, anyway? What does White Balance have to do with any of it? These are questions that I get asked pretty regularly, so I thought I would answer them today.

Let’s start with White Balance, including White Balance Shift. In the analog days, with a few exceptions, film was either Daylight-balanced or Tungsten-balanced. Daylight-balanced film, as you can imagine, was intended for use in sunny daytime scenarios, with a Kelvin temperature around 5500-5600K. Tungsten film was intended for artificial light scenarios, with a Kelvin temperature around 3200K. Because film was made for one of two specific light situations, you had three basic options for use outside of those scenarios: 1) accept the results for what they are, 2) use Color Correction Filters to adjust the Kelvin temperature to more closely match the light, or 3) use lighting equipment to artificially make the light match the film.

Fujifilm X100V — Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled

Digital cameras have a large number of White Balance options, which, when combined with WB fine-tuning (Fujifilm calls it WB Shift), can match the precise light that you are photographing in. If the White Balance is exactly correct for the light, things that are pure white in real life will appear pure white in the photograph, no color tint. But, just because the White Balance is technically correct, doesn’t mean that it is artistically correct. Nobody said that the White Balance must always be spot-on accurate—maybe you don’t want it to be, for aesthetic reasons. In fact, in the film days, it was quite common for the Kelvin temperature to be a mismatch for the light, at least a little. Kodak—the most popular film maker—was known for making emulsions with a warm color cast. In other words, achieving a perfectly accurate White Balance, which wasn’t particularly common until somewhat recently, might not be desirable. However, in the digital age with Auto White Balance, we’re often used to having a highly accurate White Balance in our photographs, and seeing it not spot-on accurate can perhaps be a bit unnerving, especially if it is pretty far off.

Many of the Fuji X Weekly Film Simulation Recipes are facsimiles of actual film stocks, and often that means using a fixed White Balance. Unless you have Color Correction Filters or are artificially lighting the scene to match the White Balance (both of which are unlikely), if the scene’s light is a mismatch for the Recipe, you can get undesirable results sometimes (just like with film). My best advice is to use a Film Simulation Recipe that is a match for the scene. For example, Fluorescent Night might be a better choice for nighttime photography than 1970’s Summer, since the former is more like Tungsten-balanced and the latter is more like Daylight-balanced. Sometimes the best Recipe for a particular light situation might be obvious, and other times it might not be, and trial-and-error is necessary to figure it out—my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When? series is intended to help out with this.

Fujifilm X-T5 — Fujicolor Super HG v2

Not all of the Recipes use a fixed White Balance; instead, some call for Auto White Balance. Newer Fujifilm cameras actually have three AWB options: Auto White Priority, Auto, and Auto Ambience Priority. White Priority leans cooler in artificial light than standard Auto, while Ambience Priority leans a little warmer in artificial light. All three AWB options are intended to produce reasonably accurate White Balances in all light situations. Because of this, Recipes that use AWB tend to be a lot more versatile than Recipes with a fixed White Balance, since you can use them in all sorts of light situations, and not just one. This is much less film-like, but perhaps can be equated to carrying a bunch of different Color Correction Filters with you all of the time. The easiest way to find my Film Simulation Recipes that use AWB is to Filter By White Balance (available to App Patrons) in the Fuji X Weekly App.

White Balance and WB Shift are probably the largest factor in determining the versatility of a particular Recipe, but it’s far from the only factor. Film Simulation, Dynamic Range, Highlight and Shadow, Color, etc., all play a role. One Recipe that uses AWB might be more versatile than another that also uses AWB, and some Recipes that use a fixed White Balance can be surprisingly versatile. However, what one person likes might be different from another, since each person has their own unique tastes. I might like a particular Recipe for a specific scenario, but you might dislike it for that exact same situation.

Fujifilm X100V — Timeless Negative

The pictures in this article were all captured with Film Simulation Recipes that use AWB and that I find to be especially versatile. Use them anytime of the day or night, in any light situation, and for any subject. If you want a versatile option to program into your Fujifilm camera, those are ones to consider. But they are far from the only versatile Recipes, and they might not be the best, either. If one of them stands out to you, I definitely invite you to try it.

See also: The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to Program Into Your Fujifilm Camera First

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
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:  Amazon  B&H  Moment
Fujifilm X100V in black:  Amazon   B&H  Moment
Fujifilm X100V in silver: Amazon   B&H  Moment

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

Fujicolor C200 v2 — Fujifilm X100V (X-Trans IV) FXW App Patron Early-Access Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Cold Morning at the South Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor C200 v2

The original Fujicolor C200 Film Simulation Recipe is great! This isn’t intended to replace that Recipe—there’s no need to replace it, since it’s excellent—but instead provide an alternative option for those looking for something slightly different. One film can produce many different looks, depending on a host of factors, including how it was shot, developed, and printed or scanned. In this case, a Fuji X Weekly reader wanted a Recipe that more closely matched his particular Fujicolor C200 scans. Oh, and it needed to be compatible with the Fujifilm X100V and X-Pro3, which the original version is not.

Fujifilm introduced Fujicolor C200 in 1990 as a low-budget, consumer-grade color negative film. I’ve shot a few rolls of it over the years, although it was never my go-to option. Fujifilm gave it a small refresh in 2017. Sadly, in late 2021, Fujifilm began selling rebranded Kodak Gold 200 as Fujicolor C200. Even though C200 is a cheap color film, it has a cult-like following, and many people enjoy its aesthetic and choose it over more expensive emulsions.

Bougainvillea Peeking over Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor C200 v2

This Fujicolor C200 v2 Film Simulation Recipe is an App Patron Early-Access Recipe. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, you have access to it right now. If not, no worries, as it will eventually be made available to everyone, once it is replaced by a new Early-Access Recipe. With the exception of the X-T3 and X-T30, it is fully compatible with X-Trans IV cameras: X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. For fifth generation models, simply set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong.

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Fujicolor C200 v2 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V and Fujifilm X-E4:

Main Street – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Dim Light & Neon Reflections – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Coffee Shop Christmas Tree – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Backlit Potted Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Afternoon Jo – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sitting on a Backyard Bench – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Swinging Seat – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Potted Blossoms – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Artificial Flowers – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
AC – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
The Grinch that Stole a Golf Cart – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Autumn Path – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Autumn Canopy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Bird on a Cross – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Icy Morning at the Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Canyon Between the Pines – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Morning Shadows – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

Comparison:

Original Fujicolor C200 Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)
This new Fujicolor C200 v2 Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.