Fujifilm | FUJI X WEEKLY

My Panasonic L10 Thoughts

A few people have asked for my opinion on the newly announced Panasonic L10 compact zoom. The news came while I was traveling, so I didn’t pay any attention to it. After learning more about the camera, I really don’t have any strong opinions. But, since some of you asked, I will share my thoughts, which probably aren’t worth a whole lot, maybe not even two pennies.

The first thing I noticed is that a lot of reviewers are comparing it to the Fujifilm X100VI. For example, Amateur Photographer says, “A new contender to dethrone the Fujifilm X100VI.” Another website states, “Move over Fujifilm X100VI.” I don’t know if there is a single review that doesn’t make at least a passing comparison, while some seem to make it the thesis of their article. But the Fujifilm X100VI is not a very close competitor; if there is an X-series model that would most closely align with the L10, it’s the long-discontinued Fujifilm X30. Should Fujifilm decide to revive that camera line, that would be a direct competitor to the Panasonic. The X100VI is not in the same class, nor is it a similar ethos, so it’s very much apples-to-oranges.

If you look from a distance and squint your eyes, the L10 has a vague design resemblance to the X100VI. I don’t mean this as an insult—it’s stated with humor [insert laughing emojis here]—but it looks like a Temu X100-series knockoff. I’m sure in-person, the L10 has a refined quality and feels good to hold. I’m making no commentary on the build quality, only that nobody will confuse the two cameras just by looking at them; however, they do have some rangefinder-style similarities, but the Panasonic is a PASM camera, while the Fujifilm has traditional tactile dials. The two cameras also have very similar size and weight specs, which means the L10 is surprisingly bulky for a fixed-lens M43 camera. The X100VI is only $100 more.

From there, the similarities end. If you want a fixed-lens compact zoom, Fujifilm doesn’t offer that right now. If you prefer traditional tactile controls, Panasonic doesn’t offer that currently. The comparisons between the L10 and the X100VI make very little sense, so I’m not sure why it’s so pervasive. I find it difficult to believe that there is anyone carefully considering buying one of these two cameras, and having trouble deciding. The differences are so significant, the answer should be immediately obvious, whichever way it goes.

None of this is intended to be negative towards the Panasonic L10, it’s more about the reviewers. I’m sure the L10 is an excellent camera that makes wonderful pictures and is fun to use, and everyone who buys one will be happy with their purchase. I’m not interested in it personally, but we’re all different people with divergent likes and needs. The L10 and X100VI can happily coexist in the camera market; the L10 will likely sell a whole lot of copies, and the X100VI will continue to sell a whole lot of copies. In both cases, they will sell as many as they make with no problems. I’m sure in a couple of years Leica will announce the Panasonic L10 under their own brand name for a bunch more money, and people will buy it up.

From a marketing point-of-view, the name “L10” isn’t very catchy. It reminds me of the old Lockheed L-1011. Or maybe it’s supposed to conjure “Elton” as in Elton John (maybe they should make an Elton John limited-edition model?). The camera won’t have any trouble selling, so I’m sure none of this matters even a little, but this isn’t the first time I’ve questioned name choices by Panasonic’s marketing department. Probably the best example of market-naming was the X-E1, which sounds a little like “sexy one”. Anyway, those are my thoughts. If the Panasonic Elton sounds intriguing to you, consider purchasing it; if not, don’t. If Fujifilm made an X30 successor, I would buy it, and I don’t think they’d have any trouble selling it if they did. Hopefully they will.

Copenhagen Negative — A Fujifilm Recipe for Fifth-Generation Cameras

Posted on 1 Day Ago by Ritchie Roesch

*Baltic View* – Greve, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5 – Copenhagen Negative

A few months back, Fujifilm invited me to Fujikina Copenhagen. They wanted me to lead a couple of photowalks, give a brief presentation on Film Simulations and Fujifilm Recipes, and to display six of my photos on a wall at the event. They also asked if I could create a brand-new Recipe made for Copenhagen, which would be revealed at Fujikina. Of course I said yes! It was an incredible honor to be at Fujikina. It was a great experience, and I loved meeting a number of you in-person. I just got back home, and I wanted to get this Recipe published right away.

After some research and experiments, I narrowed it down to three options: one that was especially vibrant, one that matched some film scans someone made in Denmark, and one that was a variant of the middle option. I tested and refined each of them, and tested and refined some more. Then I put all three to a larger test. After reviewing the results, I knew right away the winner, which is this Recipe (the third option). I named it Copenhagen Negative in honor of the city that it is intended for. This Recipe has become one of my favorites, and I know that many of you will love it, too.

*Docked Boats* – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100RF – Copenhagen Negative

The two Fujifilm Recipes that Copenhagen Negative beat out have already been published. The vibrant one is called Vivid Chrome, and the middle option is called Avalon Ace. I really like those Recipes, too, and used both of them in Copenhagen. They would have been good choices for this project, but Copenhagen Negative edged them out, so it has the honor of being the only Recipe to ever be unveiled at a Fujikina event. Those who attended Fujikina Copenhagen have already had access to this Recipe for over a week.

Copenhagen Negative is great for sunny daylight, cloudy days, fog, natural light indoors, and golden hour. It’s not a good option for artificial light, though, so I would avoid it for nighttime photography. It works well for landscapes, urban scenes, street photography, still-life, portraits, and I’m sure many other genres. I have enjoyed using this Recipe over the last couple of months—in fact, even though I included a ton of sample pictures in this article, I left a whole bunch out that I would have liked to include, just because there were way too many pictures.

*Graffiti Wall* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5 – Copenhagen Negative

This Copenhagen Negative Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation X-series cameras, which are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. It works well on the latest GFX cameras, like the GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF. You can use it on “newer” fourth-generation cameras like the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II; however, it will render slightly different (don’t be afraid to try it, though). This Recipe works great with a little underexposure. Keep an eye out on the highlights, being careful not to blow them out.

Film Simulation: Classic Negative
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong
White Balance: 5700K, +1 Red & +1 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +2.5
Shadow: -2
Color: +4
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to -2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Copenhagen Negative Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E5, GFX100RF, and GFX100S II:

*Red Boat at Nyhavn* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Tour Boat* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Strolling Nyhavn* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Nyhavn* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Yellow Tricycle* – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II

*Houses on a Hill* – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II

*House on a Foggy Hill* – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II

*Light Pouring through Lifting Fog* – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm X-E5

*Fogbow* – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Shoreboats* – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm X-E5

*Waterfront* – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Seaweed* – Greve, Copenhagen – Fujifilm X-E5

*Path in the Grass* – Greve, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Spiral Stairs* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Light Pouring Over Graffiti* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Smoker* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Nicklas* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*QuickSnap Panorama* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Serving Chicken* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Bicycles* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Vibe* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Fujikina Posters* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Doorway & Windows* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Window Seats* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Window Shopping* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Studio Space* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Red Windows Behind Fence* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Yellow Bike* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Kiosk* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Round Tower Replica* – Solvang, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II

*Rooflines* – Solvang, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II

*Rooftop Sunset* – Solvang, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II

*Hamlet Square* – Solvang, CA – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Spring Flower Garden* – Solvang, CA – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Red Blossoming Flower* – Avalon, CA – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Field of Blossomed Flowers* – Buellton, CA – Fujifilm GFX100S II

*Tree & Golden Light* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Sunstar Over Urban Tree* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Sunlight Through the Ceiling* – Greve, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*White Bicycle* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Boyz B2 Bike* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Spray Painted Van* – Denmark, Copenhagen – Fujifilm X-E5

*Redeye* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm X-E5

*Bike Path* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Gasoline Grill* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF

*Canal at Sunset* – Copenhagen, Denmark – Fujifilm GFX100RF

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and over 400 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Capture One & Fujifilm Recipes

Posted on 7 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

*Fujifilm X-E5 and Fujinon 33mm f/1.4 plus Copenhagen Negative Recipe*

Fujikina Copenhagen was incredible! It was such an honor to have been invited. I had many wonderful discussions, and learned a lot. I’m still in Denmark, and I wasn’t intending to write about any of it until after I returned. I’ve shared a little on Instagram, so be sure to follow me if you don’t already. I have a ton to talk about, so this is just the start. You can expect a lot more over the next couple of weeks, including the new Copenhagen Negative Recipe, which I unveiled at the event—those who attended Fujikina Copenhagen have already seen the new Recipe, and maybe have already used it. You can expect it on this website and in the Fuji X Weekly App next week.

One of the sponsors of Fujikina was Capture One, the photo editing software company. Probably many of you have Capture One on your computer right now. I do. I rarely use it personally, but Amanda uses it regularly. One cool thing they offered was negative film scanning using a GFX100 II tethered to their software. There were a lot of Capture One employees (and even former employees) and representatives of their brand at the event, and I got to talk with many of them. I learned things that surprised me, and something that some of you might appreciate, which we’ll get to in just a moment.

*Captured with a Fujifilm QuickSnap camera, scanned by Capture One*

Whenever a new camera is released, Capture One has to extensively test it out. Any and every camera that is supported by the software has been put through the paces before they add it as compatible with the software. Even if it has the same sensor and processor as another model, it still has to be tested. The folks at Capture One have used a heck-of-a-lot of cameras! Whenever they’re not at work and are doing their own personal photography, the brand of choice for many of them is Fujifilm.

Not only do many use Fujifilm cameras, but also Fujifilm Recipes. I would have expected the folks behind Capture One to be strictly RAW-only photographers, but they’re not. Many of them have the Fuji X Weekly App on their phones. One told me, “I went out photographing, and the light wasn’t great. When I got back, I really didn’t want to edit them. I shot RAW+JPEG with one of your Recipes, and when I reviewed the pictures, the JPEGs were perfect just as they were.” Another told me that they also shoot RAW+JPEG, and sometimes they edit the RAW, sometimes they edit the JPEG, and sometimes they just use the JPEG unedited.

*Fujifilm X-E5 and Fujinon 23mm f/2.8 plus Copenhagen Negative Recipe*

There’s no right or wrong way to do photography, and there’s no right or wrong way to use Recipes. For example, I know a couple photographers (not associated with Capture One) who are strict RAW-only types, but they found a Recipe that is similar to their style, so it helps them to better pre-visualize the finished photograph while in the field, and since the RAW software applies some of the JPEG settings, it speeds up their workflow. Some edit the RAWs for certain pictures and use the camera-made JPEGs for others. Amanda sometimes edits her JPEGs, while I’m more strictly unedited myself. It’s about finding what works best for you and your photography, whatever that is.

Over the years I’ve been asked many times to create LUTs or Lightroom presets out of my Film Simulation Recipes, and I even once collaborated with one of the foremost experts on RAW software in an effort to make that happen; however, for several reasons it did’t work out. One of the Capture One employees shared with me what he does, and I think some of you will find this fascinating. He shoots RAW+JPEG with Recipes, and if he wants to edit the RAW but keep the look of the JPEG, he simply uses the Match Look tool in Capture One. It isn’t 100% perfectly the same, but it gets you much closer to the JPEG aesthetic, yet with the flexibility of the RAW to adjust highlights and shadows and such. It is apparently more accurate when you Match Look the JPEG to the RAW of the same image, rather than some other exposure captured of a different scene with a different light, but even that works to a degree.

The people at Capture One are really great. It was wonderful to meet them and talk with them, and I hope it’s not the last time. If you edit RAW images, Capture One is probably the best software available for Fujifilm cameras. Whether you are RAW-only, JPEG-only, or anywhere in-between (or something else entirely), we’re all photographers just trying to express ourselves and create something meaningful through our images. The way we get there matters much less than the destination itself, which is our photographs.

Correcting My Mistakes

Posted on 12 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

Let me apologize right off the start here. I made two significant mistakes when I published the eight Video Recipes last Saturday. Someone pointed it out to me this morning, and I fixed it right away. Somehow, other than the Film Simulation, I had mixed up the Chrome Color and Reala Color Recipe parameters. In other words, the Chrome Color Recipe had the Reala Color parameters (other than the Film Sim), and the Reala Color Recipe had the Chrome Color parameters (other than the Film Sim). This was just on the website, it has always been correct in the Fuji X Weekly App. I’m really sorry for this mistake, and I really hope it didn’t cause too much trouble. I checked the other six Recipes, and they are all correct.

When I published the Video Recipes, that was wild. It required eight articles for the Recipes themselves, plus an article to announce it all, plus two posts for the two Early-Access Recipes that were replaced and become public (Kodak Emulsion and Summer of ’59), plus a new landing page for the Video Recipes. Altogether I published 12 things, which was by far the most for any one day. In the last nearly 10 years that I’ve been running Fuji X Weekly, I’ve not come anywhere close to that. I’m not sure what the previous record was, but it was not more than five or six. That’s why I had apologized in advance for inundating you with content.

I’m truly sorry for the mistakes that I made. I wish that I had triple-checked everything before going live, and not just double-checked, because I would likely have discovered it. It was all a bit overwhelming. I don’t plan to publish so much at once ever again, because that was really crazy. It’s all been fixed now. Please accept my apology.

I have seen some of you post clips on Instagram using the new Video Recipes. That’s awesome! I have enjoyed seeing those, and can’t wait to see what else you create with these Recipes.

Introducing Video Recipes for Fujifilm Cameras!

Posted on 17 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

I’m thrilled to finally release an exciting project that has been in the works for over a year: Video Recipes for Fujifilm cameras! This has taken tremendous effort to complete. Even though there are significantly fewer settings available for video than for stills, I found that creating Recipes for video to be much more difficult. A lot of care went into them. I’m extremely happy to share these new Recipes with you today.

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be 100% exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

I just published eight brand-new video Recipes. All of them are compatible with fifth-generation cameras (Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III), while some can also be used with fourth-generation models. Additionally, these Recipes are compatible with newer GFX cameras, like the GFX100 II, GFX100S II, GFX100RF, and Eterna 55. If you are a video content creator who wants to take advantage of Fujifilm’s excellent colors and spend less time—or even eliminate—color grading, these Video Recipes are for you!

All of the footage in the sample videos are straight-out-of-camera, completely unedited other than length (and sometimes cropped and/or stabilized). The clips were not color graded or manipulated. If you were to use these Recipes for your cinematography, you can expect the same type of results. What you see is what you’ll get.

This Video Recipe project was a team effort. I developed the Recipes myself with input and feedback from my lovely wife, Amanda. The footage in the sample videos were made by several creators, who I’ll introduce in just a moment. Amanda edited all of clips into YouTube videos. The Fuji X Weekly App had to be modified, made possible by the talents of my app developer, Sahand Nayebaziz.

Now, let’s take a look at the six Video Recipes!

Chrome Color

The Chrome Color Video Recipe is warm and subtly colorful, with a strong Kodak-like aesthetic. It’s great for a summertime vibe. While it’s especially good for sunny daylight situations, it’s also quite versatile, and can be used anytime of the day or night.

Reala Color

The Reala Color Video Recipe is warm, light, and vibrant—yet somehow true-to-life—with an analog feel. It’s quite versatile, and can be used anytime of the day or night.

Nostalgic Color

The Nostalgic Color Video Recipe is soft, warm, and slightly muted—an aesthetic that feels like a memory. This Recipe evokes nostalgia, and is quite versatile.

Natural Negative

The Natural Negative Video Recipe is soft, light, and warm, yet true-to-life. It has a strong cinematic feel. This Recipe is extremely versatile, great for day or night or any other light situation.

Retro Fujicolor

The Retro Fujicolor Video Recipe is muted and contrasty, with a vintage Fujicolor look reminiscent of the ’80’s and ’90’s. The Recipe is highly versatile, and can be used anytime of the day or night.

Vivid Fujichrome

The Vivid Fujichrome Video Recipe is vibrant and leans warm; slightly contrasty with deep blacks. This is a bold Recipe for colorful subjects, and has a distinctive Velvia quality. It’s specifically intended for sunny daylight, but it can sometimes produce good results in other light situations. It’s especially great for sunset and blue hour.

Retro Cinematic

The Retro Cinematic Video Recipe emphasizes both warm and cool tones. In the right light, it almost has a split-tone effect. Depending on the situation, it can appear to have a warm cast or a cool cast. While this Recipe is intended for use in sunny daylight, it’s great for showcasing the blues of twilight and for emphasizing the warmth of artificial light.

Vision Daylight

The Vision Daylight Video Recipe is warm, somewhat contrasty (yet with great tonality), and subtly colorful—very summer-like—with a cinematic feel. It has a strong Kodak-esque motion picture aesthetic. This Recipe is specifically intended for sunny daylight situations, but can be interesting in other light, too.

Now let’s meet the cinematographers! I want to give a big shoutout and thank you to them, as they each played an important role in this project. Also, I want to give a special acknowledgement to my wife, Amanda, who produced the sample videos above, and was instrumental in this whole project—without her, none of this would have happened.

Kyler Steele

A New York City-based travel photographer and videographer, Kyler’s content evokes a feeling of nostalgia through his use of color and composition. He has collaborated with Hasselblad, Leica, and Fujifilm. His reviews, guides, newsletter, and educational content are popular on Instagram and YouTube.

Austin, also known as AV and AVdidit, is a New York City-based landscape and travel photographer and videographer who aims to capture the emotion or atmosphere of a scene rather than strict realism. He has worked with B&H, Fujifilm, OM Systems, Cruise America, and more. You can find him on Instagram and YouTube.

Dave Geffin

A New York City-based photographer and cinematographer, Dave has worked with Fujifilm, Adidas, Amazon, Phase One, Elle, Harpers Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and many, many more. Dave has extensive experience with fashion, commercial, and editorial clients around the world.

B.Monét

B.Monét is an award-winning writer and director, who’s various short films have screened in dozens of film festivals and streamed on BET, Hulu, and Max. She has worked with Levi’s, Estée Lauder, Disney, Uber, and more.

Sahand Nayebaziz

Sahand is a Los Angeles-based portrait photographer and filmmaker since 2011. He’s also an app developer, and a vital part of the Fuji X Weekly team for over six years.

Jeffrey Sun

Jeffrey is an up-and-coming New York City-based photographer, content creator, and YouTuber who specializes in street and travel images. He has worked with various musicians, events, and brands, including Fujifilm.

Chrome Color — A Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Posted on 17 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

Even though there are significantly fewer settings available for video than for stills, I found that creating Recipes for video to be much more difficult. I began this project over a year ago, and only now am I publishing the results. It’s been a lot of fun, but also very challenging. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Chrome Color Recipe looks like. I would describe it as warm and subtly colorful, with a strong Kodak-like aesthetic. It’s great for a summertime vibe. While it’s especially good for sunny daylight situations, it’s also quite versatile, and can be used anytime of the day or night.

Chrome Color is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Chrome Color Recipe is compatible with some fourth-generation Fujifilm cameras—X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II—as well as all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

***Update: The Chrome Color Recipe was initially published on this website with incorrect parameters (however, it was correct in the Fuji X Weekly App). It has now been fixed below. I apologize for this mistake.***

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -4 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: 0
Shadow: -1.5
Color: +3
Sharpness: 0
High ISO NR: -4
Interframe NR: Auto
ISO: up to ISO 6400

The stills below are from the video above. The video footage was captured using a Fujifilm X-H2s, X-S20, and GFX100 II. No color grading, just straight-out-of-camera clips. Footage by AV, Sahand Nayebaziz, and Jeffrey Sun.

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and hundreds more in the Fuji X Weekly App. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Reala Color — A Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Posted on 17 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

Even though there are significantly fewer settings available for video than for stills, I found that creating Recipes for video to be much more difficult. I began this project over a year ago, and only now am I publishing the results. It’s been a lot of fun, but also very challenging. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Reala Color Recipe looks like. I would describe it as warm, light, and vibrant—yet somehow true-to-life—with an analog feel. It’s quite versatile, and can be used anytime of the day or night.

Reala Color is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Reala Color Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

Film Simulation: Reala Ace
White Balance: Auto, 0 Red & -3 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +1
Shadow: -1
Color: +3
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Interframe NR: Auto
ISO: up to ISO 6400

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and hundreds more in the Fuji X Weekly App. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Nostalgic Color — A Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Posted on 17 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

This is the Recipe that began the whole Video Recipe project. Early last year, my family and I participated in a 72-hour short film challenge. We had three days to write, record, edit, and submit a five minute short film. The overall theme (heroic), some dialog that must be included (“This better be useful”), and a prop that must be used (a sticky note) were not given until the very start of the 72 hours, so we couldn’t preplan much. The short film was a team effort—probably my biggest contribution was the Video Recipe. Prior to this, we primary used Reggie’s Portra for videography (ignoring the settings unavailable in Move Mode), but we wanted a softer, warmer, more muted aesthetic for this movie (something that seemed more like a memory), to better convey the intended feelings. There were nine contest entries, all of which were played in a local movie theater. To our surprise, we won Best Film (and several other trophies). If you are interested, it’s called Will You Play With Me? (click here to watch). Amanda recorded most of the clips, and all of it was filmed on an X-T5 using this Nostalgic Color Recipe.

From there, I was inspired to create even more Video Recipes for Fujifilm cameras. Nostalgic Color was the first, so it has a special place in my heart. It’s quite versatile. The aesthetic of this Recipe evokes nostalgia. I can imagine a full-length documentary filmed with this someday—in fact, the inspiration for this Recipe came from some shots in the documentary American Symphony. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Nostalgic Color Recipe looks like.

Nostalgic Color is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Nostalgic Color Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg.
White Balance: Auto Ambiance Priority, +3 Red & -3 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: 0
Shadow: -1
Color: -2
Sharpness: 0
High ISO NR: -4
Interframe NR: Auto
ISO: up to ISO 6400

The stills below are from the video above. The video footage was captured using a Fujifilm X-H2s and X-S20. No color grading, just straight-out-of-camera clips. Footage by AV, Dave Geffin, B.Monét, and Jeffrey Sun.

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Natural Negative — A Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Posted on 17 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

Even though there are significantly fewer settings available for video than for stills, I found that creating Recipes for video to be much more difficult. I began this project over a year ago, and only now am I publishing the results. It’s been a lot of fun, but also very challenging. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Natural Negative Recipe looks like. I would describe it as soft, light, and warm, yet true-to-life. It has a strong cinematic feel. This Recipe is extremely versatile, great for day or night or any other light situation.

Natural Negative is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Natural Negative Recipe is compatible with some fourth-generation Fujifilm cameras—X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II, as well as all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

Film Simulation: Eterna
White Balance: Auto White Priority, +2 Red & -4 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: 0
Shadow: +1
Color: +2
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Interframe NR: Auto
ISO: up to ISO 12800

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and hundreds more in the Fuji X Weekly App. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Retro Fujicolor — A Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Posted on 17 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

The Retro Fujicolor Video Recipe is my personal favorite for videography. My wife, Amanda, used this Recipe for two Fuji X Weekly YouTube videos last year: Fujifilm X-E5 + 11 Recipes — Roadtrip to the Oldest Building in Arizona and California Coast in Infrared — Fujifilm X-T4 ES & Aerochrome v2 Recipe. It was inspired by old television shows and commercials filmed on Fujifilm’s AX, A, and F motion picture films in the ’80’s and ’90’s. It has a muted and contrasty vintage Fujicolor look. I especially love how greens and blues are rendered. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Retro Fujicolor Recipe looks like.

Retro Fujicolor is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Retro Fujicolor Recipe is compatible with some fourth-generation Fujifilm cameras—X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II, as well as all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

Film Simulation: Classic Negative
White Balance: Auto White Priority, -1 Red & -3 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1.5
Shadow: -1.5
Color: -1
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Interframe NR: Auto
ISO: up to ISO 6400

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

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Vision Daylight — A FXW App Patron Early-Access Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Posted on 17 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

Even though there are significantly fewer settings available for video than for stills, I found that creating Recipes for video to be much more difficult. I began this project over a year ago, and only now am I publishing the results. It’s been a lot of fun, but also very challenging. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Vision Daylight Recipe looks like. I would describe it as warm (with a hint of green), somewhat contrasty (yet with great tonality), and subtly colorful—very summer-like—with a cinematic feel. It has a strong Kodak-esque motion picture aesthetic. This Recipe is specifically intended for sunny daylight situations, but can be interesting in other light, too.

The Vision Daylight Video Recipe is a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, which means that it is currently only available to App Patrons; however, in time it will be available to everyone. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron subscriber, it’s available to you right now. This is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Vision Daylight Recipe is compatible with some fourth-generation Fujifilm cameras—X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II—as well as all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and hundreds more in the Fuji X Weekly App. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Retro Cinematic — A FXW App Patron Early-Access Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Posted on 17 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

What I love about the Retro Cinematic Video Recipe is that it emphasizes both warm and cool tones. In the right light, it almost has a split-tone effect. Depending on the situation, it can appear to have a warm cast or a cool cast. While this Recipe is intended for use in sunny daylight, it can also be great for showcasing the blues of twilight and for emphasizing the warmth of artificial light. The Retro Cinematic Video Recipe is a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, which means that it is currently only available to App Patrons; however, in time it will be available to everyone. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron subscriber, it’s available to you right now. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Retro Cinematic Recipe looks like.

Retro Cinematic is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Retro Cinematic Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with newer GFX cameras, too.

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Vivid Fujichrome — A Video Recipe for Fujifilm Cameras

Posted on 17 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

Any Fujifilm Recipe can be used for video, but there are some caveats. First, not all of the options that are available for still photography are available for video (and, to a much lesser degree, vice versa). Also, the various Film Simulations look very subtly divergent for video than stills, simply because the pipeline is different for color sampling, curves, sharpening, and noise reduction—the output is nearly the same, but there are some small inherent variations, with some Film Simulations affected more than others. All of this is to say that Recipes intended for still photography will work for cinematography if you ignore the settings that aren’t available in movie mode, but the outcome will not be exactly the same. Aside from that, what works well for still photography does not always work well for video (and vice versa)—that’s why film manufacturers have some emulsions specifically for photographs and some specifically for motion pictures. With that in mind, I decided to create Fujifilm Recipes that are specifically designed for cinematography.

Even though there are significantly fewer settings available for video than for stills, I found that creating Recipes for video to be much more difficult. I began this project over a year ago, and only now am I publishing the results. It’s been a lot of fun, but also very challenging. The YouTube video that I’ve embedded below is a good sampling of what the Vivid Fujichrome Recipe looks like. I would describe it as vibrant and leaning warm; slightly contrasty with deep blacks. This is a bold Recipe for colorful subjects, and has a distinctive Velvia quality. It’s specifically intended for sunny daylight, but it can sometimes produce good results in other light situations. It’s especially great for sunset and blue hour.

Vivid Fujichrome is a video Recipe, and is not intended for still photography; however, you can use it for stills by choosing a Grain size (either Off or Weak/Small), setting Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and set Clarity to 0. I did not include a “typical exposure compensation” because you’ll want to carefully consider the exposure for each individual scene, and whether it should be brighter or darker will depend on the exact light situation and desired mood. This Vivid Fujichrome Recipe is compatible with most fourth-generation Fujifilm cameras—X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II—as well as all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. You can also use this with many GFX cameras, too.

Film Simulation: Velvia
White Balance: 5000K, +2 Red & 0 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: -1
Shadow: -2
Color: +2
Sharpness: 0
High ISO NR: -4
Interframe NR: Auto
ISO: up to ISO 6400

Click here to find more Video Recipes!

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Summer of ’59 — A Fujifilm Recipe for Fifth-Generation Cameras

Posted on 17 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

*Stop Time* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of ’59

This Fujifilm Recipe began as an attempt to recreate the aesthetic of some of Saul Leiter’s color photographs from the 1950’s and early-1960’s, particularly images like Paris 1959, Foot on El 1954, Bus 1954, San Carlo Restaurant 1952, Taxi 1957, Near the Tanager 1954, Phone Call 1957, and Pipes 1960—among others—with the greatest emphasis on Paris 1959. While I don’t think it’s possible to faithfully reproduce that look exactly on Fujifilm cameras, this Summer of ’59 Recipe is definitely at times pretty darn close. Also, some of Saul’s other photographs from that same era had a divergent aesthetic, and this Recipe isn’t good for replicating those.

During this time, Saul Leiter was using the first era of Kodachrome film. Something interesting that I learned while researching this is that Saul preferred shooting Kodachrome that was past the expiration date. He liked the way the film looked when expired, and especially the serendipity of not knowing what the precise aesthetic was going to be. An alternative name for this Fujifilm Recipe could be Expired Vintage Kodachrome.

*Fountain at Dusk* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – Summer of ’59

Saul Leiter liked reflections, shooting through glass, and using layers. He kept his eyes out for catchy colors. He wasn’t afraid of shadows. His favorite lenses were telephoto, particularly 90mm and 150mm. If you are really trying to replicate his look, those are things you’ll want to consider. Vintage lenses will likely help, too (although I didn’t use vintage glass for these images).

This Summer of ’59 Recipe isn’t new—it was an App Patron Early-Access Recipe, and Patrons have had access to it for the last two years. Now that it has been replaced by a different Early-Access Recipe, it’s freely available to everyone. I really like this one, personally, and use it from time-to-time. My wife, Amanda, used it recently, too, and she seemed to really like it. I never intended for Summer of ’59 to be unavailable to everyone for so long, and I’m working to improve that going forward. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy this Recipe.

*Mint Chocolate Shake* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of ’59

This Recipe is fully compatible with all fifth-generation cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III. It can also be used on the latest GFX models: GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF. You can also use this on “newer” fourth-generation cameras (X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II), but it will render very slightly different (try it anyway!). One consideration is White Balance Shift: I wen’t back-and-forth on both Red and Blue, and I think +5 Red could alternatively be used, and/or -7 Blue could be alternatively used. All of the sample pictures in this article are with the WB Shift as published, and not the divergent options mentioned above.

Film Simulation: Eterna
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong
White Balance: Auto, +4 Red & -8 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +3
Shadow: +0.5
Color: 0
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Summer of ’59 Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-T5 and X100VI:

*All Way Stop* – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI

*Hanging Glass* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Falling Water in a Fountain* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Lion Water* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Pet Waste Station* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Red & White Blooms* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Bougainville & Palm Tree Trunk* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Summertime Feelings* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Founder’s Day Weekend* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Blue Flags* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Power Lines* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*An Arizona Home* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Yellow Car* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Bougainvillea Along a Sidewalk* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Santa Coffee* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI

*CVS Pharmacy Sign* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Next Time* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Sunlit Lamp* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Fake House Plant* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Bedroom Plant* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*1000 Record Covers* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Fountain Pot* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Jo in the Backyard* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Bench End* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Twin Seats* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Outdoor Potted Plant* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Desert Cactus Landscape* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*The Boys* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Red Hots* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Protection* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Pick Up* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

Find this Fujifilm Recipe and over 400 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

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

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

Kodak Emulsion — A Fujifilm Recipe for X-Trans IV Cameras

Posted on 17 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

*Blooms by the Pavilion* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Emulsion Recipe

I love this Kodak Emulsion Film Simulation Recipe, even though it was a happy accident. I was trying to replicate the aesthetic of some Kodak ColorPlus 200 film scans that someone shared with me, but I was unsuccessful; however, in the process of failing, I discovered these settings, which are absolutely great! Even though this Recipe doesn’t accurately mimic any specific emulsion (as far as I’m aware), it still looks very analog-like, and highly reminiscent of a few different Kodak negative stocks. I bet you could convince some people that you actually shot with film, and not a modern digital camera. While I used my Fujifilm X100V to capture these pictures, if I were to choose an interchangeable-lens model paired with vintage glass, I’m certain it would be even more convincing.

This was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, but now it’s freely available because a new Early-Access Recipe has replaced it. So this isn’t a new Recipe, only newly available to everyone. 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!

*Fallen Giant* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Emulsion Recipe

This Kodak Emulsion Recipe is compatible with all “newer” fourth-generation Fujifilm cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II; however, not the X-T3 or X-T30). Technically it is compatible with fifth-generation models, but, because X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations, it will look very slightly different (probably not a big enough difference that you’ll notice or care, so give it a try!). This Recipe is best for sunny daylight conditions, but it can be good in other natural light situations, too.

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: Shade, -2 Red & +2 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -2
Shadow: -2
Color: +3
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Emulsion Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

*Autumn Sun* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Autumn Tree Leaves on a Shrub* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Minolta SLR* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Homework* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Flash On

*Vines Along a Shaded Wall* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Sunlit Table & Chairs* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Potted Flowers & Pavilion* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Flowers at a Neighborhood Park* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Palm Tree & White Building* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Hanging Lightbulbs* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Flag in the Wind* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Bougainvillea Branch on a Bright Day* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Yellow Wildflowers in the Desert* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Yellow Flowers Blooming* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Tall Saguaro Behind Dead Tree* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Reaching Saguaro Fingers* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Damaged Saguaro* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*A Desert Landscape* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

*Dirt Road After Rain* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 400 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Something BIG is Coming Soon

Posted on 19 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

I wanted to give a heads up that something big is coming very soon. This is something I’ve been working on for over a year, and it’s finally nearly ready. Within the next few days, I will make an announcement and publish it. This will require that I post a bunch of articles nearly all at once. I know that some of you receive email notifications whenever new articles are posted, so I’m warning you now: you’re going to get inundated with emails. It will be a massive content dump, but that’s just the way it has to be. My apologies in advance, to anyone who might be annoyed by that. Hopefully the content itself will make it worthwhile.

What is this upcoming thing? Well, you’ll just have to wait a bit longer to find out. I don’t know if everyone will appreciate it, but I think some of you will be thrilled. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for probably four or five years now, and it took 14 months from start-to-finish once I began working on it. It was a team effort, with eight people involved in one way or another. I can’t wait to share it with you!

In unrelated news, I’ve experienced something unusual lately, and I’m not sure what to do with it, but I feel the need to share this story. To start, let’s go back in time six years. This was about four years after I first began to make Fujifilm Recipes, and a handful of months before I launched the Fuji X Weekly App. Recipes were just starting to gain popularity within the community. It was before Fujifilm was even aware that their users were creating, sharing, and using camera setting combinations that were being dubbed “recipes”. Fuji X Weekly was (by far) the main source of Recipes back then, but others began to make and publish their own. One day I received a message from someone accusing me of copying another person’s recipes, only changing the names. As it turned out, the exact opposite was true: I created those Recipes and published them months or even years before the other person. They were copied from Fuji X Weekly and the names were simply changed. This was not the first or (anywhere near) the last time that happened, but it was the first time that I was accused of stealing my own creations. I think it happened because the accuser visited that other person’s website prior to discovering this one, so the order in which they saw the Recipes made them believe that I had copied them instead of vice versa, and they didn’t pay attention to the dates.

Fast forward to 2026, and it’s happened twice this year, just within the last couple of months. What I’ve come to realize is that whenever I publish a new Recipe, it’s being republished on different websites and/or uploaded to different apps within days, sometimes within hours. Often enough, it’s with my own photos, used without permission. This happens constantly. Sometimes the Recipe has the same name; sometimes the name has been changed. The uninitiated, who is maybe new to Fujifilm and the whole Recipe thing, knows nothing about the history. Maybe they’re getting their settings from a different website or app and aren’t very familiar with Fuji X Weekly. They just see the same settings that they found elsewhere, and make the (false) assumption that I copied it from that place whenever they find it here, instead of the correct answer, which is that it was copied from Fuji X Weekly.

After the most recent accusation, I looked at one app, and found my Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe listed 15 times. Sometimes it was under that name, but a lot of times the name was changed. In one instance it had my photos. Twice there was a setting that was different, and I’m not sure if that was a tweak or a typo (how could anyone know?). In none of the 15 examples was my name or this website mentioned, each time the credit was given to someone else instead. I repeated this for a handful of other Recipes, and the results were similar.

In the article, The Evolution of Fujifilm Recipes, I stated, “Credit isn’t about ownership, it’s about storytelling. It helps to trace how an aesthetic came to be, and it honors the shared journey that got us there.” I wrote that before these recent incidents. It demonstrates very clearly why it’s important. Apparently it needed to be said, and it bears repeating. It’s frustrating to spend hours—if not days, weeks, or (on a rare occasion) even months—getting the settings “just right” for a new Recipe, thinking of all the work and care that oftentimes goes into it, only for someone else to take credit whose only effort was copy-and-paste. And it’s incredibly disheartening to be accused of stealing your own Recipes and photos.

Like I said, I don’t really know what to do with that, other than to emphasize the quote in the last paragraph. When you see the same Recipe listed across the internet or in various apps, and you don’t have any idea who actually created it or why (because a lot of different people are listed as the creator), that history, journey, and deserved honor are lost. I’m far from the only one affected by this, because I found several other people’s Recipes (and photos) in the same boat. If you’ve ever created and shared a Recipe, there’s a reasonable chance it has happened to you, too, and maybe you’re not even aware of it. The creators deserve the credit, and those discovering Recipes should have the opportunity to join the journey, and learn the backstory. Both sides are shortchanged, and that’s unfortunate.

I don’t want to end what started out as an exciting and positive article on a sour note, so let me circle back to the top. And maybe this ties the two points together: when the upcoming thing is announced in the coming days, please don’t take credit for it as if you were the creator. I know it’s not you all, that this is preaching to the choir, but maybe one of the people involved will read this by chance (because they obviously come to this website sometimes), and—if so—I hope that it causes a change of heart. Anyway, coming very soon is something that I’m extremely excited to share. I hope that you’re a bit curious, and perhaps a little excited, too. Within a few days, the mystery will be revealed.

5 B&W Fujifilm Recipes to Try Today

Posted on 20 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

*Route 66 in Rural Arizona* – Seligman, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 – Agfa Scala

For much of the last 200 years, photography was largely in black-and-white. Early photographic processes couldn’t capture color, so black-and-white became the foundation upon which the medium was built, shaping how photographers learned to see light, contrast, and form. Once color processes arrived, it was expensive, inconsistent, and slow, making it less practical than B&W. When color film finally matured, the photographic community was slow to accept it. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that color photography really gained a foothold, yet black-and-white persisted for decades as the top choice for many photographers. When I learned photography in college in the late-1990’s, B&W was a much more major part of the program than color. In the age of digital cameras, where the standard profile is color, B&W seems to be significantly less popular than it was just 25 years ago, and much less popular than it was 50 years ago.

Personally, I love B&W photography. By removing one layer of reality (color) to emphasize another (form), it’s inherently abstract. Shapes are more important, light more deliberate, and emotions less tied to the literal. Oftentimes it’s a more intentional way of seeing. Viewers engage differently with B&W images, reading the photographs rather than simply recognizing the subject and location.

*Leaning Fence* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 – Kodak Tri-X 400 (captured this morning in my backyard)

There are 50 B&W Recipes for Fujifilm cameras in the Fuji X Weekly App. Something that I’ve noticed for a long time now is that B&W Recipes tend to be much less popular than color. Anecdotally, when I post B&W photos on social media, they tend to get noticeably less attention than color images. There just seems to be less interest in it than there used to be. Still, if I could only ever use one Recipe for the rest of my life, it would be black-and-white. And I’d love for Fujifilm to make a monochrome-only camera—I’d be first in line to buy it.

For today’s article, I thought I would encourage you to shoot black-and-white. Find a Recipe—such as one of the five below—program it into your camera, and create something interesting. Look for contrast and design rather than colors. If none of the ones below interest you, there are a bunch of others in the Fuji X Weekly App, and you can easily find them by Filtering by Black and White. Also, be sure to let me know in the comments which B&W Recipe is your favorite, whether one of the ones mentioned here or one that’s not in this list.

Kodak Tri-X 400

My personal favorite B&W Recipe is Kodak Tri-X 400, which was created by Anders Lindborg. With this Recipe, the higher the ISO the grainer the results. It has compatibility with X-Trans III, X-Trans IV, and X-Trans V cameras, as well as GFX. It can be modified a few different ways, which is discussed in the Recipe article. This is by far the most popular B&W Recipe.

Classic B&W

Classic B&W is a newer monochromatic Recipe that I really like. It’s compatible with fourth and fifth-generation X-series cameras, as well as newer GFX models. I could see this becoming a lot of people’s favorite.

Agfa Scala

Agfa Scala is a new adaptation of an old Recipe for use on fourth and fifth-generation X-series cameras, as well as newer GFX models. I’ve loved the Agfa Scala Recipe for a long-time, and it was long-overdue for an update for the latest cameras.

FRGMT B&W

Fujifilm’s first official Recipe, FRGMT B&W—created by fashion designer, producer, and artist Hiroshi Fujiwara—was included in a limited edition of the GFX100RF. I asked for and received permission to publish it on Fuji X Weekly. This is a contrasty and grainy black-and-white Recipe that produces dramatic results. It’s compatible with fourth and fifth-generation X-series cameras, as well as newer GFX models.

Kodak Plus-X 125

The Kodak Plus-X 125 Recipe was made by Dylan Van Matre with some help from Anders Linborg. It’s just a little less contrasty and grainy than some of the other options, which makes it preferable for some subjects and situations.

Find these Fujifilm Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Why Aren’t There More Entry-Level Cameras?

Posted on 22 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

Just a couple of years ago, a friend of mine (who’s not a photographer) asked me what camera he should buy. He wanted something with better image quality than his phone, something that he could possibly learn on and grow with, should he decide that he wants to pursue photography as a hobby. I asked him what his budget was, and he told me, “$500 max, preferably less.” When I told him that there’s nothing brand-new, and slim pickings on the used market (I suggested a few options), he was very surprised and disappointed. He ended up not buying a camera.

I mention this because maybe it’s a more common problem than some realize. There seems to be a disconnect among the price expectations of some potential first-time buyers and the actual cost of cameras nowadays. Once upon a time you could walk into Costco and buy a DSLR bundled with a lens for $500. Of course a lot of things were cheaper back then, but finding a brand-new camera body and lens together for under $1,000 isn’t easy. In the Fujifilm world, there’s only one: the X-M5 bundled with the 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom, which retails for $999. That’s it.

If you’re on a tight budget, you are really limited, and you might have to stretch the budget to even afford a basic camera. Not terribly long ago, Fujifilm offered the X-M1, X-A1, and X-A10 as low-budget models. The X-M1 was $800 when bundled with a lens, the X-A1 was $600 with a lens, and the X-A10 was only $500 with a lens. The fact that Fujifilm can offer the X-M5 with a lens for only $200 more than the X-M1 is quite remarkable. Where is the lowest-budget, bottom-floor, base-level model? The X-M5 is currently serving that purpose (just like the X-E4 did in the previous generation), but what’s missing is something even lower, something just a little more affordable as an entry into the X-series for those on a tight budget.

From what I’ve heard from camera stores, some folks I know at Fujifilm, online reports, and even Fujirumors, the X-T30 III is currently Fujifilm’s top-selling camera. It’s their second-cheapest interchangeable-lens model, retailing for $1,000 for the body-only, and $1,150 with a lens. Back in October, before it was officially announced, I stated, “Fujifilm will quietly sell a whole lot of these. It’s not going to go viral like the X100VI. It’s not going to make major headlines. It’s not going to be a hot topic on Reddit or Facebook groups. But Fujifilm will sell a bunch of X-T30 III cameras, more than most other models offered by the brand.” It turns out that I was understating the point, because the camera isn’t outselling most other Fujifilm models, it’s outselling all of them.

Not far behind is the Fujifilm X-M5, which is the lowest budget APS-C option. In some markets this camera is hotter than others, but overall it might be Fujifilm’s second or third best-seller, depending on who you ask. It goes to show that there’s plenty of room for the X-T30 III and X-M5 to coexist—they aren’t eating away at each other’s sales.

Fujifilm’s lowest budget X-series camera is the X half, which is a fixed-lens 1″ sensor camera intended for fun more so than as a serious photographic tool (although it can be in the right hands). I love my X half, but it’s not a camera for everyone, and probably a bit overpriced for what it is (despite being the cheapest X-series model). This is Fujifilm’s most polarizing camera, with so-so sales in some markets, while being the hottest camera from any brand in other markets. Overall worldwide, it’s one of Fujifilm’s best sellers, but just not everywhere.

What I think is missing from the lineup is an interchangeable-lens camera that’s even more affordable than the X-M5, something that is $100 or $200 cheaper, for those who find the more expensive cameras just out of reach. Maybe an X-T300, a plasticky Bayer-sensor model? Another 1″ sensor camera, maybe with a fixed zoom lens along the lines of the XQ2 or X30, would be good, too. There is an obvious market for lower-tier budget-friendly models, but there aren’t many options anymore. If those who have an interest in photography don’t explore it because it’s financially out of reach, the industry will slowly whither away, becoming smaller with each generation. An affordable camera with a low (or even non-existent) profit margin can turn into significant profits in the long run, by bringing new people into the fold, who maybe someday will have more to spend. How many people got into Fujifilm with an X-A camera who now own an X-T30 III or X-E5 or another newer model? Probably more than a few.

I’m not surprised in the least that the Fujifilm X-T30 III is selling so well. It’s not surprising to see it outsell the X-T50, which is a wonderful camera, and technically better. Not every camera needs the greatest specs or the latest technology in order to be successful. Sometimes it’s having just enough with a price tag that isn’t too high. A 20mp Bayer APS-C camera with lesser specs and cheaper build but with Fujifilm’s renown Film Simulations would sell like hotcakes. Not because it’s the best, but because it’s attainable.

Is DJI Copying Fujifilm?

Posted on 25 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

Someone pointed out something interesting to me: the new DJI Osmo Pocket 4 has “Film Tones” that take close inspiration from Fujifilm. Specifically, CC Film and NC Film are “Fuji-inspired” (as DJI puts it), and are obviously similar to Fujifilm’s Classic Chrome and Classic Negative Film Simulations (apparently, CC Film more so than NC Film). These are intended to give a finished look straight-out-of-camera.

First, as Oscar Wilde famously stated (or maybe he didn’t, it’s apparently debatable), “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” That’s not a dig on DJI, but simply noting that 1) Fujifilm’s Film Simulation are both great and popular, and 2) someone’s approximation of it will never be quite the same as the real thing (but maybe it doesn’t need to be). If something is successful, there will be copycats—sometimes close copies and sometimes more of an “inspired by” situation. I’m not sure what type of copyrights and trademarks Fujifilm may have for (say) Classic Chrome, or if DJI infringed on it, but my guess is that legally speaking, it’s all ok (I’m not an attorney, though).

Above left: Classic Chrome Film Simulation (Classic Color Recipe); Above right: Classic Negative Film Simulation (Pacific Blues Recipe)

I personally don’t take issue with DJI copying Fujifilm; however, maybe they should have been more discrete about it. As Albert Einstein famously stated (or maybe he didn’t, it’s apparently debatable—a theme in today’s post), “The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.” Flaunting it is a little brash. Call it Chrome Color Film and Negative Color Film and don’t mention that it’s trying to emulate Fujifilm’s Film Simulations. Or, the other option is to be upfront and honest about the origins and intentions, giving Fujifilm credit for the inspiration. I like that better, actually. And maybe there’s a point to it.

The problem when you use multiple camera brands to record clips that will be included in the same video is that they look different. With enough grading, you can get them to be similar enough, but that’s a lot of work. Now imagine that you have an X-H2s or X-S20 or some other Fujifilm camera, and you’re using the Classic Chrome Film Simulation to record clips (so as to reduce or eliminate color grading) for a YouTube video; you also have the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 for some clips, and on it you’re using the CC Film Tone. In that situation, you’re going to spend less time in software because all of the clips are going to have a similar aesthetic out of the camera.

So, if you’re a videographer that uses Fujifilm cameras and Film Simulations, you might find the new DJI camera to be an intriguing option for certain situations, as a companion to your larger gear. Perhaps that’s their point: not necessarily to convince people to buy their camera instead of a Fujifilm model, but as a potentially complimentary tool for Fujifilm photographers. At least that’s my take on it. The addition of Fujifilm-like profiles is appealing to me as a Fujifilm photographer; however, at least for the time being, the DJI camera is not available in the US.

2026 Has Been Unusually Quiet for Fujifilm So Far

Posted on 26 Days Ago by Ritchie Roesch

*Yellow Buick* – Seligman, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100RF – Vibrant Arizona

Does 2026 feel different to you? I mean, as far as Fujifilm X and GFX cameras are concerned, it’s been quiet. Really quiet. In most years, by the end of March there’s already been one camera announcement. Last year it was the GFX100RF. The year before it was the X100VI. Not every year has an announcement within the first three months (neither 2022 nor 2023 did), but in 12 of the last 16 years Fujifilm announced a camera sometime between January 1st and March 31st.

We’re here at the end of April, and it’s still really quiet. No rumblings or rumors of an upcoming camera, aside from the X-T6 in September. That’s a long ways out. This is a good indication that nothing is coming by the end of May, or else we’d likely have heard something already. If that’s true, and nothing is announced by the end of May, this would be the first time since 2011 that no new camera was announced within the first five months, and at that time the X-series had exactly one camera in the entire lineup: the original X100. There was one recent year—2022—that nearly saw no new cameras within the first five months, as the X-H2s was announced on May 31st, barely making the cutoff. This year could be similar.

It’s definitely possible that Fujifilm is trying hard to keep some forthcoming announcement under wraps. For example, it was a massive surprise when the Instax Evo Cinema was announced back in January. They did a great job keeping it a secret. A lot of people within Fujifilm’s own camera department had no idea it was coming. It could simply be a similar situation for whatever they plan to release next. It’s possible that they’ve figured out where the leaks are coming from, and have taken measures to ensure secrecy. But, then again, we already have rumors about a September release, so I’m not sure that this theory has validity.

*Service* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm

Now mind you, I’m not complaining. Far from it, actually. I’ve been advocating for years that (generally speaking) new cameras are released much too soon. I would like to see a five-to-eight year manufacturing lifecycle for digital cameras. When a successor does come, it should be a meaningful update. The X-T5 was announced in November 2022, so I would prefer that the X-T6 not come until late-2027 or early-2028 at the earliest. Why are we so eager for a new iteration when the current one is still really good and a new version won’t be all that much better? Letting a little more time pass is not a bad thing.

And maybe that’s what Fujifilm is doing this year. The fifth-generation cameras are still selling like hotcakes. Why rush the sixth-generation? Give more time to work out kinks and bugs, finalize refinements, and build up anticipation. It wouldn’t bother me at all if Fujifilm postponed the introduction of the next generation until next year, and announced exactly zero new cameras in 2026. I doubt that will happen, I’m just saying that it wouldn’t upset me if it did.

Fujifilm could spring a surprise on us, and announce a new camera sometime next month, making 2026 similar to 2022. Or it could be the first time since the very beginning of the X-series that they don’t. All I know is that it’s been abnormally quiet, which isn’t necessarily bad. New-gear-chatter, which (don’t get me wrong) can be fun, is oftentimes a distraction to what actually matters, and that’s making meaning photographs with the gear we already have.