Fujifilm

When will Fujifilm announce the X-Pro4??

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

I get asked somewhat regularly when I think the X-Pro4 camera will be announced, or if it will ever come. It’s long overdue. Some folks are even losing hope, believing that Fujifilm has abandoned the line altogether. I often see questions like: When will the next X-Pro come? What will be different about it? Was the X-Pro3 the last iteration?

The X-Pro1 is a historically significant camera. It was the first interchangeable-lens X-series model, and the first X-Trans camera. Fujifilm’s success in the digital camera world hinged on this one model. If it flopped, there would not likely be any X or GFX cameras being manufactured today. The X-series would be a forgotten footnote, like Samsung’s NX line. However, the camera was a success, and the rest is history, as they say.

The lifecycle of the X-Pro series has been pretty consistent. The X-Pro1 was announced in early 2012. Exactly four years later, the X-Pro2 was announced. The X-Pro3 came just a smidge early, in fall 2019 (instead of early 2020). If this pattern continued, the next X-Pro—presumably called X-Pro4, or maybe X-Pro5 since the number four is considered unlucky in Japan (sometimes, but not always, Fujifilm skips it)— should have come out either in fall of 2023 or first quarter of 2024. Obviously it didn’t. And there’s not been any indication that it is coming soon, either. The X-Pro4 is now long overdue, and seemingly abandoned. An X-Pro4 in 2024 would have made a lot of sense, as would an X-Pro5 in 2025 (assuming they skip the number four).

In my opinion, camera makers refresh camera lines much too quickly. A four-year cycle should be pretty normal, and some models should take longer than that. I don’t have a problem with the next X-Pro coming out five or even six years since the last. I do wish that the X-Pro3 hadn’t been discontinued. I can’t say for sure, but its discontinuation was likely due to the ribbon wiring harness to the rear screen not being reliable enough, which caused problems for some X-Pro3 owners. The backwards rear screen was a bold experiment that I applaud Fujifilm for having the guts to try, but ultimately I think it was a bust. Between the screen issues and so-so sales after the initial demand faded, I think Fujifilm felt the X-Pro3 had run its course after three years.

Twisted Tree – Keystone, SD – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – Acros Recipe

Just to be clear, I have no inside information. Sometimes people assume that I do, but I don’t. I get my information the same way that you do. All I have are guesses. Please take this article with a grain of salt.

I believe that Fujifilm is currently developing the next X-Pro camera right now. I don’t know if they’re at the beginning stages or near the end or somewhere in-between (probably somewhere in-between). It’s possible that a few people already have their hands on a prototype, I don’t know. But I do have a lot of confidence that the work has begun on the camera and it is somewhere on the path to becoming a reality. There will be an X-Pro4 (or maybe called X-Pro5) in the future, I’m 99.9% sure of it.

When exactly the camera comes out and what will be different about it is something I don’t know. Back in 2023 I speculated that it was likely to be released in 2024. Earlier this year I speculated that it was likely fall of 2024, or maybe spring 2025 at the latest. Obviously I was wrong about those dates. Some speculation that I’m mildly confident will prove to be true: the next X-Pro iteration won’t be X-Trans V, but X-Trans VI.

Fujifilm introduced the world to X-Trans technology with the X-Pro1. The X-Trans I sensor was fairly short lived (only the X-Pro1, X-E1, and X-M1 cameras had it… the X-M1 paired the sensor with the X-Trans II processor). The X-Pro series completely skipped over the X-Trans II sensor. Fujifilm introduced the X-Trans III sensor with the X-Pro2. The X-Pro3 was the third X-Trans IV camera; however, they introduced Classic Negative, Grain size, Color Chrome FX Blue, and Clarity with it. My guess is that—like X-Trans II—Fujifilm will skip X-Trans V and go straight for X-Trans VI, introducing that sensor with the next X-Pro camera.

From Dust To Dust – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – Kodachrome II Recipe

I don’t know what will differentiate X-Trans VI from X-Trans V, but my guess is speed and efficiency. Probably not megapixels. I suspect that Fujifilm will look to improve autofocus, frame rates, sensor readout, heat dispersion, and things like that, with the next X-Trans sensor. Most of these improvements are unlikely to significantly impact an X-Pro model due to how people typically use these cameras, but I’m sure they will be welcomed nonetheless—especially if the Clarity pause can (finally) be shortened. Fujifilm might (should, in my opinion) introduce a new Film Simulation—Fortia? XPro (cross-process)? Natura? PRO Neg H (looks like 400H and turns pastel with overexposure)?—and maybe a new JPEG tool or two (faded shadows? split toning? Medium Grain strength and size? mid-tone boost? half-step WB Shift?) with the X-Pro4. Increasing the number of Custom Settings presets from 7 to 10 (or more) would be celebrated. The XPan aspect ratio is a must, I think. There’s plenty that Fujifilm could do.

But there’s also plenty that Fujifilm shouldn’t do. I will be mildly surprised if the X-Pro4 has a backwards screen like the X-Pro3 (my guess is that it will be more like the X100VI and X-T5); otherwise, the less they change the better. Look at the feedback from the X-Pro2 and X-Pro3, and change as little as possible. In my opinion, the best X-Pro iteration was the Fujifilm X-Pro2, so if the upcoming X-Pro is more like it I certainly won’t complain.

My guess is that the X-Pro4 (maybe called X-Pro5) will be announced either in September/October of 2025 or (more likely) the first quarter of 2026. Prior to its announcement, I would expect that Fujifilm will release an X-E5 (the X-E series is almost always released at the end of a sensor generation) and maybe an X-T30 III. Both of those will likely have an X-Trans IV sensor paired with the X-Trans V processor (although it is certainly possible that the X-E5 will get the 40mp X-Trans V sensor). I wouldn’t be surprised to see another model, such as the 1″ sensor camera that’s been rumored, also announced in 2025. My best guess—and remember, it’s just a guess—is that the next X-Pro, along with the X-Trans VI sensor, will arrive in early 2026, approximately 15 to 16 months from now. I know a lot of people are looking forward to it, and it will surely eventually happen, but I think it’s still a little ways out.

Revisiting 10 Fujifilm “Wow” Products

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Photographing with Fujifilm – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2

A little over two years ago Fujifilm stated that they’re working on “wow” products, so I gave my Top 10 suggestions for that in an article entitled 10 “WOW” Products Fujifilm Should Be Making Right Now. I thought it would be fun to revisit the article. Did Fujifilm make any of those suggestions? What “wow” products have they released that didn’t make my list? Which ones should they still pursue?

To recap, my 10 ideas were:

10. Minimalist Model — no rear LCD or video mode
9. 135mm lens — really, any focal length prime in-between 90mm and 200mm
8. A new pancake lens — I suggested 15mm, 23mm, and 40mm as potential options
7. GFX 100R — 100mp successor to the GFX 50R
6. ISOCELL — bring the Fujifilm/Samsung joint technology to the X-series
5. Infrared — I suggested the X-T30 II as the model of choice
4. Digital XPan — a dedicated 65:24 aspect ratio camera
3. X200 — full-frame X100-like camera
2. X80 — successor to the X70
1. Acros-Edition — monochrome-only X100 or X-Pro camera

Fujifilm Photowalk – Ann Arbor, MI – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2

How does it look 27 months later? With nearly zero promotion, Fujifilm released the X-T4 ES (“Extended Spectrum”) infrared camera over the summer. It flew completely under the radar! While few own it, whenever I show my X-T4 ES to people, it always gets a strong “wow” reaction. As far as I’m aware, B&H is the only camera store currently selling it, and you have to order either in-person or over the phone—it’s not available online right now. So far, I’ve published two Recipes for the Fujifilm X-T4 ES: Aerochrome v1 and Aerochrome v2. If Fujifilm were to do even a little promotion for this camera and made it easier to buy, it would sell decently well, I’m certain of it. Of my 10 ideas, this is the only one so far that has come to pass.

There are “rumors” circling about potential upcoming gear. I’m not sure what may or may not come, but a few of the items (or similar) in my list have been floated on websites like Fujirumors. Even though only one has become reality, it’s possible that in a year or two more can be checked off (I’m sure that some probably won’t ever happen). My top choices would be a new pancake lens, digital XPan, X200 (perhaps GFX instead of full-frame), X80, and a monochrome-only X100 or X-Pro. It’s hard to know what the future holds, but I do believe several “wow” products are in the works right now (including the GFX Eterna cinema camera that Fujifilm recently teased).

NY Photographer in IR – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2

Of course, the most obvious “wow” product released by Fujifilm is the X100VI, the most in-demand camera by any brand ever. Fujifilm is getting closer to fulfilling all of the preorders and backorders… word on the street is that if you don’t mind the black version, you might be able to get it real soon without much of a wait. Since demand is higher for the silver model, that one will likely require more patience. This camera has the potential to become the most-sold model ever. It will be interesting to see if demand remains high over the next few years—I think it certainly could.

Now it’s your turn. Let me know in the comments which wow product you’d like to see Fujifilm make next! I’m pretty excited for what’s coming down the pike, whatever it might be. I think there will be plenty of upcoming announcements over the next couple of years to get especially excited for.

See also: Evergreen + Fuji X Weekly Protective Case for Fujifilm X100VI / X100V / X100F

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, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

Colour Your Story — New Series by X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

If you’re new to Fujifilm—or not new to Fujifilm but fairly new to Film Simulation Recipes, or just curious about your camera—and you’d like to take a deeper dive into the various Film Simulations, Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry has an excellent series on her blog called Colour Your Story that you need to check out and follow.

The way that this series works is that each Film Simulation gets two parts: an introduction and a deeper dive. The introduction article explains what that particular Film Simulation is and what it is good for. The sample pictures are with that film sim set with the default factory settings. The followup article, entitled Let’s take [it] to Another Level (or a similar sentiment), discusses some Recipes that use that film sim as the base. So far, Nathalie has two Film Simulations in the series complete: Provia and Velvia.

Provia — Fujifilm X-T50 — Standard Film Recipe
Velvia — Fujifilm X-T5 — Velvia Film Recipe

Colour Your Story, Ep 1: PROVIA — Start Your Journey with The All-Rounder
Let’s take PROVIA to Another Level
Colour Your Story, Ep 2: The Bold One is Velvia
Let’s take Velvia further

Definitely take a moment out of your day and read up on those four posts. The series is worth following—get on her mailing list (at the bottom of each article) so that you don’t miss out on the future installments. I’m looking forward to all of the rest—there are 20 film sims, so Nathalie undoubtably has her work cut out! A series like this takes a ton of effort to put together, so, if you appreciate it, be sure to leave her a comment on her page letting her know.

See also:
My 5 Favorite Film Simulation Recipes that use Provia
My 5 Favorite Film Simulation Recipes that use Velvia

Photographing in Aerochrome + When will more Infrared Recipes get published?

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Autumn at Boulder Lake – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2

I’ve had several people inquire when the next Infrared Film Simulation Recipe for full-spectrum cameras (like the Fujifilm X-T4 ES) will drop. I mentioned that I had a few in the works and even shared some sample pictures of what those might look like. It’s been awhile, so when will those Recipes be made available?

The first IR Recipe that I published for my Fujifilm X-T4 ES (“Extended Spectrum”) camera was Aerochrome v1 in July. Shortly thereafter I made a discover that directly led to the Aerochrome v2 Recipe, which I published in August. So far, those are the only two that I’ve posted. The reason is simple: I like the Aerochrome v2 Recipe so much, that’s all I’ve been using. I can’t stop. I’ve waited so many years to get this look, and I just can’t set it aside. All of the photos in this article were captured with the Aerochrome v2 Recipe over the last few months.

Yellow Car – Provincetown, MA – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2

But I will get to work on more infrared Recipes for Fujifilm full spectrum cameras real soon. I’m excited to experiment and make new discoveries, and share it with you. This is a journey, and I just paused for a little while to appreciate the view. So stay tuned, more IR Recipes are coming soon.

For those not sure what all of this even means, just real quick: there’s light beyond the visible spectrum that digital cameras are sensitive to. A filter is added onto the sensor to block that light so that you get “normal” pictures. A full spectrum camera does not have an IR filter, which allows it to capture light beyond the visible spectrum, resulting in unusual colors (filters are used to control how the camera interacts with the light). Mostly, it requires one to send off their camera to a company that will do an invasive and expensive procedure to remove the filter; however, earlier this year Fujifilm briefly sold a full-spectrum IR camera (the X-T4 ES) in the U.S. (in the past they only made it available for “forensic, scientific, and cultural preservation applications” and not the general public). While it is no longer being sold directly from Fujifilm, I believe that you can still buy the Fujifilm X-T4 ES from B&H, but it requires a phone call or stopping by in person (can’t order from the internet). If you want one, I’d recommend inquiring sooner than later, because there are probably not very many copies available.

Anyway, below are photographs that I captured with the Aerochrome v2 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T4 ES:

Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Clinton, CT
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Clinton, CT
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Clinton, CT
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Clinton, CT
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Ann Arbor, MI
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Ann Arbor, MI
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Ann Arbor, MI
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Ann Arbor, MI
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Ann Arbor, MI
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Ann Arbor, MI
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Ann Arbor, MI
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Ann Arbor, MI
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Ann Arbor, MI
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – New York City, NY
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – New York City, NY
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – New York City, NY
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – New York City, NY
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – New York City, NY
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – New York City, NY
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – New York City, NY
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Hyannis, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Provincetown, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Weehawken, NJ
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Provincetown, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Provincetown, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Provincetown, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Provincetown, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Provincetown, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Provincetown, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Provincetown, MA
Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Provincetown, MA

Ricoh GR IV not coming soon …and why that’s good

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Well, apparently Ricoh will not be announcing a GR IV anytime soon, according to Pentax Rumors. Additionally, the supposed GR IV Monochrome camera will likely never happen.

When Fujirumors reported it last week, I suggested that the news should be taken with a grain of salt. It just didn’t make sense to me. Not because these cameras wouldn’t be massively successful or that I wouldn’t be personally interested, but because Pentax Rumors didn’t report it first, and the GR III and GR IIIx are selling very well, so there should be no eagerness from the brand to replace them.

Pentax doesn’t update their lineup as often as other manufacturers. I think that’s good, and that camera companies—including Fujifilm—discontinue models much too quickly. A normal production lifespan should be four-to-five years, then, when the next generation is released, it’s a notable refresh. With quickly advancing digital technology and stiff competition, it can be tough to wait that long, so maybe don’t listen to me; however, I think replacing cameras every two or three years (sometimes less) is just difficult to sustain and seemingly unnecessary.

I don’t believe there is any need for Ricoh to replace the GR III anytime soon, as long as they continue to offer Kaizen firmware updates to keep it fresh. Same for the Fujifilm models in the current lineup that are getting older, such as the X-T30 II, X-H2s, X-H2, and X-T5. There’s been talk within the community recently about successors, but there’s no need for Fujifilm to release them anytime soon. I would suggest 2026, personally, or maybe even 2027. That’s probably an unpopular opinion, but I’d like to see Fujifilm manufacture models for more than just a couple years before discontinuing them. I don’t mind that an X-Pro4 hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s too bad that the X-Pro3 was discontinued. Ditto for the X-E5 and X-E4. The X-E4 should still be being manufactured right now, since it was discontinued with such a large demand and long backorder list.

I think we reached a point awhile ago where we can keep our cameras for many years and they’re still excellent and not obsolete. Obviously that’s a tough position for manufacturers, because perhaps consumers aren’t buying as many copies since they’re waiting longer to upgrade. My opinion is that if camera makers design and release desirable models—maybe unconventional yet intriguing or exciting cameras—it will drive sales. The Ricoh GR III and Fujifilm X100VI are both excellent examples of this. Neither are cameras that you really need, but they’re both ones that a lot of people want. They are desirable because they’re fun, and not just soulless tools packed with the latest technical advances. Fujifilm—perhaps more than any brand—is good at making those types of cameras. It’s really fueled their success, and will continue to do so well into the future.

See also: Ritchie’s Ricoh Recipes

Philadelphia Photowalk THIS Weekend!!

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Rainbows over Philly – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI – Fujicolor Film Recipe

In just three days—Saturday, November 16th—is the Philadelphia photowalk! I will be co-leading this with Allan Ali, who brings excitement, energy, and fun, as well as expertise and talent. Allan is a local legend, and you will not want to miss this opportunity to photograph with us. We teamed up for a photowalk back in August, and it was truly great!

This photowalk, which will be through the historic and beautiful Old City, is in conjunction with Unique Photo as a part of their two day Camera Show. Even if you don’t join the photowalk, at least come to the Camera Show, because it will be completely worthwhile (and while you’re there, you might as well come along on the photowalk).

If you are in Philadelphia or even as far as New York City, I hope that you can join us. It’s from 10:15 AM to 12:15 PM, and will include a short classroom presentation (we’ll begin and end at Unique Photo in Philadelphia). The cost is $10 per person (but you get it back with a $10 token for in-store purchases), and you must preregister (click here). I hope to see you in Philadelphia very soon!

Fujifilm GFX Eterna Cinema Camera

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm just announced that they are creating a GFX Eterna cinema camera to be released sometime in 2025.

When I was at Fujifilm’s Create With Us event in Austin back in September, they had a Fujinon Duvo HZK 25-1000mm f/2.8-5.0 Box Lens on display. For those who don’t know, this is a quarter-million-dollar broadcast lens, used for sporting events. The camera attached to the lens was a Sony.

Fujinon lenses are renown in the cinema and broadcast world, but Fujifilm doesn’t have a filmmaking camera. Actually, Harlem Fragments was filmed on an X-H2s. A number of short films and mini documentaries have been filmed on an X-H2s, too. But, setting that aside, a true pro cinema camera—something ESPN would use, or Universal Pictures—was missing. I recognized this in Austin, and mentioned to the sales rep that Fujifilm should develop a camera to go with the lens, instead of using a competitor’s model. I guess they were already pretty far along in development, but I had no idea.

I don’t anticipate many, if any, reading this will ever buy the GFX Eterna. Maybe a couple of you. I’m sure it will be very expensive. But if you are a broadcaster or filmmaker, perhaps this is something you’re excited for. I can imagine some IMAX pictures being filmed on this.

One last thing: kudos to whoever at Fujifilm named the camera. It’s brilliant. A monochrome-only X100 Acros or X-Pro Acros would be really cool, too. Just throwing that out there.

Fujifilm X-T50 vs Fujifilm X-T30 — Dad vs Daughter — Or, the World’s Most Unfair Camera Comparison

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

This article pits the Fujifilm X-T50 and Fujifilm X-T30 head-to-head on an autumn photowalk in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Just to warn you, this will likely be the most unfair camera comparison anywhere on the internet. Nonetheless, I hope that you find it worthwhile, or at least enjoyable.

Fujifilm introduced the X-T30 in February of 2019. It features a 26mp X-Trans IV sensor, and was Fujifilm’s mid-tier SLR-styled camera until it was replaced by the nearly identical X-T30 II in November of 2021. Fujifilm announced the X-T50 in May of this year. It features a 40mp X-Trans V sensor and IBIS, as well as the contentious Film Dial. While it is not the X-T30 II’s successor (I assume that means an X-T30 III is a possibility in the future), the two models are clearly in the same family. They are similar in size and design, but the X-T50 is slightly larger and heavier (to accommodate IBIS), with rounded corners and is more expensive. According to the spec sheets, the X-T50 is better in pretty much every aspect, but not necessarily by leaps and bounds. Overall, these two cameras are pretty similar for stills photography; however, for video, the X-T50 is the winner.

Above: Ann Arbor photowalk; photo by Dave Geffin using the Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm Recipe on a Fujifilm X-T50.

This last Saturday, Bryan Minear and I cohosted a photowalk in Ann Arbor in conjunction with PROCAM and Fujifilm. We had an excellent turnout: I counted 48 people, including myself and Bryan. The weather was nice—a nearly perfect crisp autumn morning—and the scenery beautiful. It was a massive success, and just a ton of fun. It was so great to meet those who came out!

One especially great aspect of this photowalk for me is that my seven-year-old daughter, Johanna, was able to join us. I gave her my Fujifilm X-T30 to photograph with, set with the Kodak Portra 400 v2 Film Simulation Recipe. I’ve let her use some of my old digicams before, but not a “nice” camera like the X-T30. I wasn’t sure how well she would do with it, but gave her a quick tutorial and let her have at it. Honestly, she stole the show.

Above left: Johanna with an X-T30, captured by me with an X-T50 using the Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm Recipe; Above right: me with an X-T50, captured by Bryan Minear with a GFX100S II.

I bet you can already see where this article is going. Yes, this totally unfair camera shootout is between myself with a Fujifilm X-T50 and Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 lens and my seven-year-old daughter with a Fujifilm X-T30 and TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 lens. Even though I had the better gear, I had absolutely no chance of winning. Johanna—with an X-T30—won in a landslide. We’ll get to the pictures in just a moment.

The Fujifilm X-T30 has a few fewer film simulations and JPEG options than the X-T50, but it is still a very, very capable camera. Even in the hands of a child, it can capture excellent images. Between the two, I’ll grab the X-T50 every time; however, if I were trying to decide to buy an X-T50 or X-T30 II, that would be a much tougher decision—the X-T30 II is a better value, while the X-T50 is a little more capable. I don’t think you can go wrong either way. Between a used X-T30 and brand-new X-T30 II, I would lean towards the X-T30 II due to Classic Negative and other firmware upgrades.

Above, top-left: by Rickey White. Above, bottom-right: by Bryan Minear. Above, all others: by my wife, Amanda Roesch. Amanda used a Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 lens + Fujicolor Negative Recipe.

The reason why I declared Johanna the winner is because I’m her dad (she was always going to win… I never had a chance—all the dads out there understand), and also because young children are oftentimes good photographers. They are naturally curious and creative. They don’t think about all the “rules” and what they “shouldn’t” do; instead, they’re just having fun. Also, their perspective is so much different—quite literally, because they are smaller, but also figuratively—so it’s a completely different take from what most adults see—they notice things that others completely overlook. If you have a child, I definitely recommend allowing them to photograph with you sometimes. Don’t be afraid to let them borrow one of your cameras (I know, it’s a risk… my oldest son dropped and broke one of mine when he was little). Those experiences might be pivotal for them, and at the least it’s something you both will remember and cherish for many years.

Below are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs captured during the Ann Arbor photowalk by Johanna using a Fujifilm X-T30 and the Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe and by me using a Fujifilm X-T50 and the Film Dial Recipes.

Johanna’s Photos:

Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2
Fujifilm X-T30 + TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 + Kodak Portra 400 v2

Ritchie’s Photos:

Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Chrome (Kodak Film Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Reala Ace (Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Reala Ace (Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Reala Ace (Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Reala Ace (Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Nostalgic Neg. (Nostalgic Film Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Nostalgic Neg. (Nostalgic Film Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Reala Ace (Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Astia (Astia Summer Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Reala Ace (Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Velvia (Velvia Film Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Velvia (Velvia Film Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Acros+R (Neopan Negative Recipe)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Acros+R (Neopan Negative Recipe)

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

Fujifilm X-T30 II in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T30 II in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T50 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T50 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T50 in charcoal:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex
TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8:
Amazon, B&H, Wex
Fujinon 27mm f/2.8:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex,

Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App!

Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes in October 2024

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Cars & Bikes – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X100VI & WCL-X100 II – Kodak Portra 400 v2

I get asked fairly regularly which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular. For me, this is a fascinating topic, but it’s definitely hard to know definitively. While I get a glimpse on social media, my best gauge is the Fuji X Weekly website statistics; specifically, which Recipe articles are viewed the most. I don’t collect any data on the Fuji X Weekly App, so that’s no help—although, if I did, it would likely offer the most accurate picture; however, it would still be impossible to know which Recipes people programmed into their Fujifilm cameras, or how often they used each. Perhaps a survey would be particularly useful, yet even it has its limitations. While certainly a flawed method, page-view website statics offer the best glimpse at which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular, so that’s what I’m using for this article. These are simply the Top 25 most-viewed Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website last month (October 2024).

These types of lists are usually pretty predictable. There are often a few surprises—there is always some movement—but from one month to the next, it’s mostly the same. This time, I was shocked. Just shocked. Yes, some were not all that surprising, but some were highly unexpected. For just the second time this year, Kodachrome 64 has dropped out of first place, and for the first time ever a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early Access Recipe has reached #1. Also, this is the first time that a Monochrome-based Recipe has even made the list… in October, two of them cracked the Top 10, becoming the first B&W Recipes to rank higher than Kodak Tri-X 400 in a very long time.

Johnny’s BBQ – Nashville, TN – Fujifilm X100VI – Fujicolor Blue – by Jonathan Roesch

Those Recipes with Kodak brand names in the title—Kodachrome, Portra, Gold, Tri-X, T-Max, etc., etc.—are usually the most popular. Classic Chrome is the king of film simulations, as the majority of the most-viewed Recipes are based on that film simulation; however, the Number One Recipe this month is based on Classic Negative—only the second time that has happened this year.

Without any further delay, below are the most popular Recipes of last month!

Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes of October 2024

#1:

Fujicolor Blue

This is an App Patron Early Access Recipe, which means that right now it is only available in the Fuji X Weekly App to Patron subscribers. Eventually it will be available free to everyone, but that might take awhile. This Recipe uses the Classic Negative film simulation, and was published only two weeks ago. It’s highly, highly surprising that it not only cracked the Top 10, but made it all the way to the top spot. Interestingly, it beat out #2 by a very large margin.

#2:

Kodachrome 64

A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that is the long-time most popular Film Simulation Recipe for Fujifilm cameras. It’s rare that this one isn’t Number One, and I’d be surprised if it isn’t back on top next month.

#3:

Reggie’s Portra

Reggie’s Portra, a popular Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras, usually ranks high. Last time it was #2, and now it is #3. This is the most versatile of the Portra Recipes, and the most popular for portrait photography.

#4:

Kodak Portra 400 v2

A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that is often ranked Number Two in these types of lists. It fell one spot since last month.

#5:

Vibrant Arizona

A Wes Anderson inspired Recipe based on Classic Chrome for X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras. It was ranked #4 in September.

#6:

Kodak Portra 400 v2

This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Portra 400 v2. Like #2-5 above, it fell one spot.

#7:

Kodak T-Max 100 Hard Tone

This is a new B&W Recipe for X-Trans IV & V cameras that was published about a month ago. Acros-based Recipes are the king of black-and-white, and Kodak Tri-X 400 is usually the only one to crack the Top 25. This one uses Monochrome+G, so it is quite surprising to find it ranked so high.

#8:

Kodak T-Max 100 Soft Tone

This is also a new B&W Recipe for X-Trans IV & V cameras that was published about a month ago. This one, too, uses the Monochrome+G film simulation. I was shocked to find both this one and the Hard Tone version above in the Top 10.

#9:

Vintage Kodachrome

Vintage Kodachrome, which is based on Classic Chrome, is one of the older Film Simulation Recipes on Fuji X Weekly, and is compatible with X-Trans III cameras. It usually cracks the Top 15, and sometimes the Top 10. Last month it was #11.

#10:

14 Film Dial Recipes

It is probably unfair to include the Film Dial Recipes in this list because it is not one but 14 Recipes. Last month was the first time seeing it in the Top 25, and I was faced with the choice of included it (as unfair as that might be) or not. The Vibrant Arizona article is technically four Recipes, so there is a precedence for its inclusion. I think the sudden rise in interest in the Film Dial Recipes is due to three things: 1) people buying the X-T50, 2) the announcement of the X-M5 (which also has a Film Dial), and 3) people realizing that these Recipes can be used for a lot of other cameras, and not just those with the knob. In September it was ranked #7.

#11:

Kodak Gold 200

This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Gold 200. It’s been slowly rising, and this is the highest that I’ve seen it rank (one spot above last month).

#12:

Pacific Blues

This is oftentimes the highest ranked Classic Negative based Recipe, but this month it is Number Two (if you don’t include Superia Negative from the Film Dial Recipe set). This particular version of Pacific Blues is compatible with X-Trans IV models, but there is also an X-Trans V version. It also rose one spot since last month.

#13:

Kodak Portra 800 v3

A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras, published earlier this year. It ranked #10 in September.

#14:

Kodak Portra 400

This version of Kodak Portra 400 was commonly the third most popular Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly for a long time; however, it has been slowly falling. Last month it ranked #9.

#15:

Kodak Tri-X 400

This is the long-time most popular B&W Recipe on Fuji X Weekly, although it places third this time (not including Neopan Negative in the Film Dial set). It’s based on the Acros film simulation, and has compatibility with X-Trans III, X-Trans IV, and X-Trans V models. It remains in the same position.

#16:

CineStill 800T

This is an Eterna-based Recipe for X-Trans V cameras; however, it’s simply an adaptation of the X-Trans IV version that has been around awhile. It also remains in the same position.

#17:

Kodachrome 64

This is the X-Trans V version of Kodachrome 64. It rose two positions.

#18:

McCurry Kodachrome

This Recipe is reminiscent of scanned Kodachrome 64 slides, and is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras. It rose three positions.

#19:

Easy Reala Ace

Easy Reala Ace was published in June, so it’s a fairly new Recipe. It fell five spots compared to September.

#20:

Kodak Gold 200

Another Classic Chrome based Recipe, for use on X-Trans III models, plus the X-T3/X-T30. It fell two positions.

#21:

Reala Ace

Reala Ace used to be the most popular Classic Negative Recipe, typically found in the Top 10, and sometimes even the Top 5 (and even once at #1!), but it has fallen quite far in the rankings, including four spots since last month. This Recipe is for X-Trans V cameras.

#22:

Classic Color

I published this Recipe, which uses Classic Chrome and has compatibility with both X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras, in April. It fell two spots since September.

#23:

Fujicolor Film

This is a new Reala Ace based Recipe published less than two months ago. Last month it was #8.

#24:

PRO Negative 160C

This was the first Recipe I published that uses the new Reala Ace film simulation. It remains in the same position.

#25:

California Summer

Published in June, this is the highest-ranked Recipe that uses the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation (aside from Nostalgic Film in the Film Dial set). It also remains in the same position compared to last month.

See also:
How To Add Film Simulation Recipes To Your Fujifilm Camera
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to Program Into Your Fujifilm Camera First
Which Film Simulation Recipe, When?

Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App!

FREE Fujifilm Photowalk in Ann Arbor THIS Saturday!! (Meet-up details enclosed)

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Above: Denver photowalk

Come hang out and photograph with the incredibly talented Fujifilm X-Photographer Bryan Minear and myself. Oh, Dave Geffin is coming, too (what a treat!). Talk shop and meet local Fujifilm photographers. We’re going to be hosting a completely FREE photowalk this Saturday, November 9th, at 10 AM in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan. Meet us at the southeast corner of State Street and University Avenue, right across from Nickels Arcade.

Above: Bryan Minear

For those who live in Ann Arbor—as well as the surrounding areas—be sure to join us. Detroit is right there. Toledo and Lansing aren’t too far. Grand Rapids, Cleveland, and Fort Wayne are a pretty far drive, but some people have traveled longer distances than that for the other photowalks—if it’s not too far for you, I’d love to meet you in person. If you think that you can join us, you will need to sign up (click here to register), but it’s quick and easy to do, and best of all FREE!

Afterwards, we will head over to PROCAM—about a 10-minute drive away—for some refreshments. It’s going to be a great time! If you are in the area, this is a don’t-miss opportunity—I hope to see you on Saturday morning!

The Fujifilm X-T50 Film Dial is Spookily Fun

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)

The Film Dial, which was introduced on the Fujifilm X-T50 and is now also found on the Fujifilm X-M5, is a lot of fun. Some people don’t like it, and that’s ok. Not every camera is for everyone, and not every feature is for everyone. It’s one of Fujifilm’s most contentious features. Personally, I like the Film Dial—it’s very useful when combined with my universal Film Dial Recipe, but, perhaps more important, it’s enjoyable.

A few days ago was Halloween. My four kids dressed up, and we went to a nearby family member’s house to pass out candy and trick-or-treat. My oldest daughter was Wednesday from The Addams Family. My oldest son was Waldo. My youngest son was a Fortnight character. And my youngest daughter was Cinderella. We passed out candy before walking around the neighborhood. It was a ton of fun!

Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)

Since it was going to be dark—starting right at sunset and continuing into the night—I wanted to use a fast lens, so I borrowed my wife’s Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 (the new version). That’s one of my favorite lenses—it has such fantastic image quality—but since it’s not mine, I don’t always get to use it. I debated between cameras, but went for the Fujifilm X-T50 because it is more lightweight and compact than the X-T5, and has IBIS, which the X-E4 does not. For this particular purpose, it seemed Goldilocks.

I only used the Film Dial Recipe that night, and turned the knob to different film simulations depending on the light, subject, and situations. The great thing is that you get a real-time preview of what the picture will look like, so you can quickly change the film sim to better match the scene, and see what each will produce. I used Classic Negative the most, but also Classic Chrome, Reala Ace, Eterna, Nostalgic Neg., and Acros+R. It worked out really well for documenting our spooky Halloween celebration.

Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Chrome (Kodak Film)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Nostalgic Neg. (Nostalgic Film)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Reala Ace (Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Chrome (Kodak Film)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Eterna (Cinematic Film)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Eterna (Cinematic Film)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Eterna (Cinematic Film)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Eterna (Cinematic Film)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Nostalgic Neg. (Nostalgic Film)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Chrome (Kodak Film)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Chrome (Kodak Film)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Reala Ace (Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Nostalgic Neg. (Nostalgic Film)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Nostalgic Neg. (Nostalgic Film)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Classic Negative (Superia Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Acros+R (Neopan Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Acros+R (Neopan Negative)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Reala Ace (Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Reala Ace (Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Nostalgic Neg. (Nostalgic Film)

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

Fujifilm X-T50 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T50 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T50 in charcoal:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex
Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 R WR:
Amazon, B&H, Wex, Nuzira

Top Favorite Film Simulation Recipes for Portrait Photography (as decided by YOU!!)

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujifilm Negative Recipe – by Amanda Roesch

I asked, you answered. Below you will find the top color Film Simulation Recipes for portraits and people, as chosen by you! I appreciate everyone who took time out of their busy day to answer the survey—I’m sure this information will be quite helpful to many people, so thank you!

What makes a Recipe good for portraits? There’s no objective answer to this, as everyone has their own unique style and taste. Probably the best answer is: ones that produce good skin tone rendering—Classic Chrome might be the best film simulation for that, but, of course, that’s very subjective, and opinions vary. How a certain Recipe does depends a lot on the exact light situation—one might be great in a specific scenario but not in another. All of that makes it difficult to say with any level of certainty which Recipes are best for portraiture, but there are clearly some that are more universal than others.

Fujifilm X-T4 – Reggie’s Portra Recipe – by Amanda Roesch

I’m not a portrait photographer myself. I’ve dabbled in it here and there over the years, but it’s just not my thing. My wife, however, does do portrait photography, and her favorite Recipe is Reggie’s Portra. In fact, all of her top Recipes for portraits and people (aside from the brand-new Fujifilm Negative Recipe that I just published yesterday) cracked the Top 10. There are definitely some good options, and the poll results confirm a lot of my suspicions about which ones are best.

The specific question asked was: which color Film Simulation Recipe is your favorite for portraits and people? I gave 25 Recipe options that either I have used personally or I have seen others use for people pictures, so I knew they were a good group. Then, I provided a space to add any Recipes that were left out for those whose favorites weren’t in the list—since there are approaching 400 Recipes, most were left out. The results were fascinating, so let’s jump into it!

Reggie’s Portra

Reggie’s Portra was unsurprisingly the top pick; however, what did surprise me was that it absolutely dominated the poll. Almost half of you chose this Recipe as a favorite for people pictures. According to you, this is the Recipe for portraits. And I concur. This Recipe is compatible with X-Trans IV models (except the X-T3 & X-T30); for fifth-generation cameras, simply set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off.

Kodak Portra 400 v2

Kodak Portra 400 v2 is one of my all-time favorite Recipes. Portra film (as the name implies) is specifically intended for portrait photography, so it should not be a shock that this Recipe is popular for people pictures. One-in-five of you chose this in the poll, putting it in (a distant) second place. There is a version for fifth-generation models (linked above), one for X-Trans IV, and one for the X-T3 and X-T30.

Kodachrome 64

Kodachrome 64 is the long-time number one most popular Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly. For pictures with people, this one places third, which is still high, but far from the top spot. There is a version for fifth-generation models (linked above), one for X-Trans IV, and one for X-Trans II.

Kodak Portra 400

One film can produce many different looks depending on a whole host of factors (how handled, how shot, how developed, how scanned or printed, and how viewed); Kodak Portra 400 and v2 both produce a Portra-like look, but based on two notably divergent possible outcomes of the emulsion. There is a version of this Recipe for X-Trans IV models (linked above; for X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off), one for the X-T3 & X-T30, and one for X-Trans III (although that one is significantly different).

Reala Ace

Tied for Number 5 (with Kodak Portra 160 v2 below) is Reala Ace, which interestingly does not use the Reala Ace film simulation; instead, it is based on Classic Negative. It’s highly versatile and fairly popular, so I’m not surprised to see it ranked so high. It’s compatible with all fifth-generation models.

Kodak Portra 160 v2

Also in fifth place is Kodak Portra 160 v2. This one has more of a softer rendering, and is especially great for taming high-contrast scenes. This is compatible with all fifth-generation models; for X-Trans IV (except the X-T3 & X-T30), simply set Color Chrome FX Blue to Strong.

McCurry Kodachrome

Tied for seventh (with Kodak Portra 160 below) is McCurry Kodachrome, which is modeled after Steve McCurry’s famous last roll of Kodachrome 64. Think of it as scanned Kodachrome, while the Kodachrome 64 Recipe (a couple of spots higher) is more like projected Kodachrome. This recipe is compatible with all X-Trans IV cameras.

Kodak Portra 160

The Kodak Portra 160 Recipe, which is tied for seventh (with McCurry Kodachrome above), has a soft and warm Kodak color negative aesthetic. Recipes with Portra in the name account for five of the Top 8 in this list. There is a version of this Recipe for X-Trans IV (linked above), one for X-Trans III & X-T3/X-T30, and one for X-Trans II.

Nostalgia Negative

This was my very first Recipe that uses the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation. It’s an excellent all rounder, including for people pictures, but I am a bit surprised to see it at Number 9. Nostalgia Negative is compatible with all X-Trans V cameras.

Pacific Blues

Pacific Blues has a lot of contrast, so it’s not for every situation, but when it works, it really works. It’s tied for Number 10 with Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled (below). There is a version X-Trans V (linked above), and one for X-Trans IV (except the X-T3 & X-T30).

Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled

Also tied for Number 10 is Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled. This is a highly versatile Recipe with low-contrast and muted colors, and is especially excellent for artificial light situations. It’s compatible with X-Trans IV cameras (except the X-T3 & X-T30); for fifth-generation models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.

If you’re not sure which Recipes to try for portrait photography, I’d start with the 11 above. That’s a good group, and there’s enough variety that at least one should work well for you. But, in case those aren’t enough, I’ve included below the Recipes that received at least two votes in the poll (including a couple write-ins). I figure if at least two people voted one as a favorite, then it must be decent, and worthwhile to try. Also, there were a number of write-ins for Kodak Tri-X 400; this list was specific to color Recipes, but, for B&W, I definitely recommend that Recipe—it’s my personal favorite.

1976 Kodak
Cinematic Film
Easy Reala Ace
Elite Chrome 200
Emulsion ’86
Fujicolor Reala 100
Fujicolor Superia 100
Kodachrome II
Kodak Ultramax 400
Superia Xtra 400

There are many Film Simulation Recipes that weren’t mentioned in this article that are probably pretty good, so just because one wasn’t listed here doesn’t mean it won’t produce good results for portraits and people pictures. Part of the fun is in the discovery. The one that could become your favorite might be in this list, or it might not, and you won’t know until you try. I invite you to pick a couple of these Recipes, and maybe one not in this list, and shoot some portraits to see if you like the results. You can find them here, or in the Fuji X Weekly App, which is available for both Apple and Android.

Fujifilm Negative — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Small Yellow Boat – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujifilm Negative Recipe

Over the last several months, my wife, Amanda, and I have been sharing our Fujifilm X-T5, which I purchased in November 2022 when it first came out. Her camera is an X-T4 that she’s used for years, but lately has been drawn more to the newer model. Amanda does portrait, event and theater photography, but she really loves videography. By far, the Film Simulation Recipe that she uses the most for still photography is Reggie’s Portra; Reala Ace and Pacific Blues are a distant second and third. We used this new Fujifilm Negative Recipe for some of our photos captured on the X-T5 as we traveled across the country over the last few months.

My inspiration for this Recipe was Fujicolor PRO 160NS color negative film, although it wasn’t necessarily closely modeled after it—I just looked at a number of frames captured with that emulsion when I was creating this, so there is a noticeable similarity. Fujicolor PRO 160NS was produced by Fujifilm between 2010 and 2021; however, before that it was named PRO 160S, and before that—in the 1990’s—it was called NPS 160, with small changes and improvements over the years. While this doesn’t exactly match those emulsions, it certainly has a Fujifilm color negative film vibe, and just feels analog-like.

Camera Conversation – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujifilm Negative – by Amanda Roesch

This Fujifilm Negative Film Simulation Recipe is intended for sunny daylight photography. It works well in overcast conditions, too, and indoor natural light. It might not be the best choice for artificial light situations (can be a bit too yellow), and can be a bit too cool in the shade. This Recipe is compatible with all fifth generation X-Trans models, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, and X-M5 cameras. It can be used on the latest GFX models, too, but will likely render slightly different (try it anyway).

Film Simulation: Reala Ace
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off 
White Balance: 5000K, 0 Red & -2 Blue
Highlight: -1
Shadow: -0.5
Color:+2
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Fujifilm Negative Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-T5:

Indoor Grass – Nashville, TN – Fujifilm X-T5
Modeling – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X-T5 – by Amanda Roesch
Friendly Conversation – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X-T5 – by Amanda Roesch
Hot Dog Stand – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X-T5 – by Amanda Roesch
Photowalk – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X-T5 – by Amanda Roesch
Stories – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X-T5 – by Amanda Roesch
Talking About Cameras – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X-T5 – by Amanda Roesch
Reviewing Pictures – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X-T5 – by Amanda Roesch
Setting a Recipe – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X-T5 – by Amanda Roesch
Crosses on Steeples – Denver, CO – Fujifilm X-T5
Oak Leaf – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X-T5
Lake Morning – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X-T5
First Catch – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X-T5
Third Catch – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X-T5
Fourth Catch – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X-T5
Shore Fishing – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X-T5
Dock Fishing – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X-T5
Breakfast – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X-T5
Camera on a Bookshelf – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset over the Eucalyptus – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

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

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

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 350 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Recipes for Portraits?

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Superia Negative

I’m not a portrait photographer. I have dabbled in it a little over the years, but it is just not my thing. So when people ask me which Film Simulation Recipes I recommend for portraits, it’s hard for me to provide a good answer. Now, I do have some experience to fall back on, plus I’ve seen some of your great pictures on social media, so I’m not completely clueless. I can give some recommendations that I’m confident will do well. I just wish that I could provide a bit more expert advice whenever I’m asked.

In yesterday’s post I included a survey. A couple years back I conducted a poll on Fuji X Weekly, but I was quite dissatisfied with the poll itself (how it was integrated, how it had to be configured), so I never bothered to do another. Just this week I learned of a much better and easier way to go about it, and I’m really happy with how it came together and turned out. So… you can expect a lot more surveys in the near future! I’m excited about this feedback—your opinions are immensely important.

Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Nostalgic Americana

Below you will find a poll question: Which color Film Simulation Recipe(s) is/are your favorite(s) for portraits? I want to know which Recipe you like best when photographing people. I picked 25 Recipes for the poll that I know some of you currently use or have used in the past for portrait photography, plus a couple that I have personal experience with. Pick one, two, three, or more—if you’ve used a particular Recipe for portraits and had good results, go ahead and mark it.

There’s a second question: Name a Recipe not found above that you like for portraits? I’ve published nearly 400 Recipes, so 25 is barely scratching the surface. I’m sure that I left out many that are good for portraits, included the two Recipes used for the photos above. Even if you marked some in the first question, go ahead and fill-in-the-blank for the second question if a Recipe that you have experience with was left out (if you’d rather, you can leave it as a comment instead). I appreciate your help with this!

Traveling Light with the Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II & TCL-X100 II Conversion Lenses

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

The Fujifilm X100VI—the most in-demand camera of 2024—has a fixed 23mm (35mm full-frame equivalent) f/2 lens. It’s not an interchangeable-lens camera, which limits its versatility; however, Fujifilm has provided a couple of options to increase its flexibility. First is the built-in Digital Teleconverter, which is a zoom-by-cropping. Second, Fujifilm offers two conversion lenses—a wide-angle and telephoto—that screw onto the end of the fixed-lens. We’ll talk a bit about both of these solutions in this article, but mostly we’ll focus on the two conversion lenses. Specifically, I will answer this question: is the Fujifilm X100VI combined with the WCL-X100 II and TCL-X100 II conversion lenses a practical small kit for travel photography?

MPB is the sponsor of this article. They loaned me a Fujinon WCL-X100 II Wide Conversion Lens and Fujinon TCL-X100 II Tele Conversion Lens to try out for a couple of weeks. For those who don’t know, MPB is an online platform where you can buy, sell, or trade used photo and video gear. “At MPB, there’s something for everyone who wants to try something new, hone their skills, or pursue their passion—and it won’t cost the earth.” If you’re in the market for used camera gear, be sure to check out their platform—you can learn more about MPB here. Thank you, MPB, for making this article possible!

One thing that I love about the Fujifilm X100VI is its compactness. The camera is small enough to fit into a large pocket, and its lightweight enough to carry around all day without being burdensome. The photographs that the X100VI produces straight-out-of-camera are incredible, and can be very film-like. I’ve said many times that this is my desert-island camera—if I could only ever have one for the rest of my life, it would be the X100VI. But, the fixed-focal-length lens is somewhat limiting, so I often suggest that it pairs well with an interchangeable-lens body. I will always bring the X100VI along with me when I travel, but I will almost always have another camera, too.

The Digital Teleconverter helps to make the X100VI more versatile. The 50mm (full-frame equivalent) Digital Teleconverter produces a very usable 20mp image, while the 70mm (full-frame equivalent) Digital Teleconverter produces a much less usable (but still usable for social media) 10mp image. I use the 50mm option somewhat regularly and don’t think twice about it, but I rarely use the 70mm Digital Teleconverter because it is more for emergency-use-only. This does add some versatility, but only a little.

By screwing one of the two conversion lenses—WCL-X100 II and TCL-X100 II—onto the end of the fixed-lens (where the filter adapter attaches), you essentially turn the X100VI (and the older X100 series models, too) into an interchangeable-lens camera. The WCL-X100 II has 0.8x magnification, turning the 23mm lens into 18mm (28mm full-frame equivalent). The TCL-X100 II has 1.4x magnification, turning the 23mm lens into 50mm (full-frame equivalent). Interestingly, there is actually a small focal-length difference between the TCL-X100 II and the Digital Teleconverter, despite that they are both supposedly 50mm equivalent—the TCL-X100 II is actually slightly more telephoto than using the 50mm Digital Teleconverter. I didn’t notice any reduction in image quality when using either conversion lens (amazing!); however, the distortion can do some weird things, which you are likely to only notice when photographing brick or tile walls.

Probably the largest drawback to the two conversion lenses is that they add noticeable size and weight to the camera. The WCL-X100 II is 1.5″ (long) x 2.2″ (diameter), and weighs 0.33 pounds, which isn’t terrible. The TCL-X100 II is a little larger and heavier: 1.8″ (long) x 2.8″ (diameter), and weighs 0.39 pounds. While the WCL-X100 II is a little less inconvenient to have attached, I personally liked the TCL-X100 II a little more. I feel like the conversion lenses contradict the camera’s philosophy (one-camera-one-lens; small/lightweight) to a degree, but at the same time, they do make for an extremely small and lightweight kit. I carried both conversion lenses and the X100VI in a Peak Design Sling, which was an amazingly compact kit for travel!

Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II (28mm full-frame equivalent)
Fujifilm X100VI (35mm full-frame equivalent)
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + Digital Teleconverter (40mm full-frame equivalent)
Fujifilm X100VI + Digital Teleconverter (50mm full-frame equivalent)
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II (50mm full-frame equivalent)
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Digital Teleconverter (70mm full-frame equivalent)

You can combine the Digital Teleconverter with the conversion lenses to increase the versatility even further, achieving 28mm, 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, and 70mm (full-frame equivalent) focal-lengths without resorting to the 10mp crop. I didn’t find the Digital Teleconverter combined with the WCL-X100 II lens particularly useful, personally; however, I did utilize the Digital Teleconverter a handful of times with the TCL-X100 II lens. I think it would be interesting if Fujifilm offered a 0.7x magnification (24mm full-frame equivalent) WCL option and a 2x magnification (70mm full-frame equivalent) TCL option in addition to the two they already have—I think this four lens (plus the 23mm fixed lens) kit would be extremely compelling for travel photography, if it were available.

I was invited to be a part of Fujifilm’s Create With Us event in Austin, Texas, last month. It was such a great time, and it was wonderful to meet many of you in-person. The only camera that I brought along with me was my Fujifilm X100VI, plus I had the WCL-X100 II and TCL-X100 II conversion lenses. I left the interchangeable-lens models at home. It was so nice to have a compact three lens kit—which stretched into a faux four lens kit utilizing the Digital Teleconverter—that all fit into a small sling bag. When you travel, oftentimes less is more, as space is a premium.

Fujifilm X100VI + PRO Negative 160C Recipe

It was good to have three lens options available: the fixed lens (23mm), WCL-X100 II (18mm), and TCL-X100 II (32mm). There were definitely times when each came in handy. While the WCL-X100 II was a little less detrimental to the X100VI experience than the TCL-X100 II, I found myself using the TCL-X100 II more. I don’t know that either of the two are essential. For the most part, one can take a couple steps backwards instead of using WCL-X100 II, and one can take a few steps forward (or utilize the Digital Teleconverter) instead of using the TCL-X100 II. Obviously that’s not always practical (or the same result), so having the conversion lenses available was appreciated.

I think the conversion lenses are an interesting concept. Having used them on this one trip, I was left both impressed and confused simultaneously. I utilized them a lot more than I think I would have if I had not been testing them out for this article. If someday I did buy them, they’d likely only get occasional use; however, for those occasions when they do come in handy, it’s great to have them available, as they’re pretty darn good. More than anything, I think if you’re a bit nervous to pack light for fear that you’ll miss out due to not having the “right” lenses available, the two conversion lenses will give you a bit more confidence. Even if they’re largely left unused in your sling, it’s probably still better than lugging around a bigger and heavier bag with a larger body and a couple lenses to go with it. In that sense, the two conversion lenses are completely worthwhile accessories to go along with your X100VI camera.

Fujifilm X100VI + Kodak T-Max 100 Soft Tone Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + Kodak T-Max 100 Soft Tone Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + Kodak T-Max 100 Hard Tone Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Kodak T-Max 100 Hard Tone Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Velvia Film Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + Fujicolor Blue Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + Fujicolor Blue Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + Fujicolor Blue Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + Fujicolor Blue Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Digital Teleconverter + Fujicolor Blue Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Fujicolor Blue Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Fujicolor Blue Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + PRO Negative 160C Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + 1976 Kodak Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + 1976 Kodak Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + 1976 Kodak Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Nostalgic Film Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + Eterna Summer Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + Eterna Summer Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Nostalgic Americana Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Nostalgic Americana Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Nostalgic Americana Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Digital Teleconverter + Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + PRO Negative 160C Recipe
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + Nostalgic Americana Recipe

The above photographs are all camera-made JPEGs captured using my Fujifilm X100VI, utilizing a Fujinon WCL-X100 II Wide Conversion Lens and Fujinon TCL-X100 II Tele Conversion Lens for many, while traveling to Austin, TX, last month.

Previously in this series:
Fujifilm X-Pro2 — The camera that got away (again)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 23mm F/2 = Interchangeable-Lens Fujifilm X100VI??
Leica Q2 from the perspective of a Fujifilm photographer
Fujifilm X30 — Fujifilm’s Forgotten Retro Compact Zoom
Close Up with the Fujinon XF 30mm F/2.8 R LM WR Macro

Evergreen + Fuji X Weekly Protective Case for Fujifilm X100VI / X100V / X100F — Update 1: I Need Your Help!

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

When I introduced the Evergreen + Fuji X Weekly Protective Case for Fujifilm X100-series cameras four weeks ago, I mentioned that there isn’t enough free space for a neck strap to fit into it. Many wrist straps fit, but there’s not enough space inside the case for a neck strap. An alternative that I suggested was to use a quick-release strap (and store the strap elsewhere), which would certainly work, but it may or may not be a good solution for you. Well, I’m very happy to report that the Evergreen 28″ Short Strap will, in fact, fit inside the case!

I was a little worried that this neck strap would be a bit too short, but it wasn’t (at least not for me). It’s made from genuine leather, with a soft microfiber suede back for comfort. Evergreen calls the design minimalist vintage-modern; I’m not sure what that means, but it is stylish, and matches the X100VI aesthetic quite well. So if you are looking for a neck strap that will also fit into the Evergreen + Fuji X Weekly Protective Case, the Evergreen 28″ Short Strap is an excellent option—and it’s only $30. This is what I’m currently using on my Fujifilm X100VI (for about two weeks now), and I’m very happy with it.

If you own a Fujifilm X100-series camera—such as the X100VI, X100V, or X100F—and you want to protect it when you travel or are on some amazing adventure somewhere, this case will do it. The Evergreen + Fuji X Weekly Protective Case is waterproof, shock-resistant, and tough. You don’t have to worry about your camera getting damaged. And it’s only $50.

Also, I’m excited to announce that the Evergreen + Fuji X Weekly Protective Case for Fujifilm X100-series cameras is now available at B&H. Yeah, that camera store. This is a really big deal! So currently it’s available for purchase from Amazon, B&H, and directly from Evergreen Cases.

One more thing: I need your help! Evergreen and I would like to make another case, this time a larger one for an interchangeable-lens model. If you have a couple moments, please answer the two questions below. It will help me out immensely. Thank you so much!

Ann Arbor & Philadelphia are Quickly Approaching!

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Rainbows over Philly – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X100VI – Fujicolor Film Recipe

On November 9th—in less than two weeks—I will be co-leading a free photowalk in downtown Ann Arbor with Fujifilm X-Photographer Bryan Minear, who is incredibly talented. If you are unfamiliar with Bryan, check out this short video (click here). It’s a true honor to collaborate with him on this photowalk. We’re partnering with PROCAM and Fujifilm, too—it’s definitely a group effort to pull this off!

For those who live in Ann Arbor, Michigan—as well as the surrounding areas—be sure to join us. Detroit is right there. Toledo and Lansing aren’t too far. Grand Rapids, Cleveland, and Fort Wayne are a pretty far drive, but some people have traveled longer distances than that for the other photowalks—if it’s not too far for you, I’d love to meet you in person. If you think that you can join us, you will need to sign up (click here to register), but it’s quick and easy to do, and best of all FREE!

We will meet somewhere in downtown Ann Arbor on Saturday, November 9th, at 10 AM. The exact meetup spot is TBD, but we will email it out to everyone who signs up once it has been finalized. Afterwards, we will head over to PROCAM for some refreshments. It’s going to be a great time!

Doggles – Philadelphia, PA – Fujifilm X-T50 – Nostalgic Americana Recipe

One week later—on November 16th—I will co-lead a photowalk in Philadelphia with Allan Ali, who is a local legend. We teamed up for a photowalk back in August, and it was truly great! This photowalk through the historic and beautiful Old City is in conjunction with Unique Photo as a part of their two day Camera Show. Even if you don’t join the photowalk, at least come to the Camera Show, because it will be completely worthwhile (and while you’re there, you might as well come along on the photowalk 😀).

If you are in Philadelphia or even as far as New York City, I hope you can join us. This one is from 10:15 AM to 12:15 PM, and will include a short classroom presentation. The cost is $10 per person (but you get it back with a $10 token for in-store purchases), and you must preregister (click here). Space is limited, so if you want to come, don’t procrastinate—for August, it filled up rather quickly, and I’m sure this one will, too.

I’m looking forward to seeing some of you in Ann Arbor and Philadelphia very soon!

Which Film Simulation Recipes, When? — Part 3: X-T3 & X-T30 (2024 Edition)

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Colorful Flags – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 – Classic Kodak Recipe

Part 1 (X-Trans V) – Part 2 (X-Trans IV)

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

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

Bougainvillea Below Window – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 – McCurry Kodachrome Recipe

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

What makes Part 3 more challenging than the first two articles is that the X-T3 and X-T30 cameras cannot remember a White Balance Shift within the C1-C7 Custom Settings presets. If two Recipes share the same white balance type but not the same shift, when you switch presets you must remember to adjust the shift, too. That can be inconvenient and frustrating, so my best solution is to program Recipes that use different white balance types and/or share the same white balance type and shift. The user experience is much improved, but you might not be able to program all of your favorite Recipes at the same time, which is the one downside to this solution. What I set out to do with this article is recommend seven Recipes, one for each C1-C7 Custom Settings preset, that don’t share the same white balance type, or, if they do, share the same shift. It’s a difficult task, but I think I came up with a good set for you; however, there were definitely some tough cuts.

Vintage Sunset – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Kodacolor Recipe

Also, if you have a newer X-Trans IV camera, you can use these Recipes, too, by simply setting Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and choosing a Grain size (either Small or Large). While the next installment will cover X-Trans III, some of these Recipes are compatible with X-Trans III cameras; the key is to look for whether they call for Color Chrome Effect or not—if not, it’s compatible with X-Trans III. Also, X-Trans III recipes are fully compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30 (just set Color Chrome Effect to Off), but I avoided those Recipes for this article because I wanted to save them for Part 4.

Below are seven Recipe suggestions for you to program into C1-C7 on your Fujifilm camera, with advice on when to use each. Since Recipes are (for the most part) generationally specific, each article will cover a different group of cameras. This is Part 3, and covers the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30.

C1 — Kodak Portra 400 v2 — Sunny Daylight #1

Window to the City – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Kodak Portra 400 v2

Kodak Portra 400 v2 does well anytime during daylight hours, but especially for “golden hour” near sunrise and sunset. As the name suggests it is a good option for portrait photography, but is excellent for many genres. This really could be your primary use-most-of-the-time Recipe, and that’s why I suggest placing it in C1. This Recipe uses the Daylight White Balance type, as do the first four of the suggested alternatives below (but not the last one).

Some alternatives to consider:
Kodachrome 64
Kodak Gold 200
Kodak Portra 160
Kodak Portra 400
Pro Neg

Note: Kodak Gold 200, Kodak Portra 160, and Kodak Portra 400 all share the same WB type and WB shift, and could potentially be your C1-C3.

C2 — Classic Kodak — Sunny Daylight #2

Split Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 – Classic Kodak

I like to reserve C2 for bright midday photography. The old rule of thumb was once the sun was high in the sky, it’s time to put the camera away. While Classic Kodak can be used anytime the sun is out, it is a great options for middle-of-the-day situations, and proves the old adage wrong. This Recipe uses the Shade White Balance type, as do the first two suggested alternatives below (but not the bottom three).

Some alternatives to consider:
Porto 200
Lomography Color 100
McCurry Kodachrome
Kodacolor
Kodacolor VR

C3 — Kodak Vision3 250D — Sunny Daylight #3

Ice Cream Trailer – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Kodak Vision3 250D

This is a good spot to have an alternative aesthetic compared to C1 and C2—as I don’t think you’d want to have all three up to this point to be essentially similar. Although each of the first three have a Kodak-negative-like look, Kodak Vision3 250D produces a notably divergent aesthetic. With the ones I’ve suggested so far, you’ve got a good set for all sorts of daylight situations no matter your subject. This Recipe uses the Fluorescent 1 White Balance type, as does the first suggested alternative below (but not the bottom four).

Some alternatives to consider:
Color Negative
Fujicolor 100 Industrial
Fujicolor Pro 160NS
Negative Print
Analog Color

C4 — Ektachrome E100GX — Overcast

Pink Rose Blossom – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Ektachrome E100GX

Ektachrome E100GX is excellent for sunny daylight photography, but it also does pretty well for dreary overcast conditions. It uses the Fluorescent 2 White Balance type, as does the first suggested alternative below (but not the bottom four).

Some alternatives to consider:
Fujichrome Sensia 100
Classic Slide
Fujicolor Pro 400H
Eterna Bleach Bypass
Eterna v3

C5 — Kodak Ultramax— Versatility

Street Lamp Sunset – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Kodak Ultramax

I like to have at least one Recipe programmed into my camera that’s highly versatile and can be used no matter the situation. While there are not as many options for the X-T3 and X-T30 as there are for newer X-Trans IV cameras, there are still some excellent options; of those, my personal favorite is Kodak Ultramax. It uses the Auto White Balance type, as do all of the suggested alternatives below.

Some alternatives to consider:
Velvia
Velvia v2
Eterna
Polaroid
Verano Tostado

C6 — Jeff Davenport Night — Nighttime

Wet Glass Bokeh – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Jeff Davenport Night

If it’s between dusk and dawn, especially if there are city lights, Jeff Davenport Night is the recipe to use on your X-T3 and X-T30 cameras. Period. It uses the Kelvin White Balance type, as does the first option below (but not the bottom four).

Some alternatives to consider:
Eterna Low Contrast
Cinematic Negative
Melancholy Blue
Expired Eterna
Fujicolor Pro 400H Overexposed

C7 — Analog Monochrome — B&W

Minolta SRT303b – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – Analog Monochrome

Last but not least is B&W. Filling out the last slot is tricky, because most of the White Balance types have already been used. There are basically three options: choose an X-Trans III Recipe—which is fully compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30—that uses a different WB type (that’s what I’ve done here, as Analog Monochrome utilizes Incandescent); use an Auto WB Recipe—perhaps Ilford Delta Push Process—and disregard the WB Shift, and accept the results for what they are (which will be nearly the same, but not exactly the same); or use a Daylight WB Recipe—perhaps Kodak Tri-X 400—and substitute Daylight with Underwater, which is similar enough that you’re not likely to notice the difference.

Some alternatives to consider:
Kodak Tri-X 400
Agfa APX 400
Monochrome Kodachrome
Ilford Delta Push-Process
Ilford HP5 Plus 400 Push-Process

Find these Film Simulation Recipes in the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Stay tuned for Part 4!

Fujicolor Blue — Fujifilm X100VI (X-Trans V) FXW App Patron Early Access Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Yellow Beanie – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI – Fujicolor Blue

This Fujicolor Blue Film Simulation Recipe was actually a failed attempt at recreating a certain look, but nonetheless I really liked the results, so I decided to make it an official Recipe in the Fuji X Weekly App. Whenever I attempt to replicate a certain look, it’s largely by trial-and-error, and there are a lot of failures along the way. Occasionally one of those failures is interesting on its own merit, such as this one.

What does Fujicolor Blue resemble? It definitely has a Tungsten-balanced film vibe, although I don’t think it matches any specific Tungsten emulsion. I think it also roughly resembles a daylight-balanced film used in conjunction with an 80A or other cooling filter. It definitely has a retro Fujicolor negative film look (perhaps along the lines of Fujicolor Super HR), but maybe also a bit of an Agfa aesthetic (such as Agfacolor 200). While it’s not exactly like any specific emulsion that I’m aware of, it has a strong analog feel, and you could probably convince someone that you shot film and not a modern digital camera.

Flowers & Fruit – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X100VI – Fujicolor Blue

This Fujicolor Blue Recipe is great for adding a cold feeling to a sunny daylight photograph, toning down an overly warm scene, pretty much any indoor situation, and nighttime artificial light scenarios. It’s highly versatile, but the pronounced cool cast in sunny daylight is not going to be for everyone. This Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, and X-M5. Those with certain X-Trans IV models and newer GFX can use it, too; however, it will render slightly different (but don’t be afraid to try it).

Fujicolor Blue is an App Patron Early Access Recipe. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, you have access to it right now. If not, no worries, as it will eventually be made available to everyone, once it is replaced by a new Early Access Recipe. This also means that an different Early Access Recipe is now available for everyone, so be on the lookout for it.

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Fujicolor Blue Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X100VI:

Spain – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI
Poke Poke – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI
Construction Site – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI
Yellow Guy – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI
Fujifilm Photography – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI
Hudson Yards – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI
Urban Skyscape – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI
Green for Siding – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X100VI
How You Doing? – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X100VI
Airborne Bike 1 – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X100VI
Airborne Bike 2 – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X100VI
Here – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X100VI
Lake Dock – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X100VI
Boatride – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X100VI
Houseplant – Clinton, CT- Fujifilm X100VI
Fujifilm, Y’all – Austin, TX – Fujifilm X100VI
Don’t Slip – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI
Chochin Lanterns – Clinton, CT – Fujifilm X100VI
Nashville Night – Nashville, TN – Fujifilm X100VI – Photo by Jonathan Roesch
Johnny’s BBQ – Nashville, TN – Fujifilm X100VI – Photo by Jonathan Roesch
Diamonds are For Baseball – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI

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, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X100VI in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 350 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Nostalgic Emulsion — Fujifilm X-Trans III (plus X-T3 & X-T30) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Bougainvillea Blues – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – Nostalgic Emulsion Recipe

My daughter, Joy, had approached me and asked, “Can I make a Film Simulation Recipe?”

“Sure,” I happily replied. I handed her my Fujifilm X-H1, gave her a quick tutorial on the menu and settings (she hadn’t previously used this model), and off she went.

A couple of hours later Joy returned. “I’m not sure this is right. Can you help me?” She showed me her pictures.

“What look are you trying to create?” I asked.

“Well,” she replied, “it’s this aesthetic that’s dark with deep greens.”

“Where did you see it?” Joy then proceeded to show me some music videos, including Daylight by David Kushner. “That’s the aesthetic I want to make,” she told me, while stopping on a forested scene.

Rose of Sharon Backlit – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – Nostalgic Emulsion Recipe

The camera settings she had chosen weren’t all that far off, so I suggested a few adjustments. After more testing and review, another couple changes were made, and then even more testing was done. I asked, “Are you happy with this look?”

“Yes!” Joy excitedly responded. “This is the aesthetic I wanted.”

After she was done capturing pictures, I shot with her settings for a little while myself. I really like the moody and nostalgic feeling that this Film Simulation Recipe produces. It has a retro negative film look, maybe along the lines of Fujicolor Super HQ or Agfa XRG or something like that. You can expect dark shadows and a cool cast that leans green. It’s not a Film Simulation Recipe that everyone will love, but I bet it will be an instant favorite for some of you. It requires a White Balance setting that I had not previously used for a Recipe; for those trying to avoid adjusting the WB Shift when switching between C1-C7, this is another option for you to try.

Concrete Vine – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – Nostalgic Emulsion – by Joy Roesch

Nostalgic Emulsion was an App Patron Early Access Recipe, but it has since been replaced by a different Early Access Recipe, so now it is available to everyone. This Recipe is compatible with all Fujifilm X-Trans III cameras, plus the X-T3 & X-T30. For those with newer X-Trans IV cameras, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and I’d suggest Grain size Small. Those with “older” GFX cameras can use it, too, although it will render slightly different (but try it anyway!).

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR200
Grain Effect: Strong
White Balance: Underwater, -6 Red & +3 Blue
Highlight: -1
Shadow: +3
Color: +2
Sharpness: -1
Noise Reduction: -4
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Nostalgic Emulsion Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-H1:

Water Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Concrete Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Little Vine Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Backlit Green Leaves – Buckeye, AZ -Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Hidden Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Garden – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Spring Window Reflection – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Fallen Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Bougainvillea Sprouting – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Bougainvillea Sage – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Bougainvillea Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Bloom Small – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Backyard Trumpet Blossoms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Rose of Sharon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Rosebud – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Bright Green Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Bush & Blocks – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Pouring Sunlight over Honeysuckles – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Garden Gate – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Pink Oleander Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Dark Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Wall and Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Joyful Josh – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Peaches – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Architecture & Jon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Blue Glass – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Three Bright Ideas – Buckeye, AZ – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Dusk Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Green Leaves at Dusk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Veiled Lightbulb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Blue Hour Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – by Joy Roesch
Disabled Parking – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Illuminated Plant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Night Corridor – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 350 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.