Fujifilm X100V

Fujifilm X100V Film Simulation Recipe: Fujicolor Superia 100

Posted on June 9, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Rose Garden – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Fujicolor Superia 100”

The new Classic Negative film simulation that’s found on Fujifilm’s latest cameras is intended to mimic Fujicolor Superia. Fujifilm doesn’t state which version of the film it’s intended to resemble; Fujifilm simply says that it’s “modeled after” Superia with “Superia-like” colors. They did very well in creating it, as it is unmistakably Superia. To me, straight-out-of-the-box Classic Negative most closely resembles Superia 200, although it’s not an exact match (but pretty close). There were at least a dozen different versions of Superia made by Fujifilm beginning in 1998, and a couple are still available today. I believe that Classic Negative can be made to resemble many of these different films. I started with Fujicolor Superia 100.

Superia 100 is a daylight balanced color negative film that Fujifilm produced between 1998 and 2009. It replaced Fujicolor Super G Plus 100, which, honestly, didn’t look all that much different. Superia 100 had improved grain, sharpness, and more accurate color under florescent light. Under normal conditions, and without a close inspection, the two films looked quite similar. Superia was a “consumer” film that was widely found in drug and convenient stores. It was regularly used for family snapshots, but was also popular among photojournalists, as well as portrait and wedding photographers. Superia 100 was marketed as a “general use” low-ISO color film. Like the film, this Fujicolor Superia 100 film simulation recipe serves as a general use option.

Sunset Behind the Reeds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Fujicolor Superia 100”

I think many of you will really appreciate this film simulation recipe. It has fairly low contrast, but not too low, and produces very nice colors. It has a nostalgic quality to it, since the film that it’s based on was widely used for family snapshots in the 1990’s and 2000’s. You can use it for portraits or street photography or landscapes—really, it’s good for most situations. Unfortunately, as of this writing, this Fujicolor Superia 100 film simulation recipe is only compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V and X-T4 cameras. This recipe does use the new Clarity feature, and you should be aware that it slows down the camera considerably.

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

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Fujicolor Superia 100 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Under the Green Canopy – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Light Through The Trees – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Red Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Pagoda – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Pink Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Nearly Empty Park – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Waiting Alone – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Fascinating – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Fanatic Family – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Grandmother & Grandson – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Thirsty Peacock – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Give it Back – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Red & Blue Benches – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Lagoon Railroad – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Patriotic Boy – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Ride is Closed – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Nervously Ready for Tea Cup Ride – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Do Not Enter – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Rocks by the Raging River – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Leaves Above Farmington Creek – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Storm Above – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Mine! – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Refreshment Station – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Evening Red – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Desk Near a Window – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Fake Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Backyard Jo – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Jon, Laughing – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Sunlit Tree Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Evening Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

My Fujifilm X100V Cine Teal Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on June 8, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Red Lights & Raindrops – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Cine Teal”

Baseball legend Lefty Gomez said, “I’d rather be lucky than good.” This particular film simulation recipe was a failure, but it was a lucky failure. I’ve been trying to create a Kodak Vision3 500T recipe, but I can’t get it right. I’ve tried a number of different combinations of settings, but I haven’t cracked the code (yet). This was one attempt. Under the right light, it does resemble Vision3 500T, but under most conditions it does not. Even though it was a failure, I like the look of this recipe, so I thought I’d share it with you.

I call this new film simulation recipe “Cine Teal” because it looks a bit cinematic thanks to the Eterna film simulation, and has a teal, green or yellow cast, depending on the light. This recipe looks best when used in the “blue hour” of dusk or dawn, and does well in shade and on overcast days. It can be used in other situations, but the results tend to be so-so, although you can still get interesting pictures sometimes. This recipe is a little limited in where it works best, but in the right situations it can look very nice. It’s not for everyone, but some of you will really appreciate it.

Sunlit Tree Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Cine Teal”

Because this film simulation recipe requires the use of Clarity, it will slow your camera down considerably. Fujifilm suggests, if you shoot RAW+JPEG, to add Clarity later by reprocessing the RAW file in-camera or with X RAW Studio. I just use the pause to slow myself down. This recipe is only compatible (as of this writing) with the Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3 and X-T4.

Eterna
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: -2
Shadow: +4
Color: -1
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Clarity: -5
Grain Effect: Weak, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong
White Balance: 4550K, +1 Red & -9 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Cine Teal” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Small Garden Flowers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Roses Red – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Roses are Red – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Waiting Wishes – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Subtle Rays – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Cloud & Half Moon – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Suburban Cloud – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Evening House – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Shadow of Self – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Apple & Bike – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Masked Man – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Urban Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Evergreen – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Small Table & Chairs – Orem, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Grand Girl – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Mischievous Smile – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Learning to Play – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Lights Off – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Coffee Table – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Asian Decor – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Dining – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Hood Ornament – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Open for Business – Orem, UT – Fujifilm X100V

FedEx – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Movie Theater – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

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Fujifilm X100V New Feature: HDR

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

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There’s a new feature on the Fujifilm X100V called HDR, which is an abbreviation for High Dynamic Range. You’ve probably heard of HDR photography. It was all the rage 10 years ago, but often looked terrible. Well, software has improved, and people are being more tasteful with their edits, and you likely see HDR pictures frequently and don’t even know it. I’ve never been a big fan of HDR photography, and I had very little interest in this new Fujifilm feature, but I thought that I’d try it anyway.

What is HDR? It’s the combination of a series of pictures, some overexposed and some underexposed, to maximize dynamic range. It prevents clipped highlights and blocked shadows. Fujifilm has other tools to deal with this: Highlight and Shadow adjustments, different Dynamic Range options, and D-Range Priority. HDR is now another option. You can select HDR 200, HDR 400, HDR 800 or HDR Plus.

Bright Flowers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – HDR 800

On the X100V you have to go to the Drive menu to access HDR. One thing that I really appreciate about HDR on this camera is that you can select all of the different JPEG options except Dynamic Range (with HDR Plus you also cannot select Highlight, Shadow or Clarity). In other words, HDR becomes the Dynamic Range setting, and you still have everything else. You can also reprocess in-camera the RAW HDR file, but only as an HDR image. Cool!

Let’s take a closer look at the HDR options on the X100V, and also compare it to DR400 and D-Range Priority.

DR400

D-Range Priority Weak

D-Range Priority Strong

HDR 200

HDR 400

HDR 800

HDR Plus

The only pictures where the shadows appear significantly different are D-Range Priority Strong and HDR Plus. Otherwise shadows are similar, and HDR doesn’t seem to affect it much. However, highlights are greatly affected by the different HDR settings. In the pictures above, there’s a big difference in how the sun is rendered.

You might also notice some similarities between some of these different settings. Let’s compare a few:

DR400 vs. HDR 400

DR400

HDR 400

D-Range Priority Weak vs. HDR 200

D-Range Priority Weak

HDR 200

D-Range Priority Strong vs. HDR Plus

D-Range Priority Strong

HDR Plus

You might notice that D-Range Priority Weak and HDR 200 look very similar, as does DR400 and HDR 400, as well as D-Range Priority Strong and HDR Plus. Why? D-Range Priority Weak and HDR 200 are both based on DR200, so it makes sense that they would appear similar to each other. HDR 400 is based on DR400, so it’s logical that they would seem similar, as well. HDR 800 is like DR800 if such a thing existed. Both D-Range Priority Strong and HDR Plus are basically the same as HDR 800 with lighter shadows.

I don’t see a benefit to using HDR 200 or HDR 400, as you can achieve the same thing with your different Dynamic Range options. I did find HDR 800 useful for maximizing the dynamic range of the camera in harsh-light situations. HDR Plus isn’t really any different than using D-Range Priority Strong, so you might as well use the D-Range Priority setting if you really need it.

Here’s another example of the different HDR settings:

HDR 200

HDR 400

HDR 800

HDR Plus

The picture above illustrates when HDR Plus could be beneficial, but you might as well use D-Range Priority Strong instead. You could achieve the same thing as HDR 200 and HDR 400 by using the Dynamic Range settings. HDR 800 is the only one that you cannot mimic by using other settings, but the difference is pretty small between it and HDR 400.

HDR Examples

Light Flower – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – HDR 800

Tiny Library – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – HDR 800

Chopstix – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – HDR 800

Jurassic Park – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – HDR 800

Window Light on the Wall – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – HDR 800

Lunch – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V – HDR 800

Health Parking – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – HDR 800

Back in the day, HDR photographs were notorious for halos and cartoonish renderings, but I didn’t find any of those issue on the X100V. The camera does a decent job of aligning hand-held shots. The new HDR feature far exceeded my expectations (which were admittedly pretty low). However, it turns out that HDR on the X100V is not especially useful. It also slows down the camera considerably as it captures a series of pictures and combines them. Besides that, it doesn’t always work well.

HDR Bloopers

How many legs?

An extra wheel and no driver!

If there’s anything more than very minor movements within the frame, you’ll get weird artifacts from the combination of pictures. Even if there’s no movement, but you are not very still when you capture the pictures, you can get blur from poor alignment. I had just as many busts as I had successes when using HDR because of alignment problems and artifacts from movement. Maybe there’s a way to artistically use this?

Conclusion

HDR was not a feature that I was especially excited about on the Fujifilm X100V, yet it turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected. After playing around with it for a few days, I concluded that it’s not an especially useful tool. HDR 800 is the only selection that has a practical application, and the conditions have to be pretty extreme for it to be beneficial. While you can get good hand-held shots, you’re better off using a tripod, and don’t even think about using HDR if there’s anything more than very slow movement in the scene. While I think Fujifilm did a descent job in the programming, there’s plenty of room for improvement, and it’ll need to be made better before it’s a feature that will be used frequently. It’s good to have HDR as an option on the X100V, but I’m confident that I’ll rarely use it.

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[Not] My Fujifilm X100V Classic Negative Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on June 1, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Boy with a Bubble Gun – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

When the Fujifilm X-Pro3 came out late last year, which was the first camera with the new Classic Negative film simulation, I began to see some wonderful pictures that looked like they were captured using Superia film. Classic Negative is supposed to resemble Fujicolor Superia, most likely Superia 200, although Fujifilm doesn’t say. I believe there were more than 10 variants of Superia film made by Fujifilm, so it’s hard to know which version the film simulation was mostly modeled after. Whichever version of the film it’s intended to be, Classic Negative does a great job of mimicking it, because it definitely looks like Superia.

The Classic Negative look that was most intriguing to me was by Luis Costa, and I couldn’t wait for the day that I’d be able to try it for myself. Luis’ Classic Negative film simulation recipe, which can be found on his website, is nothing short of wonderful! It’s especially great for sunny days. It’s every bit as good as Luis made it look in his photographs. It’s programmed into the C1 slot on my Fujifilm X100V, and I doubt that it will move. It reminds me a lot of Superia X-Tra 400 with a warming filter, or maybe Superia 200 pushed one stop. Either way, it just looks good.

Warm Light on Reeds – Farmington Bay, UT – Fujifilm X100V

I did modify Luis Costa’s recipe slightly. Nothing big, but I added Color Chrome Effect and Clarity, and set Grain to Weak instead of Strong. It doesn’t change the look much at all. Feel free to turn off Color Chrome Effect and Clarity and set Grain to Strong if you’d like, which is Luis’ exact recipe. I want to thank Luis Costa for making and sharing his great Classic Negative recipe, and for allowing me to post it here. I encourage you to visit his website.

Because the Classic Negative film simulation changes look depending on how it’s exposed, you can get a couple different aesthetics with this recipe. I encourage you to increase exposure on some shots and decrease it on others (over and under exposing slightly), and see how it renders the picture. You might find that you prefer one look over the other, or that you prefer one in some situations and one in another. It’s fun to experiment with, and I invite you to do just that.

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

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Classic Negative film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Red Rose Bush – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Flowers by the Fence – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Suburban Blooms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Dragonfly – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Spring Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Girl in Evening Light – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Upside Down Wheelbarrow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Neighborhood Bubbles – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Suburbs Illuminated – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Boy in the Window Light – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Little Yellow Ball in the Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Lake Reeds – Farmington Bay, UT – Fujifilm X100V

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My Fujifilm X100V Kodachrome 64 Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on May 27, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Evening at a Pond – Farmington Bay, UT – Fujifilm X100V “Kodachrome 64”

The Fujifilm X100V has some new features, including Clarity and Color Chrome Effect Blue, that my X-T30 doesn’t have, despite sharing the same sensor. The more JPEG options that I have, the more accurately I can create in-camera looks. My hope is to revisit some of my film simulation recipes, and create what I hope are more accurate versions using the new features. The first one that I revamped is my Kodachrome 64 film simulation recipe.

Many people love my Kodachrome 64 recipe, but not everyone. The biggest complaint that I’ve heard about it is that the reds aren’t vibrant enough. I don’t disagree with that, but there are always compromises when recreating looks in-camera because the tools available to me are limited. Of course, what Kodachrome 64 looks like depends on how you’re viewing it, whether projector, light table, scan, print, and how so. You can find some vastly different looking pictures that were captured on Kodachrome 64. For this revamped recipe, I spent some time studying the Kodachrome slides that I captured many years ago.

Red Lights & Rain – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V “Kodachrome 64”

While I feel that this is an improved Kodachrome 64 recipe, it’s still not perfect. Those who disliked how reds were rendered on the old recipe will certainly like this one better, but is it 100% exactly like the film? No. I think +2 Color might be too much, but +1 Color doesn’t render reds and yellows vibrant enough. If you prefer +1 Color, feel free to do that instead. There’s a little less contrast with this new version. Both of the Color Chrome Effects, the lower Dynamic Range setting, and Clarity add contrast, so I changed Highlight and Shadow to compensate. The X-T4 has .5 Highlight and Shadow adjustments, and I would set Shadow to +0.5 if I were using these settings on that camera (I hope that Fujifilm updates the X100V and X-Pro3 to allow this, too). I think it would be acceptable to use +1 Shadow, but I felt that was a tad too much, so I set it to 0. Despite not being perfect, I do feel that this version is a little more accurate to actual Kodachrome 64 film.

If you have an X100V, X-Pro3 or X-T4, I invite you to try this new-and-improved Kodachrome 64 film simulation recipe. Be sure to let me know what you think! Here are a couple pictures comparing the two versions of this recipes:

Original Kodachrome 64 recipe.

New Kodachrome 64 Recipe.

Original Kodachrome 64 recipe.

New Kodachrome 64 recipe.

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

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this new Kodachrome 64 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

White Horse by a Stream – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Horses in the Grass – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Curious Horse – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Country Tires – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Yellow Flowers, Blue Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Wishful Day – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Beer & Board – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Road Bicycling – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

All the World’s a Sunny Day – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Orders & Pickup – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Red, White & Blue Day – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Flag Up Close – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Reeds by the Water – Farmington Bay, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Evening Reeds – Farmington Bay, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Landscape Flowers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Handlebar – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Kodak Colors – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Half of an Orange – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Ground Beans – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Pallets – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X100V

IHOP – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Cupcake – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Sitting on Concrete – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Spring Snow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

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Fujifilm X100V New Feature: Clarity

Posted on May 24, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

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The Fujifilm X100V has a new feature called Clarity. It actually first appeared on the X-Pro3, and it’s also on the new X-T4, but the X100V is the first camera that I’ve used with it. I’m always very happy whenever Fujifilm gives us new JPEG options, as it allows me to more accurately achieve the look that I’m after in-camera. I can create better film simulation recipes when I’m given more tools, and the X100V indeed has some new tools.

If you’ve ever done RAW processing, you’ve probably seen a Clarity tool within your software of choice. Maybe you use it all of the time, maybe you’ve never touched it. What exactly Clarity does with each software is slightly different, but the gist of it is that it increases mid-tone contrast, while (mostly) leaving the highlights and shadows untouched. This makes the image appear more contrasty while not blocking up shadows or blowing out highlights. Because Clarity often adds micro-contrast (contrast to fine lines), it can make an image appear to be sharper and more finely detailed than it actually is. Some software programs include sharpening within Clarity. Too much Clarity can often make a picture look unnatural and “over baked”.

I like the idea of having a Clarity option on my Fujifilm camera, but I was really unsure of how it would look. Is it actually a good tool? Does it produce pleasing results? Where should I set it on my camera?

In the manual Fujifilm states that Clarity increases or decreases “definition” while minimally altering highlights and shadows. The camera has the options of -5 to +5, with 0 being the default setting. Let’s take a look at some examples to see what exactly this new feature does to photographs.

Clarity -5

Clarity 0

Clarity +5

You can see from the photographs above that there’s a noticeable difference between Clarity set at -5, 0 and +5. There’s a significant contrast difference between the three pictures. Even highlights and shadows are affected. The first picture looks “soft” while the third picture boarders being “over-baked” with too much definition. Let’s take a closer look at some crops, and add -2 and +2 while we’re at it.

Clarity -5

Clarity -2

Clarity 0

Clarity +2

Clarity +5

When you look closely, you can appreciate using minus Clarity for softening skin. At -2 there’s a small difference, but by -5 there’s a big difference. The X100V has a new lens, and it’s sharper, especially when wide open. Some people (myself included) appreciated the softness of f/2 on the old X100 series lens for artistic effect, but the X100V is tack sharp across the board at all apertures. However, -5 Clarity will give a similar softness at any aperture as the old X100 lens does at f/2. Portrait photographers might especially appreciate selecting a minus Clarity option, and somewhere in the range of -2 to -5 seems to be nice.

On the other side, +5 Clarity is definitely too much for some circumstances, particularly portraits. Even +2 might be pushing it in this case, although the results are acceptable in my book. I find that minus Clarity is better when skin is involved, but you can use plus Clarity for more dramatic portraits, although I’d limit it to no higher than +3, unless you’re trying to accentuate something like wrinkled skin and a greying beard, in which case up to +5 might be acceptable. Outside of portraits, I like adding Clarity, and I find that +2 or +3 is a good range for me.

Here are some more examples:

Clarity -5

Clarity -3

Clarity 0

Clarity +3

Clarity +5

Clarity -5

Clarity -3

Clarity 0

Clarity +3

Clarity +5

The difference between -5 and +5 Clarity is pretty significant, but the in-between differences aren’t huge. It’s difficult to notice a plus or minus one difference. Going up or down two spots is a bit more obvious, although if you’re not closely comparing side-by-side examples you might not pick up on it. I think you’re perfectly fine selecting any of the Clarity options, but for portraits I’d consider using minus Clarity, unless you’re want a dramatic portrait look. For everything else adding a little Clarity helps the picture to pop more. I personally like Clarity set at +2.

Because Clarity adds contrast and does affect highlights and shadows, if you go higher than +3 Clarity, consider decreasing Highlight and Shadow by one to compensate. Also, if you go lower than -3 Clarity, consider increasing Highlight and Shadow by one to compensate. The X-T4 can do .5 Highlight and Shadow adjustments (please, Fujifilm, update the X100V to allow this, too), and that’s probably closer to what you need to compensate for the increased or decreased contrast due to selecting the far ends of Clarity. Just be aware that when you change the Clarity setting, you are changing the picture’s contrast.

+3 Clarity

Something that I need to point out is that when Clarity is set to anything other than 0, it takes the camera longer to save the file. Fujifilm actually recommends setting Clarity to 0 and adding it later by reprocessing the RAW files in-camera. If you need to shoot quickly, this might be a good option, but if you’re not in a hurry, I’d just set it to what you want it to be so that you don’t have to change it later. Yes, it does slow you down, but if you’re not in a hurry, it’s not a big deal.

In my opinion Fujifilm did a good job of implementing Clarity on the X100V. It’s a useful tool. Those who appreciated the softness of f/2 on the older models will appreciate using minus Clarity on the new model. Those who want to add just a little more punch to their pictures will like using plus Clarity. Each situation might benefit from a Clarity adjustment, and you’ll have to decide which setting is the best for the scene. Whether it’s adding or subtracting Clarity, this is a feature you’ll find me using often. Fujifilm’s inclusion of Clarity on the X100V is something that I’m extremely happy with.

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My New Camera: Fujifilm X100V!

Posted on May 10, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

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Today is my 40th birthday! I wasn’t going to say anything about it, but something happened that changed my mind. I had a different article that I had planned to publish today, but it will have to wait until tomorrow.

My wonderful wife, Amanda, gave me an amazing surprise. Her gift to me this morning for turning the big 4-0 was a Fujifilm X100V. I couldn’t believe it! A Fujifilm X100V! Wow! This is the camera that I wanted even before it had been announced back in early February.

The Fuji X Weekly blog began as my Fujifilm X100F journal. Almost all of the early articles are about the fourth model of the X100 camera. I happily sold that X100F, not because I didn’t like it (I loved it), but because I used the proceeds to buy my wife a Fujifilm X-T20. A couple years ago she wanted a camera for her birthday, so I sold my X100F to buy her one. I’d do it again without thinking twice about it. Now, things have come full circle, and she bought me an X100V for my birthday.

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I had a battery already charged, so I was able to quickly set up the camera, but just barely. There are a number of new features that I’ll have to spend some time playing with. I like what I see so far. The X100F is a great camera; it’s clear that the X100V is even better. You can expect many articles about this camera and the new features in the coming weeks and months.

I made a handful of exposures with the X100V this afternoon, which are the pictures below. They are all camera-made JPEGs using the new Classic Negative film simulation. I’ll likely create many new recipes from Classic Negative. The little that I’ve seen from this film simulation has left me very impressed. I can tell already that it’s a great film simulation, and I look forward to seeing what I’ll do with it. I hope you’ll come along for the ride. It’ll be a fun journey, and it’s all because my wife gave me a wonderful gift for my 40th birthday. Thank you, Amanda, for such an amazing surprise!

Sunlight Tree – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Singular Flower Blossom – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Deep Blue Sky & Blooms – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Fisher Beer – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Two Yellow Hooks – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Electric Yellow – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Hanging In There – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Defending Tatsuo Suzuki

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

This will be a controversial post. I’m a bit hesitant to publish it, because it will cause a stir, and I’m not looking for trouble. The Fuji X Weekly audience has been extraordinarily civil, which is something I’m extremely grateful for, as the internet can oftentimes be the exact opposite of civil. The internet has a way of bringing out the worst in people, perhaps because they can hide behind anonymity, or maybe there is a disconnect that makes interactions seem a bit less human; whatever the reason, people sometimes are rude or downright mean on the web. I’m asking right up front for civility and human kindness in regards to this article.

The video at the top, entitled My Milestone, was produced by Fujifilm to promote the X100V. It was promptly removed by Fujifilm because of public outcry. The featured photographer, Tatsuo Suzuki, is controversial, not for his images, but for how he captures those images. This video created quite a stir on the internet, and the worst in people showed up strongly in the comments of various articles regarding the video.

Here’s another video that shows Suzuki’s photographs and technique:

It seems as though the majority of people are against Suzuki’s style and agree that the video is controversial, and they believe that Fujifilm should never have associated themselves with him. Fujirumors and PetaPixel even conducted polls that confirm it. Now Suzuki is no longer a Fuji X Ambassador, either because Fujifilm dropped him or he dropped them. I’m going to go against popular opinion and defend Tatsuo Suzuki. The reaction to the Fujifilm video has been a huge overreaction.

As best as I can gather, what Suzuki did in the video that sparked all the outrage is demonstrate his “aggressive” style of shooting. He’s very much “in your face” as he walks the streets of Tokyo with his camera. It comes across as rude, as he invades people’s personal bubbles. My opinion is that he does this because, in Japan, people are extremely guarded, and the photographs that he captures, which are very good, would be impossible with any other technique. It’s the technique that he chooses to use in order to fulfill his photographic vision. It’s abrasive, yes, but also effective.

Suzuki is not the first to use this aggressive technique nor is he the most extreme with it. Bruce Gilden, Garry Winogrand and Eric Kim come to mind, and I’m sure there are many others. These are all successful and celebrated, albeit controversial, photographers, including Suzuki. They are far from the only controversial photographers out there. Even the legendary Steve McCurry has been called controversial at times. My point is this: just because you disagree with something doesn’t make it wrong.

Man In Red – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

Was Suzuki doing anything illegal? No. In Japan, and many parts of the world, this type of photography is legal. Was he acting different than you or most people might act in public? Yes. Just because you don’t go around taking unsolicited closeup pictures of strangers doesn’t mean that it’s wrong to do so. Is it strange? Yes. Wrong? Not necessarily.

There’s a trend right now to shut down debate when faced with a differing opinion. If there’s something that you disagree with, it’s become common to attack the person whom one disagrees with. It used to be that people could “agree to disagree” and still be kind and caring and remain friends. Nowadays, if someone says or does something that you disagree with, you might attack their character and call them all sorts of names, demanding that they be stripped of their dignity until they change their ways. That’s exactly what I’ve seen in this debate. It’s really nasty and harmful. Those who go to war with their words against someone who did or said something that they disagree with, those people are the ones that stop dialogue, who encourage hate, and stifle civility. It’s good to say, “I don’t appreciate the way he conducts himself.” It’s not alright to call him all sorts of mean names and tear apart his character bit by bit.

I don’t know Tatsuo Suzuki personally. For all I know he’s the nicest guy in the world. Perhaps he helps little old ladies cross the street and rescues cats from trees and does all sorts of good deeds. Maybe he’s the “jerk” that people have been calling him, but maybe that couldn’t be further from the truth. You don’t know. I don’t know. Why assume the worst in him when you don’t know him? We’d all be better off if we assumed the best in others.

Ghosts of the Past – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm XF10

When I do street photography, I like to be the guy that nobody notices who stealthily gets the shot without being seen. One of the big reasons why I do this is fear, but I tell myself that it’s also out of respect for those I might be photographing. Is that really the best approach? I noticed that a lot of people called Suzuki a “creep” because of how he conducts himself when he photographs. But what is creepier: the guy in the shadows hiding and lurking or the guy who makes it completely obvious to everyone around him exactly what he’s doing? While it’s much more shocking to see Suzuki at work, I wonder how shocked people would be to find out someone has been secretly photographing them without them noticing? While ignorance is bliss, I do think being open and honest is better than being secretive and sneaky. Most people don’t have the guts to be open and honest in candid street photography, so they hide.

You might be saying to all of this, “So what?” There’s something that happened to me a number of years ago. Somebody that I don’t know wrote a college paper on the evils of Photoshop. They argued that manipulating photographs of woman was causing a self-esteem crisis among young girls. I had written an article (for a different photography blog) defending Steve McCurry’s use of Photoshop. Remember when that was a big deal? Anyway, whoever this person was that wrote the paper quoted (really, misquoted) me in it, taking my words out of context, and made it seem as though I wanted young girls to have self-esteem problems. It was completely absurd! The university published this paper on their website. Someone that didn’t know me assumed the worst in me based on a quote that they didn’t understand, and unfairly attacked my character. That was completely wrong of them to do it! The lesson here is that we have to be very cautious not to do the same to others that this person did to me. Thankfully, I don’t think anybody cared what the paper said and nothing negative came out of it. In the case of Suzuki, someone did care what was said and something negative did come out of it.

Fujifilm knew who Tatsuo Suzuki was when they invited him to be an ambassador. They knew who he was when they made the promotional video for their product. They should have stood by him and defended him. If they lost a few customers over it, that’s alright because they knew who he was and despite that (because of that?) decided to partner with him. It seems pretty crummy to toss him aside just because some people complained. It also seems crummy that people don’t care to understand Suzuki’s point of view, and prefer the easy route of character assassination instead. I think that the best advice moving forward is to take a deep breath and examine ourselves first before biting someone’s head off. We have two ears and one mouth, so we should be quick to listen and slow to speak. Or, in this case, slow to type.

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm X100V

Fujifilm just announced the much anticipated X100V, which replaces the much loved X100F. The X100 series hasn’t changed much externally since it began. This is one of the most beautifully designed cameras in the digital era, so why change it? There’s no reason, so Fujifilm doesn’t. The X100V looks nearly identical to the original X100. What’s different is internal.

Fujifilm redesigned the lens. It looks the same and has the same specs, but with improved sharpness, particularly corner sharpness wide-open. The rear screen now tilts and is a touch-screen. Unfortunately, and this is perhaps the biggest external change, the D-Pad is now gone, but this isn’t a huge deal, as you get used to the touch controls pretty quickly. The viewfinder has been given a small upgrade. The X100V is weather-resistant, which is not the same as weather-sealed; it’s designed to handle the elements a little better than previous versions.

The biggest upgrade for this camera is the X-Trans IV sensor and processor. This is the same sensor and processor found in the X-T3, X-T30 and X-Pro3, yet the X100V has the new features found in the X-Pro3 that aren’t (yet) found in the X-T3 and X-T30, including the Classic Negative film simulation. The X100V is faster, more feature-rich, and has better video capabilities than the X100F.

Fujifilm X100V

Is the X100V a camera that you should buy? Whenever a new camera is released, it’s easy to want it. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype. It’s easy to have camera envy. The X100V will be a fantastic camera, no doubt about it! The X100 series cameras are easy to love. But should you really drop everything and order your copy today?

My opinion is this: if you already own the X100F, keep it! The upgrade isn’t significant enough to justify buying the new model. The X100F and the X100V are very similar to each other. If you wear out your X100F, then buy the new model, but if it still works just fine, don’t change cameras. If you have an older model, such as the original X100, X100S or X100T and are considering upgrading, I say sure, why not? But if those cameras still work and bring you joy, why rush to get the new model? If you are trying to decide between the X100F and X100V and money is no issue, go with the X100V, which is a little better than its predecessor. But if you are like most people and have a tight budget, the X100F is nearly as good and can be found for a little cheaper.

The X100V will be released on February 27 with an MSRP of $1,400.

This post contains affiliate links. I will be compensated a small amount if you make a purchase after clicking my links.

Fujifilm X100V black: B&H Amazon
Fujifilm X100V silver: B&H Amazon
Fujifilm X100F black: B&H Amazon
Fujifilm X100F silver: B&H Amazon

An interesting side note: I predicted that this version of the X100 would be called the X100V way back in September of 2017. The “S” in X100S stands for second, the “T” in X100T stands for third, and the “F” in X100F stands for fourth, so nobody really knew what the next one would be called. Some predicted X200, or X110, or X110F, or X100N (“N” for new or next), or X100A (because A is the first letter of the alphabet), or X100Z (because Z is the last letter of the aphabet). I took a guess at “V” because it’s the Roman numeral for five, and this is the fifth iteration of the X100. I have no idea what the next one after the X100V might be called. Any guesses?

3 New Cameras Confirmed

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm Film Simulation Blog

In my last post I mentioned the rumor that Fujifilm will be releasing three new cameras this spring. The details were pretty limited at that time, but a lot more information has come out since then (thank you, Fujirumors), so I wanted to pass along a quick update to those who are interested.

One of the three cameras will be the X-T4, which will be the successor for both the X-T3 and X-H1. It will be nearly identical to the X-T3, but with a slightly larger body, and will feature in-body-image-stabilization (IBIS) and 6K video capabilities. I’m not sure if it will use the X-Trans IV sensor and X-Processor 4, or if X-Trans V is right around the corner. Clearly, it’s a merger of the X-T and X-H lines, and will be Fujifilm’s flagship APS-C camera. I’m sure it will be priced higher than the X-T3.

Another camera will be the X100V, which will indeed have a redesigned lens. The X100 series has had the same lens from the beginning, so this will be the first with different optics. What will be different about it is unknown. Details are pretty vague right now, but I’m sure in the coming weeks we’ll know much more.

The third camera will be the X-T200, the successor to the X-T100. It sounds like it will be essentially the same camera as the X-A7, but in the shape of the X-T100. In other words, the rear screen, auto-focus and video capabilities will be much improved, and everything else will be pretty much the same.

And, apparently, there will be no new GFX camera in 2020, but sometime in 2021 instead. They are working on one, that’s already been determined, but I guess aren’t ready to release it for awhile. That concludes your gear update for today.

3 New Fujifilm Cameras Coming Soon!

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm X100F Blog

There’s some exciting news that I want to pass along to you. I don’t want Fuji X Weekly to be completely centered on gear, but I also want to keep you in the know, and so I try to keep things balanced. Anyway, according to Fujirumors.com, there are three new Fujifilm cameras coming this spring. One is the X100V, which will replace the excellent X100F. Another, which might be called X-T3s or X-T5 (in Japan, the number four is bad luck), will replace the not-very-old X-T3. The third is a mystery, but I’m betting that it’s a medium-format GFX camera. Let’s briefly talk about each.

The X100V has been whispered and rumored across the internet for many months. There’s no surprise that it’s coming soon. What we don’t know is how much different it will be from the X100F. It will certainly have the 26-megapixel X-Trans IV sensor and processor, and probably all of the new JPEG tools of the X-Pro3, but beyond that nobody knows. There’s been speculation for some time that Fujifilm redesigned the lens, but I don’t know if that’s true or not. It could be a mild update to the X100F, which makes sense, because if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Or it could be a moderate overhaul, similar to what Fujifilm did with the X-Pro3. We will know soon enough.

It’s very surprising to me that Fujifilm will be announcing a replacement to the X-T3 so soon. Why? Because the X-T3 will only be one-and-a-half years old when its successor is released. Digital technology advances quickly, but I’m not sure there’s enough to justify a whole new camera in that short amount of time. Is there a new sensor coming? New processor? If not, a simple firmware update would breathe a second wind into what’s already a successful camera model. If there’s nothing big to separate the upcoming model from the current one, I don’t think it will be a huge success because there’s no incentive to buy the new camera. Why pay more for something that’s essentially exactly the same? It will be interesting to see what Fujifilm has up its sleeve on this one.

The third camera is an unknown model, but fuzzy pictures have leaked out of Japan of a new GFX body. It could be a non-IBIS 100-megapixel camera. It could be a 50-megapixel body with IBIS. It could be the first GFX with an X-Trans sensor. Fujifilm has done well in the medium-format market, quickly setting themselves up as the leader, so it would be unsurprising if they added another camera to the GFX lineup.

What other cameras should Fujifilm release in 2020? I’d like to see an X70 but with an X-Trans IV sensor. How about an X-H2? While it was well-received by users, I don’t believe the X-H1 was especially commercially successful, but Fujifilm should have at least one APS-C camera with IBIS for those who want it, so an X-H2 makes sense. That is, unless the X-T3 successor has IBIS. The X-E line is due for an update. Keep the body the same, but put the X-Trans IV sensor inside, and you have an X-E5. Simple enough, right? It will be exciting to see whatever is forthcoming from Fujifilm, and I will do my best on the Fuji X Weekly blog to keep you updated, but hopefully without overwhelming you with gear posts.