Someone asked for a direct comparison of the six Recipes from the article. That wasn’t really the intention of the post, but I understand why that could be helpful. I’ve had requests for years to photograph the same scene with each Recipe so that direct comparisons can be made (maybe something like the DPReview Studio Shot Comparison Tool, except with Recipes). That would be a daunting task to say the least, but I get why people might want that. Personally, I prefer to see how things work “in real life” in a variety of situations, and I don’t find test charts or static studio scenes to be particularly useful (or at least they tend to miss the most important things). I wanted to fulfill the request for a direct comparison for these six Recipes, so I reprocessed in-camera two exposures using each of the six Recipes. You’ll find those images below.
Ektachrome E100
Kodachrome 64
Kodak Ultramax 400
Kodak Gold 200
Kodak Portra 800 v3
Summer of ’59
Ektachrome E100
Kodachrome 64
Kodak Ultramax 400
Kodak Gold 200
Kodak Portra 800 v3
Summer of ’59
Interestingly enough, for my personal tastes, the Recipe that I liked best in the first set was one of my least favorites in the second set, and the Recipe that I liked least best in the first set was one of my favorites in the second set. The lighting and subject can make all of the difference. I don’t think a single Recipe exists that’s perfect for every subject and situation (obviously, some are more versatile than others), and that’s why most Fujifilm cameras have seven Custom Settings presets. With seven Recipes available at any given time, you are much more likely to have an excellent option for whatever you encounter. In the right light and for the right subject, each of these six could be a good choice; however, there are likely scenarios where each of these Recipes would not be good, some more than others.
The two Recipes in this article that are the most similar to each other are Kodachrome 64 and Kodak Ultramax 400. In sunny daylight, they can produce a difficult-to-distinguish (but not 100% identical) aesthetic; however, they differ more in other light situations, and are easier to tell apart. The one that’s the most divergent is Ektachrome E100. Kodak Portra 800 v3 and Summer of ’59 are the most warm, with Kodak Gold 200 not terribly far behind. Which of these six is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!
One of the cool new features of the Fuji X Weekly App is Categories. There are a couple of ways to interact with and use Categories, one of which is only available to Patron subscribers, which is what we’re discussing in this article. For App Patrons, if you select Filter you can Filter By Category, in addition to all the other Filter options. This can really help you to hone in on Film Simulation Recipes for your specific situation and desired aesthetic. Let me illustrate.
Let’s say that you have a fifth-generation X-Trans camera, like the X100VI, X-T5, X-E5, etc., and you want a film-like aesthetic for Americana pictures that’s good for both landscape and street photography, you can find that. Simply Filter By your camera or sensor generation, and choose those Categories: Americana, Film-like, Landscapes, and Street. You can select as many or as few as you’d like—the more Categories you choose, the fewer results you’ll get. While you may not see a lot of options, the Film Simulation Recipes you do see will match your request pretty well. Let’s take a look at the results.
Across the Grand Expanse – Grand Canyon, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 64
If there’s one film-like Recipe for Americana photography that’s good for both landscape and street photography, it’s Kodachrome 64. The film that this Recipe is based on is, of course, iconic. There are also versions for other cameras: X-Trans IV, X-T3/X-T30, and X-Trans II.
All Way Stop – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – Summer of ’59
Summer of ’59 is currently a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe. Those that can Filter By Category can also view and use this Recipe; for everyone else, it will eventually become available once it has been replaced by a new Early-Access Recipe.
Ektachrome E100 is another App Patron Early-Access Recipe. It’s the most different of the six in this article. Like the previous one, this is currently only available to Patron subscribers, but it will eventually be available to everyone.
If you don’t have the Fuji X Weekly App on your phone, download it for free today—it’s available in both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. It’s intended to be a useful free tool; however, becoming a Patron subscriber unlocks the best experience, and supports Fuji X Weekly.
Nearly a year ago, at the beginning of 2025, I began a Recipe series with the intention of clearing up the backlog of Early-Access Recipes that have only been available to Fuji X Weekly App Patrons for years. I never intended for Early-Access Recipes to be unavailable to non-subscribers for so long, so I devised a plan to make one new Early-Access Recipe using each Film Simulation to expedite the process. I had hoped to get through most of the Film Simulations in 2025; while Provia and Velvia came together without too much trouble, I got stuck on Astia.
I started working on this Recipe early in the summer. My inspiration was some Provia 100F slides that I captured 20 years ago. Unfortunately, I got frustrated because, while I could get pretty close sometimes, most of the time it was off just enough that I considered my attempts as failures. It seemed like it was possible, but I always came up just short. So I shelved it for a few months, and didn’t try again until autumn. I gave myself a little more grace this time, deciding that it didn’t necessarily need to be accurate, only good. If the pictures captured using this Recipe looked nice, I should be satisfied with it. That’s how this Astia Negative Recipe evolved.
Interestingly, just a few days ago, Dan Allen shared with me some pictures he had captured with Kodak’s new Kodacolor 100 35mm film. He told me that he got some “weird results” from the scans, which he tried to fix with post-processing. The images he shared with me had a striking resemblance to this Recipe. Not a 100% match by any means, but surprisingly similar nonetheless. Perhaps this could be thought of as a Recipe for the new Kodacolor 100 film that had unexpected results from scanning and were corrected in-post. Or it’s just a nice looking Recipe that occasionally has some resemblance to Fujichrome Provia 100F, but most often doesn’t.
What you can expect is a contrasty and colorful daylight-balanced aesthetic that leans slightly towards blue. It’s bold but not over-the-top. It tends to work best in slightly-warm low-contrast light, but it can look great in a variety of situations. While Astia tends to be a good option for portrait photography, this particular Recipe probably isn’t your best bet for that. For landscapes, it can be quite excellent.
This Astia Negative Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III cameras (in other words, all X-Trans IV and V cameras except for the X-T3 and X-T30). You can also use it on the GFX100, GFX100S, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, GFX100RF, and the GFX Eterna 55; for the GFX 50S II, I recommend increasing Shadow by +0.5. This is a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, which means that it’s available today on the App to subscribers.
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Astia Negative Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E5 and X100VI:
Hollow Face – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Golden Tree in Red Canyon – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Oak Leaves – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Bright Yellow Leaves – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Window to Nowhere – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Road through Dark Forest – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Just Around the Bend – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Vintage Car – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Vibrant Autumn Trees – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Bougainvillea Blossoms over Roof – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Sky Tram – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Purple Patina – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Rosy Santa – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Sunshine Smile – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Swirly – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Medieval Mist – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Flying Horse – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Orchestra – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Look at this Meme – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Happy Holidays – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 400 more in the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
A Fuji X Weekly reader shared with me some scans of expired Kodak Vision2 250D motion picture film that he shot on a Canon camera and had developed using the ECN-2 process. The pictures were very interesting, and I thought it would be fun to recreate the aesthetic for my Fujifilm cameras. I don’t feel that this Recipe is a 100% perfect match, but it’s pretty darn close, and definitely has the right vibe.
Kodak made Vision2 250D, a daylight-balanced color negative motion picture film, from 1997 to 2005. It was replaced by the very similar Vision3 250D. I have two Film Simulation Recipes for Kodak Vision3 250D (here and here), which renders noticeably different than this Expired Kodak Vision2 250D Recipe. I doubt this will be anyone’s go-to option for everyday use, but it is a fun Recipe to use occasionally, especially if you like warm pictures. Some people enjoy purposely using expired film, and this Recipe—plus a handful of others, like Kodak Farbwelt 200 Expired, Kodak Gold Max 400 Expired, Expired Velvia, etc., etc.—allows you to replicate the experience with your Fujifilm camera.
For “newer” fourth-generation cameras—specifically, the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II—set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak; for fifth-generation cameras, which are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off. Those with newer GFX models can use this Recipe, too. The Tone Curve options (Highlight and Shadow) are not included below because this Recipe uses D-Range Priority, which disables the Tone Curve plus Dynamic Range. Fuji X Weekly App Patron subscribers have had access to this Recipe for two years now, but it’s been replaced by a different Early-Access Recipe, so it’s now available to everyone.
Film Simulation: Eterna Bleach Bypass D-Range Priority: DR-P Auto Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off (X-Trans V); Weak (X-Trans IV) White Balance: 8700K, -4 Red & -3 Blue Color: -2 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Expired Kodak Vision2 250D Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4 and Fujifilm X-T5:
X-Trans IV
Sun Below the Trees and Above a Building – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Waterless Fountain Detail – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Fountain Corrosion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Reflection & Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Architectural Abstract – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Four Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sunlight through Tree Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
End of the Road – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Cactus Moon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
X-Trans V
Fresh Blooms, Fading Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Electric Wheels – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Empty Pathway, Empty Chairs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Indoor Joy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Concrete Shapes – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sun-Kissed Shrub Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Garden Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Stucco & Spanish Tiles – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
CVS Pharmacy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunlit Bulb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red Vans – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Watering Pot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Backyard Girl – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Happy Boy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea & Blurry Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pink Oleander Blossoms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Cactus Spikes – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Curious Dog – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Enjoying the Outdoors – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunstar through Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Arizona Sunset & Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and 400 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
I get asked fairly regularly which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular. For me, this is a fascinating topic, but it’s definitely hard to know definitively. While I get a glimpse on social media, my best gauge is the Fuji X Weekly website statistics; specifically, which Recipe articles are viewed the most. I don’t collect any data on the Fuji X Weekly App, so that’s no help—although, if I did, it would likely offer the most accurate picture; however, it would still be impossible to know which Recipes people programmed into their Fujifilm cameras, or how often they used each. Perhaps a survey would be particularly useful, yet even it has its limitations. While certainly a flawed method, page-view website statics offer the best glimpse at which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular, so that’s what I’m using for this article. These are simply the Top 25 most-viewed Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website in 2025.
It’s been awhile since I did one of these articles—the last time was sixth months ago. There’s always some movement from month-to-month, but overall it’s pretty predictable. Taking a six-month view offers more clear picture than a 30-day snapshot. That’s why I waited until the end of the year before doing another. Even though it’s not December 31st, there’s unlikely to be any movement over the next two weeks, so it’s safe to conclude the order.
Pool Remnant – Rodanthe, NC – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Kodak Tri-X 400
Twenty four of the Recipes below were also in the Top 25 at the mid-point of 2025; twenty of them were in the Top 25 of 2024. The order did change a little, but otherwise it’s the usual suspects. Those Recipes with Kodak brand names in the title—Kodachrome, Portra, Gold, Tri-X, etc., etc.—are typically the most popular. Classic Chrome is the king of film simulations, as the majority of the most-viewed Recipes are based on that film simulation. Classic Negative and Reala Ace are battling for a distant second and third place. Acros, Eterna, and Nostalgic Neg. are neck-in-neck-in-neck for the fourth, fifth, and sixth positions.
Without any further delay, below are the most popular Recipes of 2025!
Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes of 2025
Reggie’s Portra, which uses Classic Chrome, is now the number one top Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly! It’s always been popular, but interest in this Recipe has soared this year. Last year it was in third place, pretty far behind first. In 2025, it edged out the long-time reigning champion. Reggie Ballesteros created it in 2022 by modifying my Kodak Portra 400 Recipe to better suit his style and needs. Of the various Portra Recipes, this is the most versatile, and the most popular for portrait photography. Reggie’s Portra is compatible with X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras.
A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that was the long-time most popular Film Simulation Recipe for Fujifilm cameras on this website. It’s one of my personal favorites, and, really, a lot of people’s favorites. It moved down one position since 2024.
This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Gold 200; the X-Trans III/IV version is found later in the list. The Kodak Gold 200 Recipes uses Classic Chrome. Ranked #15 last year, it has moved up quite significantly.
This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Portra 400 v2; the X-Trans IV version is found below. This is one of my personal favorites. It uses Classic Chrome. This Recipe climbed two positions since last year.
The Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe, created by Anders Lindborg, is the long-time most popular B&W Recipe on Fuji X Weekly. It’s based on the Acros film simulation, and has compatibility with X-Trans III, X-Trans IV, and X-Trans V models. This is one of my absolute top-favorite Recipes. In 2024 it was ranked 10th.
This is an Eterna-based Recipe for X-Trans V cameras; however, it’s simply an adaptation of the X-Trans IV version that has been around awhile. This is the first Recipe in this list that doesn’t use Classic Chrome. In 2024 it was ranked 24, so it’s moved up quite a bit.
Pacific Blues is currently the most popular Classic Negative Recipe. This particular version is compatible with X-Trans IV models, but there’s also an X-Trans V version a little further down the list. This is another of my personal favorite Recipes. It fell three positions since last year.
It’s probably unfair to include this Recipe in the list because it’s not one, but 14 Recipes. Its inclusion is a little unfair, but here it is. It’s intended to be used with the Film Dial, or with any X-Trans V camera by mapping Film Simulation to customizable button. I have no way of knowing which of the 14 are the most used. This Recipe was published in 2025.
This Recipe uses the Reala Ace film simulation, which means that it is compatible with X-Trans V cameras. It wasn’t in the Top 25 last year; it’s position remains unchanged since June.
This version of Kodak Portra 400, which uses Classic Chrome and is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras, was once commonly the third most popular Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly. While it doesn’t rank nearly as high as it once did, it’s still quite popular. Last year it was ranked #6, so it has fallen quite significantly over the last year.
The Film Dial Recipe, which is for X-Trans V cameras with a Film Dial, is another one that’s a bit unfair to include since it is actually 14 Recipes. I have no idea which of them are the most used. This is another personal favorite. It climbed three spots since 2024.
This is currently the highest-ranked Recipe that uses the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation (not including Universal Negative or the Film Dial Recipe sets). It’s compatible with X-Trans V cameras. It fell one spot since June; it was unranked in 2024.
Reala Ace, which is for X-Trans V cameras, predates the Reala Ace film simulation, and is based on Classic Negative. This is also a personal favorite Recipe. In 2024 it was ranked #5, so it has fallen a lot over the last year.
This Recipe is reminiscent of scanned Kodachrome 64 slides, and is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras. It’s another Recipe that uses the Classic Chrome film simulation. It fell five spots since 2024.
This Recipe, which was created by Nathalie Boucry, uses the Reala Ace film simulation, which means it is compatible with X-Trans V cameras. It didn’t crack the Top 25 in 2024; it’s position remains unchanged since June.
This is the X-Trans V version of the Pacific Blues Recipe. Last year it was unranked; it’s climbed four spots since the mid point of this year. This is another personal favorite Recipe.
This Recipe uses Classic Chrome and is compatible with both X-Trans IV and X-Trans V models. Interestingly enough, Fujifilm has displayed two of my images (one was displayed twice) at events, and both were created using this Classic Color Recipe. It’s position remains unchanged since last year.
Vintage Kodachrome, which is based on Classic Chrome, is one of the older Film Simulation Recipes on Fuji X Weekly (it was the fifth one published), and is compatible with X-Trans III cameras. It was ranked #11 in 2024, so it’s fallen quite significantly. Just a couple of months ago I stated that this was the most pivotal Recipe.
A Classic Negative based Recipe co-created by Thomas Schwab that’s compatible with X-Trans V cameras (there’s also an X-Trans IV version). It was ranked #18 last year.
Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App!
There’s a brand-new Fuji X Weekly App update that I’m really excited to share with you. The main headline is a new feature called Categories, which can be interacted with in two different ways. The goal of Categories is to help you find Film Simulation Recipes for the specific situation that you are photographing in. This update is beneficial for both Patrons and non-Patrons.
The first way to interact with Categories is if you choose a Recipe—any Recipe, it doesn’t matter which one—and scroll towards the bottom just above Notes, you’ll find a Category Tag or maybe a handful of them (the amount varies from Recipe-to-Recipe). This tells you that the particular Recipe you selected has been identified as good for those specific situations and/or aesthetics. Now, tap on a Category Tag and it opens Discover Recipes, except instead of showing you all of the photos in the entire App to browse through, it shows only those that share that tag. This can help you to find Recipes based on image aesthetic. Each time you tap on a Category Tag, the order of the photos is reshuffled. For Patron subscribers, Category Tags can be used in conjunction with Filter by Sensor or Filter by Camera.
The second way to interact with Categories is only available to Patron subscribers. If you tap Filter, you’ll see By Category has been added to the list of options. You can choose one or more Categories—as many as you like, but the more you choose the fewer results you’ll get. You can Filter By Cameras (say X100VI), Film Simulation (say Classic Negative), White Balance (say Auto, Auto Ambience Priority and Auto White Priority), and Categories (say Film-Like and Street), and you’ll get a few results that match your request quite well. You can get real specific. If you are looking for (let’s say) a Film-Like Recipe that’s good for Portraits on Cloudy days for your X-Pro3, you can find that.
This is such a fun new way to interact with Film Simulation Recipes, and I anticipate that it will be extremely helpful to those who don’t know which Recipes to try. I’m really excited to introduce Categories to you because of all that, and also because so much work went into it. I didn’t keep careful tabs on the exact number of hours spent on this project, but it was a lot! The task of categorizing the various Recipes (over 400!) was pretty daunting on its own. I’m sure that it’s not perfect, and some might disagree with a certain Recipe’s inclusion or exclusion from a specific Category, but overall I think it turned out quite well. I really hope that some of you will find it to be a useful feature.
***Update: We were able to get the bug identified, fixed, and the app update submitted and approved by Apple in record time. On your iPhone, if the Fuji X Weekly App crashes immediately, make sure that you update to version 1.12.1 (and not 1.12.0) or update the iOS to the latest version (either option will fix it). I’m sorry for any trouble that this may have caused anyone.***
The Fuji X Weekly App is available to download for free from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly. If your device didn’t update automatically, be sure to update it now.
Orange Rocks – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Kodak Farbwelt 200 Expired
This Kodak Farbwelt 200 Expired Film Simulation Recipe comes courtesy of Thomas Schwab, who has created or co-created a number of excellent Film Simulation Recipes. Thomas told me that he loaded a roll of Kodak Farbwelt 200 that expired in 2004 into his Olympus Mju. After finishing the roll, he took it to a local lab, where he had it developed and printed (not scanned). He then developed this Recipe using X RAW Studio, comparing the results to the prints. “Some are very close,” he said, “others are a little off.” Either way, the results are excellent. Personally, I really love the aesthetic. Thank you, Thomas, for creating and sharing this Recipe!
I didn’t know what Kodak Farbwelt 200 was, I had to research it. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of concrete information. Farbwelt apparently means color world, so a film like ColorPlus might seem like an obvious answer, but from what I could find, it seems that the answer is no, Farbwelt 200 is not ColorPlus 200. It likely is Gold 200, rebranded for the German market, sold mostly (but not exclusively) in Germany. It might be a slightly retooled version of Gold 200 specifically for that region, or it might be straight-up Gold 200, simply rebranded. Kodak released Farbwelt 200 in 2000 and discontinued it in 2012 or 2013. There was also an ISO 100, 400, and even 800 version of Kodak Farbwelt.
The Kodak Farbwelt 200 Expired Recipe looks lovely, with soft warm tones. It’s like a memory of summertime. It reminds me a little of the 1970’s Summer Recipe, which is one of my favorites. It’s compatible with fifth-generation models, which are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. It’s also compatible with the latest GFX cameras: GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF. For fourth-generation cameras, you can use this Recipe, but it will render slightly different (just a little), which you might like, so don’t be afraid to give it a try. One note I want to highlight: a little underexposure will help to keep the highlights in check.
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR100 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Weak Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: 7500K, +1 Red & -4 Blue Highlight: -2 Shadow: -2 Color: -3 Sharpness: -4 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -4 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to -1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Farbwelt 200 Expired Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E5, X-T5, X100VI, X-S20, and GFX100S II:
Chainlink Gate – San Francisco, CA – Fujifilm X-S20 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Golden Gate – San Francisco, CA – Fujifilm X-S20 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Evening along the California Coast – Elk, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Rocks over Sedona – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Sedona Panoramic – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Yellow Tree in Oak Creek Canyon – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Flower, Fence – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Dressed Western – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Photo by Amanda Roesch
Saguaro in the Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Rural Irrigation – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Sunlit Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Stand In – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Photo by Amanda Roesch
Sunset over Canon Photographer – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Meeting Santa – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Suburban Sunset – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Christmas Train – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 400 more in the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
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Oak Creek in Monochrome – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 – FRGMT B&W
A couple of weeks ago Fujifilm announced the GFX100RF Fragment Edition, a limited-edition version of the GFX100RF, which will only be available in Japan. The camera was modified by fashion designer, producer, and artist Hiroshi Fujiwara, the founder of Fragment. Interestingly, it comes preloaded with a Film Simulation Recipe by Hiroshi called FRGMT B&W, which is in the Film Simulation menu in lieu of the Monochrome Film Simulation. This is the first official Fujifilm Recipe, and the first (as far as I’m aware) by Hiroshi Fujiwara. Fujifilm published the details of this Recipe within the GFX100RF Fragment Edition announcement, which means that anyone can use it, and not just those in Japan who purchase the limited-edition camera.
When I saw this, I knew that some of you would want to try the FRGMT B&W Recipe, so I shared it. I wasn’t going to make it an “official” Fuji X Weekly Recipe or include it in the Fuji X Weekly App unless I had permission to do so from those involved. I reached out to Fujifilm and asked for permission, but I knew it was a long shot. My request was forwarded up the chain all the way to Japan. I didn’t think the odds were very good, but, perhaps as a Christmas miracle, the answer came back pretty quickly. To my shock, yes, I do have permission, both from Fujifilm and from Fragment, to publish this Recipe. Wow!
Cheers – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 – FRGMT B&W
It’s such an honor to get this permission, not only because it’s the first Recipe included in any of Fujifilm’s cameras, but also because it was created by Hiroshi Fujiwara. For those unaware, that’s a really big deal. Hiroshi has collaborated with Eric Clapton twice. He appeared on the big screen in Lost in Translation. If someone like Pharrell Williams created a Film Simulation Recipe and then gave me permission to include it on this website and in the Fuji X Weekly App, that would be fairly equivalent to this (obviously, there is only one Hiroshi Fujiwara).
The FRGMT B&W Recipe produces a contrasty and grainy black-and-white aesthetic. It reminds me of Ilford Delta 400 pushed one stop. I didn’t study or research that; it’s more of a “memory color” (as Fujifilm puts it) of using Ilford Delta 400 and push-processing it 25 years ago or so. I don’t believe this Recipe was intended to resemble any specific film or process, but if you were to ask me what film this Recipe most closely mimics, it’s Ilford Delta 400 pushed one stop. Again, that’s not based on research, but just what I remember from way back in my film days.
Shadow Shapes – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II – FRGMT B&W
With the exception of the X-T3 and X-T30, this FRGMT B&W Recipe is compatible with all of the fourth and fifth generation models: Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. It’s also compatible with the GFX100S, GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF. Because this Recipe uses Clarity set to something other than 0, there is a short storing pause after capturing a photo, with a similar delay as advancing to the next frame on a film camera. I want to give a big shoutout to both Fujifilm and Fragment for allowing me to publish this, and also to Hiroshi Fujiwara for creating it. Thank you!
Film Simulation: Acros (including +Ye, +R, or +G) Monochromatic Color (Toning): WC 0 & MG 0 (Off) Dynamic Range: DR-Auto Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: Auto, 0 Red & 0 Blue Highlight: +4 Shadow: +2 Sharpness: -4 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: +5 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 12800 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically) — Hiroshi says +1/3
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this FRGMT B&W Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E5, X-T5 and GFX100S II:
Notice – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Regular – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Abandoned Gas Pumps – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Mercedes-Benz – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Broken Shelving – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
West Fork – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Fujifilm Photographer – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Monochrome Leaves – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Flowing Creek – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5
Lost Creek, Found – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Creek in the Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Rural Water – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Supai – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Rocks in the Sky – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Pirate – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Classic Design – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II
The Man in Black & White – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – by Amanda Roesch
Tall Bank, Empty Lot – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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A Girl and Her Horse – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 – Reggie’s Portra
It’s been interesting to watch Reggie’s Portra Recipe grow in popularity over the years. It was created by Reggie Ballesteros (website, YouTube, Instagram), and I published it in the summer of 2022 with his permission. I’m not sure where it ranked in 2022, but it didn’t crack the Top 10. In 2023 it was the 9th most popular. It climbed to #3 in 2024. This year, Reggie’s Portra is the number one most popular Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly, just edging out Kodachrome 64, which was the long-time reigning champion.
A few days ago, Reggie posted a video on YouTube explaining what changes, if any, he has made to the Recipe for use in 2025. When it was made, Reggie’s Portra was for X-Trans IV cameras, but now we’re well into the fifth-generation. So what adjustments did he make? I’ve included the video below, so that you can watch it for yourself.
Not trying to give away the answer, but the short of it is that Reggie doesn’t adjust anything. He uses the same exact Reggie’s Portra settings on fifth-generation models as he did on fourth-generation X-series cameras. He doesn’t make any adjustments whatsoever. The only change is the diffusion filter that he often uses.
On the Fuji X Weekly App, I’ve only included Reggie’s Portra as compatible with X-Trans IV models, specifically the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II (as well as the GFX100S). I didn’t include fifth-generation cameras (X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III, as well as GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF) because, on those cameras, there are some aesthetic differences—the largest being how deeply the color blue is rendered on certain film simulations, including Classic Chrome. It’s quite similar, but not identical; however, there is a simple fix to get them to be more similar: reduce Color Chrome FX Blue by one.
Jon Dressed Up – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 – Reggie’s Portra – by Amanda Roesch
The difference between Color Chrome FX Blue Weak and Off is pretty subtle. If you’re not comparing photos side-by-side, you probably won’t even notice (even when directly comparing, you still might not see the difference immediately). It’s honestly not a big deal, but, if you’re trying to get Reggie’s Portra to most closely match the X-Trans IV results on a fifth-generation camera, then adjusting Color Chrome FX Blue from Weak to Off will do that. This is an adjustment that I make personally, and one that I recommend; however, there’s nothing wrong with not making that small change. Feel free to set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak (as called for in the Recipe and as Reggie himself does it) or Off (as I do) on the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III cameras, as well as the GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF. Either way works.
People have asked me why I haven’t updated Reggie’s Portra in the App for X-Trans V cameras, and the answer is simple: it’s not my Recipe to make a change to. It belongs to Reggie Ballesteros, and I certainly didn’t want to step on his toes by modifying it. Now that he has clarified how he uses it on fifth-generation cameras, I have updated the App to reflect that. It now shows in the Fuji X Weekly App as compatible with the latest cameras. It won’t render exactly the same as on X-Trans IV, but pretty similar—not enough of a difference to be concerned about (only very subtly divergent). I want to close this out by giving a shoutout to Reggie. His Recipe is great—both my wife and I use it ourselves. It’s a real honor to have it available to you on Fuji X Weekly. If you’ve never tried it, well, it’s almost a right of passage at this point, so be sure to program it into your camera today.
Dodge – Boulder, CO – Fujifilm X100VI – Reggie’s Portra
Red Barn – Ronks, PA – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Kodachrome 64
Last week I published 10 Fujifilm Recipes for a 1970’s Aesthetic, which I think a number of you appreciated. It seemed to be an especially well-liked article. Thomas H commented, “This theme of a collection using the look of films from a certain era or decade is very inspirational. Somehow for me this approach unlocks the mood of film looks in a more ‘accessible’ way by showing the style of a decade rather than as before showing lots of different looks that are possible with a particular sensor generation.” Well, let’s do it again!
This time we’re going to look at the 1980’s. It will require as to hop into our DeLorean, put Huey Lewis in the tape deck, and hit 88 miles per hour. I was born in 1980—great Scott!—so I have a lot of memories of the decade, especially the latter half, but I was not a photographer yet—not for awhile. I only have family photo albums, vintage magazines, and internet archives to guide the way.
You’ll notice that the majority of the Recipes below use Classic Chrome, and that’s because Classic Chrome is intended to replicate documentary photography found in photojournalism publications in the ’80’s and ’90’s. Fujifilm looked very closely at Kodachrome and Ektachrome photographs. Because of this, Classic Chrome has a distinct Kodak palette. Kodak dominated film sales during the 1980’s, so it makes sense that this film simulation would dominate Recipes intended to mimic the look of that era.
There’s a lot of Film Simulation Recipes that could potentially give an ’80’s look. The list below is not intended to be comprehensive, nor is it intended to be the “best 10” or a ranking of Recipes. It’s simply 10 that I believe will give you a 1980’s aesthetic, if that’s something you’re looking for.
Across the Grand Expanse – Grand Canyon, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 64
Kodachrome 64 was the iconic film of the 1980’s. It’s the third (and final) era of Kodachrome, introduced in the mid-1970’s and discontinued in 2009. That means it’s just as much a 1970’s, 1990’s, and 2000’s look as it is a 1980’s; however, it would be wrong to exclude it from this era, in my opinion, so that’s why it’s here. I shot many rolls of Kodachrome 64 in the late-1990’s and early-2000’s. It was a very sad day when Kodak announced its discontinuation. The Recipe linked above is specifically for fifth-generation X-Trans and the latest GFX, there’s also a version for X-Trans IV, the X-T3/X-T30, and X-Trans II.
Protect our Wildlife – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
This one might initially seem odd because 1) the Recipe has a weird name and 2) it’s not specifically intended as a 1980’s look. So why is it here? Urban Dreams produces a look somewhat similar to Kodachrome 200, a high-ISO version of Kodachrome introduced in 1986 and discontinued in 2006. It was never as popular as Kodachrome 64 or even Kodachrome 25, but it was certainly a well-used film during the latter half of the 1980’s.
Jon’s ’80’s Era – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 – Kodacolor
Probably the most obvious 1980’s Film Simulation Recipe is Kodacolor. Kodak used the Kodacolor name for many different emulsions beginning in 1942 and continuing to today. While not nearly as recognizable as Kodachrome or Tri-X, it’s just as historic, if not more so. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, Kodacolor was the most popular line of color films in the world. Kodacolor II (early in the decade) and Kodacolor VR (beginning in 1982) were common in the 1980’s. This Recipe is reminiscent of Kodacolor VR. The Kodacolor Recipe is for X-Trans III cameras plus the X-T3 and X-T30, but there’s also a version for X-Trans II.
This Recipe, which was created by Thomas Schwab, resembles faded prints captured with Kodacolor VR 200 film. Kodak introduced Kodacolor VR 200 in 1982 and discontinued it in 1986, when it was replaced by Kodacolor VR Plus 200, which was only slightly different.
Field of Gold – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Gold 200
Kodak introduced Gold in 1986 as Kodacolor VR-G. They changed the name to Kodacolor Gold in 1988, and it wasn’t until the 1990’s that they dropped the “Kodacolor” name from the packaging. Kodak still makes Gold 200, but the emulsion has been updated many times since 1986. While this Recipe isn’t intended to replicate “Kodacolor VR-G” or “Kodacolor Gold” specifically, it nonetheless produces an aesthetic that can be convincing as a late-1980’s look.
Founders – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1981 Kodak
The 1981 Kodak Recipe was modeled after some old family pictures found in a photo box. These prints were made in July of 1981—a date stamped on the back—and printed on Kodak paper. The other technical details are unknown, but most likely they were captured with a cheap point-and-shoot of some sort with Kodacolor II film. Due to age and improper storage, the prints are faded, with a pronounced warm cast, and colors overall less vibrant than they once were.
Don’t Climb on the Bikes – Oceanside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Emulsion ’86
This Recipe produces a picture aesthetic that is reminiscent of photos of Expo ’86, a World’s Fair that was in Vancouver, Canada (interestingly, that was the last World’s Fair in North America). I actually went to it, but only remember a little because I was six-years-old. For some reason, the floating McDonald’s is what I remember the most.
Fujifilm introduced Fujicolor Super HG in 1986, and discontinued the film in the 1990’s. This Recipe was invented by Thomas Schwab, and it does an excellent job at replicating the look of Fujicolor film from that era.
I didn’t include any B&W films in the 1970’s article, which was a massive oversight on my part. Not wanting to make that same mistake, I made sure to include one in this list. Actually this is two Recipes, both made by Dan Allen: Kodak T-Max 100 Hard Tone and Kodak T-Max 100 Soft Tone. Kodak introduced T-Max in 1986, and it was immediately a huge hit. The film is still manufactured today, so it could just as easily be a 1990’s, 2000’s, 2010’s or 2020’s aesthetic.
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Corndog – San Francisco, CA – Fujifilm X100VI – 1970’s Summer
After yesterday’s post about a potential “Film Era Dial” coming to a future Fujifilm camera (probably the next X-Pro), I thought I’d showcase some Film Simulation Recipes that produce a look from a specific era: the 1970’s. I might make similar articles for other decades, probably the 1980’s and 1990’s. Today, though, we’re heading back in time to bellbottoms, tie-dye, and disco—a time when color photography was gaining popularity, largely thanks to New American Color photographers like Eggleston, Shore, Meyerowitz, Sternfeld, Misrach, Haas and others.
Most likely, a 1970’s aesthetic on a “Film Era Dial” will be based on the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, which is specifically intended to look like prints from the 1970’s. But, there were a variety of “looks” from that period. Many different Recipes can emulate a ’70’s aesthetic, and not just those that use Nostalgic Neg.. For this article, I’ve handpicked 10 Recipes, which you’ll find below, that produce pictures with similarities to images from that era.
San Geronimo de Taos – Taos, NM – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – Kodachrome II
There are three distinct eras of Kodachrome, the most iconic film of all time. This Recipe is a facsimile of the second era, which was from 1961 to 1974. In other words, this could also be a 1960’s era aesthetic. The third era, which my Kodachrome 64 Recipe mimics, also could be a 1970’s look, although it’s just as much a 1980’s and 1990’s aesthetic. The Kodachrome II Recipe is more of an early-to-mid ’70’s look. The specific version above is for X-Trans III models; for X-Trans IV click here, and for X-Trans II click here.
Don’t Approach the Great Blue Heron – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – Vintage Kodacolor
While not specifically intended as a 1970’s aesthetic, the Vintage Kodacolor Recipe does produce photos that have a similarity to some prints from that era. The Kodacolor II 126 is another to consider for a similar aesthetic.
Holland Deere – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – Old Kodak
Old Kodak is another Recipe that’s not necessarily intended to specifically produce a 1970’s aesthetic, but it’s easy to see that it does. It’s also the most “Nostalgic Neg.”-like of the Recipes in this list that don’t use that film simulation.
Desert Snow – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro3 – Old Ektachrome
This Recipe produces an Ektachrome aesthetic that’s reminiscent of magazine photos from the ’60’s and ’70’s. It’s more of a pre-E6 look, maybe more like E3 or E4, which (like Kodachrome II) makes it an early-to-mid ’70’s aesthetic.
Garden Spiderweb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – GAF 500
GAF 500 (also sold as Anscochrome 500) was an ultra-high ISO (for the time) slide film introduced in 1967 and discontinued in 1977. While it was never as popular as Kodak films (not even close), it’s still one emulsion that the 1970’s were captured on.
None of the prior five Film Simulation Recipes use Nostalgic Neg., while Nostalgic Americana and the four below all do. This Recipe was modeled after photographs found in vintage Arizona Highways issues from the ’60’s and ’70’s.
View of North Rim from the South – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1971 Kodak
1971 Kodak is a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, which means that only App Patrons have access to it at the moment (eventually it will be available to everyone). It’s modeled after some old family prints of my dad from 1971 and 1972, likely shot on Kodacolor-X film.
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Fujirumors just posted today that Fujifilm is working on “a dial that lets you choose an era-inspired look for your images.” This will be for some upcoming camera. It sounds like this new dial might be similar to the Film Dial, except instead of Film Simulations (and Film Simulation Recipes on FS1/FS2/FS3 for the X-E5 & X-T30 III), it will be aesthetics that mimic specific eras of photography, presumably something like 1950’s, 1980’s, etc.. So not a Film Dial, but a Film Era Dial.
My best guess is that this will be on the next X-Pro camera, which Fujifilm is working on. I suspect that this camera will be the next model that Fujifilm announces, and it will come early next year. This is simply the first of many rumors we can expect for the X-Pro4 (I’m predicting that it will be called X-Pro5) over the next few months. This is merely speculation, of course, and I have absolutely zero inside information. I do know that Fujifilm wants to do something unique and unexpected with the next X-Pro (they’ve said so a few times now), and this would certainly qualify as that.
I can only guess how the Film Era Dial might work, but it will likely be similar to the Film Dial on the X-E5. Perhaps it will have nine or ten or eleven “eras” plus an Off position. These eras, which will likely be divided by decades, will probably be similar to Recipes, except designed by Fujifilm and not customizable. In this way it could be more like Advanced Filters, which aren’t customizable—you get what you get—but probably more refined and sophisticated, something you’d definitely want to use (in other words: built-in—but not customizable—Recipes). Maybe it’s also a bit X half-ish, with the idea being that it’s super easy to get great retro-like looks straight-out-of-camera. If that’s all true, I’m disappointed to not have been invited to be a part of the creation process; however, I do trust that Fujifilm will do an excellent job with it.
So what does “Film Eras” look like on Fujifilm cameras? It can be different things, but I do have an idea. For example, Sepia prints were popular in the 1920’s; Faded Monochrome gives a nod to really old B&W prints; Vintage Kodachrome mimics an early version of Kodachrome film; Vintage Agfacolor has a 1950’s look; 1960’s Chrome resembles pictures found in magazines during that era; 1976 Kodak is similar to some Joel Meyerowitz photographs from the mid-’70’s; Kodacolor has a distinct ’80’s vibe; Kodachrome 64 was an extremely popular (and iconic) film in the 1990’s; Fujicolor Superia 800 has a 2000’s disposable-film-camera quality; Kodak Portra 400 v2 mimics a Portra 400 aesthetic, a popular film in the 2010’s; and the new Reala Ace film sim has been called the “negative for the new era” so it makes sense to use a Recipe like Fujicolor Film for the 2020’s. I could make probably four or five unique lists like this that demonstrates “photography through the decades” aesthetics using my different Film Simulation Recipes.
I like the general idea of a Film Era Dial, and if anyone can pull it off it’s Fujifilm. I’ll reserve my full judgement until it is released, presumably on the upcoming X-Pro5 early next year. I don’t anticipate it being perfect; the Film Dial isn’t perfect, but it is good, adding aesthetic versatility if you know how to get the most out of it (tune into SOOC Live this coming Monday, as this will be the topic of our conversation). I wonder if the Film Dial will be unique to fifth-generation cameras, and the Film Era Dial will be unique to sixth-generation models. Time will tell.
If you like the idea of the Film Era Dial, you don’t have to wait for it. Simply program into your C1-C7 Recipes for different decades. I gave you some ideas above; perhaps this could turn into a series of articles. Maybe I can give some specific recommendations for each era. What do you think? Is a Film Era Dial a good idea? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
There’s a frustrating comment I receive every now and then. It’s been going on for years and years—pretty much since I started making Film Simulation Recipes—and it continues to this very day. It goes something like this: “If you just learned to edit RAW, you wouldn’t need Recipes.” It can be said many different ways, but that’s always the gist of it. Sometimes it’s stated a bit nicer with a beating around the bush, and sometimes it’s said more harshly, occasionally with swearing. I’ve even been told once that I’m doing much harm to photography. Someone even threatened me physically, should they ever see me on the streets.
All of that is crazy wild. It’s bananas. Did Edwin Land get this reaction with the Polaroid? Maybe, I don’t know. It just seems like a weird response to someone else’s personal workflow choice. It’s gatekeeping.
Horsetail Falls from Bridge – Columbia River Gorge, OR – Fujifilm X100V – Improved Velvia Recipe
Gatekeeping, which says that only photography done the “right” way is correct and all other methods are incorrect, is a big problem. To be clear: there’s no right or wrong way to do photography, only whatever works for you personally. Anybody who says otherwise is flat out wrong, and couldn’t be more wrong. But there are, unfortunately, many people who will tell you that photography must be done a certain way or else it’s less legitimate. There are a several reasons why people gate keep, so let’s look at some.
Photography is deeply personal, and many people tie their identity to how “skilled” they think they are. When someone else succeeds with a different method—shooting JPEGs, iPhone photography, etc.—it threatens the fragile belief that their way is the only legitimate path. It’s a defensive shield: If you do it differently and are successful, then my choices—and hence myself—might be less special.
Kind of similarly, people who learn a lot can mistake knowledge for superiority. You’re doing it wrong is a shortcut to feeling important. Unfortunately, this kills community. You see it all over the place in forums and comment sections of many websites. This is also used by trolls, who may think they’re knowledgable while oftentimes being quite ignorant.
Photography has a long, technical history. Many photographers were taught rigid rules, such as shoot RAW, use full frame, manual-mode is the only real mode, rule-of-thirds, sunny 16, and many, many more. These types of rules evolve over decades, but they always seem to exist. They serve a purpose: give structure to those early in their journey; however, over time, these types of rules tend to harden into what some believe to be absolute truths. Instead of guidelines that helped for a time, they become laws that must be followed. But, remember, in art rules are meant to be broken.
Barn by the Tetons – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X-E1 – RAW edit from 2016
Photography used to be expensive, slow, and technical, which meant that only some people were photographers, and most were not. Now everyone has a camera in their pocket, and everybody’s making pictures. For some, that democratization feels like a loss of status. Gatekeeping is a way of preserving a hierarchy that no longer naturally exists. I’m a real photographer because I do it this way, and you’re not because you don’t. It’s a game of king-of-the-hill, except nobody else is playing.
Some photographers confuse process with vision. They think creativity comes from the mechanical steps—RAW workflow, layers and curves, editing rituals—rather than from seeing the world in a certain way. When someone simplifies the process, it feels like “cheating” to them. In the end, what matters is if the photo fulfills the photographer’s vision, not what specific steps it took to get there.
McWay Falls View – Big Sur, CA – Sigma DP2 Merrill – RAW edit from 2014
Gatekeeping in photography is almost always born from fear—fear of losing relevance, fear of being wrong, fear of being overshadowed, fear of loss of control, fear of competition, etc.. Creativity, on the other hand, comes from curiosity, play, and the freedom to break rules—rules that gatekeepers cling to as if they define the medium.
Getting back to the original statement that inspired this post—if I just learned to edit RAW—well, I shot and edited RAW for years. There are several pictures I’ve included in this article from that era of my photography when I did shoot and edit RAW. I know how to do it, I just don’t enjoy it, so I no longer choose to do it. I don’t personally find any fulfillment in sitting at a computer for hours making all sorts of various adjustments to my pictures. After doing it for years, I realized that it’s just not for me. And that’s ok. There’s no right or wrong way to do photography. I don’t feel that my photography suffers from a lack of RAW editing; actually, I feel that the restraint produces a more authentic result, which I’m quite pleased with.
Red Chairs – Cambria, CA – Nikon D3300 – RAW edit from 2015
Invariably, someone will drag Ansel Adams into this argument. Adams spent hours in the darkroom developing film and printing enlargements, with masterful dodging and burning. That’s how photography should be done, except now it’s Lightroom and not a darkroom. All of this ignores Adams’ love for Polaroid photography, which he called one-step photography. Typically, the first step is image capture, and the second is image development, but Polaroids only required the first step (hence, one-step photography). Adams wrote, “The effect of one-step processing on both amateur and professional creative photography has been revolutionary.” One of his well-known Yosemite pictures was captured on a Polaroid, and most who view it are unaware. He wrote a whole book about this topic. Using Film Simulation Recipes is a type of one-step photography, and it can indeed be revolutionary.
Anyway, just because someone chooses to shoot JPEGs on their Fujifilm camera with Film Simulation Recipes does not mean they don’t know how to edit a RAW file. And even if they don’t, that doesn’t make them any less of a photographer. It’s not how you arrive at the destination, it’s the destination itself—the photograph—that matters, and whether or not it fulfills the vision of the photographer.
Jisoo states, “I bought this camera about three years ago. And the photos came out with a really cinematic, atmospheric look. And the day right after I bought this, the members and I had a magazine photo shoot. So I took photos of all the members that day. Rosé also liked this camera so much that she said, ‘oh, Unni, can I buy this, too?’ Of course! So we have this as our couple camera.”
Rock ‘n’ Roll Guitar – White House, TN – Fujifilm X-T5 & Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 – Classic Amber Recipe
Jaron goes on to discuss the X-Pro3 and the importance and influence of the X-Pro line. I want to go a completely different direction. What Jisoo, Rosé, and the rest of Blackpink liked about the camera was (very specifically) the cinematic, atmospheric look of the photographs. Presumably, she’s talking about camera-made JPEGs—probably unedited (or lightly edited) straight-out-of-camera images. I have no idea if the pictures in question were captured with factory-default settings, or if Jisoo and Rosé are using Film Simulation Recipes. It would be such an honor to find out that they are using some of my Recipes!
The “enduring desirability” of the X-Pro3 and all other Fujifilm cameras is partially the classic body design, which is oftentimes unique among all current camera brands; it’s also partially—and just as importantly—the aesthetic quality of the pictures that these cameras produce. There’s something special about the camera-made JPEGs that’s highly desirable—the color and tonal nuance of Fujifilm’s Film Simulations give the images a finished, film-like quality without post-processing. That’s a big reason why Fujifilm cameras are so popular right now.
You might say, “So what? Just because some K-Pop singer likes a discontinued camera, that doesn’t mean anything.” I disagree. The influence will be noticeable. I suspect that this will cause not only a spike in sales of used X-Pro3 bodies, but also Fujifilm products in-general, including Fujinon pancake lenses, since the 27mm f/2.8 is seen on the camera in the interview. Vogue France has nearly 11 million followers on Instagram. Blackpink has nearly 60 million. Jisoo and Rosé have over 80 million each. If even just a tiny fraction of their following is influenced to buy a Fujifilm camera, it will be a lot of cameras. Don’t forget, it was two South Korean television shows that helped make Instax popular.
Fujifilm could help themselves capitalize on this. They should share the interview as much as possible on their channels. In the past they have used Mr. Bean in their advertising, so why not Blackpink? Most obviously, they should fast track the next X-Pro model. It’s really too bad there are not brand-new X-Pro units to buy right now. The timing of all this could have been much better if Fujifilm had something for Jisoo fans to buy. Still, I think there will be a notable increase in interest in Fujifilm cameras because of this interview. Fans of the group will want to achieve that same cinematic, atmospheric picture quality in their own photos. And, of course, with Film Simulations and especially Film Simulation Recipes, it’s very easy to do—not just with the X-Pro3, but with any Fujifilm model.
Sentinel & Merced– Yosemite NP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Vintage Color
Some Film Simulation Recipes are extremely popular. Some are classics. Kodachrome 64, Reggie’s Portra, Vibrant Arizona, Kodak Portra 400 v2, Pacific Blues, and many others, are frequently used by a lot of photographers. But there are some others that just seem to get used a lot less. Website page-view statistics indicate that the 10 Recipes below are less popular, which I think is confirmed by the infrequency that I’ve seen them mentioned on social media. Just because they’re not as popular doesn’t mean they’re not good—in fact, some of them are my personal favorites.
The list below does not represent the least popular Recipes on Fuji X Weekly. A few of them are in the Top 50 (out of more than 400), which puts them in the Top 12%-15% or so. Compared to the most popular, though, they’re overshadowed. The 10 Recipes below are often overlooked, and they deserve a bit more attention. If you’ve not tried them yourself, I invite you to load them into your camera and create some photographs—perhaps one or two of them will become favorites for you, too.
Beached Ship – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 – Fujicolor Super HG
The Fujicolor Super HG Recipe was created by Thomas Schwab, who has made many fantastic Recipes, including a few on this list. This Recipe, which uses Classic Negative, resembles an older Fujifilm emulsion from the mid-1980’s through the late-1990’s. While it is very similar to Fujicolor Super HG v2, which was a collaborative effort between myself and Thomas, this v1 isn’t nearly as popular, probably because the v2 Recipe is more versatile (due to its white balance); however, this version is really good, and deserves more attention. Fujicolor Super HG is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II); for fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.
First Dance – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled
Another Recipe by Thomas Schwab, Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled is simply fantastic for indoor and artificial light situations. It’s been one of my personal favorite Recipes for years. I highly recommend it if you’ve never tried it. This Recipe, which also uses Classic Negative, is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II); for fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.
After Thanksgiving Dinner – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Timeless Negative
For whatever reason, Timeless Negative has been my go-to Film Simulation Recipe for holiday snapshots during November and December. It’s quite versatile, so it can be used in a variety of lighting conditions. This particular version uses Eterna and is for most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II); for fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off. There’s a version of Timeless Negative that uses Nostalgic Neg., which is also really good, for those who have X-Trans V cameras.
11th Avenue – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI – SantaColor
The SantaColor Recipe, which uses Eterna, is a fun one. It doesn’t always work well, but sometimes it works really well. It’s another Recipe that’s for most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II). You can use it on fifth-generation models, but just note that it will render slightly different.
Low Sun over Tetons – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X-E4 – Ferrania Solaris FG 400
The Ferrania Solaris FG 400 Recipe is simply Kodak Portra 400 v2 with Eterna Bleach Bypass instead of Classic Chrome. Most Recipes don’t look particularly good when you change the film simulation, but in this case it does. This Recipe is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II); for fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off.
Cactus in Golden Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – CineStill 400D v1
Definitely not a Recipe for every subject and situation, but CineStill 400D v1 can produce really striking results sometimes. It’s the only Astia-based Recipe in this list. CineStill 400D v1 is for the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III cameras.
Wildflower Spring – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Thommy’s Ektachrome
As you might have guessed, this is another Recipe by Thomas Schwab. I find that it works well for both sunny and dreary weather. Thommy’s Ektachrome uses the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, which makes it compatible with fifth-generation cameras.
Cold Rim, Warm Light– Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Vision3 250D v2
This is an updated version of the Kodak Vision3 250D Recipe, but using Nostalgic Neg. instead of Eterna. This is one of those Recipes that doesn’t always work well, but when it does, it really does! Kodak Vision3 250D v2 is compatible with all fifth-generation models.
Windmill – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Color
Some of my favorite photographs were created using the Vintage Color Recipe. It’s another one that doesn’t always work well, but when it does, it’s really good. This Recipe, which uses Eterna, is for most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II); for fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.
Bell & Cross – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1960 Chrome
Last—but far from least—is 1960 Chrome, which uses Eterna Bleach Bypass and has compatibility with fourth and fifth generation models. The aesthetic comes from several photographs in various issues of Arizona Highways magazine from the 1960’s. If you’re looking for a vintage aesthetic, this is a great option.
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I made this Classic Amber Film Simulation Recipe before leaving on my trip to Tennessee last month, with the intention of using it on that adventure. I had in mind a warm and contrasty negative film rendering that would pair well with autumn colors. It turned out that I was a little early for the peak fall display, and only found pops of color here-and-there; however, this Recipe ended up being absolutely perfect for the early morning forest, which was still shadowed despite being past sunrise. I also liked it in some other situations, such as sunrise, daytime, and even for concert photography. It works most ideally in low-contrast situations with cool light. This Recipe can easily be too warm and too contrasty, so it’s not for every subject or situation—you may have to use it cautiously. When it works, it really works; when it doesn’t, it really doesn’t.
I didn’t model this Recipe after any specific film. Interestingly enough, after I returned home I researched what it might be closest to, and I was surprised by what I found. This Classic Amber Recipe seems to be the most similar to Kodak Portra 400 that’s been push processed by one stop, and scanned with a Noritsu. I would add that maybe the use of a warming filter with the film, such as an 81B, might help solidify the similarities. If you Google search “Portra 400 push process” you’ll find a number of examples that are surprisingly similar to this Recipe (but, like with any film, you’ll also find many non-similar examples). If push-processed Kodak Portra 400 (perhaps with a warming filter) is the look you’re after, this Recipe (unintentionally) is a good facsimile of it. In the right situations, it’s easy to love the results.
The Classic Amber Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. It’s also compatible with the GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF. While you can technically use it on some fourth-generation X-Trans cameras (X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II), it will render slightly different (try it anyway, though, and see if you like the results).
Film Simulation: Classic Negative Dynamic Range: DR400 Grain Effect: Weak, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: Fluorescent 1, +1 Red & -6 Blue Highlight: -1.5 Shadow: +2.5 Color: +4 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Classic Amber Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
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One item on my “bucket list” was to visit the Great Smoky Mountains in the fall. Two weeks ago I was able to check that one off; however, I was a little early for the peak autumn show. The trees were only just starting to show fall colors, with little pops here and there. I’ll have to try again sometime in the future, and hopefully time it just a little better. Even though I was a week or two early, it was still an amazing place to visit, and I’m so glad that I was able to go.
I created the Vivid Velvia Film Simulation Recipe in preparation for the trip, intending to use it on this adventure. My two favorite Velvia-based Recipes are The Rockwell and Velvia Film. The Rockwell Recipe, named after Ken Rockwell and designed to be similar to his aesthetic (he actually used it!), is very bold and a bit over-the-top, sometimes a smidge too much. The Velvia Film Recipe, which is a part of the Film Dial universal Recipe set, is very nice, but occasionally not bold enough. This Recipe is intended to bridge the gap between the two, sitting right in-between both of them. It’s a slightly less over-the-top alternative to The Rockwell, and a slightly more bold version of Velvia Film; overall, it’s similar to both.
After using this Vivid Velvia Recipe quite extensively on the trip, I’m very happy with the results. It does well in a variety of situations, including nighttime photography. Obviously, this is not a good choice for portraits, but it’s one of the best options for colorful landscape pictures. This Recipe is compatible with “newer” X-Trans IV cameras (Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II), all fifth-generation X-Trans models (X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III), and “newer” GFX cameras (GFX100S, GFX100S II, GFX100 II, and GFX100RF).
Film Simulation: Velvia Dynamic Range: DR400 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: Auto Ambience Priority, +1 Red & -3 Blue Highlight: -1 Shadow: -1 Color: +4 Sharpness: +1 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: +3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Vivid Velvia Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E5:
Rotary Club – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Lights Left On – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Cold Drinks – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
White House – Canton, GA – Fujifilm X-E5
Abandoned Garage – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Sky Tram – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Compass Tower – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Fall Colors – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Fall Bridge – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Fall Trees – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Pine Trees – Canton, GA – Fujifilm X-E5
Sunlight through Tree Branches – Canton, GA – Fujifilm X-E5
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I’m not a concert photographer. I attend maybe one or two each year, and generally don’t have good seats; besides, the events often have a “no camera” policy. But I get asked quite frequently which Film Simulation Recipes are best for concert photography. I never have a good answer (only guesses), so when the opportunity came to try out various Recipes at a rock concert, I jumped at the chance. All of these pictures were captured from my seat at the back-right corner of the venue—not the best spot, but not terrible, either.
This will be a series of articles, with this post serving as Part 1. I loaded eight Recipes into my Fujifilm X-T5 (plus 11 in my X-E5), and reshuffled a bit at intermission. This was actually a three-day concert, so I did this multiple times. Later, I reprocessed some of the RAW files in-camera to see how some additional Recipes would do. For Part 1, the twelve Recipes are Superia Negative, Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm, Velvia Film, Cinematic Film (those four are all Film Dial Recipes), Reala Ace, Pacific Blues, Superia Xtra 400, Nostalgic Americana, Nostalgia Negative, Kodak Negative, Kodak Portra 400 v2, and Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1. The one requirement that I gave myself is that the Recipes needed to use DR400 to help keep the highlights in check.
All of these 12 Recipes seemed to do well. None were busts. My favorites were the Classic Negative-based Recipes: Superia Negative, Pacific Blues, Reala Ace, and Superia Xtra 400. I can definitely recommend those, especially Superia Negative and Reala Ace. I also liked the Nostalgic Neg.-based Recipes: Nostalgic Americana, Nostalgia Negative, and Kodak Negative. My least favorite were the Velvia-based Recipes: Velvia Film and Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1. That’s not to say those Recipes were bad, only that I liked the others better. I think any of these 12 would work, but, in the future, I’d probably choose a few Classic Negative options, plus one or two Nostalgic Neg., and call it good.
The band in top photo is We Came From Space, which you’ll see a little more of in the upcoming parts (I’m not sure yet just how many posts there will be in this series, but likely three). They’re a classic rock/synth rock/blues rock/prog rock/pop fusion with out-of-this-world talent (sorry for the pun). All the remaining photos are of Cosmic Cathedral, a groove-oriented progressive rock super group featuring Phil Keaggy on guitars/vocals, Neal Morse on keyboards/guitar/vocals, Bryon House on bass, and Chester Thompson on drums (if you’ve ever seen Genesis or Phil Collins live, you’ve likely heard Chester keeping time). A number of additional musicians joined the band to complete the sound. This was their first concert as a band, and it was such a great show!
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I just got back into town from an epic 10-day trip. I’ve been up since 1:30 AM, so I apologize for the typos that will inevitably be found in this article. This is a followup to my last post, which I wanted to write while traveling, but it just didn’t work out. The basic premise of this is simple: if I were to design the ultimate Film Dial for Fujifilm, what would that look like?
Fujifilm introduced the Film Dial on the X-T50 about a year-and-a-half ago. They included one on the X-M5. The upcoming X-T30 III will apparently have one, too. The Fujifilm X-E5 also has one, although implemented slightly differently. It’s safe to say that the Film Dial is sticking around for awhile, and for good reason: it places one of Fujifilm’s most important and beloved features in a highly visible and easily accessible position on the camera. The initial implementation of it is good, but certainly not perfect. There’s room for improvement, and I believe Fujifilm is working towards that. As they make it better, don’t be surprised to find it on more and more models in the future.
Going forward, I believe there will be two variations of the Film Dial: knob and wheel. The knob version is found on the X-T50, X-M5, and the upcoming X-T30 III; the wheel version is currently only on the X-E5, but it could be included on the eventual X-Pro3 successor, as well as the someday X100VII. They’re similar, but not identical—the knob version has eight Film Simulations (plus three custom slots, as well as “C” which is Off), while the wheel version has only six Film Sims. The wheel Film Dial has the ability to save Recipes into FS1/FS2/FS3, and hopefully that functionality comes to the knob version at some point.
Fujifilm X-E5 & 23mm f/2.8 – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Velvia Film (Film Dial Recipe)
Whether we’re talking about the knob or wheel Film Dial, very simply it could be made much better. Perhaps this is something Fujifilm will consider for X-Trans VI, which will likely debut next year. The Film Dial should have the ability to save Film Simulation Recipes for each Film Simulation, and not just FS1/FS2/FS3. Undoubtedly, it can be done. It could even be done retroactively for the X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III via a firmware update, probably somewhat easily.
For the most ideal setup, though, I would take it a step further. Each Film Simulation should have the ability to store up to three Recipes. You could program three different Velvia Recipes into the Velvia slot, for example. To select which one of the three you want would be via a switch, maybe around the knob (for the knob version) or on the back of the camera (for the wheel version). It would have Recipe 1, 2, 3, Off as the options. Recipe Off would simply mean that the Film Dial would function as it does now, where it changes the Film Simulation and nothing else. Whatever JPEG parameters are programmed into the IQ Menu set is what it would default to, aside from (of course) the Film Simulation. Recipe 1, 2, 3 would be which of the three Recipes you want to use. If a Recipe hasn’t been programmed into that slot, the camera would prompt you to add one. These Recipes should have the ability of a custom name, so you can remember which is which.
FS1/FS2/FS3 would no longer need to take up three positions on the Film Dial; instead, you’d have FS-C, and the Recipe 1, 2, 3 switch would determine which FS1/FS2/FS3 you have selected (Recipe Off with FS-C selected would default to whichever Film Simulation you have set it to be within the camera’s menu). Also, the C position would no longer be necessary, opening up three Film Dial positions for Film Simulations that were previously left out. For the knob version, that might be PRO Neg (selecting either Hi or Std from within the menu), Eterna Bleach Bypass, and Monochrome; for the wheel version, it would likely be PRO Neg (again, selecting either Hi or Std from within the menu), Classic Negative, and Nostalgic Neg..
Fujifilm X-E5 & 23mm f/2.8 – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Kodak Pro 400
Since this setup would allow users to program up to 30 Recipes on the wheel Film Dial, and up to 36 Recipes on the knob Film Dial, Custom Settings presets (C1-C7 on most cameras, C1-C6 on some, and C1-C4 on others) would no longer be necessary for Recipes. In other words, Fujifilm should not include the IQ Menu options within Custom Settings presets. You’d still have C1-C7, for example, but it would be focus settings and sound settings and things like that, and not Recipe settings. This would solve an issue that a lot of people have vocalized about how Custom Presets currently work, while also greatly increasing the number of Recipes that can be programmed into the camera at any one time. It’s a big win-win.
There are a few other things that Fujifilm should do. First, when it comes to Acros and Monochrome, there needs to be a way to switch between the +Ye, +R, and +G filter options quickly and easily when using the Film Dial. Maybe a customizable Fn button? Second, the camera should come factory-default with Recipes programmed into the Recipe 1 position for all of the Film Simulations (except, perhaps, for FS1). It could be Recipes that Fujifilm themselves have created, or they could tap into the community for this (I’d be happy to help). Lastly, there should be a way to transfer Recipes directly from your phone to the camera (again, I’d be happy to help).
That’s how I believe the Film Dial should most ideally be implemented. It would greatly increase the number of potential Recipes available in-camera, and it would solve a menu problem that many have complained about. Not everyone will love it (particularly the anti-Film Sim, RAW-only, JPEG-never types), but I’m confident that most people will appreciate it, and it would certainly be a major selling point for whichever cameras have the Film Dial.
Fujifilm’s Film Dial is probably the third most controversial design decision from the brand. First is the entirety of the X half camera, which has a vertically orientated sensor and frame advance lever. Second is the backwards-mounted rear LCD on the X-Pro3. Unlike the other controversies, the Film Dial is not just found on one model, but three (soon to be four) with certainly more to come in the future. With these contentious features, it’s understandable that people have mixed reactions.
Some people love the Film Dial. Some people could take-it-or-leave-it and its inclusion or exclusion is unimportant. Some people don’t mind it, but would prefer a different dial instead. And some people just loathe it.
Fujifilm had sent me an X-T50 to try out prior to its announcement. I didn’t know what the Film Dial was—it looked cool, but how do you use it? Initially, I didn’t really like it. I shoot with Film Simulation Recipes, and most Recipes work well with one specific Film Simulation and not nearly as well with others. Since the Film Dial (except on the X-E5… we’ll get to that later) only changes the Film Simulation and nothing else, it seemed like a useless feature to my photography. But then I had an epiphany: what if there was a “universal” Recipeor two, which was specifically designed for use with any and all Film Simulations? The Film Dial would become an important tool for maximizing in-camera picture aesthetics. So I went from disliking it to loving it rather quickly.
I think some of the criticisms are valid. Is a Film Dial more useful than a Drive Dial or ISO Dial? Fujifilm has never replaced an ISO Dial with a Film Dial, and I hope they never do. Complaining that a Film Dial was implemented instead of an ISO Dial is a little silly since the camera lines in question never had an ISO Dial in the first place. Still, of the two potential knobs, many people would prefer ISO over Film Simulation, and perhaps that is something Fujifilm should take into consideration. Fujifilm has replaced the Drive Dial with the Film Dial, and, for those who commonly use the Drive Dial, I can see how that might be annoying. Instead of a knob on top, Drive is now a button like on the X-E, X100, and X-Pro series. Most ideal might be to use a dual knob like the ISO/Drive dial on the X-T series (except Film Simulations instead of ISO), but Fujifilm hasn’t tried that yet—who knows, they might at some point. I don’t think this is a big deal for most people, but it is understandable. There was a similar sentiment when the four-way D-Pad was removed on most models, and it turned out that the majority acclimated without much heartache. My guess is that the lack of a Drive Knob on certain models will prove to be rather trivial in the long run.
The majority of complaints are from the loathers. They really hate the Film Dial and don’t even want to see it when they look at their camera. It bothers them deeply. Some even claim that they’ll leave the brand over its inclusion. It’s like kryptonite or something. I find this very, very strange. It’s weird. The main issue seems to be that the Film Dial is something they’d never, ever use. They dislike Film Simulations so much that they don’t want anyone to even think that they might (gasp!) use one. Of course the irony is that, outside of some drastic measures, they’re using one: Provia. That’s how their camera sees the world, and where their RAW edits begin. Yes, they can manipulate the files any which way and make any number of unique adjustments, but you have to admit that using Provia has at least a small influence over the final edited photo. Almost all of the Film Simulation haters are using a Film Simulation if they shoot a Fujifilm camera, but they’re either ignorant to that fact or they’re fully aware and are just being dishonest.
For (nearly) the last 15 years, many people have been buying and using Fujifilm cameras without digging into the menus, and as such never ventured beyond the Provia/STD Film Simulation. I’ve had a number of people tell me this. They’ve owned many Fujifilm cameras over the years, and never bothered to change the various IQ Menu items like Film Simulation, Dynamic Range, Color, etc., etc., until recently. When people say that they don’t use Film Simulations, what they often mean is that they’ve never tried anything other than Provia. They don’t know what they’re missing, and perhaps they don’t realize that it can be beneficial to their photography.
For example, a strictly RAW photographer might dismiss Film Simulations (and only use Provia), but not realize that a different Film Simulation might help them to better pre-visualize the shot. Perhaps a different Film Simulation is a closer aesthetic match to their style, and seeing the scene in those colors might help them, and maybe even improve their photography. I know of several photographers—some fairly well known—that use Recipes for this purpose. They’re not JPEG photographers—they RAW edit, and a couple even sell Lightroom presets—but the Recipes help them to visualize the finished photo while in the field, which helps them produce better pictures. Those who dismiss Film Simulations forfeit this great tool.
There’s no right or wrong way to do photography. There’s no right or wrong way to use Film Simulations or Recipes (I’m surprised sometimes how people use Recipes, occasionally in very unexpected ways). Do what works best for you, whatever that is. If you only ever want to use Provia and factory-default IQ settings, that’s cool. I just don’t understand the disdain that some have for the other Film Sims, and (more importantly) for those who appreciate them. There shouldn’t be such hate. There are some buttons that I never use on some of my cameras, and I don’t look at those buttons with disgust or think less than of people who do use them—it would be ridiculous of me to do so. How silly and strange would that be! Yet there are people who do just that when it comes to the Film Dial, and are very open about it, plastering it across the internet.
A long-time Fujifilm photographer told me recently that he never bothered with the various Film Simulations because he shoots RAW and didn’t see the point in trying them. Then he purchased a Fujifilm X-T50. Seeing the Film Dial on the top of the camera made him curious, so he began to try the different Film Sims, and he realized that he likes some more than Provia, especially Classic Negative. Eventually this led him to find Film Simulation Recipes, and he begun shooting JPEGs for the first time. He told me that none of this would have happened if the camera had a Drive Dial instead of a Film Dial. That’s why Fujifilm is putting one of their greatest assets—their amazing in-camera profiles—right on top of their cameras for all to see, and super convenient to use. It was such a great move by the brand.
The Film Dial isn’t perfect, though. First, the X-T50 and X-M5 (along with the upcoming X-T30 III) should have the ability to save Recipes into FS1, FS2, and FS3, just like the Fujifilm X-E5. I really hope Fujifilm does that. Second, why can’t all of the Film Simulations on the Film Dial have the ability to save Recipes? I should be able to program a Provia Recipe, a Velvia Recipe, an Astia Recipe, a Classic Chrome Recipe, etc., etc., into the various slots on the dial. That would be strongly welcomed by a large portion of Fujifilm’s customers. Third, Classic Negative was inexplicably left off the X-E5 Film Dial; I know that not every Film Simulation can make the cut, but Classic Negative should have been included. There’s room for improvement, and I think Fujifilm is working towards making it better.
Personally, I like the Film Dial and appreciate seeing it on more and more cameras. It can be quite useful, especially when paired with a “universal” Recipe. And it will only improve with time. Those who complain about the Film Dial, there’s validity to some of the criticisms and Fujifilm should ponder those; however, some criticisms are just plain silly. Those who say that it’s dumb or garbage or makes them feel sick or want to change brands—I just don’t get it. Nobody said that you have to use the Film Dial (simply keep it set to C), or even that you have to buy a camera with a Film Dial. Nobody is forcing you to do it. And the world doesn’t revolve around you, anyway. People use cameras in all sorts of ways, and all of those ways are valid. Fujifilm has no obligation to make a camera for your preferences and your preferences alone. To think otherwise is strange and narcissistic. The Film Dial is not kryptonite, and you’re not Superman. It can be a useful tool if you take a moment to figure out how to best utilize it for your photographic circumstances—even if you’re a strictly RAW shooter who dislikes Film Simulations, it can be used to your advantage. For the JPEG photographer, it adds significant straight-out-of-camera aesthetic versatility. In other words, the Film Dial is awesome! I think it’s quite smart for Fujifilm to prominently place it on particular cameras, like the X-T50, X-M5, and X-E5.
