I started a new 365 Day photo project, which I’m calling 52 Weeks of Photography, back on Christmas Eve. Even though it is a year-long undertaking, I’m doing it one week at a time. This is the second week—the second set of seven images. I’m pretty excited to do this, and hope you appreciate following along on this journey.
The reason why I’m doing this photo-a-day project is because I noticed some gaps in-between my images over the last year. I haven’t been picking up my cameras daily. On several occasions, four or five days passed by without a single picture created. Twice in 2024, I skipped a whole week. I want to rectify this, and get back into the habit of daily photography. I also want to elevate the quality of my craft in 2025, and am hoping this will help with that.
The plan is to capture a year’s worth of notable images, either personally or artistically. Ansel Adams famously stated, “Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.” It’s important to keep expectations realistic, but I’m also trying to avoid thoughtless snapshots just to fulfill the day’s requirement. I want to push myself to be better, and hopefully that will happen. Not every photo will be great—in fact, most won’t—but I hope they are all at least decent enough to be shared without embarrassment.
Below are the second set of seven pictures from this 52 Weeks of Photography project.
Unfair Comparisons – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Astia Summer
I’m planning to do a number of comparison tests between the JPEGs from the Fujifilm GFX100S II and my X-series models, like the Fujifilm X-T5. What’s different? What’s the same? I haven’t come to very many conclusions yet. There’s clearly a difference, but it seems so subtle it is tough to put a finger on what exactly is divergent.
For this article, I’m comparing the faux Grain between the GFX100S II and the X-T5. This isn’t a carefully controlled scientific test. When my wife (on the X-T5) and I (on the GFX100S II) captured these images, we did not intend for them to be used in any sort of comparison test. I chose these because they were made in the same location (White Sands National Park in New Mexico). They were captured with the new Kodak Gold Max 400 Expired Recipe, and reprocessed in-camera with the Astia Summer Recipe. I chose those two Recipes because of their Grain: Weak/Small and Strong/Large.
Fujifilm X-T5 – Astia Summer – Grain Weak/Small
Fujifilm GFX100S II – Astia Summer – Grain Weak/Small
Fujifilm GFX100S II – Kodak Gold Max 400 Expired – Grain Strong/Large
You cannot tell much at all from the above photos. From examining the pictures more closely, I can state that the size of the faux grain is a little larger in the X-T5 JPEGs than the GFX100S II, but you can’t really tell without cropping in. So let’s crop in!
In the first set (identified simply by “Crop”), I’ve made the pictures roughly the same size. If you look carefully, the Weak/Small Grain is slightly more visible in the X-T5 pictures, but it’s not overtly obvious. In the second set (identified by “Bigger Crop”), I’ve tried to match the Grain, and I had to crop much more deeply on the GFX100S II pictures to do so. These are significant crops, and you’d have to print large to view them this big. I think if a Grain size Medium existed on GFX, that would more closely match Grain size Small on the X-series.
Below is a repeat, except for with Strong/Large Grain. I think if a Grain size Medium existed on the X-T5, it would more closely match Grain size Large on the GFX100S II.
Bigger Crop – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Kodak Gold Max 400 Expired – Grain Strong/Large
I don’t know that it makes any practical real-world difference, but the size of the Grain—whether Small or Large—is not identical on GFX as it is on X-series cameras. It’s not scaled the same. It’s smaller on GFX and larger on X-series, specifically when comparing the 100mp images from the GFX100S II to the 40mp images from the X-T5. There are also likely variances between the 26mp APS-C sensor and the 50mp GFX sensor.
The way to look at this, I suppose, is that film grain appears more fine on medium-format film than 35mm. The difference in silver grain between—say—120 film and Advanced Photo System Type-C film is much, much more significant than the difference in Grain between GFX and X. I think you’d expect the Grain to be more “fine” on GFX—and that’s what you find—but it isn’t nearly as much of a difference as with actual film.
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Red Rock at Sundown – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T50 – Reala Ace
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 2024.
It’s quite fascinating comparing this list to last year’s. First and second place are the same, but otherwise there’s a lot of change, with several not making the Top 25 this year. I could have guessed the Top 10, maybe the Top 15, but I was surprised by a couple near the bottom—I didn’t think they’d make the cut, but here they are!
Dumbo Crowd – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X-T50 – Reala Ace
Those Recipes with Kodak brand names in the title—Kodachrome, Portra, Gold, Tri-X, etc., etc.—are usually 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, including the first four, as well as 12 of the Top 15.
Without any further delay, below are the most popular Recipes of last year!
Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes of 2024
A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that is the long-time most popular Film Simulation Recipe for Fujifilm cameras. It was #1 last year, too.
Reggie’s Portra, a popular Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras, is the most versatile Portra Recipe. It was #9 last year—it saw a significant rise in 2024.
This Recipe uses the Classic Negative film simulation (and not the Real Ace film sim), and is for X-Trans V cameras. While it was published in 2023, it did not crack the Top 25 last year. Those Recipes published during the year are at a notable disadvantage compared to the long-established ones.
This particular version of Pacific Blues is compatible with X-Trans IV models, but there is also an X-Trans V version. It fell two spots since last year.
A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras, published in February of this year. It has quickly established itself as one of the essential Fuji X Weekly Recipes to try.
This 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. It fell two spots compared to 2023.
Vintage Kodachrome, which is based on Classic Chrome, is one of the older Film Simulation Recipes on Fuji X Weekly, and is compatible with X-Trans III cameras. It was ranked #5 last year.
Bright Summer—another Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV—is sometimes called Preetra 400, because it is modeled after Preet’s aesthetic (Preet himself is the one who gave it that nickname, btw). It didn’t crack the Top 25 list last year, but grew significantly in popularity in 2024.
It is probably unfair to include the Film Dial Recipes in this list because it is not one Recipe, but 14; however, the Vibrant Arizona article is technically four Recipes, so there is a precedence for its inclusion. Published in May, this is the newest Recipe in this list.
A Classic Negative based Recipe that’s compatible with X-Trans V cameras (there’s also an X-Trans IV version). While it was published 18 months ago, it didn’t crack the Top 25 last year.
This version of Kodak Portra 160 is for X-Trans IV cameras, but there are also versions for X-Trans II, X-Trans III + X-T3/X-T30, and X-Trans V. It’s another Recipe that was published in 2023, but didn’t make the Top 25 list last year.
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 for awhile. This version was published in April of this year.
Young Yucca – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm GFX100S II + 80mm f/1.7 – Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm
It’s officially 2025! Happy New Year’s Day, everyone!
I started a new 365 Day photo project, which I’m calling 52 Weeks of Photography, back on Christmas Eve. This article is simply the introduction of the project, and the first set of seven images. I’m pretty excited to do this, and hope you appreciate following along on this journey.
This isn’t the first time that I’ve done a 365 Day photo project—I did one from August 2018 through August 2019. I developed the habit of picking up a camera daily, and my photography improved from start to finish. Also, I captured some photographs that I wouldn’t have otherwise, a few of which I was quite happy with. There is definitely a benefit to doing this type of thing. Professional athletes and musicians practice daily, so why shouldn’t photographers?
The reason why I’m doing this now is because I noticed gaps in-between my images. I haven’t been picking up my cameras daily. On several occasions, four or five days have gone by without a single picture created. Twice in 2024, a whole week passed. I want to rectify this, and get back into the habit of daily photography. I also want to elevate the quality of my craft in 2025, and am hoping this will help with that.
Full Service – Idalou, TX – Fujifilm X-T5 + 56mm f/1.2 – Superia Negative
I’ve set some ground rules for myself. I’m taking things one week at a time. That’s a little easier mentally than looking at it as one whole year chunk. If I mess up on a week, I’ll simply extend the project by a week; however, I’m also giving myself two grace days. I’d actually like to finish this on Christmas Day, which is 367 days from the start. If I miss two days, that’s perfectly ok. If I miss three to seven days, this project will be extended by one week. I think it’s good to build-in some breathing room, because life happens.
My hope is to capture a year’s worth of notable images, either personally or artistically. Ansel Adams famously stated, “Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.” It’s important to keep expectations realistic, but I’m also trying to avoid thoughtless snapshots just to fulfill the day’s requirement. I want to push myself to be better, and hopefully that will happen. Not every photo will be great—in fact, most won’t—but I hope they are all at least decent enough to be shared without embarrassment.
Below are the first set of seven pictures from this 52 Weeks of Photography project.
Half Moon Over Central Park – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI – Kodak Gold Max 400 Expired
This new Film Simulation Recipe came about after someone shared with me some photographs they captured with a roll of long-expired Kodak Gold Max 400 film. Kodak introduced this color negative emulsion in 1987 under the name Kodacolor VR-G 400. Later, they renamed it GC 400, Gold 400, Ultra Gold 400, Gold Max 400, Max 400, Max Versatility 400, then Ultramax 400, which is still available today. Over the years the emulsion has been updated a few times, but it is still essentially a 1980’s Kodacolor film.
Even though the roll was long-expired, it looked pretty good. Sometimes expired film has a much different aesthetic than a fresh roll, and sometimes it’s only subtly different. In this case, it seemed more muted and grainy than Ultramax 400, and with a little different color cast, but overall not overtly divergent. The photographer did edit the scans a little, which I’m sure affected the outcome. I wasn’t able to perfectly match it, but I feel this was pretty close. I also found some examples of expired Kodak Gold Max 400 film online, and this Recipe seems to similarly match those images fairly well but not perfectly.
What I love about this Kodak Gold Max 400 Expired Recipe is that it has an obvious analog vibe. The pictures captured with it just seem film-like to me. You could probably convince some people that you didn’t use a digital camera. These photographs don’t look like typical camera-made JPEGs.
Sand Trail – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Gold Max 400 Expired – Photo by Amanda Roesch
This Kodak Gold Max 400 Expired Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which, as of this writing, are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, and X-M5. You can use it on newer GFX cameras, too. I have a couple of photos at the bottom that were captured with a GFX100S II, and it seems pretty close to the X-Trans V rendering.
Film Simulation: Reala Ace Dynamic Range: DR400 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: 6700K, +1 Red & +4 Blue Highlight: -1.5 Shadow: +1.5 Color: -2 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 captured using this Kodak Gold Max 400 Expired Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X100VI, X-T5 & X-S20:
Oh – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI
Street Portrait – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI
Model Photography – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI
Two Ladies and a Dog – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI
Light on a Dark Building – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI
Pentax Photographer – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI
Bench Corner – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI
Three Story Home – North Bergen, NJ – Fujifilm X100VI
Alien Dunkin’ – Roswell, NM – Fujifilm X-S20 – Photo by Jonathan Roesch
Tractors is dumb – Tularosa, NM – Fujifilm X-S20 – Photo by Jonathan Roesch
Family Boating – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X100VI
Three Leaves in the Water – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X100VI
Flag on a Windy Day – Roswell, NM – Fujifilm X-S20 – Photo by Jonathan Roesch
Wood Fence – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-S20 – Photo by Jonathan Roesch
Christmas Sand – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T5 – Photo by Amanda Roesch
Roesch Kids – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T5 – Photo by Amanda Roesch
Dry Brush – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T5 – Photo by Amanda Roesch
Fujifilm GFX100S II:
Yellow Brush, Pink Sand – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Brown Leaves – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm GFX100S II
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The main reason why I purchased a Fujifilm GFX100S II camera a couple of weeks ago was for XPan photography. For those who don’t know, XPan cameras were a joint venture between Hasselblad and Fujifilm in the late-1990’s through the mid-2000’s, right at the pinnacle of film. XPan models were interchangeable-lens rangefinder cameras that used approximately two frames of 35mm film to capture panoramic pictures in a 65:24 aspect ratio.
You can crop images from any model to the XPan ratio without much trouble, but composing it in-camera is different than doing it after-the-fact because you can better visualize the outcome. Also, I prefer straight-out-of-camera photography over sitting at a computer editing, but that’s just me. All GFX models, including the GFX100S II, have the 65:24 aspect ratio built-in; however, X-series cameras do not (in my opinion, Fujifilm should add the XPan ratio to all of their 40mp cameras via a firmware update). If you are serious about XPan photography and you use Fujifilm cameras, GFX is the preferable route.
Sand Wall – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Velvia Film
Since the 65:24 aspect ratio cuts out about half of the resolution, having a high-megapixel sensor is important. With that said, you can’t truly appreciate XPan when viewing on a computer or your phone. XPan from a GFX100S II isn’t going to look any more impressive than (for example) an XPan crop from a Fujifilm X-T10. These pictures need to be printed to be appreciated, and that’s my goal. I plan to print a couple of these to see what they look like, and if I create any in the future that are worthy, I hope to make some really large prints that are two-feet tall by five-feet-five-inches wide. For that, the 100mp sensor of the GFX100S II is essential.
All of these photographs, which were captured yesterday and the day before in New Mexico, were made using a Fujifilm GFX100S II camera with a Fujinon 80mm f/1.7 lens. These pictures are camera-made JPEGs using a few different Film Simulation Recipes. Over the coming days and weeks I’ll be testing various Recipes to see what works best on GFX, and I’ll be sure to share the results with you, so stay tuned! In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy these 10 XPan images.
Merry Christmas to you and your family! I hope that you are surrounded by love this holiday, and you create many warm memories …and photographs.
2024 has been an incredible year! It seems a bit surreal. I’ve told the story before, so forgive me for repeating it.
I started Fuji X Weekly in 2017, with the intention of writing one (or more) articles per week. Initially it was a journal or long-term review of the X100F, but it evolved into all things Fujifilm, with an emphasis on JPEG camera settings (Film Simulation Recipes). The website grew organically. In the early days I did literally nothing to promote it—people came by word of mouth, or they stumbled on it via Google. I’m always amazed how people found Fuji X Weekly back then.
Lightning Strikes Antelope Island – Fujifilm X100F – A photo from Day One of Fuji X Weekly
Eventually this website (and apps) became a full-time job, and I was faced with a decision: quit my day-job, or quit Fuji X Weekly. I could no longer do both. Even though I was not earning enough at that time to support my family with Fuji X Weekly profits, after much consideration and prayers, I took a leap of faith, and put in a two-week notice with my employer, leaving my job just before the holiday season, which was quite scary. That was three years ago.
I got a surprise phone call from Fujifilm back in January. They said that they wanted to work with me in 2024, but they didn’t yet know what that would mean exactly. I was super excited, but since people say all sorts of things, I didn’t count on it. I told my wife, “If it happens it happens, and if it doesn’t, that’s ok.”
NAB Photowalk Group 3– New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI – Nostalgic Americana
But very quickly things began to happen. First, they asked me to be a part of a film simulation project, which resulted in this webpage. Then they sent me a preproduction Fujifilm X-T50 to try prior to its announcement. I was invited to a Creator’s Retreat in the Catskill Mountains with a number of incredibly talented photographers and videographers, followed by a release event for the X-T50 on a rooftop in Manhattan. Fujifilm then asked me if I’d like to co-lead a series of photowalks over the summer, in Denver, San Diego, Nashville, and Philadelphia. They also asked me to co-lead two photowalks for their Create With Us event in Austin, and three at The NAB Show in New York. That was followed by a couple more photowalks: Ann Arbor, and back to Philadelphia. If someone had told me a year ago that all those things would happen in 2024, I would not have believed them.
I’m extremely grateful and honored that Fujifilm reached out to me, and brought me along for an incredible ride. Fuji X Weekly has been an amazing journey from the beginning, but 2024 was the best year yet. I’ve met hundred and hundreds of wonderful people (some of you reading this), and worked with unbelievably talented creators. Also, in October I launched a protective case for Fujifilm X100-series cameras in collaboration with Evergreen Cases. I don’t yet know what 2025 will bring—it could be even greater than 2024—but for right now, I’m appreciative for where I’m at on this journey. The view is good from right here, right now.
Thank you for being a part of all this! It’s because of you—the greatest community in all of photography—that any of these amazing things happened. You all are why Fuji X Weekly continues to exist. It’s truly an honor to be helpful in some way to your photography. I hope that you are having a very merry Christmas right now!
In a recent interview, Theo Georghiades, general manager of Fujifilm Imaging Solutions UK, told Amateur Photographerthat there is a possibility of a Fujifilm film camera coming in the future. Some have called this a “bombshell revelation”, but is it really?
Theo was asked, “Would Fujifilm ever consider launching a film camera again, especially if it had the retro look of an X100VI?”
He responded, “I’ve been with Fujifilm for 25 years, so have learned to never say never—but I don’t know. There is without doubt a massive resurgence in film as we see from film sales. Go down to the markets around Westminster in London and you can see the popularity of film cameras again. And it’s the same in Japan, as I found on a recent trip. As I say, I’ve learned to never, ever say never! However, any business needs to analyze the prospects for a long-term opportunity over a short-term fad.”
I’m not sure how some have interpreted this to mean Fujifilm is in development of a film camera (outside of Instax), but some have insinuated that. Others are taking a more pragmatic interpretation, that Fujifilm simply hasn’t shut the door on a film camera, which is probably the more accurate analysis.
My guess is that Theo was speaking off-the-cuff, and didn’t mean to make any official statements on this topic. In other words, a large grain of salt should be taken. Perhaps there has been water-cooler talk of the possibility, perhaps not even that. I think he is simply saying that Fujifilm does unexpected things sometimes, so you just never know what they might do in the future, but there are no current plans at this time.
If I were Fujifilm, this is what I would do: rerelease the Fujica Compact Deluxe. They already have the designs. Maybe modernize the light meter, but mostly it should stay the same. I’m sure it would sell well enough to justify manufacturing it. But time is of the essence, so if they want to do this, they should be quick about it. If they hesitate, the market for 35mm film cameras might decrease by the time it hits the shelves. You’ve got to ride the waves while they’re high and before they crash.
Fujifilm currently makes “digital film” cameras, which isn’t the same thing, but in some ways it’s better. In my opinion, the X-series bridges the gap between the positive aspects of both film and digital photography. It’s still apples-to-oranges, and I’m not suggesting otherwise, but there is enough crossover that it’s worth pointing out, and even celebrating. I have no idea whether or not Fujifilm will release a 35mm film camera, but I’m extremely happy with my X-series gear. Still, it would be really cool if they did make a brand-new film camera, so I hope they do.
Flowers & Fruit – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X100VI – Fujicolor Blue
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 10 most-viewed Classic Negative Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website so far in 2024.
It’s close enough to the end of the year that there is unlikely to be much movement, if any, between now and January 1st, so I thought it would be a good time to begin looking at year-end statistics. When I share the Top 25 most popular Recipes of any given month, the results are pretty predictable: color Recipes dominate, especially those that mimic Kodak film stocks and use Classic Chrome. On the suggestion of a Fuji X Weekly reader, I’m going to share some Top 10 articles for Recipe categories where few are likely to crack the Top 25 overall. I started with B&W, followed that up with Fujicolor, then Eterna Recipes; X-Trans III was next; now we’ll look at Classic Negative based Recipes.
Two Boats – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues
This list looks similar to Top 10 Fujicolor Recipes because many of those use the Classic Negative film simulation. In my mind, when I decided to do this one, I thought it would be a little more divergent. Since I had pretty much finished putting this together when I realized the similarities, I decided to publish this list anyways. I hope you don’t mind a little redundancy.
Without any further delay, below are the most popular Classic Negative Recipes of 2024!
Top 10 Most Popular Classic Negative Film Simulation Recipes of 2024
This is one of the most popular Recipes (even briefly #1) of 2024, so I wasn’t surprised in the least to see it at the peak of this list. It uses the Classic Negative film simulation and not the Reala Ace film sim, and is for X-Trans V cameras.
Pacific Blues used to be the highest ranked Classic Negative based Recipe until I published Reala Ace. This particular version of Pacific Blues is compatible with X-Trans IV models; you’ll find the X-Trans V version a couple spots further down.
This is an App Patron Early Access Recipe, which means that right now it is only available in the Fuji X Weekly App to Patron subscribers. Eventually it will be available free to everyone, but that might take awhile. This Recipe is compatible with X-Trans V cameras, and is very new, published in late October.
Fujifilm released a new set of firmware updates, which they had promised would come before the end of the year: one for the X-T5, one for the X-T50, one for the X100VI, one for the X-S20, and one for the GFX100S II. This is simply an autofocus fix for the bug introduced earlier in the year that was partially fixed already, and should be fully fixed now. Unlike the firmware updates last month for the X-H2s, X-H2, and GFX100 II, this one doesn’t include F-Log2 C or some of the other improvements that were given to those cameras, only the AF fix. It’s possible those things might still come in a future firmware update, but I’m not sure.
I haven’t yet updated any of my cameras, because I always like to wait awhile—you never know if there will be some unexpected issue. For example, Sony famously released a firmware update earlier this year that cost their customers $700 to fix. A good rule of thumb is to wait a week or two to see if any issues arise. Most of the time there is not an issue, and I don’t suspect any problems with this one specifically, but since it does happen every once in awhile, it’s prudent to wait at least a few days, and if something major comes up, it should be well known by then.
I’m sure that you’ve read about the AF woes somewhere, or seen a YouTube video or two about it; however, in my opinion it has been largely overblown and misunderstood. Let me explain why.
First, most people weren’t affected. Some were, for sure, but not the majority; however, the large vocal outcry caused a bit of hysteria, which made it seem like a much bigger issue than it actually was—essentially, trolls took over the Fujifilm corner of the internet for awhile. A few different people told me something to the effect of, “I didn’t know my camera was broken until I saw it demonstrated on a YouTube video, and now I’m mad because I paid a lot of money for it.” It didn’t affect them personally and they would have never known without someone telling them, but since they did know, they were pissed. A lot of people got angry over something that had no negative implications for them personally, only the idea that it possibly could.
Second, Fujifilm’s AF can perform very different depending on the specific lenses used and the specific settings programmed, and if you are using lenses and/or settings that are not ideal for the specific situation, you might get less than ideal results. An example of this comes courtesy of Camera Conspiracies, as Kasey discovered that his prior criticisms of Fujifilm’s AF—including the bug—were at least partially user-error by him. I suspect that is true of a lot of the criticisms, but people tend to get offended when you suggest that the gear isn’t the primary problem. Perhaps something can be said of the intuitiveness of the AF system—there’s certainly room for improvement—however, a lot of the blame that was directed at the camera wasn’t fully the camera’s fault, but largely the lens and/or setting choices made by the one using it.
Third (and this is related to second), some people seem to want AF to automatically focus precisely as they wish it would without any input from the user. It’s like if you put your exposure triangle into full-auto, and then complained that it didn’t choose the specific aperture, shutter speed, or ISO that you wished it had. Autofocus doesn’t necessarily mean that you should set-and-forget it; like with the exposure triangle, a little control can go a long ways. After all, we’re photographers, not merely button pushers. I see people all of the time create wonderful images and videos with the gear that supposedly has sucky AF, and it isn’t a limiting factor for them (proving that it isn’t sucky after all). As Ansel Adams famously stated, “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.”
Fourth, I think some people have unrealistic expectations of how Fujifilm’s AF should perform, ignoring that the Canikony brands have been developing autofocus systems since the 1960’s and ’70’s, have significantly larger R&D budgets for it, and have even prioritized AF over image quality in recent years. Of course theirs is better, but that does not mean Fujifilm’s AF is bad, because it is not—far from it. If you could take any current Fujifilm model back in time 15 years, you’d shock the camera world with seemingly impossible technology. Photography has been around for nearly 200 years, and videography for over 135 years, and not just since the invention of our incredibly capable modern gear. People created amazing photos and videos in the past with their subpar gear (as compared to what is available today), so literally nothing should stop you from doing so with your superior gear. If something is stopping you, it is only you, and you have the power to change that.
Thankfully, Fujifilm’s AF has been fully fixed. Can it be improved? Sure, just like everything else, there is always room for improvement (there is no such thing as a perfect camera). Those who continue to moan about it are either haters, constant complainers, or trolls, or they are experiencing user-error and are blaming the gear instead of themselves. It’s beyond time for all that negativity to end—I’m sick of it, and I know a lot of other people are, too. Let’s get back to enjoying our gear, and creating awesome content with it.
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 10 most-viewed X-Trans III Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website so far in 2024.
It’s close enough to the end of the year that there is unlikely to be much movement, if any, between now and January 1st, so I thought it would be a good time to begin looking at year-end statistics. When I share the Top 25 most popular Recipes of any given month, the results are pretty predictable: color Recipes dominate, especially those that mimic Kodak film stocks and use Classic Chrome. On the suggestion of a Fuji X Weekly reader, I’m going to share some Top 10 articles for Recipe categories where few are likely to crack the Top 25 overall. I started with B&W, followed that up with Fujicolor, then Eterna Recipes; now we’ll look at X-Trans III compatible Recipes.
Spring Wildflowers & Dead Wood– Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – Provia Slide
These Film Simulation Recipes are compatible with all X-Trans III cameras—Fujifilm X-Pro2, X100F, X-E3, X-T2, X-T20 & X-H1—as well as the X-T3 and X-T30. The majority of people use Recipes on X-Trans IV and V cameras, but X-Trans III isn’t too far behind. Some of these Recipes do routinely crack the Top 25 list, but most of them do not.
Without any further delay, below are the most popular X-Trans III Recipes of 2024!
Top 10 Most Popular X-Trans III Film Simulation Recipes of 2024
This Classic Chrome based Recipe is for the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30, but is fully compatible with X-Trans III cameras because Color Chrome Effect is set to Off. This one usually cracks the Top 25.
The very first Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly, unsurprisingly uses Classic Chrome as the base. Another Recipe that is commonly in the Top 25 list.
Over the years I have accumulated quite a collection of photography gear. I have cameras and lenses that I rarely—if ever—use. They’re on my shelf collecting dust, or packed away in a box. I’ve been meaning to get rid of some of these items, but I just never seem to get around to it.
The number one reason why I hold onto my old, unused gear is not because I want to keep it, but because I dislike the process of selling. Over the years I have used sites like Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and even Instagram Stories to sell my stuff, but it has rarely been an easy and smooth process. I’ve been ghosted more times than I can count, and even scammed a couple of times. It’s such a headache!
I want to be transparent upfront: MPB is the sponsor of this article. If you don’t know it yet, they are the largest global platform to buy, sell and trade used photo and video gear—each piece checked by hand before being MPB Approved. MPB asked me to create a series of articles sharing my honest opinion about using gear loaned from their platform (you can find the links at the bottom of this article).
A couple of weeks back, they asked me about testing the selling and trading process for myself—and since I’d been putting off selling my old gear to raise funds for a camera I had my eye on, I jumped at the suggestion to try (fingers crossed) an easier way. It is important to note that they didn’t give me any special treatment or pricing. So while I have purchased from MPB a couple of times in the past, this article is about my experience going through the sell and trade process as a normal customer for the first time. Free, fast, and fair is how they describe their instant quote process, so let’s put that to the test.
When you visit the MPB platform, you are presented with a path choice: “Shop” or “Sell/Trade”. When you click “Sell/Trade”, you are prompted to provide information about the gear you’re looking to sell—what exactly is it, and what is the condition it’s in (there’s even a quick guide if you’re not sure how). After that, you just select “Get Instant Quote”, provide some basic information (name, email, and optionally your phone number), and MPB presents you with a tentative offer. All quick, easy, and painless.
For my Fujifilm X-M1, since I was planning to trade, I added the TCL-X100 II lens to the Buying category, selected my desired cosmetic condition, and chose the specific one that I wanted to trade for. When I clicked “Get Instant Quote”, I was presented with a price for the X-M1 that was well above what I had anticipated being offered—I didn’t expect so much! I added some batteries and accessories to the trade, and still had ample cash leftover. The next step was to box up the camera, and ship it for free via FedEx. I should note that trading gear doesn’t increase or decrease the price of whatever you are buying or selling.
A few days later I received an email from MPB that my item was received. The next day another email came stating that my item had been inspected, and my quote updated. They reduced the amount they wanted to pay for it by a little and I could either accept or reject it. I had the option to reject the offer and get my gear returned for free if I wasn’t happy, but I accepted. It was still more than I had anticipated, and there was still cash leftover after the trade. I provided MPB with banking info, and two days later I was paid. Just yesterday, the TCL-X100 II, batteries, and accessories arrived in the mail, and I couldn’t be happier with the whole process.
Next, I went through the same process to sell my Fujinon 100-400mm lens and Canon 5DS R camera; however, the quote for these two items were both less than I had hoped for. I needed them gone fast, so I decided to send them in anyway. When MPB reviewed the lens and camera, they once again adjusted the quote, this time significantly increasing the value of the Canon DSLR. It was still less than I would have liked to have sold them for, but the overall increase made me feel a little better about it. I later learned they use MPB Re.Value—the world’s leading proprietary dynamic pricing engine for used cameragear with millions of data points—to provide real-time prices for buyers and sellers.
I was curious how much of a markup MPB would give my items (after all, they’ve got to earn a profit), so I found them on their website. The X-M1 has a markup of $149, which seems quite reasonable. The Fujinon 100-400mm has a markup of $339, and the Canon EOS 5DS R has a markup of $333, which leans in their favor. You could say that I left money on the table, had I sold these items myself instead of using MPB, but that’s assuming I would have been able to sell them for that price, and that I wouldn’t have had to pay shipping and other fees. Add to that the time and hassle of doing it, plus the risk of being scammed or worse, and I would say that selling to MPB was undoubtedly preferable.
After selling gear through MPB for the first time, I’ve learned that it’s a quick, easy, and painless process. While I would have liked to have received a little more for two of the three items that I sold, overall I am pleased with the outcome, and I will certainly use MPB again in the future.
My latest camera purchased arrived in the mail a few days ago: a Fujifilm GFX100S II. Along with the camera I also got a couple of lenses to go with it: Fujinon GF 80mm f/1.7 and GF 30mm f/3.5. This was, by far, the most money that I’ve ever spent on gear, and it was with some apprehensiveness that I clicked the Proceed with Purchase button. Let me explain why I bought it.
My first GFX experience was with the GFX 50S, which I was able to borrow for a couple of weeks in early 2021. It was a dream-come-true to try, but I was not convinced that it was something I wanted to own. Not only was it pretty far outside of my budget, but it was big, heavy, and slow, and didn’t provide any major advantages to my photography over the X-series. If I was given one I wouldn’t say no, but I wasn’t about to shell out many thousands of dollars for it.
The next GFX experience came earlier this year when Fujifilm invited me to a retreat in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Some photographers, including myself, were loaned preproduction Fujifilm X-T50‘s to try out, and some were loaned preproduction GFX100S II’s. While I didn’t get a chance to use one myself, I did get to see the amazing images that other photographers created with it, including Bryan Minear. I’ll never forget when Bryan and I got completely drenched on an early-morning photo outing in the rain.
A few days later Fujifilm had a rooftop launch party for the GFX100S II and X-T50 in New York City (above Foto Care), and myself and Bryan were enlisted to help. We were placed together at a touch-and-try station for the GF 500mm f/5.6 lens. I didn’t know much about the gear, so I wasn’t particularly helpful. I did get to touch-and-try very briefly, though, but not enough to form any sort of opinions of the gear. I met a number of interesting and talented people, and had an amazing time, so I’m extremely grateful and honored for the opportunity.
Most recently, when Bryan and I cohosted a photowalk in Ann Arbor last month, he let me try out his GFX100S II camera with the Fujinon 80mm f/1.7 lens attached. It was a beast, but also produced amazing images. It was that experience that pushed me over the edge to want one. Prior to this, I would have said that there’s no way I’m buying one, I can’t afford it. Instead, I began looking at what it would take to buy one. I had already began saving for the next camera purchase, so I was already partway along the path, but, you know, GFX is quite expensive.
It might seem like I just suddenly wanted one, like I was smitten with G.A.S., which is partially true. Actually, I’ve been thinking about it for some time now. Specifically, I have had an interest in creating 65:24 XPan panoramas, and the GFX cameras are especially excellent for that. I also want to explore square photographs, and GFX is quite good for that, too. My hope is to make large prints of these images, if I should capture any worthy of being printed.
Above: Me, as photographed by Bryan Minear using a Fujifilm GFX100S II & Fujinon 80mm f/1.7 with the XPan aspect ratio, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
There’s also the benefit of figuring out which Film Simulation Recipes work best with the camera, and what modifications, if any, need to be considered. I haven’t made much headway with that just yet, but hopefully over the coming weeks I can publish some findings. I’ve had a number of requests for GFX Recipes, but, without any GFX gear, that’s tough to do. I should be able to make some big strides regarding this now that I have a GFX100S II in my hands.
I’m not a big fan of the heft, or the non-tactile controls, but the images are incredible! However, for everyday use, there’s no way that you can tell it’s GFX, and not X-series. In fact, I published a few pictures on Fuji X Weekly that were captured with the GFX100S II, and nobody noticed. You have to crop deeply and/or print very large to really appreciate it, I think. Those who truly “need” GFX are a small group, and I’m not one of them …yet, anyway. I’m making plans where I hope the GFX100S II proves to be a necessity for what I’m creating, so we’ll see if it does.
Above: Vultures circling a desert ridge; photo by Ritchie Roesch with a Fujifilm GFX100S II & Fujinon 80mm f/1.7 with the XPan aspect ratio and Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe.
I had to sell a couple of items to afford the camera (and to make room on the shelf for it). Even then, it was a stretch to pay for it. I had some trepidation when I ordered it, but I think it might eventually be worthwhile. Now I’ve just got to get it to the places I want to take it to—mostly, National Parks—in order to create the images that I imagine capturing with it.
I’ll try not to bombard you with GFX articles. I plan to keep this website primarily focused on X-series gear, and only sprinkled with with GFX content. But I can’t guarantee that. I might end up absolutely loving the camera, and speaking more about it than I initially intend. Or maybe it will mostly collect dust, as I choose smaller, lighter, more fun gear. Time will tell. But, for this first post, I will share with you some of my first pictures captured with the new camera.
I’ve received a bunch of feedback from Fujifilm photographers over the last few years about one specific thing, and I have never had a good answer to it. But just today I received a note from Fred Miranda with an excellent idea on how Fujifim could possibly fix the issue without too much trouble.
On some X-Trans IV and all X-Trans V cameras, the Custom Settings presets (often called C1-C7) save a lot more than IQ parameters. Focus settings, self timer settings, and even sound settings (and a whole lot more) must be programmed into the Custom Settings. The problem is that if you adjust some parameter because of the situation you are photographing in, the camera will forget this setting and restore whatever is saved into C1-C7 whenever the camera is powered off or goes to sleep.
One example is the focus mode on my Fujifilm X-E4. Since Fujifilm did not include an M/C/S switch, you have to set this within C1-C7. Since I mostly use autofocus lenses, this isn’t typically a problem, but whenever I use a manual focus lens, I need to set it to “M”. Whenever I power the camera Off and then On or change to a different C1-C7 Custom Settings preset, I have to set it back to “M” again. Otherwise, I must reprogram my Custom Settings to be “M” instead of “S” or “C”, and remember to change it back the next time I use an autofocus lens.
Another example is in situations with bright highlights (such as shooting into the sun), I prefer to use DR400 with the Reggie’s Portra Recipe, instead of DR-Auto, which will only choose DR100 or DR200. If I make this change and the camera goes to sleep, when I wake it up, it will be back at DR-Auto, unless I reprogrammed the Custom Settings preset with DR400 (which I’ll have to remember to change back).
There are probably a thousand different examples that I could give, and the specific ones that might annoy you the most might be different than what annoys me, but the larger point is that this is an annoyance for a lot of people. Some learn to “deal with it” (it is what it is) or sometimes they sell their X-Trans V model and return to their older camera. I think it is something that Fujifilm should address, and it might even be an easy fix.
The Custom Settings presets used to not behave this way—in fact, it doesn’t on my X-T30, X-T4 and X100V. C1-C7 used to be just for the IQ settings, which are the Film Simulation Recipe parameters. All the other settings—focus, sound, etc., etc.—were set within the menu. I think this worked well, except that “Base” was confusing (until you realize that it simply means the settings you are currently using). There are advantages and disadvantages to both concepts, so I don’t think simply going back to the old way is the answer. But the new process has some problems, for sure.
Fujifilm’s solution is Auto Update Custom Settings. If you Enable it, when you make a change, the camera will remember that change, and automatically adjust your C1-C7. However, one issue is that if you Enable Auto Update Custom Settings, your C1-C7 will most likely drift out of whack over time, and eventually not resemble what you programmed. This probably works for some, but it isn’t a good option for everyone. I always select Disable.
The proposed solution that Fred Miranda shared with me is a simple firmware update. In the Edit/Save Custom Settings menu, when you select (for example) C1, there are two empty lines: one above Edit/Check, and one below Edit Custom Name. Perhaps at the bottom Fujifilm could add Save IQ Settings Only, with the option to Enable or Disable. It could be default disabled (and, out of the box, the cameras would work the same as they do today), and enabled only if the user wants it to be enabled (what I would choose).
If you Enable Save IQ Settings Only, then all of the other options—AF/MF, Shooting Settings, Wrench, etc.—are greyed out when you program your C1-C7, as you won’t be able to set those within C1-C7. Whatever you have programmed into the Menu when no C1-C7 is selected (a.k.a. “None Selected” or, in the Q-Menu, “A/S/M/P”), is what those settings will be. Basically, it would make your C1-C7 function like it used to, and only be IQ (Recipe) settings.
What’s cool about this is that not only would it give you the choice, but it would give you the choice for each Custom Preset. You could Enable some, and Disable others. It gives you a lot more flexibility with how C1-C7 operates (make it work best for you). This seems like a fairly simple firmware update to create, so it shouldn’t require a lot of resources to implement. An easy fix, as they say, that should make everyone happy.
Now I don’t know if it would work with the PASM models, like the X-H2s, X-H2, X-S20, X-S10, or X-M5. The concept might need to be modified or completely nixed for those cameras, I’m not sure (I don’t own any, personally). But for the X-E4, X-T30 II, X-T5, X100VI, and X-T50, it should work like a charm. The X-T5, X-T50, and X100VI might be a good starting point. And it should definitely be implemented in future cameras—there’s plenty of time to bring this to whatever is in the pipeline.
I want to thank Fred for sharing this idea with me. I hope that Fujifilm reads this, and, if they do, takes it into consideration. This would improve the experience for many on the newer models, and I think it will prove itself worthwhile in the long run.
Back in April, Pergear announced a new lens: Pergear 25mm f/1.7. This is a compact lens that’s not quite pancake, but not far from it either. It’s a little larger than the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8, and a little smaller than the Fujinon 23mm f/2. I appreciate small gear, so I got this diminutive lens specifically to pair with my Fujifilm X-E4. The Pergear 25mm f/1.7 looks really good on the X-E4; it’s an aesthetic match to the retro-styled Fujifilm models, with the right amount of vintage-like charm. The 25mm focal-length is 37.5mm full-frame-equivalent, which is good for everyday walk-around photography.
It is a manual-focus lens, which means there’s no auto-focus capabilities. I learned photography on manual lenses, so I don’t mind them personally; however, if you don’t have much experience manually focusing, it will likely take you a little practice to feel comfortable with it. The focus ring is smooth on this lens. The minimum focus distance is about eight inches, which isn’t bad. The lens has 7 Elements in 5 Groups, and 10 blades. The filter thread size is 37mm. Also, there’s no communication with the camera.
The aperture ring has clicks, and steps in full stops—there are no intermediate apertures, such as f/3.5 or f/5, which is a bit unusual (although a long time ago this wasn’t odd at all). The maximum aperture is a bright f/1.7, but skips f/2 and goes straight for f/2.8. The minimum aperture is f/22; however, due to diffraction, f/22 should probably be avoided. The aperture ring has a good amount of stiffness, and the clicks obvious, meaning that you won’t accidentally change the aperture, and you can mentally keep track of the aperture adjustments without having to take your eye off the EVF.
The Pergear 25mm f/1.7 is a very different lens depending on the aperture. When wide open at f/1.7, center sharpness is sufficient but not impressive, and the corners are soft with some vignetting. It’s also prone to a hazy flare if there is a bright light source in front of you. This can give a cinematic or even atmospheric effect sometimes, and can be used creatively. Things improve notably as you stop down. By f/5.6 the technical flaws that are obvious at f/1.7 are nearly gone, and this lens can hold its own pretty well against many others. In other words, for a clinically clean lens, you will want to be in the f/5.6 to f/8 range, but for more interesting character, you’ll want to increase the aperture. Also, you can get some nice sunstars at f/11 and especially f/16. I feel like there is enough of a difference in outcome at f/1.7, f/2.8-f/4, f/5.6-f/8, and f/11-f/16, that you could almost compartmentalize those apertures for specific situations and desired picture aesthetics.
This lens retails for only $75, which is quite affordable. It seems well built and robust. There’s a lot to like about the Pergear 25mm f/1.7 lens, and it’s easy to overlook the shortcomings because it is so inexpensive. I’m very happy with it, personally, and plan to use it regularly on my Fujifilm X-E4.
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11th Avenue – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI – SantaColor
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 10 most-viewed Eterna Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website so far in 2024.
It’s close enough to the end of the year that there is unlikely to be much movement, if any, between now and January 1st, so I thought it would be a good time to begin looking at year-end statistics. When I share the Top 25 most popular Recipes of any given month, the results are pretty predictable: color Recipes dominate, especially those that mimic Kodak film stocks and use Classic Chrome. On the suggestion of a Fuji X Weekly reader, I’m going to share some Top 10 articles for Recipe categories where few are likely to crack the Top 25 overall. I started with B&W, followed that up with Fujicolor; now we’ll look at Recipes that use the Eterna film simulation.
Inspired by yesterday’s SOOC Live broadcast (if you missed it, you can watch it now), I decided that Eterna needed to be included in this project. In my opinion, it’s probably the most under appreciated film sim of them all. Perhaps that’s my fault, as I probably could have done more to demonstrate just how good it is. There’s a good chance that some of you have never even used an Eterna-based Recipe—if not, perhaps now is a good time.
I had a very good hunch that the X-Trans V version of CineStill 800T would rank #1, because it’s been routinely in the Top 25 ever since I published it in April. Beyond that, I was really unsure how this list would look. I expected both SantaColor and Cinematic Film to crack the Top 10, but to my surprise neither did. I count 30 Eterna-based Recipes in the Fuji X Weekly App, so obviously some had to be left out.
Without any further delay, below are the most popular Eterna Recipes of 2024!
Top 10 Most Popular Eterna Film Simulation Recipes of 2024
This is an adaptation of the X-Trans IV version (which you’ll find a little further down) for use on X-Trans V cameras. Like the film it is named after, this Recipe is specifically intended for nighttime photography.
This is one of my favorite Eterna-based Recipes. It’s an adaptation of the X-T3/X-T30 version (which you’ll find a little further down) for use on “newer” X-Trans IV models.
Vintage Color is an artist’s Recipe. It either works very well or not especially well, and should be used thoughtfully. It’s for X-Trans IV cameras; on X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.
This Recipe can produce interesting results in the right light, but is definitely not for everyday use. I’m surprised to see it rank so high. It’s for use on X-Trans IV cameras; on X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.
The season finale of SOOC Live is just two days away! Join Nathalie Boucry and myself on December 12th at 9:00 AM Pacific Time (noon Eastern), as we finish off Season 4 with what will surely be an epic broadcast. This one will be especially fun, so you’ll want to tune in if you’re able. Since these shows are interactive, your participation makes them better. I hope to see you this Thursday!
For those who don’t know, SOOC Liveis a (sometimes) monthly live YouTube broadcast where Nathalie Boucry and I discuss Film Simulation Recipes, give tips and tricks for achieving the results you want straight-out-of-camera, talk Fujifilm news, and answer your questions. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow. This is a community event, helping each other along our photographic journeys.
Below is the upcoming show, so you can easily find it on Thursday (here is the direct link, in case you need it):
Manhattan from Pulaski Bridge – Fujifilm X-T50 – PRO Negative 160C
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 10 most-viewed Fujicolor Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website so far in 2024.
It’s close enough to the end of the year that there is unlikely to be much movement, if any, between now and January 1st, so I thought it would be a good time to begin looking at year-end statistics. When I share the Top 25 most popular Recipes of any given month, the results are pretty predictable: color Recipes dominate, especially those that mimic Kodak film stocks and use Classic Chrome. On the suggestion of a Fuji X Weekly reader, I’m going to share some Top 10 articles for Recipe categories where few are likely to crack the Top 25 overall. I started with B&W; now we’ll look at Fujicolor-related Recipes.
Boats & Bridge – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI – PRO Negative 160C
By Fujicolor, I mean Recipes that are (generally speaking) intended to mimic Fujicolor film stocks, or are named after a Fujifilm emulsions. I did this category last year, actually, and it was quite fascinating. Interestingly, the rankings have change pretty significantly year-over-year; however, I’m not too surprised by the results. I knew that Reala Ace would be Number One, Fujicolor Super HG v2 would be second, and PRO Negative 160C would be third. Beyond that, I wasn’t sure, and a couple inclusions (and exclusions) were a tad surprising.
Without any further delay, below are the most popular Fujicolor Recipes of 2024!
Top 10 Most Popular Fujicolor Film Simulation Recipes of 2024
This is one of the most popular Recipes (even briefly #1) of 2024, so I wasn’t surprised in the least to see it at the peak of this list. It uses the Classic Negative film simulation (and not the Real Ace film sim), and is for X-Trans V cameras.
A Classic Negative based Recipe that’s compatible with X-Trans V cameras (there’s also an X-Trans IV version). Month-to-month, this one typically ranks between 20th and 30th.
This is an App Patron Early Access Recipe, which means that right now it is only available in the Fuji X Weekly App to Patron subscribers. Eventually it will be available free to everyone, but that might take awhile. This Recipe uses the Classic Negative film simulation, and is compatible with X-Trans V cameras. It’s very new—published in late October—so its inclusion (and high ranking) is pretty shocking.
Last year, this Recipe was #1 on this list. It’s an older one that uses PRO Neg. Std, and is compatible with X-Trans III models, plus the X-T3 and X-T30.
This is the X-Trans V version of this Recipe (the X-Trans IV version is a little further down). It uses the Classic Negative film simulation. Last year it was ranked #10.
This Recipe uses Classic Negative and is for X-Trans IV models; however, there is an X-Trans V version that didn’t make this list. Last year, this Recipe was ranked #4.
Round Window – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
I get asked fairly regularly which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular. For me, this is a fascinating topic, but it’s definitely hard to know definitively. While I get a glimpse on social media, my best gauge is the Fuji X Weekly website statistics; specifically, which Recipe articles are viewed the most. I don’t collect any data on the Fuji X Weekly App, so that’s no help—although, if I did, it would likely offer the most accurate picture; however, it would still be impossible to know which Recipes people programmed into their Fujifilm cameras, or how often they used each. Perhaps a survey would be particularly useful, yet even it has its limitations. While certainly a flawed method, page-view website statics offer the best glimpse at which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular, so that’s what I’m using for this article. These are simply the Top 10 most-viewed B&W Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website so far in 2024.
It’s close enough to the end of the year that there is unlikely to be much movement, if any, between now and January 1st, so I thought it would be a good time to begin looking at year-end statistics. When I share the Top 25 most popular Recipes of any given month, the results are pretty predictable: color Recipes dominate, especially those that mimic Kodak film stocks and use Classic Chrome. On the suggestion of a Fuji X Weekly reader, I’m going to share some Top 10 articles for Recipe categories where few are likely to crack the Top 25 overall. I’m starting with black-and-white, and we’ll see where this all goes from here.
I knew that Kodak Tri-X 400 would be Number One. It’s far-and-away the most popular black-and-white Film Simulation Recipe for Fujifilm cameras, and is in the Top 15 overall. Second place is a distant second, and not close to cracking the Top 25. I really didn’t know how the others would rank, and I was quite surprised by some of them. Four of these use the Acros film simulation (I thought more would), and six use the Monochrome film simulation.
Without any further delay, below are the most popular B&W Recipes of 2024!
Top 10 Most Popular B&W Film Simulation Recipes of 2024
This 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 the highest ranked Recipe that uses the Monochrome film simulation. It is compatible with X-Trans IV (except the X-T3/X-T30) and X-Trans V cameras.
Based on Acros, this was one of the very first Film Simulation Recipes published on Fuji X Weekly. It is compatible with X-Trans III cameras, plus the X-T3 and X-T30.
Another Monochrome-based Recipe, this one is compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30; for use on X-Trans III, simply ignore the settings that your camera doesn’t have.
Last but certainly not least is Kodak T-Max 400, which also uses the Monochrome film simulation. It has compatibility with X-Trans III, X-Trans IV, and X-Trans V models.
Cotton Candy Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Cotton Candy Chrome Recipe
This is a super fun Film Simulation Recipe for Fujifilm full spectrum cameras, like the Fujifilm X-T4 ES, which turns trees a soft pink. It’s not for “normal” cameras; you must have a full spectrum X-Trans IV or X-Trans V model, which requires an expensive and invasive procedure from a third-party vendor like LifePixel, Kolari Vision, or Spenser’s Camera. Otherwise, the Fujifilm X-T4 ES (“Extended Spectrum”) is a full spectrum camera (is sensitive to light outside the visible gamut) briefly offered by Fujifilm to the general public. As of this writing, I believe that you can still buy the Fujifilm X-T4 ES from B&H, but it requires a phone call or stopping by in person—you can’t order it from the internet.
I’m pretty new to infrared photography, and I’m still learning and experimenting. Larry Adams, a Fuji X Weekly regular, kindly mailed to me a few filters to try out, and one of those—a QB2 blue filter—was used for this Cotton Candy Chrome Recipe. I’m not certain which brand the filter is (it doesn’t say), but here are some that I found online: JTSF, PMP, Nantong, Shanghai Longway, Tangsinuo. This is a fairly uncommon filter and that’s why none of the name brands make it, but it is used by some in the IR world. I have no idea which brand might be best. The other filters I used for this Recipe are Hoya G(XO) Yellow-Green filter and Tiffen Yellow 2 #8 filter. I don’t know if the order matters, but I have the Yellow filter closest to the lens, the Yellow-Green filter in the middle, and the QB2 furthest from the lens.
Union Pacific 1579 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Cotton Candy Chrome Recipe
Filters: Tiffen Yellow 2 #8, Hoya G(XO) Yellow-Green & QB2 Blue Film Simulation: Classic Negative Dynamic Range: DR200 Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: Fluorescent 1, -9 Red & +6 Blue Highlight: -1.5 Shadow: -1.5 Color: +4 Sharpness: 0 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 captured using this Cotton Candy Chrome Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T4 ES:
Hazy Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Bougainvillea Branch – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Closed Canopy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Mocha House, Candy Trees – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Yellow Jacket – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Shopping Cart – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Curved Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Jackson – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
CVS/pharmacy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Mid Morning – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Grain Hopper – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Fruit Basket – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Crocodile Trail – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Library Night – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Holiday Lights 1 – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Holiday Lights 2 – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Red Fountain – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Civic Center – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Swirl Abstract – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
Falling Starflake – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES
