Green Hills – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe
This Film Simulation Recipe is intended to mimic Kodachrome 25 color transparency film, which was introduced in 1974, replacing the similar Kodachrome II emulsion. I was fortunate to shoot a few rolls of Kodachrome 25. It was a beautiful film, and probably the sharpest color film ever made, but its low ISO made it difficult to use. Kodachrome 64, which was still a low-ISO film, was significantly faster. The major differences between the two Kodachrome emulsions is that the ISO 25 version was sharper and less grainy, while the ISO 64 version was more contrasty, vibrant and a hair warmer. Both were very similar, though, and it would be hard to spot the differences without a close inspection. Some people preferred the slightly more subtle tones and finer detail of Kodachrome 25, and some preferred the faintly punchier pictures rendered on Kodachrome 64. Kodak discontinued Kodachrome in 2009.
No Lifeguard at 8 – Oceanside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe
This Kodachrome 25 Film Simulation Recipe is intended for Fujifilm X-Trans V models, which (as of this writing) include the X-H2, X-H2S, and X-T5 cameras. It’s compatible with newer GFX models too, but will likely render slightly different on those cameras. Those with an X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II, try the Kodachrome 25 Recipe for those models (click here).
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Grain Effect: Off Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: Daylight, +2 Red & -4 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +0.5 Shadow: -0.5 Color: +1 Sharpness: +3 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: +3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 1600 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Kodachrome 25” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Veteran – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dormant Trees Reflected – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
White Flowers Faux – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunrise Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pink on a Grey Day – Oceanside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5
Backyard Joy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Wet Haired Boy – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Raymond Photographing Flowers – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Cholla Arms – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rock Ridge – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Flowers in the Dry Desert – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Remnants of a Tree – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Prickles – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Cacti – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Tall Cactus – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
***Note: When this Kodachrome 25 Film Simulation Recipe was first published, this article mistakenly listed Auto instead of Daylight for White Balance. In the Fuji X Weekly App it has always been correct.***
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I was actually very nervous for several reasons. First, I’m an introvert, and meeting new people always makes me a little apprehensive. Second, Leigh and Raymond are big names in photography. They have been successful YouTubers for many years. They are well connected within the industry. It’s kind of like meeting an actor, musician, or sports star. Third, Raymond does ultramarathons; while I might make a special effort to get to Dairy Queen if Blizzards are half off, I’m definitely not doing normal marathons let alone the David Goggins kind—and we were scheduled for a hike through the desert. I wasn’t sure what it would entail, or how intense this adventure might get.
It turns out that I had nothing to worry about. Raymond was super nice. The hike was easy and relatively short—definitely something someone with my “skills” and “experience” (or lack thereof) could accomplish. We had a great time. It was really good to meet up for some desert photography.
Raymond and I — Captured with RitchieCam on my iPhone
I used my Fujifilm X-T5 and Fujinon 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens for this outing. I chose and programmed into the camera my Kodachrome 25 Film Simulation Recipe because I thought it would do well in this scenario (which I’ll get to in just a moment) and because I’m converting this Recipe for the X-T5. You see, X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations, but the fix is simple: if an X-Trans IV Recipe that uses Classic Chrome, Classic Negative, Eterna, or Eterna Bleach Bypass calls for Color Chrome FX Blue set to Strong, change it to Weak on X-Trans V, and if it calls for Color Chrome FX Blue set to Weak, change it to Off. The Kodachrome 25 Recipe calls for Color Chrome FX Blue set to Strong, so I adjusted it to Weak on my X-T5.
I decided that the Kodachrome 25 Recipe would be good for this scenario because of its characteristics. Kodachrome 25 film had low contrast (for slide film), slightly subdued saturation, and true-to-life (yet Kodak-warm) colors. It was regarded as the sharpest, most fine grained emulsion on the market, and was a popular choice for commercial photography. With an ISO of 25, some found this film to be challenging to use, so the higher-ISO Kodachrome 64, which had a little boost in contrast and saturation, was a more common option. Still, plenty of Kodachrome 25 pictures graced the pages of publications such as National Geographic and Arizona Highways, and I wanted to replicate that classic aesthetic for my desert images. It was forecasted to be overcast with perhaps some peeking sun, and the Kodachrome 25 Recipe does well in that weather—not too warm or cool, and not too much or too little contrast.
If this had been film, I would have shot two rolls of 24-exposure Kodachrome 25 (yes, it was by chance exactly 48 exposures). Of course, Kodachrome has long been discontinued, so shooting with this Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm camera is probably the closest you can get to shooting with the emulsion. The Kodachrome 25 frames in this article are my 12 favorites from that desert outing with Raymond. I hope you enjoy!
Rock Ridge – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe
Raymond Photographing Flowers – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe
Flowers in the Dry Desert – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe
Remnants of a Tree – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 25 Recipe
Pilot – Cordes Lakes, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – “Kodachrome 64”
This isn’t a new Film Simulation Recipe; it’s simply a slight modification of my Kodachrome 64 recipe for X-Trans IV cameras to make it compatible with X-Trans V models. The adjustments are pretty simple: set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off and Shadow to +0.5. Why the Color Chrome FX Blue adjustment? I discovered that with Classic Chrome (and some other film simulations), X-Trans V cameras render blue deeper. Why the change to Shadow? I stated in the X-Trans IV version, “I would set Shadow to +0.5 if I were using these settings on [a] camera [with that option].” With those two modifications, the Kodachrome 64 recipe is ready for your Fujifilm X-Trans V camera!
Kodachrome was a brand-name of color reversal film made by Kodak between 1935 and 2009. There were three eras of Kodachrome: 1935-1960, 1961-1973, and 1974-2009. Each era produced a slightly different look, and the third era is the one you’re probably most familiar with. This recipe is intended to mimic the aesthetic of the third era of Kodachrome, specifically the ISO 64 emulsion.
This Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe is intended for Fujifilm X-Trans V models, which (as of this writing) include the X-H2, X-H2S, and X-T5 cameras. It’s compatible with newer GFX models too, but will likely render slightly different on those cameras. Those with an X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II, try the Kodachrome 64 recipe for those models (click here). Those with an X-T3 or X-T30, try the Kodachrome 64 recipe for those cameras (click here). For those with an X-Trans II model, there’s a Kodachrome 64 recipe for you, too (click here).
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: Daylight, +2 Red & -5 Blue Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: 0 Shadow: +0.5 Color: +2 Sharpness: +1 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: +3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Kodachrome 64” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Palm Tree Closeup – Palo Verde, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Abandoned Mobile Home – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Store & Bar – Hassayampi, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Narrow Bridge – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Concrete Railroad Ties & Steel Bridge – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Gillespie Dam – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Gila River Reeds – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Flag, Bell, Cross – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Princess Garden – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Secret Garden – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blossomed Garden Rose – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Farm Truck – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Wall Shadow & Empty Pot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dusk Lamp – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Girl on Swing – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Sunset – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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!
I had an epiphany today. It’s been building in my mind for several days now, but it was only today that I believe I fully understood it: photograph wherever you are. Whichever place it is that you find yourself, capture it with your camera.
When I was 16-years-old, my family moved to a small unincorporated community in Texas called Culleoka, which is north of Dallas near Lake Lavon. At that time it was in the middle of nowhere—and it still is—but the city has been inching closer and closer, and is now at its doorstep. I finished high school while there and enrolled in college. I studied photography for two years before leaving home—and Texas—at 19. That was a long time ago; however, my parents still live in the same house in Culleoka.
I bring up all of this because I realized that, despite learning photography while I lived there, and despite all of the times that I’ve visited over the years, I’ve never photographed Culleoka. I never thought this place was photographically interesting. I always traveled elsewhere with my camera, whether it was McKinney, Plano, Dallas, or any number of other towns in the region. I never photographed where I lived.
Visiting my parents now, for some reason—maybe because I’m older—I find Culleoka to be a much more interesting place. Yes, there’s still not much to see. If you blinked while driving through you’d miss it. There’s a gas station. A Dollar General, which is a fairly new addition. An auto body shop. A fireworks stand. A couple of churches. Maybe a couple hundred people live in Culleoka, many in mobile homes. There’s access to Lake Lavon at the far edge.
I regret now not photographing where I was, because there’s actually a lot of opportunity, if only I had had an open mind. I didn’t see it before. I just thought it was a boring place. Those “other places” were much more fascinating. I had to drive somewhere else to capture interesting pictures. Perhaps you can relate. Maybe you believe that wherever it is you are isn’t worth your camera’s attention, and because you see it day in and day out it is difficult to view it with fresh eyes.
How do you view a highly familiar location with fresh eyes? For me, I think it was just being away for a few years. Actually, I saw some interesting sunlight on the gas station, and a lightbulb went off in my mind. I was reminded of Wim Winders book Written in the West, which inspired me to photograph Culleoka using my Fujifilm X-E4 programmed with the Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe. Some ideas are to envision yourself as a tourist experiencing the place for the first time, simply keeping a photographic eye out for interesting light, or reading photography books where some pictures are similar to your current location.
Just because you believe that where you are is uninteresting, doesn’t mean there aren’t things worth photographing. You have to keep a constant eye out. Maybe you need to view it through a fresh perspective. Perhaps you just need to get out with your camera on a regular basis and keep at it until you finally “see it” as some new inspiration hits you—I think just getting out with your camera is the best advice that I have.
Don’t be like me and fail to photograph where you are. Just because you don’t think it is worthwhile doesn’t mean that it’s not worthwhile—with a fresh perspective, you’re likely to find things that actually are interesting, things you maybe passed by hundreds of times and it never caught your attention. You have a great opportunity, and perhaps an interesting series of pictures will emerge from it.
It’s an easy trap to think that you have to go someplace else in order to capture interesting pictures. I certainly believed that for awhile, even though I used to say that the job of a photographer is to find the extraordinary in the mundane. I didn’t always practice what I preached—I assumed that where I was wasn’t interesting enough—but my statement was correct: it’s my job to find what others overlook in the places I find myself, and create compelling pictures with my camera. I hope that I’ve accomplished that this time around.
Some of the pictures that I captured in Colleoka, Texas, over the last few days:
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.
There is a mistake in the article that I’d like to point out. Check out the image below:
Caption reads: “Using Kodachrome 64 Recipe.”
This picture was captured using real Kodachrome 64 film.
The picture above was supposed to be an example photograph of the actual film, which I captured over 20 years ago using real Kodachrome 64 film shot on a Canon AE-1 camera. So it is film, and not a film simulation. A couple other mistakes are found in the recipe itself: Dynamic Range should be DR200, and Noise Reduction should be -4. But, you know, it’s always alright to “season to taste” a recipe, so maybe that is how they prefer those settings.
I’m super happy to have been included in this writeup! I’m stoked that Moment found this recipe to be a valuable resource to the photography community—so valuable, in fact, that they were eager to share it with their customers on their website. Honestly, I’m flattered. Thank you, Moment!
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!
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!
Storm Building Over Mountain Ridge – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – “Kodachrome II”
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 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, which was a color transparency film with an ISO of 10. This Kodachrome was the first color film that produced reasonably accurate colors and 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.
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 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.
Neighborhood Flag – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – “Kodachrome II”
Another generation of Kodachrome, which came out in 1974, saw Kodachrome II replaced by Kodachrome 25 and Kodachrome-X replaced by Kodachrome 64. The differences between this version and the previous weren’t huge and image quality was very similar. The biggest change was going from the K-12 to the K-14 development process (which was a little less toxic and complex, but still toxic and complex). 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.
While I’ve published a number of recipes with the Kodachrome name, I’ve never made one for X-Trans I because Classic Chrome is necessary to replicate the look, and X-Trans I doesn’t have Classic Chrome. Well, Thomas Schwab got himself a Fujifilm X-E1, and he figured out a pretty phenomenal Kodachrome facsimile using PRO Neg. Std! Unbelievable! It’s amazing how good this recipe looks considering that it doesn’t use Classic Chrome. The X-M1 doesn’t have PRO Neg. Std, so this recipe isn’t compatible with that camera, but if you have an X-E1 or X-Pro1, this one is sure to become an instant favorite! Thank you, Thomas, for creating and sharing this recipe!
PRO Neg. Std Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +1 (Medium-High) Shadow: +2 (High) Color: -2 (Low) Sharpness: +2 (Hard) Noise Reduction: -2 (Low) White Balance: Auto, +1 Red & -2 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 3200 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Kodachrome II” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-Pro1:
Cloud Building Behind Mountain – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Grass & Flowers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Berry Bush – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Reddish Berries – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Sons for Mayor – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Top Stop – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Restroom Closed – Weber Canyon, 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!
Evening at a Pond – Farmington Bay, UT – Fujifilm X100V “Kodachrome 64”
The Fujifilm X100V has some new features, including Clarity and Color Chrome Effect Blue, that my X-T30 doesn’t have, despite sharing the same sensor. The more JPEG options that I have, the more accurately I can create in-camera looks. My hope is to revisit some of my film simulation recipes, and create what I hope are more accurate versions using the new features. The first one that I revamped is my Kodachrome 64 film simulation recipe.
Many people love my Kodachrome 64 recipe, but not everyone. The biggest complaint that I’ve heard about it is that the reds aren’t vibrant enough. I don’t disagree with that, but there are always compromises when recreating looks in-camera because the tools available to me are limited. Of course, what Kodachrome 64 looks like depends on how you’re viewing it, whether projector, light table, scan, print, and how so. You can find some vastly different looking pictures that were captured on Kodachrome 64. For this revamped recipe, I spent some time studying the Kodachrome slides that I captured many years ago.
Red Lights & Rain – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V “Kodachrome 64”
While I feel that this is an improved Kodachrome 64 recipe, it’s still not perfect. Those who disliked how reds were rendered on the old recipe will certainly like this one better, but is it 100% exactly like the film? No. I think +2 Color might be too much, but +1 Color doesn’t render reds and yellows vibrant enough. If you prefer +1 Color, feel free to do that instead. There’s a little less contrast with this new version. Both of the Color Chrome Effects, the lower Dynamic Range setting, and Clarity add contrast, so I changed Highlight and Shadow to compensate. The X-T4 has .5 Highlight and Shadow adjustments, and I would set Shadow to +0.5 if I were using these settings on that camera (I hope that Fujifilm updates the X100V and X-Pro3 to allow this, too). I think it would be acceptable to use +1 Shadow, but I felt that was a tad too much, so I set it to 0. Despite not being perfect, I do feel that this version is a little more accurate to actual Kodachrome 64 film.
If you have an X100V, X-Pro3 or X-T4, I invite you to try this new-and-improved Kodachrome 64 film simulation recipe. Be sure to let me know what you think! Here are a couple pictures comparing the two versions of this recipes:
Original Kodachrome 64 recipe.
New Kodachrome 64 Recipe.
Original Kodachrome 64 recipe.
New Kodachrome 64 recipe.
Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: 0
Shadow: 0
Color: +2
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: +1
Clarity: +3
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak
White Balance: Daylight, +2 Red & -5 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this new Kodachrome 64 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:
White Horse by a Stream – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Horses in the Grass – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Curious Horse – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Country Tires – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Yellow Flowers, Blue Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Wishful Day – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Beer & Board – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Road Bicycling – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
All the World’s a Sunny Day – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Orders & Pickup – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Red, White & Blue Day – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Flag Up Close – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Reeds by the Water – Farmington Bay, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Evening Reeds – Farmington Bay, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Landscape Flowers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Handlebar – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Kodak Colors – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Half of an Orange – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Ground Beans – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Pallets – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X100V
IHOP – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Cupcake – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Sitting on Concrete – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Spring Snow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
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