Fujifilm X-E4 | FUJI X WEEKLY

52 Weeks of Photography: Week 4

*Pool Palm Pruned* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – PRO Negative 160C

I started a new 365 Day photo project, which I’m calling 52 Weeks of Photography, back on Christmas Eve. Even though it is a year-long undertaking, I’m taking it one week at a time. This is the fourth week, the fourth set of seven images, which means that I’m 1/13th finished. While there’s a long ways to go, it’s crazy that 28 days are already in the books.

The reason why I’m doing this photo-a-day project is because I noticed some gaps in-between my images last year. I didn’t pick up my cameras daily. On several occasions, four or five days passed by without a single picture created. Twice in 2024, I skipped a whole week. I want to rectify this, and get back into the habit of daily photography. I also want to elevate the quality of my craft in 2025, and am hoping this will help with that.

*Shadow & Light* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – PRO Negative 160C

The plan is to capture a year’s worth of notable images, either personally or artistically. Ansel Adams famously stated, “Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.” It’s important to keep expectations realistic, but I’m also trying to avoid thoughtless snapshots just to fulfill the day’s requirement. I want to push myself to be better, and hopefully that will happen. Not every photo will be great—in fact, most won’t—but I hope they are all at least decent enough to be shared without embarrassment.

This week was a bit up and down. Some days were far more productive than others. With that said, I find myself getting back into the habit of always having a camera on me, making sure to grab one before leaving the house. I used to do that, but kind of fell away from it in 2024.

Below are the fourth set of seven pictures from this 52 Weeks of Photography project.

Tuesday, January 14th, 2025

*Air Dancer* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES & 35mm f/2 – Aerochrome v3

Wednesday, January 15th, 2025

*Sunkissed Tree* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II & Helios 44-2 – Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm

Thursday, January 16th, 2025

*We Are Open* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II & Helios 44-2 – Nostalgic Film

Friday, January 17th, 2025

*I Saw A Saw* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – PRO Negative 160C

Saturday, January 18th, 2025

*Backlit Infrared Joy* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES & 35mm f/2 – Aerochrome v3

Sunday, January 19th, 2025

*Not Abbey Road* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES & 35mm f/2 – Aerochrome v3

Monday, January 20th, 2025

*Faux Beauty* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + 90mm f/2 – Upcoming Recipe

Week 5

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm GFX100S II:
Amazon, B&H, Wex
Fujinon GF 80mm f/1.7:
Amazon, B&H, Wex
Fujinon 35mm f/2 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujinon 35mm f/2 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujinon 90mm f/2:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex

The Curious Case of D-Range Priority Auto

Posted on January 17 by Ritchie Roesch

*Fujifilm GFX100S II – PRO Negative 160C except with D-Range Priority Auto*

Someone pointed out to me that D-Range Priority Auto behaves differently on his Fujifilm X-T5 than he thought it would. I don’t use D-Range Priority Auto all that often, and it’s been awhile since I’ve done any sort of serious testing with it, so I took the opportunity to see what’s going on. I was quite surprised by what I found.

D-Range Priority (abbreviated DR-P) was a feature first found on old Fujifilm EXR models (this was before X-Trans) that utilized pixel-binning, and it worked much different than the current iteration of it. The modern version of DR-P was introduced in 2018 with the X-H1 and X-T3, and is modeled after a feature called Hypertone found on Fujifilm’s Frontier scanners. DR-P is used in lieu of the Dynamic Range (DR) settings and the Tone Curve (Highlight and Shadow).

Like the DR settings, DR-P is ISO dependent. DR-P Weak requires the same minimum ISO as DR200, and DR-P Strong requires the same minimum ISO as DR400. DR-P Auto should work the same as DR-Auto, and seemingly it does, but upon closer review it is significantly divergent. At least it is now. The way it works has evolved over time, largely unnoticed.

Someone reported to me awhile back that they couldn’t get their X-T5 to choose DR-P Strong with DR-P Auto selected. With my X-Trans IV models, in DR-P Auto, the camera will almost always choose DR-P Weak, and only DR-P Strong in extreme high-contrast situations, with both bright highlights and deep shadows. The camera will do it, but not very often. I assumed that this person probably just hadn’t encountered the right situation where the camera would choose DR-P Strong. I can see now that my assumption was wrong.

Let’s backtrack a bit. D-Range Priority works a certain way on the X-H1 and X-T3/X-T30 (at least when the X-T30 was released and I tested DR-P on it back then …it might work differently today after firmware updates, I’m not certain). On those cameras, DR-P Auto will choose DR-P Weak most of the time, and DR-P Strong only in extreme situations. DR-P Weak is the same as DR200 with both Highlight and Shadow set to -1. In the set of three very identical images below, captured with a Fujifilm X-H1 this morning, one is DR-P Auto (which chose DR-P Weak), one is in-camera reprocessed as DR-P Weak, and one is in-camera reprocessed as DR200 with Highlight and Shadow both set to -1. They look exactly alike.

Now let’s fast forward a little. DR-P Auto works a little different on my Fujifilm X100V and X-E4, but not exactly as I remember it working, or as I expected it to. I’m not certain if the way it works changed after some firmware update, or if my memory of it is incorrect (it could go either way). Let’s take a look at a photograph that I captured today on my X-E4 using DR-P Auto, which chose DR-P Strong. I then reprocessed the image in-camera.

*Fujifilm X-E4 as shot in DR-P Auto, which selected DR-P Strong*

*Same image, except reprocessed in-camera using DR-P Strong—surprisingly, it’s not the same.*

*Same image, except reprocessed in-camera using DR-P Weak; it’s getting closer, but not identical.*

*Same image, except reprocessed in-camera using DR200 + Highlight & Shadow set to -1; it’s divergent from all of the above images.*

*Same image, except reprocessed in-camera using DR400 + Highlight & Shadow set to -2. This is identical to the as-shot photograph.*

*Same image, except reprocessed in-camera using DR200 + Highlight & Shadow set to -2. This is identical to the reprocessed DR-P Weak image.*

On the X-H1, DR-P Auto is more straightforward than on the X-E4; on the X-E4, it did not behave as I expected it to. While I could get it to choose DR-P Strong, it didn’t actually create a DR-P Strong image, or even a DR-P Weak image; instead, it created an image identical to DR400 with Highlight and Shadow set to -2 (“DR-P Medium”?). DR-P Weak is the same as DR200 with Highlight and Shadow set to -2; however, on the X-H1, DR-P Weak is identical to DR200 with Highlight and Shadow set to -1. Clear as mud?

Now let’s look at the newer cameras. On X-Trans V, as well as the latest GFX, it works even differently. Check out this set of photographs:

*Fujifilm GFX100S II as shot in DR-P Auto, which selected DR-P Weak*

*Same image, except reprocessed in-camera using DR200 + Highlight & Shadow set to -1. It’s identical to the above photograph*.

*Same image, except reprocessed in-camera using DR-P Weak*.

As you can see, the camera is not using DR-P Weak when in DR-P Auto. Like the X-H1, it is using DR200 with Highlight and Shadow set to -1; however, unlike the X-H1, DR-P Weak is not the same as DR200 with Highlight and Shadow set to -1. On the newer models, DR-P Auto is actually “DR-P Extra Weak” (if such a setting existed, which incidentally is the same as DR-P Weak on the X-H1). DR-P Weak is actually more like DR200 with Highlight set to -2 and Shadow set to -3 (if such a setting existed—in other words, it can’t really be replicated). Also, no matter how hard I tried, I could not get my X-T5 or GFX100S II cameras to choose DR-P Strong when in DR-P Auto; only DR-P Weak (except that the picture is “DR-P Extra Weak” instead of DR-P Weak).

*Fujifilm GFX100S II shot with DR-P Strong and in-camera reprocessed to DR-P Weak*

*Same image, except reprocessed in-camera using DR400 + Highlight & Shadow set to -2*. This is the closest I could get the shadows, but the highlights are divergent.

So what is the practical application of this? Since we know on the newer models—X-Trans V and the latest GFX—that the picture you get using DR-P Auto is the same as DR200 with Highlight and Shadow set to -1, you can replace any Film Simulation Recipe that calls for those settings (such as PRO Negative 160C) with DR-P Auto. There isn’t necessarily a practical advantage to doing that, except if you accidentally overexpose the frame, you can recover it by reprocessing the file in-camera with DR-P Weak. Below is an example of that:

*Fujifilm GFX100S II as shot in DR-P Auto*, overexposed

*Same image, simply reprocessed in-camera with DR-P Weak with no other adjustments*

I’m not really sure how to conclude this other than to say that D-Range Priority Auto works differently depending on what generation of camera you have. DR-P Weak and DR-P Strong are also a little divergent. I reached out to Anders Lindborg to ask his opinion and see if he had any insights on DR-P Auto, since he’s researched this topic pretty extensively. “The answer is actually in the manual,” he told me. “It says, ‘When an option other than Off is selected, Highlight Tone, Shadow Tone, and Dynamic Range will be adjusted automatically.'” On the newest models, that means Highlight and Shadow both set to -1 and Dynamic Range set to DR200 …and nothing else, unless you reprocess as DR-P Weak. Unfortunately, if you want to shoot with DR-P Weak or DR-P Strong straight-out-of-camera, then don’t use DR-P Auto. I suppose you could look at this way: DR-P Auto is actually DR-P Weak, DR-P Weak is actually DR-P Medium, and DR-P Strong is still DR-P Strong. I hope this somehow clears things up for those confused by it.

Below are a few pictures I created in preparation for this article, using my Fujifilm GFX100S II with the PRO Negative 160C Recipe (except for DR-P Auto in lieu of the DR and Tone Curve settings).

*Fujifilm GFX100S II + Fujinon GF 80mm f/1.7*

Godox iM30 Flash

Posted on January 14 by Ritchie Roesch

Godox sent me their new iM30 flash to try. I have a number of Godox flashes, including the Lux Junior, Lux Cadet, and Lux Master. Of those, the Lux Master is the most capable, but also the largest and heaviest. The Lux Cadet has a cool retro look, but I like the Lux Junior the most because it is smaller, and a tend to prefer compact gear. The iM30 is significantly smaller than the Lux Junior, so is it an ideal flash to pair with compact Fujifilm X-series gear, like my Fujifilm X-E4? Let’s find out.

Surprisingly, the Godox iM30 uses two AAA batteries. In one sense this is good, because you can easily carry a spare pair of AAA batteries, and if not, they are easy to find. You could also get yourself some rechargeable batteries and a charger. Personally, I would have preferred an internal rechargeable battery with a USB charging port. I’m not sure how many flashes you can get from a pair of copper-tops because I’m still on the original two after about 50 activations, and I have no idea if the batteries have a lot of life left or if they’re nearly depleted; however, Godox suggests that you can get about 230 flashes, so I might have a long ways to go.

Without a doubt, I can say that the iM30 is for those who want a compact flash. It is 2″ deep, 2.4″ wide, and 1.8″ tall (including the hotshoe mount). It weighs only 0.17 pounds without batteries, and 0.23 pounds with the batteries. It’s not the smallest flash I’ve ever used, but it is certainly one of the smallest. It looks great on cameras like the Fujifilm X-E4. Recycle time is just under four seconds.

The oddity of this flash is that it is cheap, so you might think that it is for beginners, but that is not true. While it is fairly simple, beginners might find it challenging, and perhaps even frustrating. You have to have some prior experience with flashes to use the iM30 effectively (or this might be your opportunity to learn). Also, the lowest setting, which is designated as 1/64, is sometimes too strong, and I wish that there was a lower power option.

*My Fujifilm X-E4* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 + Godox iM30 & Lux Master – Pacific Blues

For only $35 on Amazon, the Godox iM30 offers cheap thrills. There’s a lot of fun that you can have with it. For instance, it can be used as a secondary flash triggered by a primary flash. While you can’t use colored gels with the iM30 (without tape, anyway), you can shoot through a color correction or B&W film filter. That’s what I did for the above photo. I had a Godox Lux Master attached to the camera (and set to its lowest power), and the iM30 off to the side with a Tiffen 47B filter placed in front of the flash, giving a splash of blue to the otherwise warm scene. Is it ideal for that purpose? No, but it certainly can be done, and without spending a lot of money.

If you want a compact flash and have experience with flashes, and also don’t want to spend much money, the Godox iM30 is for you. It can be a lot of fun, and the opportunity to use it creatively is certainly there. It’s not my favorite Godox flash, but I can see bringing it on trips simply because it doesn’t take up much space in the bag. I do plan to use it in the coming months, but I don’t anticipate it being a tool that I reach for frequently.

Example photos, all camera-made JPEGs captured using the Godox iM30 flash on my Fujifilm cameras:

*Backyard Boy* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI + Godox iM30 – Nostalgic Americana

*Loves Her Dress* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Godox iM30 (w/Hoya G(XO) Yellow-Green filter) – Nostalgia Color

*Jump Over It* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI + Godox iM30 – Kodak Max 800

*Distracted* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Godox iM30 (w/Tiffen 47B filter) – Redscale

*Jon, at Night* – Tonopah, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Godox iM30 – Classic Color

*Slow Shutter Portrait* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Godox iM30 – Color Negative 400

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Lens Review: Pergear 25mm F/1.7

Posted on December 14, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

Back in April, Pergear announced a new lens: Pergear 25mm f/1.7. This is a compact lens that’s not quite pancake, but not far from it either. It’s a little larger than the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8, and a little smaller than the Fujinon 23mm f/2. I appreciate small gear, so I got this diminutive lens specifically to pair with my Fujifilm X-E4. The Pergear 25mm f/1.7 looks really good on the X-E4; it’s an aesthetic match to the retro-styled Fujifilm models, with the right amount of vintage-like charm. The 25mm focal-length is 37.5mm full-frame-equivalent, which is good for everyday walk-around photography.

It is a manual-focus lens, which means there’s no auto-focus capabilities. I learned photography on manual lenses, so I don’t mind them personally; however, if you don’t have much experience manually focusing, it will likely take you a little practice to feel comfortable with it. The focus ring is smooth on this lens. The minimum focus distance is about eight inches, which isn’t bad. The lens has 7 Elements in 5 Groups, and 10 blades. The filter thread size is 37mm. Also, there’s no communication with the camera.

The aperture ring has clicks, and steps in full stops—there are no intermediate apertures, such as f/3.5 or f/5, which is a bit unusual (although a long time ago this wasn’t odd at all). The maximum aperture is a bright f/1.7, but skips f/2 and goes straight for f/2.8. The minimum aperture is f/22; however, due to diffraction, f/22 should probably be avoided. The aperture ring has a good amount of stiffness, and the clicks obvious, meaning that you won’t accidentally change the aperture, and you can mentally keep track of the aperture adjustments without having to take your eye off the EVF.

The Pergear 25mm f/1.7 is a very different lens depending on the aperture. When wide open at f/1.7, center sharpness is sufficient but not impressive, and the corners are soft with some vignetting. It’s also prone to a hazy flare if there is a bright light source in front of you. This can give a cinematic or even atmospheric effect sometimes, and can be used creatively. Things improve notably as you stop down. By f/5.6 the technical flaws that are obvious at f/1.7 are nearly gone, and this lens can hold its own pretty well against many others. In other words, for a clinically clean lens, you will want to be in the f/5.6 to f/8 range, but for more interesting character, you’ll want to increase the aperture. Also, you can get some nice sunstars at f/11 and especially f/16. I feel like there is enough of a difference in outcome at f/1.7, f/2.8-f/4, f/5.6-f/8, and f/11-f/16, that you could almost compartmentalize those apertures for specific situations and desired picture aesthetics.

This lens retails for only $75, which is quite affordable. It seems well built and robust. There’s a lot to like about the Pergear 25mm f/1.7 lens, and it’s easy to overlook the shortcomings because it is so inexpensive. I’m very happy with it, personally, and plan to use it regularly on my Fujifilm X-E4.

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Pergear 25mm f/1.7:
Amazon

Example photos, all camera-made JPEGs using the Pergear 25mm f/1.7 lens on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*Snake Boots* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Pergear 25mm f/1.7 – Kodak Tri-X 400

*Cowboy Hat 1* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Pergear 25mm f/1.7 – Kodak Tri-X 400

*Cowboy Hat 2* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Pergear 25mm f/1.7 – Superia Negative

*Arizona Autumn* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Peargear 25mm f/1.7 – Superia Negative

*Hanging Bougainvillea* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Pergear 25mm f/1.7 – Classic Color

*Backlit Bougainvillea Blooms* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Pergear 25mm f/1.7 – Kodak Portra 160

*Red Blossoms* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Pergear 25mm f/1.7 – Agfachrome RS 100

*Christmas Soldier* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Pergear 25mm f/1.7 – Fujicolor 100 Gold

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Close Up with the Fujinon XF 30mm F/2.8 R LM WR Macro

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

Robert Capa famously stated, “If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” A macro lens, which allows you to focus more closely to the subject, takes this idea to an entirely new level. You can get extremely close! The smallest of details, which might normally be overlooked, can become the subject itself.

Fujifilm has three such lenses for the X-series: Fujinon XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro, Fujinon XF 60mm f/2.4 R Macro, and Fujinon XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro. The 80mm lens is the most premium of these, and is a must for anyone who is serious about macro photography on Fujifilm cameras. The 60mm lens isn’t technically a macro lens, as it doesn’t have 1:1 magnification, but it is near-enough to be designated as such; it is an older Fujinon model, and not as sharp or quick as the others. The 30mm lens is the latest macro offering by Fujifilm, giving close-focus capability to a very useful focal length.

MPB is the sponsor of this article. They loaned me a Fujinon XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro lens to try out for a couple of weeks. For those who don’t know, MPB is an online platform where you can buy, sell, or trade used photo and video gear. “At MPB, there’s something for everyone who wants to try something new, hone their skills, or pursue their passion—and it won’t cost the earth.” If you’re in the market for used camera gear, be sure to check out their platform—you can learn more about MPB here. Thank you, MPB, for making this article possible!

Normally, macro lenses are telephoto, such as the Fujinon 80mm f/2.8, because otherwise the lens might get too close and disturb the subject—either by scaring the subject away (if it’s an insect or animal) or by casting a shadow on it. The 30mm focal length is 45mm full-frame-equivalent on Fujifilm X-series cameras, and is a “normal” field-of-view for photography—essentially, a nifty-fifty; however, it is not the most practical choice for macro photography. In fact, you may want to remove the lens hood for up-close pictures, because it can get in the way. While I found the lens to be somewhat challenging for macro images, the fact that it doubles as a standard focal-length lens—not too dissimilar from the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 or Fujinon 35mm f/2—means that it’s great for everyday walk-around photography. That versatility is quite intriguing.

The downside of this lens compared to the 27mm f/2.8 or 35mm f/2 is that the 30mm f/2.8 Macro is much larger (0.9″ and 1.8″ long compared to 2.75″ without the hood and 3.75″ with the hood, respectively). It is quite compact and lightweight for what it is, but if you’re looking for an everyday carry option, this isn’t quite as small as those. If macro or near-macro photography is of interest to you, this is an excellent lens to own; otherwise, you might better appreciate some of the other options.

Macro lenses are often extremely sharp because the nature of their work demands it, but the downside is that they are often slow. Not only do they typically have smaller maximum apertures, but they are almost always a bit slower to focus, since they have such a large range to cycle through. The Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro is indeed very sharp and largely free of any optical flaws, and definitely lives up to the Fujinon reputation. Surprising to me, it is also quite quick to find and lock focus, which is somewhat unusual for a macro lens. From a technical point-of-view, there’s a lot to be impressed with.

For someone wanting to get into macro photography (or if you are already into macro photography, but are switching to Fujifilm from another brand), I would highly recommend starting with the Fujinon 80mm f/2.8. The Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 is an excellent complimentary option for when you need something less telephoto and/or bulky, but in my opinion it shouldn’t be your first or main macro lens. For someone who’s not really into macro photography per se, but would like to sometimes get closer to their subjects, and is also interested in a solid everyday-carry option, this lens will do the trick very well.

Getting closer to your subject to improve your photography has been common advice for over 75 years now, and I think there is just as much truth to it today as when Robert Capa first coined it in the 1940’s. Perhaps macro photography takes it more literally than Capa had intended, and certainly merely getting closer isn’t a cure-all fix to uninspired images. With that said, I do believe that lenses like the Fujinon XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro provide the opportunity to grow as a photographer, and certainly the challenge of using it effectively will improve ones photography over time. So, yeah, if your pictures aren’t good enough, maybe it’s because you’re not close enough, and this lens will allow you to get much closer.

Photographs I captured using the Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro lens on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro + Expired Velvia Recipe*

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro + Astia Summer Recipe*

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro + Classic Color Recipe*

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro + Pacific Blues Recipe*

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro + Fujicolor 100 Gold Recipe*

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro + Monochrome Negative Recipe*

Previously in this series:
Fujifilm X-Pro2 — The camera that got away (again)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 23mm F/2 = Interchangeable-Lens Fujifilm X100VI??
Leica Q2 from the perspective of a Fujifilm photographer
Fujifilm X30 — Fujifilm’s Forgotten Retro Compact Zoom

Up next: Traveling Light with the Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-100 II & TCL-100 II Conversion Lenses

Fujifilm’s 7 Best Cameras

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

I get asked occasionally which Fujifilm cameras are the very best. Sometimes people want to jump into the Fujifilm system, but are unaware of which camera to buy; however, they know that they want the “best” model, whichever one that is. Of course, best is highly subjective—what is “best” for one person may not be for another. My list might look a lot different from another’s. This is simply my opinion as a long-time experienced Fujifilm photographer, so take it for what it’s worth, which might only be two pennies.

My list of Fujifilm’s seven best cameras is limited to X-series models. I’m not including GFX, Instax, Fujica, or anything else. I’m only discussing the APS-C line that Fujifilm introduced with the fixed-lens X100 in 2011, and the interchangeable-lens X-Pro1 in 2012. Those cameras and the ones introduced afterwards are the models being considered for this list.

Without any further delay, let’s get started!

#7: Fujifilm X70

The Fujifilm X70 is a fixed-lens X-Trans II camera that was released in 2016. It had a short sales-life because Sony suddenly discontinued production of the 16mp APS-C sensor that the camera used, and by the end of that year the X70 was discontinued, and out-of-stock shortly thereafter. As a compact camera with an 18.5mm (28mm full-frame-equivalent) lens, it competed directly with the Ricoh GR II. I like the X70 better than the GR II because it has the traditional tactile controls that Fujifilm is known for, while the GR cameras utilize PASM.

Today, at eight-years-old, the camera often sells for more than when it was brand-new. It’s much beloved by many who own one. Some proclaim it to be their favorite Fujifilm camera of all time. Compared to the latest models, the X70 is less advanced and with fewer options, but it does what few Fujifilm cameras can: fit into your pocket. In my opinion, it’s the best carry-everywhere camera ever made by Fujifilm. A successor—an X80—should be a high priority for Fuji.

#6: Fujifilm X-Pro2

While all three of the X-Pro cameras are great, there’s something especially special about the Fujifilm X-Pro2. It’s the seemingly perfect balance of form and function. It’s one of those cameras that will be desired and used for many years to come. While other digital cameras of its era will be long forgotten, I’m convinced that the X-Pro2 will still be sought out even when it’s 20 years old or older.

Introduced at the same time as the X70, the Fujifilm X-Pro2 is an X-Trans III model, and as such it doesn’t seem quite as dated as the X70. It still holds up fairly well in ability and features compared to the latest models. I would be perfectly happy if it were my only camera; unfortunately, I let it get away from me twice.

#5: Fujifilm X-E4

The X-E4 is the smallest and most minimalistic of Fujifilm’s modern offerings. While it is not perfect (no camera is), it does offer a slightly unique experience for Fujifilm that some like and some don’t. Personally, I appreciate the camera—it is one of my favorite Fujifilm models—and I find it especially great for travel or just everyday walk-around photography, thanks to its compactness. I have more expensive cameras, but often choose the X-E4 instead.

While the Fujifilm X-E4 doesn’t have IBIS or 40mp or the newest couple of film simulations, it is one of the last X-Trans IV models, and as such is quite advanced and capable. Unfortunately, Fujifilm greatly underestimated the demand for the X-E4, and failed to secure enough parts to manufacture as many copies as they should have, inexplicably discontinuing it when there were lengthy backorder lists. Because of that, right now the X-E4 sells for several hundred dollars more used than when it was brand-new.

#4: Fujifilm X100V

The X100 is where the X-series began; the X100V is the model that unexpectedly wen’t viral when it was over two years old. This list could be filled with X100 cameras—in fact, I debated if the X100F should have been placed in the #6 or #7 positions (it was a tough cut). The X100V is the fifth iteration—the X-Trans IV version—and served as my “desert island” camera until the introduction of the X100VI earlier this year.

I love the X100V because it is small and lightweight, and has great features like a built-in ND filter and leaf shutter plus a fill-flash that just seems to work perfect. For a fixed-lens camera, it is surprisingly versatile. I don’t travel without an X100 model. It’s no wonder why the X100V was the camera to have in 2023 (although few could get it); in 2024, it’s still an excellent choice. And it might be easier to find than an X100VI.

#3: Fujifilm X-T5

The X-T5 is Fujifilm’s flagship SLR-styled traditional tactile control model. If you want the best, look no further—it’s the cream of the crop: IBIS, 40mp, weather-sealing, dual SD-card slots, etc., etc.. The X-T5 is notably smaller and lighter than the X-T4. It’s such a great camera, there’s not much negative that can be said about it. This camera could very easily be #1 on this list, and on paper it should be.

While the Fujifilm X-T5 is technically a great camera, and it did slim down compared to its predecessor, it’s more camera than I need much of the time. Because of this, I will often choose a different model, including technically inferior options like the X-E4. Sometimes data sheets and spec charts don’t tell the full story. You don’t always need a fully loaded Land Cruiser, sometimes a Camry will get you there more efficiently; still, sometimes you need the Land Cruiser.

#2: Fujifilm X-T50

The X-T50 is an X-T5, but without weather-sealing, with only one SD-card slot, with a Film Dial instead of an ISO Dial, a lower resolution-EVF, the old battery, in a smaller and lighter body, and a little cheaper. Technically speaking, the X-T5 is superior, but, over the summer, I used an X-T50 far more than an X-T5. Between the two, most of the time I chose the X-T50.

The X-T30 II is in the same series as the X-T50; however, Fujifilm says that the X-T50 is not the X-T30 II’s successor. The X-T50 is closely related and similar, but is not the X-T30 II’s replacement, as they are currently manufacturing both models. The X-T30 II is a better value (and I almost placed it at #7); overall, the X-T50 is the better camera of the two. For those wanting to get into the Fujifilm system, the X-T50 is my top recommendation, but the X-T30 II isn’t far behind.

#1: Fujifilm X100VI

I love the Fujifilm X100V, and the X100VI is even better! It is my “desert island” camera, which is to say that if I could choose only one model to use for the rest of my life, it would be this one. It is my absolute favorite photography tool, and it gets a lot of use. In my opinion, this is Fujifilm’s best camera.

The Fujifilm X100VI is by far the most preordered camera by any brand in history. We’re over six months since it was announced, and some people who preordered on Day 1 are still waiting for their camera to arrive, and some have been told that it might be closer to Christmas. There were more preorders for the X100VI than there were X100V’s manufactured over its four-year production life. Fujifilm is assembling far more X100VI’s each month than they did the X100V, yet they still can’t even make enough to fulfill the orders that were placed back in February. This is the most viral camera ever, and if the hype continues (and it might), the X100VI could potentially end up as the most-sold model of all time by any brand. If you didn’t order one right away when it was announced, you may have to wait a long time to get one.

Some of you may have noticed that both the X-H2 and X-H2s, which are Fujifilm’s top-tier flagship models, did not make this list. Nor did the very capable X-S20. The reason is very simple: those are PASM models, and I don’t care much for PASM, personally. Those cameras are intended to give the most Canikony-like experience of any Fujifilm models; if you are coming from a Canikony brand, those models are going to feel more familiar to you. I never appreciated the (modern) Canikony approach, so I’m very much drawn to the traditional tactile controls that Fujifilm is known for. Fujifilm offers a unique experience in the camera world, which is one of the big reasons why I love Fujifilm, and that unique experience is found on each of the seven models in my list. While some might see it as merely “retro” (which it is), to me its preferable. It’s better—much better, in fact. You may or may not agree with that, and that’s fine—different strokes for different folks—I’m just explaining why those particular models didn’t crack my list.

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-T50 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T50 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T50 in charcoal:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex
Fujifilm X-T5 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

Fujifilm X-E5 should have the Combo Shutter/ISO Dial

Posted on September 7, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

Fujirumors posted a poll today asking whether people would prefer the (someday upcoming) Fujifilm X-E5 to have the same Shutter Knob as the X-E4, or replace the Shutter Knob with a Film Dial, or use a Shutter/ISO combo Knob like the X100/X-Pro cameras. As of this writing, a little over 70% would prefer the Shutter/ISO Knob, according to the poll.

Way back in March of 2021 when the X-E4 was brand-new, I said “It would have been a nice touch if Fujifilm had included an ISO ring around the shutter knob.” It should not surprise anyone that my vote is for the Shutter/ISO combo. In my opinion, if the X-E4 had had that combo Knob, had kept the M/C/S switch, and had kept the rear Command Dial, the camera would have been pretty much perfect. I understand that the Shutter/ISO combo Knob is much more complicated and more expensive, but it would be worthwhile to include it on X-E series cameras, in my opinion.

There’s a vocal group of people who didn’t like the X-E4, but prefer the X-E3 instead, and want the X-E5 to be more similar to the X-E3 than the X-E4. That’s because the X-E4 was slimmed down with a minimalistic approach, but perhaps just a bit too minimalistic. It’s completely understandable that not everyone appreciated it. The reason why the X-E5 is much more likely to have more in common with the X-E4 than the X-E3 is simple: the Fujifilm X-E3 did not meet sales expectations, while the X-E4 exceeded them. Fujifilm had to steeply discount the already affordable X-E3 just to clear the warehouse, and even then had trouble selling them (the X-E3 could be found rather easily a year after it was discontinued, and for a discount). The X-E4 was difficult to find in-stock throughout its production life, and had months-long backorder lists when it was suddenly discontinued, presumably because Fujifilm ran out of parts and couldn’t secure enough to justify keeping the assembly line open. Now, the X-E4 sells for a few hundred more used than it did brand-new. I’m not saying that the X-E3 is a lesser camera, only that Fujifilm had trouble selling it and had trouble meeting the demand of its successor, so it is logical that they’d follow the formula that worked well for sales.

The less that Fujifilm changes from the X-E4, the better in my opinion. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Give it the X Processor 5, an improved EVF, the M/C/S switch, rear Command Dial, and that combination Shutter/ISO Knob, and you’ve got a really compelling camera. But, who knows, Fujifilm might do a complete overhaul. I have no idea.

While I actually really like the Film Dial on the Fujifilm X-T50, and I found a way to make it work quite well, I would not replace the Shutter or Exposure Compensation Knobs with it. That just doesn’t make any sense. If Fujifilm really wants to include the Film Dial on the X-E5, it would need to be an additional feature, and not a replacement of something already existing. Maybe similar to how Leica integrated the ISO Dial into the M11?

It will be interesting to see how Fujifilm evolves the X-E line. It’s much beloved by those who have owned them, but always on the chopping block, it seems. Apparently it’s not mainstream enough to have a secure spot in the X-series lineup, but the passionate fanbase prevents Fujifilm from axing it. If the X-E5 existed today, it would sell like hotcakes; heck, if the X-E4 was still being manufactured, it would be selling like hotcakes right now. Whenever the X-E5 is eventually released, perhaps next year, it will likely do very well for Fujifilm. But, I do think it’s important to strike while the iron is hot, and it’s hot at this very moment—so the sooner the better.

1960 Chrome — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) & X-E4 (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on July 15, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Bell Tower* – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1960 Chrome

This Film Simulation Recipe was created at the same time as Classic Color, Nostalgic Americana, Eterna Summer, and Astia Azure. These five Recipes were intended to work well together—could all be used in a single series or project—however, 1960 Chrome is the largest outlier of the group. It uses the Eterna Bleach Bypass film simulation, which has high contrast and low saturation, with a slight reddish tint.

The inspiration for 1960 Chrome came from several photographs in various vintage issues of Arizona Highways magazine from the 1960’s. While sometimes the publication provided detailed information on the photographs, sometimes they did not; from the instances where information was provided, the film used appears to be Ektachrome, perhaps from the 1950’s—likely E2 or E3 process. I’m sure the printing process and the age of the magazine play a significant role in the aesthetic as it appears today. In any event, this Recipe has a strong vintage color film aesthetic.

*Lake Bridges* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – 1960 Chrome

This 1960 Chrome Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, and X-T50, as well as “newer” X-Trans IV models—specifically, the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. I’m sure it can be used on several GFX cameras, but will likely render slightly different (try it anyway). For X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and for X-Trans IV set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.

Film Simulation: Eterna Bleach Bypass
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off (X-Trans V); Weak (X-Trans IV)
White Balance: Fluorescent 1, -2 Red & -4 Blue
Highlight: -2
Shadow: -1
Color: +2
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured by my son, Jonathan, using this 1960 Chrome Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:

*The Canal* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Pipe Bridge* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Hot Wheels* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Yellow Porsche* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*The Cross(walk) Roads* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*The Lamp in the Tree* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Gunslingin’ Martian* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Strip Mall* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*The Back Rooms* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Los Musicos* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Tiled Ball* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Phantom of Scottsdale* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this 1960 Chrome Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

*Yellow House, White Window* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Abandoned House & Palm Tree* – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Abandoned Mall Sign* – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Gas & Grocery* – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Old Hoop* – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Mission Gate* – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Bell & Cross* – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Shack on the Hill* – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Deer on the Rocks* – Saguaro NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Palo Verde in the Rocks* – Saguaro NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Tilted Saguaro* – Tucson, 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.

Fujifilm X-T5 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 350 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

My Fujifilm X-E5 Wish List

Posted on July 6, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

The Fujifilm X-E4 is one of my absolute favorite Fujifilm cameras. There was a lot of demand for it, then, inexplicably, Fujifilm discontinued the X-E4 while there was still a fairly lengthy backorder list. According to Fujirumors, Fujifilm is working on the X-E5 right now, possibly to be released sometime in 2025. There’s a reasonable chance that Fujifilm will read this, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to express my wish-list for the camera.

The Fujifilm X-E1 was my gateway into the Fujifilm system. The camera, which was released in 2012 and was Fujifilm’s second interchangeable-lens X-series camera (only preceded by the X-Pro1), was praised for its beautiful retro rangefinder design (nicknamed “Sexy One”), but also criticized for its sluggish performance (some of which was rectified in firmware updates). The X-E1 was fairly quickly replaced by the X-E2, and a minor updated version called the X-E2s was released at the end of the X-Trans II lifecycle (beginning the pattern of X-E cameras released near the end of a sensor generation). While the X-E series has a history of somewhat slow sales, the cameras tend to be much beloved by those who own them. The X-E4 did not experience sluggish sales (in fact, Fujifilm was unable to meet the strong demand); however, it was discontinued anyway, presumably because Fujifilm did not secure enough parts to produce more.

I love the Fujifilm X-E4 because it is small and lightweight, which makes it more pleasant to carry around as an everyday camera. When traveling, there’s limited space for gear in the bag, and tough choices must be made; the X-E4 takes up less room than other bodies, so it’s more likely to be chosen over larger and heavier cameras. In fact, the X-E4 and X100V (and now X100VI) have been my go-to travel cameras since 2021. I also appreciate its clean minimalistic design of the camera.

*Pacific Poppies* – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues Recipe

Fujifilm could simply engrave “X-E5” on the new camera and include the X-Processor 5, but keep everything else completely identical to the X-E4, and it would sell. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. People wanted the X-E4 but simply couldn’t get it. An X-E5 that is just an X-E4 with the new processor and the new film simulations would do quite well, I’m certain of it. The less Fujifilm changes, the better.

With that said, there are some things that would make the X-E5 even better than the X-E4. I do feel the minimalistic approach was perhaps a bit too minimalistic. The five key changes that I would make if I were one of the designers are: 1) bring back the M/C/S switch, 2) add an ISO Ring around the Shutter Knob like the X100 and X-Pro series have, 3) add back the rear command dial, 4) improve the EVF resolution, and 5) add a small grip to the front like the X-E3 has.

These might be unpopular opinions, but I would use the “old” 26mp X-Trans IV sensor in combination with the X-Trans V processor (like the X-S20); IBIS is unnecessary, and should be avoided for weight and cost reasons; the camera doesn’t need to be weather-sealed. Keep the X-E5 as similar to the X-E4 as possible, just refine it a little with a handful of small improvements.

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Vision3 250D Recipe*

There’s a massive opportunity that I believe Fujifilm has largely ignored. One of the biggest advantages of APS-C over full-frame is size/weight. There are tradeoffs with anything, and APS-C seems to strike a near perfect balance of size/weight, performance, image quality, and value. While full-frame cameras have been shrinking lately, APS-C has not; instead, the APS-C advantage has been shrinking. This is easily rectified, though, and the X-E5 is one step towards that, but it needs to be kept small, light, and affordable. The other key piece that’s missing are pancake lenses.

Yes, there’s the exceptional Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR; however, it’s not often readily available for purchase. Likely, you have to add yourself to a backorder list and wait awhile. There’s also the sort-of pancake (Japanese pancake?) Fujinon XF 18mm f/2 R, but it is old, overpriced, and in desperate need of an update. Otherwise, there aren’t many options—at least not natively; however, there are some 3rd-party pancake lenses that have recently appeared, which is good. Fujifilm needs to add a few more pancakes to the Fujinon lineup, and not be satisfied with just two.

I think a total of five pancake lenses would do the trick. The 27mm f/2.8 already exists, but simply needs to be made available. The 18mm f/2 also already exists, although I would strongly encourage Fujifilm to update it. The three lenses that, in my opinion, Fujifilm should add to the pancake lens lineup are 15mm f/3.5, 23mm f/2.8, and 40mm f/2.8. That gives a good variety, and all five would together make for a fantastic kit.

*Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 18mm f/2 + Fujicolor Superia 800 Recipe*

Since Fujifilm already has two 23mm lenses—the 23mm f/2 and 23mm f/1.4—they might consider something else that they don’t have, perhaps 20mm or 25mm, but definitely something in-between 18mm and 27mm. Instead of 40mm, a longer focal-length could alternatively be chosen, such as 45mm f/3.5 or 55mm f/4. The point is to have something wider than 18mm, something more telephoto than 27mm, and an option in-between the 18mm and 27mm.

A small and lightweight camera—such as the X-E5—combined with a handful of small lenses would make an ideal kit for travel and walk-around photography. It would clearly illustrate a significant advantage of APS-C over full-frame—imagine a camera and five-lens kit that could all fit into a small camera bag! I have no doubt that it would be successful, but it would require that Fujifilm clearly articulate why a small camera with small lenses should be desirable.

I don’t know if the “right” people at Fujifilm will read this, or, if they do, if they’ll listen. But, just in case, I wanted to make sure to get my opinions out there. Now it’s your turn! What would you like to see in a Fujifilm X-E5? What pancake lenses do you think that Fujifilm should make? Let me know in the comments!

Classic Color — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) and X-E4 (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Bell Tower* – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Classic Color

This Film Simulation Recipe has a fascinating story behind it… but I can’t get into all of the details of it yet. When the time is right, I will explaining everything to you. What I can say in the meantime is that I was hired to capture some photos, and to use a Film Simulation Recipe for those images, but the Recipe name shouldn’t include a brand name. Ideally for this project, because of the subject matter and light, I would have chosen my Kodak Portra 400 v2 Film Simulation Recipe, but I couldn’t because of the name of the Recipe. Instead, I created a very similar look, with an attempt to fine-tune it slightly for this specific project.

The aesthetic of this Classic Color Film Simulation Recipe is bright and warm, with a Kodak-like color negative film rendering. It could be thought of as Kodak Portra 400 v3, as it has a strong Portra 400 resemblance, perhaps more similar to the old Portra 400 VC that was discontinued in 2010. This Recipe is best for sunny daylight situations, but it can sometimes produce good results in other light scenarios, too.

*Birds on the Lake* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Classic Color

This Classic Color Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, and X100VI, as well as “newer” fourth-generation X-Trans models: X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. Just make sure that you are using the correct Color Chrome FX Blue setting for your camera. I’m sure it can also be used on newer GFX cameras, too, but I have not personally tried, and I’m certain that it will render slightly different (but try it anyway).

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong (X-Trans IV), Weak (X-Trans V)
White Balance: 5300K, 0 Red & -6 Blue
Highlight: -0.5
Shadow: -2
Color: +3
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Classic Color Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*Gen Reflection* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Water Under the Bridges* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Tempe Lake* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Reflected Sunset* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Dam Sunset* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Pedestrian Bridge* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Spirited Away* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Mirrored Night* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Juggling Fire* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Classic Color Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5 & X100VI:

*Sign on the Roof* – Gila Bend, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI

*Abandoned Filling Station* – Gila Bend, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Unleaded Cash* – Gila Bend, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Half Moon* – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Cross on a Dome* Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Cross & Bell* Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Church Steeple* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Old Industrial Lamp* – Palo Verde, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Abandoned Window* – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Dilapidated Agricultural Structure* – Palo Verde, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Cow & Reflection* – Mesa, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Rock Reflected in the River* – Mesa, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Stones in the Water* – Mesa, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Yellow Flowers on the Rocks* – Saguaro National Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Leaning Saguaro in the Desert* – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Yellow Flowers, White Fence* – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Hall’s* – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*End of the Road?* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Music Box* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Lightning Strike* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

Comparison:

*Kodak Portra 400 v2 Film Simulation Recipe*

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-T5 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and nearly 350 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Using a Godox Lux Cadet for a ’90’s Film Look

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Godox Lux Cadet — Fujifilm X-E4 — Fujinon 35mm f/2*

The easiest way to recreate a ’90’s film aesthetic, which is really popular right now, is to use a Fujifilm camera loaded with a Film Simulation Recipe, plus utilize a flash. The nostalgic snapshot pictures from that era were often captured with cameras—whether a disposable QuickSnap or FunSaver, or a cheap point-and-shoot—that had a built-in fill-flash; the use of a flash plus a Fujicolor or Kodak print film palette are essential elements of the look. I have a number of Film Simulation Recipes that will produce a convincing aesthetic, and for this project I used Kodak Max 800, which is one of my favorites for flash photography.

The kind folks at Godox sent me a Lux Cadet retro-styled flash to try out. This flash pairs well visually with Fujifilm X-series cameras (such as my X-E4), and flash photography in-general couples well with Film Simulation Recipes, so Godox offered me one for free. I’m familiar with Godox flashes, because I already own and use a Lux Junior (which I paid for… almost all of the gear that I talk about on this website is purchased by me out of my own pocket). Even though Godox gifted me the Lux Cadet, they didn’t put any stipulations on what I could or couldn’t say about it; these are my thoughts and opinions, and they’d be the same if I had purchased the flash myself.

My grandfather was an amateur photographer of sorts. He shot a lot of slide film, mostly Kodachrome. He had a flash that looked quite similar to the Lux Cadet; I think it might have been from the 1960’s, but I’m not sure. Anyway, Godox gave the Lux Cadet a beautiful vintage design that looks especially great on Fujifilm cameras. While it might appear that it’s from a bygone era, the flash is definitely modern.

The Lux Cadet works the same as my Lux Junior, which means that it’s super simple to use. If you are new to flash photography, there are some important things to know. Whole books have been written on this topic, which might be worthwhile to read, but I’ll try to keep this as simple and brief as possible, and just know that there’s a lot more to this topic.

First, most cameras don’t have high-speed flash sync, so there’s a limit on how fast your shutter can be. The X100-series has a leaf shutter, so it can do high-speed flash sync (it also has a built-in flash); for other cameras, look for an X next to a shutter speed on the knob, and that’s the upper limit. On my X-E4, “180X” on the shutter knob tells me that 1/180 is the fastest that I can sync my flash, so I need to use that shutter speed or slower. Because of this, using a flash in bright daylight can be challenging—you might have to use a small aperture like f/11 or f/16, or try an ND filter.

Second, the flash is quite powerful; because you are adding in a bright light source, you might have to significantly underexpose compared to what the meter says. It’s not uncommon that I have the exposure compensation dial set to -2 or even -3. The flash can be set to A (Auto) or M (Manual); I prefer M, and often choose the lowest setting (marked by 1/64 on the flash). Each situation is unique, so the exact camera and flash settings can vary significantly picture-to-picture. What works in one scenario won’t in another, so each should be judged individually. Once you get a feel for it, the process becomes easy and natural.

*Using the Lux Cadet in bright midday sunlight*

The best time to use the flash is right around sunrise or sunset and during blue hour, which is the 30 minutes immediately before sunrise and the 30 minutes immediately after sunset. After dark is also a good time, as well as anytime indoors. In those situations, using the Godox Lux Cadet on a Fujifilm camera with a Film Simulation Recipe—such as Kodak Max 800—will produce a ’90’s film look that can be quite striking. If that’s the aesthetic you’re trying to achieve, this is probably the easiest and one of the most convincing ways to do it. You can get creative with the flash, such as intentional movement—the bright flash will freeze close objects, while things further away will be a streaky blur. There’s a lot of potential fun that you can have with flash photography.

My only complaint—if it’s even a complaint—is that a flash adds bulk and weight to the camera, so it’s less convenient to carry around. The Lux Cadet is pretty compact and lightweight compared to many other flashes, but it still adds some notable girth. Between the Lux Cadet and Lux Junior, I prefer the Lux Junior because it is slightly more compact, but I like the vintage look of the Lux Cadet more. Also, the Lux Junior uses AA batteries, while the Lux Cadet has an internal battery that recharges with a USB-C cable (included). They’re both highly affordable, and you can’t go wrong with either. The Godox Lux Cadet retails for $94.90. Even if you don’t do a lot of flash photography, it’s a good idea to have one around, and the Lux Cadet is a solid option to consider.

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Godox Lux Cadet:
Amazon, B&H
Godox Lux Junior:
Amazon, B&H, Wex

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using the Kodak Max 800 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4 with the Godox Lux Cadet flash:

*After dark with city lights and intentional movement*

Eterna Summer — Fujifilm X-Trans IV & X-Trans V Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Rock Rings* – Saguaro National Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Eterna Summer

This new Eterna Summer Film Simulation Recipe wasn’t modeled after any specific film; instead I looked at Classic Chrome for inspiration. I wanted a picture aesthetic that could hold its own placed next to various Classic Chrome Recipes, such as Kodak Portra 400 v2 and Kodachrome 64. I didn’t want to replicate a specific Recipe, but create a brand-new look that was just somewhat similar to those, and would seem consistent when placed in a photo series that also had some Classic Chrome pictures in it.

You might ask why I did this—why not just use Classic Chrome? Eterna has a unique tonality—perhaps you could describe it as cinematic—that Classic Chrome doesn’t. The PRO Neg. Std and (especially) Nostalgic Neg. film sims can be adjusted to be similar, but they’re not exactly the same. Achieving generic Kodak-like colors paired with Eterna’s tonality was the goal, and this Eterna Summer Recipe does that well, producing a lovely analog-like rendered.

*Spitting Lion in Golden Light* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Eterna Summer

This Eterna Summer Film Simulation Recipe is great for sunny daylight photography, delivering warm summertime vibes. It’s compatible with “newer” X-Trans IV models—Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II—as well as fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20 & X100VI. Just make sure to use the correct Color Chrome FX Blue setting for your model. I’m certain that you can use it on the newer GFX cameras, although it will likely render ever so slightly different (try it anyway).

Film Simulation: Eterna
Dynamic Range: DR200
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong (X-Trans IV); Weak (X-Trans V)
White Balance: Daylight, +3 Red & -7 Blue
Highlight: +2.5
Shadow: 0
Color: +4
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Eterna Summer Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*Warm Light on the Lions* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Palm Tree Shadow Over Window* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Potted Palm Branches* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Fountain & Hazy Bright Light* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Boat & Bridge* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Moving Circles* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Apartment & Palms Reflected* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Small Cityscape* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Eterna Summer Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

*Courtyard Gateway* – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Museum Entrance* – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*A Leaning Saguaro* – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Tractor Crossing* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Palm Family Tree* – Palo Verde, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Old Gas Station Roof* – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Bowlin’ Arrow* – Benson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Gas Grocery Store* – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Park* – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Cactus & Concrete Wall* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*No Bicycles or Scooters* – Patagonia Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Water Pump* – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Water Pump & Abandoned Trailer* – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Deserted Desert Home* – Arlington, 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.

Fujifilm X-T5 in black: Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver: Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and nearly 350 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Astia Azure — A FXW App Patron Early-Access Fujifilm X-Trans IV & X-Trans V Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Tumacacori Ruins in Spring* – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Astia Azure Recipe

I mentioned in My 5 Favorite Film Simulation Recipes that use Astia article that—personally—Astia is one of my least-used film simulations. It’s not that the film sim is bad, because it’s not; for me, I think there are four reasons: 1) Astia doesn’t much resemble the film that it is named after, 2) it sits as a kind of a happy medium between Velvia and Provia, but doesn’t necessarily stand out as a better option than either, 3) it is most similar to PRO Neg. Hi, yet I prefer PRO Neg. Hi just a tad more, and 4) there are other film sims that I like significantly more (Classic Chrome, Classic Negative, Nostalgic Neg., etc.). Still, Astia can be a good option, particularly for vibrant portraits. I decided that I needed to create a new Astia-based Recipe, one that I would especially like—one that I would be happy to use regularly.

The majority of my Film Simulation Recipes are modeled after specific analog emulsions and/or film processes, but this one is not. I simply wanted a light and bright aesthetic with lovely blue sky, perhaps something vaguely negative-film-like. After a number of attempts, this Film Simulation Recipe, which I have named Astia Azure, is what I came up with. I’ve used it quite extensively over the last month.

*Skates & Hoop* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Astia Azure Recipe

The Astia Azure Film Simulation Recipe is especially great for golden hour and blue hour photography. It’s good for many other situations, but from roughly 30 minutes before sunrise to an hour after, and an hour before sunset to 30 minutes after, is when this Recipe really shines. Astia Azure is compatible with all X-Trans V cameras, plus newer X-Trans IV models, but not the X-T3, X-T30, X-Pro3, or X100V. I’m sure it can also be used for the latest GFX models, too, although I have not tried personally and it will likely render slightly differently (try it anyway).

This Astia Azure Film Simulation Recipe is an App Patron Early-Access Recipe. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, you have access to it right now. If not, no worries, as it will eventually be made available to everyone, once it is replaced by a new Early-Access Recipe.

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Astia Azure Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4, X-T5, and X100VI cameras:

*Salt River & Mountain Reflection* – Mesa, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Night Lake* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Studio Mirror* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Photographers* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Level 4* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Sunset Glow & Salt River* – Mesa, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Three Cows on the River Bank* – Mesa, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Skateboarder* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Bridges & Wires* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Unfinished Business* – Gila Bend, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI

*Church Cross* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Yellow House* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Abandoned White House* – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*White Fence* – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Leaning Saguaro* – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Rocks & Flowers* – Saguaro National Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Small Palo Verde* – Saguaro National Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Lonely Desert Road* – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Little Shack on the Hill* – Tucson, 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.

Fujifilm X-T5 in black: Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver: Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in black: Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in silver: Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

PRO Negative 160C Film Simulation Recipe for Fujifilm X-Trans IV & X-Trans V

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Closed* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – PRO Negative 160C

After discovering that the new Reala Ace film simulation is a version of PRO Neg., and is similar to both PRO Neg. Hi and PRO Neg. Std, I decided that I wanted to replicate as closely as possible my first Reala Ace-based Film Simulation Recipe—PRO Negative 160C—for those camera that don’t have the new film simulation. Right now Reala Ace is only available on the Fujifilm X100VI (and GFX100 II), but Fujifilm has stated that they will be bringing it to the other fifth-generation models (X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20) sometimes this summer.

For whatever reason, PRO Neg. Std seems to work easier for replicating the Reala Ace film sim than PRO Neg. Hi, but they are both in the general neighborhood. Obviously Fujifilm didn’t make Reala Ace identical to either, and it is its own unique profile. With that said, it’s possible to get fairly close to it using either PRO Neg. Hi or especially PRO Neg. Std; however, the PRO Negative 160 Film Simulation Recipe has Color set to +4, which meant that only PRO Neg. Hi could be used, as Std doesn’t have enough vibrancy.

*Blossom Vine* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – PRO Negative 160C

This PRO Negative 160C Film Simulation Recipe, which uses PRO Neg. Hi, is not a perfect match to the original version that uses Reala Ace, but is probably 90-95% similar. I like the Reala Ace one just a little more, but if your camera doesn’t have that as an option, this is a good alternative. This new version is compatible with (as of this writing) the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, and X100VI. For the X100VI, I recommend using the Reala Ace version and not this one, but you can choose whichever you personally prefer.

Film Simulation: PRO Neg. Hi
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak
White Balance: Auto, +1 Red & -3 Blue
Highlight: +0.5
Shadow: -1.5
Color: +4
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this PRO Negative 160C Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujifilm X-T5:

*Mountain Sunset from a Car Window* – Patagonia, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Patagonia Lake* – Patagonia, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Lake Boat* – Patagonia, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Pigeon in a Tree* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Josh at the Park* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Abandoned Trailer Home* – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Abandoned Home in the Desert* – Arlington, TX – Fujifilm X-T5

*I Spy With My Little Eye… a Cat* – Palo Verde, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*No Parking, One Way* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Four Palm Trees* – Palo Verde, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Spiky Arms* – Saguaro National Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Travel Trailer* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Brick Steps* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Blue Basket* – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Chevy Van* – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

Comparison:

*The original PRO Negative 160C Recipe using Reala Ace*

*This new PRO Negative 160C Recipe using PRO Neg. Hi*

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-T5 in black: Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver: Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Attending the Luminar Photowalk in Tempe, Arizona

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Birds on the Lake* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

This last Sunday evening I attended a photowalk in Tempe, Arizona, hosted by Skylum Luminar and sponsored by Fujifilm. I thought it might be an opportunity to chat with some other Fujifilm photographers, and an excuse to photograph at Tempe Town Lake, the location of the photowalk. I had hopes that a Fujifilm representative would be in attendance, but, alas, nobody from Fujifilm was there. It was more of a Luminar photowalk than Fujifilm, which I suspected would be the case, but I attended anyway. Any excuse to get out with your camera and photograph is a good one.

I arrived about ten minutes late, and noticed a large group of photographers circled together, so that’s where I walked. Just before I got there, I saw a puddle of water (it had just recently rained), which had a cool reflection of a building and bridge. I snapped a picture (Gen Reflection, below), then joined the group. I showed the picture on the camera to a couple of photographers who were nearby, pointing to them where I captured the image, but they didn’t appear especially interested. Altogether, I estimate that there were between 35 and 40 people in attendance.

*Gen Reflection* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm

One thing that surprised me was just how many non-Fujifilm photographers there were. I saw a lot of Nikon and Canon cameras, plus a few Sonys. Perhaps only half (or maybe even less than half) of those attending had a Fujifilm model; the X-T0 series was, by far, the most represented. It seemed that most people had a tripod. I even saw several people with two tripods, although I never noticed anyone using two at once. I brought with me a Fujifilm X-E4, and two Fujinon lenses: 27mm f/2.8 and 90mm f/2. No tripod, no problem; even without IBIS.

I’m sure that almost no one who was in attendance uses Film Simulation Recipes. After all, this was hosted by a photo-editing software company, which is probably off the radar of many SOOC photographers. I did talk with one person, Anna, who had a Fujifilm X100V, and was shooting with my Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe. It was super nice to meet her and talk Fujifilm, and it made the experience much more enjoyable. I struck up conversations with several other people, but, for the most part, they didn’t seem much interested in talking.

*Nikon* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

At sunset, while capturing an image of a pedestrian bridge that crosses the lake, I noticed a couple on bicycles that seemed to be having a moment. While they are small in the frame, they play an important role in the composition, and elevate the picture significantly. Right after I made the exposure (Pedestrian Bridge, towards the bottom of this article), they got on their bikes and pedaled down the path towards me, so I ran up to meet them. I showed them the picture and asked if they wanted a copy, which they did, so I quickly uploaded it from my camera to my iPhone, then airdropped it to them right then and there. It only took a moment, and they seemed thrilled to have it. They were surprised that it was even possible to get a picture that looked “so nice” right off the camera that quickly. The advantage of using Recipes couldn’t have been more clear to me at that very moment.

I don’t know very much about Luminar software. I’m sure it’s excellent at whatever unique things that it does. The folks who hosted the event were quite nice, and I appreciated the opportunity to photograph with them at Tempe Town Lake. I used three different Film Simulation Recipes, all of which are yet-to-be-published that are coming soon. Check back in the coming weeks, because it won’t be long before they’re ready for you to try. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy these pictures from the photowalk!

*Boat & Bridge* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Ten Feet* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Skates & Hoop* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Grain* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Bridges & Wires* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Qaudcycle* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Skateboarder* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm

*Eat* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Gallery* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Dam Ahead* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Tempe Lake* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Water Under the Bridges* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Reflected Sunset* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Dam Sunset* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Pedestrian Bridge* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm

*Photographers* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Spirited Away* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm

*Night Lake* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm

*Studio* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm

*Mirrored Night* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm

*Juggling Fire* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm

Getting a Disposable Camera Look with DispoLens

Posted on February 24, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Fujifilm X-E4 + DispoLens + Godox Lux Junior Flash*

DispoLens is a 3D-printed body-cap with a recycled disposable-camera lens on it, made by DispoStudio in Switzerland. The lenses are from Kodak FunSaver and Fujifilm QuickSnap cameras, and you don’t know from which yours is from. FunSaver cameras have a 30mm f/10 lens, while QuickSnap cameras have a 32mm f/10. They’re pretty similar, and it probably doesn’t matter much at all if it’s from a Kodak or Fujifilm disposable camera—either one will produce a near-identical image.

You can’t buy the DispoLens from Amazon or any camera stores, only from DispoStudio’s Etsy shop, where you’ll find it for $51.02 USD. My copy, obviously, is for Fujifilm X-mount, but they also make them for Sony E-mount, Nikon Z-mount, Canon RF-mount, Micro-4/3, Leica L-mount, and Leica M-mount. DispoStudio has a couple of other products, too.

There’s not much to the lens. You twist it on like a body cap. Once it clicks into place, you’re good to go. On your Fujifilm camera, make sure that you have Shoot Without Lens enabled, or else it won’t work.

This lens is “focus free” which means that it is prefocused. About five or six feet to infinity is “in focus” but nothing is especially sharp. The lens is soft throughout the frame, but more so as you move away from the center. Probably eight feet to maybe 50 feet is the most sharp. This is all a part of the charm, which some people will love, and others won’t.

DispoStudio says that “DispoLens recreates all visual organic imperfections that come from using a disposable camera lens, like halation, chromatic aberration, vignetting, softness and imperfect image projection. Please keep in mind that DispoLens does not recreate the colors that film cameras are typically known for.” However, that’s where Fuji X Weekly Film Simulation Recipes come in. If you want a ’90’s film look, I have a number of Recipes to try! Pairing the DispoLens with a Fujifilm camera, my Film Simulation Recipes, and a flash is a great way to recreate the nostalgia of disposable-camera photography from your childhood.

For this project, I used my Fujifilm X-E4, the DispoLens, a Godox Lux Junior flash, and my new Kodak Portra 800 v3 Film Simulation Recipe. I shot 27 frames, just like a disposable camera—I’ve included most of those pictures below.

How does the DispoLens compare to the Xuan Focus Free 30mm F/10 Body Cap Lens? The image quality is very similar—probably identical—but the build quality is much different. The DispoLens is significantly superior. It looks better, and seems much less likely to accidentally break. If you want a disposable camera look, the DispoLens is a great way to achieve that. Find it on DispoStudio’s Etsy page.

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Godox Lux Junior — Amazon B&H

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Expired ECN-2 100T — Fujifilm X-Trans IV & X-Trans V Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on February 1, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Palm Trunk & Arches* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Expired ECN-2 100T”

Eastman Color Negative II 100T, which was also known as ECN-2 Type 5247/7247, was a 100 ASA Tungsten-balanced motion picture film made by Kodak between 1974 and 1983 (although, apparently, it could still be found and was used into the early 1990’s). A lot of iconic movies used this emulsion for at least some shots, including Star Wars, Back to the Future, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and many more. This Film Simulation Recipe is intended to mimic the aesthetic of this film stock that’s long-expired and developed in C41 chemistry after having the Remjet layer removed. In other words, this recipe isn’t intended to look like the film as it’s seen in the movies, but expired film that’s been developed in C41 chemistry instead of the ECN-2 process.

Tungsten film was intended for use in artificial light; for use in daylight, a Color Correction filter would be attached to the lens to adjust the white balance. This “Expired ECN-2 100T” Recipe does not replicate the use of Color Correction filters, and is more like shooting without it. The results can be quite unusual, especially in daylight. But if you are looking for something unusual, maybe this Film Simulation Recipe is for you. I don’t think it will be anyone’s go-to option, but for occasional use, if you want a lomo-like look, give this one a try. Also, it’s pretty decent for nighttime. This Recipe produces a green or yellow cast (depending on the light) when used at night, and a strong teal-ish cast when used in daylight.

*Truck Tire* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Expired ECN-2 100T”

The Expired ECN-2 100T Film Simulation Recipe was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe; however, it has been replaced by a different Early-Access Recipe, so now everyone can use it. It is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, plus fifth-generation models, which are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20 (yes, the X-S20), and the upcoming X100VI, by selected Color Chrome FX Blue Weak (instead of Strong). I believe it will also work on newer GFX cameras, although I have not tried it myself.

Film Simulation: Eterna Bleach Bypass
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong — Weak for X-Trans V
White Balance: 6000K, -9 Red & -6 Blue
Highlight: +0.5
Shadow: -1
Color: +1
Sharpness: -3
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -4
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Expired ECN-2 100T Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*Saguaro Green* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Stop, All Ways* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Truck Mirror* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Lightning McQueen’s Home* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Texting & Walking* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Bougainvillea Over Wall* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Backlit Bougainvillea & Lens Flare* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Light Pink Blooms* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Sunlit Trumpets* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Shaded Hummingbird Feeder* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Sidewalk Chalk & Red Bucket* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Red Soccer Ball* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Friendly Skeleton* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Kodak Instamatic Camera* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Expired ECN-2 100T Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

*Night Board* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Empty at Night* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Flag and Lights* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Plant at Night* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Closed Door* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Bokeh Behind Chainlink* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Lamp & Gated Patio* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*A-Team* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Blue Barrel* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Mailbox, Maybe* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Unlit hanging Bulbs* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*No Teasing* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Patriotic Equine* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

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Vintage Print — Fujifilm X-E4 (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Bell Tower* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Print Recipe

This Film Simulation Recipe began when my wife suggested that I should try to emulate a certain look that she had found. I wasn’t successful, but in my efforts I discovered these settings, which I thought looked interesting nonetheless. They remind me of vintage color prints—not from any specific film or process, but just my “memory color” (as Fujifilm puts it) of some old prints that I’ve seen in the past. It has almost a classic magazine quality to it, or even a bit of a post-card resemblance. Whatever it may or may not look like, it definitely has a vintage-like aesthetic that some of you might really appreciate.

Most of these pictures were captured using manual vintage lenses, including—actually, mainly—a Helios 44-2. I also used a 5% CineBloom or 10% CineBloom filter with about half of them. I did this to help achieve an analog aesthetic. The use of vintage glass and diffusion filters aren’t required for this recipe, but you are certainly welcome to do so if you want—I think they help a little to take the digital edge off of the pictures.

*Suburban Saguaro* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Print Recipe

This Vintage Print Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. For use on fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak (instead of Strong), because those cameras render blue more deeply on certain film simulations. Those with newer GFX cameras can use it, too; however, it will render slightly differently. This was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, but has been replaced by a different Recipe, so now it’s available to everyone.

Film Simulation: Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR200
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong
White Balance: Daylight, +3 Red & -6 Blue
Highlight: +2
Shadow: -2
Color: -4
Sharpness: -4
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -4
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Vintage Print” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*Pops of Bougainvillea Red* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Growing Bougainvillea* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Joshua at a Stucco Wall* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Big Storm Looming in the Background* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Lake, House* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Jon is Happy* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Labyrinth Church* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Saguaro & Dust* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Twin Saguaros* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Saguaro as Seen Through a Saguaro* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Teddy Bear Cholla* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Desert Spikes* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Desert Barrel* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Trumpets Down* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Bright Bougainvillea* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

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My Fujifilm X-E5 Wish List

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

What should a Fujifilm X-E5 look like? What features would I like it to have?

I’m not convinced that Fujifilm will ever make an X-E5, as they’ve indicated that they might not, but if they do, it’s likely that they will begin working on it soon, at least preliminarily. If Fujifilm does make an X-E5, I think spring 2025 is a likely timeframe for its release. Just to be clear, I have zero inside information, and can only speculate. Just in case Fujifilm does begin to work on an X-E5 soon, I thought it would be worthwhile to tell them what I’d like it to be like. Of course, there’s a pretty good chance that they’ll never read this—I don’t believe that Fuji X Weekly is on their list of websites to regularly visit—so this might be for nothing. Optimistically, let’s assume that Fujifilm will read this article, and maybe they’ll even take my ideas into consideration.

Before I get into it, I want to argue why Fujifilm should make an X-E5. I understand why they don’t want to: Fujifilm believes that the market segment that the X-E line is in is shrinking, and will soon be dried up. Fujifilm made a decision to pivot, focusing more on higher-end gear, and less on lower-end gear. While the X-E line has never been considered an “entry-level” product by users, as the tier below it disappeared, it became the default entry-level camera for Fujifilm, since it is the cheapest model. Historically, the X-E line has had somewhat sluggish sales, and often comes out at the tail end of a sensor generation. The X-E3, for example, could still be purchased brand-new at a discount just two years ago; however, the X-E4 sold surprisingly well during its short time, especially towards the end.

Inexplicably, Fujifilm discontinued the X-E4 while demand was high—so high, it exceeding Fujifilm’s ability to manufacture them, which caused a backorder list that was months long. Because Fujifilm discontinued the X-E4 while demand was high but supply was low, used models are now selling for ridiculous prices. I’m sure Fujifilm had a good reason for axing the camera—GxAce would say that it was a casualty of the global chip shortage of the early ’20’s—but it left a pretty significant market void. I’m surprised that Fujifilm let it slip through their fingers, but I’m sure it was simply a case of limited resources, and making more X-E4 bodies was less of a priority than other things.

The reason why Fujifilm should make an X-E5 and not let the X-E line die is because there is market demand for it right now. Three years ago, you could buy an X-T30, X-E3, X-T200, or X-A7. If you had a smaller budget or wanted a compact body for travel, you had those four options. Now, there’s only two: the often-out-of-stock X-T30 II or the X-S10. The X-S series is kind of in a different category with a divergent design from most of Fujifilm’s past models; while Fujifilm has marketed the X-S20 as their ideal travel camera, it is a bit on the heavy side for that, plus is more expensive, and not really in the entry-level price range. Currently, for those wanting something under $1,000, or something that’s especially compact and lightweight, you don’t have much to choose from. This is by design, and mainly because the bottom-end market isn’t as big as it was five years ago.

If Fujifilm made an X-E5, there would be demand for it, but (as they say) time is of the essence. The longer Fujifilm dillydallies, the less excitement their might be. You have to strike while the iron is hot, and the iron is hot right now. Will it still be hot two years from now? I have no idea. The safer move would be to simply un-retire the X-E4 and manufacture more copies of it. I don’t think that will happen, so let’s focus on the X-E5.

*Working* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak Vision3 250D Recipe

My ideal X-E camera wouldn’t be all that much different from the X-E4. I love my Fujifilm X-E4, but I know not everyone was excited about it. Some say that it was a step backwards from the X-E3 because Fujifilm went minimalistic with it—a little too minimalistic. For the X-E5, a few simply changes and improvements would make it better. Some people will say that it must have IBIS, but that would make it bigger, heavier, and more expensive. Fujifilm would have to carefully consider if it would be worthwhile to do that. If they added IBIS plus weather-sealing, they could increase the cost and make the line more mid-tier. That’s one option, but that’s not what I would suggest, personally. I would only make a handful of changes to the X-E4, and engrave a 5 on the front instead of a 4. Here are my X-E5 suggestions:

Reinstate the M/C/S switch.
Put an ISO ring around the Shutter knob like the X100V has.
Reinstate a rear command dial.
Make the rear screen three-way-tilting like the X-T5.
Improve the OVF, perhaps a little bigger and higher resolution.
Use the current sensor with the new X-Trans V processor like the X-S20.
Add a small grip to the front similar to the X100V.
Consider using rounded strap eyelets instead of rectangular.

That’s it! Super simple. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. That would be a really nice refresh that I think a lot of people would appreciate. That would keep the cost low and the camera small and lightweight.

*Reflection of a Broken Door* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Fujicolor 100 Gold Recipe

It would be really smart for Fujifilm to update the 18mm f/2 lens, which is long-overdue for a refresh, and introduce a new pancake option: perhaps a 23mm f/2.8 or 40mm f/2.8. They could offer a few different bundle options: the upcoming 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8, the updated 18mm f/2, a new pancake (whatever they decide to go with), the 27mm f/2.8, or all three pancake lenses. The X-E line just begs to be used with pancake lenses, which really illustrates the benefit of APS-C, but sadly Fujifilm only has two. I bet that three pancake lenses bundled with the X-E5 would be a popular option, especially if a few influencers were to demonstrate just how great that would be for a travel photography kit.

Which brings me to the marketing angle. What makes Fujifilm cameras great? What is the essence of shooting with the X series? Hint: it’s what makes the X100V so popular. In my opinion, Fujifilm has done a rather poor job of expressing this and particularly communicating why it should be desirable (maybe they don’t understand it themselves?). Largely, it has come from outside sources—TikTokers, Instagramers, YouTubers… heck, I’ll take a little credit for it myself—who have done Fujifilm’s marketing job for them. The X-E5 (as I suggest the camera should be) would be the quintessence of many aspects of this: cool-yet-functional vintage styling, great implementation of exposure-triangle controls, small and lightweight, and of course out-of-camera JPEGs that look great. Fujifilm needs to focus on that. They need to communicate why the X-E5 fulfills (in many ways) the essence of shooting with the X series, and why that essence is desirable for photographers. Yes, social media influencers and bloggers will do some of that for Fujifilm, and that’s great organic promotion, but Fujifilm themselves needs to do a much better job than they have in the past. If done right, the X-E5 could be a smashing success in spite of shrinking market segments.

Will Fujifilm make an X-E5? Maybe, maybe not. I’d lean towards no if I had to pick one over the other. Should they? Absolutely yes! It would be a real shame for Fujifilm to kill the line when there is so much demand for it. I love the X-E series—the X-E1 was my introduction to Fujifilm—and it deserves to continue. I hope that it does.

Kodak Vision3 250D — Fujifilm X-E4 (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on November 23, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

This is a long-overdue adaptation of the X-T3/X-T30 Kodak Vision3 250D Film Simulation Recipe for use on “newer” X-Trans IV cameras. Kodak Vision3 250D is one of my favorite Recipes, but it’s only compatible with the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30; however, I’ve been using it on my X100V and X-E4 occasionally for years. It’s not hard to adapt X-T3/X-T30 or X-Trans III Recipes for use on newer models by simply selecting a Grain size (Small or Large), setting Color Chrome FX Blue (and Color Chrome Effect for X-Trans III Recipes) to Off, and Clarity to 0. In the case of this Recipe, I prefer Clarity set to -2 and not 0, but it’s acceptable either way.

Vision3 250D is a medium-speed daylight-balanced color motion picture film introduced by Kodak in 2009. It was a replacement for the similar (yet slightly inferior) Vision2 250D. Vison3 250D can be developed in ECN-2 chemistry or C-41. There is a lot of variation in how the film can look depending on a host of factors—especially how shot, developed, and scanned—but I’ve always been impressed with how closely this Recipe mimics some of the aesthetics produces by the emulsion.

*Colorful Landscape Flowers* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak Vision3 250D Recipe

This Kodak Vision3 250D Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. For fifth-generation models, which are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20 (yes, the X-S20!), you can use this Recipe, but blue will render more deeply, so it will look slightly different.

Film Simulation: Eterna
Dynamic Range: DR100
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: Fluorescent 1, -3 Red & -1 Blue
Highlight: +3
Shadow: +4
Color: +3
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Kodak Vision3 250D Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*MartAnne’s* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Dancing Joy* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*No Fun* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Urban Daisies* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Boat on Lake Hamilton* – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4

*Rainy Rose* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Willow* – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Afternoon Joy* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Desert Creek* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Arizona Date Palm* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Bougainvillea & Palm Trunk* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Potted Flower Blooms* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Park Gazebo* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.