Film Simulation | FUJI X WEEKLY

History & Poetry of Kodachrome

Posted on October 12, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Captured using the Kodachrome 64 film simulation recipe on a Fujifilm X100V.*

Note: This article originally was a part of Why I Never Shoot RAW — FujiFilm Simulations, Recipes, and More! published by Moment on September 6th, 2021.

In 1973, Paul Simon famously put to song,

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summer
Makes you think all the world’s a sunny day

Kodachrome is probably the most iconic photographic film ever made. It was legendary, and many people saw the world through its colors. Kodak produced Kodachrome film from 1935 through 2009, when, to the dismay of photographers around the world, it was suddenly discontinued.

*Captured using the Vintage Kodachrome film simulation recipe on a Fujifilm X-T30*

The Kodachrome name has been used for many different films over the years. The first Kodachrome product was a two-glass-plate color negative that was introduced in 1915. Like all other color photography methods of its time, the results weren’t particularly good and the product not especially successful.

In 1935, Kodak released its next Kodachrome product: a positive color transparency film. This Kodachrome was the first film that produced reasonably accurate colors, and, because of that, was the first commercially successful color film. It became the standard film for color photography for a couple decades, and was even Ansel Adams’ preferred choice for color work. The December 1946 issue of Arizona Highways, which was the first all-color magazine in the world, featured Barry Goldwater’s Kodachrome images. While the most popular Kodachrome during this time was ISO 10, Kodak also produced an ISO 8 version, as well as a Tungsten option in the 1940s.

Kodak made significant improvements to Kodachrome, and in 1961 released Kodachrome II. This film boasted more accurate colors, sharper images, finer grain, and a faster ISO of 25. While it was still somewhat similar to the previous Kodachrome, it was better in pretty much every way. A year later Kodachrome-X was introduced, which had an ISO of 64, and produced more saturation and increased contrast, but was grainier. Kodachrome for cinema had an ISO of 40, and would continue to be ISO 40 until 2009 when Kodak discontinued Kodachrome.

*Captured using the Kodachrome II film simulation recipe on a Fujifilm X-T20*

There was a movement in the early-1970s to end Kodachrome because the process to develop it was very toxic. Kodachrome is actually a black-and-white film with color added during development, which you can imagine isn’t a simple procedure. Instead of discontinuing their most popular color film, Kodak made a new version that required a less-toxic (but still toxic) and less complicated (but still complicated) development process. This appeased those who wanted the film gone, but the new version of Kodachrome was not initially well received by all photographers, some of whom liked the old version better. William Eggleston, for example, who used Kodachrome extensively in his early career, wasn’t a fan of the new version, and used other films instead.

In 1974, because of the new less-toxic development process, Kodachrome II was replaced by Kodachrome 25 and Kodachrome-X was replaced by Kodachrome 64. They also introduced Kodachrome 200, a high-ISO version. This generation of Kodachrome is what most people think of when they picture (pun intended) the film, gracing the pages of magazines like National Geographic. Due to Kodachrome’s sharpness, grain, color, contrast, and archival characteristics, it was a great all-around option that worked well in most circumstance. Steve McCurry, who is perhaps the best-known photographer to extensively use this era of Kodachrome, said of the film, “It has almost a poetic look with beautiful colors that were vibrant and true to what you were shooting.”

When Kodak discontinued Kodachrome in 2009, it shocked the photographic community; however, the deeper blow was that Kodak discontinued the chemicals required to develop it. Even if you had an old roll of the film (which I did), you couldn’t develop it, except as a black-and-white film from a specialty lab. By the end of 2010, the Kodachrome era was officially over for good.

*Captured using real Kodachrome 64 35mm color transparency film on a Canon AE-1.*

I shot many rolls of Kodachrome 64, and a few rolls of Kodachrome 25. My favorite was Kodachrome 64 because it had more contrast and more saturated colors—while it was a little less true-to-life, it produced bolder pictures more like Paul Simon’s description. It was a sad day for me when Kodak discontinued it. At that time, I was just getting into digital photography; in retrospect I wish that I had paused on digital and exposed a few more rolls of Kodachrome, just for the joy of it.

Paul Simon shot his Kodachrome on a Nikon camera, and I shot mine on a well-used Canon AE-1. Even though the film is long gone, I now shoot “Kodachrome” on a Fujifilm X100V and an X-E4. Yes, Kodachrome lives, thanks to Fujifilm’s great JPEG output! I’ve created film simulation recipes that mimic Kodachrome 64. While they’re not a 100% perfect match, considering the limited options and parameters that are available in-camera, they’re surprisingly accurate to the film. They certainly attain the “memory color” that Fujifilm’s managers often talk about. Ah, the irony of achieving a Kodachrome look on a Fujifilm camera is not lost on me!

I’ve actually published over 150 recipes (which you can fin on the Fuji X Weekly app) for Fujifilm cameras, many of which are based on film stocks. Using film simulation recipes, no matter the Fujifilm camera you have, allows you to get straight-out-of-camera pictures that appear as if they were post-processed—or, even better, shot on film instead of digital. This is obviously a big time-saver, but can also be more fun.

Whenever I go out to photograph, I always have at least one Fujifilm camera with me, loaded with seven film simulation recipes. My favorite color recipe is Kodak Portra 400 v2, and my favorite black-and-white recipe is Kodak Tri-X 400. Some recipes aren’t modeled after specific films, but produce an analog aesthetic anyway, such as my Xpro ’62 recipe, which has a vintage cross-processed look, and my Positive Film recipe, which is intended to mimic Saul Leiter’s style. I like to load a few of my favorite recipes into my camera before going out, and the remaining presets are often experimental recipes that I’m working on, as I’m always creating new ones.

Kodachrome 64 is one of those recipes that I find myself often programing into my camera—that is, if it isn’t already a C1-C7 preset from my last outing! It has the right amount of nostalgia, delivering those “nice bright colors” and “greens of summer” that “makes you think all the world’s a sunny day.” I can’t help but think, if Paul Simon picked up a Fujifilm camera today to take a photograph, the Kodachrome 64 recipe would be his favorite, and perhaps he’d even write a song about it.

Find these film simulation recipes on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

Fujifilm X100V (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe: Pulled Fujicolor Superia

Posted on October 11, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Salt Lake Shorelands* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Pulled Fujicolor Superia”

After creating the Scanned Superia and Portra-Style film simulation recipes, which use D-Range Priority Auto, I wanted to create a recipe that utilized D-Range Priority Strong. You might recall that Anders Lindborg made an interesting discovery that D-Range Priority (DR-P) is essentially the same thing as Hypertone on Fujifilm Frontier scanners. In my own experiments, I’ve come to the conclusion that D-Range Priority Weak is more practical for everyday photography than D-Range Priority Strong, because, unless there is a bright light in the frame, DR-P Strong tends to be too flat, since it maximizes dynamic range. Undeterred, I set out to create a nice recipe that utilizes DR-P Strong.

I call this recipe “Pulled Fujicolor Superia” because it is similar to Fujicolor Superia Xtra 400 film that’s been pulled one stop. Of course, how any emulsion is shot, developed, printed and/or scanned has an impact on its aesthetic, and one film can have many different looks. I didn’t set out to recreate the look of pulled Superia film, but, in fact, it does look surprisingly close to some examples I found. It’s better to be lucky than good, right? I wouldn’t say that this is 100% spot-on for pulled Superia 400 film, but it’s not far off at all.

*Break* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Pulled Fujicolor Superia”

Because this recipe uses the Classic Negative film simulation, Clarity, and Color Chrome Effect Blue, it is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. I think it works best on sunny days, but I did use it with some success in overcast and indoor situations.

Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: D-Range Priority Strong
Color: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Clarity: +2
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong
White Balance: Daylight, -4 Red & -2 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Pulled Fujicolor Superia” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

*Packed Parking Garage* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Dee’s* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Salt Lake Shoreland Preserve Boardwalk* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Wetland Grass & Mountains* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Fence & Hidden Building* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Playing Pokemon* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Looking Through Binoculars* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*My Four Kids* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Jonathan at f/3.6* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Yellow & Green Grass* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Pops of Fall* – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*A Little Splash of Autumn* – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Find this film simulation recipe and many more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

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SOOC Episode 04 Postponed to October 21

Posted on October 9, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

Episode 04 of SOOC has been postponed one week to Thursday, October 21. Unfortunately, things came up, and we’re not able to do the broadcast on the 14th as previously planned. I’m very sorry if this causes any problems for you—hopefully it isn’t too inconvenient.

SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different film simulation recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we will not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks.

Episode 03 of this live interactive video series was on September 9th. We discussed the Fujicolor C200 film simulation recipe, and took a look at the photographs that you submitted. The SOOC Episode 04 “recipe of the month” is Kodacolor, which is compatible with X-Trans III & IV cameras. Upload your pictures here to be featured in the next video! Episode 04 will be on October 21, so mark your calendars, and I look forward to seeing you then! If you missed Episode 01, 02, or 03, you’ll find them below.

What Future Camera Technology Might Be Like

Posted on October 7, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Barn by the Tetons* – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X-E1 – Nik Silver Efex edit

What will future cameras be like? More specifically, what do I think they’ll be like? This is an odd topic that has come up a few times recently in various places. I don’t have any inside information. I’ve never laid eyes on any top-secret still-in-development cameras. I only have my own ideas and opinions, which are probably inaccurate. I’ve certainly been wrong before, and I’m probably wrong now. Still, it’s fun to speculate.

I think, in the not-too-distant future, perhaps beginning in roughly five years, we’ll see camera manufacturers team up with software companies to offer more (and better) in-camera filters. We’re going to see more software built into cameras, and with that, I think we’ll start to see VSCO, RNI, Alien Skin, Nik Collection, and others, partner with camera manufacturers to include their popular presets integrated into gear. This will also allow RAW files to match straight-out-of-camera JPEGs (and TIFFs) simply by applying the same preset in-software as in-camera.

*Mirrored Mountain* – Mirror Lake, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 – Alien Skin Exposure edit

The Zeiss ZX1 camera has Lightroom Mobile built-in. The Pixii camera can be programmed with LUT profiles. It’s not even close to mainstream yet, but you can see the very beginning of this shift start to build. I think it is only a matter of time before you will be able to capture in-camera with (for example) the RNI Kodak Gold v.3 preset. I don’t think Canon, Sony, Nikon, or Fujifilm will be the first company to do this. Maybe Leica. Perhaps a future Panasonic S-series model. I’m not exactly sure, but it will definitely be a marketing strategy for whoever does it first.

I believe that in the beginning it will be collaborations between specific manufactures and software companies. For example, Sony might partner with VSCO, and perhaps Nikon partners with RNI. I personally hope Fujifilm partners with RNI or Alien Skin, but my guess is that Fujifilm will hold onto their film simulations, which, let’s be honest, is a similar concept. Film simulations are kind of like presets, especially since they can be customized with film simulation recipes; however, in its current state film simulations don’t go as far as what I believe is coming. I do think Fujifilm can accomplish in-house their own presets, since they do seem to have a nice head start, but I don’t know if they have the foresight to take it far enough or the R&D resources to keep up once it takes off. We’ll have to wait and see how it all plays out. Currently, Fujifilm’s Film Simulations, with the help of custom JPEG recipes, are the closest thing right now to what I believe is coming.

Eventually I see it morphing into more of an app model, where you can buy any company’s presets and use them on your camera, no matter the brand. Buy a Canon and download the RNI app if you want their presets, or VSCO if you want theirs. If you have a Fujifilm camera, you can use the exact same presets on that camera as you can on your Sony. This might be 10 or more years down the road, but it seems like it is inevitable that it will happen someday.

*Whitefish Lake Infrared* – Whitefish, MT – Fujifilm X100V – RNI Aero edit

Why do I think all this is the future of photography technology? What I believe is going to happen is a stronger movement towards straight-out-of-camera. Not for bragging rights, but for three reasons: 1) it saves so much time, 2) it can be more fun, and 3) it opens up photography more to those who don’t have the desire, skills, or time to post-process their pictures. Technology will make getting post-processed-like-looks more accessible without the need to actually do it. It’s going to be easier and more automatic. You, the photographer, will have to select which look you want, and the camera will do the work for you and will deliver to you out-of-camera that look without any need for Lightroom, etc., to achieve it. Upload the picture to whatever social media or cloud storage you want right from the camera. No need for a computer, as it’s all handled by the camera. You won’t even need your phone, unless camera companies figure out that they can harness the phone’s computing power to do the work for them, and the phone becomes (wirelessly) integrated into the camera.

I could be completely wrong about all of this. I’ve certainly been wrong many times before. Nobody knows the future. I do see things moving in this direction, and in a very small way, because of my film simulation recipes, I’ve had a hand in moving it.

*Sentinel & Merced* – Yosemite NP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – SOOC “Vintage Color” unedited

Community Recipes

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

If you’ve never visited the Fuji X Weekly Community Recipes website—well, go on over right now and have a look around! It’s a place where you can view film simulation recipes created by the Fuji X Weekly audience, and submit your own!

I’ve noticed that a lot of people are creating film simulation recipes and sharing them on their social media accounts, but they’re easily lost and forgotten. I wanted to create a place where you can share your recipes, and where you can find recipes created by others. That’s the idea behind the Fuji X Weekly Community Page—this is a library of film simulation recipes created by you and for you!

If you want even more film simulation recipes for your Fujifilm camera than what I’ve published here, or if you’ve created a recipe that you want to share, or if you just want to check out some pictures captured by others, be sure to visit the Fuji X Weekly Community Recipes Page! My hope is that this will become a great resource for the Fujifilm community. Be sure to bookmark it and check it often!

I want to highlight some of the recipes that you’ll find on the Community page.

AstiAmore by Thomas Schwab

Kodacolor VR200 by Thomas Schwab

Cool Scala by Marcel Fraij

Saul Leiter by Marcel Fraij

These are just four of the (as of this writing) 17 recipes that you’ll find on the Community Recipes page. I’m sure more will be added in the coming days, weeks, and months. I want to thank everyone who has submitted a recipe—your participation is much appreciated by myself and the Fujifilm community! Also, a special “thank you” to Daniele Petrarolo (website, Instagram), who partnered with me to make this website a reality.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 (X-Trans I) Film Simulation Recipe: Punchy Velvia

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Blooms Despite Adversity* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – “Punchy Velvia”

Thomas Schwab sent me an X-Trans I recipe to try, which he calls Punchy Velvia. Whenever Thomas sends me a recipe to try, I’m always excited to program it into the camera, because they’re often great. He’s a friend, and has a good eye for Fujifilm settings. He created the X-Trans I Kodachrome I and Kodachrome II recipes. Thank you, Thomas, for sending this!

I recently went on a hike with this new recipe programmed into my Fujifilm X-Pro1. My kids were with me, and my daughter, Joy, ended up shooting with the camera much more than I did. A couple of these pictures were captured by me, but most were captured by her. This recipe was a great option for photographing the vibrant colors we encountered. For colorful scenes where you want punchy pictures, this recipe or Vivid Color are the ones to use.

*Yellow Oak* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – “Punchy Velvia”

If you have an X-E1, X-Pro1, or X-M1, be sure to give this recipe a try. You can also use this recipe on X-Trans II and Bayer cameras, but the results will be slightly different; however, feel free to it anyway, because you might like the results.

Velvia
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +2 (Hard)
Shadow: +2 (Hard)
Color: +2 (High)
Sharpness: +2 (Hard)
Noise Reduction: -2 (Low)
White Balance: Daylight/Fine, 0 Red & 0 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 3200
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured by Joy using this “Punchy Velvia” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-Pro1:

*Rock Outcrop* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch

*Boulder in the Forest* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch

*Mountain Forest* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch

*Branches and Blue* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch

*One Leaf Turned* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch

*Oak Leaves* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch

*Backlit Autumn Tree* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch

*Autumn Trees* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch

Find this film simulation recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

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Fujifilm X-T1 (X-Trans II) Film Simulation Recipe: CineStill 800T

Posted on September 26, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Night Synergy* – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – “CineStill 800T”

This is my favorite CineStill 800T film simulation recipe. I created my first CineStill 800T recipe, which is intended for X-Trans III cameras, over three years ago. My next version, which is intended for newer X-Trans IV cameras, was published nearly a year ago. This X-Trans II recipe was one of the original Patron “Early-Access” recipes on the Fuji X Weekly App. In other words, those who are Patrons on the App have already had access to this recipe, and now that another recipe has replaced it, this CineStill 800T recipe is available to everyone! Early-Access to some new recipes is one of the benefits of being a Fuji X Weekly Patron, and a great way to support this website.

CineStill 800T is Kodak Vision3 500T motion picture film that’s been modified for use in 35mm film cameras and development using the C-41 process. Because it has the RemJet layer removed, it is more prone to halation. The “T” in the name means tungsten-balanced, which is a fancy way of saying that it is white-balanced for artificial light and not daylight. CineStill 800T has become a popular film for after-dark photography.

*Pair* – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – “CineStill 800T”

Even though the film that this recipe is intended to mimic is Tungsten-balanced, it can still produce interesting pictures in daylight. It’s a versatile recipe, but it definitely delivers the best results in artificial light. When I photograph with my Fujifilm X-T1 after sunset, this is the recipe that I use.

PRO Neg. Std
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +2 (Hard)
Shadow: +1 (Medium-Hard)
Color: -1 (Medium-Low)
Sharpness: 0 (Standard)
Noise Reduction: -2 (Low)
White Balance: 4300K, -3 Red & -3 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 3200
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured on my Fujifilm X-T1 using this CineStill 800T film simulation recipe:

*Red Hatchback* – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*We Care About Asada Nachos* – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Shoe Repair in Disrepair* – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Vending Machines* – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Narrow Drive* – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*2nd & Main* – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*The Kaysville Theatre* – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Park Gazebo* – Clinton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Fall Branch* – Clinton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

Find this film simulation recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

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Fujifilm X-Trans II Patron Early-Access Recipe: Color Negative Film

Posted on September 26, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Yellow* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – “Color Negative Film”

One of my favorite X-Trans I film simulation recipes is Color Negative Film, which has a white balance shift inspired by my Fujicolor 100 Industrial recipe. This new recipe, available as a Patron Early-Access Recipe on the Fuji X Weekly App, is an adaptation of the X-Trans I recipe for X-Trans II. It doesn’t mimic any specific film, but just has a more generic film aesthetic. It’s not an exact match to the X-Trans I recipe, but it’s pretty close.

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. In fact, many early-access recipes have already been publicly published on this blog and the app, so now everyone can use them. 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!

*No Swimming* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – “Color Negative Film”

If you have an X-Trans II camera and are a Fuji X Weekly Patron, it’s available to you right now on the app!

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Color Negative Film” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T1:

*Sunlit Leaves* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Green Leaves* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch

*Early Autumn* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Forest Trail* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*One Dead Leaf* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Backlit Autumn Leaves* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Autumn Flare* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Changing Leaves in the Woods* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Yellow Shrub* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Trail to the Trees* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Water Logged* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch

*Little Purple Blooms* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

*Reeds of Summer* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

SOOC Episode 03

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

Episode 03 of this live interactive video series was on September 9th. We discussed the Fujicolor C200 film simulation recipe, and took a look at the photographs that you’ve submitted. The SOOC Episode 04 “recipe of the month” is Kodacolor, which is compatible with X-Trans III & IV cameras. Upload your pictures here to be featured in the next video! Episode 04 will be on October 14, so mark your calendars, and I look forward to seeing you then!

In the video below are the viewer’s photographs, captured using the Fujicolor C200 film simulation recipe, that were shown during the show. It’s a short clip, so be sure to watch! I love seeing your pictures, and I’m honored that you submitted them for us to view in the show.

Fujifilm X-E4 (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe: Portra-Style

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Peach Tree* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Portra-Style”

After Anders Lindborg shared with me his interesting discovery that D-Range Priority (DR-P) is essentially the same thing as Hypertone on Fujifilm Frontier scanners, I immediately went to work creating a couple film simulation recipes that use D-Range Priority, since I didn’t have any. Like many of you, I thought that DR-P was a feature reserved only for extreme situations, and not for everyday use, but (as it turns out) it doesn’t have to be—DR-P can be utilized all of the time if you want.

What is DR-P? It’s basically a tone curve intended to maximize dynamic range. There are four options: Off, Auto, Weak, and Strong. When DR-P is Off, the camera uses DR (DR100, DR200, DR400) instead, and when DR-P is On (Auto, Weak, or Strong), DR is disabled. When DR-P is On, Highlight and Shadow are “greyed out” so those can’t be adjusted—the curve is built into DR-P. You get what you get. DR-P Weak is similar to using DR400 with both Highlight and Shadow -2, but with a very subtle mid-tone boost. This recipe calls for DR-P Auto, and the camera will usually select DR-P Weak unless there is a bright light source (such as the sun) in the frame, such as the picture Sunlight Through a Tree further down below.

*Tall Grass* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Portra-Style”

This “Portra-Style” recipe isn’t intended to faithfully mimic Portra film, but was inspired more by Kyle McDougall’s “Portra-Style” presets, which are, of course, modeled after Kodak Portra film. The Kodak Portra 400 Warm recipe was also inspired by these presets, and there are some similarities between this recipe and that one. I don’t know which is better, as they’re both good options for achieving a warm Portra-like aesthetic. For a more-accurate recipe, try Kodak Portra 400 v2. This recipe, which is closer to Portra 400 than 160, works best in natural light, especially daylight, although you can still get interesting results sometimes in other lighting situations. My “Portra-Style” recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: D-Range Priority Auto
Color: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Clarity: +3
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak
White Balance: 5000K, +2 Red & -6 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Portra-Style” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*Jonathan* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Arrow & Cones* – Sandy, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Summer Tree* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Sunlight Through a Tree* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Fence & Tree* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Cautious Nature* – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Bridge in the Forest* – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Yellow Leaves in Green Forest* – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Log in the Forest* – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Last Light on Dead Tree* – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

Find this film simulation recipe and many more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

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New: Fuji X Weekly Community Recipes!

Posted on September 19, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

Can’t get enough film simulation recipes? Have one you want to share? Want to see what others are doing with their Fujifilm cameras? The new Fuji X Weekly Community Recipes page is for you!

This project has been in the works for many months. It’s been a labor of love. Web developer and Fujifilm photographer Daniele Petrarolo (website, Instagram) partnered with me to make this a reality. He really put a lot of time and skill into this. Definitely, if you need a website built, visit his page and send him an email! He’s also talented with a camera, so be sure to check out his pictures! Without him, the community recipes page would still be a long ways off and not nearly as good. Marcel Fraij, Thomas Schwab, Julien Sorosac, and others (including my kids!) also had a hand in making this project come to fruition. I want to give a big “thank you” to everyone who participated in this.

If you want even more film simulation recipes for your Fujifilm camera, or if you’ve created a recipe that you want to share, or if you just want to check out some pictures captured by others, be sure to visit the Fuji X Weekly Community Recipes Page! My hope is that this will become a great resource for the Fujifilm community. Be sure to bookmark it and check it often!

Fujifilm X-E4 (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe: Scanned Superia

Posted on September 15, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Brownie on a Shelf* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Scanned Superia”

*Big Grass Leaves* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Scanned Superia”

This recipe was inspired by pictures I found that were captured with Fujicolor Superia 100 film scanned with a Frontier SP-3000. Of course, how the film was shot, or even the scanner settings selected, can effect the exact aesthetic of an image. Even the same emulsion captured the same way and scanned on the same scanner can look a little different if the settings on the scanner are different (more on this in an upcoming article). I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to precisely match this recipe to those scans—it was more of a quick attempt, but I liked the results so I didn’t fine-tune it any further. It has a pretty good feel, I think, that produces pleasing results in many circumstances, although it isn’t the best for artificial light, and you might consider using Auto White Balance when not in natural light situations. This recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras.

Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: D-Range Priority Auto
Color: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -3
Clarity: +3
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak
White Balance: Daylight, -2 Red & +3 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Scanned Superia” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*RADAR Peak* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Colorful Blooms of Summer* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Last Red Rose* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*White Rose of Summer* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Yellow Country Flowers* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Little Yellow Flowers in the Wetlands* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Suburban Reeds* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*No Parking Any Time* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Morning Flag* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Succulent Shelf* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

Find this film simulation recipe and many more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

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SOOC Episode 03 – Viewer Images!

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

I want to give a big “Thank You” to everyone who tuned in to Episode 03 of SOOC, a collaboration between myself and Fuji X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry. This video series is live and interactive, so I’m especially grateful to all who participated! You are the ones who make these episodes great! In the video above are the viewer’s photographs, captured using the Fujicolor C200 film simulation recipe, that were shown during the show. It’s a short clip, so be sure to watch! I love seeing your pictures, and I’m honored that you submitted them for us to view.

The SOOC Episode 04 “recipe of the month” is Kodacolor. Start shooting with that recipe, and upload your pictures here to be featured in the next video! Episode 04 will be on October 14, so mark your calendars, and I look forward to seeing you then!

If you missed Episode 03, you can find it below. There were 7 minutes of sound issues in the original airing, which have been removed from the video, so if you didn’t catch the show for that reason, don’t worry, it’s no longer there. I appreciate those who have watched already (and who stuck through the tech problems!), and I appreciate all those who are watching now. Thank you!

Find the Fujicolor C200 and Kodacolor film simulation recipes on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

SOOC – Season 01 Episode 03 – Fujicolor C200

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

I want to thank everyone who tuned into and participated in SOOC Episode 03! You are amazing! This really is the best community in photography. If you missed it, you can still watch it—I’ve included the video above. There were some technical difficulties, so I recommend skipping ahead to about the 7-minute mark.

Episode 03 of this live interactive video series was today. We discussed the Fujicolor C200 film simulation recipe, and took a look at the photographs that you’ve submitted. The next episode, which will be October 14, will be all about my Kodacolor recipe, which is compatible with X-Trans III & IV cameras. I hope to see you then!

The Kodachrome 64 Moment!

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Captured using the Kodachrome 64 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V.*

Moment published an article, Why I Never Shoot RAW—Fujifilm Simulations, Recipes, and More!, that includes many of my photographs and even some of my words! I encourage you to check it out! Moment, you might remember, had partnered with me to give away CineBloom filters. I’m extraordinarily honored for the opportunity to collaborate with them on these projects, and I hope that we can work together even more in the future!

There is a mistake in the article that I’d like to point out. Check out the image below:

*Caption reads: “Using Kodachrome 64 Recipe.”*

*This picture was captured using real Kodachrome 64 film.*

The picture above was supposed to be an example photograph of the actual film, which I captured over 20 years ago using real Kodachrome 64 film shot on a Canon AE-1 camera. So it is film, and not a film simulation. A couple other mistakes are found in the recipe itself: Dynamic Range should be DR200, and Noise Reduction should be -4. But, you know, it’s always alright to “season to taste” a recipe, so maybe that is how they prefer those settings.

I’m super happy to have been included in this writeup! I’m stoked that Moment found this recipe to be a valuable resource to the photography community—so valuable, in fact, that they were eager to share it with their customers on their website. Honestly, I’m flattered. Thank you, Moment!

Why I Never Shoot RAW—Fujifilm Simulations, Recipes, and More!

Tip: How to Remember Which Film Simulation Recipe You Used

Posted on September 7, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

I get asked sometimes how I know which film simulation recipes I used for certain pictures. Especially when I take a road trip where I might use a number of different recipes, it can be difficult to remember which ones I used when. Honestly, I didn’t have a good method for this. I would limit myself to only a few recipes, and tried to avoid using similar-looking recipes on the same day. If I still didn’t remember, I would go back into the camera and display the picture information to give myself a clue. However, I recently became aware of a much better method.

In Episode 02 of SOOC, X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry shared her smart solution for this common problem. Whenever Nathalie is out shooting, when she switches to a new recipe, the very first exposure that she makes is a snap of her phone with the Fuji X Weekly App open and the recipe she’s using displayed. Then she knows that every picture after that (until she reaches the next image of her phone) was captured with that recipe. I began doing this myself, and it works very well. Yes, it takes an extra moment “in the field” to snap an image of your phone, and it does take a little extra space on the memory card, but it can definitely save you time (and sanity) later as you try to figure out what recipe you used for that picture.

*First image captured after switching recipes is an image of the Fuji X Weekly App with the recipe displayed.*

*Now I know that I used the Positive Film recipe for this picture.*

This is a tip that I know will be helpful to some of you, because it was helpful to me. These kinds of tips and tricks are what you’ll find in the SOOC live video series. Episode 03 is this Thursday, September 9. It’s an interactive program, and your participation makes the show even better, so I hope to see you then!

If you haven’t downloaded the Fuji X Weekly App, be sure to do so. It’s free, and available for both Android and Apple. If you are looking for a way to support Fuji X Weekly and all that I’m doing for the community plus unlock the best app experience, consider becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron (available in the app)!

The Fuji X Weekly Moment – Update 4

Posted on September 5, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

The Fuji X Weekly moment CineBloom giveaway is in its final hours. There’s not much time, so I hope that you participated for a chance to win one of five Cinebloom diffusion filters. The full rules and details are found here. So far, there have been over 400 submissions! Check out the #fujixweeklymoment hashtag on Instagram to see them all.

I want to give a huge “Thank You” to Moment for teaming up with Fuji X Weekly to make this giveaway possible! They did it because they’re big fans of this website, Fujifilm cameras, film simulation recipes, and the Fujifilm community. Moment’s website (shopmoment.com) is definitely one of the better camera stores out there (yet, really, they are so very much more than just “a camera store”). If you’ve never visited Moment, be sure to do so—you can thank me later.

I hope to announce the five Cinebloom diffusion filter winners on Monday (September 6th), so stay tuned!

Also, while I’m here, if you haven’t downloaded the Fuji X Weekly App, be sure to do so. It’s free, and available for both Android and Apple. If you are looking for a way to support Fuji X Weekly and all that I’m doing for the community plus unlock the best app experience, consider becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron (available in the app)!

SOOC Episode 03 Is This Thursday!

Posted on September 4, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

Episode 03 of this live interactive video series will be this Thursday, September 9, at 11 AM MST (10 AM Pacific, 1 PM Eastern)! We’ll discuss the Fujicolor C200 film simulation recipe, and take a look at the photographs that you’ve submitted. Click here to submit your photographs! We really would love to see your pictures captured with the Fujicolor C200 recipe, and when you submit a picture you are entered into a drawing to win a one-year Patron subscription to the Fuji X Weekly App. We’ll also be introducing the next recipe, among other things. I truly hope you’ll join us!

While you are waiting for Thursday to come around, let me share with you a wonderful article by Nathalie Boucry (click here) entitle Not Lost, Verloren, which includes many wonderful pictures captured with the Fujicolor C200 recipe on a Fujifilm X-S10. If you have a few moments today, go read the article, it’s well worth your time!

See you Thursday!

SOOC Season 01 Episode 01
SOOC Season 01 Episode 02

The Fuji X Weekly Moment – Update 3

Posted on September 2, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

I’m giving away CineBloom filters to some of those who tell me their Fuji X Weekly moment on Instagram! Interested? Click here for all of the details and rules.

My favorite part of The Fuji X Weekly Moment giveaway is reading your great stories. For example, @snapsbybennett shared:

I love how the places at my dad’s have literally never changed since I was a kid. If you’re a Fuji shooter and haven’t used the Fuji X Weekly App yet… GO TRY IT OUT! Changed my whole look on my photography. Fujifilm XT3, 18-55mm, Portra 400 Sim.

@rockysgraphs shared:

Shot with Fujicolor Pro 160NS film simulation. I am loving the film simulation recipes from Fuji X Weekly. They add another level of creative control in camera that enhances my experience when shooting my Fujifilm X100F.

@azyrizaldi79 shared:

My Fuji X Weekly moment: Modeled a classic helmet this afternoon. Turn head right, left, up, that’s it…!!! In order for the color of this afternoon’s sun to get better, I’m using Fuji X Weekly’s Provia recipe in camera. A Provia standard color variation that is soft and suitable with the yellowish shine of the afternoon sun. No Grain in this recipe because it’s made for larger sensors. Whatever it is, the color looks cool on X-Trans III cameras. Find it on the Fuji X Weekly App!

And @patrickmichaelmckenna shared:

This is my Fuji X Weekly moment. Captured on my Fujifilm X100V with the Fuji X Weekly Kodak Portra v2 film simulation recipe, which I found on the Fuji X Weekly App. Image is of my granddaughter Sutton gripping her Mimi’s finger. First time I used an X100V—instead of a professional DSLR or my new Canon EOS R5. Sutton was 2 days old, and I wanted to “focus” on my new granddaughter and not my camera settings. The X100V did the trick.

There are, of course, so many more (almost 400!)! I encourage you to take a look at all of the #fujixweeklymoment submissions, and to submit your own! The giveaway closes on Saturday (September 4th), which is only a couple days away, so don’t procrastinate. I look forward to seeing your pictures and reading more of your stories!

Photoessay: Fujifilm X-Pro3 + 18mm f/1.4 + AgfaChrome RS 100 Recipe = A Photowalk To Remember

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Rental boats at Lake Schluchsee. Photo by Thomas Schwab.*

Thomas Schwab, who has helped create (and downright created) a number of film simulation recipes on this website, recently went on a 12-mile photowalk through the Black Forest in the beautiful German mountainside between Hinterzarten and Lake Schluchsee. The weather was “Octobering” (as Thomas put it), which means that it was overcast and rainy. Thomas carried his Fujifilm X-Pro3 camera with the new Fujinon 18mm f/1.4 lens attached—both are weather-sealed, so a great combination for the conditions. He used the AgfaChrome RS 100 film simulation recipe, which Thomas said is “the best for color photography on rainy days.” He “seasoned to taste” the recipe with Sharpening set to 0 (instead of -2) and Grain Weak (instead of Strong). He used ISO 640 for all of the images.

The adventure began with a train ride to Hinterzarten, then a hike down the Emil-Thoma-Weg trail. After visiting Lake Mathisleweiher, Thomas trekked through Bärental (Bear Valley)—thankfully he didn’t encounter any bears—all the way to Lake Schluchsee, passing Lake Windgfällweiher and a small unnamed lake on the way. The adventure ended with a train ride back home. This really was a photowalk to remember, through some incredible rural scenery!

The pictures in this article were captured by Thomas Schwab while on his mountainside adventure. They aren’t in chronological order, but they do tell a story. Thank you, Thomas, for allowing me to share your wonderful photographs on Fuji X Weekly! Please follow Thomas on Instagram if you don’t already, and leave a kind note to him in the comments to let him know you appreciate his pictures!