Fujifilm X-Trans IV | FUJI X WEEKLY

Which Film Simulation Recipes, When? — Part 2: X-Trans IV (2024 Edition)

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

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

Part 1 (X-Trans V) – Part 3 (X-T3/X-T30)

I get asked all of the time when to use which Film Simulation Recipe. With over 350 in the Fuji X Weekly App to choose from, it can be difficult to know when each Recipe should be chosen, especially since many of them are specifically intended for sunny daylight conditions. With only seven Custom Presets on your Fujifilm camera (for most of you, anyway), which ones should you have programed? When should you select them?

The problem with trying to answer this question is that it’s a highly subjective endeavor. While I might like a certain Recipe for a particular situation, you might not. There’s not a right or wrong answer, just what works for you and what doesn’t—and I cannot say whether any particular Recipe will work for you or not. Only you can answer that for yourself, and you have to try a Recipe to know. With that said, I do attempt to give good advice. I’ve written many articles related to this topic, including the series Which Film Simulation Recipes, When? While that has likely been the most helpful, it’s nearly two-years-old now, and a lot of new Recipes have been published since. I think it’s time to update the series for 2024.

*Two Caballeros* – Culleoka, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodachrome 64 Recipe

The premise of the original series is that Jason Kummerfeldt of Grainydays, a YouTube channel about film photography, gave some advice on when to use which film emulsion in a video entitled Which Film Stock, When? Since film choice is such a personal thing, how do you say when to use which? It’s the same thing for Film Simulation Recipes. His solution was simply to demonstrate what he uses and state what he likes, and maybe you’ll like it, too. In my series, I copied that approach for Recipes—I told you my preferences, and invited you to try them out. We’re going to follow that same formula for this update with just a small twist, which I think makes a little more sense.

Below are seven Recipe suggestions for you to program into C1-C7 on your Fujifilm camera, with advice on when to use each. Since Recipes are (for the most part) generationally specific, each article will cover a different group of cameras. This is Part 2, and covers X-Trans IV models (except the X-T3 and X-T30, which will be discussed in Part 3): Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II.

C1 — Kodak Portra 400 v2 — Sunny Daylight #1

*Evening Charge* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak Portra 400 v2

Kodak Portra 400 v2 does well anytime during daylight hours, but especially for “golden hour” near sunrise and sunset. As the name suggests it is a good option for portrait photography, but is excellent for many genres. This really could be your primary use-all-of-the-time Recipe, and that’s why I suggest placing it in C1. Personally, I use this one frequently.

Some alternatives to consider:
Kodak Portra 160
Kodak Portra 400
Classic Kodak
Fujicolor Superia 100
Superia Premium 400

C2 — Bright Kodak — Sunny Daylight #2

*Golden Desert Hill* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Bright Kodak

I like to reserve C2 for bright midday photography. The old rule of thumb was once the sun was high in the sky, it’s time to put the camera away. While Bright Kodak can be used anytime the sun is out, it is one of my favorite options for middle-of-the-day situations, and proves the old adage wrong.

Some alternatives to consider:
Vibrant Arizona
Bright Summer
Kodak Portra 400 Warm
Kodak Portra 800 v3
Superia Summer

C3 — Kodachrome 64 — Sunny Daylight #3

*Denny’s Days* – Beaver, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodachrome 64

This is a good spot to have an alternative aesthetic compared to C1 and C2—as I don’t think you’d want to have all three up to this point to be essentially similar. Although each of the first three have a Kodak-like look, Kodachrome 64 produces a more contrasty slide film aesthetic. With the ones I’ve suggested, you’ve got a good set for all sorts of daylight situations no matter your subject.

Some alternatives to consider:
McCurry Kodachrome
Kodachrome 25
Kodachrome II
Kodak Vision3 250D
Kodak Ektar 100

C4 — Pacific Blues — Overcast

*Ice Flower & Chain Link* – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues

Pacific Blues is excellent for sunny daylight photography—it was specifically designed for a summer day at the beach—but I have fallen in love with it for overcast and foggy days. For dreary conditions, this Recipe is hard to beat.

Some alternatives to consider:
PRO Negative 160C
Kodak High Definition Plus 200
Superia Xtra 400
Kodak Max 800
Color Negative 400

C5 — Reggie’s Portra — Versatility

*Mountain Sunset* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Reggie’s Portra

I like to have at least one Recipe programmed into my camera that’s highly versatile and can be used no matter the situation. There are several excellent options, but a personal favorite that I use frequently is Reggie’s Portra. Almost no matter the light, this one does very well.

Some alternatives to consider:
Kodak Ultramax 400
Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled
Fujicolor Super HG v2
Timeless Negative
Kodachrome II v2

C6 — Serr’s 500T — Nighttime

*11th Street* – Astoria, OR – Fujifilm X100V – Serr’s 500T

Most Recipes are intended for sunny daylight; while some can still do well at night, and the versatile options above are definitely good for after-dark, there are some Recipes that are specifically intended for night photography. Of those, Serr’s 500T is one of my absolute favorites.

Some alternatives to consider:
CineStill 800T
Pushed CineStill 800T
Ektachrome 320T
Pure Negative
Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1

C7 — Kodak Tri-X 400 — B&W

*Old Window Blind*s – San Luis Obispo, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400

I love black-and-white photography. As far as Recipes go, the monochrome options tend to be less popular than color; however, my favorite Recipe—and the one that I would choose if I could only ever photograph with one—is Kodak Tri-X 400.

Some alternatives to consider:
Ilford HP5 Plus 400
Monochrome Negative
Kodak T-Max 400
Kodak T-Max P3200
Kentmere Pan 400

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Stay tuned for Part 3!

McCurry Kodachrome — A Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on January 25, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

*Morning at the South Rim* – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – McCurry Kodachrome

I received an email from Anders Lindborg back in November, and the subject line read, “The Last Roll.” Anders explained to me that himself and John Sevigny had co-created a Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe based on Steve McCurry’s last roll of Kodachrome film, which was (as you likely know) famously developed on July 12, 2010, at Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas.

Over the last several years, Anders has made a number of Film Simulation Recipes that have been published on Fuji X Weekly, including Kodak Tri-X 400, Ilford FP4 Plus 125, Ilford HP5 Plus 400, Ilford Pan F Plus 50, Kodak Gold v2, seven Fujicolor Pro 160NS Recipes, and seven Fujicolor Pro 400H Recipes. Anders and John collaboratively made the Kodak T-Max P3200 Recipe. They had intended to share this new Recipe with everyone, but were waiting until after the finishing touches were complete on a book that John was intending to publish. Sadly, before that happened, John Sevigny died on November 9th, after suffering a massive stroke.

Writing this article has been difficult for me, because of John’s passing. But I hope that this is somehow honoring to him. He was an extraordinarily knowledgable photographer who was always eager to help. It’s a humble privilege for me to share with all of you this Recipe that Anders and John co-created.

*Orange Pot, Tables & Leaf* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 – McCurry Kodachrome

“The goal was to create a recipe that both looked and behaved like Kodachrome 64,” Anders wrote. “It should also be based on science, not just trying to look like the real thing during very special conditions. Our starting reference were the photos taken by Steve McCurry on the quite-famous last roll of Kodachrome project. We also studied every little detail of the documentary to find out the exact conditions for how the photos were made. Even that was not enough, so we started to hunt down every single Kodachrome 64 photo we could possibly find. Luck was on our side, as we managed to locate a whole bunch that were actually developed by Dwayne’s Photo.”

Anders continued, “After about eight months of testing every single scenario we could come up with, using similar lighting equipment that was used for the last roll project, we started to feel like we had done all that was possible with the given tools. Everything matched our reference photos, and we both got stunning results with every test we made, but we still decided to test it for just a bit longer to make sure we actually had captured the true spirit of this film. John also travelled parts of the USA and South America, shooting nothing but this recipe for color work.”

Kodachrome was first introduced in 1935, and was discontinued in 2009. There are three distinct eras of the film, and Kodachrome 64, which was introduced in 1974, was in the third and final era. Kodachrome was actually a black-and-white film, and the color dyes were added during the development process. Because of this, it is probably the most difficult film to scan, and, if not properly color corrected, will often have a pronounced blue cast. Even a scan that is carefully corrected can lean slightly blue compared to the slide being projected or viewed on a light table. McCurry’s “last roll” slides were scanned by Richard Jackson, who was regarded as a leading expert on Kodachrome scanning.

*Kodachrome 64 slides on a light table* – Fujifilm X100V – McCurry Kodachrome

There are some differences between this McCurry Kodachrome Recipe and my Kodachrome 64 Recipe, but there are also a lot of similarities. My Recipe is more like Kodachrome as viewed via a slide projector or light table, while the McCurry Kodachrome Recipe is more like quality scans of the film. There’s a comparison of the two Recipes at the very bottom of this article.

Like the actual film, this McCurry Kodachrome Recipe has a narrow dynamic range, and must be carefully exposed. Pay extra attention to the highlights, because they can clip easily. Also, try to keep the ISO as low as practical. I used this Recipe with the ISO all the way to 6400, and it was fine, but for best results that better match the film, don’t go above ISO 1600. McCurry Kodachrome is fully compatible with all X-Trans IV models—including the X-T3 and X-T30; for X-Trans V, blues will render slightly more deeply, so the results will be just a tad different, but feel free to try anyway.

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR100
Grain Effect: Weak, Small — Weak for X-T3/X-T30
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off — N/A for X-T3/X-T30
White Balance: 5900K, -1 Red & +4 Blue
Highlight: 0
Shadow: 0
Color: +2
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -2
Clarity: 0 — N/A for X-T3/X-T30
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 1600
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photos, all camera made JPEGs using this McCurry Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:

*Siblings Playing Video Games* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

*Little Palms in a Pot* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

*Promenade* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

*Broken Haircut Chair* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

*Bougainvillea Below Window* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

*Bougainvillea & Stucco* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

*Blossom Along Sidewalk* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

*Sunny Day Along Suburban Wall* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

*Palm Trunk & Palm Shadow* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

*Rainbows on Sunny Day* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

*Walkway Chair* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

*Block Wall* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

*Primetime Vannin’* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30

Example photos, all camera made JPEGs using this McCurry Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

*Red Scion* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Colorful Shoes* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Jon Dressed Up* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*It’s a Dreary Day in the Neighborhood* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Old Chair Swing* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Glass Maker* – Harmony, CA – Fujifilm X100V

*Joshua Playing Air Hockey* – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Red Blanket* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Winter Morning at the Rim* – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Canyon Behind Trees* – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Tree & Canyon* – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Cold Canyon* – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*The Big, Giant Hole in the Ground* – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Moon over Dilapidated Barn* – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X100V

*Roofline & Wall* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Suburban Skies* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Growing Bougainvillea* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Bougainvillea & Cinder Block Wall* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Pops of Yellow* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Golden Hour Girl* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Backyard Sunset* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Suburban Desert Sunset* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Sunset Over Desert Brush* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Golden Coast Blossoms* – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V

Comparison:

*Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)*

*McCurry Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe (Fujifilm X-E4)*

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Which Film Simulation Recipes, When? — Summer Edition — Part 1: Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II

Posted on May 28, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

*Rural Warehouse* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Fujicolor 100 Gold Recipe

Original Series

Summer is here! Traveling, camping, visits to the beach, boating on the lake, and stuff like that are common during these months. Perhaps you are looking for some Film Simulation Recipe recommendations for your Fujifilm camera for the summer season. I thought I’d take this opportunity to revisit my Which Film Simulation Recipe, When? series of articles. This post will make a lot more sense if you’ve read the original series—especially the first article—so be sure to take a look at it if you haven’t yet (or if it’s been awhile and you don’t remember).

This Part 1 is for Fujifilm X-Trans IV cameras, except for the X-T3 and X-T30, which will be covered in a different section. If you have an X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II model, I invite you to give these Recipes a try! There are seven suggestions below—one for each C1-C7 Custom Preset—and three alternative ideas for each in case you don’t like the first recommendation. Each Custom Preset slot serves a specific purpose, so you should have a good Recipe option programmed into your camera no matter the subject or lighting. This group of seven isn’t necessarily better or worse than my original recommendations, just a different set chosen specifically for the summer months.

C1 — Fujicolor Natura 1600 — Golden Hour

*Golden Lake* – Culleoka, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – Fujicolor Natura 1600 Recipe

Fujicolor Natura 1600 is a Film Simulation Recipe that does well at anytime during daylight hours—and it’s one of my all-time favorites—but I’m going to recommend it specifically for “golden hour” near sunrise and sunset. If you like the aesthetic, this really could be your primary use-all-of-the-time recipe, and that’s why I suggest placing it in C1, but when the sun is low to the horizon, this is one I definitely recommend shooting with. I personally use this recipe frequently.

Alternatives for “golden hour” photography:

Fujicolor 100 Gold
Kodak Portra 400 v2
Kodak Portra 400

C2 — Pacific Blues — Midday

*Coastal Blooms* – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues Recipe

Pacific Blues is another one that could be your go-to everyday-use Recipe, but specifically I want to suggest it for daytime (non-“golden hour”) photography. Obviously it can also be used for when the sun is low to the horizon, too, which it excels at, but I think it is an excellent option for when the sun is not low—from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. It’s especially well suited for a day at the beach.

Alternatives for “midday” photography:

Kodachrome 64
Vintage Color
Superia Summer

C3 — Urban Dreams — Overcast

*Cienega Bridge on Old Highway 80* – Vail, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams Recipe

If it’s thick overcast and rainy, the Urban Dreams Recipe is surprisingly an excellent option. Yes, it’s pretty good in daylight, too (even “golden hour” and at night), but give it a try on drab overcast days—I think you’ll really appreciate just how well it does in that situation.

Alternatives for “overcast” photography:

Elite Chrome 200
Reggie’s Portra
Kodachrome II

C4 — Nostalgic Negative — Natural-Light Indoor

*Watch and Jewelry* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Nostalgic Negative Recipe

For natural-light indoor photography, a good option is the Nostalgic Negative Recipe. This is another great all-rounder that could be used in pretty much any daytime situation and produce excellent results, but specifically I’m recommending it for natural-light indoor pictures. For artificial-light indoor images, use the Recipe for nighttime photography below.

Alternative for “natural-light indoor” photography:

Kodak Ultramax 400
Color Negative 400
Classic Negative

C5 — Pure Negative — Nighttime

*Brad’s* – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pure Negative Recipe

If it’s after dark, an excellent option for nighttime or artificial light photography is Pure Negative. This is a low-contrast Recipe with a natural rendering, which makes it especially ideal for high contrast scenes, particularly during midday light; however, it also does quite well in the darkness between sunset and sunrise and in indoor artificial light situations.

Alternatives for “nighttime” photography:

Serr’s 500T
Ektachrome 320T
CineStill 800T

C6 — Vibrant Arizona — Bonus

*Summer Cliffs* – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vibrant Arizona Recipe

The C6 slot is a bonus, and the Vibrant Arizona Recipe is a solid option to fill it with—and it’s one of the most popular Recipes right now. If you didn’t want to use Vibrant Arizona, you could instead select your favorite “alternative” Recipe from C1-C5 above, or use one below.

Alternatives bonus Recipes:

Bright Kodak
Bright Summer
Silver Summer

C7 — Kodak T-Max P3200 — B&W

*Closed Umbrella* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak T-Max P3200 Recipe

The newest black-and-white Film Simulation Recipe is Kodak T-Max P3200, and it has quickly become one of my favorites! If you don’t want to use this one, definitely give Kodak Tri-X 400 a try.

Alternatives for “B&W” photography:

Kodak Tri-X 400
Ilford HP5 Plus 400
Moody Monochrome

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Fujifilm X100V (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe: Timeless Negative

Posted on December 15, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Cold Morning Light* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – “Timeless Negative”

I purchased the Fujifilm X-T5 specifically to try the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, then, after using it, I discovered Nostalgic Neg. has a lot in common with Eterna. I initially stated that the new film simulation is as if Classic Chrome and Eterna had a baby—it has some similarities to both—but it is more like Eterna than Classic Chrome. If a Nostalgic Neg. recipe calls for minus Color, it’s possible to fairly closely approximate it with Eterna. One difference is that Nostalgic Neg. has more warmth and vibrancy in the shadows, which is unique to the new film simulation, but otherwise you can get pretty close.

This Film Simulation Recipe is a facsimile of Timeless Negative for X-Trans V cameras, using Eterna instead of the Nostalgic Neg., as only the latest cameras have the new film simulation. I think many of you are going to like it because it produces very lovely images in a variety of situations. It’s great for daylight, nighttime, golden hour, overcast, indoor, portraits, landscapes, etc., etc.. Once you program this one into your camera, you might not ever replace it, since it does so well in a lot of scenarios.

*Holiday Ball* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – “Timeless Negative”

This version of Timeless Negative is intended for the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. You can use this on X-Trans V cameras, too, if you want (although I would suggest the recipe with Nostalgic Neg.) by setting Color Chrome FX Blue to Off. For the X-T3, X-T30, if you ignore Grain size, Color Chrome FX Blue, and Clarity (or, even better, use a 5% CineBloom diffusion filter in lieu of Clarity), you’ll still get similar results, but it will look slightly different (give it a try anyway). I am currently working on a Nostalgic Neg.-like recipe for the X-T3 and X-T30 (and possibly the X-H1, too); if you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, there is an Early-Access Recipe (actually, two) called Vintage Eterna that unintentionally has some similarities to Nostalgic Neg., and I invite you to give that a try, too.

Eterna
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +1
Shadow: -1
Color: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpness: 0
Clarity: -2
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak
White Balance: Auto, +4 Red & -5 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Timeless Negative” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

*Drab Pink Blossom* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Rainy Day Lightbulb* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Joyful Corridor* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Coffee, Waiting* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Dear Santa* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Oh Christmas Tree* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*North Pole Post* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Saint Nicholas* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Metalic Pinecone* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Oleander Evening* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Downtown Dusk* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Color Transparencies* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Night Lights* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*O Tannenbaum* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Fountain* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Green Leaf* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Upward Abstract* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Palm Sky Vapor* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Autumn Gold* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Transition* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Bougainvillea & Changing Weather* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Bougainvillea in Autumn* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

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Fujifilm X-E4 (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe: Pure Negative

Posted on July 21, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Gold Coast* – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Pure Negative”

This “Pure Negative” Film Simulation Recipe was created by Thomas Schwab, who has made several recipes published on this website, including Superia Xtra 400, Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled, Urban Vintage Chrome, Kodachrome II, Kodak Portra 800 v2, Kodak Brilliance, Classic Monochrome, B&W Superia, and Monochrome Kodachrome. Thomas has also collaborated on other recipes, playing an important role in getting them right, including Kodak Portra 800, Kodak Ektar 100, Kodachrome 1, Kodak Portra 400, and Kodak T-Max 400. I’m sure I’ve missed a few, and for that I apologize.

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!

*Cactus Scar* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Pure Negative”

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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Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe: AgfaChrome RS 100

Posted on August 3, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*H&M* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “AgfaChrome RS 100”

I was asked to create a film simulation recipe for AgfaChrome RS 100 color transparency film. Agfa made this slide film from 1984 through 1995, with an “improved emulsion” released in 1992. I never used AgfaChrome RS 100, so I have zero experience with the film. It was difficult to find examples of, and old issues of Popular Photography and Photographic magazines were my best resource. Despite the challenges, I was able to create a film simulation recipe that I’m very happy with.

This AgfaChrome RS 100 recipe renders pictures beautifully! It has a great vintage analog feel to it. People might think that the images are old film pictures that you scanned, and they certainly won’t suspect that they’re straight-out-of-camera JPEGs! I’m confident that this recipe will be an instant favorite for many of you.

*Flower Garden* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “AgfaChrome RS 100”

Because this X-Trans IV recipe requires Classic Negative, Clarity, and Color Chrome FX Blue, it’s only compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10 and X-E4 cameras—unfortunately it’s not compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30. I believe that it is compatible with the GFX100S, although results will likely be slightly different. If you have a compatible camera, be sure to give this AgfaChrome RS 100 recipe a try!

Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +1
Shadow: -1
Color: +2
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Clarity: -3
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong
White Balance: Daylight, -3 Red & +5 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “AgfaChrome RS 100” film simulation recipe on my X100V and X-E4:

*Bowl on a Shelf* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Parking Garage* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Below Deck Parking* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Smile* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Little Dragon* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Free People* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Towering Cloud* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Drive Slow, But Don’t Park* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Checkerboard* – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Patagonia* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Green Grapes* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Blackberries* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Pink Among Green* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Little Cherries* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Permission to Park* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*One Way* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Honey Bucket & Trailer* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*We Are Open* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Park City Downtown* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Buildings in Downtown Park City* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Church Cans* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Gas Sign* – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

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My Fujifilm X-T30 Velvia Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Mesa Trail – Castle Valley, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia

I already have a Velvia film simulation recipe. I’ve been using it for about a year-and-a-half now and I like the recipe. It’s designed for X-Trans III cameras. With the Fujifilm X-T30, which has the new sensor and processor, including the new Color Chrome Effect, I decided to revisit Velvia. Can I make Velvia better on an X-Trans IV camera?

I don’t know if this recipe is better than the old one. It’s a little bolder with slightly more contrast and color saturation. It’s probably a little more accurate to Velvia 100 than the old recipe, and a tad closer to Velvia 50, too. I do like this recipe more than the original, but the old one has its place, too. I don’t think this replaces the old recipe, but more supplements it when the situation calls for something punchier.

Red Mesa – Castle Valley, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia

I have grain effect set to weak on this recipe, but I only like to have grain on when using ISO 1600 or below. Above that the digital noise acts as a grain effect, so I like to turn the grain effect off when working with higher ISOs. Depending on the image, +4 color can sometimes look better, so don’t be afraid to bump that up when needed, but I think +3 works best as the standard setting. This recipe has a stronger shadow setting than the old one, and if you find that there’s too much contrast, simply set Shadow to 0. The original Velvia recipe called for DR200, but I went with DR-Auto on this one. If you’d prefer to use DR200 instead of auto, feel free to do so.

Velvia
Dynamic Range: DR-Auto
Highlight: 0
Shadow: +1
Color: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: +2
Grain Effect: Weak
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
White Balance: Auto, +1 Red & -1 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs, captured using a Fujifilm X-T30 with this film simulation recipe:

Rock Balanced – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia

North Window Arch – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia

Red Hill – Castle Valley, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia

Castles To The Sky – Castle Valley, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia

Water & Stone – Moab, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia

Cactus Noon – Moab, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia

Dead Tree Point – Dead Horse Point, SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia

Desert River – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia

Peak Through The Thin Clouds – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia

Sunset Red Mountain – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia

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