July 4th is an American holiday, often celebrated with family, fireworks, watermelon, and barbecues. I chose to document the day with my Fujifilm X100V loaded with seven Film Simulation Recipes, each picked for a specific reason. I made a point to try all seven throughout the day, and especially during the fireworks show. Let’s take a look at how that worked out!
The July issue of FXW Zine is out now! Creative Collective subscribers can download it today. Not a Creative Collective subscriber? Join to gain access to this issue plus all pervious issues of FXW Zine and the many bonus articles.
In Issue 20 I describe how I used my Fujifilm X100V to replicate the aesthetic of small Kodak negatives. It includes 26 pictures (including the cover) spread across 20 pages.
Note: This was a Creative Collective article, but it is now available to everyone.
Click the link below to open the .pdf. Once open, to save the file to your computer depends on the browser you are using—look for the save icon, or you might have to select “File” at the top (each browser is different).
The Fujifilm X100V was an overnight sensation two-and-a-half years after it was released. Yes, it sold well for Fujifilm during those 30 months prior to the explosion in demand, but, beginning last fall, the X100V was suddenly the one camera model that everyone wanted, yet few could get.
Fujifilm couldn’t make enough copies of the camera to keep up with the newfound demand. The X100V was out-of-stock everywhere. The backorder list quickly grew long. A large camera store told me months ago that if there were no new orders, and at the current rate that Fujifilm was manufacturing the X100V, it would take them six months just to fulfill all of those backorders; however, the backorder list was growing faster than Fujifilm was delivering new cameras.
Some of those who did have an X100V—even a used one—were selling them at significantly inflated prices. I saw one listed at $1,000 above MSRP in one instance. And people were actually buying them! The price for older versions, such as the X100F, but going back all the way to the 12-year-old original X100, also increased and became more difficult to find. Even other Fujifilm series, such as the X-E line (and even Ricoh GR), saw a bump in demand as people looked for alternatives to the X100V.
It’s been about nine months since the craze began and it hasn’t slowed. The X100V has been an in-demand model during that time, but Fujifilm just can’t keep up with it, due to things like parts shortages and balancing manufacturing demands with the also-hot-selling X-T5. Ideally Fujifilm would have been able to truly capitalize on their fortuitous situation, but they really haven’t. Perhaps the only thing that Fujifilm has been able to do is continue to limp the manufacturing of this model a little longer than they originally anticipated, delaying the discontinuation date by as much as a year.
When you look at the history of the X100-series, a release pattern emerges. The X100S came out about two years after the original X100, the X100T came out about two years after the X100S, and the X100F was released about two years after the X100T; however, the X100V was released three years after the X100F, and we’re already beyond the three-year-mark since the X100V came out. I believe that Fujifilm would have liked to have announced the next X100-series camera, which I’ll call the X100Z, back in February, but that obviously didn’t happen. I anticipate that it will be February 2024.
Why didn’t it happen in 2023? The X100V is selling faster than they can be made. What’s the hurry in releasing a successor? I do believe the issues that plagued not only Fujifilm but also most of the tech industry are still problematic to an extent, and this gives Fujifilm more time to get their parts supply and manufacturing operations back on track. I bet Fujifilm is hoping to make just enough copies of the X100V to give a glimmer of hope that one can be obtained with enough patience—and that the buzz continues for a bit longer—but not so many that the demand is deflated when the X100Z (or whatever Fujifilm will call it) is announced in eight months or so. Honestly, Fujifilm should release one or two limited-run special-edition X100V versions between now and then.
The X100-series doesn’t change much with a new release. The improvements are just enough to make you desire the new model, but are never groundbreaking. There’s not going to be a redesign. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. What can we expect in an X100Z? What do I wish for?
I do believe the biggest “upgrade” will be the 40-megapixel X-Trans V sensor and processor. While I actually prefer the 26-megapixel sensor in general (as 40mp is overkill for most people), as I’ve thought about it, this sensor makes a lot of sense in an X100 because of the Digital Teleconverter, something I used far more frequently on my recent trip to California’s Central Coast than I had at any point in the two years prior. The X100V has 35mm full-frame-equivalent lens, and the Digital Teleconverter, which is a digital zoom with some smart upscaling, produces a 50mm-equivalent or 70mm-equivalent picture, adding versatility to the fixed-lens camera. There is a noticeable loss in quality when set to 70mm, but it’s still surprisingly good; however, the 40mp sensor would make this feature better and more practical for routine use. In fact, Fujifilm could even add 80mm if they wanted. The one thing I’d like Fujifilm to fix with regards to the Digital Teleconverter is scale the faux Grain, because Strong/Large Grain looks massive when using the 70mm option, but it should appear to be the same size as if the Digital Teleconverter wasn’t used.
The new sensor and processor will bring several improvements to the spec sheet for both stills and video. Autofocus will see a boost. In an age of diminishing returns, I don’t think any of that makes a big difference, but the marketing department will still use it to promote the camera and reviewers will still use it to get clicks and likes.
Will the X100Z have IBIS? Fujifilm has made some significant strides with their In-Body-Image-Stabilization, but I’d be mildly surprised if the new model has it. The argument is that the Ricoh GR III has IBIS, and it’s a much older and smaller camera, so why can’t the X100-series? First, IBIS isn’t really needed in the GR III and it’s pretty mediocre anyway, so it’s often overstated as a feature in that model. I do think it makes more sense in the X100-series than in the Ricoh, but if it makes the body larger or more expensive, Fujifilm will have to carefully consider the potential consequences of that. I think, with the higher-resolution sensor, a digital stabilizer for video would be sufficient.
What I would love to see in the Fujifilm X100Z are more film simulations and JPEG options. Of course that’s what I’d love to see, since I make Film Simulation Recipes. What I don’t think Fujifilm or the photography community in-general realizes is that the ability to get analog-like results straight-out-of-camera is what’s largely driving the interest in the X100V. While many long-time Fujifilm photographers purchased the X100V, for a lot of people the camera is (or would be if they could find one in stock) their first Fujifilm—whether they mainly shoot Canon, Sony, Nikon, etc., or it’s their first “real” camera—and it makes a lot of sense because it doesn’t require investing in a whole system. They can get their feet wet with something fun, and maybe later they’ll jump into the deep end. In the meantime, they’ve got a cool camera that doesn’t require sitting in front of a computer to get great results. Not only does this drive camera sales, but it is also a big reason why many end up sticking around and not moving onto something else.
So what would I like Fujifilm to add to the X100Z? Obviously Eterna Bleach Bypass and Nostalgic Neg. will be included, but I think Fujifilm should strongly consider introducing a new film sim with this camera. Some ideas are Fujicolor Pro 400H (that with overexposure behaves similarly to the film), Fujicolor Pro 800Z (would make a lot of sense if they name the camera X100Z), Fujichrome Sensia, Fujichrome Fortia, cross-process, infrared, Instax, Neopan 400CN, etc.—there are still a ton that Fujifilm could and should do. Some JPEG options that I’d like to see are mid-tone adjustments (additional to Highlight and Shadow), black-point (a.k.a. fade, to lift blacks), split-toning (for both B&W and color pictures), more Grain options (Weak, Medium, Strong; Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Large; plus maybe various patters?), and maybe even a tint slider for the major colors to tweak their rendering? I think Fujifilm has to be careful balancing new features with simplicity, so that the many options don’t become overwhelming—in other words, pick a couple of things to add and not everything, as much as I’d love to have everything.
The X100Z will be a very successful camera for Fujifilm, and for a lot of people standing in the long line for an X100V, this new model can’t get here fast enough. There won’t likely be a huge difference between the two versions—just the new sensor and some new features, but it will nonetheless be a nice refresh. While it might seem to be a long ways off, Fujifilm will announce this camera in the not-too-distant future, and it will be here before you know it. In the meantime, I’ve included below a video published today by Leigh & Raymond Photography that discusses this very topic.
Day 4, Part 1 — June 8, 2023 — Prefumo Canyon
I’m not a morning person. When my alarm sounded and it was still very dark outside, I didn’t want to jump out of the warm bed that I was comfortably resting in. I knew this was going to be a fun, memorable, and photographically productive day, so I wiped the sleep from my eyes and began to get ready. I was finally going to meet Ken Rockwell and Dave Wyman, and all the others who also signed up for the Central Coast of California tour, and I did not want to be late.
Everyone knows who Ken Rockwell is. His longstanding website has been one of the most popular in photography for decades. Dave Wyman is perhaps less well-known, but he has been teaching photography, leading tours, and publishing books for a long, long time—an incredible talent who deserves to be a household name in photography circles. I was very excited for the opportunity to meet them both in-person.
The tour began at a hotel in San Luis Obispo, where we all met up and decided who would be driving and who would be riding in which car. There were twelve of us total, including Ken and Dave, which means there were 10 attendees, including myself. Interestingly, I found out that seven were repeat customers, and had participated in at least one of Ken and Dave’s tours before.
After everyone had their gear loaded up, and as the sun was rising, we carpooled and caravanned to Prefumo Canyon, which is a mountainous area in-between San Luis Obispo and Avila Beach. It’s not a place anyone would likely stumble upon, unless they were purposefully exploring back roads that few ever take. But Dave knows these hidden gems very well thanks to the research he did for his first two books: Backroads of Northern California and Backroads of Southern California. While Dave does take his tours to the iconic locations that everyone photographs, he also goes to places almost nobody else does because virtually no one else knows where they are. Prefumo Canyon is one such spot.
Dave Wyman is the tour organizer and leader, while Ken Rockwell is brought along as a subject matter expert. They are both available during the trip for any questions or advice that anyone might have. There’s no classroom portion of the tour—it’s all “en plein air”—so any and all education is done in-the-field. One can learn as much or as little as one wants to, and it is up to the attendees to ask any questions that they might have. Both Dave and Ken make themselves available throughout the tour; however, the information and advice that they provide is limited until questions are asked. If anyone is considering joining one of their tours in the future, my advice is to think about what you want to learn, and have a list of questions written down in advance. Also, don’t be afraid to approach Dave and Ken, as they’re both eager to help.
We spent much of the morning in Prefumo Canyon, photographing in a few different locations before moving on to Avila Beach. Thankfully the sun was shining—this would be the only non-dreary day of the entire trip! I did so much photography at this spot that I decided to separate Day 4 into two parts.
The camera gear that I used on the first part of Day 4 (you can read the entirety of the gear that I brought with me in my Ultimate Travel Compact Camera Kit article) was a Fujifilm X100V with a 5% CineBloom filter, a Fujifilm X-E4 with a Fujinon 18mm f/2, Fujinon 90mm f/2, Pentax-110 24mm f/2.8, and Pentax-110 50mm f/2.8, and the RitchieCam App on my iPhone 11.
For this part of Day 4, the Film Simulation Recipes that I used on my Fujifilm cameras (which can be found in the Fuji X Weekly App) were Kodak Tri-X 400, Kodachrome 64, Kodak Portra 400 v2, Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1, Fujicolor 100 Gold, Superia Premium 400, Pacific Blues, The Rockwell and Vintage Color. For the iPhone, I used my Vintage Kodak, Classic Color, and B&W Fade filters on RitchieCam.
The photographs below are in order of when they were captured. The picture at the top of this article, Bench with a View, fits in-between Retro Yellow and Dave with Rolleiflex. The second image, Light in the Woods, fits in-between Light in the Dark Forest and Ken & Distant Moon. Otherwise, the order is correct. I hope that you enjoy these pictures!
Day 4, Part 2 — Day 5, Part 1 — Day 5, Part 2 — Day 6
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Fujifilm X100V — Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X-E4 — Amazon B&H Moment
Fujinon 18mm f/2 — Amazon B&H Moment
Fujinon 90mm f/2 — Amazon B&H Moment
I finally figured it out! I now have a compact travel kit that I’m very happy with. This is something I’ve been working on for over two years, and I think I’ve got it—or at least I’m really close. Perhaps it will get a tweak or two, but I’m quite satisfied with it as-is. I used this kit while on a week-long roadtrip to California’s central coast, and it worked out really, really well.
In 2020 I traveled to Montana, and I brought the entirety of my camera and lens collection with me. I wasn’t sure what I might need, so I wanted to be prepared for anything. I think I had five camera bodies and about a dozen lenses (I don’t remember the exact number). After returning, I realized that lugging around everything was absurd, as I only used three cameras—but mostly just one—and the majority of the lenses stayed in the camera bag the entire trip, completely ignored. I didn’t need to bring so much, but since I did, all that unused gear just got in the way.
Previously, I had taken a couple of trips with just one camera and lens, and that was overall a better experience, but there were also times that I wished I had more options. I would have liked to have had more versatility, but didn’t. Oftentimes less is more, but sometimes less is just less.
What I needed was balance. A small kit that was Goldilocks: not too big and heavy with excessive gear that would go unused, and not too simple with limited versatility. Robust, yet small and lightweight. I set out to create a travel kit that didn’t contain too much or too little camera gear. It took some time to work it all out, but I finally did!
Let’s take a look at this ultimate travel compact camera kit piece by piece.
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Camera Bag
I’m listing the camera bag first because it’s key to this kit. The one I chose is the National Geographic NG2344 Earth Explorer Shoulder Bag. The dimensions are roughly only 8″ x 7″ x 6″, yet I can fit everything that I need into it. It’s no big deal to carry around—I went on several short hikes with it last week, in fact, and it wasn’t terribly uncomfortable by the time I returned. The bag doesn’t get in the way or take up much space; interestingly, it fits perfectly into the middle console compartment of my car, allowing easy access to my gear while staying completely concealed.
I take the two velcro inserts and form a “+” in the middle, subdividing the large main compartment into four small compartments: two on the top level and two basement level. I’ll get to where exactly everything fits in a moment, but you can see in the photo above that both my Fujifilm X100V and Fujifilm X-E4 with a pancake lens fits quite comfortably in the upper two compartments.
The National Geographic NG2344 Earth Explorer Shoulder Bag has just enough space for all the gear I need when I travel. Because it is small, it never gets in the way. I’ve had this bag for more than two years and it’s been great—best camera bag I’ve ever owned. And it’s not very expensive. Currently they’re selling for $50, but I paid only $40 for mine.
National Geographic NG2344 Earth Explorer Shoulder Bag — Amazon B&H
Fujifilm X100V
The Fujifilm X100V is the ultimate travel camera, in my opinion. It’s compact (pocketable if you have large pockets). It has amazing image quality. It’s weather-sealed to an extent. It’s fun. It’s surprisingly versatile for a camera with a fixed 23mm (35mm full-frame equivalent) lens. What more could you want?!
If I could only take one camera with me when I travel, this is the one I’d pick. In fact, last week I used the X100V for about 50% of all the pictures I captured (more on the other cameras in a moment). Occasionally it’s not wide-angle or telephoto enough, so it’s good to have options, but most of the time the X100V is all I want or need. It sits in the upper-left compartment of the camera bag.
If you are lucky to already own a Fujifilm X100V, you’re well on your way to completing your travel kit. If you don’t own one, they can be difficult to find, and often at an inflated price. My copy was a birthday gift from my wife a couple of years ago when they were newly released.
Fujifilm X100V in black — Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X100V in silver — Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X-E4
The X100 series is great, but I’ve felt for a long time now that you really need an interchangeable-lens option to go with it. Most models are larger than the X100 series, but the X-E line is a similar size. In particular, I really like the Fujifilm X-E4, which was my most-used camera in 2022.
When paired with the Fujinon 27mm pancake lens, the X-E4 fits comfortably in the upper-right compartment of the camera bag. There are some other lenses (I’ll get to them soon) that can also be attached to the camera and it will still fit in the bag, but it is a little more snug than with the 27mm, so I prefer to pair the X-E4 with the 27mm.
The Fujifilm X-E4 isn’t weather-sealed. It doesn’t have all the features that the X100V has. It’s a minimalistic design, and sometimes a little too much so, but I feel that approach works well for travel where less is often more. The X-E4 is my second favorite Fujifilm camera. I used it for about 40% of my photographs on the coastal trip.
Like the Fujifilm X100V, the Fujifilm X-E4 can be difficult to find and it might be at an inflated price. I preordered my copy on the the day it was announced, and I’m glad that I did. Unfortunately, Fujifilm recently (and inexplicably) discontinued the X-E4, which might make it even more challenging to get your hands on one. The Fujifilm X-E3 is a good alternative if you don’t mind buying used.
Fujifilm X-E4 in black — Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X-E4 in silver — Amazon B&H Moment
Ricoh GR III
The Ricoh GR III was included in the kit simply because it fit—in fact, the GR models are the smallest APS-C cameras you can buy. The GR III is a one-trick-pony, but it does that one trick very well. When I needed a wide-angle option, the GR III was in my pocket eager to go.
I laid the X100V and X-E4 camera straps across the top of those two models in the camera bag, and placed the Ricoh GR III on the straps to protect from scratches. The camera is so small that the bag still zippered, no problem. Whenever I stopped somewhere to capture photographs, I simply shoved the tiny camera into my pants pocket, where it easily fit. The GR III is one that you can carry everywhere and it’s never in the way or uncomfortable.
I would have preferred my Fujifilm X70 over the GR; although it is quite small, it was just a hair too big for the bag. I probably could have forced it to work, but the Ricoh GR III did so quite comfortably, so I went with it instead. Even though I had the GR III with me more than any of the other cameras, I only used it for about 5% of my pictures; however, I was happy to have it when I needed it.
Ricoh GR III — Amazon B&H Moment
Samsung ST76
The Samsung ST76 is a tiny point-and-shoot digicam from 2012. I paid $18 for mine about six months ago. Despite being old and cheap, I actually like the ’60’s and ’70’s color film vibe from this camera when using the Retro filter, which reminds me of old prints I’ve seen in my grandparent’s photo albums. It was a last-minute decision to add it to the camera bag.
The Samsung ST76 is so tiny that it fits into the bag without any problems. I could have placed it most anywhere, but I put it into the lower-right compartment. I only used it for about 1% of my photography on this trip. If I had left it at home I wouldn’t have missed it, but I did capture a couple of images that I was happy with, so I’m glad to have included it.
That’s it for cameras, now let’s talk glass!
Fujinon 27mm f/2.8
My favorite and most-used lens is the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 pancake. Because it is so small and lightweight, it’s especially perfect for travel photography. This is the lens that I typically keep on my Fujifilm X-E4 as my everyday-use glass, and I only replace it with something else when I need to. When I do take it off the camera, I simply place it in the bag where I took the other lens from, which will either be bottom-left or bottom-right, and then place it back on the camera when I’m done.
The 27mm f/2.8 is slightly wide-angle, but, with a 40mm full-frame-equivalent focal-length, it’s pretty close to a “standard” lens. While the maximum aperture is not impressive, I only occasionally find it to be a hinderance. I like the way this lens renders images, and that’s what matters most.
Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 — Amazon B&H Moment
Fujinon 90mm f/2
My second favorite Fujinon lens is the 90mm f/2. It just renders pictures so beautifully! It also gives me a solid telephoto option for when I need a longer reach.
Because it has a 135mm full-frame-equivalent focal-length, it can be challenging to use sometimes; however, the bigger challenge is fitting it into the travel camera bag, since it is a larger lens. The trick is to take the lens hood off and place it backwards over the lens body, which allows it to fit into the bag. I kept it in the lower-left compartment underneath the X100V. I used the Fujinon 90mm f/2 lens frequently on this trip. Did I mention that I love this lens?
Fujinon 90mm f/2 — Amazon B&H Moment
Fujinon 18mm f/2
The Fujinon 18mm f/2 is Fujifilm’s “other” pancake lens, although it is larger than the 27mm. It’s not my favorite option (although I do like it), and the Ricoh GR III made it less necessary, but including it in this kit seemed like an obvious choice since it is small.
I didn’t use the 18mm f/2 nearly as much as I did the 27mm and 90mm, but I did use it on several occasions. I placed it in the bottom-right compartment underneath the X-E4 with another lens and the tiny Samsung camera.
Fujinon 18mm f/2 — Amazon B&H Moment
Meike 35mm f/1.7
The Meike 35mm f/1.7 is a cheap all-manual lens with some good character similar to some vintage lenses. This one is especially small (similar in size to the Fujinon 18mm f/2), which makes it ideal for travel photography. The 52.5mm full-frame-equivalent focal-length is slightly telephoto, but still pretty much a “standard” lens, which means that I have two lenses (this and the 27mm) to serve that purpose. The advantages to this one are a slightly longer reach and a significantly larger maximum aperture, which does occasionally come in handy.
The Meike 35mm fits in the same bottom-right compartment with the Fujinon 18mm f/2. The Fujinon 18-55mm f/2.8-4 does fit in lieu of the 18mm and 35mm, and could be an alternative, but I personally prefer primes over zooms.
Pergear 10mm f/8 Fisheye
I included the Pergear 10mm f/8 Fisheye because it fits so easily into the bag, it would be a shame not to bring it. I don’t use it often, but every once in a blue moon it comes in handy. Plus, it’s sometimes just a fun lens. I barely used it on this trip, but I did use it. I kept the lens in the front zipper compartment of the bag.
Pergear 10mm f/8 Fisheye — Amazon
Xuan Focus Free 30mm F/10 Body Cap
The Xuan Focus Free 30mm f/10 Body Cap lens is actually a Kodak Funsaver disposable camera lens that’s been attached to a Fujifilm body cap. It produces soft dream-like pictures that you might either love or hate. For a retro lofi rendering, this is the lens to use! I brought it, keeping it in the front zipper pocket next to the Pergear 10mm, but I barely used it.
Xuan Focus Free 30mm F/10 — Amazon
Pentax-110 50mm f/2.8 & 24mm f/2.8
Just because they fit, I included in the bag my vintage Pentax-110 50mm f/2.8 and 24mm f/2.8 lenses, which are actually the smallest interchangeable lenses ever mass produced. They were made for Pentax Auto 110 cameras in the late-1970’s through the mid-1980’s, but, with an adapter, will surprisingly work on Fujifilm X cameras. They’re oozing with great character, but are challenging to use because the aperture is fixed at f/2.8.
While the 24mm is redundant, the 50mm lens does provide an option that’s in-between the 35mm and 90mm lenses, and so it does have a practical purpose, even if just barely. These lenses are fun and I love to use them, and that’s why I included them in the kit. They also fit into the front zipper compartment.
The Other Stuff
Of course, cameras and lenses aren’t the only things in the bag. Attached to my Fujifilm X100V was a 5% CineBloom diffusion filter. I had two spare Fujifilm NP-126S batteries, which conveniently fit into the upper-right velcro pocket. My favorite battery charger, a Nitecore FX1 USB charger, nicely fits into the upper-left velcro pocket. In the front zipper pocket, along with the four lenses mentioned above, I fit two spare SD Cards, a short USB-C cable, a Lightning SD Card Reader, and some lens wipes. Yes, all of that fit!
RitchieCam
The one camera that I didn’t mention is my iPhone. I never put it in the camera bag, but I always had it with me. I used my RitchieCam iPhone camera app. Approximately 4% of my pictures on this trip were captured with my iPhone (just a few less than the Ricoh GR III). Although it was not a part of my camera bag, it was a part of my travel photography, so it’s worth mentioning.
Conclusion
Into such a small package I was able to include so much!
A few of the lenses were perhaps excessive, but they’re so small and lightweight that it didn’t make any real difference. I think excluding the Ricoh GR III and the lenses in the front zipper pocket would simplify the kit and it would still be equally as functional, but it would probably be a little less fun (and fun is important). I could have also replaced two of the smaller lenses—perhaps the two Fujinon pancakes—with the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 zoom, but I’ve always preferred primes over zooms. Ideally I’d replace the Meike 35mm with a 50mm, but I haven’t found one small enough that I like—if I find one, I might just do that. Otherwise, I’m very happy with this compact camera kit for travel photography, and I don’t think that it could be improved upon by a whole lot; however, I’m sure I’ll continue to refine it and make it even better—even if just a little—as I take more roadtrips.
To simplify the kit, if you want an even smaller setup, you could travel with just a Fujifilm X100V, Ricoh GR III (or Fujifilm X70), and your cellphone. The X100V would hang around your neck, and the other two would fit in your pockets. No camera bag needed! Keep your few accessories—spare batteries, cords, etc.—in the glove box of your car. That would cover most of your needs, and for the rest, you could simply use the limitation to take a creative approach to the scene.
But if you would like to have at least some gear options when you travel, the “ultimate” kit that I used last week, which I described above, worked very well for me. Perhaps something similar will work for you, too.
Find my Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras in the Fuji X Weekly App!
A couple of weeks ago I had this realization that I hadn’t been using my Fujifilm X100V as much as I would have liked to or normally would have. I was grabbing some of my other cameras, like the Fujifilm X-E4 and Fujifilm X-T5, instead. But I really like shooting with my X100V—it’s my “desert island” camera; if I could only ever shoot with one for the rest of my life, it would be the X100V.
While having the realization that the camera was collecting more dust than usual, I also noticed that the light was changing and becoming favorable for photography. I snatched the X100V, set it to my Vintage Vibes Film Simulation Recipe, and headed out the door, in search of an interesting picture opportunity nearby.
Just as the sun was nearing the horizon, I found a spot in the desert with some pops of late-spring color. I decided this was my opportunity, so I began capturing images. The light didn’t last long, and the bugs were becoming a nuisance; nevertheless, I was able to snap a few interesting pictures before heading home.
Perhaps more important than the images, I used the camera that I love most. I dusted it off, put it in my hand, took some steps outside, and pressed the shutter release button. Whether or not the pictures turned out was less critical than the act of actively using it. Yes, pictures are important, but so is the experience—actually, the experience is probably the most important. If you haven’t used your beloved gear much lately, be sure to get it in your hands ASAP and take some pictures!
I shot a 36-exposure roll of Fujichrome Fortia 50 on my Fujifilm X100V.
Right now you are thinking one of a few things. What is Fujichrome Fortia 50? Fortia was discontinued a long time ago, and is well expired now and difficult to find. Anyway, you can’t shoot film in a Fujifilm X100V! There’s not a Fujichrome Fortia 50 Film Simulation Recipe, is there? All of that and more will be explained in this article!
Note: This was a Creative Collective article, but now it’s available to everyone.
Fujifilm made Fujichrome Fortia 50 color reversal (slide) film from 2004 to 2007, and was only available in Japan (although it did manage to slip out of the country). It was their highest saturation emulsion, even more wild than Velvia 50!
An urban legend says that someone at Fujifilm messed up a batch of Velvia 50; when it didn’t pass quality control, instead of tossing it into the trash, Fujifilm decided to package it as a new film—Fujichrome Fortia 50—and sell it during the Japanese cherry blossoms when photographers might want an extra boost in color vibrancy. It was a hit! So they brought it back the next three years during the cherry blossom season; however, it was sold under the name Fujichrome Fortia SP 50 (SP might mean “SPecial” or “Saturated Palette” or something like that). This new run of Fortia was a little different than the original, presumably because the first one was a complete accident, and the second was an attempt to recreate that accident. While Fortia was discontinued in 2007, apparently there was enough supply that it could be found fairly easily in 2008. If you are lucky to find an unexposed roll today, it will be well past the expiration date and I’m sure very expensive. If you don’t know what Fortia looks like, click here, here, and here to get an idea.
Fujifilm doesn’t have a Fortia film simulation in their cameras. The closest is Velvia, and if you go wild with it, such as The Rockwell Film Simulation Recipe, you can approach but not quite reach a Fortia look. It’s not possible to truly get a Fujichrome Fortia 50 aesthetic from your Fujifilm camera. Or is it?
Most Fujifilm cameras have what they call “Advanced Filters” which aren’t really advanced, but are instead kind of gimmicky. I’ve used Toy Camera, High Key and Low Key. They’re ok, but not something that I would choose often. There’s another that’s called Pop Color, which I never paid much attention to, until recently. Fujifilm claims that Pop Color “emphasizes contrast and color saturation.” If you want to learn more about Advanced Filters, Fujifilm has a video that you can watch about this topic.
Fortia 50 is like Velvia 50 on steroids; Pop Color is like the Velvia film sim on steroids—is Pop Color basically a built-in Fortia film simulation? Actually, yes! It’s not a perfect replication, but it’s not all that far off, either. Unfortunately, you cannot customize any aspect of Pop Color, so it’s not possible to add Weak/Small Grain, for example, or Color Chrome Effect. You get what you get, but (fortunately) what you get is actually kind of good if you are after wild colors. The best part is that it doesn’t use up a C1-C7 Custom Preset, so you can use the Pop Color Advanced Filter as a bonus option in addition to whatever Film Simulation Recipes that you have programmed.
Recently I shot 36 exposures (simulating a roll of film) of Fujichrome Fortia 50—I mean, Pop Color—on my Fujifilm X100V. Below are some of the pictures:
If the Velvia film simulation isn’t quite vibrant enough for you, Pop Color might just be a solid solution. If you have C1-C7 already set with your favorites, but want a colorful 8th option, give Pop Color a try. It’s not as gimmicky as I thought it would be, and (surprisingly) the results retain an analog soul despite not being a Film Simulation Recipe. I don’t think Pop Color is for everyone or every situation, but in the right situations it can look quite good. For those wanting to mimic Fujichrome Fortia 50 on their Fujifilm camera, Pop Color is as close as you’re going to get.
Can you use Artificial Intelligence to create Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras? Does AI even know what that is? If so, would those Recipes be any good? Those questions and more have been rattling around inside my head for the last few months.
Back in January I asked Open AI‘s Chat GPT what a Film Simulation Recipe was and it didn’t know—it couldn’t differentiate a Film Simulation Recipe from a Film Simulation, but only went so far as to acknowledge that Film Sims could be customized. It also didn’t know much about Fuji X Weekly. It didn’t take long for things to change.
Last week Open AI announced the new-and-improved GPT-4, and so I put it through the same test. To my surprise, it not only knew what a Film Simulation Recipe is, but could even create one! The AI also provided the reasons why it chose the settings it did, and they seemed logical. However, I noticed that some required parameters were missing, so I asked it to add those settings to the Recipe, and it did. I also asked Chat GPT to give the Recipe a name. The AI created Recipe turned out to be pretty good, and I used it for some photography in southern Arizona, but I’m getting ahead of myself. We’ll get back to this in a moment, but let’s talk about some other things first.
I wanted to find out how Chat GPT knew how to create a Film Simulation Recipe. Obviously the software has never used a camera, so where was it getting its information? I asked, and the software deflected, telling me where I could find further information on Fujifilm cameras and Film Simulation Recipes. To my surprise, Fuji X Weekly was listed as a potential resource. I wasn’t satisfied with the answer, so I kept asking, rewording the question, until the software admitted that it gathers information from (among other things) websites, such as Fuji X Weekly, One Camera One Lens, Dan Bailey, and Ted Forbes. I was a little surprised on the last two, especially Ted who I’m pretty certain doesn’t use Recipes or out-of-camera JPEGs. Maybe it just threw out some names associated with Fujifilm gear. My conclusion is that the software searches the web for resources and attempts to make sense of what it finds, and it borrows heavily from the work of others (but, thankfully, doesn’t outright copy).
I had Chat GPT make a total of seven Film Simulation Recipes for the Fujifilm X100V. Not once did it provide me with all the necessary parameters on the first try, and I had to ask it to add the missing fields. It always chose Auto White Balance (once it did not provide a WB, so I had to ask it to do so), and only provided a White Balance Shift once on the first try; for the other six Recipes, when I asked it to provide me with a WB Shift, it never ventured beyond +/- 2 for Red and Blue. In fact, only once did the software suggest that any setting go beyond +/- 2, so I think it takes a conservative approach, perhaps not understanding why anyone would want to go wild with the JPEG options.
On the first try I was provided with Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue settings: Off on both. For the next five attempts Chat GPT didn’t list either option, so I had to ask, and it chose Off each time. With the final Recipe attempt, it listed Color Chrome Effect set to Strong, but didn’t list Color Chrome FX Blue; when I asked it to give me a Color Chrome FX Blue setting, it (surprisingly) stated that Color Chrome FX Blue isn’t an option on the Fujifilm X100V. I think the software struggles to understand what these settings do and why someone would choose them, and also struggles to understand what specific settings are available on each Fujifilm model.
Two settings that the software never provided on the first try are Grain size and Clarity. It would list Grain strength (Off, Weak, or Strong) but never size (Small or Large). When asked about size, it suggested Large four times, Small twice, and Standard once (there is no Standard option). With Clarity, it typically suggested a positive number, and only gave me a negative number once, zero once, and Off (which I suppose is the same as zero) once. As with the other settings, it never ventured beyond +/- 2.
I asked it to mimic the look of a certain film stock, and Chat GPT provided a Film Simulation Recipe that (in my opinion) wasn’t a great match. I then asked it to mimic the look of a different film that just so happens to be the same exact emulsion just sold under a different brand name (to see if it would provide similar or identical settings), and the second Recipe was much different than the first. It’s clear that the AI isn’t analyzing pictures from film to create its Recipes, but instead finds descriptions of the stocks and suggests which Fujifilm settings could logically match the descriptions. “Vibrant” means Velvia and “soft” means PRO Neg. Std, which makes sense to a point; even though one film can produce many different aesthetics based on how it was shot, developed, printed and/or scanned (among other things), I believe you’d be hard pressed to find a single emulsion that could be emulated by both Velvia and PRO Neg. Std, but that’s what the software did.
I also asked Chat GPT to create a Recipe that I already have a Film Simulation Recipe for. I wanted to see if it would just copy my Recipe, but thankfully it didn’t. It was actually significantly different. For now, at least, the software isn’t outright plagiarizing anyone (that I’m aware of), and I hope it stays that way. Finally, using a different account, I asked Chat GPT to create a Recipe with an identical request to one of the seven, just to see if it would give me the same answer, and it didn’t. I repeated this test once more, and it once again provided a different result. While it tries to come across as “intelligence” it appears to be more like a roll of the dice.
Based on this test, I believe that AI is about 60% of the way there to being a useful tool for creating Film Simulation Recipes. It struggles to know which parameters to provide. It doesn’t understand the nuances between camera models. It seems to take a rather predictable and conservative approach to creating Recipes. While I think it tries to be logical with its choices, it is basically just taking a guess and giving random settings, which might produce good results sometimes and might not other times. The amazing thing, though, is that just a couple months ago the AI didn’t even know what a Film Simulation Recipe was, so it has made significant strides in a short period. I think eventually—and it might not even be that far out—the software will be able to analyze an image and provide settings for your Fujifilm camera that will be a reasonably close match to that image. For now, though, AI isn’t a particularly good way to get a Recipe.
I promised that I would get back to the first Film Simulation Recipe that I asked Chat GPT to create for me to use on my Fujifilm X100V. I asked the software to create a Recipe that would be good for an urban environment at night. It provided me with everything except for Grain size, White Balance Shift, and Clarity, so I asked it to give me those settings, too. Then I asked it to name the Recipe—it gave me five choices, and I went with the first: Urban Dreams.
I found Urban Dreams to be a pretty decent and versatile Recipe. I didn’t get a chance to use it much in an urban environment at night, but the results were good in the few opportunities that I did have. It seems to do well in sunny daylight, dreary overcast, nighttime, indoors, outdoors, landscapes, street, still-life, portraits, etc., so this could be one’s go-to Recipe for everyday photography. It reminds me a little of Kodachrome 200, a high-ISO slide film introduced by Kodak in the mid-1970’s and discontinued in 2006. It’s not completely “right” for Kodachrome 200, but can be surprisingly close sometimes, and this Recipe is probably the closest to it that I’ve seen.
This Urban Dreams Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras: the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. For X-Trans V and newer GFX, you can use this Recipe, but it will render slightly different (try it anyway). For the X-T3, X-T30, X-Trans III, and older GFX, simply ignore Clarity and consider Sharpness set to 0; the results will be very similar (only slightly different).
Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1
Shadow: +1
Color: +2
Noise Reduction: -2
Sharpness: -1
Clarity: +2
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: Auto, 0 Red & +2 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Urban Dreams Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X100V:
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Fujifilm X100V in black: Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X100V in silver: Amazon B&H Moment
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and nearly 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
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Street photography is a very popular genre, and I get asked fairly frequently what my favorite gear is for it. While I do dabble in street photography, it’s not my most common photographic subject; however, I’ve done enough street photography that I feel comfortable giving gear recommendations for it. In this article I’ll tell you what I use and why.
While there is no definitive explanation, street photography is best described as pictures of chance encounters in public places. It often takes place in urban environments (such as downtown city centers), but it is certainly not limited to that. Some will say that humans must be included in the pictures for it to be street photography, but others will argue that the effects of humanity within the environment is acceptable, and some believe that any urban image fits within the genre. It is commonly understood that street photography involves candid (unstaged) pictures, but some will state that it is the chance encounters that are most important, and it is okay to provide some direction to that randomness in order to create a stronger picture. In other words, there’s no universal answer to what exactly street photography is, but most of the time you recognize it when you see it.
If you’ve never done street photography but want to try, the first place to start is understanding the laws and customs of the place you are photographing. Each country is different, and it may even vary from specific location to specific location. You want to understand your rights as a photographer in a public location, and the rights of those potentially being photographed. Besides the legal question, there is the ethical one: should you? While something might be legally ok, it does not necessarily mean that it is moral. These are all things that you should consider before attempting any street photography. Research the local laws. Consider what you are comfortable photographing and why, and what you are not comfortable photographing and why not. I cannot emphasize this step enough, and I encourage you to spend some time on these questions before heading out with your camera.
After that, the next step is to go to a public place and capture some candid images. The most common location is an urban environment, such as the center of a large city, but it can be anywhere where people are. If you don’t have easy access to a large downtown, consider what is nearby where you live. Even if you live in a small town or a rural location, I bet there are opportunities nearby if you look hard enough.
Now, let’s discuss gear. To be clear, you can use any camera. I’ve done street photography with most of my gear. There are a few tools that I do prefer over others, but if you don’t have these don’t worry too much about it, because whatever gear you currently own is good enough. The list below is simply the cameras that I personally prefer for street photography.
Fujifilm X100V
This is my favorite camera for street photography. Actually, it’s my favorite camera, period. The Fujifilm X100V is my “desert island” model—if I could own only one camera for the rest of my life, it would be this. There are a few things that make it especially good for street photography.
First, it’s pretty small. It’s good for carrying as you walk around for awhile, and people don’t often get intimidated by it like they would with a larger body. Second, the leaf shutter is basically silent, and allows you to be more stealthy. Yes, electronic shutters are silent, too, but they do have a couple of drawbacks that might affect your photography (situationally dependent), so a silent mechanical shutter is an excellent feature. Third, the optical viewfinder allows you to see outside the frame to better anticipate the decisive moment. There are many other things that make the camera great, such as the build quality, weather sealing, traditional tactile controls, built-in ND filter, etc., etc.; this isn’t a review of the X100V, just some reasons why it is my favorite tool for street photography.
Perhaps the top thing that makes the Fujifilm X100V great for street photography are all the Film Simulation Recipes that you can program into the camera. Almost no matter the aesthetic you want to achieve, there is a Recipe that will allow you to get the look straight-out-of-camera, no editing needed. This can make street photography more fun, while saving you time and frustration later.
The only accessories that I commonly use on my X100V are a Hoage filter adapter, Fotasy UV filter, and 5% CineBloom filter (I only use one filter at a time).
Fujifilm X100V in black: Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X100V in silver: Amazon B&H Moment
Ricoh GR III
The Ricoh GR III is a super small and compact camera that you can literally carry with you everywhere, since it fits so easily into a pocket or purse. If you own a Ricoh GR III, there is no excuse for not having it with you. Since photo opportunities aren’t always planned, it’s important to have quick access to a camera at all times, and this model makes it easy. I try to carry my GR III with me whenever I go out, even if it is just to the grocery store.
There are a few reasons why I like the GR III for street photography in particular. Since it is so small and unassuming, most people won’t figure you to be a photographer; if they even notice that you have a camera, they’ll likely think you are a snap-shooter or tourist, and will often disregard you. The 27.5mm (equivalent) lens gives a wide view, which can be good for showing context. Like the X100V, the GR III has a nearly silent leaf shutter. If you don’t want to be noticed, this camera is probably the best bet. There are certainly drawbacks to the GR III (no model is perfect), but for the size and weight it is pretty darn excellent.
There are Recipes for the Ricoh GR III, although not nearly as many as there are for the Fujifilm X100V. If you want to skip picture editing (called one-step photography), the GR III is a solid option that should be strongly considered. In fact, the Fujifilm X100V and the Ricoh GR III compliment each other, and can coexist comfortably in your camera bag.
Ricoh GR III: Amazon B&H Moment
iPhone
Since you always have your phone, you always have a camera. If you accidentally left your “real” cameras at home, no worries! Your cellphone camera is a perfectly capable photographic tool. My current cellphone is an iPhone 11. I don’t think your cellphone make and model matter much—any cellphone camera will suffice—but I personally prefer Apple, since I can use the RitchieCam camera app, which is only available for iOS (click here).
The iPhone is great for street photography because nobody thinks twice about seeing someone with their phone out. Even if you do get “caught” capturing a picture, you can easily fake that you are taking a selfie or texting someone or some other typical phone action. Many cellphones have multiple focal length options, so they’re surprisingly versatile. My favorite accessory is the Moment Tele 58mm lens.
While I do use my phone for photography, I also use it for another important reason: Apps! Specifically, the Fuji X Weekly App (Android, Apple) and the Ricoh Recipes App (Android, Apple). In my opinion, those are essential tools to accompany your Fujifilm and Ricoh cameras.
Let me show you a few more street images that I captured recently.
The three above pictures, despite being pretty different overall, all have something in common (besides being street photography). If you want to know what it is, you’ll have to tune into SOOC Live on March 2. Nathalie Boucry and I will be discussing the theme of street photography, including things like gear and Film Simulation Recipes and such. Mark your calendars now! Be sure to subscribe to the SOOC Live YouTube channel so that you don’t miss out on all the great upcoming broadcasts.
See also: Elevating Your Street Photography with Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes + 5 Recipes to Try Today!
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
What is the best travel camera? My opinion, and the opinion of many other photographers, is the Fujifilm X100V.
The Fujifilm X100V is a great travel camera because of its compact size, versatility, and image quality. It features a fixed 23mm lens, which provides a classic 35mm equivalent focal length, and a bright f/2 maximum aperture. The camera has an intuitive retro design and advanced features, such as a hybrid viewfinder, leaf shutter, built-in ND filter, and weather sealing. The 26-megapixel APS-C sensor produces exceptional image quality, and, when paired with Film Simulation Recipes, is ideal for street and documentary photography. The X100V has solid build quality, yet is small enough to easily carry around, making it an excellent choice for capturing your adventures.
One travel adventure that I recently returned from was a day at Legoland (a Lego themed amusement park) in Carlsbad, California, for my son Joshua’s 9th birthday. Because his birthday is so close to Christmas, he typically gets the short end of the celebration stick, so this year we wanted to make it extra special, and a Black Friday deal made it more affordable. To capture the experience, I brought along my Fujifilm X100V programmed with the Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe. This recipe produces a nostalgic slide film aesthetic similar to the images found in National Geographic, Arizona Highways, and other magazines from my childhood. I used a 5% CineBloom filter, which I prefer for its subtle diffusion effect, for this outing.
The day started out with thin overcast sky, which gave way to midday sun before thick clouds and light rain moved in for the rest of the adventure. The X100V with the Kodachrome 64 recipe handled the changing light quite well—I even got a couple good pictures after sunset under artificial light. This camera and recipe combo is my top option for color travel photography, including a family outing to an amusement park. Because I used a Film Simulation Recipe and shot JPEG, when I returned home I only had to download the pictures from my camera to my phone, crop or straighten if necessary, and upload to my cloud storage. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Fujifilm X100V in black: Amazon B&H Moment
Fujifilm X100V in silver: Amazon B&H Moment
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 250 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!
The Fujifilm X100V is a popular camera with social media influencers—so much so that it’s become hard to find and expensive. One of the main reasons why social media influencers love the camera is its retro design, which gives it a timeless and stylish look that stands out in a sea of modern and generic-looking camera bodies. The X100V’s sleek and compact form factor also makes it easy to carry around, which is ideal for influencers who are often on the go and need a camera that they can take with them wherever they go.
Another reason why the X100V is popular with social media influencers is its image quality. The camera is equipped with a 23mm f/2 lens, which produces sharp and detailed images. The X100V also features a 26-megapixel APS-C sensor that, thanks to the X-Trans array and processor, delivers excellent low-light performance and a wide dynamic range. These features, combined with Fujifilm’s renowned color science, produce images that are rich and vibrant with a film-like quality that is highly sought after by influencers.
The X100V is also popular with influencers because of its advanced manual controls. Unlike most compact cameras, the X100V provides users with the ability to effortlessly manually adjust settings—such as shutter speed, aperture, and ISO—giving them more creative freedom and control over their images. This makes the X100V an ideal camera for influencers who want to take their photography to the next level and produce professional-looking content.
And, of course, Film Simulation Recipes allow social media influencers to quickly get finished photographs straight-out-of-camera that are ready to share the moment that they are captured. This not only makes photography easier (and perhaps more fun), but it also saves a lot of time over post-processing RAW files. While there are literally hundreds of recipes that you could use, below are five Film Simulation Recipes that every influencer should try on their Fujifilm X100V.
Kodak Portra 400 is one of the most popular film stocks available today, so it shouldn’t be surprising that the Kodak Portra 400 Film Simulation Recipes are some of the most popular. Of these, Kodak Portra 400 v2 is my personal favorite. One film can produce many different looks depending on a host of factors—including how it was shot, developed, and scanned—and this recipe closely mimics the aesthetic of one photographer’s Portra pictures—feel free to also try Kodak Portra 400, Kodak Portra 400 Warm, and Reggie’s Portra. This Kodak Portra 400 v2 recipe produces bright and warm images, and is particularly great for portraits and golden hour photography. Use it in daylight natural light situations for best results.
The Pacific Blues recipe mimics the aesthetic of Lucy Laucht‘s Spirit of Summer series, particularly the Positano Blues photographs. It is especially well suited for a summer day at the beach, but it is also great for many other situations, including shade, fog, and even night photography. It’s a bold recipe, yet is still good for portraits. Use it for travel, or even just snapping pictures around the house.
Kodachrome is such an iconic film that once graced the covers of National Geographic, Arizona Highways, and most travel magazines. Sadly it has been long-discontinued; however, thanks to Fujifilm cameras, you can still shoot a reasonably close facsimile of the film today! Kodachrome 64 is one of my favorite recipes for travel photography, producing results reminiscent of classic images from the ’70’s, ’80’s and ’90’s.
“This is an artist’s recipe!” That’s what I said of the Vintage Color Film Simulation Recipe. It produces painterly results that are reminiscent of famed Hudson River School painter Albert Bierstadt, particularly his Yosemite paintings. While not modeled after any film stock, it does have a vintage film-like quality that’s easy to appreciate. It’s best suited for sunny daylight situations, yet it is also a good option for shade or overcast.
Kodak Tri-X 400 is probably the most well-known black-and-white film stock, so it should be no surprise that the most popular black-and-white recipe is Kodak Tri-X 400. While color recipes tend to be much more popular than monochrome, if you want to emulate a classic photographic aesthetic, this recipe should be one of your top considerations. Producing moody images, Kodak Tri-X 400 allows you to focus on the elements within the frame without the distraction of color. In one word, Timeless is how I would best describe this recipe.
Find these Film Simulation Recipes and over 250 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Fujifilm X100V Black Amazon B&H
Fujifilm X100V Silver Amazon B&H
I get asked frequently to create Film Simulation Recipes that mimic the aesthetic of a certain film stock or the look of a particular photographer. In this case, it was the look of a specific photographer that I was asked to recreate. After viewing this person’s images, I thought that they had a lot of similarities with my Kodak Gold 200 recipe except with Superia greens and reds. So I programmed that recipe into my Fujifilm X100V, except with Classic Negative instead of Classic Chrome, plus I made a couple of small modifications. After testing it out, I felt that it produced pictures that were, in fact, quite similar to the photographer’s look. A few days went by, and by chance I stumbled upon some photographs captured with Fujicolor 100 film, and they looked pretty similar to this new recipe. After digging a little deeper, I found some more Fujicolor 100 pictures, and in the description of a few that seemed particularly similar, the photographer mentioned that they used an 81A warming filter.
I’ve heard it said that Fujifilm has historically saved their “best” films for Japan. Indeed, there are Fuji emulsions that, for whatever reasons, aren’t sold outside their home country. Fujicolor 100 is a one of those. I don’t know a whole lot about it (or if it is even still manufactured), but it is a consumer-grade color negative film. I believe that it’s a little warmer than most Fujicolor stocks, but that could also be a result of a warming filter, lens used, how shot, how developed, and/or how scanned, so I’m not completely certain of it. I didn’t model this recipe after Fujicolor 100, but it does seem at times to resemble it surprisingly closely.
Because this Fujicolor 100 Gold Film Simulation Recipe uses the Classic Negative film simulation, it’s not compatible with the Fujifilm X-T3 or X-T30, or any other camera without Classic Negative. It is intended for the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II models. Because X-Trans V renders blue deeper, if you use it on an X-T5, X-H2, or X-H2S it will look slightly different, which you might like or dislike or be indifferent to—give it a try and see what you think.
Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -2
Shadow: +1
Color: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpness: -2
Clarity: -2
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: Daylight, +4 Red & -5 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Fujicolor 100 Gold” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X100V:
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 250 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!
Help Fuji X Weekly
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I just learned that Chuck Drummond passed away this last Friday at 79-years-old. I met him once, and he was very kind. My deepest sympathies go out to the Drummond family, who I’m sure are still mourning.
This last summer my family and I embarked on an epic roadtrip that took us through Oklahoma. Pawhuska was a little out of the way, but we made sure to detour through it so that we could visit The Mercantile, the restaurant/coffee shop/bakery/gift store owned by Ree Drummond, who is also known as The Pioneer Woman.
For those unfamiliar, Ree Drummond became famous for her cooking blog, where she shared recipes used to feed her family and the hungry ranchmen, which turned into books, television shows, product lines, and The Mercantile, among other things. She lives on a large ranch in rural Oklahoma. Pawhuska was barely on the map before Ree became famous—now it’s still barely on the map, although it certainly has seen a significant resurgence, and it can become quite busy with tourists. Yes, for The Pioneer Woman fans, Pawhuska is a destination.
I’ve written about Pawhuska before, and I don’t want to rehash that; instead, I want to share a serendipitous encounter while in the small town, which I’ll remember for some time to come.
We awoke to steel grey sky and light rain. After getting ourselves put together, my family and I strolled around the small town of Pawhuska, which was almost deserted—the weather seemed to scare people off, or at least keep them indoors. We explored the streets, and I captured photographs with my Fujifilm X100V using the Kodak Tri-X 400 Film Simulation Recipe—black and white seemed especially appropriate for the weather. Eventually we made our way inside The Mercantile for breakfast, something that everyone should experience at least once in their lives—to say that it’s good is as big of an understatement as saying the Grand Canyon is big; both are true, but neither truly describe it.
While waiting for our food, an old man wearing a cowboy hat walked in by himself. He appeared weathered and worn, but in good spirits, with a smile on his face. My wife stated in a whisper just loud enough for our children to hear, “Look, there’s a real cowboy.” A true ranchman. An iconic stature of the American west. He sat at a small table near ours.
My wife knew right away who he was. This was Chuck. Ladd’s dad. Ree’s father-in-law. When the waitress came by, my wife asked if it would be alright to say hi to him. “Oh, sure,” she answered with a wink, “he loves the attention.” So my wife stood up, walked to his table, and introduced herself.
Chuck grinned, and he, too, stood up. He shook my wife’s hand, then he shook mine. He noticed my little girl’s cowboy boots, and made a comment to her about how nice they were and that he liked them. The waitress asked if she could take our picture, so with my wife’s phone she snapped one with Chuck, myself and my wife standing together. It was all very quick. Then we sat back down. Our food came, and we ate. His food came, and he ate alone, although other people also recognized him and he would pause to shake their hands and maybe take a picture. Chuck was a celebrity of sorts.
Our encounter was brief, but memorable. His kindness was obvious. His cheerfulness contagious. We met a genuine cowboy in rural Oklahoma. Just now I showed my daughter the picture I captured of Chuck Drummond (at the top of this article), and asked if she remembered him. “Oh, yeah,” she stated without hesitation, “that man said he liked my boots.” We’ll forever remember this chance encounter on a rainy day in May.
I’d yet to share any of these pictures, which were all captured on that drizzly morning in Pawhuska. I hope that you enjoy them!
Let’s be clear: the Fujifilm X100V has skyrocketed in price because Fujifilm cannot make enough copies due to the global parts shortage. But, when you combine that shortage with an increased demand, you get ridiculously inflated prices. Supply and demand. But what caused the demand to increase?
A few people shared with me a recent Petapixel article entitled Used Fujifilm X100 Series Camera Prices Are Surging Thanks to TikTok. This article is based off of a Fujiaddict article entitled TikTokers Drive Up Fujifilm X100 Prices Across The Lineup. Both are interesting reads and basically say the same thing: social media influencers, particularly those on TikTok (by the way, you can find me on TikTok…), are causing an increased interest in (and demand for) the X100—from the original to the latest version—by raving about the camera. It should be noted that the X100-series is a gateway into the Fujifilm world for a lot of people—it’s easier to dip your toes with a fixed-lens than to dive into a whole interchangeable-lens system. Many people have told me that an X100-series camera was their first Fujifilm, sometimes their very first camera, period.
There are quotes in the article describing what’s great about the X100V, including “zero editing” and “digital camera that mimics film” and “shoot photos that need no editing.” That made me wonder if these social media influencers are using Film Simulation Recipes. Makes sense, right? I mean, it kind of sounds like they do, and the photographs seem to confirm it, but I’m not really sure. I reached out to a couple of those mentioned in the article, but have yet to receive a response, which is not surprising because I’m sure they’re absolutely inundated with messages—I get a ton, and I’m nowhere near as popular as they are. I saw in the comments on one of the videos that it was just default Classic Chrome and not a recipe. Oh, well. Then I searched #fujifilmx100v on both TikTok and Instagram (follow me on Instagram, if you don’t already), and I found a bunch of similar videos and posts by others that do, in fact, mention specifically using Film Simulation Recipes. I think it’s quite plausible—perhaps probable—that the recipes are a significant factor in the rise in popularity of the X100V and other X100-series cameras, and maybe Fujifilm in general. So while I’m not directly responsible, it appears that I might be indirectly responsible for the rise in cost of the X100V, at least partially and to a small extent. If you’re trying to purchase an X100-series camera and you’re finding it overpriced, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen, and I apologize for my part in it.
Putting the humor aside, I am incredibly honored that so many are using my Film Simulation Recipes and that they’re helping lots of people achieve the looks they’re after without fussing with editing—from those just getting started with their first “real” camera to recognizable names doing pro work, and all sorts of people in-between. You’re having more fun, potentially increasing your productivity, and spending more time doing what’s important to you, because you’re spending less time in front of a computer. That’s all so wonderful! It’s unreal to me that I’m having such a large impact on photography, something that I never imagined would ever happen. I’m incredibly grateful and appreciative to all of you for visiting this website and trying the recipes and being a part of this great community. Thank you!
And, I suppose, that makes you accomplices in the rise in cost of the X100, too….
Edit: The moment that I published this, I received a message from Edward Lee Films (who is mentioned in the articles), and he does in fact have the Fuji X Weekly App on his phone and uses Film Simulation Recipes. Check him out on Instagram and TikTok!
This Film Simulation Recipe began as an attempt to achieve a “memory color” aesthetic of photographic prints from the 1990’s and early 2000’s; when creating this recipe I wasn’t concerned about the specific films or processes. After shooting with this recipe and reviewing the results, I was reminded of Kodak Royal Gold 400 film… sometimes. Of course, one film can produce many different aesthetics, depending on (among other things) how it was shot, developed, scanned and/or printed. Royal Gold 400 didn’t always or even usually look like this, but sometimes it did, and I found some examples in a photo-box and online that were quite similar—I’m not sure why, but my suspicion is that the film was mishandled, either from being stored improperly (possibly exposed to too much heat) or waiting too long to develop after exposing. Film can be finicky, but that serendipity is something that makes it special.
Royal Gold 400 was introduced by Kodak in 1994 as a replacement to the original Kodak Ektar 400 film. The Royal Gold line, which also came in ISO 100 and 200 versions, was marketed as a “step up” from Kodak Gold, with finer grain and more vibrant colors. It was more-or-less an updated Ektar emulsion that was renamed for marketing reasons (Gold sold a lot more than Ektar). In the early 2000’s Royal Gold was replaced by the High Definition/Royal Supra line. This Kodak Royal Gold 400 Film Simulation Recipe is a “happy accident” facsimile of one (of many) possible aesthetics from the film.
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. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no App, so I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!
This Kodak Royal Gold 400 Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. It should also be compatible with X-Trans V models, but I’ve not tested it myself to know for certain. Those with newer GFX models can use it, too, although it will render slightly different. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, this recipe is available to you right now on the App!
Example photographs captured using this “Kodak Royal Gold 400” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 250 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!
Every Sunday from October through April, the Maricopa Live Steamers model railroad club offers free 7 1/2″ gauge train rides through the desert in north Glendale, Arizona. My kids love trains (what kids don’t?), and so my wife and I took them out on an excursion. The club has an extensive setup in the desert—over 18 miles of track—and members from across several states come to operate their scale equipment there. One day each week, except during the heat of summer, the club is open to the public, giving free train rides to anyone who wishes to traverse through the creosote and sand.
I brought along my Fujifilm X100V to capture the experience, with the Fujichrome Sensia 100 Film Simulation Recipe programmed into the camera. To make this recipe compatible with the X100V, I set Grain size to Small, Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and Clarity to 0. The X100V is such a great camera for adventures like this, being compact and quiet, yet completely capable of fantastic image quality. My Fujifilm X70 would have worked just as well, but one advantage of the X100V is the viewfinder, which came in handy in the harsh midday light.
Fujichrome Sensia 100 was an inexpensive general-purpose daylight-balanced slide film made by Fujifilm from 1994 through 2011. There were three different iterations of the emulsion during that time. It was a popular film for cross-processing (developing in C41 chemistry); otherwise, it was primarily used for documenting family vacations, and was marketed to amateurs and hobbyists. My Film Simulation Recipe mimics the film only as a happy accident, as I wasn’t trying to create a facsimile of Sensia, but it is surprisingly similar nonetheless.
Below are camera-made JPEGs captured with the Fujichrome Sensia 100 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V while at the Maricopa Live Steamers model railroad club:
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Fujifilm X100V Black Amazon B&H
Fujifilm X100V Silver Amazon B&H
On October 20, Nathalie and I will be introducing the Fujichrome Sensia 100 Film Simulation Recipe on SOOC as the next recipe-of-the-month. Mark your calendars now, and I hope to see you then!
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and 250 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!
I recently visited Pismo Beach, California, and used my Fujifilm X100V to capture some pictures. As I was photographing, I remembered a previous trip to this same location eight years ago—at that time I was shooting with a Sigma DP2 Merrill camera. I was curious how my X100V pictures would compare to those captured with the Sigma camera
For those who don’t know, the DP2 Merrill was introduced in 2012. It has Sigma’s unique three-layer APS-C Foveon sensor with a whopping 46 megapixels (15.3 megapixels on each layer); while a lot of megapixels were advertised, the resolution is more equivalent to 30 megapixels (compared to 26 megapixels on the Fujifilm camera). It has a 30mm (45mm equivalent) f/2.8 lens permanently attached to the front—the X100V has a 23mm (34.5mm equivalent) f/2 lens. There are plenty of similarities between these two models, but there are many differences, too.
The Sigma DP2 Merrill produces wonderful images within a very narrow window: ISO 100 or ISO 200. You can get a decent black-and-white up to ISO 800, but at all costs going higher should be avoided, especially for color photography, where ISO 400 is pushing the envelope. The battery only last about as long as a 36-exposure roll of film. The camera is not particularly stylish or user-friendly.
The Fujifilm X100V can be used at much higher ISOs—for example, the Kodak Tri-X 400 Film Simulation Recipe requires a minimum of ISO 1600, and maxes out at ISO 12800. For color photography, I’m comfortable going as high as ISO 6400 (that purple flower picture above was ISO 1600). I will typically carry a spare battery, but oftentimes one fully-charged battery will last the whole day. The X100V is one of the most beautiful and best-designed cameras, in my humble opinion.
The biggest difference between the Sigma DP2 Merrill and Fujifilm X100V is workflow. With the Sigma, I’d have to load the massive files onto my computer, which would take forever (I’m sure it would be quicker now with modern computers), then I’d have to do an initial edit with their mediocre software (which, again, has likely improved), save as a TIFF, and then finish editing in another program (sometimes a thirty-minute process per picture). With the Fujifilm, I use Film Simulation Recipes to get the look I want straight-out-of-camera, download the pictures from the camera to my phone, crop and straighten if needed, and then upload to storage. My post-processing workflow is so much quicker and easier with the X100V!
Obviously I’m not doing any sort of serious comparison between a still-new model and one that’s a decade old. That’s not fair, and that’s not the point. I’m just looking back, and seeing what has changed in eight years. Obviously my kids have grown a whole bunch. The other big change is that my workflow has simplified and become much less intrusive to my life. The Sigma camera was good for a season, but now I’m very happy to be shooting with Fujifilm.
For those keeping up with my move (from Utah to Arizona) and adventure: I’m on the road again. The long story is that we found a home in Arizona, but the moving company can’t deliver our stuff for a couple of weeks. The short story is that we’re off on a new adventure! Among some other stops, we’re enroute to the central California Coast—one of the most beautiful places in the world, in my opinion—while we wait for our furniture and such.
A lot of times I’m the driver on road trips, but as we crossed the Mojave Desert along Interstate 10 in California, I was in the passenger seat. Of course, as a photographer I took full advantage of it, and documented the trek in black-and-white; specifically, I photographed with my Fujifilm X100V using the Kodak Tri-X 400 Film Simulation Recipe. I’ve been using this camera as a monochrome-only model lately.
Shooting out a dirty window at 75 miles-per-hour isn’t ideal; however, in whatever situations that I find myself, I try to do the best I can with what I have. That’s all anyone can do. I’m not always successful, but I thought this series was decent enough to share. I hope that you enjoy!
The first stop on the epic road trip that I’m currently on was Panguitch, a small town in southern Utah. Panguitch is close to Bryce Canyon National Park, not too far from Zion National Park, and within reach of Capital Reef National Park. Tourism is the main reason Panguitch is even on the map. People eat, sleep, and get gas here, while visiting the various natural wonders of the region. That’s why we were there.
I only stayed one night in Panguitch, but I was able to get out with my camera and photograph the quaint town. It’s obvious that Panguitch has seen better days—it seems to be just hanging on. The town has a lot of character, though. It was a great location for photography—if I had a few weeks, it would make for an incredible photo project—but alas I only had one night, as we left early the next morning.
For the pictures in this article I used my Fujifilm X100V loaded with the Kodak TRi-X 400 Film Simulation Recipe. I also had a 5% CineBloom filter attached to the camera. The X100V is such the perfect travel tool (and my “desert island” camera), and I always make sure that I have it with me. I love black-and-white photography, and the Kodak Tri-X 400 recipe is my favorite. The camera and recipe combo were ideal for Panguitch, and I’m quite happy with this set of pictures; however, I realize that I need to go back. This town (and so many others) are yearning for the camera’s attention. There is so much photographic potential, and I barely scratched the surface.
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Fujifilm X100V Black Amazon B&H
Fujifilm X100V Silver Amazon B&H
CineBloom 5% Filter 49mm Amazon B&H
I’ve said for awhile now that Fujifilm should make a black-and-white only camera. There’s actually an advantage to a monochrome sensor. With a typical Bayer color array, only 50% of the light-sensitive sensor elements are recording luminosity information, while the other 50% are recording color information. With an X-Trans sensor, 55% of the light-sensitive sensor elements are recording luminosity information while 45% are recording color information. With a monochrome sensor, 100% of the light-sensitive sensor elements are recording luminosity information. Because of this, you get a higher perceived resolution, as pictures will appear more richly detailed, and there’s more shadow latitude, which also improves high-ISO capabilities. You can also use color filters like with black-and-white film.
Fujifilm has said that they have no plans currently to make a monochrome camera. You can actually convert any Fujifilm camera to be black-and-white only, but it is expensive and extreme. I’ve wanted a monochrome-only Fujifilm camera for awhile, but I’m not willing to convert one, and I’m impatient waiting for an official model to come out. So what did I do? I made my own.
Introducing the Fujifilm X100V Acros Edition!
Note: this was a Creative Collective article, but now it’s available to everyone.
Of course I didn’t actually make a black-and-white only camera. My X100V-Acros is just an X100V, and is capable of capturing color images. There’s nothing unique about it, other than it now says “Acros” underneath Fujifilm X100V on the top. What makes this camera an “Acros Edition” (other than the additional word) is that the C1-C7 Custom Presets programmed into it are all black-and-white Film Simulation Recipes.
The idea for this wasn’t mine. A Fuji X Weekly reader actually used just one recipe—a black-and-white recipe—on his Fujifilm camera for a whole year. Another reader was seriously considering doing the monochrome conversion to his X-Trans II camera, but then he realized that the resolution increase was going to be similar to his X-Trans IV camera, so instead of going through with the conversion he decided to dedicate his X-Trans IV camera to black-and-white recipes. I simply copied his idea.
Let’s talk about that resolution bump of monochrome-only cameras. Because you’re able to tap into the full-resolution potential of the sensor, you get a more detail-rich image. A converted 16mp X-Trans I or II sensor would be equivalent to a 23mp Bayer camera, a 24mp X-Trans III sensor would be equivalent to 35mp, and a 26mp X-Trans IV sensor would be equivalent to 37.5mp, roughly speaking. But, of course, it would also require a lens capable of resolving that much resolution, which many (but not all) Fujinon lenses can. Also, as I pointed out in my Fujifilm X vs GFX article, such a resolution increase only really matters if you print large or crop deep, and otherwise isn’t a big deal at all. In other words, the 26mp sensor in the X100V is already a lot of resolution, so it doesn’t matter that the camera isn’t actually monochrome-only. I can simply pretend, and be happy with that.
The seven black-and-white recipes that I decided to program into the camera (in order of C1-C7) are Moody Monochrome, Kodak Tri-X 400, Ilford HP5 Plus 400, Monochrome Negative, B&W Superia, Noir, and B&W Infrared. I haven’t decided yet if these are the seven that I’ll stick with, or if I’ll change a few of them out, but I do know for certain that Tri-X 400 stays. Another note is that I have a 5% CineBloom filter attached to the camera. I’m growing quite fond of the subtle effect of this diffusion filter (tip three of seven for getting a “film look”, btw).
Yesterday I took my Fujifilm X100V Acros Edition out for the first time. I went to Antelope Island State Park, and also stopped at a local park along the way. The purpose of this outing was to try out all seven of these recipes. Below are the pictures!
I love black-and-white photography, probably because I first learned photography on black-and-white film. If you love it, too, I invite you to try using only black-and-white recipes on your Fujifilm camera—make your own “Acros Edition” of whatever camera you have. I like the idea of a Fujifilm monochrome camera, so I think it was inevitable that I decided to do this—I now wonder why it took so long. Once I have my seven recipes nailed down, the next project will be to capture 24 or 36 exposures with each before changing recipes, kind of mimicking that limitation of film.