Berry Behind the Baseball Diamond – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Fujichrome Provia 100F”
This Film Simulation Recipe is called “Fujichrome Provia 100F” after the film that it is intended to mimic. Fujifilm introduced Provia 100, a color reversal film, in 1994, and replaced it with the much improved Provia 100F in 2001. I’ve only shot a couple of rolls of Provia 100F. I remember that it had a cool color cast (especially when compared to Kodak films), it had a fair amount of contrast, moderate saturation, and tended to render blues strongly. This recipe has been in the works for awhile, with a lot of failed attempts. I think it does pretty well at reproducing the aesthetic of the film, but there are definitely a few compromises—more of the “memory color” that Fujifilm talks about than perhaps a 100% accurate rendition. Still, I believe that it turned out pretty well overall.
You might be surprised that this recipe doesn’t use the Provia film simulation as its base, but instead uses Classic Chrome. The Provia film simulation doesn’t actually resemble very well the film that it was named after—Fujifilm used it more as a marketing name on the X series than anything else. Velvia was the Fuji slide film that I most often shot with, but Provia was probably their most popular because it wasn’t nearly as wild as Velvia, and produced more true-to-life (yet still fairly vibrant) colors.
Actual Fujicolor Provia 100F 35mm film. Chicago, 2005.
This Fujicolor Provia 100F Film Simulation Recipe has been a Patron Early-Access Recipe on the Fuji X Weekly App since January, but it has been replaced by a new Early-Access Recipe, so now it’s available to everyone. It’s compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. It should be fully compatible with X-Trans V cameras, but I’ve yet to be able to test it to know if it renders the same or not. Those with newer GFX cameras can use this recipe, too, but it will render slightly different.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1 Shadow: +3 Color: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -1 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong White Balance: Daylight, -2 Red & +5 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs captured using this “Fujichrome Provia 100F” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V and Fujifilm X-E4 cameras:
Mushos for 5$ – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Truck Dodging the Sunlight – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sunlight Pouring on Leaves in Early Autumn – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Wasatch Front – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Blue Sky Reeds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Branch Berries – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Baseball Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Windsock – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Field 3 – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Skateboard & Runner – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Creek Under Branches – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Trail Through the Trees – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Fence Along Path – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Josh at the Court – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
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The Fuji X Weekly App is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron unlocks the best App experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new Film Simulation Recipes. These Early-Access Recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. In fact, many Early-Access Recipes have been publicly published on this blog and the App, so now everyone can use them! Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no App. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!
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 film 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 expired and developed in C41 chemistry after having the Remjet layer removed. 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.
This “Expired ECN-2 100T” Patron Early-Access Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. I believe it will also work on the X-H2 and X-H2s cameras, although I have not tried it myself to know for certain. If you are a Fuji X Weekly Patron, it’s available to you right now on the Fuji X Weekly App! If you don’t have the App, download it for free today. A side-note: this is the 250th Film Simulation Recipe in the App!
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
Truck – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Texting & Walking – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea Over Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
This Film Simulation Recipe is called Analog Gold because it has a vintage film-like aesthetic with a golden color cast. It produces a warm, somewhat-muted look, and does well in both sunny and overcast conditions. While it’s not modeled after any specific film or process, it does convey an analog quality that’s easy to appreciate. I know that some of you will love this one!
I don’t recall much of the backstory of this recipe. I published it in January as a Patron Early-Access Recipe on the Fuji X Weekly App (which means a new Early-Access Recipe has replaced it, so if you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, be sure to look out for that), but I didn’t give a lot of details, and nine months later I just don’t remember. I think it was just some experimentations that I was doing at the time. If you like vintage-analog aesthetics, be sure to give this one a try!
Kaysville Pond in January – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Analog Gold”
This “Analog Gold” Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, but not the X-T3, X-T30, X-Pro3, or X100V cameras. It’s likely also compatible with the X-H2 and X-H2s, but I haven’t tried to know for sure. Those with newer GFX cameras can use it, too, although it will render slightly different.
Eterna Bleach Bypass Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -2 Shadow: +1.5 Color: +3 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -2 Clarity: -4 Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off White Balance: Daylight, +4 Red & -9 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Analog Gold” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Sunny Day Suburb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Small Sunlit Tree Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Weather Radar – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Dry Leaves & Red Berries – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Rusty Fence Post – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Flowing Creek in Grass – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Frozen Pond – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Grass & Frozen Pond Water – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Grass in the Ice – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Dry Shrub – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Helicopters Waiting to Fly – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
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Peak of Sunlight – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “September Summer”
I get asked frequently to create Film Simulation Recipes that mimic various films, and occasionally the aesthetic of specific photographers. In the case of this recipe, someone wanted me to recreate the look of photographer Brian Chorski. While Brian’s images seem to have a cohesive style at first glance, upon closer inspection one can spot several subtle variations. After much research, I discovered that he primarily shoots film—both 35mm and medium-format—and he prefers Kodak emulsions, especially Portra 160, Portra 400, Portra 800, and Ektar 100. I believe that he uses a warming filter at least some of the time, perhaps most of the time. I think he tends to overexpose (a common color negative film technique), and (obviously) his scanning and post-editing play a role in the final outcome. Also, he shoots primarily in the warm summer months.
I believe that several already existing Film Simulation Recipes at times come close to Brian’s look (some more than others), including Kodak Portra 160, Kodak Portra 400 v2 (this one, too), Kodak Portra 400 Warm, Kodak Portra 800 v2, Kodak Ultramax 400, Kodak Max 800, Kodak Ektar 100, Vintage Vibes, Pacific Blues, Bright Summer, and Bright Kodak. I’m sure there are others, too. Still, some of Brian’s pictures don’t seem to match any of those recipes, so I came up with a new one. This recipe, which I’m calling September Summer, is intended to replicate the aesthetic of some of Brian Chorski’s photographs. It seems best suited for sunny conditions, producing warm images that will remind you of seemingly endless summer days (which are now waning).
This “September Summer” Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, but not the X-T3 and X-T30, unfortunately. I believe it is also fully compatible with the X-H2 and X-H2s, but I have not tried it to know for sure. Those with newer GFX cameras can use it, too, but it will render slightly different. I don’t think this is a recipe that most will use regularly, but I believe some of you will really appreciate it in the right conditions.
Classic Negative Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1 Shadow: -1 Color: +1 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: 0 Clarity: -4 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: 5500K, +3 Red & -7 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “September Summer” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:
First Day of Fall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Saguaro Among Trees – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Dead Agave – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea in the Light & Shadow – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Trumpets & Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Empty Pot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Summer Frog – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Intersection – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Little Leaves, Little Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Cluster of Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Fujifilm X-E4 with Xuan Focus Free 30mm F/10 Body Cap Lens
With film photography, there are more-or-less two groups: those who used rangefinders, SLRs, TLRs, etc., and those who used cheap point-and-shoots and disposable cameras. Generally speaking, pros and hobbyists used SLRs, while novices who didn’t have much interest in photography primary used point-and-shoots (my parents’ and grandparents’ photo albums are full of these pictures). Of course, there are always exceptions, such as the novice who insisted on using their SLR despite not understanding how it worked, or the artist who used cheap gear for artistic effect.
As you probably know, I like to create approximations of classic analog looks on Fujifilm cameras with Film Simulation Recipes. Much of the time, the facsimile aesthetic is based on film shot on SLRs, etc., but occasionally I like to replicate the look of cheaper gear, such as disposable cameras, Holga, pinhole, 126, light leaks, etc.. I do crazy things occasionally—like when I distressed a camera or when I used tiny lenses—so I’m not afraid to try something that’s a bit unconventional. In the case of this article, it’s the Xuan Focus Free 30mm f/10 Body Cap Lens.
Rain, Not Rhein – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Xuan 30mm – “Nostalgia Color“
What is the Xuan Focus Free 30mm f/10 Body Cap Lens, you ask? Well, someone took a cheap third-party Fujifilm body cap, drilled a hole in it, and attached (via glue) a recycled 30mm f/10 lens from a Kodak Funsaver disposable camera. They’re selling them for $26 each. You can actually do this yourself without too much trouble, but for such a cheap price (and with free next-day delivery), it made sense to go the easy route.
The reason why it’s called a “focus free” lens is because it’s pre-focused, and you cannot adjust it (nor can the aperture be changed). I don’t think the distance from the lens to the sensor on my Fujifilm X-E4 is exactly the same as the lens to the film on a disposable camera, so the focus point is slightly different. Xuan claims that from roughly 5′ to infinity is in focus, but that’s not my experience. I believe the focus point is set to about 11′, and the depth-of-field is more like 6.5′ to 37′, and 8′ to 15′ seems to be the sharpest zone.
Bougainvillea Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Xuan 30mm – “Nostalgia Color”
If you want to shoot with a pancake lens on your Fujifilm X camera, your options are limited. You have options—some excellent options, in fact—but only a handful in total. The Xuan Focus Free 30mm F/10 Body Cap Lens is another pancake choice, but is it good? Is it even worth $26? I used this lens recently on my X-E4, attempting to capture beautiful LoFi pictures—more resembling those found in picture albums, and less like those printing in magazines and hanging on gallery walls. How was my experience? What do I think of the Xuan 30mm lens? Read on to find out!
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Waterfront Homes – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Vintage Analog”
This Film Simulation Recipe was suggested to me by someone… and I’m sorry to say that I don’t remember who (if it was you, let me know in the comments!). This recipe is basically my Vintage Kodacolor recipe, but with a couple modifications: Classic Negative instead of Classic Chrome, plus Color Chrome FX Blue and Clarity. Sometimes when you use a different film simulation than what a recipe calls for, the results can be interesting. I programmed this recipe into my Fujifilm X-E4, noticed that it produced good results, and then I kind of forgot about it for awhile. I recently “rediscovered” it in my C1-C7, and used it for several days, enjoying the warm vintage-like images that this recipe produces.
Most of these pictures were captured through vintage glass, as I adapted some old lenses to my X-E4. The main one was a Helios 44-2, but a couple Asahi Takumars were used, too. Using old manual lenses is something that I enjoy doing, and this recipe pairs really well with them. I also used a 10% CineBloom filter on some of the pictures; diffusion filters help to take the “digital edge” off of images, and produce a more analog-esque aesthetic—I don’t use them all of the time, and I think subtlety is key.
Arch Over Bell Tower – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Vintage Analog”
Because this “Vintage Analog” Film Simulation Recipe use Classic Negative, Color Chrome FX Blue, and Clarity, it is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, but not the X-T3 or X-T30. Those with the X-H2s (and soon-to-be X-H2) can likely use it, too, but I haven’t tested it myself to know for sure. Why does this recipe use Color Chrome FX Blue and Clarity when the Vintage Kodacolor recipe that it is derived from doesn’t? I don’t know (and if I was told I don’t remember). But it looks good, so what can I say? I hope you enjoy it!
Classic Negative Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: +2 Shadow: 0 Color: -4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -1 Clarity: -2 Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: 9100K, -4 Red & +4 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Vintage Analog” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:
Red Rose of Summer – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Dock Post – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Duck Conversation – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Two Palm Sky – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Roof & Tiles – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Garden Bulb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Summer Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Approaching Storm Clouds – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Hoping to Catch – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Hold onto your hats, because, for this Film Simulation Recipe, we’re going to dive deep into the obscure and practically forgotten history of a unique film called GAF 500. We’re going to explore the intriguing history of GAF, discover what made this film unique, and discuss how this new GAF 500 Film Simulation Recipe came to be. You are in for a treat today!
GAF actually began in 1886 as the Standard Paint Company of New Jersey. After acquiring a holding company in 1928 that had (among other things) majority ownership of AGFA, the company changed its name to General Aniline & Film—GAF for short. Also in 1928, AGFA merged with Ansco, so in addition to acquiring AGFA, GAF also got ownership of Ansco, which was founded in 1842. Originally named E. Anthony & Co., after merging with Scovill Manufacturing in 1901 it was renamed Ansco (“An” from Anthony and “sco” from Scovill). Ansco was headquartered in New York, and was Kodak’s biggest competitor for many decades. The merger with AGFA was intended to bring Ansco’s photography products to a global market, which would allow them to better compete against Kodak.
Then World War II happened, and in 1941 the U.S. government seized and took ownership of GAF and Ansco (separating it from AGFA, which was a German-owned business), and officially merged Ansco into GAF. The U.S. government retained ownership of GAF until 1965, when it sold all of its shares.
Morning Sunlight on a Curtain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “GAF 500”
In 1967 GAF introduced a revolutionary new film: GAF 500. It was a high-ISO 35mm color transparency (slide) film—the highest ISO color film during its time; the second-highest color ISO film (another GAF emulsion) was rated at ISO 200, so it was more than twice as “fast” (as they called it back then) as the second fastest. 30 years prior to the introduction of GAF 500, the highest ISO color film was rated at ISO 8, so having an ISO 500 option was unthinkable back then, and a lot of people wondered why anyone would need such a high-ISO film. While it was mostly sold under the brand name GAF, it was sometimes sold as Anscochrome 500. Was GAF/Anscochrome 500 any good?
From all accounts, you either loved GAF 500 or hated it. The grain was extremely pronounced. Colors were “good” yet muted (a.k.a. “neutral” or “natural”) and generally considered to be not as “nice” as Kodak’s. It didn’t push-process nearly as well as, it wasn’t quite as sharp as, and it didn’t pair with color correction filters as well as Kodachrome or Ektachrome. It was inferior to all other color emulsions except for one fact: it was fast! You could use it when other films wouldn’t work due to low light. If it was dark and you wanted to shoot color, GAF 500 was your best bet.
GAF 500 had a warm color cast—some described it as orange, some said red-orange, and others stated that it was red—not as warm as some Kodak emulsions, but warm nonetheless. The shadows tended to lean blue. If you pushed the film, it had a purple cast across the frame. Some people liked how it looked when shooting under fluorescent lights or stage lights, and was a popular choice for concert photography.
What people seemed to like most about GAF 500 is that it was gritty yet soft. It was grainy, like a high-ISO black-and-white film, and it was contrasty with a very narrow exposure latitude—it was easy to blow out the whites or block up the blacks; however, it also had low color saturation (or was “more neutral” as some put it) , and the gradations were gentle. It was like a biker ballerina, if you will. Some people loved the aesthetic of GAF 500, and would use it even in bright-light situations just for the look that it produced. Many photographers steered clear of it just because there were “better” options, such as push-processing lower ISO films.
There was a time in the 1970’s that GAF was everywhere. It was the official film of Disneyland, and, for a time, was the only brand of film that you could purchase inside the park. Sears sold GAF cameras and film. Henry Fonda was the spokesman. Despite that, GAF struggled to be profitable competing against Kodak, Fujifilm, and other brands.
GAF made a few minor “improvements” to their ISO 500 film over the years, and (from what I read) it seemed to get “better” towards the mid-1970’s. In 1977, due to sluggish sales, GAF decided to get out of the photography business altogether. GAF/Anscochrome 500 was discontinued, along with all of the other GAF films. The Ansco brand name was licensed out to other companies for years to come, although it was largely used for rebranded films and not original emulsions. GAF 500 was gone forever.
Perhaps thanks to Alien Skin Exposure software, there’s been a renewed interest in GAF 500. Alien Skin has a GAF 500 preset that is supposed to allow you to mimic the aesthetic of the film with your digital images. I’ve used it before, and that’s the closest I’ve come to shooting GAF 500. It’s been awhile since I’ve used Exposure software, so I don’t recall too much about the preset (other than it was grainy). So, for this Film Simulation Recipe, I spent significant time studying whatever I could find on the film. There’s a lot of written information out there, but photographs were hard to come by. Still, I found some, and did my best to emulate the look with my Fujifilm X-E4.
Recreating GAF 500 on my Fujifilm camera was tricky for several reasons. First, I wouldn’t have considered Eterna as the best base (just because it lacks the necessary contrast to emulate a contrasty slide film), but after trying Classic Chrome, PRO Neg. Low, and Eterna Bleach Bypass, I decided to give Eterna a go. Bingo! This one had the right tonality (those “gentle gradations”); however, I do wish that Shadow could be set to +5 to get deeper blacks, but that’s not an option. Another tricky aspect was achieving the warm, reddish/orangish color cast that could still produce a hint of blue in the shadows. Fujifilm cameras aren’t capable of split-toning, so I did my best to approximate this with the white balance; I do wish the shadows were just a little more blue, but it’s not possible without sacrificing the overall warmth. Another challenge was replicating the grain. Fujifilm’s option of Grain Strong Large wasn’t nearly as pronounced as it needed to be, so I set out to supplement it with digital noise using high-ISO. But how high? ISO 1600 wasn’t nearly enough. ISO 3200 wasn’t enough, either. ISO 6400… much closer, but not quite there, either. Should I dare try ISO 12800? Yes, that’s it! More importantly, it looks good, which I had my doubts about.
With slide film, depending on the emulsion, you had to nail the exposure exactly, as the dynamic range was extraordinarily narrow. You didn’t know what you had until you got the film back from the lab (or developed it yourself at home); some frames would be underexposed, some frames would be overexposed, and some frames (hopefully) would be correctly exposed—I found examples of all three when searching for GAF 500 photographs. You can achieve similar aesthetics with this recipe if you want, by either dropping the exposure a little or increasing it a little—the exact look of this recipe will vary some depending on the exposure. While I couldn’t replicate every potential GAF 500 aesthetic with this one recipe, and no recipe will ever be 100% spot-on accurate (because of the limited tools available on the camera, and because the results of one film can vary significantly depending an a whole host of factors), I do believe that this recipe is pretty close to replicating the look and feel of GAF 500 film—at least from the perspective of someone who was born after the film was discontinued, so I never had a chance to use it myself.
Because this “GAF 500” recipe uses Clarity and Color Chrome FX Blue, it is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, and is not compatible with the X-T3 or X-T30. Those with X-Trans V cameras can also use it, and it should render identically, although I have no first-hand experience to verify that. Those with newer GFX cameras can use it, too, although it will render differently. Because of the ultra high-ISO that’s required, I recommend using your electronic shutter and a small aperture (like f/8, f/11, or even f/16) when shooting in bright light outdoors.
Eterna Dynamic Range: DR100 Highlight: +2 Shadow: +4 Color: 0 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -3 Clarity: -2 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong White Balance: 2900K, +9 Red & -9 Blue ISO: 12800 Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “GAF 500” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Eat – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bird Scooters – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Orange Lighter & Abandoned Home – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
FAO JUG – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Why Love? – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Twin Dumpsters – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Garfield – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Overhead Crane – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Oversized Load – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
And So It Begins – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Air Garage & Graffiti – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Can in the Sage – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Suburban Barrel Cacti – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Double Peace – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Table Roses – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sunlit Curtain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Yellow Trumpets & Sunstar – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea Branch in the Blue – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Orange Trumpet Flower Blossoms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Ice Cold Pepsi – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Max 800”
This Film Simulation Recipe is modeled after some prints I found in a box that I thought looked interesting. I didn’t initially know what film had been used, but after locating the negatives I discovered it was something called Kodak GT 800-3, and I had no idea what that was. After much sleuthing, I found out it was Kodak Max Zoom 800, also known as Max 800. The film was shot in 2006 (I believe by my wife), and it was the third and final iteration of the emulsion (this version was introduced in 2000). Max Zoom 800 was replaced in 2006 by the similar Max Versatility Plus 800 (which was around for five or six years before its discontinuation).
Kodak made Max 800 film for point-and-shoot and disposable cameras—specifically, they marketed it for point-and-shot cameras with a zoom lens, which exaggerated camera shake. It was a cheap high-ISO consumer color negative film intended for the novice. It had a large latitude for underexposure and (especially) overexposure, but color reproduction was a little different (some have said “bland” or “weird”) when compared to other Kodak films. Kodak intended the film to be printed on Ektacolor Edge paper, but my samples were printed on Fujicolor Crystal Archive paper (which certainly affects the aesthetic)—this recipe is modeled after my samples.
Winter Greenhouse – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Max 800”
This Kodak Max 800 recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. Because it uses the Classic Negative film simulation and Clarity, it is not compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30, unfortunately. For those with the X-H2s, it’s my understanding that this recipe is completely compatible and renders near identically, but I have not tested it to know for certain. Those with newer GFX cameras can use it, too, although it will render a little differently.
Classic Negative Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -2 Shadow: +1 Color: -1 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -2 Clarity: -4 Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off White Balance: 7300K, -5 Red & -2 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Kodak Max 800” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Frozen Ponds at a Bird Refuge – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Winter Gate – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Open Gate – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Icy Marshland – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
What Remains of Summer – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Winter Water – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Frozen Marsh Pond – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Nature Trail – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Green Truck – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Santa’s Sled – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Neighborhood Path in Winter – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Trail Closed – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
No Shooting Past the Fence – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Pallets – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Inside Abandoned Shed – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Walking Tunnel – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Farm in the City – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Barnes & Noble Window – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Building Top in Last Light – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Buildings & Palms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Backyard Garden Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Illuminated Desert Shrub – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
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Back in May, while on a lengthy roadtrip, I stopped in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, for the night. A small town along historic Route 66, Santa Rosa pretty much exists to provide food, fuel, and beds for travelers passing east-and-west through The Land of Enchantment. Like a lot of old Route 66 towns, Santa Rosa has seen better days—there are many abandoned buildings along the highway, and some others that appear to not be far from their inevitable fate of abandonment.
Santa Rosa might be best known for a scene in The Grapes of Wrath, where Tom Joad watches a freight train cross a bridge over the Pecos River. Scars from The Great Depression are still visible if you look hard enough. The biggest tourist attraction is the Blue Hole, a natural swimming pond fed by a vast underground water system. While visiting Santa Rosa, I was asked by locals a couple of times, “Are you here for the Blue Hole?” I guess it’s a big deal, but I didn’t make time to see it.
I did make time to photograph a few of the abandoned buildings. One was an old Exxon gas station. This particular service station offered two grades of gas, two stalls for vehicle maintenance, and two restrooms. You could buy maps or a soda from a vending machine. Inside was an old Dairy Queen sign that I do not believe originated from this particular gas station, but probably another building elsewhere in town, perhaps owned by the same person.
In an empty grass-filled lot next to the gas station I found some old playground equipment. There may have been a campground or RV park there at one time, but the playground is the only thing left. I suppose on hot summer nights, the ghosts who still use the teeter-totter can get a coke from the abandoned Exxon next door.
Exploring and photographing places like this is both fascinating and frightening. It’s like a large time capsule that broke open years before being discovered, now filled with retro nostalgia and haunting decay. You don’t know what you’ll find—what’s hiding behind a corner—and even if there isn’t any danger, it’s still not safe. Going into abandoned buildings is never safe. I do believe that it’s important to photograph these places for several reasons: they’re always changing (due to nature and vandals) and will eventually be completely gone, they offer a glimpse into a previous time that’s long gone and fading from our memories, and to document the way societies deals with unwanted junk from broken lives and broken dreams. As Troy Paiva put it, these places are “steeped in Wabi-Sabi feelings of accepting loss and finding beauty and nobility in decay.”
The sun was low while I was there, preparing to set behind the western horizon—I had about 30 minutes of wonderful “golden hour” light to work with. I used my Fujifilm X-E4 with a Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 lens attached to it to capture these images. The Film Simulation Recipe that I used for these photographs was Kodak Portra 400 v2, which is one of my favorites—the Kodak-like colors and tones are just so lovely—an excellent option for this particular scene and light.
Ring – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”
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Coastal Blooms – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Pacific Blues”
Sometimes—like “Arizona Analog“—Film Simulation Recipes come together quickly, and sometimes—like this recipe—they don’t. This particular recipe has been in the works for over a year! I’ve made several attempts, and I finally feel satisfied that it is right—or at least as “right” as I’m going to get it. But what is it?
I’ve had a few requests to mimic the aesthetic of Lucy Laucht‘s Spirit of Summer series, particularly the Positano Bluesphotographs. Lucy is most known for shooting with Leica cameras—both film and digital—but she also uses others, and I wasn’t sure what she employed for this project. Recently I discovered that Positano Blues was shot on film, but (as far as I’ve found) she doesn’t discuss which film. I did find a reference (not related to this specific project) that mentioned she has used Kodak Gold and Kodak Portra, and that she digitally edits the film scans to some degree. She mentions using VSCO with her digital images, and I wonder if she also utilizes it with her film, too. When I first saw the pictures in this series, I thought it had a Classic Negative vibe—a film simulation that emulates Fujicolor Superia film. Lucy’s pictures are warmer than Superia typically is, but so much depends on how a film is shot, developed, scanned, etc., on how exactly it looks, and she certainly could have used warming filter. No matter the film and process used by Lucy, there’s a certain “look” to the Positano Blues photographs that is recognizable and beautiful—no wonder why people want to emulate it!
Coast Blue – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Pacific Blues”
While Lucy Laucht’s pictures have a recognizable aesthetic, there are subtle differences between the images. Once you study them closely, you realize that some are warmer and some are cooler. Colors are rendered slightly different in some pictures. In past attempts, I felt like I’d get it “right” for one picture but “wrong” for others; however, with this final attempt, I feel like it’s possible to get close to the “look” of most of the Positano Blues photos. I’m very satisfied with how this one turned out, and I know that many of you will appreciate it, too. Obviously it is intended for a summer day at the beach, but it will do well in many different daylight situations. This “Pacific Blues” Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. I assume that it will also work on the X-H2s and newer GFX cameras, but I haven’t tried it to know for sure.
Classic Negative Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -2 Shadow: +3 Color: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -2 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong White Balance: 5800K, +1 Red & -3 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Pacific Blues” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:
Pier Feet – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Water Taxi – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Harford Pier – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Bird & Boats – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Bird ‘Bout To Get Wet – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Ocean Post – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Pacific Plants – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Rocks in the Water – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Central California Coast – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Grass in the Sand – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Beach Frisbee – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Sax at the Beach – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Building Storm Over Desert Ridge – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Arizona Analog”
Inspiration can come suddenly and unexpectedly, and it’s important to be open to it when it comes.
I was at the grocery store the other day, waiting in line to checkout, standing right next to the magazine stand. My wife points out the latest issue of Arizona Highways, which I previously subscribed to, but (with my move from Utah) I let the renewal lapse. She says, “Wanna get it?” I shake my head no, then begin to load the groceries onto the belt. I didn’t want to get it because the subscription price for a year is the same price as four issues at the stand, and because I’m pretty busy right now (still unpacking boxes and such) and I might not read it anyway.
“Do you mind getting me an iced coffee?” My wife asked a moment later. Then, pointing at the stuff on the belt, she stated, “I’ve got this.” There’s a Starbucks in the grocery store, and I was happy to jump out of the line and get a couple of coffees. A few minutes later, just as the barista was done with our order, my wife walks up with the basket of bagged groceries. Sitting right on top was the Arizona Highways magazine.
Old Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Arizona Analog”
When we got home, after unloading the car and putting everything away, I thumbed through the August issue. On page 10 was a photograph by Scott Baxter of a rancher wrangling cattle, which was in a small article called Sierra Bonita Ranch (the picture can be seen if you click the link—click on the picture to see the whole thing—I find it interesting how different it appears on my screen vs in the magazine). I grabbed my Fujifilm X-E4 and threw in some settings that I thought might be close.
I snapped a few photos in the yard, then showed my wife. “Those look good,” she said. “This is where I got the inspiration,” I stated as I showed her Scott’s picture in the magazine. She viewed the picture, then gave me a puzzled look. “We’ve only been home 10 minutes. You made this recipe from that picture?”
“Yes!” I replied with a smile. “Wow,” she said, “that’s really amazing!”
Suburban Americana – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Arizona Analog”
This recipe isn’t a 100% accurate match to Scott’s picture—it’s pretty close, but not perfect. Not surprising, it’s closer to the printed aesthetic than the digital look, as I hadn’t yet seen it online when I created the recipe. I considered attempting to more closely replicate the aesthetic of the picture, but I really like the look of this recipe—accurate or not—so I decided not to change it. I have no idea what Scott used to capture his picture… apparently he shoots a mix of film and digital.
Thanks to Scott Baxter, Arizona Highways, and my wife’s thoughtful gesture, the inspiration for this recipe came quickly. It was one of the fastest recipes that I’ve ever created. Certainly it’s not for every person or every situation, but I’m sure for some of you in the right situations, you’ll appreciate the aesthetic that this “Arizona Analog” Film Simulation Recipe delivers. It’s compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras—I assume the new X-H2s, too, but I haven’t yet tested it on X-Trans V.
Eterna Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1 Shadow: +3 Color: -2 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -2 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Weak Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: Daylight, +6 Red & -3 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Arizona Analog” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:
Pavillion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
The New West – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Curved Trellis – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Evening Flowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Flower Garden Blossoms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Real Bloom over Artificial Turf – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Trunk & Flowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Wall Flowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Fishhook Barrel Cactus Blossom – Mesa, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
What’s in the August issue? The cover story is a visit to the Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus in Mesa, Arizona, captured with my Fujifilm X-E4. There are a total of 24 photographs this month, including the cover image (above). I hope that you find it enlightening, entertaining, and inspiring!
If you haven’t joined the Creative Collective, consider subscribing today to get access to bonus articles and the FXW Zine—not just this issue, but the first eight issues, too!
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Great American Fish – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”
I thought it would be interesting to compare Kodak-inspired Film Simulation Recipes on my Fujifilm X-E4. So I pulled out my phone, opened the Fuji X Weekly App, and selected Filter by Sensor (choosing both X-Trans III & X-Trans IV) and Filter by Color. Then I used the Search feature to find all of the recipes with “Koda” in the name—I didn’t search for “Kodak” because Kodachrome would have been excluded. The App displayed 36 recipes. Some recipes, like Reggie’s Portra, Old Ektachrome, and Elite Chrome 200, didn’t show up because “Koda” isn’t found anywhere in the recipe title, despite the Kodak-inspired aesthetic, so I had to search those out separately. Then I reprocessed an exposure (captured in Morro Bay, California) on my X-E4 with all of these recipes.
Let’s take a look at how these 41 Kodak-inspired Film Simulation Recipes compare to each other!
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Thomas told me that this “Pure Negative” recipe is basically a modification of his X-Trans I Kodachrome II recipe for use on X-Trans IV cameras. Because X-Trans I doesn’t have Classic Chrome, Thomas used the PRO Neg. Std film simulation to emulate a Kodachrome aesthetic as best as possible, and his recipe does a good job of that for the X-Pro1 and X-E1 cameras. There are already several excellent Kodachrome options for X-Trans IV; this recipe isn’t intended to replicate Kodachrome, but instead produce good natural-looking results—perhaps there is a little unintentional Kodachrome 25 resemblance, too. Thank you, Thomas, for creating this recipe and allowing me to share it on Fuji X Weekly!
This Film Simulation Recipe is a great general-purpose option. It’s very versatile, delivering excellent results in a variety of situations. The only modification that I made to Thomas’ recipe is Dynamic Range: he prefers DR-Auto, but I set it to DR200. That’s not a big change, as DR-Auto chooses DR200 whenever there is bright highlights in the frame. Select whichever you prefer—either DR-Auto or DR200 is fine. For the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30 cameras, ignore Grain size and use a 5% CineBloom in lieu of Clarity (or just ignore Clarity)—the results will be similar. For X-Trans III, you’ll additionally have to ignore Color Chrome Effect, since your camera doesn’t have it. This recipe should be fully compatible with the new X-H2s, although I have not tested it to know for certain.
PRO Neg. Std Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: +1 Shadow: +2 Color: -4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: +1 Clarity: -2 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Weak Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off White Balance: Auto, +1 Red & -2 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Pure Negative” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:
Bougainvillea Branch – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
One Blossom Remains – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Prickly Pear – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Arching Palms – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Veiled Wasatch – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Pismo – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Brad’s – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Turbulent Waters – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Wave Rider – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Surfer – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Standing on Water – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Golden Ocean – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
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As I type this, I’m in my new office in my new home, which is in Arizona and not Utah. I called Utah home for six years; however, I just moved to Arizona. I used to live in Arizona—it’s where my wife, Amanda, and I met over 20 years ago. It’s where my oldest two kids were born. In a way it was already home before we even arrived. It’s good to be back, I think, and I believe some really good things are just around the corner.
I captured the picture above, Pink Bougainvillea, about 10 minutes ago in the side yard. You can see these flowers through a window from my new office. The views aren’t quite as good here as they were from our house in Utah (which were just incredible… I loved watching the changing light on the Wasatch mountains), but there is still a lovely beauty that I hope will be inspiring as I type out new articles for this blog… and get caught up on all the other work that I’m way behind on.
Fujifilm X-E4 as captured on my iPhone today using the RitchieCam App
I have been a nomad for the last two-and-a-half months, traveling all around—going in circles, really. We went through Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma, before arriving in southern Missouri to experience the Ozarks, which were more beautiful than I anticipated—amazing place, with water and trees everywhere! Then we went to Arkansas, which, again, was more beautiful than I had expected. We returned to Texas to spend a couple weeks in the Lone Star State, before traveling through New Mexico (again) enroute to Arizona. You might think we were done once we arrived in the Grand Canyon State, but we only paused to look for a house. Once living arrangements were squared away, we continued on—first to the central California coast, then to Utah (because we still had some stuff in a storage unit) by way of Nevada and (briefly) Arizona. It was a quick turnaround back to Arizona, and today is Day 1 in the new place (although I’m still waiting for our Pods with our furniture and stuff to arrive). Still lots of work to do while simultaneously trying to catch up on all that I’m behind on. Whew! I’m exhausted just thinking about it.
It’s a new day in a new house, working from my new office. I’m both sleepy and extremely excited. Now I just need to get some coffee, because I’m running on about six hours of sleep. I have a whole bunch of content that I hope to publish in the coming weeks, plus other projects and such, that I haven’t had the time to complete (or, in some cases, even start…)—hopefully I can now. I’ve got to go, but I’ll be back soon. Before I go, I just want to give a quick reminder that the next broadcast of SOOC will be live this Thursday at 10 AM Pacific, 1 PM Eastern—I hope to see you then!
Out of Gas – Claude, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – “Fujicolor Natura 1600”
While traveling through the Texas panhandle back in May, I stumble upon an abandoned gas station in Claude, Texas—a small community outside of Amarillo. While you’d miss the town if you blinked, this old service station caught my eye with its aged pumps and metal roof. U.S. Highway 287 cuts right through town, and thousands of travelers pass by each day, yet most probably don’t notice this place, and I doubt very many stop to take a closer look. I’m drawn to abandoned buildings, so I immediately noticed, and of course stopped to capture it with my camera.
I used my Fujifilm X-E4 camera with the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 lens to photograph the forgotten gas station. This combination is perfect for travel photography, and I used it a lot on this particular road trip—not just at this one stop, but at many, many others. I had the Fujicolor Natura 1600 Film Simulation Recipe programmed into the camera, which has quickly become one of my favorite color recipes. Because I shoot with recipes, I no longer edit my pictures (aside from some minor cropping and straightening), which saves me tons of time. I captured so many pictures on this road trip that I filled up a 128GB SD card (and then some!)—I couldn’t imagine having to post-process all of the RAW files; instead, my photographs are already finished as soon as they’re captured.
I didn’t stay long in Claude. Like many west Texas small towns, there’s a lot of photographic potential, as there is a lot of character and forgotten history. I could have captured even more while I was there, but I had somewhere to be, so I left satisfied that I documented this interesting old gas station while it still remains standing. Even in rural towns, progress eventually catches up, and relics are demolished, so opportunities are fleeting. Besides, I might never pass through Claude again, but if I do, I will definitely have a camera ready.
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VW Bus – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “SantaColor”
There’s a brand-new color negative film stock called SantaColor 100, which is actually repurposed Kodak AeroColor 125, an emulsion intended for areal photography. I don’t believe that AeroColor is still produced (although it can still be found if you look hard enough); SantaColor 100 could be an old batch that’s been stored for awhile and is now surplus. This film has a reddish-orange color cast, which (depending on how it was shot, developed, and scanned) can be somewhat subtle or quite pronounced. This Film Simulation Recipe is an attempt to mimic that film; however, I’m not 100% satisfied with how closely it does (or doesn’t) replicate it—I think it can be really close sometimes, and other times not so much. Still, I like how this recipe looks, so I thought I’d share it with you in case some of you like it, too.
Why are special films used for aerial mapping? I tried to find an answer to this, but couldn’t. My suspicion is that atmosphere/haze can obscure “regular” film, and aerial films are made to be less susceptible to that. Another thought is that the temperature at high altitude is cold, so maybe the film has to work well in cold temperatures. Still, another idea is that the angle of the sun is different, so the film needs to be adjusted for that. It could be one, all, or none of those things—if you know the answer, please enlighten me by commenting below!
Sport Fishing – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “SantaColor”
This “SantaColor” Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. For those with an X-T3 and X-T30, you will need to ignore Grain size (since your camera doesn’t have that), and use a diffusion filter (such as 10% CineBloom) in lieu of Clarity. For those with an X-H1, you will need to additionally ignore Color Chrome Effect (the results will be just a little different).
Eterna Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: -2 Shadow: +4 Color: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -2 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off White Balance: 5100K, +5 Red & -3 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “SantaColor” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:
Last Limelight – Redlands, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
We Hot – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Fish out of Water – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Agave Garden – Pasadena, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Plymouth – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Palm & Rooftop – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Rooftop Stairs – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Houses on the Hillside – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Irregular – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Life Ring – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Wishing Posts – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Ball & Blue Boat – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Red Rowboats – Avila Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Beach-Walking Seagull – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Grassy Sand Dune – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Sun n Sand Motel – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 66”
The possible number of potential Film Simulation Recipes is almost unlimited. For example, on my Fujifilm X-E4, there are 750 different Kelvin White Balance options that could be selected, and 361 unique White Balance Shifts that could be assigned to each of those different Kelvin options, which means that, if all other settings were identical, you could create over 270,000 different recipes just by changing the White Balance and Shift. Granted, many would look extremely similar to others, but they’d be at least a little different. My point is that there can be millions and millions of potential recipes for Fujifilm cameras, particularly the newer cameras which have more JPEG options. I’ve “only” created just under 250 recipes for Fujifilm cameras—I’ve barely scratched the surface!
Some of you have created your own Film Simulation Recipes. A handful of you have even had your recipes included on this website and in the Fuji X Weekly App. I love that you are diving into your camera settings, getting creative, and sharing the results with the community—it’s all so wonderful! I’m very honored to be a part of all this, and to have a front-row seat.
The photographs in this article were not captured with these recipes, but instead were RAW files reprocessed in-camera to apply the recipes to exposures already captured. I used my Fujifilm X-E4 and Fujinon 27mm lens (originally with my Fujicolor Natura 1600 recipe) to photograph the burnt Sun n Sand motel in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. This hotel first opened along Route 66 in the 1950’s, had major renovations in the late-1990’s, and closed for good in 2013 after a severe storm caused major damaged. Apparently homeless moved in after it closed, and sometime later (although I couldn’t find exactly when) fire damaged much of the property. It seems to be in the process of being demolished, albeit slowly. The Sun n Sand motel has been left in a sad state, and the opportunities to photograph this somewhat-iconic site along The Mother Road are fleeting. I’m glad that I had the opportunity.
TV & Chair – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 66”
Oh, Deere! A flat tire – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 66”
If any (or all) of these Film Simulation Recipes look interesting to you, please visit Luis’ and Justin’s websites—they have many more! I haven’t personally used most of them, but there are plenty that look pretty good to me, based off of the sample pictures. I’m sure many of you will appreciate them. If you have the Fuji X Weekly App, tap the circle-with-dots icon at the top-right, and you can manually add these (or any other recipes) into the App, if you want to take them with you on the go. Don’t have the Fuji X Weekly App? Download it for free today!
If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron and you have various Filters selected (such as Filter by Camera, Filter by Film Simulation, Filter by B&W, etc.), the Random Recipe selector will only choose from the list of filtered recipes, so you can have it select from what is compatible with your camera. In my case, I chose “Filter by X-E4” prior to tapping the Random Recipe selector, so only the recipes compatible with the X-E4 were considered.
Here’s a fun way to use this new feature: the Random Recipe Challenge! The rules are 1) use the App to select a Random Recipe for you—whatever it selects you have to use (if you are not a Patron and the App chooses a non-compatible recipe, you can try again until it lands on a recipe that is compatible with your camera)—and 2) shoot with this recipe for 24 or 36 frames (your choice), like it’s a roll of film, before changing recipes. If you post to Instagram, use the hashtag #fxwrandomrecipechallenge. I hope that you have a lot of fun with the Random Recipe Challenge, and I can’t wait to see what you capture!
Tree Leaves – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Vivitar 135mm
Spraying Water – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Vivitar 135mm
Palm Tree Top – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & Vivitar 135mm
Find the LomoChrome Metropolis Film Simulation Recipe and over 200 others on the Fuji X Weekly App! Don’t have the App? Download it for free today! Become a Patron to unlock the best App experience.
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Fujifilm cameras have a feature in Advanced Settings called “High Key” that I recently discovered is based on the Provia film simulation, and can be mimicked. While this “High Key” setting can produce nice-looking images, it’s not really my style, so I set out to create a Film Simulation Recipe to serve as an alternative to it, with an aesthetic that I appreciate a little more. Specifically, I wanted a generic overexposed Kodak color negative film aesthetic, perhaps Portra-like (or at least Portra-inspired), which is why I call this recipe Bright Kodak.
Bright Kodak might look familiar. It’s actually similar to a couple of other recipes, namely Bright Summer (a.k.a. “Preetra 400”) and Kodak Portra 400 Warm. If you like those recipes, you’ll certainly like this one, too. The key to using this Bright Kodak recipe is to increase the exposure—almost overexpose—to make the pictures nice and bright.
Palm – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Bright Kodak”
This Film Simulation Recipe is fully compatible with newer X-Trans IV cameras: Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, & X-T30 II. If you have an X-T3, X-T30, or X-Trans III camera, you can get similar results by ignoring Grain size and using a diffusion filter (such as 10% CineBloom) in lieu of Clarity. This recipe is also likely compatible with newer GFX cameras, although the results won’t be completely identical.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -2 Shadow: -2 Color: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -2 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off White Balance: Daylight, +3 Red & -7 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1 to +1 2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Bright Kodak” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Cactus Evening – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
3 Tall Cacti – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Cacti Reaching to the Moon – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Palm & Flowers – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Pink – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Palm Moon – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Neighborhood Palms – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
If You Know, You Know… – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Red Stripe – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Compared to “High Key”:
“High Key”
“Bright Kodak”
Compared to “Bright Summer” & “Kodak Portra 400 Warm”:
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