A Fuji X Weekly reader asked me to mimic the look of some photographs that he shared with me. These were digital pictures that had been edited with software, but he was hoping to achieve this look straight-out-of-camera, if at all possible. It turns out that it is possible (although I only had three images to study, so I’m not completely certain this is an exact match, but I believe it is pretty close); however, it requires the Eterna Bleach Bypass film simulation, which, unfortunately, his camera does not have. If your camera does have Eterna Bleach Bypass, than you are fortunate because you can use this very interesting recipe!
What film does this recipe most closely mimic? The most similar film might be the (now discontinued) Konica Impresa 50, although it is certainly not an exact match. There are also some similarities to Portra that’s had the bleach skipped, although I wouldn’t say that this is an exact match for that, either. I don’t think this film simulation recipe is a faithful facsimile of any film, yet it produces a nice analog aesthetic anyway. It has strong contrast and very muted colors—almost monochrome. In a way, it’s the closest thing to black-and-white in color photography.
First Light on the Ridge – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Muted Color”
This recipe is only compatible with the Fujifilm X-E4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. If you have one of those cameras, I invite you to give this recipe a try! I know that it will be an instant favorite for some of you.
Eterna Bleach Bypass Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -0.5 Shadow: +1 Color: -4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: 0 Clarity: -2 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: Auto, +3 Red & -8 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Muted Color” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Girl in Beanie – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Just Hangin’ Around – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
At the Schoolyard – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Monkey Bars – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Neighborhood Fire Hydrant – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Grass & Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Berry Bush – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Pink Rose – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Single Rose – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Red Leaf – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Cross – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Mountain Trees in Autumn – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Snow on the Stormy Mountain – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Pushed CineStill 800T”
The Fuji X Weekly app is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron unlocks the best app experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new film simulation recipes. These early-access recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. In fact, many early-access recipes have already been publicly published on this blog and the app, so now everyone can use them. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no app. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!
This new Patron early-access recipe is called “Pushed CineStill 800T” and is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II X-Trans IV cameras. It mimics the look of push-processed CineStill 800T film. To create this aesthetic, I studied overcast daytime examples of the film, and, interestingly enough, it did quite well at night, too; however, I do believe it more faithfully mimics the film in cloudy daytime conditions—it does produce nice results in daylight or night, so feel free to use it anytime. Film can look different depending on how it is shot, developed, printed, or scanned. This recipe doesn’t replicate pushed CineStill 800T film under all circumstances, but in certain conditions it’s a good facsimile. I really like how this one looks, and I think some of you will really appreciate it, too!
If you are a Fuji X Weekly Patron, it’s available to you right now on the app!
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Pushed CineStill 800T” film simulation recipe:
Book & Minolta – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Happy Birthday Wish – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Ready To Go Nowhere – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Pipe Door – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Night Urban Path – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Empty Parking Garage – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Empty Harmons Fuel Stop – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Night Hydrant – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Wet White Blooms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Little Wild Berries – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Clouds Building Over Green Ridge – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Pumpkins In A Patch – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Wrong Way Shadow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Silver Summer”
This film simulation recipe, called Silver Summer, was a Patron early-access recipe on the Fuji X Weekly App, and Patrons have had access to it since July. One benefit of being an app Patrons is that you get early-access to some new film simulation recipes, and this was one of them, but now it is available to everyone, since a different early-access recipe is now on the app. The Silver Summer recipe has some unintentional similarities to Lomography Cine 200, but it’s definitely not an exact match. I wasn’t intending to mimic a specific film, but a specific aesthetic that I was asked to create. While it’s not modeled after a specific film, it definitely has an analog look. I really like how this one turned out, and I think some of you will really appreciate it, too!
I found that this recipe is particularly well suited for sunny days. It uses the Eterna Bleach Bypass film simulation, and produces a silvery look similarly to film that’s had the bleach skipped. If you are looking for a film-like-look that’s a bit “different” than what everyone else is shooting, this is a recipe you’ll want to try.
This film simulation recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II X-Trans IV cameras. Unfortunately, because it requires Eterna Bleach Bypass, it’s not compatible with the X100V or X-Pro3, and because it uses Clarity and Color Chrome FX Blue, it’s not compatible with the X-T3 or -T30.
Eterna Bleach Bypass Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1 Shadow: +1 Color: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -2 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong White Balance: 5300K, -3 Red & -6 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Silver Summer” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Bee on a Thistle – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Lily – Sundance, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Tree Branch and Creek – Sundance, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Kodachrome They give us those nice bright colors They give us the greens of summer Makes you think all the world’s a sunny day
Kodachrome is probably the most iconic photographic film ever made. It was legendary, and many people saw the world through its colors. Kodak produced Kodachrome film from 1935 through 2009, when, to the dismay of photographers around the world, it was suddenly discontinued.
The Kodachrome name has been used for many different films over the years. The first Kodachrome product was a two-glass-plate color negative that was introduced in 1915. Like all other color photography methods of its time, the results weren’t particularly good and the product not especially successful.
In 1935, Kodak released its next Kodachrome product: a positive color transparency film. This Kodachrome was the first film that produced reasonably accurate colors, and, because of that, was the first commercially successful color film. It became the standard film for color photography for a couple decades, and was even Ansel Adams’ preferred choice for color work. The December 1946 issue of Arizona Highways, which was the first all-color magazine in the world, featured Barry Goldwater’s Kodachrome images. While the most popular Kodachrome during this time was ISO 10, Kodak also produced an ISO 8 version, as well as a Tungsten option in the 1940s.
Kodak made significant improvements to Kodachrome, and in 1961 released Kodachrome II. This film boasted more accurate colors, sharper images, finer grain, and a faster ISO of 25. While it was still somewhat similar to the previous Kodachrome, it was better in pretty much every way. A year later Kodachrome-X was introduced, which had an ISO of 64, and produced more saturation and increased contrast, but was grainier. Kodachrome for cinema had an ISO of 40, and would continue to be ISO 40 until 2009 when Kodak discontinued Kodachrome.
There was a movement in the early-1970s to end Kodachrome because the process to develop it was very toxic. Kodachrome is actually a black-and-white film with color added during development, which you can imagine isn’t a simple procedure. Instead of discontinuing their most popular color film, Kodak made a new version that required a less-toxic (but still toxic) and less complicated (but still complicated) development process. This appeased those who wanted the film gone, but the new version of Kodachrome was not initially well received by all photographers, some of whom liked the old version better. William Eggleston, for example, who used Kodachrome extensively in his early career, wasn’t a fan of the new version, and used other films instead.
In 1974, because of the new less-toxic development process, Kodachrome II was replaced by Kodachrome 25 and Kodachrome-X was replaced by Kodachrome 64. They also introduced Kodachrome 200, a high-ISO version. This generation of Kodachrome is what most people think of when they picture (pun intended) the film, gracing the pages of magazines like National Geographic. Due to Kodachrome’s sharpness, grain, color, contrast, and archival characteristics, it was a great all-around option that worked well in most circumstance. Steve McCurry, who is perhaps the best-known photographer to extensively use this era of Kodachrome, said of the film, “It has almost a poetic look with beautiful colors that were vibrant and true to what you were shooting.”
When Kodak discontinued Kodachrome in 2009, it shocked the photographic community; however, the deeper blow was that Kodak discontinued the chemicals required to develop it. Even if you had an old roll of the film (which I did), you couldn’t develop it, except as a black-and-white film from a specialty lab. By the end of 2010, the Kodachrome era was officially over for good.
Captured using real Kodachrome 64 35mm color transparency film on a Canon AE-1.
I shot many rolls of Kodachrome 64, and a few rolls of Kodachrome 25. My favorite was Kodachrome 64 because it had more contrast and more saturated colors—while it was a little less true-to-life, it produced bolder pictures more like Paul Simon’s description. It was a sad day for me when Kodak discontinued it. At that time, I was just getting into digital photography; in retrospect I wish that I had paused on digital and exposed a few more rolls of Kodachrome, just for the joy of it.
Paul Simon shot his Kodachrome on a Nikon camera, and I shot mine on a well-used Canon AE-1. Even though the film is long gone, I now shoot “Kodachrome” on a Fujifilm X100V and an X-E4. Yes, Kodachrome lives, thanks to Fujifilm’s great JPEG output! I’ve created film simulation recipes that mimic Kodachrome 64. While they’re not a 100% perfect match, considering the limited options and parameters that are available in-camera, they’re surprisingly accurate to the film. They certainly attain the “memory color” that Fujifilm’s managers often talk about. Ah, the irony of achieving a Kodachrome look on a Fujifilm camera is not lost on me!
I’ve actually published over 150 recipes (which you can fin on the Fuji X Weekly app) for Fujifilm cameras, many of which are based on film stocks. Using film simulation recipes, no matter the Fujifilm camera you have, allows you to get straight-out-of-camera pictures that appear as if they were post-processed—or, even better, shot on film instead of digital. This is obviously a big time-saver, but can also be more fun.
Captured using the Kodachrome 64 film simulation recipe on a Fujifilm X100V
Whenever I go out to photograph, I always have at least one Fujifilm camera with me, loaded with seven film simulation recipes. My favorite color recipe is Kodak Portra 400 v2, and my favorite black-and-white recipe is Kodak Tri-X 400. Some recipes aren’t modeled after specific films, but produce an analog aesthetic anyway, such as my Xpro ’62 recipe, which has a vintage cross-processed look, and my Positive Film recipe, which is intended to mimic Saul Leiter’s style. I like to load a few of my favorite recipes into my camera before going out, and the remaining presets are often experimental recipes that I’m working on, as I’m always creating new ones.
Kodachrome 64 is one of those recipes that I find myself often programing into my camera—that is, if it isn’t already a C1-C7 preset from my last outing! It has the right amount of nostalgia, delivering those “nice bright colors” and “greens of summer” that “makes you think all the world’s a sunny day.” I can’t help but think, if Paul Simon picked up a Fujifilm camera today to take a photograph, the Kodachrome 64 recipe would be his favorite, and perhaps he’d even write a song about it.
I call this recipe “Pulled Fujicolor Superia” because it is similar to Fujicolor Superia Xtra 400 film that’s been pulled one stop. Of course, how any emulsion is shot, developed, printed and/or scanned has an impact on its aesthetic, and one film can have many different looks. I didn’t set out to recreate the look of pulled Superia film, but, in fact, it does look surprisingly close to some examples I found. It’s better to be lucky than good, right? I wouldn’t say that this is 100% spot-on for pulled Superia 400 film, but it’s not far off at all.
Break – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Pulled Fujicolor Superia”
Because this recipe uses the Classic Negative film simulation, Clarity, and Color Chrome Effect Blue, it is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. I think it works best on sunny days, but I did use it with some success in overcast and indoor situations.
Classic Negative Dynamic Range: D-Range Priority Strong Color: +3 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -2 Clarity: +2 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong White Balance: Daylight, -4 Red & -2 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Pulled Fujicolor Superia” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:
Packed Parking Garage – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Dee’s – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Salt Lake Shoreland Preserve Boardwalk – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Wetland Grass & Mountains – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Grass – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Fence & Hidden Building – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Playing Pokemon – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Looking Through Binoculars – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
My Four Kids – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Jonathan at f/3.6 – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Yellow & Green Grass – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Pops of Fall – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V
A Little Splash of Autumn – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Episode 04 of SOOC has been postponed one week to Thursday, October 21. Unfortunately, things came up, and we’re not able to do the broadcast on the 14th as previously planned. I’m very sorry if this causes any problems for you—hopefully it isn’t too inconvenient.
SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different film simulation recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we will not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks.
Thomas Schwab sent me an X-Trans I recipe to try, which he calls Punchy Velvia. Whenever Thomas sends me a recipe to try, I’m always excited to program it into the camera, because they’re often great. He’s a friend, and has a good eye for Fujifilm settings. He created the X-Trans I Kodachrome I and Kodachrome II recipes. Thank you, Thomas, for sending this!
I recently went on a hike with this new recipe programmed into my Fujifilm X-Pro1. My kids were with me, and my daughter, Joy, ended up shooting with the camera much more than I did. A couple of these pictures were captured by me, but most were captured by her. This recipe was a great option for photographing the vibrant colors we encountered. For colorful scenes where you want punchy pictures, this recipe or Vivid Color are the ones to use.
Yellow Oak – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – “Punchy Velvia”
If you have an X-E1, X-Pro1, or X-M1, be sure to give this recipe a try. You can also use this recipe on X-Trans II and Bayer cameras, but the results will be slightly different; however, feel free to it anyway, because you might like the results.
Velvia Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +2 (Hard) Shadow: +2 (Hard) Color: +2 (High) Sharpness: +2 (Hard) Noise Reduction: -2 (Low) White Balance: Daylight/Fine, 0 Red & 0 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 3200 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured by Joy using this “Punchy Velvia” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-Pro1:
Rock Outcrop – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch
Boulder in the Forest – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch
Mountain Forest – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch
Branches and Blue – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch
One Leaf Turned – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch
Oak Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch
Backlit Autumn Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch
Autumn Trees – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – Photo by Joy Roesch
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Night Synergy – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – “CineStill 800T”
This is my favorite CineStill 800T film simulation recipe. I created my first CineStill 800T recipe, which is intended for X-Trans III cameras, over three years ago. My next version, which is intended for newer X-Trans IV cameras, was published nearly a year ago. This X-Trans II recipe was one of the original Patron “Early-Access” recipes on the Fuji X Weekly App. In other words, those who are Patrons on the App have already had access to this recipe, and now that another recipe has replaced it, this CineStill 800T recipe is available to everyone! Early-Access to some new recipes is one of the benefits of being a Fuji X Weekly Patron, and a great way to support this website.
CineStill 800T is Kodak Vision3 500T motion picture film that’s been modified for use in 35mm film cameras and development using the C-41 process. Because it has the RemJet layer removed, it is more prone to halation. The “T” in the name means tungsten-balanced, which is a fancy way of saying that it is white-balanced for artificial light and not daylight. CineStill 800T has become a popular film for after-dark photography.
Pair – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – “CineStill 800T”
Even though the film that this recipe is intended to mimic is Tungsten-balanced, it can still produce interesting pictures in daylight. It’s a versatile recipe, but it definitely delivers the best results in artificial light. When I photograph with my Fujifilm X-T1 after sunset, this is the recipe that I use.
PRO Neg. Std Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: +2 (Hard) Shadow: +1 (Medium-Hard) Color: -1 (Medium-Low) Sharpness: 0 (Standard) Noise Reduction: -2 (Low) White Balance: 4300K, -3 Red & -3 Blue ISO: Auto up to ISO 3200 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured on my Fujifilm X-T1 using this CineStill 800T film simulation recipe:
Red Hatchback – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
We Care About Asada Nachos – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Shoe Repair in Disrepair – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Vending Machines – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Narrow Drive – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
2nd & Main – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
The Kaysville Theatre – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
One of my favorite X-Trans I film simulation recipes is Color Negative Film, which has a white balance shift inspired by my Fujicolor 100 Industrial recipe. This new recipe, available as a Patron Early-Access Recipe on the Fuji X Weekly App, is an adaptation of the X-Trans I recipe for X-Trans II. It doesn’t mimic any specific film, but just has a more generic film aesthetic. It’s not an exact match to the X-Trans I recipe, but it’s pretty close.
The Fuji X Weekly app is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron unlocks the best app experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new film simulation recipes. These early-access recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. In fact, many early-access recipes have already been publicly published on this blog and the app, so now everyone can use them. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no app. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!
No Swimming – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – “Color Negative Film”
If you have an X-Trans II camera and are a Fuji X Weekly Patron, it’s available to you right now on the app!
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Color Negative Film” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T1:
Sunlit Leaves – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Green Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Early Autumn – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Forest Trail – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
One Dead Leaf – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Backlit Autumn Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Autumn Flare – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Changing Leaves in the Woods – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Yellow Shrub – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Trail to the Trees – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
Water Logged – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Little Purple Blooms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1
I want to give a big “Thank You” to everyone who tuned in to Episode 03 of SOOC, a collaboration between myself and Fuji X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry. This video series is live and interactive, so I’m especially grateful to all who participated! You are the ones who make these episodes great! This really is the best community in photography.
SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different film simulation recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we will not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions.
Episode 03 of this live interactive video serieswas on September 9th. We discussed the Fujicolor C200 film simulation recipe, and took a look at the photographs that you’ve submitted. The SOOC Episode 04 “recipe of the month” is Kodacolor, which is compatible with X-Trans III & IV cameras. Upload your pictures here to be featured in the next video! Episode 04 will be on October 14, so mark your calendars, and I look forward to seeing you then!
In the video below are the viewer’s photographs, captured using the Fujicolor C200 film simulation recipe, that were shown during the show. It’s a short clip, so be sure to watch! I love seeing your pictures, and I’m honored that you submitted them for us to view in the show.
What is DR-P? It’s basically a tone curve intended to maximize dynamic range. There are four options: Off, Auto, Weak, and Strong. When DR-P is Off, the camera uses DR (DR100, DR200, DR400) instead, and when DR-P is On (Auto, Weak, or Strong), DR is disabled. When DR-P is On, Highlight and Shadow are “greyed out” so those can’t be adjusted—the curve is built into DR-P. You get what you get. DR-P Weak is similar to using DR400 with both Highlight and Shadow -2, but with a very subtle mid-tone boost. This recipe calls for DR-P Auto, and the camera will usually select DR-P Weak unless there is a bright light source (such as the sun) in the frame, such as the picture Sunlight Through a Tree further down below.
Tall Grass – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Portra-Style”
This “Portra-Style” recipe isn’t intended to faithfully mimic Portra film, but was inspired more by Kyle McDougall’s “Portra-Style” presets, which are, of course, modeled after Kodak Portra film. The Kodak Portra 400 Warm recipe was also inspired by these presets, and there are some similarities between this recipe and that one. I don’t know which is better, as they’re both good options for achieving a warm Portra-like aesthetic. For a more-accurate recipe, try Kodak Portra 400 v2. This recipe, which is closer to Portra 400 than 160, works best in natural light, especially daylight, although you can still get interesting results sometimes in other lighting situations. My “Portra-Style” recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: D-Range Priority Auto Color: +1 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -2 Clarity: +3 Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: 5000K, +2 Red & -6 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Portra-Style” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Jonathan – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Arrow & Cones – Sandy, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Northstar – Orem, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Summer Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Sunlight Through a Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Fence & Tree – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Cautious Nature – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Bridge in the Forest – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Yellow Leaves in Green Forest – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Log in the Forest – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Last Light on Dead Tree – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
I’ve noticed that a lot of people are creating film simulation recipes and sharing them on their social media accounts, but they’re easily lost and forgotten. I wanted to create a place where you can share your recipes, and where you can find recipes created by others. That’s the idea behind the Fuji X Weekly Community Page—this is a library of film simulation recipes created by you and for you!
This project has been in the works for many months. It’s been a labor of love. Web developer and Fujifilm photographer Daniele Petrarolo (website, Instagram) partnered with me to make this a reality. He really put a lot of time and skill into this. Definitely, if you need a website built, visit his page and send him an email! He’s also talented with a camera, so be sure to check out his pictures! Without him, the community recipes page would still be a long ways off and not nearly as good. Marcel Fraij, Thomas Schwab, Julien Sorosac, and others (including my kids!) also had a hand in making this project come to fruition. I want to give a big “thank you” to everyone who participated in this.
If you want even more film simulation recipes for your Fujifilm camera, or if you’ve created a recipe that you want to share, or if you just want to check out some pictures captured by others, be sure to visit the Fuji X Weekly Community Recipes Page! My hope is that this will become a great resource for the Fujifilm community. Be sure to bookmark it and check it often!
What is DR-P? It’s basically a tone curve intended to maximize dynamic range. There are four options: Off, Auto, Weak, and Strong. When DR-P is Off, the camera uses DR (DR100, DR200, DR400) instead, and when DR-P is On (Auto, Weak, or Strong), DR is disabled. When DR-P is On, Highlight and Shadow are “greyed out” so those can’t be adjusted—the curve is built into DR-P. You get what you get. DR-P Weak is similar to using DR400 with both Highlight and Shadow -2, but with a very subtle mid-tone boost. This recipe calls for DR-P Auto, and the camera will usually select DR-P Weak unless there is a bright light source (such as the sun) in the frame, such as the picture below.
Big Grass Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Scanned Superia”
This recipe was inspired by pictures I found that were captured with Fujicolor Superia 100 film scanned with a Frontier SP-3000. Of course, how the film was shot, or even the scanner settings selected, can effect the exact aesthetic of an image. Even the same emulsion captured the same way and scanned on the same scanner can look a little different if the settings on the scanner are different (more on this in an upcoming article). I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to precisely match this recipe to those scans—it was more of a quick attempt, but I liked the results so I didn’t fine-tune it any further. It has a pretty good feel, I think, that produces pleasing results in many circumstances, although it isn’t the best for artificial light, and you might consider using Auto White Balance when not in natural light situations. This recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras.
Classic Negative Dynamic Range: D-Range Priority Auto Color: +3 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -3 Clarity: +3 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Weak Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: Daylight, -2 Red & +3 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Scanned Superia” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
RADAR Peak – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Colorful Blooms of Summer – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Last Red Rose – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
White Rose of Summer – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Yellow Country Flowers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Little Yellow Flowers in the Wetlands – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Suburban Reeds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
No Parking Any Time – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Not Filed – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – “Kodachrome I”
This Kodachrome I film simulation recipe is an adaption of my Vintage Kodachrome recipe for the Fujifilm X-Pro1 and X-E1 cameras. Of course, those two cameras don’t have Classic Chrome, which makes recreating a Kodachrome look nearly impossible; however, Thomas Schwab figured it out! Thank you, Thomas! You might remember, he also figured out how to recreate Kodachrome II using the PRO Neg. Std film simulation. While this recipe isn’t quite as close of a match to the original recipe as Kodachrome II, it does manage to capture the feel of Vintage Kodachrome, and is as close as you’ll get to that aesthetic on X-Trans I. Because it doesn’t have PRO Neg. Std, this is not compatible with the X-M1.
You might recall that the Vintage Kodachrome recipe is mimicked after the first era of Kodachrome, which was from 1935 to 1960. This Kodachrome was the first film that produced reasonably accurate colors, and, because of that, was the first commercially successful color film. It became the standard film for color photography for a couple decades, and was even Ansel Adams’ preferred choice for color work. The December 1946 issue of Arizona Highways, which was the first all-color magazine in the world, featured Barry Goldwater’s Kodachrome images. While the most popular Kodachrome during this time was ISO 10, Kodak also produced an ISO 8 version, as well as a Tungsten option in the 1940s.
Green Oak Leaves – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – “Kodachrome 1”
PRO Neg. Std Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +2 (Hard) Shadow: -2 (Soft) Color: +2 (High) Sharpness: +1 (Medium-Hard) Noise Reduction: -2 (Low) White Balance: Auto, 0 Red & -3 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 3200 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to -1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Kodachrome I” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-Pro1:
Green Lake – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Backlit Forest Leaves – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Joshua – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Chicken Soup for the Soul – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Books in a Pew – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Church Pew Near a Window – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Red Carpet Stairs – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Window Light on Floor – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Windows Within Windows – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Monochrome Negative”
It’s been awhile since I created a black-and-white film simulation recipe. Part of it is that my favorite recipe is Kodak Tri-X 400, and I often choose to shoot with that. Another factor is that the differences between monochrome recipes are often much more subtle than color. For this, I didn’t start out with the intention of making a black-and-white recipe—in fact, it began with Classic Negative—and I wasn’t satisfied with the look, so I switched to Acros, and immediately liked what I saw. A few small changes later, and this recipe was born. It’s not modeled after any specific film, so I named it Monochrome Negative, as it does have a nice film-like quality to it.
The trick to this film simulation recipe is underexposure. I found myself most often lowering the exposure by 1/3 or 2/3 stops (many of my recipes often call for the opposite). Highlight set to +3 will keep the image bright, while the underexposure will deepen the shadows and provide good contrast. Obviously each exposure should be judged individually, so don’t be afraid to deviate from this advice.
This recipe was designed on and intended for the Fujifilm X100V, which has a newer X-Trans IV sensor, but because I didn’t use any of the new tools, such as Clarity and the Color Chrome Effects, this recipe is compatible with all X-Trans III & IV cameras. On X-Pro3 and newer, choose Grain size Small; on all other cameras, which don’t have Grain size as an option, simply select Grain Strong. If your camera has the Acros film simulation, you can use this recipe!
Acros (+Y, +R, +G) Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +3 Shadow: 0 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -2 Clarity: 0 Grain Effect: Strong, Small (Strong for those cameras without Grain Size) Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off White Balance: Daylight, 0 Red & 0 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 12800 Exposure Compensation: 0 to -2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Monochrome Negative” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:
1104B – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Withering Flowers Along a Wall – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
City Roses – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Backlit Turning Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Pikachu is a Little Hungry – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Space Fish – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Release – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Geese by a Tackle Box – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Do or Don’t Follow the Crowd – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Approaching Storm – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Inside City Creek – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
This film simulation recipe was an experiment. I started out with my Fujicolor 100 Industrial recipe, but instead of using a cool White Balance with a warm White Balance Shift, I did the opposite: I used a warm White Balance with a cool shift. After many adjustments to various settings, this ended up not resembling the Fujicolor 100 Industrial recipe much at all, but it does have a great vintage print-film aesthetic that I really like.
I wasn’t sure at first which film this recipe most closely resembled (since it wasn’t intended to mimic any specific film), although it seemed to have some similarities to Kodacolor VR. I already have a Kodacolor recipe, which does a great job at mimicking Kodacolor VR; this recipe and that one look somewhat similar, but definitely different. Then I ran across some pictures that looked very similar to the ones you see in this article, and it turned out that they were shot on Kodacolor VR film that had expired. So I think this recipe, while it does resemble Kodacolor VR, as well as ColorPlus 200 (which is a direct descendant of that film), it most closely looks like Kodacolor VR that’s been stored a little past its expiration date. Of course, one film can have many different looks, depending on how it was shot, developed, scanned and/or printed, and (in this case) stored, so this recipe serves as a nice alternative to my original Kodacolor recipe.
Leaning Tower – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
The Fuji X Weekly app is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron unlocks the best app experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new film simulation recipes. These early-access recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. In fact, many early-access recipes have already been publicly published on this blog and the app, so now everyone can use them. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no app. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!
This new Patron early-access recipe is compatible with Fujifilm X-Trans III and X-Trans IV cameras. For those with newer cameras, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0 (or perhaps -2), and I’d suggest Grain size Large, but use Small if you prefer.
If you are a Fuji X Weekly Patron, it’s available to you right now on the app!
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Kodacolor VR” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:
Summer Reeds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Corner Through Leaves – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Stones & Glass Ceiling – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Glass – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Building a Building – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Small Spaces Between – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Twilight Telephone Poles – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Stoneground – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Goes for Gold – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Night Parking – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Doki Doki – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Escalators – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Downtown Buildings – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Coming Train – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Trax – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Waiting on the Platform – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Glass & Sky – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Tall Downtown Buildings – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Walking on a Bridge – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”
This film simulation recipe is a slight variation of my Kodak Portra 400 recipe. It came about after I made a Portra 400 v2 recipe for the newer X-Trans IV cameras, which was created after studying actual examples of the film provided to me by a reader. I wanted to create a similar modification for the X-T3 and X-T30, which became this recipe. One film can have many different looks, depending on how it’s shot, developed, and scanned and/or printed, so this isn’t necessarily a “better” recipe, just a slightly different take on recreating the film’s aesthetic. I really like this one, and I think you will, too!
Portra 400, which is a color negative film, was introduced by Kodak in 1998. It was redesign in 2006 and again in 2010. As the name implies, it’s intended for portrait photography, but can be used for many other types of photography. It’s similar to Portra 160, but with more contrast, saturation and grain. Believe it or not, ISO 400 was considered “high ISO” by many photographers back in the film days, and Portra 400 was one of the absolute best “high ISO” color films ever made. Interestingly, Kodak briefly made a black-and-white version of Portra 400!
Downtownscape – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”
This isn’t exactly a brand-new recipe. It was published as a Patron early-access recipe on the Fuji X Weekly App back on December 1st, so Patrons have had access to it for quite some time. Now another early-access recipe has replaced it, so this one is available to everyone! If you are a Fuji X Weekly Patron, be sure to check out the new early-access recipe in the app.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR-Auto Highlight: -1 Shadow: -1 Color: +2 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -2 Grain Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect: Strong White Balance: Daylight, +2 Red & -6 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Kodak Portra 400 v2” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:
Blackberry Forest Evening – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Three Backlit Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Tiny Red Berries – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Broken and Boarded – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Window to the City – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Lululemon – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Two Tall Buildings – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Hotel – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Two Cranes – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
A Downtown Cityscape – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Despite a little technical trouble, Episode 02 of SOOC was a great success! I appreciate everyone who tuned in, and for everyone who participated. You guys are great! And it was wonderful to see your Kodachrome II pictures! Here’s the link to submit your Fujicolor C200 photographs: click here. I hope there was something in the broadcast that you found helpful or interesting, and that it was worth your time. It was supposed to be 45 minutes, but it ended up doubling that! If you missed it, you can watch it above.
The technical difficulty that I had on my end is this: my Fujifilm X-E4 that I was using for this broadcast kept overheating. In my review of the camera, I stated that I thought a similar overheating issue to the X100V was possible. Up until this video, which was being recorded live, I had not experienced it. Well, now you and I know: the X-E4 is prone to overheating if left on too long. I’ll use a different camera for future episodes.
I don’t believe the Fuji X Weekly App 12-month Patron giveaway winner has stepped forward yet. Adnan Omanovic was randomly selected from those who submitted pictures. Adnan, if you read this, leave a comment or send me a message so that I can get you your prize.
Episode 03 is already scheduled! If you click on the video where it says “Watch on YouTube” you can then “set a reminder” so you don’t miss it. Otherwise, mark your calendar for September 9th. I hope to see you then!
As a reminder, Episode 02 of the live interactive video series SOOCwill be this Thursday, August 12, at 11 AM MST (10 AM Pacific, 1 PM Eastern)!
SOOC is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). It is a monthly live video series, and each episode focuses on a different film simulation recipe. It’s a fun and educational experience where we will not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions. This is an interactive program, which means that we need your participation! Mark your calendar and be sure to tune in!
I was asked to create a film simulation recipe for AgfaChrome RS 100 color transparency film. Agfa made this slide film from 1984 through 1995, with an “improved emulsion” released in 1992. I never used AgfaChrome RS 100, so I have zero experience with the film. It was difficult to find examples of, and old issues of Popular Photography and Photographic magazines were my best resource. Despite the challenges, I was able to create a film simulation recipe that I’m very happy with.
This AgfaChrome RS 100 recipe renders pictures beautifully! It has a great vintage analog feel to it. People might think that the images are old film pictures that you scanned, and they certainly won’t suspect that they’re straight-out-of-camera JPEGs! I’m confident that this recipe will be an instant favorite for many of you.
Flower Garden – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “AgfaChrome RS 100”
Because this X-Trans IV recipe requires Classic Negative, Clarity, and Color Chrome FX Blue, it’s only compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10 and X-E4 cameras—unfortunately it’s not compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30. I believe that it is compatible with the GFX100S, although results will likely be slightly different. If you have a compatible camera, be sure to give this AgfaChrome RS 100 recipe a try!
Classic Negative Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +1 Shadow: -1 Color: +2 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -2 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong White Balance: Daylight, -3 Red & +5 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “AgfaChrome RS 100” film simulation recipe on my X100V and X-E4:
Bowl on a Shelf – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Parking Garage – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Below Deck Parking – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Smile – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Little Dragon – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Free People – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Towering Cloud – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Drive Slow, But Don’t Park – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Checkerboard – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Patagonia – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Green Grapes – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Blackberries – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Pink Among Green – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Little Cherries – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Permission to Park – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
One Way – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Honey Bucket & Trailer – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
We Are Open – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Park City Downtown – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Buildings in Downtown Park City – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
