No Lifeguard on Duty – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
Day 1 — June 5, 2023 — Travel Day
I recently returned from photographing California’s amazing central coast with Ken Rockwell and Dave Wyman. It was such an incredible adventure! I’m getting a little ahead of myself, though, so let me give you a little backstory first.
After more than a decade of shooting film, I purchased my first digital camera in 2009. I was one of those “holdouts” who stubbornly refused to go digital, and who would proudly proclaim why analog was preferable. Eventually I gave in; however, the transition wasn’t easy. In many ways it was like learning photography all over again. So in 2010 I began searching the internet for help and advice, and unsurprisingly I stumbled upon Ken Rockwell, who’s website has been one of the most popular photography pages for decades.
Ken is well-known and controversial. People seem to either love or loathe him. I found his website to be helpful; while I didn’t agree with everything he said, I did read a lot of useful information, and Ken’s advice was occasionally critical. In fact, it was an off-hand remark by Ken that convinced me to start blogging in the first place.
Nearly three years ago I published a Film Simulation Recipe called The Rockwell, which was inspired by Ken. I stated that it’s “a Recipe that Ken might use on his X100V if he ever read this article.” Well, to my surprise, a year later Ken did use The Rockwell Recipe and talked a little about it in his Fujifilm X-S10 review! It turned out that Leigh and Raymond Photography (formally known as The SnapChick) tipped Ken off to the Recipe, and then Ken actually emailed me, and we had a brief back-and-forth conversation.
Ken has been conducting photo tours—mostly in California—with Dave Wyman for years. Dave is a super-talented photographer who has published four books: Backroads of Northern California, Backroads of Southern California, Yosemite in Photographs, and Fearless Photographer: Nature. He’s been leading tours—not just photography tours, but various nature tours—since the mid-1970’s. Even though he’s 75, he has more energy than I do. Anyway, I’ve wanted to join in on one of these photo tours for years and years, but the opportunity never came until this year. The timing of Central Coast of California En Plein Air was perfect, so I signed up!
Rusty Rail – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Kodachrome 64
The tour began on the June 7th in the late-afternoon, but I arrived two days early on June 5th. My wife, Amanda, and our four kids came along, too, although they did not take part in the tour (maybe next time). It was a long drive to the Pacific Coast from my home near Phoenix, Arizona; a stop in Bakersfield allowed us to stretch our legs. Once we settled into our accommodations at Pismo Beach, we took a stroll to the ocean. It was overcast, and as daylight began to fade into blue-hour, the weather turned into rain and thunder.
The complete list of photography gear that I brought on this trip can be found in my Ultimate Travel Compact Camera Kit article, where I go into much more detail. Specific to Day 1, I used a Fujifilm X100V with a 5% CineBloom filter, a Fujifilm X-E4 with a Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 lens, a Ricoh GR III, and the RitchieCam App on my iPhone 11. If I had known it was going to rain, I wouldn’t have taken the X-E4 and GR III out, but thankfully I was able to keep them mostly dry.
The photographs below are in order of when they were captured. The picture at the top of this article, No Lifeguard on Duty, fits in-between By-the-Wind Sailor and Josh on a Stump. The second image, Rusty Rail, fits in-between Yellow Ice Flower and Clean Up Your Dog. Otherwise, the order is correct. Although these are mostly snapshots, I hope that you still enjoy them—my photography got a little more serious as the week progressed.
Summer is here! Traveling, camping, visits to the beach, boating on the lake, and stuff like that are common during these months. Perhaps you are looking for some Film Simulation Recipe recommendations for your Fujifilm camera for the summer season. I thought I’d take this opportunity to revisit my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When? series of articles. This post will make a lot more sense if you’ve read the original series—especially the first article—so be sure to take a look at it if you haven’t yet (or if it’s been awhile and you don’t remember).
This Part 1 is for Fujifilm X-Trans IV cameras, except for the X-T3 and X-T30, which will be covered in a different section. If you have an X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II model, I invite you to give these Recipes a try! There are seven suggestions below—one for each C1-C7 Custom Preset—and three alternative ideas for each in case you don’t like the first recommendation. Each Custom Preset slot serves a specific purpose, so you should have a good Recipe option programmed into your camera no matter the subject or lighting. This group of seven isn’t necessarily better or worse than my original recommendations, just a different set chosen specifically for the summer months.
Golden Lake – Culleoka, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe
Fujicolor Natura 1600 is a Film Simulation Recipe that does well at anytime during daylight hours—and it’s one of my all-time favorites—but I’m going to recommend it specifically for “golden hour” near sunrise and sunset. If you like the aesthetic, this really could be your primary use-all-of-the-time recipe, and that’s why I suggest placing it in C1, but when the sun is low to the horizon, this is one I definitely recommend shooting with. I personally use this recipe frequently.
Coastal Blooms – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues Recipe
Pacific Blues is another one that could be your go-to everyday-use Recipe, but specifically I want to suggest it for daytime (non-“golden hour”) photography. Obviously it can also be used for when the sun is low to the horizon, too, which it excels at, but I think it is an excellent option for when the sun is not low—from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. It’s especially well suited for a day at the beach.
Cienega Bridge on Old Highway 80 – Vail, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams Recipe
If it’s thick overcast and rainy, the Urban Dreams Recipe is surprisingly an excellent option. Yes, it’s pretty good in daylight, too (even “golden hour” and at night), but give it a try on drab overcast days—I think you’ll really appreciate just how well it does in that situation.
Watch and Jewelry – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Nostalgic Negative Recipe
For natural-light indoor photography, a good option is the Nostalgic Negative Recipe. This is another great all-rounder that could be used in pretty much any daytime situation and produce excellent results, but specifically I’m recommending it for natural-light indoor pictures. For artificial-light indoor images, use the Recipe for nighttime photography below.
Alternative for “natural-light indoor” photography:
Brad’s – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pure Negative Recipe
If it’s after dark, an excellent option for nighttime or artificial light photography is Pure Negative. This is a low-contrast Recipe with a natural rendering, which makes it especially ideal for high contrast scenes, particularly during midday light; however, it also does quite well in the darkness between sunset and sunrise and in indoor artificial light situations.
The C6 slot is a bonus, and the Vibrant Arizona Recipe is a solid option to fill it with—and it’s one of the most popular Recipes right now. If you didn’t want to use Vibrant Arizona, you could instead select your favorite “alternative” Recipe from C1-C5 above, or use one below.
The newest black-and-white Film Simulation Recipe is Kodak T-Max P3200, and it has quickly become one of my favorites! If you don’t want to use this one, definitely give Kodak Tri-X 400 a try.
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I recently came across on article on PetaPixel by Chris Kuhn entitled Shooting Color and Black and White Film …At the Same Time. It was an interesting read and experiment, but I thought that it would be much easier to do something similar on a Fujifilm camera. And so I did. You can, too! Read on to find out how….
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The story that I found in that email was absolutely incredible! Whether or not you ever use the Film Simulation Recipe that Anders sent to me, the story itself makes this article a worthwhile read. I was (and still am) just blown away by it! It’s funny how life comes full circle in surprising ways sometimes.
“Some years back,” Anders Lindborg wrote me, “I found myself being totally photographically stuck. People liked my photos, but I could feel there was something missing from them and I thought they were still too amateurish. By chance, a photography magazine published an article called Learning How to See in which they mentioned a photographer named John Sevigny, an art teacher at a university in Mexico City. The magazine referenced Mr. Sevigny because he often talked with his students—and had also written some papers—about the subject of the article. Anyway, I started searching the internet and found many articles about him and his work. I also found some of his papers on the subject. Afterwards, I noticed that something gradually happened to my photos, and I realized that I could often see a deeper meaning in random ordinary things, people’s expressions and behavior. It really helped me, and I swore to never forget about this guy.”
“Life is funny,” Anders continued, “and I think I’m slowly starting to believe in this karma stuff. As it happens, awhile back I was contacted out of the blue by no other than John Sevigny himself! He had apparently found my stuff published on Fuji X Weekly very interesting and asked very kindly if I could help him out with the final touches on his upcoming book. The project that he had been working on was really heavy stuff, so he was temporarily burned out and needed some technical assistance, which I gladly provided. After the material for the book was finished, we continued chatting and I’m now proud to call him my friend.”
“After weeks of talking about photography, John mentioned that he really missed shooting with Kodak T-Max P3200 that he used to use all of the time while working as a news photographer. So, he said, how about making a recipe for it? I couldn’t resist, so we started developing it immediately. John provided me with all the information about the emulsion that I could possibly need, including a bunch of his own 25-year-old scans, but most important was his experience of shooting it daily for years. According to John, anytime there was a request for something that was going to be an article inside the newspaper, that’s the film they used since the available light would almost always be ranging from bad to worse. It didn’t matter if it was a sports event or a murder, they used Kodak T-Max P3200. After reading up about it (since I never shot it myself, sadly), I understood why: it was optimized to create sharp and (reasonably) detailed photos in generally bad light.”
Now Serving Bacon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak T-Max P3200 Recipe
“Much care and testing has been put into this recipe by both John and myself,” Anders concluded, “and since John had all this experienced with the film, he had to be the one to officially approve it, which he did. I couldn’t be happier with the results we got from the tests! I actually put his scans in a photo album together with my test shots and the only thing revealing was the lens quality. When using the recipe with a vintage lens, I promise that you’ll have a really hard time telling your photos apart from the real film! Even some of the film’s tell-tale quirks have been replicated.”
Wow! Thank you, Anders Lindborg and John Sevigny, for creating this Kodak T-Max P3200 Film Simulation Recipe and allowing me to share it with the Fujifilm community on Fuji X Weekly—your work is much appreciated! I really love how Fujifilm cameras and Film Simulation Recipes are bringing people together across the world—it’s truly amazing! As great as this Recipe is—and it is great—the story behind it is even better.
Like Anders, I have also (sadly) never shot with Kodak T-Max P3200 black-and-white negative film (I went with Ilford Delta 3200 instead). Originally released in 1988 (the ISO 100 and ISO 400 versions were released two years prior), Kodak discontinued T-Max P3200 in 2012, but reintroduced it (with an “improved” emulsion) in 2018. It’s actually an ISO 800 (some say ISO 1000) film that labs automatically develop with two stops of push-processing, unless you tell them otherwise. But you can shoot it at ISO 800 and not push or ISO 400 and pull one stop (for less contrast) or ISO 1600 and push one stop. Some (brave? crazy? desperate?) photographers even shot it at ISO 6400 and pushed it three stops! Kodak T-Max P3200 can basically be anywhere from an ISO 400 to an ISO 6400 film, and it can go from a fairly flat and fine-grained emulsion to a punchy and gritty film, just depending on how you shot and developed it.
With this Kodak T-Max P3200 Film Simulation Recipe, the higher the ISO you shoot with, the more it will resemble shooting the film at a higher ISO and push-processing, and the lower the ISO it will more resemble shooting at ISO 800 and not pushing in development. In other words, you are going to get somewhat different results at ISO 640 than ISO 6400; I especially appreciate how this Recipe looks from ISO 3200 to ISO 12800. You will need to consider if you want a cleaner or more grainy aesthetic, and choose an ISO that will produce those results.
If you have a Fujifilm X-Trans IV camera (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-S10, X-T30 II) or X-Trans V (X-H2, X-H2s, X-T5, X-S20, and any other released after publication), I invite you to give this Kodak T-Max P3200 Film Simulation Recipe a try! It’s not compatible with the X-T3 or X-T30 or X-Trans III, unfortunately; however, if you ignore Toning, Grain size, and Clarity, it should still produce good results, so don’t be afraid to give it a try. This Recipe should also work with GFX cameras, although I haven’t tested it and have no firsthand experience if it will look similar or not.
Film Simulation: Acros (orAcros+Y, Acros+R, Acros+G) Monochromatic Color (Toning): WC -1 & MG -1 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: 5500K, +4 Red & +7 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +1 Shadow: +3 Sharpness: +2 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 Kodak T-Max P3200 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5, X-E4 and X100V cameras:
Tall Flower Vine – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Tiny White Blooms – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Garden Bulb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Forest Stream – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
38th Way – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Palm in the Contrail Sky – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Tall Cactus – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Highlight & Shadow Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Backyard Barrel – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Water Wheel – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Castle Rock – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Jet Above the Rocks – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Cloud Above the Desert – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Arizona’s High Desert – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Oak Creek & Cathedral Rock – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Rocks & Big Sky – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Busy Parking Lot – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Delilah – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sunlit Suburban Tree Branch – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Peaceful Pool – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Josh by the Pool – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Closed Umbrella 2 – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Towel on Chair – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Empty Bench – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Please Don’t Litter – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilom X100V
Basket – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Hoop & Pine – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Bus Rider – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Camera Fight 1 – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Camera Fight 2 – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sisters in the Back of the Bus – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Lady with Paw-Print Earring – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Joy’s Smile – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Girl Along a Wall – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Preparing Hands – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Sink Full of Dirty Dishes – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Fake Plant – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Floor – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Table Lamp – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Outdoor Patio Lights – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Betty Elyse – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
ISO 640 vs ISO 12800:
ISO 640 Crop
ISO 12800 Crop
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Last Light on Brush – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – Fujicolor Pro Recipe
This Film Simulation Recipe is intended to produce an analog-like color-negative-film aesthetic with a classic Fujicolor palette. While I didn’t attempt to mimic any specific film, I had Fujicolor Pro 160NS in my mind as I made this. There are already Recipes for that film (here and here), and this one isn’t “better” than those two, but more of an alternative version that you might like. I also had pulled-process Fujicolor Pro 400H on my mind (there’s also already a Recipe for that); again I didn’t necessarily try to mimic that film and process specifically, but instead had the intention of producing a general Fujicolor Pro “memory color” (similar to what I did with my Nostalgic Color Recipe). This Fujicolor Pro Film Simulation Recipe works well in a variety of daylight situations, and produces a fairly distinct look.
The Fujicolor Pro Film Simulation Recipe has been a Patron Early-Access Recipe on the Fuji X Weekly App for over a year—it’s well past due to become available to everyone! And now it is. If you are an App Patron, be sure to look for the Early-Access Recipe that replaced this one.
Parking Garage – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Fujicolor Pro”
This Fujicolor Pro Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all Fujifilm X-Trans III cameras, plus the X-T3 & X-T30. For those with newer X-Trans IV cameras, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and I’d suggest Grain size Small. Those with “older” GFX models can use this Recipe, too, although it will render slightly differently (but try it anyway).
PRO Neg. Std Dynamic Range: DR400 Grain: Strong White Balance: 5900K, -2 Red & 0 Blue Color Chrome Effect: N/A (X-Trans III) or Off (X-T3/X-T30) Highlight: -2 Shadow: +3 Color: -2 Sharpness: -2 Noise Reduction: -4 ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Fujicolor Pro Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-H1:
Bunch of Honeysuckle Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Cage – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Easter Egg Hunting – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Jon with Messy Hair – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Stairs Up – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Main St. Market – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Yellow Among Green – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Frary Peak Sage – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Great Salt Lake Rocks – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Lake Between the Rocks – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Salt Lake From Antelope Island – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Island Brush – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Jetty – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Sunset Over Salt Lake – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
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I’m always fascinated by which Film Simulation Recipes you are using. I get a glimpse on social media, but my best gauge is the website statistics; specifically, which Recipe articles are viewed the most. Two months ago I shared with you the Top 10 most viewed Recipe articles of 2022 plus the most viewed through the first two months of 2023, and I was surprised by a couple of the rankings. Looking at this two months later, I’m once again surprised by a few things, and not so much by most of it.
So far in 2023, seven of the ten—including the Top 3—Film Simulation Recipes are for X-Trans IV camera. From the data I have, the majority of people who shoot with Recipes are doing so on X-Trans IV models. Kodachrome 64 remains king of Recipes, Kodak Portra 400 v2 is a close second, and Kodak Portra 400 is solidly third. Vintage Kodak and Classic Chrome (the original Fuji X Weekly Recipe), which are both for X-Trans III cameras (plus the X-T3 and X-T30), hold the fourth and fifth spots. Kodak Tri-X 400, the only B&W Recipe on this list, is sixth. Those first half-dozen are all identical rankings to 2022.
Kodak Ultramax 400 didn’t make last year’s Top 10 list, but it did rank number seven through the first two months of this year, and it continues to hold that through April. The X-Trans III version of Kodachrome II dropped one spot, while the X-Trans IV version moved out of the Top 10 completely. Pacific Blues didn’t make the Top 10 last year, but is number nine so far in 2023, up one spot from two months ago. Reggie’s Portra also didn’t make the Top 10 last year, but now holds the last spot, down one from two months ago, switching places with Pacific Blues. Kodak Ektar 100 and Nostalgic Negative both fell out of the Top 10.
10 Most Viewed Film Simulation Recipes of 2023 (…so far)
Now let’s look at April-only. How did the Film Simulation Recipes rank during those 30 days?
The big surprise is that Vibrant Arizona is number two. It’s a little complicated, because that article actually includes four Recipes—two for X-Trans IV and two for X-Trans V. Even though I published it only nine days ago, the Vibrant Arizona Recipe, which is intended to produce a Wes Anderson aesthetic, is being used a heck-of-a-lot right now! The only other surprises are that Pacific Blues moved up to number eight, while Kodak Tri-X 400 fell two spots to number nine and Kodachrome II fell two spots all the way to the bottom. The first seven Recipes, plus the last one, all use the Classic Chrome film sim, which is Fujifilm’s most popular.
In my first video in over 23 months, I talk about using ChatGPT to make an AI Film Simulation Recipe, and I compare it to my own Recipe. The video is below, so check it out if you haven’t watched it yet!
There’s a companion article for the video, which also happens to include two new Film Simulation Recipes, that you’ll want to check out as well (click here to read it). I really hope that you find both the article and video entertaining, enlightening, and helpful.
Backlit Green – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Fujicolor Pro 400H Recipe
What about the pictures in this article? What do they have to do with anything?
Yesterday afternoon I grabbed my Fujifilm X-E4 with the Fujinon 35mm f/2 attached, programmed the Fujicolor Pro 400H Film Simulation Recipe into C1, and walked around the block. Even if you don’t think your neighborhood is particularly photogenic, I would encourage you to grab your camera today, and just walk once around your block, keeping an eye out for picture opportunities. This is a great photographic exercise! Oh, and there might even be physical and mental health benefits, too, so there’s that. Anyway, athletes and musicians constantly practice, and I think photographers should do the same. You’ll only get better the more you use your camera, so, if you can, make sure that you get out and use your camera sometime today.
Rocky Hill in the Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1
I asked OpenAI’s ChatGPT to make a Film Simulation Recipe to mimic the look of Kodachrome X slide film. This wasn’t the first time that I attempted to use ChatGPT to make a Recipe for Fujifilm cameras… you might recall that the Urban Dreams Film Simulation Recipe was made by ChatGPT, and by chance it has some resemblance to Kodachrome 200. I learned a lot about the AI’s ability (or is it inability?) to make Recipes, so I decided to try again just for the fun of it.
Kodak introduced Kodachrome—a color transparency film, and the world’s first commercially successful color film—in 1935. Kodachrome X was in the second era of the emulsion, sold between 1962 and 1973. It was replaced by Kodachrome 64, which was discontinued in 2009. Today you cannot buy Kodachrome, and even if you found some old rolls of the film, you cannot even get it developed. Shooting with a facsimile Film Simulation Recipe on Fujifilm cameras is a great way to experience some of these old emulsions that no longer exist, such as Kodachrome X.
Here’s a YouTube video I made documenting the experience!
My opinion is that ChatGPT’s Recipe is much too vibrant to mimic Kodachrome X. While the film was richly vibrant for its time, no emulsion in the 1960’s was that colorful. Today it would be described more as true-to-life. There are also other issues I take with the settings that the AI chose, so I don’t think it did well at mimicking Kodachrome; however, that doesn’t mean the settings (by chance) don’t look nice.
ChatGPT’s Kodachrome X Recipe
My Kodachrome II v2 Recipe
After examining the ChatGPT Recipe, I decided that it reminds me a lot of Kodak Ektachrome E100VS. There have been over 40 different emulsions that carried the Ektachrome name over the years—each with their own unique look—and E100VS was just one. Kodak introduced this film in 1999 and discontinued it in 2012. Ektachrome E100VS was Kodak’s best attempt at Velvia, and was their most vibrant emulsion. The “VS” in the name meant Vividly Saturated. While it was similar to Velvia, it wasn’t identical—the warmth of the film was the most obvious difference—and many photographers preferred Fujifilm’s Velvia over Kodak’s Ektachrome E100VS. Still, at the pinnacle of the film era, it was a popular choice for landscape photographers wanting a boost in vibrancy.
I noticed with AI generated Film Simulation Recipes that most of the time it chooses Auto White Balance, Grain Strong, and stays within -2 to +2 on all of the settings; my experience is that it only occasionally strays from that. It also seems to always leave some necessary settings out, and you have to ask it to add those. Of course, no film has Auto White Balance—most are Daylight (around 5500K), and some are Tungsten (around 3200K). While it is amazing that ChatGPT can produce a Recipe for Fujifilm cameras, if it looks good or not—and if it truly produces the aesthetic that you asked for—is more by chance than skill. Also, it doesn’t like to cite its sources, which is just wrong in my opinion.
While it tried and failed to resemble 1960’s era Kodachrome, I still liked the look produced by ChatGPT’s Kodachrome X Film Simulation Recipe. Since it has some similarities to Kodak Ektachrome E100VS color transparency film, I renamed it after that emulsion. I also refined the settings to more closely resemble the film, and am including that as a second Recipe, which I call Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2. So v1 is ChatGPT’s Recipe, and v2 is my modified alternative.
I shot a number of rolls of Ektachrome E100VS back in my film days. Most of these pictures are stored away in little yellow boxes, but a few images have been scanned. Obviously, the scanner—and especially the quality of the scan—has an impact on the photo rendering. The four images below are some real Kodak Ektachrome E100VS frames that I shot many years ago. None of these are high-quality scans, and for that I apologize, and I hope you can overlook that aspect of the pictures. Also, it’s important to state that they all look significantly more impressive when viewed on a light table or especially from a slide projector.
Actual Kodak Ektachrome E100VS film
Actual Kodak Ektachrome E100VS film
Actual Kodak Ektachrome E100VS film
Actual Kodak Ektachrome E100VS film
How the film was shot had a significant impact on the look. For deeper blues and reds, one should underexpose the film slightly. For cyan sky and brighter (and warmer) colors, one should overexpose slightly. Of course, you had to be careful, because the film—like most slide films—had a narrow dynamic range, and there wasn’t much room for error either direction. These two Film Simulation Recipes behave similarly, although I believe v2 a little more so than v1.
Without further ado, here are the two Kodak Ektachrome E100VS Film Simulation Recipes!
Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1
ChatGPT Recipe for Kodachrome X
Beef Franks – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Ektachrome E100VS v1
This is the Recipe that ChatGPT created to mimic Kodachrome X, but it looks more like Kodak Ektachrome E100VS. It produces vivid colors similar to—but more warm and slightly less vibrant than—Velvia film. For darker blues and deeper reds, use a lower exposure compensation, and for lighter blues and brighter/warmer colors, use a higher exposure compensation. Because it uses Auto White Balance and DR400, you’ll find it to be quite versatile; however, the rendering is clearly “wrong” in some situations.
The Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 Film Simulation Recipe is fully compatible with X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2s, as well as “newer” X-Trans IV cameras, which include the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. You can use this Recipe on newer GFX cameras; however, it will render slightly differently (but try it anyway!). For the X-T3 and X-T30 (plus older GFX), you’ll have to ignore Color Chrome FX Blue, Grain size, and Clarity (since your camera doesn’t have those options), so it will definitely look a little different, but you might like it nonetheless; for X-Trans III, you’ll have to additionally ignore Color Chrome Effect.
Film Simulation: Velvia Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -2 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +1 Shadow: +1 Color: +2 Sharpness: +1 High ISO NR: -2 Clarity: +1 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Suburban Arches – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red, Green & Yellow – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pink Blossom in Spring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Boy in a Red Hat – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Saguaro & Abandoned Building – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Agave at the Mine – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spiderweb Among Thorns – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Yellow Flowers Behind Cactus – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Cactus Vailed by Sunlight – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Little Purple Wildflowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Veiled Cactus – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Spring in the Shade – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Shaded Bristlebush Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2
Fuji X Weekly Recipe
Unexpected X – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2
This version of Kodak Ektachrome E100VS is my modification to better mimic the film. It’s not too divergent—only slightly dissimilar—since it’s simply a modification of the AI Recipe, and not made from scratch. Because it uses more of a daylight-balanced Kelvin White Balance and DR200, it’s not quite as versatile as v1, and you have to be a little more careful of the light situation you are shooting in and pay closer attention to the highlights to avoid clipping. Sometimes it’s not completely correct, but I think in the “right” conditions it can be quite convincing—nearly identical to some slides I have.
The Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2 Film Simulation Recipe is fully compatible with X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2s, as well as “newer” X-Trans IV cameras, which include the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. Unfortunately, it is not compatible with the X-T3, X-T30, X-Pro3, or X100V. You can use this Recipe on newer GFX cameras; however, it will render slightly differently (but try it anyway!).
Film Simulation: Velvia Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: 5150K, +3 Red & -3 Blue Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: +1.5 Shadow: +0.5 Color: +1 Sharpness: -1 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: +3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5 and X-E4:
Americana Home – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Sky Behind Trees – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Boy in a Red Hat 2 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Abunda la Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Garden Apex – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bright Backyard Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Shaded Oleander Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Reddish Orange Cactus Flower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
White Paper Flowers – Beckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Hill through Palo Verde – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Little Pops of Purple – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Purple Spring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bunch of Yellow Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red Airplane – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset in Suburbia – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Comparison
In the three examples above, Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 is on the left (revealed by moving the slider right), and Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2 is on the right (revealed by moving the slider left).
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As a bonus, I asked OpenAI’s DALL-E 2 AI image creator to show me what ChatGPT creating Film Simulation Recipes looks like. The results? Awful, but also kind of funny! I tried rewording the request several different ways in hopes of getting a better image, but it never really got any better.
Here are a few:
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When I first watched the trailer for the upcoming Wes Anderson movie Asteroid City, I thought perhaps it might be possible to mimic the aesthetic on my Fujifilm X-T5; however, I quickly realized that it’s not possible straight-out-of-camera. The movie has an orange and teal look, and I’ve tried unsuccessfully for years to achieve that on Fujifilm. In order to get orange and teal, the White Balance Shift requires plus red for orange and minus red for teal; it’s not possible to do both, so you must decide which one you want: orange or teal? After a few hours of unsuccessfully trying to get the settings right, I gave up.
Then I saw your pictures on Instagram. Specifically, there were photos captured using the Bright Summer, Bright Kodak, Kodak Portra 400 Warm, and Pacific BluesFilm Simulation Recipes that had some Wes Anderson vibes to them, which convinced me to try again. I directly compared those four Recipes to Asteroid City screenshots, and decided that Bright Summer and Bright Kodak were the closest; however, none of them were quite right. So I set out to get a little closer—as close as I could—knowing that I wouldn’t be able to achieve a perfect match, but I hoped it would be similar enough that at a cursory glance it would pass for Asteroid City.
Popeyes – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vibrant Arizona Recipe
Knowing that most of you don’t have an X-Trans V camera, I made a version for X-Trans IV models, too, since the majority of those who shoot with Recipes do so on X-Trans IV cameras. Also, I figured that some of you won’t be satisfied with the results, and are after an even closer facsimile of Asteroid City, so I have some advice for that, too, a little further down, but it does require a small amount of post-editing with Capture One.
While attempting to mimic Asteroid City, I was inspired by another Wes Anderson film: The French Dispatch, specifically, the indoor scenes of the newspaper office, so I made Film Simulation Recipes for that, too—one for X-Trans V and another for X-Trans IV. I don’t know what the light situation was exactly in those scenes, so I don’t know if it would render similarly under identical light, but it does produce convincing results in certain artificial and mixed light scenarios.
If you are after a Wes Anderson look, check out the four Film Simulation Recipes below!
Vibrant Arizona (X-Trans V)
Look that Way – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vibrant Arizona Recipe
The Vibrant Arizona Film Simulation Recipe can be characterized as bright, colorful, and warm, yet still classic-analog-like, with some similarities to overexposed Kodak negative film. While not an exact match, I’m confident that it is as close as you’re going to get to an Asteroid City aesthetic straight-out-of-camera. The movie takes place in a fictional northern-Arizona town (although it was filmed in Spain, apparently), so that is why I’m calling it Vibrant Arizona.
An important note is that this Recipe uses D-Range Priority (a.k.a. DR-P), which takes the place of Dynamic Range and the Tone Curve (Highlight and Shadow). I don’t have a lot of Film Simulation Recipes which utilize D-Range Priority, but there are a few, including Pulled Fujicolor Superia, Scanned Superia, and Portra-Style, the last of which has some similarities to Vibrant Arizona.
This particular Recipe is for X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2s. For best results, use in sunny daylight. I shot in both the 3:2 and 16:9 aspect ratios, and preferred the latter for a more cinematic feel.
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: 4350K, +6 Red & -8 Blue Dynamic Range: DR-P Strong Color: +4 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to + 1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Vibrant Arizona Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Backyard Spring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spring or Fall? – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Star – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Ocotillo & Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Palo Verde on Rocks – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rocks & Vista – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Arizona View – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Girl with a Camera – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Contemplation – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Over There – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Please Let Me Get Back to Playing – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Neil’s – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Deere in the Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Apartment Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sonoran Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
The Yellow Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
A Cactus Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Main Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Vibrant Arizona (X-Trans IV)
Red Light – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vibrant Arizona Recipe
Because X-Trans V cameras render blue more deeply on some film simulations, the X-Trans IV version of this Recipe calls for Color Chrome FX Blue to be set to Strong instead of Weak, and is otherwise identical. This Vibrant Arizona Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. For the X-T3 and X-T30, you can ignore Grain size and Color Chrome FX Blue (since your camera doesn’t have those options), and use a 1/4 Black Pro Mist or 10% CineBloom diffusion filter in lieu of Clarity; however, it will look slightly different. For newer GFX models… I’m not sure if you should use this version or the X-Trans V version, but one of the two should work well on your camera—try them both, and see which you prefer.
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: 4350K, +6 Red & -8 Blue Dynamic Range: DR-P Strong Color: +4 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to + 1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Vibrant Arizona Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Bird in a Palm – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Green Sign – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Two Palm Building – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Indicative? – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Spring or Autumn? – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Caged – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea Branch Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Pink & Yellow – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea Garden – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Green Meets Red – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Asteroid City Edit
Asteroid City Edit
If you aren’t satisfied with how well the Vibrant Arizona Film Simulation Recipe matches Asteroid City, there is a quick and easy Capture One edit that will make your pictures even closer to the aesthetic of the motion picture film. Simply import your straight-out-of-camera JPEGs (not the RAW!) into Capture One, find the Basic Color Editor, and make these adjustments:
Cyan Hue -30 Lightness -20
Blue Hue -20 Saturation +50
Those are the adjustments that I made to the picture above plus the five images below. You might have to stray from the above settings and modify the exact parameters, just depending on the photographs, but for these six, I followed them precisely and made no other changes. With this edit, the pictures are pretty convincing, and there’s no doubt that we’re mimicking Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City. Even though this will get you closer to the movie aesthetic, I personally prefer the unedited versions.
There was a moment while creating the above Recipes that I became particularly frustrated with the process, so I took a break, and instead worked on a different Wes Anderson look. I was inspired by the indoor scenes inside the newspaper office in the movie The French Dispatch, so I began working on a Film Simulation Recipe to mimic that aesthetic. The look is warm when shot in warm light, with somewhat muted colors and low contrast. This is a much different aesthetic than Asteroid City, but it is another Wes Anderson film that’s popular right now.
While the movie takes place in a fictional French town, it was filmed in the real town of Angouleme, which apparently (and appropriately) is known as the City of the Image. While these Recipes look quite interesting in outdoor daylight situations, they are intended for artificial and mixed indoor lighting, which is where they really shine. That’s why I’ve named the two Film Simulation Recipes below Indoor Angouleme. Although none of the movie was filmed in the 16:9 aspect ratio, I used it for these Recipes, but feel free to use whichever aspect ratio you prefer.
Indoor Angouleme (X-Trans V)
Red Chair – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Indoor Angouleme Recipe
This version of the Indoor Angouleme Film Simulation Recipe uses the new Nostalgic Neg. film simulation. It also utilizes the Auto Ambience Priority White Balance, which I’ve only used once before (on the Ektachrome 320T Recipe). Indoor Angouleme is compatible with X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2s. Those with newer GFX cameras can use it, too; however, it will likely render slightly differently.
Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg. Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: Auto Ambience Priority, -2 Red & -6 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -2 Shadow: -2 Color: -1 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Indoor Angouleme Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Dessert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Nutmeg – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Iced or Hot? – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pumps – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mmmm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Tea Cup – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Artist at Work – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Making Salad – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Joshua in Front of a Curtain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spectacular Suburban Sunset – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pergola Corner – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Roof Ridge – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sun Peeking Behind Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Big Bloom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
A Pink Rose – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Indoor Angouleme (X-Trans IV)
Water, Fish, and View – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Indoor Angouleme Recipe
The Nostalgic Neg. film sim is somewhat similar to Eterna, and can sometimes be closely mimicked with it. Since X-Trans IV models don’t have Nostalgic Neg., I used Eterna instead. While this version isn’t 100% identical to the X-Trans V Recipe, it is pretty close overall, and retains the same feel.
This version of Indoor Angouleme is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. To use it on the X-T3 and X-T30, ignore Color Chrome FX Blue and Grain size (since your camera doesn’t have those options), select regular AWB (since your camera doesn’t have the Ambience option), and use a 1/4 Black Pro Mist or 10% CineBloom diffusion filter in lieu of Clarity; however, it will look slightly different.
Film Simulation: Eterna Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: Auto Ambience Priority, -1 Red & -6 Blue Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: -1 Shadow: -1 Color: +4 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Indoor Angouleme Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Tabletop Succulent – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bookshelf Plant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sugar & Creamer – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
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Vibrant Flowerbed – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia Recipe
April showers bring May flowers, as the saying goes. Yes, it’s wildflower season already, and if you are not sure which Film Simulation Recipe to program into your Fujifilm camera to capture the colorful spectacle, this article should help with that. No matter which Fujifilm X-Trans camera you have, there’s a Recipe for you to try today!
This is far from a comprehensive list of Film Simulation Recipes that will work well for photographing spring blossoms. There are nearly 300 Recipes, and most of them could be a good choice, depending on the exact subject, lighting, and your style. This list is simply a selection of the ones that I personally like and can recommend to you. Feel free to try other Recipes not included in the list below. If I didn’t include your favorite Recipes for photographing spring flowers, let me know in the comments because I’d love to hear which ones you use. If you are not sure which Film Simulation Recipe to try, these recommendations should get you started.
I’m always working on new Film Simulation Recipes. Even though there are nearly 300 on the Fuji X Weekly App (available for both Android and Apple), I’m nowhere near finished. There are so many more that I want to create!
Recently I’ve been working on two specific Recipes that I’m especially excited about. I’m not going to say today what they are inspired by or are supposed to mimic—feel free to guess in the comments! Both required a lot of testing and adjusting and retesting and readjusting… and compromises. I look forward to sharing them with you soon. Which one are you most excited for: Recipe 1 or Recipe 2? Let me know!
Rodeo Cold – Cave Creek, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Is there a better way to get a retro film look? In my opinion, the answer is yes!
Notice that I didn’t say the best way, only a better way. The best way to get a retro film look is to shoot actual analog film on a retro film camera; however, film is expensive and the process inconvenient. Digital is much more convenient, but digital images inherently don’t resemble film—one must manipulate them. There are numerous programs, plugins, and presets that will provide you with a film look without a lot of fuss, but it does require some level of post-processing; editing pictures is a good way to get a retro film look, but a couple downsides are 1) you must have access to (and pay for) the software and know how to use it and 2) it takes time to edit all of your pictures. There is another way, which I believe is a better way.
It’s very simple: shoot JPEGs on Fujifilm cameras programmed with analog-likeFilm Simulation Recipes and use vintage lenses. I say that this is a better way because you can achieve a retro film look without the hassle of picture manipulation. Better, of course, is subjective, but this is an increasingly popular method, largely because more and more photographers are deciding that it is indeed a better way for them.
Fujifilm cameras are an important ingredient to this because, when programming their digital output, Fujifilm utilized their film department to assist with the image rendering. In other words, using their vast film experience, they set out to infuse an analog aesthetic into their digital photographs. Film Simulation Recipes take it a step further by fine-tuning the camera settings to better replicate specific film stocks and/or processes or mimicking certain looks. There are nearly 300 Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly App (available for Android and Apple), so be sure to download it if it’s not already on your phone. You can do pretty much the same thing as Recipes with software, but it will not 100% match the straight-out-of-camera images and you will have to work for it (at least a little), while camera-made JPEGs are good-to-go without editing (the work is already done for you). This is a paradigm shift that can dramatically transform your workflow by drastically simplifying it, which saves you a lot of time, hassle, and potentially money, while simultaneously making photography more fun. Like I said: better.
The final ingredient is the glass. Modern lenses are often precision engineered, making them nearly flawless. That’s great if you want a digital look, but if you want a retro film look you should employ the same lenses that were used to shoot film, which often have flaws that give them character—an important aspect of the analog aesthetic. Find some old glass and shoot through it! You’ll need an adapter—the exact one depends on the mount of the lens—and set the camera to “Shoot Without Lens” in the Menu settings. These lenses are manual focus, which can be tricky at first, but thankfully Fujifilm provides you with some excellent tools to assist with it, making manual focus much easier and more enjoyable. Alternatively, you could use inexpensive third-party lenses, which often have similar characteristics to vintage lenses, and you won’t need a special adapter.
For the pictures in this article, I used a Fujifilm X-T5 programed with my AgfaChrome RS 100 Film Simulation Recipe shot through various tiny Pentax-110 lenses. The straight-out-of-camera results are very analog-like, and could probably pass as actual film photographs if I didn’t provide any background information. You’re not likely to think that these are out-of-camera pictures from a modern camera. If you weren’t convinced that they’re film, you’d likely assume some post-processing was done to make them appear film-like, yet they’re unedited. In any event, if you want a better way to get a retro film look, use Fujifilm cameras programmed with Film Simulation Recipes and shoot through vintage lenses. Simple. Easy. Convincing. Fun.
Colorful Wheel – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Turn Signal – Cave Creek, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Rockshop – Rock Springs, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Out the Upstairs Window – Rock Springs, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Pie – Rock Springs, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Kokopelli – Rock Springs, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Fuzzy – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 70mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Yellow – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 70mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Desert Spring – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 70mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Two Cholla – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 70mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Spring Lupine – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 50mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Purple Lupine – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 50mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Yellow Spring – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 50mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Blossoms Among Ocotillos – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
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Night Statue – Jackson Hole, WY – Fujifilm X100V – Serr’s 500T Recipe
Which Film Simulation Recipes are good for nighttime photography? With nearly 300 to choose from, it can be difficult to know when to use which Recipe. Almost all film emulsions are either Daylight-balanced or Tungsten-balanced; similarly, most Recipes are intended for daytime photography, and some are intended for nighttime photography. There are also some that, even though made for sunny conditions, still do well after the sun goes down. So let me suggest to you 10 Film Simulation Recipes that do well at night!
Depending on the exact light situation, some Film Simulation Recipes that are intended for daytime use will still look good at night, and other times they will produce a strong warm cast that you might not like. While adjusting the White Balance to better suite the situation is always an acceptable option (“season to taste” the Recipe), picking a Recipe that is intended for the light situation you are in is my preferred method. Like film, it’s better to pick the “right” one that matches the conditions you’ll be shooting in, but there’s no right or wrong way to do photography, so you’ll have to decode what works for you.
Of course, everyone has different tastes. There are some Recipes that you might love, and some that you might not. Your favorite after-dark Recipe might not be in this list, as it’s not comprehensive. There are certainly other Recipes that I have personally used and liked for nighttime photography; however, these are ones that I think are especially well-suited. A couple were tough cuts, and would certainly have been included if it was 15 Recipes and not 10.
If you are not sure which Film Simulation Recipe to use at night, try one of these!
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Thomas was simply trying to make a Recipe using the Nostalgic Neg. film sim that would be good for portraits. The Recipe he created has a distinctive Ektachrome aesthetic, especially similar to National Geographic photographs prior to Ektachrome’s discontinuation by 2013 (prior to the revival in 2018). That was, of course, by chance and not intentional, but there certainly are some similarities, and why this Recipe is called Thommy’s Ektachrome. It’s not only good for portraits, but also landscapes and I’m sure many genres of photography. This Recipe does particularly well in sunny daylight, but is good for overcast, shade, and natural-light indoors, too.
Way Over That Way – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Thommy’s Ektachrome
Because this Thommy’s Ektachrome Film Simulation Recipe uses the new Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, it is only compatible with the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2S (as well as any other X-Trans V camera released after this article is published). Those with newer GFX cameras can likely use it, too, although it will probably render slightly different (but try it anyway!).
Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg. Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Weak Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: 5000K, -1 Red & +3 Blue Dynamic Range: DR100 Highlight: +1.5 Shadow: +1.5 Color: +1 Sharpness: -1 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +0 to +1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using Thommy’s Ektachrome Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Amanda Using RitchieCam– Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Caterpillar Blossoms – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Wildflower Spring – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Lupine – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Colors of Spring – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rain on a Green Leaf – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Raindrops on Rose Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Trumpet Flower in Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Water Drop on a Lightbulb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spring Cage – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Breakfast – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fallen Tree over Sabino Creek – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sabino Creek – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Waterfall from Snowmelt – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Waterfall over Stone – Summerhaven, AZ -Fujifilm X-T5
Historic Ranch House – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Jon in the Forest – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Reserved – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Two at the Overlook – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Old Man at the Vista – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mountains – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rock Climbers – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Resting on Top – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Pine – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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Empty Baseball Field – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1 – Provia Negative Recipe
Unlike most Film Simulation Recipes, I didn’t model this one after any film or process. My first thought was this: how can I make a Recipe that’s helpful. Let me back this up a minute. Unless your camera is an X-Pro3 or newer, you cannot save a white balance shift with your C1-C7 custom presets; however, your camera will remember one shift per white balance type, so if each C1-C7 recipe uses a different white balance type, you won’t have to remember to change the shift when you change Recipes. For X-Trans II, there are recipes that use Auto, Daylight (which Fujifilm calls “Fine” for some reason), Kelvin, and Shade, so I thought it would be helpful to create a recipe that calls for a different white balance type that I haven’t yet used.
After some playing around, I created a Film Simulation Recipe that I was quite happy with. It reminds me a little of Fujichrome Provia 100F slide film, but less vibrant, and a tad less contrasty, too, but still kind of similar; however, I think the tonality is more similar to negative film than reversal film. That’s why I call this recipe Provia Negative. This recipe has a slight cool color cast, with white leaning towards blue. I was able to get good results in several different light situations—including indoors, overcast, and shade—but it is especially well suited for sunny daylight.
Indoor Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1 – Provia Negative Recipe
This Provia Negative Film Simulation Recipe was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, so subscribers to the App have been able to use it since July; however, a new Early-Access Recipe has replaced it, so it is now available to everyone. Because it uses the Classic Chrome film simulation, it is only compatible with X-Trans II camera with Classic Chrome, which are the Fujifilm X100T, X-E2, X-E2S, X-T1, X-T10, X30, XQ2, and X70.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -2 (Soft) Shadow: +2 (Hard) Color: +2 (High) Sharpness: -1 (Medium-Soft) Noise Reduction: -2 (Low) White Balance: Fluorescent 3, -2 Red & -2 Blue ISO: Auto up to ISO 3200 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Provia Negative Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T1 and Fujifilm X70 cameras:
Fake Leaf by Real Window – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Cienega Creek Bridge – Vail, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Sharp Agave – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Two Magenta Flowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
One Bloom Remains – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Pink & Green – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Pop of Warmth – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Pink Flower Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Pink Flower Blossom 2 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Bougainvillea Pink – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Backlit Flowers & Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Basketball in the Grass – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Go Supply – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Hobby Lobby – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
1:40 Diner – Benson, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Square on Block Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
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Fading Flowers in the Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm – “Superia Summer”
I almost always have several experimental Film Simulation Recipes programmed into each of my Fujifilm cameras. Sometimes these developmental settings become Recipes and sometimes they don’t (more don’t than do). Occasionally I forget the story behind an experimental Recipe—why the settings are the way they are, and what I was intending to mimic. It might have been a film photograph I saw, or a film stock someone requested I copy, or a certain photographer’s aesthetic—whatever it was, I just don’t remember. That’s the case with this Recipe: it was programmed into C5 on my Fujifilm X-E4 with the custom name “Exp 9/21” and no further details. I suppose I initially created it back on September 21, but I don’t remember why. The story of it is a complete mystery to me.
Just recently I noticed this Recipe in my camera, and—not remembering what it was—I decided to shoot with it. And I was blown away. The results were stunning! Why didn’t I use it back in September? I don’t know. What I do know is that it produces beautiful analog-like pictures. It reminds me of Fujicolor Superia—maybe 200 or 400—overexposed by about a stop, and shot with a warming filter (such as an 81a or 81b) or maybe with a Takumar lens that has turned yellow due to the thorium coating—perhaps printed on Kodak paper, too, instead of Fujifilm Crystal Archive. It has a strong warm cast, but still retains that distinct Superia palette, so I’m calling it Superia Summer. I cannot overstate just how much I like it!
2nd Story Windows – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm – “Superia Summer”
This Superia Summer Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. Because Blue is rendered more deeply on X-Trans V cameras, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off in order to use it on the X-T5, X-H2, or X-H2s (or any other X-Trans V camera that is released after this writing). For the X100V and X-Pro3, I recommend using the Fujicolor 100 Gold Recipe or Superia Xtra 400 Recipe instead, which produce similar results, or simply set Highlight to -1 and Shadow to 0. For best results, use the Superia Summer Film Simulation Recipe in sunny daytime light; it does alright in cloudy conditions, too, as long as it’s not thick overcast.
Classic Negative Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1.5 Shadow: -0.5 Color: +1 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -1 Clarity: -4 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: 5300K, +3 Red & -6 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Superia Summer” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Desert Creek – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Wildflower Creek – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Riverbed – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Rocks in the Water – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Desert Stump – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Hiding Stump – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm
Water & Stone – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Young Giant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Cholla in the Flower Field – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm
Red-Tipped Cacti – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Saguaro Wren – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm
Saguaro Sky – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Palm Tree Three – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Roof Vent – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm
Bougainvillea Villa – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm
Vibrant Red – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm
Morning Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm
Falling Door – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Abandoned Building Through Broken Window – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Blurry Building – Litchfield, Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Crack of Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm
Chairback Window – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm
Comparison:
Superia Summer Recipe
Fujicolor 100 Gold Recipe
Fujicolor Xtra 400 Recipe
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I shared with you yesterday that Mango Street posted a YouTube video entitled If Camera Brands Were People, where they (in all humor) suggested that Fujifilm photographers use Film Simulation Recipes to capture images of basketball hoops. Of course that’s true, at least to some extent, because I have photographed a few hoops over the years, and I imagine that some of you have, too. To be fully honest, I’ve been photographing basketball hoops long before I ever picked up my first Fujifilm camera. Also, I should disclose that basketball hoops are rarely in my pictures, only occasionally.
Despite my limited experience in this specific genre, just for fun and to expound on Mango Street’s comedy, I will suggest to you seven Film Simulation Recipes for photographing basketball hoops. These are certainly not the only Recipes that will work well for this, and they might not even be the best, but they are ones that I have personally used, so I am happy to recommend them to you. You’ll find the seven Recipes below.
This is, of course, my least serious article of this type. The other posts where I suggest Recipes for different scenarios are intended to be helpful, and not funny like this one. Even so, I do hope that at least one of these seven is worth your consideration the next time you encounter an interesting basketball hoop somewhere out in the wilds of suburbia. You might want to bookmark this page, just in case.
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Green Hills – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe
This Film Simulation Recipe is intended to mimic Kodachrome 25 color transparency film, which was introduced in 1974, replacing the similar Kodachrome II emulsion. I was fortunate to shoot a few rolls of Kodachrome 25. It was a beautiful film, and probably the sharpest color film ever made, but its low ISO made it difficult to use. Kodachrome 64, which was still a low-ISO film, was significantly faster. The major differences between the two Kodachrome emulsions is that the ISO 25 version was sharper and less grainy, while the ISO 64 version was more contrasty, vibrant and a hair warmer. Both were very similar, though, and it would be hard to spot the differences without a close inspection. Some people preferred the slightly more subtle tones and finer detail of Kodachrome 25, and some preferred the faintly punchier pictures rendered on Kodachrome 64. Kodak discontinued Kodachrome in 2009.
No Lifeguard at 8 – Oceanside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe
This Kodachrome 25 Film Simulation Recipe is intended for Fujifilm X-Trans V models, which (as of this writing) include the X-H2, X-H2S, and X-T5 cameras. It’s compatible with newer GFX models too, but will likely render slightly different on those cameras. Those with an X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II, try the Kodachrome 25 Recipe for those models (click here).
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Grain Effect: Off Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: Daylight, +2 Red & -4 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +0.5 Shadow: -0.5 Color: +1 Sharpness: +3 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: +3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 1600 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Kodachrome 25” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Veteran – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dormant Trees Reflected – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
White Flowers Faux – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunrise Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pink on a Grey Day – Oceanside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Backyard Joy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Wet Haired Boy – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Raymond Photographing Flowers – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Cholla Arms – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rock Ridge – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Flowers in the Dry Desert – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Remnants of a Tree – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Prickles – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Cacti – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Tall Cactus – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
***Note: When this Kodachrome 25 Film Simulation Recipe was first published, this article mistakenly listed Auto instead of Daylight for White Balance. In the Fuji X Weekly App it has always been correct.***
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After yesterday’s Take the BlindBlind Film Simulation Recipe Test article, I’ve been asked a couple of times what were the 10 Film Simulation Recipes that I provided to Andrew Goodcamera. You see, he asked me to give him a list of the Top 10 most popular Film Simulation Recipes of 2022. Now, I have no way of knowing which are the most used; however, I can tell which are the Top 10 most viewed Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website. Are page-views a good indication of use? Probably, but it’s also quite possible that some Recipes are overrepresented and others are underrepresented. Unfortunately I don’t have a more accurate metric, so this will have to suffice.
Below you will find the Top 10 most popular Film Simulation Recipes of 2022 based on page-views, in order from least to most popular. Seven of them are X-Trans IV Recipes (for the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, & X-T30 II cameras), and three are X-Trans III Recipes (plus compatible with the X-T3 & X-T30). X-Trans V Recipes are pretty new—the oldest published in the third week of November—so it make sense that none made this list, and I suspect that they’ll become increasingly more popular throughout 2023. The Recipes for X-Trans I, II, Bayer, and GFX just aren’t nearly popular enough to crack this list (not likely a Top 20 list, either). The majority of people who shoot using Film Simulation Recipes are doing so on X-Trans III and newer cameras, and the largest group are shooting with X-Trans IV models.
Interestingly, the Classic Chrome Recipe, which is the second one ever published on Fuji X Weekly, ranks pretty high. Black-and-white Recipes aren’t usually as popular as color, so I’m happy to see the Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe climb the list. I’m not surprised by much else, so let’s get to that list!
Which of these Film Simulation Recipes do you use most? What is your favorite Recipe not found on this list? Let me know in the comments!
I also thought it would be interesting to see if 2023 is trending different so far, or if the Recipes rank the same. While the top half of the list looks nearly identical, there are some notable differences in the bottom half. Pacific Blues is one of my top-favorite recipes, so I’m happy to see it crack the Top 10.
Getting an analog color negative film look from your Fujifilm camera is super easy! Pick a Film Simulation Recipe, program it into your camera, and photograph with it. You can get straight-out-of-camera analog-like results that don’t require any editing. But with almost 300 Recipes published on this website and the Fuji X Weekly App, it can be difficult to know which ones to choose. If you are not sure, let me suggest to you the five below. Yes, there are many others that will also get you a color negative film look, so this list is by no means definitive, but it might be a good starting point.
Fujicolor Reala 100 is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II; for X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak. Fujicolor Natura 1600 is compatible with the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II; for X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak. Fujicolor Pro 400H and Kodak Portra 400 are compatible with the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II; for X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off. Kodak Gold 200 is compatible with X-Trans III plus the X-T3 and X-T30; for newer X-Trans IV models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, set Clarity to 0, and choose a Grain size (I recommend Small).
Find these Film Simulation Recipes and so many more in the Fuji X Weekly App! Download for free today; consider becoming an App Patron to unlock the best experience and support the work of this website.
