The next SOOC broadcast is in two weeks! I hope that you can join us live on Thursday, July 14th, as we finish our discussion of the Eterna Bleach Bypass Film Simulation Recipe and introduce the next recipe-of-the-month: Fujicolor Pro 400H. The show starts at 10 AM Pacific Time, 1 PM Eastern—don’t forget to tune in 30 minutes early for the PreShow!
For those who don’t know, 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 not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.
Don’t forget to upload your photographs captured with the Eterna Bleach Bypass recipe (click here) by July 12th to be featured in the monthly slideshow. Those who upload a picture are entered into the “lucky draw” for a chance to win a year’s subscription to the Fuji X Weekly App.
Here are some pictures that I captured recently with the Fujicolor Pro 400H Film Simulation Recipe:
Red Potted Flowers – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Pro 400H”
Palm Branch over Fence – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Pro 400H”
No Lifeguard – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Pro 400H”
Sandy Hill – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Pro 400H”
Pacific Shore – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Pro 400H”
Here are some pictures that I captured recently with the Eterna Bleach Bypass Film Simulation Recipe:
Billy Boy – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Eterna Bleach Bypass”
Yellow Car & Blue Van – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Eterna Bleach Bypass”
Over That Way – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Eterna Bleach Bypass”
Boats on the Water – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Eterna Bleach Bypass”
Gas Can – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Eterna Bleach Bypass”
If you missed the last SOOC episode, you can watch it below.
VW Bus – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “SantaColor”
There’s a brand-new color negative film stock called SantaColor 100, which is actually repurposed Kodak AeroColor 125, an emulsion intended for areal photography. I don’t believe that AeroColor is still produced (although it can still be found if you look hard enough); SantaColor 100 could be an old batch that’s been stored for awhile and is now surplus. This film has a reddish-orange color cast, which (depending on how it was shot, developed, and scanned) can be somewhat subtle or quite pronounced. This Film Simulation Recipe is an attempt to mimic that film; however, I’m not 100% satisfied with how closely it does (or doesn’t) replicate it—I think it can be really close sometimes, and other times not so much. Still, I like how this recipe looks, so I thought I’d share it with you in case some of you like it, too.
Why are special films used for aerial mapping? I tried to find an answer to this, but couldn’t. My suspicion is that atmosphere/haze can obscure “regular” film, and aerial films are made to be less susceptible to that. Another thought is that the temperature at high altitude is cold, so maybe the film has to work well in cold temperatures. Still, another idea is that the angle of the sun is different, so the film needs to be adjusted for that. It could be one, all, or none of those things—if you know the answer, please enlighten me by commenting below!
Sport Fishing – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “SantaColor”
This “SantaColor” Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. For those with an X-T3 and X-T30, you will need to ignore Grain size (since your camera doesn’t have that), and use a diffusion filter (such as 10% CineBloom) in lieu of Clarity. For those with an X-H1, you will need to additionally ignore Color Chrome Effect (the results will be just a little different).
Eterna Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: -2 Shadow: +4 Color: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -2 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off White Balance: 5100K, +5 Red & -3 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “SantaColor” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:
Last Limelight – Redlands, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
We Hot – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Fish out of Water – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Agave Garden – Pasadena, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Plymouth – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Palm & Rooftop – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Rooftop Stairs – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Houses on the Hillside – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Irregular – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Life Ring – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Wishing Posts – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Ball & Blue Boat – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Red Rowboats – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Beach-Walking Seagull – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Grassy Sand Dune – Pismo Beach, CA – 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!
It’s always interesting to see which recipes you are shooting with. I don’t have a good method to quantify just how popular specific Film Simulation Recipes are. The best metric that I have is page-views—the more times a recipe has been viewed on this website, the more popular I assume it is. I can’t say for certain that there’s a direct relationship between page-views and actual use, but it seems reasonable to suspect that such a correlation exists. This list is the most popular Film Simulation Recipes during the month of June 2022 (so far… there are couple of days left in the month…), as determined by how many times the recipe article has been viewed.
No surprise to me, color recipes are more popular than black-and-white. I love monochrome photography, but color is clearly king. Still, I’m happy to see that my favorite black-and-white recipe made this list, even if it was at the bottom. Also not surprising to me, those recipes with the names Kodak, Kodachrome, and Portra are the most popular. Kodak was top-dog of film (probably still is), so it’s logical that those aesthetics are the most desired. What is a surprise to me is that a few “new” recipes made this list. Ones that have been out for awhile are well established, so they tend to get more views than the new-kids-on-the-block. Brand-new recipes are at a disadvantage for these types of lists, yet three recipes published in June—Reggie’s Portra, Low Key, and Bright Kodak—made it into the top-ten. Yea!
Without further delay, here are the Top 10 Film Simulation Recipes of June:
My wife, Amanda, visited her mom, and when she returned home she had a 4″ x 6″ print. “I thought you’d find this interesting,” she said as she handed it to me. I looked at it carefully—front and back—then set out to recreate the look on my Fujifilm X-E4. I have no idea what film was used to capture the picture (other than it was a color negative film), but it was about 20-years-old (based on the subject), definitely from a cheap point-and-shoot of some sort (possibly a disposable camera), it was printed on Fujicolor paper at a one-hour lab, and was likely faded from improper storage. I only had one picture to go off of, but I feel I nailed the aesthetic of it pretty darn closely.
Perhaps more importantly, I really like the look of this recipe. It is the most nostalgic-analog-like results that I’ve ever achieved from the PRO Neg. Std film simulation. It reminds me a little of the Kodak High Definition Plus 200 recipe, but with less contrast and less saturation. I’ve enjoyed shooting with this one—it’s definitely not for everyone or every situation; however, some of you will really appreciate it in the “right” situations.
This “Nostalgic Print” Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. Those with newer GFX cameras can likely use it, too. For those with the X-T3 and X-T30 (or older GFX cameras), if you ignore Color Chrome FX Blue and Grain size (since your camera doesn’t have those), and replace Clarity with a diffusion filter (such as a 10% CineBloom), you can get pretty close to this look; for X-Trans III, you’ll have to additionally ignore Color Chrome Effect (since you don’t have it)—the results will be slightly more different, but still pretty similar overall.
PRO Neg. Std Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -2 Shadow: 0 Color: -4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -2 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Weak Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: 4700K, -3 Red & -4 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Nostalgic Print” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:
Red Train – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Five Palms – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Eagle 5 – Ehrenberg, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Morning Mountain Palms – Riverside, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
76 Pretzel – Ehrenberg, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Palm Leaves – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Tropical Plant – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Ice Bloom – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Sam’s Market – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Green House – Redlands, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Cupboard & Curtain – Redlands, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
A Sub Above the Dumpster – Pasadena, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Three Bikes & Pedestrian – Pasadena, CA – 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 captured this yesterday with my Fujifilm X-E4 using an upcoming recipe.
This is the 1,000th post!
I started the Fuji X Weekly blog on August 21, 2017, with the intention of writing one article per week. Initial this was a long-term review (or journal, as I called it) of the Fujifilm X100F, but (obviously) it morphed into something much different than that. Life has a way of taking you down roads you wouldn’t have considered or even thought possible. Here we are, four years and ten months later, and this website doesn’t much resemble its origins.
Firstly, Fuji X Weekly is no longer about one camera, but about all Fujifilm cameras. Secondly, its focus is no longer mere journalling; instead, the primary purpose of this page is JPEG camera settings, called Film Simulation Recipes, that allow you to achieve straight-out-of-camera results that look good—you don’t have to edit if you don’t want to. And, of course, there’s the Fuji X Weekly App, so you can take these recipes with you on the go—almost 250 of them!
Also captured yesterday with my X-E4 using an upcoming recipe.
I wanted to do something special for this important 1,000th article. I knew that it needed to be related to film simulations and recipes somehow, but I wasn’t sure how exactly. Like the time I didn’t know why the ball kept getting bigger, then it hit me (sorry for the bad joke…)—I figured it out: for this article, I would rate my favorite film simulations—from most liked to least liked—and also share my favorite Film Simulation Recipes for each. The new Nostalgic Negative film simulation isn’t in this list because I’ve never used it, so I have no idea how I would rank it, but I do believe it’s one that I would particularly appreciate.
Without further ado, here are my favorite Fujifilm film simulations, plus my favorite Film Simulation Recipes for each!
When I tried the Acros film simulation on my Fujifilm X100F for the first time, I was blown away by it, as it produced the most film-like results I’d ever seen straight-out-of-camera. It was a big reason why I decided to stop shooting RAW and rely on camera-made JPEGs instead. I’m a sucker for black-and-white (probably because I shot a lot of it in my early film days), and the Acros film simulation produces incredibly lovely monochrome pictures. Acros is found on all X-Trans III, IV & V cameras, as well as GFX.
Classic Mirror – Fort Worth, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Natura 1600”
Modeled carefully after Superia film, Classic Negative is the closest film simulation to replicating the aesthetic of actual color negative film (albeit, Fujicolor film, not Kodak). It is programmed uniquely and beautifully—there’s so much to love about it! For color photography, I could shoot exclusively with Classic Negative and be happy. Unfortunately, this film simulation is only found on the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, as well as X-Trans V and GFX.
Prior to the introduction of Classic Negative, Classic Chrome was my favorite color film simulation, with its distinctive Kodak color palette. While it’s third on this list for me, I bet that it’s number one for many of you, since the most popular Film Simulation Recipes are those that use it. Fujifilm introduced it in 2014 with the X30, and retroactively gave it to some of their prior X-Trans II cameras (although not all) via firmware updates. Most Fujifilm models have Classic Chrome, and all since 2014 do.
The Eterna film simulation has a uniquely soft tonality; while it can be somewhat mimicked with PRO Neg. Std, there’s nothing that can completely faithfully replicate it. Because its beauty is in its subtleness, it can be easily overlooked. Some might think it’s only for video (which it is good for, too), but it is great for still photography. It was introduced on the X-H1, but that’s the only X-Trans III camera with it; otherwise, Eterna can be found on X-Trans IV, V, and GFX.
Haystack Driftwood – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “Ilford HP5 Plus 400”
While the Acros film simulation grabs the headlines, the Monochrome film simulation is itself a solid black-and-white option; however, because I liked Acros so much I basically ignored it for years, which is unfortunate. Monochrome has a different tonality than Acros and doesn’t have the built-in Grain, but it is still an excellent film simulation—one of the best, in fact. All Fujifilm cameras have the Monochrome film simulation.
Low Sun over Tetons – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Ferrania Solaris FG 400“
This is Fujifilm’s latest film simulation (aside from Nostalgic Negative, which is currently only found on one GFX camera, but soon on X-Trans V), and it’s basically the Eterna film simulation but with lots more contrast and even more muted colors. Eterna Bleach Bypass can deliver stunning results that are definitely different than what’s possible with the other options. This film simulation is only found on the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-Trans V, and the newest GFX models.
PRO Neg. Std used to be my third favorite film simulation, behind Acros and Classic Chrome. It has a subtle beauty with muted tones and contrast—similar to Eterna (although not quite as pronounced) but with more of a color negative feel than cinematic. Even though Fujifilm has introduced new film simulations that I like better, I still very much appreciate this one. Most Fujifilm models (with the exception of a few really old ones) have PRO Neg. Std.
Velvia 50 was my favorite color transparency film for landscape photography. While the Velvia film simulation isn’t a close approximation of that film straight out of the box, it can be made to look pretty similar with some adjustments. For vibrant landscapes, this is the film simulation to choose. Velvia can be found on all Fujifilm cameras.
Wet Glass Bokeh – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Jeff Davenport Night”
At this point we’ve moved into the film simulations that use far less frequently. PRO Neg. Hi is basically PRO Neg. Std but with more contrast and saturation. It’s not bad at all, and it used to be my go-to film simulation for portraits (which I think it’s particularly good for). Most Fujifilm models (with the exception of a few really old ones) have PRO Neg. Hi.
Fujifilm calls the Provia film simulation their “standard” profile, but I’ve never really liked it. Because of that, I usually only shoot with it when I force myself to do so, and sometimes some interesting things come from that. All Fujifilm cameras have the Provia film simulation.
Wind from the West – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 – “CineStill 50D”
The Astia film simulation is pretty close to PRO Neg. Hi in terms of contrast and saturation (although Astia is a bit more vibrant), but with a different tint that I think you either like or don’t like. I used to shoot with it a lot more more than I do now. It’s a good alternative for landscapes when Velvia is just too strong. Every Fujifilm camera has the Astia film simulation.
It’s your turn! Which film simulation is your favorite? Which Film Simulation Recipe do you use most? What on this list was most surprising to you? Let me know in the comments!
Sun n Sand Motel – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 66”
The possible number of potential Film Simulation Recipes is almost unlimited. For example, on my Fujifilm X-E4, there are 750 different Kelvin White Balance options that could be selected, and 361 unique White Balance Shifts that could be assigned to each of those different Kelvin options, which means that, if all other settings were identical, you could create over 270,000 different recipes just by changing the White Balance and Shift. Granted, many would look extremely similar to others, but they’d be at least a little different. My point is that there can be millions and millions of potential recipes for Fujifilm cameras, particularly the newer cameras which have more JPEG options. I’ve “only” created just under 250 recipes for Fujifilm cameras—I’ve barely scratched the surface!
Some of you have created your own Film Simulation Recipes. A handful of you have even had your recipes included on this website and in the Fuji X Weekly App. I love that you are diving into your camera settings, getting creative, and sharing the results with the community—it’s all so wonderful! I’m very honored to be a part of all this, and to have a front-row seat.
The photographs in this article were not captured with these recipes, but instead were RAW files reprocessed in-camera to apply the recipes to exposures already captured. I used my Fujifilm X-E4 and Fujinon 27mm lens (originally with my Fujicolor Natura 1600 recipe) to photograph the burnt Sun n Sand motel in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. This hotel first opened along Route 66 in the 1950’s, had major renovations in the late-1990’s, and closed for good in 2013 after a severe storm caused major damaged. Apparently homeless moved in after it closed, and sometime later (although I couldn’t find exactly when) fire damaged much of the property. It seems to be in the process of being demolished, albeit slowly. The Sun n Sand motel has been left in a sad state, and the opportunities to photograph this somewhat-iconic site along The Mother Road are fleeting. I’m glad that I had the opportunity.
TV & Chair – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 66”
Oh, Deere! A flat tire – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 66”
If any (or all) of these Film Simulation Recipes look interesting to you, please visit Luis’ and Justin’s websites—they have many more! I haven’t personally used most of them, but there are plenty that look pretty good to me, based off of the sample pictures. I’m sure many of you will appreciate them. If you have the Fuji X Weekly App, tap the circle-with-dots icon at the top-right, and you can manually add these (or any other recipes) into the App, if you want to take them with you on the go. Don’t have the Fuji X Weekly App? Download it for free today!
Fujifilm cameras have a feature in Advanced Filter Settings called “Low Key” that I recently discovered is based on the Provia film simulation, and can be mimicked. While this “Low Key” setting can produce nice-looking images, I felt that it could be better, so I set out to create a Film Simulation Recipe to serve as an alternative to it, with an aesthetic that I appreciate a little more. Specifically, I wanted a recipe based on the Classic Negative film simulation instead of Provia because I like Classic Negative better. My “Bright Kodak” recipe is an alternative to the “High Key” feature found in the Advanced Filter Settings.
Low Key photography is purposefully underexposing for a darker image. It works well when the subject is brightly lit, and the rest of the frame isn’t, so the image is predominately dark, and the brightly lit subject stands out in the otherwise dim frame. I hope this explanation makes sense. This “Low Key” Film Simulation Recipe and the Low Key feature in the Advanced Filter Settings work similarly, and produce nice results when used in the correct situations. While not for everyday use, some of you will certainly appreciate this recipe for when the light is right. I did not model this recipe after any specific emulsion.
This “Low Key” Film Simulation Recipe is fully compatible with newer X-Trans IV cameras: Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, & X-T30 II. Because it uses Classic Negative, Color Chrome FX Blue, and Clarity, it is not compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30. Those with newer GFX cameras can likely use it, too, although results will be slightly different.
Classic Negative Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: +1 Shadow: +2 Color: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -1 Clarity: -2 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: Daylight, -2 Red & -4 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to -1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Low Key” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Cactus & Palm Shadow – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Very Tiny Flowers – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Green Cactus Pads – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Spiky – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Blue Sky Cacti – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
BougainvilleaSky – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Light Bulb Evening – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Lit Leaves – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Cinderblock Wall Girl – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
oyride – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
The Queen’s – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Low Key Film Simulation Recipe vs. Low Key Advanced Filter Setting
Low Key Film Simulation Recipe
Low Key Advanced Filter Setting
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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!
If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron and you have various Filters selected (such as Filter by Camera, Filter by Film Simulation, Filter by B&W, etc.), the Random Recipe selector will only choose from the list of filtered recipes, so you can have it select from what is compatible with your camera. In my case, I chose “Filter by X-E4” prior to tapping the Random Recipe selector, so only the recipes compatible with the X-E4 were considered.
Here’s a fun way to use this new feature: the Random Recipe Challenge! The rules are 1) use the App to select a Random Recipe for you—whatever it selects you have to use (if you are not a Patron and the App chooses a non-compatible recipe, you can try again until it lands on a recipe that is compatible with your camera)—and 2) shoot with this recipe for 24 or 36 frames (your choice), like it’s a roll of film, before changing recipes. If you post to Instagram, use the hashtag #fxwrandomrecipechallenge. I hope that you have a lot of fun with the Random Recipe Challenge, and I can’t wait to see what you capture!
Tree Leaves – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Vivitar 135mm
Spraying Water – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Vivitar 135mm
Palm Tree Top – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Vivitar 135mm
Find the LomoChrome Metropolis Film Simulation Recipe and over 200 others on the Fuji X Weekly App! Don’t have the App? Download it for free today! Become a Patron to unlock the best App experience.
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
City Roses – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Pushed CineStill 800T”
This “Pushed CineStill 800T” Film Simulation Recipe came about after I stumbled across an amazing picture that was captured on CineStill 800T film during daytime with an overcast sky. It turned out that the film was push-processed, but I never learned by how many stops (I’m guessing one-stop). After some extensive Googling, I was able to find several more examples of push-processed CineStill 800T film shot in overcast daytime light. I then set out to mimic that aesthetic on my Fujifilm camera, and I figured it out; however, my first recipe was only compatible with the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, so I made this alternative version that works on the X-Pro3 and X100V (you can use it on those “newer” cameras, too, if you’d like).
Interestingly enough, even though this recipe is intended for daytime photography, it does 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, or scanned (among many other things). 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!
This was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, so App Patrons have had access to it since October, but now it’s available to everyone! A new Early-Access Recipe replaced it—find it in the Fuji X Weekly App!
Eterna Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +3 Shadow: +1 Color: -2 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: 0 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong White Balance: 7700K, -9 Red & +7 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Pushed CineStill 800T” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V & Fujifilm X-E4:
Gas Pumps at Night – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Nighttime Neighborhood – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Night Walkway – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Nighttime Flowerpot – 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!
Flag & Dome – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Magenta Negative”
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 Film Simulation Recipe is intended to mimic the use of a Magenta Color Correction Filter, such as the Tiffen CC30M, which reduces the intensity of green, and is used to combat green color casts. Back in the film days, using Color Correction Filters was common, but it is much less so now, since you can dial in very precise white balance adjustments for whatever the light is; however, you can still use these filters if you want to. Instead of using a magenta filter, you can use this recipe.
Because this recipe uses Classic Negative, it has a generic Fujicolor Superia aesthetic; however, it is not meant to precisely mimic any specific Superia emulsion. The inspiration actually came from a YouTube video by Cammackey, entitled Fujifilm X100V Recipes / Old Film Tricks. While this recipe is a little different than his, it is intended to produce similar results, just without the need of a Color Correction Filter, which his recipe requires. This “Magenta Negative” Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras.
If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, it’s available to you right now on the App! Don’t have the App? Download it for free today! Become a Patron to unlock the best App experience and gain early access to this recipe.
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Magenta Negative” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Wet Red Rose – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Flowers by a Rock Wall – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Waterfall in the Ozarks – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Staircase Waterfall – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Unexpected Canyon – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Chapel & Cannon – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Pine Above Rooftop – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Magnolia Flag – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Ozark – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Little Cloud – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Plaza – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Window View – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Spiderweb on a Window – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Abandoned Porch Seats – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Tree Prism – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Ford & Tree Shadows – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Reggie Ballesteros (website, YouTube, Instagram, Instagram), also known as Reggie B Photo, is an official Fujifilm X-Photographer based in San Fransisco, California. He shoots both film and digital, and on his Fujifilm cameras he likes to use both RAW and JPEG. For his JPEGs, Reggie developed a Film Simulation Recipe that’s a close match to the Kodak Portra 400 film that he shoots and has developed and scanned (on a Noritsu) at Richard Photo Lab. He was very kind to allow me to share his Portra recipe with you on this website and the Fuji X Weekly App. Thanks, Reggie!
Portra 400 was introduced by Kodak in 1998. It used to come in two varieties: “NC” (Neutral Color, which had less saturation) and “VC” (Vivid Color, which had more saturation). I shot a little of both Kodak Portra 400NC and Kodak Portra 400VC back in the day, and I preferred the more colorful version. The film was redesigned in 2006 to improve grain and scanning. It was again redesigned in 2010, with the NC and VC emulsions dropped, replaced by a new mid-saturation version (simply called Portra 400), with more improvements to scanning.
I’m Your Huckleberry – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X100V – “Reggie’s Portra”
As the name implies, Kodak Portra 400 is intended for portrait photography, but can be used for many other genres 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. It’s still available today, and is very popular among film photographers.
When developing his Portra recipe, Reggie used the Kodak Portra 400 Film Simulation Recipe from this website as his starting point, and he tweaked it to more closely match his Portra scans and to better suit his photography. One film can have many different aesthetics, depending on how it’s shot, developed, scanned, and a whole host of other factors, so it’s great that Reggie made this alternative version, which might be closer to the exact look that you are after. Also, because this recipe uses Auto White Balance and doesn’t use Clarity, you might find that this one is more versatile than some other recipes. Oh, and take a look at the Kodak Portra 400 v2 and Kodak Portra 400 Warm recipes, which could potentially produce your desired aesthetic.
Pines – Lake Catherine SP, AR – Fujifilm X100V – “Reggie’s Portra”
One special note: Reggie has a 5% CineBloom diffusion filter attached to his lens whenever he shoots with this particular recipe. I have been using my Fujifilm X100V as a monochrome-only camera, but because I, too, have a 5% CineBloom filter attached to it, I made an exception so that I could test this recipe on that camera with the diffusion filter. For the shots captured on my X-E4, I did not use a diffusion filter; however, I do like how the 5% CineBloom subtly affects the image, and I recommend pairing it with this recipe if you can.
This Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, & X-T30 II cameras. To use it on the X-T3 and X-T30, simply ignore Grain size and Color Chrome FX Blue, since your camera doesn’t have those options—the results will be slightly different, but nearly identical. More than likely this recipe is compatible with GFX and X-Trans V, but I haven’t tested it to know for sure.
Abandoned Long John Silver’s – Elk City, OK – Fujifilm X100V – “Reggie’s Portra”
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR-Auto Highlight: -1 Shadow: -1 Color: +2 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -2 Clarity: 0 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -4 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using “Reggie’s Portra” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4 and Fujifilm X100V cameras:
Below is a video that Reggie made which illustrates his Portra recipe quite well (he notes that the Shadow setting is incorrect in the video—it should say -1, not -2). Be sure to like and subscribe and all that stuff. Enjoy!
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
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!
Fujifilm cameras have a feature in Advanced Settings called “High Key” that I recently discovered is based on the Provia film simulation, and can be mimicked. While this “High Key” setting can produce nice-looking images, it’s not really my style, so I set out to create a Film Simulation Recipe to serve as an alternative to it, with an aesthetic that I appreciate a little more. Specifically, I wanted a generic overexposed Kodak color negative film aesthetic, perhaps Portra-like (or at least Portra-inspired), which is why I call this recipe Bright Kodak.
Bright Kodak might look familiar. It’s actually similar to a couple of other recipes, namely Bright Summer (a.k.a. “Preetra 400”) and Kodak Portra 400 Warm. If you like those recipes, you’ll certainly like this one, too. The key to using this Bright Kodak recipe is to increase the exposure—almost overexpose—to make the pictures nice and bright.
Palm – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Bright Kodak”
This Film Simulation Recipe is fully compatible with newer X-Trans IV cameras: Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, & X-T30 II. If you have an X-T3, X-T30, or X-Trans III camera, you can get similar results by ignoring Grain size and using a diffusion filter (such as 10% CineBloom) in lieu of Clarity. This recipe is also likely compatible with newer GFX cameras, although the results won’t be completely identical.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -2 Shadow: -2 Color: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -2 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off White Balance: Daylight, +3 Red & -7 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1 to +1 2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Bright Kodak” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Cactus Evening – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
3 Tall Cacti – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Cacti Reaching to the Moon – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Palm & Flowers – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Pink – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Palm Moon – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Neighborhood Palms – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
If You Know, You Know… – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Red Stripe – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Compared to “High Key”:
“High Key”
“Bright Kodak”
Compared to “Bright Summer” & “Kodak Portra 400 Warm”:
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 just published an update to the Fuji X Weekly App! If your device didn’t update the App automatically, be sure to manually do so right now.
What’s in this update?
First is Search. You now have the ability to search for Film Simulation Recipes! This new feature allows you to search for recipes by name to more quickly locate the exact one that you are looking for. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, the search feature works in conjunction with Filter, so (for example) if you Filter By Camera, only those recipes compatible with your camera will appear when you Search. In other words, all App users get Search, but this feature is even better for Patrons. The ability to search for recipes is a significant improvement—it definitely makes the App more user friendly. On Apple, simply scroll up (drag the recipe list down) and Search will appear towards the top. On Android, tap the magnify glass icon at the top-right and Search will appear.
Next is Random Recipe selector. Not sure which Film Simulation Recipe to use? Let the Fuji X Weekly App decide for you! Tap the crossing arrows icon at the top-right, and the App will randomly select one for you to use. The Random Recipe selector also works in conjunction with Filter, so even though it’s available to everyone, it’s even better if you are an App Patron. This fun new feature is addicting! If you’re in a photographic rut, this might help you get out of it. If there are a couple of you out photographing together, you can make a game out of it. I personally have really enjoyed using the Random Recipe selector, and I think you will, too!
Last but not least, the recipe parameter order has been improved. Unfortunately, the order of settings is different depending on your camera model, and even on the same model the order can be different within the IQ menu vs Custom Settings menu, so it’s not possible for it to be perfect; however, I do believe that the new order will make it a bit easier to program recipes into your camera.
This Fuji X Weekly App update is intended to make recipes easier to find and program, plus add a little fun to the experience. I hope that you find it useful and enjoyable!
Don’t have the Fuji X Weekly App? Download it today!
Not a Fuji X Weekly App Patron? Consider subscribing to unlock the best App experience! Within the App, tap the Gear icon, then select Become A Patron.
Red Blossom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Expired Velvia”
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 “Expired Velvia” Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Film Simulation Recipe came about after a Fuji X Weekly reader shared with me some photographs that he had captured on long-expired Velvia 50 color reversal film. He didn’t have the lab adjust the development time for the expired film, so they were all underexposed; however, they turned out really interesting, with an aesthetic that leaned more towards Superia than Velvia. I think this recipe does a great job of mimicking that look. If you are searching for a Film Simulation Recipe that’s a little different, this is one to try! It’s definitely not for everyone, but some of you will love it. It’s compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras.
If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, it’s available to you right now on the App!
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Expired Velvia” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Light Post – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Hotel Door – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Restaurant – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Webs We Weave – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Outdoor Chair Cushion – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Jo Playing with Roly Polies – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
A Boy & His Fishing Pole – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Covered Boat Dock – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4
Snow on the Stormy Mountain – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Pushed CineStill 800T”
This “Pushed CineStill 800T” Film Simulation Recipe came about after I stumbled across an amazing picture that was captured on CineStill 800T film during daytime with an overcast sky. It turned out that the film was push-processed, but I never learned by how many stops (I’m guessing one-stop). After some extensive Googling, I was able to find several more examples of push-processed CineStill 800T film shot in overcast daytime light. I then set out to mimic that aesthetic on my Fujifilm camera.
Interestingly enough, even though this recipe is intended for daytime photography, it does 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, or scanned (among many other things). 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!
Book & Minolta – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Pushed CineStill 800T”
Because this “Pushed CineStill 800T” recipe uses the Eterna Bleach Bypass film simulation, it is only compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. It’s possible that this recipe is also compatible with the GFX100S and GFX 50S II, but I’ve never tested it to be certain. This was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, so App Patrons have had access to it since October, but now it’s available to everyone! A new Early-Access Recipe replaced it find—it in the Fuji X Weekly App!
Eterna Bleach Bypass Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -0.5 Shadow: -1.5 Color: +3 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: 0 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong White Balance: 7700K, -9 Red & +5 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Pushed CineStill 800T” Film Simulation Recipe on my 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
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I really like The Rockwell Film Simulation Recipe, but sometimes it’s just a hair too much for me. I decided to create a new yet similar recipe that just tones it down a tad. Don’t get me wrong: this new recipe is still wild with vivid colors and definitely not for every situation or even every photographer. It will produce similar results to The Rockwell recipe, but (by a small margin) just a little more soft and tame.
This new “Vibrant Velvia” recipe is for when you want colors to pop. It’s a vibrant recipe for bold pictures. While it’s very colorful, it has low contrast, so it works especially well on sunny days, but I also had good luck with it in grey overcast conditions and in the shade. It’s not well suited for portraits or artificial light; instead, use it outdoors for colorful landscape photography. While I didn’t try to mimic Velvia film specifically, the results do remind me a little of Velvia 50 slides as viewed through a projector, although that is an impression (“memory color”), and not anything I studied specifically for this recipe.
Green Dew – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Vibrant Velvia”
The “Vibrant Velvia” recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. Because it uses Clarity and Color Chrome FX Blue, it isn’t compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30—try the Velvia v2 recipe on those cameras, which is fairly similar. Those with newer GFX cameras can try this recipe, too, although the results will be very slightly different.
Velvia Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -2 Shadow: -1 Color: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: 0 Clarity: +4 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong White Balance: Daylight, -1 Red & +1 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Vibrant Velvia” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:
Junk Monkey – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4
Rose Singular – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Rose Bloom – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Vibrant Green Garden – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Church in the Ozarks – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Waterfall Over Table Rocks – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Blue Water Fall – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Nantucket – Branson, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Orange Rocks – Bryce Canyon NP, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Pine Tree & Colorful Cliff – Bryce Canyon NP, 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!
This video is the viewer submitted photographs from SOOCSeason 02 Episode 03. Yes, your pictures! The recipe-of-the-month was Kodak Vision3 250D. I hope that you enjoyed shooting with it! Thank you to everyone who shared their images, to everyone who participated, and to everyone who tuned in!
For those who don’t know, 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 not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.
If you missed Episode 03 when it was live, you can watch it now (below).
The next episode of SOOC will be live on June 9th, so mark your calendars now!
Tree Blossom Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Natura 1600”
Fujifilm produced Fujicolor Natura 1600, a high-ISO color negative film, from 2003 through 2017. It was only sold in Japan, but it became renown worldwide as word got out about this wonderful film. A lot of speculation has surrounded it. Is it simply renamed Fujicolor Superia 1600? Many people think so. Is it slightly modified Superia 1600 for Japanese skin-tones? Some people think so. Is it slightly modified Superia 1600 made specifically for the Fujifilm Natura camera? Perhaps so. I haven’t found any definitive evidence to conclude if Natura 1600 is unmodified Supera 1600 or a slightly modified variant of it—if it isn’t identical, it’s very similar.
I have a Fujicolor Superia 1600 Film Simulation Recipe already, and it’s a recipe that I personally quite like. I had no desire to remake it, but (you know) one film can have many different aesthetics, depending on a whole host of factors, including (but not limited to) how it was shot, developed, and scanned. With that in mind, I looked at Fujicolor Natura 1600 examples that I found online, and from scratch (not using the Superia 1600 recipe as a starting point) I made a whole new recipe to mimic Natura 1600—not surprisingly, the settings ended up being similar to the Superia 1600 recipe. Alternatively, this could be called Fujicolor Superia 1600 v2.
Clown Truck & Geo – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Natura 1600”
A fun thing that I did for some of these pictures is set the ISO to 1600—I think the results are especially good at that particular ISO; however, it’s more practical to use a larger range of ISOs. So set the ISO to 1600 if you’d like, or set it to Auto (up to ISO 6400) if you’d prefer—I tried both, and found either to be acceptable. This particular recipe is only compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. If you have an X100V or X-Pro3 and want to use this recipe, I suggest setting Highlight to -1 and Shadow to +2. The results will be similar, but not identical.
Classic Negative Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1.5 Shadow: +1.5 Color: -2 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -2 Clarity: -4 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong White Balance: 5500K, -1 Red & -2 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Fujicolor Natura 1600” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:
Carpet & Curtain – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Crown Railroad Cafe – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Dinner Conversations – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Daily Specials – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Dynalift – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Ice Cream – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Concrete Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Tulips for Sale – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Hazy Blossom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Evening Sun Through Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Flower Cluster – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Easter Egg Hunt – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Pine Tree & Rocks – Bryce Canyon NP, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Two Bridges – Bryce Canyon NP, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Fujicolor Natura 1600 recipe compared to the Fujicolor Superia 1600 recipe:
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Wind from the West – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 – “CineStill 50D”
CineStill 50D is Kodak Vision3 50D (a low-ISO daylight color negative motion picture film) with the remjet layer removed so that it can be developed via the C-41 process. I’ve been asked many times to recreate the look of this film for Fujifilm X cameras. I’ve attempted multiple times, but never succeeded—even this recipe I’m a little hesitant to share because it is “as close as I can get” but perhaps not as close as I’d like it to be. I think some of you will really appreciate it, and I hope everyone else can excuse that it isn’t perhaps the most accurate recipe I’ve ever made.
There were a few tricky parts creating this CineStill 50D recipe. First, I’ve never shot the film, and had to rely on examples from the internet. Second, there are at least three distinct aesthetics produced by this film, which I assume is from how it was shot, developed, and scanned. All films can vary in looks depending on a lengthy host of factors, and this one seems especially so. I picked one specific aesthetic that I came across as the basis of this recipe, and I think this recipe mimics that pretty well. Third, I came across an article stating that CineStill 50D scans must be treated as RAW images, as “they’re not finished straight out of the scanner.” That made me wonder how much editing had been done to the picture samples I found—how much of the look was from the film and how much was from the software. These were just some of the challenges.
Spring & Winter on Wasatch – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “CineStill 50D”
Because the film is missing the remjet layer, it is particularly prone to halation, so I used a 10% CineBloom filter for a couple of these pictures (such as the one above) to mimic that. I don’t think it helped as much as I thought it might, so I discontinued that pretty quickly, but it certainly something you can try. I think this recipe looks best in direct sunlight. Under overcast, shade, indoor, or nighttime light it can produce interesting results, but is “most accurate” to the film when photographing in blue-sky daylight. Because it uses Clarity, this recipe is not compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30; however, if you use a diffusion filter—such as 10% CineBloom or 1/4 Black Pro Mist—in lieu of Clarity, that will give you similar (but not identical) results.
Astia Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: -1 Shadow: 0 Color: -4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: 0 Clarity: -4 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off White Balance: 6800K, -5 Red & -3 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “CineStill 50D” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Seagulls Circling Haystack Rock – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Small Church – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Cracker Barrel – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Bread Truck – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Red Flag Truck – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Tulip Sale – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Tree & Block Wall – 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!
109 – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – “Color Analog”
The Fuji X Weekly App is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly App 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!
For this Film Simulation Recipe I didn’t attempt to model any specific film; instead, I wanted a low-saturation, low-to-mid contrast recipe that would remind me of color negative film. I wanted it to be warm, but not overly warm. After several tries, I landed on some settings that I liked. While I didn’t have any film in mind when I created this recipe, it is vaguely reminiscent of Kodak Portra 160 NC, which was a “neutral color” (low-saturation) version of Portra film that was around from 1998 to 2010, when it was discontinued. It’s not an exact match to that film, but is simply by chance in the neighborhood of it. As Lefty Gomez famously said, “I’d rather be lucky than good.”
I think this recipe is a good “everyday” daylight option. If I were to suggest C1-C7 Custom Presets for the X-Pro1, this is one that I would include. I would also consider Color Negative Film, either Kodachrome I or Kodachrome II, Vivid Color, Superia Xtra 400, and Monochrome. I know that’s only six (not seven), but you wouldn’t have to remember to change the White Balance Shift when switching presets because each of these calls for a different White Balance type. I suppose I’ll have to create a recipe to fill that seventh spot (actually, I’m already working on it…), but in the meantime you could pick one other recipe—you’ll just have to remember to switch the shift when changing presets—or leave the seventh spot empty.
This new Patron Early-Access recipe is compatible the Fujifilm X-Pro1 and X-E1 cameras. Those with X-Trans II and Bayer cameras can also use it, although the results will be just a little different. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, it’s available to you right now on the App!
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Color Analog” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-Pro1:
Daffodil Garden – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Daylight Pines – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Pear Blossom Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Creek Rocks – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Newly Bloomed – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
White Fruit Tree Blossoms – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Round & Red – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Aperture Artifact Apparition – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Sunlight Through Tree Branches – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Suspended Sun – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Reflection Structure – Farmington, 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!
