Provia/STD — Fujifilm XF1 (EXR-CMOS) Film Simulation Recipe

A Film Simulation Recipe for the Fujifilm XF1, X100, X10 & X-S1 cameras.

Tower Above the Trees – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1 – Provia/STD Recipe

This Film Simulation Recipe was simply an attempt to improve the factory default Provia film sim, with the goal of creating a more analog-like rendering. On the XF1, Provia doesn’t look half bad out-of-the-box, but I thought with some adjustments, I could make it better. I think it turned out pretty well—I’m quite happy with the results I’m getting from this Recipe.

The Fujifilm EXR-CMOS sensor generation quality reminds me of analog half-frame, which are cameras that only expose half of a 35mm frame, allowing you to get twice as many pictures on one roll of film, but at the expense of image quality. For smaller prints it’s no big deal, but if you want to enlarge bigger than 8″x10″, the difference is noticeable, particularly the larger you print. For internet viewing and prints up to 8″x10″, the image quality from the Fujifilm XF1 is great, but I wouldn’t want to print large or crop deeply, because it would begin to fall apart. With that said, I do like the rendering from this camera—it’s a bit different from the other sensor generations.

Lamps & Neon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1 – Provia/STD Recipe

This “Provia/STD” Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm XF1, X100, X10, and X-S1 cameras. You can use it on X-Trans I, X-Trans II, and Bayer models, too, but it will look slightly different (feel free to try, though)—at the bottom of this article is one picture captured on my Fujifilm X70, which is an X-Trans II model, using this Recipe.

Provia/STD
Dynamic Range: DR-Auto
Highlight: -1 (Medium-Soft)
Shadow: -1 (Medium-Soft)
Color: +1 (Medium-High)
Sharpness: -1 (Medium-Soft)
Noise Reduction: -2 (Low)
White Balance: 5600K, -3 Red (R/CY) & -1 Blue (B/Ye)

ISO: Auto, up to ISO 1600
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Provia/STD Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm XF1:

Potted Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
TK ’24 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Five-Story Tower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Block Wall Vines – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Singular Bulb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Yellow Trumpet Blossoms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Bunch of Blossomed Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Roof Design – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Street Lofts – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Multicolored Water in Mason Jars – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Moose Antlers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Fuji X Weekly – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1

Comparison

Factory default Provia, not a Recipe
This Provia/STD Recipe
Captured using this Provia/STD Recipe on a Fujifilm X70

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Will there be a new Fujifilm X camera announced in September?

Fujifilm will be announcing some new gear on September 12; Fujirumors is reporting that it will be GFX cameras and lenses, including a GFX100 successor (which, apparently, wasn’t the GFX100S), GF 55mm f1.7, GF 30mm f/5.6 tilt-shift, and GF 110mm f/5.6 tilt-shift. A rumor has floated for awhile now that two X-series cameras would be released in 2023. The first was the X-S20. What will the second be? And will it be announced in September?

We know that the X100V replacement won’t come until next year, so which one will be next? There’s been a lot of speculation that it could be the X-Pro4 because it’s long overdue; however, if it is, something would have likely already leaked about it, so I’m marking it as unlikely. How about an X80? Fujifilm absolutely should release this camera, but I think that ship has sailed in their minds, and it’s not even on the list of potential future models. X-A8 or X-T300? Those lines have been discontinued, so no. It’s much too soon for an X-H3 or X-T6 or X-S30. What does that leave? The X-E5 or X-T40 (which they might call X-T50). Let me give a few quick reasons why I think it will and won’t be each of those models.

Evening Charge – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4Kodak Portra 400 v2

It will be the X-E5 because the X-E4 was a hot commodity just before being surprisingly discontinued (presumably so that manufacturing efforts could be diverted to the X100V). It was backordered everywhere and even sometimes selling for more than MSRP. There’s still quite a demand for it, but so very little supply. It was strange that Fujifilm axed an in-demand model, but if they were preparing to release a successor, it makes a lot more sense.

It won’t be the X-E5 because Fujifilm will probably only offer one base-level camera going forward (due to shifting markets), and between the X-T00 and X-E lines, it’s more likely the X-E that’s not renewed. Besides that, historically, the X-E line comes at the very end of a sensor generation, not towards the beginning or middle.

Wearing Grandpa’s Hat – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Kodacolor

It will be the X-T40 (or X-T50) because this line is long overdue for an update. The X-T30 was released over four years ago. The X-T30 II was an extremely minor upgrade, mostly just a firmware update that should have been given to the X-T30. Both the X-T30 and X-T30 II have been discontinued, so it makes sense that a new version is about to come out. Besides, the X-T00 line has been a good seller for Fujifilm, and the current lineup is in desperate need for a camera of its class.

It won’t be the X-T40 because the X-T30 II was released only two years ago. While it sold well, it wasn’t as in-demand or trendy as the X-E4. Aside from that, Fujifilm is clearly focusing more on higher-end models, and not entry-level.

Tunnel Silhouette – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm GFX-50S – Classic Negative Industrial

What’s my opinion? I think, if an X-series camera is announced on September 12, it will be the X-T40. I don’t think the X-T40 will likely be a major upgrade, so including it on the same day as the GFX150 (or whatever the new GFX camera will be called) makes sense. Just as likely, no X-series models will be announced on September 12; perhaps the next camera will be the X-Pro4 in November (that’s just speculation, I have zero inside information).

The X-T40 will probably be the exact same thing as the X-T30 II, except with the X-Processor 5, which brings improved autofocus and video specs, along with the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation. I suspect that it will have the same X-Trans IV sensor and the same NP-W126S battery, and be 95% the same camera. I don’t think it will be revolutionary; however, it will be Fujifilm’s sub-$1,000 option, which I think is still important to offer. Don’t be surprised, if Fujifilm does decide to eventually release an X-E5, that the X-T00 and X-E lines aren’t available at the same time. In other words, they might manufacture the X-T40 for a year or two (depending on how it sells), and then discontinue it as they prepare to release the X-E5. Once that’s been on the market for a year or so, it’ll get discontinued in time for the next X-T00. I think Fujifilm sees these two models as competing against themselves to some degree. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if one of these two lines was simply (and quietly) discontinued.

Indoor Blooms – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro3Fujicolor Superia 800

In my opinion, I think Fujifilm has been secretly working on the X-Pro4, and I wouldn’t be shocked if it was released in November (like the X-T5 was last year). I think it would make a ton of sense. They’ll probably readdressed the rear screen somehow. I do believe it will have the 40mp sensor, and don’t be surprised if it is the first X-series camera with the XPan aspect ratio as an option. This would be a smart move, I think, and it would fall within Fujifilm’s shift towards focusing more on higher-end cameras and less on lower-end.

What do you think? Will an X-series camera be announced on September 12? Which model will it be? What do you hope for? Let me know in the comments!

Creative Collective 053: Going Ultra-Wide for Dramatic Photographs

Panic Purchases – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Rokinon 12mm

Dramatic photographs are statement pieces that grab the viewer’s attention. There are several techniques that you could employ to capture dramatic pictures, including light, subject matter, and composition/point-of-view. In this article I will discuss a particular piece of gear that often delivers dramatic results: the ultra-wide lens.

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10 Vintage Film Simulation Recipes You Should Try!

Sentinel & Merced – Yosemite NP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Vintage Color Recipe

A lot of people are interested right now in achieving a vintage aesthetic with their Fujifilm cameras. Retro renderings are in-style, but with about 300 Film Simulation Recipes to choose from on the Fuji X Weekly website (and App), it can be difficult to know which ones to use. If you are after a vintage look, let me suggest 10 Recipes to you. They all have “vintage” in the name, and each will deliver a retro analog-like rendering.

Some of the Film Simulation Recipes below are quite popular (especially the first one), and maybe you’ve even used a few of them yourself. Many of them are less popular and are often overlooked; maybe you’ve seen them, but never programmed them into your camera. Perhaps this is the very first time you’re seeing a couple of these Recipes. Whatever the case, if you are after a vintage look, pick a couple of these to try today!

The first three Recipes below are compatible with X-Trans III cameras, plus the X-T3 & X-T30; to use them on newer X-Trans IV models, set Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and choose a Grain size (either Small or Large). The next five are compatible with “newer” X-Trans IV models (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II); to use them on X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue one step lower (Weak instead of Strong, Off instead of Weak). The last two are compatible with X-Trans V cameras; the second-to-last Recipe can be used on some X-Trans IV models (X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II) by setting Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Off.

Take a look at the 10 Vintage Film Simulation Recipes below. If one or two or three of them stand out to you as especially interesting, go ahead and give them a try!

Vintage Kodachrome

Onaqui Horses – Dugway, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Vintage Kodachrome Recipe
Building For Sale – Coalville, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Vintage Kodachrome Recipe
Old Log in Kolob Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F – Vintage Kodak Recipe

Vintage Agfacolor

Always Moving Ahead – Rawlins, WY – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – Vintage Agfacolor Recipe
Clouds Over Mountain Green – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – Vintage Agfacolor Recipe
Palms & Canopy – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Agfacolor Recipe

Vintage Kodacolor

Fishing Boat 939678 – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Kodacolor Recipe
Don’t Approach the Great Blue Heron – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – Vintage Kodacolor Recipe
Large Stone & Tall Grass – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – Vintage Kodacolor Recipe

Vintage Negative

Vintage Berries – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Vintage Negative Recipe
Christmas Star – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Vintage Negative
Suburban Reed Evening – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – Vintage Negative Recipe

Vintage Vibes

Autumn Aspen – Big Arm, MT – Fujifilm X100V – Vintage Vibes Recipe
Summer Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Vintage Vibes Recipe
Playing in a Dirty Kitchen – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Vibes Recipe

Vintage Color

The Captain – Yosemite NP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Vintage Color Recipe
Green Bush – Prefumo Canyon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Color Recipe
Elephant Seal Beach – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Color Recipe

Vintage Color v2

Winter Bloom Remnants – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro3 – Vintage Color v2 Recipe
February Reaching – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro3 – Vintage Color v2 Recipe
Boy With Nerf Gun – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro3 – Vintage Color v2 Recipe

Vintage Analog

Waterfront Homes – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Analog Recipe
Dock Post – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Analog Recipe
Arch Over Bell Tower – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vintage Analog Recipe

Vintage Bronze

Autumn Rainbow – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vintage Bronze Recipe
Paperflowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vintage Bronze Recipe
Rudolph – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vintage Bronze Recipe

Vintage Cinema

Glimpse of a Fleeting Memory – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vintage Cinema Recipe
Side Gate Cracked Open – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vintage Cinema Recipe
Ball on a Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vintage Cinema Recipe

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

Fujifilm Film Simulation Patches!

Fujifilm just introduced a new product: film simulation patches!

These 2″x2″ embroidered iron-on patches are a great way to share your love of film sims to those around you. Put them on your camera bag, backpack, jean jacket, etc.. There are 11 of them: Provia, Velvia, Astia, Classic Chrome, PRO Neg. Hi, PRO Neg. Std, Classic Negative, Eterna, Monochrome, Acros, and Sepia. Find them on Fujifilm’s online store. Not sure why Eterna Bleach Bypass and Nostalgic Neg. didn’t make the cut, other than these patches resemble the small “box-top” screen on the back of the Fujifilm X-Pro3, and those two film sims aren’t available on that model.

I think they’re really cool. I ordered a couple, and plan to iron them onto my travel camera bag. They’re not exactly cheap at $10 per patch (or all 11 for $79.50, which is actually a significant bulk discount), but I think it’s a fun way to show your love of film simulations. I also think it’s fascinating that film sims are now so prominent—in large part due to the popularity of Film Simulation Recipes—that Fujifilm is merchandising them. I’d love to see them do more of this type of thing.

Exciting: Fujifilm Film Simulations just got real with these embroidered applique patches, in 11 different designs. Digitally recreated, based on historic film stocks, our Film Simulations are now available in all-new physical form. These quality, machine-embroidered patches can be heat-applied to fabric surfaces, from clothing to backpacks. Are you a bold Velvia fan, or an admirer of the timeless Acros? Grab either one separately, or the both of them if you can’t make up your mind. Love them all? We don’t blame you! Get ’em while the iron’s hot!

—Fujifilm

Pro Film — Fujifilm X70 (X-Trans II) Film Simulation Recipe

Sunny Afternoon Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Pro Film Recipe

For this Film Simulation Recipe, I was attempting to accomplish two different things: create a Recipe that uses Underwater White Balance and produce results with an analog-like color negative film aesthetic. To the second point, this Recipe does produce that in generic terms. It’s not intended to mimic any specific film emulsion, although there might be some unintended resemblance to Fujicolor Pro 160C, or—to a lesser extent—Kodak Portra 160VC.

The reason I chose the Underwater White Balance type is because I’ve yet to use it with any X-Trans II Recipe; since your camera will remember one White Balance Shift per White Balance type, this can be another option to consider for your C1-C7. If each of the seven Film Simulation Recipes programmed into your Custom Presets has a different White Balance type, you won’t have to worry about changing the WB Shift when switching between your C1-C7 Custom Preset.

Red Bicycle – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Pro Film Recipe – Photo by Jon Roesch

This “Pro Film” Recipe is compatible with all Fujifilm X-Trans II cameras (except the XQ1 and XQ2, which don’t have the PRO Neg. Hi film simulation). You can use this Recipe on the X-Pro1 and X-E1 (as well as many of the Bayer models), although the results will be slightly different.

PRO Neg. Hi
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: -1 (Medium-Soft)
Shadow: -2 (Soft)
Color: +2 (High)
Sharpness: -1 (Medium-Soft)
Noise Reduction: -2 (Low)
White Balance: Underwater, 0 Red & -2 Blue

ISO: Auto, up to ISO 3200
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Pro Film” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X70:

No Turning Back – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Yellow Truck – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Sunset Ford – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Red Car – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Van Accessible – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Walkway Bicycle – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Window in the Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Locked Up Bike – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Enjoy – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Corner Table – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Clouds over Rooftop – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Sunlight Behind Pavilion – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Joy Roesch
School – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Backlit Tree & Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Electric Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Backyard Jo – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Backlit Water Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Green Field – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Jon Roesch
Park View – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Joshua Roesch
Photographing the Photographer – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Joshua Roesch
Arizona Green – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Photo by Joy Roesch
Early Morning Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and nearly 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Is the Fujifilm X-S20 X-Trans IV or X-Trans V?

Is the new Fujifilm X-S20 X-Trans IV or X-Trans V? I’ve been asked this question a handful of times, so I thought it would be worthwhile to answer on the Fuji X Weekly blog.

The nearly three-year-old Fujifilm X-S10 is an X-Trans IV model, and we’re over one year deep into the X-Trans V generation, so surely the X-S20 is X-Trans V, right? It’s not that simple. You see, Fujifilm is using the X-Trans IV sensor inside the X-S20. Does that then makes it an X-Trans IV model? Well, the X-S20 has the new X-Processor 5 chip. So is the camera X-Trans IV or V? The answer is yes! The X-S20 is both X-Trans IV and X-Trans V at the same time.

This isn’t the first time that Fujifilm has done this. The often-overlooked X-M1 had an X-Trans I sensor paired with the X-Trans II processor. Still, this is an unusual arrangement in the Fujifilm lineup. It’s a rare exception to the norm. The X-Trans IV sensor is “old” now, but it is still quite excellent, so I don’t think it was a bad move by Fujifilm whatsoever to keep using it. Personally, I really like the X-Trans IV sensor.

The question is whether you should use X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipes or X-Trans V Recipes on the X-S20? The differences between the aesthetic output of these two sensor generations are pretty minor. The biggest distinction is how deeply blue is rendered on some film simulations; most notably, on X-Trans V cameras, Classic Chrome, Classic Negative, Eterna, and Eterna Bleach Bypass render blue more deeply than on X-Trans IV models.

More Than Double Wide – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer Recipe

I’ve never used a Fujifilm X-S20 (and probably never will, unless Fujifilm sends one to me …hint, hint Fujifilm), so I have no firsthand experience on how exactly blue behaves on it. Is it more like X-Trans IV or V? I don’t have a definitive answer. But, two people have reported to me that they believe the X-S20 output looks the same as other X-Trans V cameras, so I’m inclined to believe that the programming makes pictures captured with it look like X-Trans V despite the X-Trans IV sensor. With that said, I don’t believe it matters a whole lot since the output is so similar, and I think it’s ok to use either X-Trans IV or X-Trans V Film Simulation Recipes. My recommendation is to use X-Trans V Recipes, as well as X-Trans IV Recipes that use Provia, Velvia, Astia, PRO Neg. Hi, PRO Neg. Std, Acros, Monochrome, and Sepia; for X-Trans IV Recipes that use Classic Chrome, Classic Negative, Eterna, and Eterna Bleach Bypass, reduce Color Chrome FX Blue by one notch (Weak instead of Strong, Off instead of Weak) when possible. That’s simply a recommendation, as I’m not certain what the right answer is.

Do you like the results that a particular Film Simulation Recipe produces? If a certain Recipe gives you the look you want—whether it’s an X-Trans V, X-Trans IV, or even X-Trans III Recipe—that’s what’s important, and it’s great that you found it. Whether or not you’re “supposed to” use that one on your camera is irrelevant. I have the Fujifilm X-S20 categorized as an X-Trans V model for Film Simulation Recipe purposes, but don’t let that stop you from using X-Trans IV Recipes on it.

Golden Negative — Fujifilm XF1 (EXR-CMOS) Film Simulation Recipe

A Film Simulation Recipe for the Fujifilm XF1, X100, X10 & X-S1 cameras.

Los Angeles – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm XF1 – Golden Negative

Right at the very beginning of the X-series, but before X-Trans, Fujifilm briefly used a different sensor called EXR-CMOS. It was a 12-megapixel Sony CMOS sensor with an array similar to Bayer, except tilted at 45° (Fujifilm had previously used this tilted pattern on their Super-CCD sensors). The advantage to this unusual arrangement was that two of each color pixels sat near each other on the sensor, allowing for pixel-binning. Of course we’re familiar with pixel-binning now, as many cellphone sensors do this, but it was pretty revolutionary when Fujifilm did it roughly 15 years ago. It didn’t really catch on because 1) Fujifilm was only binning two pixels (not the more common four that we see today) and 2) the already somewhat low-resolution sensor was cut in half in order to do it. Basically, the advantages were fairly small while the disadvantage was somewhat significant.

The advantages of EXR was an increase in dynamic range and high-ISO performance. In order to achieve that, the camera had to be switched to EXR mode, which basically took the place of the DR options. Within the EXR mode, one of the settings was called D-Range Priority. Sound familiar? Unfortunately, to unlock D-Range Priority (and the other EXR options), one had to sacrifice half of the resolution and the ability to save a RAW file. My guess is that EXR was infrequently utilized on these cameras, but I really don’t know, as I only purchased one—a Fujifilm XF1—just recently.

Of the four X-series cameras that used an EXR-CMOS sensor, only the X100 was APS-C, and the other three were 2/3″, which was much smaller. I’ve never used the original X100, and only recently the XF1 with its tiny 2/3″ EXR-CMOS. The color rendering should be pretty identical, but the dynamic range and high-ISO noise performance is likely slightly different. I know this because I have used both an APS-C and 2/3″ X-Trans II sensor, and that’s what I observed. I don’t expect a significant difference in output between the four EXR-CMOS cameras, but the X100 will be a little superior to the other three.

Empty Restaurant Chair – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm XF1 – Golden Negative

The JPEG options on EXR-CMOS are very similar to X-Trans I, but the rendering is slightly different. You can use X-Trans I, X-Trans II, and Bayer Film Simulation Recipes that use Provia, Velvia, Astia, Monochrome, or Sepia film simulations; however, they will look a bit different on the XF1, X100, X10, or X-S1 cameras. Likewise, you can use this Golden Negative Recipe on X-Trans I, X-Trans II, or Bayer models, but it will render just a tad different. This isn’t to discourage you from trying, but to simply say that results will vary. I call this Film Simulation Recipe “Golden Negative” because I was attempting to achieve an aesthetic similar to the Golden Negative Recipe for Bayer cameras that have Classic Chrome; EXR-CMOS cameras don’t have Classic Chrome, so I used Provia instead. It’s definitely not identical, but this Film Simulation Recipe looks really good, and I think, if you have an EXR-CMOS sensor camera, you’ll truly enjoy this one.

Provia/STD
Dynamic Range: DR-Auto
Highlight: -1 (Medium-Soft)
Shadow: 0 (Standard)
Color: +1 (Medium-High)
Sharpness: 0 (Standard)
Noise Reduction: -2 (Low)
White Balance: Auto, +1 Red (R/CY) & -3 Blue (B/Ye)

ISO: Auto, up to ISO 1600
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Golden Negative Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm XF1:

Pink Bloom in Blue Sky – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Bougainvillea & Building Storm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Block Wall & Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Garden Gate – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Bougainvillea in Summer – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Yellow Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Vines on a Cinderblock Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Attic Window – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Cirrocumulus behind Tree Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Ball Field & Distant Storm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Overcast Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Dry Grass in the Park – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Shade Maker – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Duel – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Young Photographer – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Right – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Car Window Boy – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Dead Flowers in a Pot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Hanging Bulbs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Tile Rooflines – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Illuminated Window – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Breakfast Served Backwards – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm XF1
Vines over Birdcage – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm XF1

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and nearly 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

Problems with the Fuji X Weekly Website — A Message from the Webmaster

“I seem to have trouble loading your site and posting comments… Most comments never got through.”

-TheCameraEatsFirst

I’m not a web designer. I’m not an IT expert. I’m not a programmer. Yet, here I am, playing each of those roles.

I’m a photographer. That’s what I want to spend as much of my time as practical doing. I’m also a writer to an extent, which is something else that I enjoy doing. The Fuji X Weekly website is my outlet for both. I like helping other photographers, and am truly honored that my Film Simulation Recipes have had such an impact on so many and even the industry at large—it’s far more than I ever imagined!

Sometimes, though, I have to set my camera down, and be the Fuji X Weekly webmaster. Who came up with that name, anyway? Webmaster sounds so dramatic. Was it on Peter Parker’s shortlist, and after a coinflip he went with Spiderman instead? Surely it was an IT guy—his office was probably in a dark corner of a basement and he felt really under-appreciated for all his hard work maintaining some large company’s website—who coined the term, so that he might get more respect and maybe a pay raise.

Arizona Sunbeams – Glendale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1976 Kodak

When I first enrolled in college many, many years ago, I didn’t really know what I wanted my career to be. A lot of adults advised me to major in a technology field, like coding or engineering. So that’s what I did. In the very first semester I took this class called Computer Basics, which was mostly about how to use Word and PowerPoint and the internet, which was fairly young at that point—DPReview wouldn’t launch for several more months, and Ken Rockwell wasn’t even on the scene yet. The final project for that class was to write a simple DOS program, something like if you prompt it to answer 1+1 it would give you 2. I struggled so much, and passed the introductory-level class with a C. The very next semester I changed my major to photography.

Problems with the Fuji X Weekly website have been ongoing since it first launched on August 21, 2017. I’ve had to learn how to design a website, and to an extent how to code. I was suddenly a webmaster. I didn’t feel much like the master of the web, and I still don’t. I’ve learned so much about it over the years; however, I’m far from an expert. Mostly, I limp along, and hope that Google has the answer to whatever problems I’m trying to solve. YouTube University has been invaluable!

Lately, though, the problems have grown. It started several months back when I needed to upgrade hosting, because I was pushing the upper limits of the plan I was paying for. Unfortunately, what should have been a seamless switch wasn’t, and I was suddenly experiencing both small and big issues. Next, because my expenses expanded—for both the website and apps—I brought back ads, but through a different company that promised a better experience. That’s been a huge headache, and it hasn’t exactly gone well. I’m fighting to get the ads to be minimal, unobtrusive, relevant, and appropriate (yet cover the expenses)—it’s been a battle, and we’re still not there. I’m on the fence on how I’ll move forward with this. I’ve almost pulled the plug several times on the ads—and I still might—but I’m hoping to get it right at some point soon. I appreciate your patience with this.

Dramatic Sunset behind Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1976 Kodak

Some of the website problems are definitely significant. Probably the biggest one is that some people are experiencing an error, and the page won’t load. The message is “too many attempts” or “too many redirects” or something like that. I haven’t found the root of this issue, but clearing the cache and cookies has sometimes resolved it (so try that if you’re experiencing this problem). I don’t know why some people get this error while most don’t, or why clearing the cache is sometimes the fix. If any of you know the answer, please reach out to me, because I’d love to fix it.

Another issue that just recently came to my attention is that a lot of comments aren’t coming through. There are two aspects to this. First, I moderate the comments. Someone who has never commented before, or who has included a link to a website, will often get flagged for moderation. I get a lot of troll and spam comments that I don’t want published because it ruins the experience for everyone, so moderating these are important. This is my website, so I have the authority—and, really, obligation—to do this. Comments held for moderation haven’t changed as far as I can tell. The second aspect is that WordPress will flag obvious spam comments as spam. I get probably 100 of these type of comments each day, sometimes much more than that. Unfortunately, many non-spam comments are getting flagged as spam for some reason. I dug through the spam folder, and found intermixed with all the spam comments a handful of clearly not-spam comments, some by regular readers who have commented many times before. There are so many spam comments that it’s not practical to go very far back looking for the few non-spam that got flagged, but I know that I need to dig through it daily now. I’m really sorry if your comment didn’t come through. I don’t know why this happened or even when, but hopefully I’ll be able to find and approve all of the non-spam and non-troll comments going forward.

Are there other issues that I’m not aware of? I hope not, but I’m certain there are. Whenever I put on my webmaster cap, I do my best to fix them, but I cannot fix what I’m not aware is broken. If you’ve experienced some sort of issue, don’t hesitate to let me know—it’s greatly appreciated whenever someone does. And if you know how to fix the problem, please share with me the answer! I might technically be in the IT field, and I’ve certainly learned a heck-of-a-lot over the last six years, but I’m still in over his head on some of this stuff. Besides, I’d rather be out with my camera, capturing photos for next Film Simulation Recipe—especially during golden hour, when the light can be magical.

1976 Kodak — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

All the World’s a Summer Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1976 Kodak

The 1976 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe began as an attempt to recreate the aesthetic of legendary photographer Joel Meyerowitz, an American New Color photographer first known for serendipitous street photos of New York City. Meyerowitz has had one of the most prolific careers of any photographer, and he’s still active today at 85 years old! His look has been one of the most requested to replicate on Fujifilm cameras, so I eagerly delved into what exactly that is and how to mimic it.

One of the first roadblocks I encountered is that Joel Meyerowitz doesn’t have one unique style. His aesthetics vary significantly through the years. That shouldn’t be surprising because he’s on his seventh decade of photography. It’s well known that Meyerowitz used a lot of Kodachrome—in fact, he shot with all three eras of the film. In his early days it was the original ISO 10 Kodachrome, but very quickly that was replaced by Kodachome II and X; a significant chunk of his iconic street photography was captured during this time. Then Kodachrome 25 and 64 came along. All of those emulsions, while very similar, had their unique characteristics. I have a number of Film Simulation Recipes that can produce a Meyerowitz look because they replicate a film that he frequently used, including Vintage Kodachrome, Kodachrome 1, Kodachrome II (here, too), Kodachrome 25 (here, too), and Kodachrome 64 (here and here, too).

While Meyerowitz was known for Kodachrome, many of his most famous photographs were not captured on that film. He used Ektachrome sometimes for his 35mm work, and he used it extensively for his 8×10 large format photography. There have been over 40 different emulsions that carried the Ektachrome brand name, so it’s hard to know which specific ones he used. Some Ektachrome Film Simulation Recipes are Old Ektachrome, Kodak Ektachrome 100SW, Kodak Ektachrome E100VS, Ektachrome E100GX, Ektachrome, Ektachrome 320T, and Thommy’s Ektachrome. Some of these can probably be used to replicate a Meyerowitz look, too.

Closed Red Umbrella – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1976 Kodak

He didn’t just shoot with Kodachrome and Ektachrome, but also Anscochrome sometimes. He might have used other emulsions, too, it’s not real clear. One thing is for sure: whichever film he used, the emulsion wasn’t the finished picture, the print was (or the replication of the print in a book). Today, film is often scanned, and that’s how we see the photos captured with it, but for much of Meyerowitz’s career, the print (and not the scan) was what we saw. The printing process—the chemicals, the paper, and a host of other factors—could significantly affect the end result. That process changed and evolved over the decades. All of this is to say that no one Film Simulation Recipe will ever be able to replicate all of Joel’s various aesthetics. Probably not even ten Recipes. Aside from the ones already mentioned, 1970’s Summer and especially Summer of 1960 are a couple that could potentially produce a Meyerowitz look.

I studied about fifty of Joel’s photographs, mostly from the 1970’s. Some of them were urban street pictures, some were suburban or small-town images, and others were coastal photos. I looked for commonalities between the various pictures. I paid close attention to the lighting. I focused in on about two dozen that seemed similar enough, and tried to replicate the look with my Fujifilm X-T5. This 1976 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe was my sixth iteration. It’s not perfect, because, even within those 20+ similar Meyerowitz photographs, there are still some subtle differences. Aside from that, Fujifilm’s options, which are much more robust than they used to be, are still limited, and you can only do so much. Still, sometimes the resemblance between some of Joel’s pictures and the images captured with this Recipe are remarkable!

This Film Simulation Recipe got its name because the majority of the pictures that it is based on were captured in 1976. Some were 35mm and likely Kodachrome 25 and Kodachrome 64, but could also be Ektachrome-X and/or Ektachrome Pro 64, or even Anscochrome 64. Some were large format and likely Ektachrome Pro 64, Ektachrome 6118 Tungsten, and/or Ektachrome 160 Daylight, or even possibly Aschochrome 32. 1976 was a pivotal and transitional year for Joel Meyerowitz, as he began to explore landscapes and small-town life, particularly along the Massachusetts coast. He also began shooting with a large format Deardorff view camera. Since this was such an important year in Meyerowitz’s photographic journey, since many of the pictures that this Recipe was modeled after were captured in 1976, and because the vast majority of his photos were shot on Kodak film, I call this Recipe 1976 Kodak.

Two Birds – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1976 Kodak

The 1976 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe is quite versatile, and works well in many lighting situations and for many genres of photography. You might find it to be slightly overly warm in artificial light, but otherwise use it anytime. It’s compatible with Fujifilm X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-T5, X-H2, X-H2s, and X-S20. Those with newer GFX cameras can use it, too, although it will likely render slightly different (use it anyway!). Try this Recipe with a vintage lens to further replicate a retro aesthetic.

Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg.
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: Auto, -2 Red & -4 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +1.5
Shadow: +3
Color: +4
Sharpness: -2

High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this 1976 Kodak Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

Country Truck – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Truck being Photographed – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Tonka Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Nissan Nature – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pro4X – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Empty Campus – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Street Glimpse – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Leaf & Treats – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Evening Reflected in Glass – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dead Decorative Flowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Old Tricycle – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Two Red Chairs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Locked Bike – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Circles of Life – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fountain Not Flowing – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Orange Pot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mineral Discoloring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Covered Promenade – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Curious Closed Curtain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Office Abstract – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Plastic Green – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Joshua Waiting in a Blue Chair – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Photography is Life – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Guitar Practice – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Happy – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Green Leaves Hiding Behind Gate – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Park Bench – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rainbow & Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Ceramic Tile Roof – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Suburban Home – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Date Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea Garden – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Distant Thunderstorm Building – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Uptown Snake – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red Bell – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Green Soccer Field – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Scootering – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rooftop at Dusk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Distant Sunset – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pastel Sunset over Ball Field – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Foul Pole & Full Moon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Saguaro at Sundown – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Dramatic Sunset behind Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Purple Sky – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset over School – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset Lit Cloud – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fast Scooter at Night – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Basketball Moon – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Moon Through the Hoop – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Moonshot – 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
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:  Amazon  B&H  Moment

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Why do we Still make B&W Photos?

Round Window – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100VKodak Tri-X 400 Recipe

The world is full of color, so why would one want to photograph in black-and-white? It’s so old-fashioned anyway. Are there any good reasons to make monochrome pictures in 2023?

In 1826, the first photograph was captured by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in France. It was black-and-white because the first process was B&W. But then in 1861 the first color picture was made by James Clerk Maxwell and Thomas Sutton in Scotland. That should have been the end of B&W photos, right? Actually, color photography didn’t catch on for a very long time because the process to create them was much more complex than B&W, and their color reproduction not particularly accurate. Kodak launched Kodachrome slide film in 1935, which was the first reasonably accurate color process. That should have been the end of B&W, but it wasn’t. In fact, many photographers shunned color photography, and derided it as for amateurs. Black-and-white was for the serious, while color was not.

The New American Color movement of the 1960’s and ’70’s is really what made color photography an acceptable art form. It challenged the idea that “real” photography was only in monochrome. Color images could be just as good as, or perhaps even better than, B&W pictures. It revolutionized photography.

Epic Zip Line – Sundance, UT – Fujifilm X100F – Agfa Scala Recipe

That was so long ago. Color photography is the norm now, not black-and-white. Your digital camera captures a color picture, and you have to convert it to B&W if you want to see in shades of grey. B&W has become a niche of sorts.

So why should you shoot black-and-white photographs in 2023? What reasons are there, other than nostalgia for a time long gone? I love B&W photography, so let me offer a few to you.

Black-and-white pictures are abstract by nature. They’re not faithful reproductions of the world as we see it. Because it is abstract, the photographer is invited to capture the scene in a unique way, with a vision that is dissimilar to, and perhaps even the opposite of, reality. It’s not so much about what the scene is, but about how we see the scene through a divergent eye, and how we can express that to the viewer. It’s a timeless approach to fine-art photography.

The strength of color photographs is color, but it’s also its weakness. When color works within a color theory—perhaps contrasting or harmonious—it can create an especially dramatic or beautiful picture; however, when the colors within an image work against each other, it can be a distraction. B&W photos remove the distraction of color, allowing the viewer to see the important elements without color fighting for their attention—it’s the art of subtraction.

Playing with Waves – Cambria, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe

Black-and-white photography is about light and shadow. It’s about contrast. It’s about shape. Texture. Pattern. Space. Emotion. Those are very important elements to color photography, too, but they’re even more critical to B&W pictures. Mastering monochrome will make you a better photographer, even for your color work.

Fujifilm cameras are particularly great for black-and-white photography thanks to their wonderful film simulations: Monochrome and especially Acros. Many different Film Simulation Recipes can be made using these as the base, with a wide variety of characteristics. Pick one that looks interesting to you, and shoot with it for a day or two to see what you get. My personal favorite is Kodak Tri-X 400, but there are so many that are really good, it’s hard to go wrong with any of them.

Whether you’ve been shooting black-and-white for decades and decades, or if you never have before but are interested, I invite you to join myself and Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry as we discuss B&W photography in-depth on SOOC Live this Thursday, August 3rd, at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern. I’ve included it below so that you can easily find in on Thursday.

If you missed last Thursday’s SOOC Live broadcast, where Nathalie and I finished our discussion of travel photography, be sure to watch it now. I’ve included it below, or visit the SOOC Live YouTube Channel. Also, if you haven’t seen the Viewers’ Images slideshow (your pictures!), I’ve added that to the bottom of this article—be sure to watch!

Creative Collective 052: FXW Zine — Issue 21 — August 2023

The August issue of FXW Zine is out now! Creative Collective subscribers can download it today. Not a Creative Collective subscriber? Join to gain access to this issue plus all pervious issues of FXW Zine and the many bonus articles. 

Issue 21 takes a look at five budget-friendly Fujifilm cameras that are fairly inexpensive on the used market. If you are considering adding another camera but don’t have a lot to spend, or if you are looking for a good-yet-cheap first Fujifilm model—maybe for your kid or a friend—then the August issue is for you!

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Top 7 Best Nostalgic Neg. Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm X-Trans V Cameras

Duck Pond – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer Recipe

The new Nostalgic Neg. film simulation found only on the latest Fujifilm cameras is becoming quite popular! A lot of people really seem to love the aesthetic of it. All X-Trans V models, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2, X-H2s, X-T5, and X-S20, have Nostalgic Neg., as well as a couple of GFX cameras (GFX100S and GFX50S II). Classic Chrome is the most-used film sim by a large margin, followed distantly by Classic Negative and Acros, but currently there’s a lot of interest in the new option.

According to Fujifilm, Nostalgic Neg. is based on “American New Color” photography of the 1970’s. They studied photographs by William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, Joel Sternfeld, and Richard Misrach in order to create it. Eggleston and Sternfeld largely shot on Kodachrome—II and X in the early 1970’s, 25 and 64 in the late ’70’s—while Shore shot mostly Kodacolor, and Misrach shot a lot of Vericolor. All of those are Kodak emulsions, but with different aesthetics. These four photographers had different styles and different darkroom processes, and they each had a unique look; the commonality that Fujifilm found was an “overall atmosphere based on amber.” That’s a basic explanation of what the new film simulation is. While not mentioned by Fujifilm, I think Nostalgic Neg. also has some similarities to photographs by Saul Leiter and Joel Meyerowitz. Leiter used a whole bunch of different films over the years, including Kodachrome and Anscochrome, but apparently he didn’t mind using generic drug store brands, either. Meyerowitz mostly shot a mix of Kodachrome and Ektachrome for his color work. Nostalgic Negative is a divergent approach for Fujifilm, I think, in that it is not intended to mimic a certain emulsion (or the “memory color” of a specific film stock), but instead tries to mimic the “memory color” of a certain decade (the 1970’s), or perhaps simply elicit a nostalgic emotional response.

A lot of various looks can be made using the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation. Because it is largely intended to mimic a retro Kodak aesthetic, it’s a good starting point for Kodak-esque Film Simulation Recipes. While some of my Recipes that use Nostalgic Neg. are intended to replicate a specific stock, most of them are not, and instead are more reminiscent of a certain time or era instead of a specific emulsion; however, some of those were made from studying pictures captured on specific films, so they do tend to resemble actual film stocks to an extent.

I get asked which Nostalgic Neg. Film Simulation Recipe one should try first on their X-Trans V camera. There are plenty to choose from, and the list is growing. Since your camera has seven custom presets (with the exception of the X-S20, which only has four), I would like to suggest the seven Nostalgic Neg. Recipes below. Choose one or two or even all seven to program into your camera, and give it a try! I bet at least one of them will become a new favorite Film Simulation Recipe that you find yourself using often.

1970’s Summer

Vulture City Entrance – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer

The 1970’s Summer Film Simulation Recipe very much has a nostalgic Kodak “memory color” (as Fujifilm likes to say) that is reminiscent of old color photographs from the 1970’s. You might notice some similarities to William Eggleston’s Election Eve and 2 1/4 series and some of his other work from the late-1960’s through the mid-1970’s—not every picture, but certainly several. You might spot some similarities between this look and some of Stephen Shore’s photographs from the early-to-mid 1970’s. I think there are some similarities to a few of Joel Sternfeld’s American Prospects pictures. There’s a noticeable likeness to several of Richard Misrach’s desert photographs. In other words, 1970’s Summer produces a distinct American New Color aesthetic with a clear 1970’s vibe. This recipe works best in sunny daylight, and is excellent for midday photography.

Going Out of Business – Prescott, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer
Short Train – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer
More Than Double Wide – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer

Summer of 1960

Ranch House – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of 1960

I found the December 1960 issue of Arizona Highways in a used bookstore. It has page after page of amazing photography! I really love the look of the pictures in this particular issue—while not every image looks alike, there is definitely a commonality to the photo aesthetic. For those who don’t know, Arizona Highways is a magazine with an important history. It began in 1925, and in 1946 published the world’s first all-color publication. From the beginning, Arizona Highways has been dedicated to the art of photography. Ansel Adams was a regular contributor. Barry Goldwater, Ray Manley, Chuck Abbott, David and Josef Muench, Ed Ellinger, Esther Henderson, and many other talented photographers were often featured. The publication is full of wonderful images even to this day. While it is not purely a photography magazine, Arizona Highways is a publication that photographers love due to their passion for the medium.

The vast majority of the pictures in the December 1960 issue were captured on Ektachrome, and fair number were shot on Kodachrome. While it was the December issue, most of the photographs had been captured that previous summer. The Summer of 1960 Film Simulation Recipe mimics the aesthetic of the those images, including the magazine photo below, made by Chuck Abbott in July 1960 using Kodachrome.

Agaves in 1960 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of 1960
Saguaro Spines – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of 1960
Agua Caliente Pond – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of 1960

Emulsion ’86

Dreary Beach – Oceanside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Emulsion ’86

When I was six-years-old, my family and I went to Expo ’86 World’s Fair in Vancouver, Canada. Not long ago I found many old pictures of that event—personal, in books, and online. The Emulsion ’86 Film Simulation Recipe is highly reminiscent of some of those photographs, producing a nostalgic analog aesthetic that is similar to some pictures from the mid-1980’s (presumably primarily Kodak emulsions). While it is a good option for sunny daylight photography, I especially like how this one looks on dreary overcast days.

Old California Architecture – San Diego, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Emulsion ’86
Don’t Climb on the Bikes – Oceanside, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Emulsion ’86
Pink Blossom Bush – San Diego, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 – Emulsion ’86

Kodak Negative

Desert Fence – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Negative

The Kodak Negative Film Simulation Recipe isn’t intended to mimic any specific emulsions; instead it has a “memory color” similar to some Kodak films, like Royal Gold, Gold 100, and Ektar 100. It’s not an exact match to any of those, but just in the general ballpark with a warm and vibrant Kodak color negative film palette. Because it uses Auto White Balance, the Kodak Negative Recipe is fairly versatile and can be used for many subjects and lighting situations.

Three Oranges – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Negative
Lake Lamp – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Negative
Water & Reflection – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Negative

Thommy’s Ektachrome

Backlit Lupine – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Thommy’s Ektachrome

Thommy’s Ektachrome was made by  Thomas Schwab, who was simply trying to make a Recipe using the Nostalgic Neg. film sim that would be good for portraits. The Recipe he created has a distinctive Ektachrome aesthetic, especially similar to National Geographic photographs prior to Ektachrome’s discontinuation by 2013 (prior to the revival in 2018). That was, of course, by chance and not intentional, but there certainly are some similarities. This Recipe is not only good for portraits, but also landscapes and I’m sure many genres of photography. Thommy’s Ektachrome does particularly well in sunny daylight, but is good for overcast, shade, and natural-light indoors, too.

Way Over That Way – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Thommy’s Ektachrome
Wildflower Spring – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Thommy’s Ektachrome
Historic Ranch House – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Thommy’s Ektachrome

Nostalgia Negative

Lynx Lake Overlook – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Nostalgia Negative

I wasn’t trying to emulate any specific film or process when I created the Nostalgia Negative Film Simulation Recipe, I just wanted something that looked good. This was my very first X-Trans V Recipe, and it was simply an attempt to create a better Nostalgic Neg. than just using the default settings. I hoped that perhaps it would even evoke feelings of nostalgia with a vintage analog-like aesthetic.

Two Ducks – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Nostalgia Negative
311 – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Nostalgia Negative
Don’t Shoot – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Nostalgia Negative

Timeless Negative

Soft Rose – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Timeless Negative

The creators of the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation stated, “Nostalgic Negative is tuned for the best allrounder settings, but if you want to tweak it to get that classic American New Color look from the ’70’s, there are some adjustments you should make.” This Timeless Negative Film Simulation Recipe is a tweak to Fujifilm’s recommended settings, bringing it closer to a ’70’s vibe. This particular Recipe is especially versatile, and can be used for many different genres of photography and in various light conditions—it’s good for anytime of the day or night.

Dark Coffee – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Timeless Negative
Evening Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Timeless Negative
UnAmerican Experience – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Timeless Negative

Comparison

1970’s Summer
Summer of 1960
Emulsion ’86
Kodak Negative
Thommy’s Ektachrome
Nostalgia Negative
Timeless Neagative

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

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
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:  Amazon  B&H  Moment

Fujifilm X100-? — What Should Fujifilm Name the Upcoming Model?

Fujifilm will be announcing the upcoming X100V replacement in early 2024, according to Fujirumors. What will be different on the new model is unknown, but most likely it will be nearly the same, and will probably be a little more expensive. It will be interesting to see what exactly Fujifilm changes and what they keep the same. Will it have a 26 or 40 megapixel sensor? XPan aspect ratio? IBIS? NP-W235 battery? Anything is a possibility right now, but historically the X100-series doesn’t change a whole lot with each new iteration.

I hope that Fujifilm—and it would be really smart for them to do this—introduces a brand-new film simulation with this model. Yes, it will have Eterna Bleach Bypass and Nostalgic Neg., but it should have one more fresh film sim. I have no idea if that’s in the plans or not, but it should be.

Probably the least important aspect of any new camera—from a usability perspective—is the name; however, from a marketing perspective, the name is fairly important. If the camera is called something awkward or uninspiring, it might mean fewer sales, while if it is called something catchy and cool, it could increase camera sales. Fujifilm likely has a shortlist of potential names written on a board in Japan right now, and they’re trying to decide which one to pick.

Fans of Fujifilm are—just for fun—also contemplating the new name. I correctly picked the name of the X100V well before it was announced, and I’m hoping to go 2-0 with the upcoming version. It’s not important in the scheme of things, but I do enjoy guessing. Others have taken a stab at it, too. Let’s discuss some of the potential options.

My best guess is that Fujifilm will name the new model X100Z. Why Z? First, it sounds cool (think Nissan 350Z). Second, “Z” (Zeta) is the sixth letter in the Greek alphabet, and this will be the sixth iteration of the camera. Third, Fujifilm used Z in some of their film emulsion names, such as Fujicolor Pro 800Z (if they did introduce a new film simulation, it could be based on Pro 800Z and called PRO Neg. Z). It makes a lot of sense to me, and seems to check a lot of boxes that I imagine Fujifilm has for any potential name.

In the original X100 naming system, S stood for Second, T for Third, and F for Fourth. Once number five came around, the naming system no longer worked, so Fujifilm jumped to Roman Numerals for the current model. V not only means Five, but there’s also a V in the word. Some people think that Fujifilm will continue with Roman Numerals, and the next version will be X100VI. This is likely high on Fujifilm’s list of possibilities, but it just seems so Sony, and not so much Fujifilm; however, Fujifilm has been trying to be more like Sony lately, so maybe they’ll go this route. I personally would be surprised if Fujifilm uses another Roman Numeral until the tenth model, which will surely be called X100X, but I have no doubts that this option is on their list.

Another possibility—and this one seems to be the most popular among Fuji fans—is R, because that’s the sixth letter in the Japanese alphabet. The letter is pronounced Roku, which you might recognize as a well-established brand name for streaming television. If Fujifilm went this route, surely there will be plenty of jokes (for example, watch your favorite YouTuber right on your camera…). I could see Omar Gonzalez or Kai Wong having a field day with this! I would think that Fujifilm would avoid this option simply for the name association, but they could say that R stands for Rangefinder or Resolution (if they choose the 40mp sensor), but of course we’ll all know what it really means: plug the X100Roku into your TV for streaming made easy!

Some have speculated that Fujifilm will start over, going with X200 (followed by X200S, X200T, etc.). I don’t think this option makes much sense. I imagine that a full-frame X100 model would be called X200, but I don’t see Fujifilm completely renaming an established and popular line. If they were to go this route, the X200 would have to be significantly different than the X100V to justify such a dramatic name change, and I don’t see that happening.

If Fujifilm keeps everything pretty much the same and only makes minor modifications to the new model, I could see X100Vs (like the X-E2s, or if they use the stacked sensor of the X-H2s) or X100V II (like the X-T30 II) as the name. I think a lot of people will be disappointed that the new camera is pretty much the exact same thing as the (at the time of the new announcement) four-year-old X100V; however, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? So if not much changes, X100Vs and X100V II are both possibilities, but I imagine that enough will be different that Fujifilm won’t choose these options.

Another one I’ve seen floated around is X100H, where H stands for Hex, which means Six in Latin. It also means curse in English, so I’d be really surprised if Fujifilm made a bewitched model. I think this one will be avoided like the plague!

Of course, the one I’d really like to see is the X100-Acros, a monochrome-only version. I think there would be a lot of buzz surrounding that, and would be a “wow” camera. I hope that Fujifilm is at least considering such a version—I’d be first in line to buy it!

Now it’s your turn: what do you think Fujifilm will name the sixth edition of the X100-series? Let me know in the comments!

Wedding Photographers Adapt to Couples who want Instant Images — An Opportunity for You!

I saw an article on PetaPixel today about a particular wedding photography trend. Entitled The Demand for Instant Images is Upending Wedding Photography, the post is based off of a lengthier Associated Press piece called Wedding photographers adapt to couples who want instant images and less tradition. I don’t want to get into the details of either, but the summary is this: customers want a quicker turnaround so they can share pictures and videos of their big event more timely.

I’m not a wedding photographer. I’ve photographed a couple of weddings in the past—many years ago—and I have no desire to jump into that genre. Good wedding photographers are sometimes the first there and last to leave. It’s not uncommon to work 12, 14, or even 16 hours on the big day. Then there are thousands of exposures to cull through, and then edit. That might be an additional 24, 28, or even 32 hours of work! That’s not my cup of tea. For others, though, this is their thing, and they love what they do. Their passion is capturing incredible memories of other people’s weddings.

The shift to a faster turnaround must be frustrating for many in the industry, but it’s actually an opportunity. The article states that some wedding photographers are trying to get some social media type content into the hands of their customers within 48 hours. But why that long? Why not much quicker? Why not as the wedding is happening? If you can do that, you have a huge leg-up on your competition.

I cohost a live YouTube series with official Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry. She does a lot of business photography. Recently she was hired to photograph a corporate event, but they wanted to have the pictures available to share on their social media platforms immediately, in real-time as the event was happening. How did she do this? First, she used Fujifilm gear combined with my Film Simulation Recipes, and shot JPEGs. The pictures looked good straight-out-of-camera, and no editing was needed. Every so many minutes she downloaded the pictures off the camera and uploaded them onto a cloud drive that the customer had access to. Within 10 or 15 minutes of the pictures being captured, the customer was able to share them across the world. This went so well that a week later she was hired to do it again for a different corporate event. I do believe this is the future of event photography, including wedding photography.

Maybe real-time photo sharing isn’t something you’re ready to offer, but if your pictures look great straight-out-of-camera, and further manipulation isn’t needed (or only lightly needed), you can speed up your turnaround significantly. Instead of providing the client with a small batch of photos within 48 hours for social media sharing while they wait up to six weeks for the rest, you can deliver the whole wedding the next day or maybe two. This is, of course, in theory. I’m not aware of anyone who is actually doing this right now. A few different wedding photographers have told me that they are using my Film Simulation Recipes on their Fujifilm cameras, and delivering some of the pictures either same-day or next-day to the client, while providing the rest of photographs at some point later on. I do think, if you’ve got good settings dialed into your camera, and you’re especially careful to get everything right at the time the pictures are captured, that delivering unedited JPEGs of the wedding to the couple is possible, and nobody will be the wiser that you didn’t actually spend hours post-processing RAW files.

This is something I’ve talked about before. Back in December I published Want to be a Wedding Photographer? Your Opportunity Awaits! and earlier this month I posted The Future of Photography is Unedited, where I touched on this topic. I keep bringing it up because I see this shift happening, and those who already have a simplified workflow using Film Simulation Recipes are ahead of the curve, and are primed for success in this changing environment. I want to make sure that you are aware of it, in case you want to take advantage of the opportunity.

I don’t do wedding or event photography, but there are still plenty of advantages to shooting JPEGs. Despite having way more photographs to cull through and share, I was able to publish my pictures of the Central Coast of California tour much quicker than Ken Rockwell did, because my workflow is much quicker than his. That’s a pretty meaningless example; I don’t have a lot of strict photographic deadlines. Perhaps a better case is this: on December 8th of last year, Nathalie, myself, a group of guests, and those who tuned-in, created a Film Simulation Recipe during the Let’s Get Festive holiday-special SOOC Live broadcast—this is the first and (as far as I’m aware) only time a Fujifilm Recipe has been made live on YouTube. Within minutes of its creation, I (and others) had captured a picture using the new Film Simulation Recipe and shared it with all those watching. The very next day I published the Recipe, which the live audience named Mystery Chrome, on this website (and the Fuji X Weekly App), complete with 24 example pictures. That’s my best quick-turnaround example.

Even though I don’t have the need to publish pictures immediately after they’ve been captured, I do sometimes share a photo quickly through text or social media, which is never a problem because I don’t post-process my images. What’s more meaningful to me is that I don’t spend hours and hours sitting at a computing fiddling with files, which saves me a ton of time, making me more productive, while also freeing up time for other things (such as writing blog posts and spending time with my family). It’s changed my life, no hyperbole. I think it can and will change event photography and even wedding photography. It will just take some pioneer photographers to give it a try, which could be you.

Not post-processing your pictures is called one-step photography, a term coined by Edwin Land and perpetuated by Ansel Adams in his book Polaroid Land Photography. “The effect of one-step processing on both amateur and professional creative photography,” Adams stated, “has been revolutionary.” With film, step-one is capturing the picture in-camera and step-two is developing and printing it in a darkroom; however, Polaroid cameras removed the second step, creating a one-step process, which greatly simplified the photographic workflow. With digital, step-one is capturing the picture in-camera and step-two is post-processing in software like Lightroom; however, Film Simulation Recipes remove the second step, creating a one-step process, which greatly simplifies the photographic workflow. “The process has revolutionized the art and craft of photography,” Adams concluded. It still is, for those who embrace the one-step approach.

Don’t Forget: Join me LIVE this Thursday!

Duck Pond – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer Recipe

We’re just two days away from the next SOOC Live broadcast! Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I will finish our discussion on Travel Photography, share your pictures (better upload your pictures quick if you haven’t yet), and answer any questions that you might have. It will be a great time, and I hope to see you there!

The four Film Simulation Recipes that we’ve been shooting with are 1970’s SummerElite Chrome 200Fujichrome Provia 100F, and Kodacolor VR. I hope that you’ve enjoyed those four. I can’t wait to find out which are your favorites and why.

Join Nathalie and I on Thursday, July 27th, at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern. Your participation makes these episodes great, so I hope that you can be there. See you in two days!

If you missed Part 1 of Travel Photography, be sure to watch it. I’ve included it below:

Fuji X Weekly is now Available on Apple Watch!!

The Fuji X Weekly App is now on Apple Watch!

For those with an iPhone, you can access Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes right on your wrist! With the latest Fuji X Weekly update for iOS (1.6.0), the App is available for Apple Watch. If your iPhone didn’t automatically update the App, be sure to manually do it now.

Why might you need Film Simulation Recipes on your Apple Watch? First, for some it will be easier to enter a Recipe into your camera with the parameters on your wrist, rather than trying to do it while holding a phone (especially when out in the field). Second, if you left your phone behind (say, in the car), you can still access a particular Recipe if you have an Apple Watch on your wrist—a scenario that actually happened during the process of creating this update. Third, the Random Recipe selector is more readily available, and can make your photo outing even more fun. Fourth, the Fuji X Weekly Apple Watch App has a unique feature.

On the Apple Watch, the Fuji X Weekly App will display the five most recently-viewed Film Simulation Recipes (it will begin tracking this once the App has been updated). If you viewed a particular Recipe, then maybe looked at a couple others, but now want to go back to the first, it’s easy, because the App keeps track of the last five viewed—this is whether the Recipes were opened on the Apple Watch or the iPhone. This is also for the Random Recipe selector, so you could have the Fuji X Weekly App pick (for example) three different Random Recipes to use on a photowalk, and you’ll find all three in the Recently Viewed list on your watch. Cool, right?! This is the new feature that’s only available on the Apple Watch.

If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron subscriber, whatever Filtering you have on your iPhone will carry over to the watch App. So if you have (for example) Filter by Fujifilm X-T4 and Filter by Black & White selected, the watch will only display B&W Film Simulation Recipes that are compatible with the X-T4. The Apple Watch mirrors whatever Filter options are currently selected on the phone App. Also, multi-colored Stars for Favorite Recipes behaves the same on the Apple Watch as the iPhone; you cannot add or modify a Star on the watch—only the phone—but it will display the same on the Apple Watch as the iPhone. Oh, and any Custom Recipes you’ve created in the phone App will be displayed in the watch. The best App experience—including the best Apple Watch App experience—is reserved for Patron subscribers!

Any notes that you have added underneath the Film Simulation Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly iPhone App will be displayed in the Apple Watch; you cannot type any notes on the watch App, only on the phone, but you can view the notes you’ve already added.

The Recipes on the Apple Watch are sorted A-Z. Whatever Sort option (Z-A, New-to-Old, etc.) you have selected in the phone App will not carry over to the watch. The logic behind this is that you’re not likely going to use the Apple Watch to browse Film Simulation Recipes, but are most likely seeking a specific Recipe, and it’s probably going to be significantly easier to find when displayed in alphabetical order. For this reason, the watch will only Sort A-Z, and the other options are unavailable.

When you update the Fuji X Weekly App on your iPhone (if your phone didn’t automatically do it), be sure to open the App on your phone first. The Fuji X Weekly App should automatically be added to your Apple Watch, but if not, here’s the fix: open the Apple Watch App, tap My Watch, scroll to Fuji X Weekly, and select Install. If that doesn’t work, ensure that the iOS on your iPhone and Apple Watch are up-to-date. For those on Android phones or with a third-party watch, this update doesn’t affect you, but I am looking into the feasibility of potentially adding that compatibility in the future; however I’m not sure at this time if it will happen, and (if so) when. For those with an iPhone and Apple Watch, I hope that you enjoy this update!

Don’t have the Fuji X Weekly App? Download for free today!

Pushed CineStill 800T — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

July Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Pushed CineStill 800T

CineStill 800T is a Kodak Tungsten-balanced motion picture film (specifically, Vision3 500T) that has had the Remjet layer removed so that it can be processed in C41 chemistry. It’s intended for use in indoor artificial light and at night (but could be used anytime with the appropriate color correction filter). Awhile back I found some examples of CineStill 800T that had been shot during the day in overcast conditions and had been push-processed. I liked the picture aesthetics, so I set out to recreate it.

While this Film Simulation Recipe is intended for daytime photography (particularly on overcast days), it does really well at night, too. For the after-dark pictures in this article, I used a 5% CineBloom diffusion filter, but a 10% or 20% might have been more appropriate for replicating the emulsion. I do recommend the use of a diffusion filter for nighttime photography when shooting with this Recipe.

Mellow Mushroom – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Pushed CineStill 800T

This Pushed CineStill 800T Recipe isn’t new, but simply a modification of the X-Trans IV version for use on X-Trans V cameras. Because X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations, a tweak to Color Chrome FX Blue—selecting Weak instead of Strong—was necessary for my Fujifilm X-T5. This Film Simulation Recipe isn’t for everyone or every situation, but some of you will really appreciate it for certain pictures.

Film Simulation: Eterna Bleach Bypass
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak
White Balance: 7700K, -9 Red & +5 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -0.5
Shadow: +1.5
Color: +3
Sharpness: 0

High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Pushed CineStill 800T Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

Flower Stems in Colored Water – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Playing Video Games – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Yellow Flowers on a Dreary Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Birdcage Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Empty Cage – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Green Tree on a Blue Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Suburban Grey – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Street Train – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hand Signal – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spin – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Ice – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Hair Chairs – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mellow Mushroom Pizza – Tempe, 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
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:  Amazon  B&H  Moment

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and nearly 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.

8 Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes for Those Hot Summer Nights

Tattoo & Turkish Pizza – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Xpro ’62

It’s summer and it’s hot. I live in Arizona, so when I say it’s hot, I mean that it feels like someone opened an oven door! Nobody wants to be outside during the day right now, so (like vampires) everyone comes out at night. Not that it’s all that much cooler at dusk—it’s still triple digits—but at least it’s more bearable. While it’s easy to look at the negative side of things, the positive aspect to the excessive heat is that opportunities for night photography are plentiful.

A few days ago I took my Fujifilm X-T5 to downtown Tempe for some after-dark photography. Attached to the camera was a Meike 35mm f/1.7 lens, and I had a 5% CineBloom diffusion filter screwed onto it. I like the Meike lens for its vintage-like character. I chose the 5% CineBloom because its effect is subtle. While the 10% or 20% might have been more appropriate for a couple of the Film Simulation Recipes, overall I appreciate what the 5% CineBloom does to the photographs, which is not much yet oftentimes just enough.

I programmed into my Fujifilm X-T5 eight different Film Simulation Recipes, and shot with all of them. How was I able to program eight? Well, obviously, there’s C1-C7. On the X-T5 (as well as my X-E4 and a few other newer models), you can program an additional Recipe into the IQ menu. As you scroll through C1-C7, when you’re in-between C7 and C1, the camera will display the shooting mode (either P, A, S, or M, depending on the configuration of your dials), and it will select the settings programmed into the IQ menu, giving you a bonus eighth custom preset.

I didn’t walk all that far with my camera—going down a few blocks on one side of the road, and then back up on the other side. It was dark, but still blazing hot. I did manage to capture a whole bunch of pictures, making sure that I had at least six decent exposures with each Recipe. Afterwards I cooled off with an ice cream shake at In-N-Out, a nice treat to beat the heat.

If you are searching for some Film Simulation Recipes to try out on a hot summer night, take a look at the eight below. They’re certainly not the only ones that are good for after-dark photography, but they are all excellent options, and have their own unique aesthetics. These eight Recipes are the ones that I used, and I invite you to try them, too, the next time you go out for some night photography.

Fujicolor Super HG v2

Boat Shack at Sunset – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor Super HG v2

Fujicolor Super HG v2 is a highly versatile Film Simulation Recipe that—because it uses the Auto White Priority white balance—you can use anytime of the day or night. This is a Recipe that makes a lot of sense to always have programmed into your camera, since, no matter the light scenario, it’s going to give you good results. There’s an X-Trans V version of Fujicolor Super HG v2 (for those with an X-T5, X-H2, X-H2s, or X-S20), and an X-Trans IV version of this Recipe (for those with an X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II).

Ektachrome 320T

Three Empty Seats – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Ektachrome 320T

While the previous Recipe used Auto White Priority, Ektachrome 320T uses Auto Ambiance Priority, but don’t let that fool you: this Recipe is intended for use at night or indoors under artificial light, where it works very well. Ektachrome 320T is compatible with some X-Trans IV models that have the Eterna Bleach Bypass film simulation (X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II); to use it on X-Trans V, simply set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong, since X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations.

Expired ECN-2 100T

Bokeh Behind Chainlink – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Expired ECN-2 100T

Expired ECN-2 100T is currently a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe. If you are a subscriber on the App, you have access to this Film Simulation Recipe; otherwise, you’ll have to wait a little while for it to become available to everyone. This particular Recipe produces a green or yellow cast (depending on the light) when used at night, and a teal-ish cast when used in daylight. Like the previous Recipe, this one is compatible with the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras; to use it on X-Trans V models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong.

Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled

Daily Jam at Night – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled

Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled isn’t intended specifically as a Film Simulation Recipe for nighttime photography, but because it is so versatile it works really well for this. It has a low-contrast, low-saturation rendering with an earthy cast. It’s really good for toning down a scene when you’d prefer a softer picture. Fujicolor NPS 160 Pulled is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II, but not the X-T3 or X-T30); to use it on X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong.

Xpro ’62

Low Key Photo – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Xpro ’62

When I first learned that Xpro ’62 was great for after-dark photography, I was actually a little surprised, because this is intended as a daylight Recipe, and on paper it doesn’t seem versatile enough to be a good nighttime option. But it’s absolutely wonderful for night images! If you’ve never tried Xpro ’62 for post-sunset pictures, be sure to do so. It’s compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II, but not the X-T3 or X-T30); to use it on X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong.

CineStill 800T

Quiet Corner – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – CineStill 800T

The CineStill 800T Film Simulation Recipe is specifically intended for night photography, so it should be no surprise that it does well for after-dark pictures. If you want to even more closely mimic the film, try it with a 10% or 20% CineBloom diffusion filter. Like the previous two Recipes, CineStill 800T is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II, but not the X-T3 or X-T30); to use it on X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong. There is a version for X-Trans III cameras plus the X-T3 and X-T30, and a version for X-Trans II models.

Pushed CineStill 800T

Mellow Mushroom – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Pushed CineStill 800T

The Pushed CineStill 800T Recipe is actually modeled after some pictures of the film that were captured in daylight on an overcast day. This Recipe wasn’t necessarily purposefully intended for night photography, but it shouldn’t be surprising that it does well for it. It also shouldn’t be too surprising that it renders noticeably different than the CineStill 800T Recipe above. Pushed CineStill 800T is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras that have Eterna Bleach Bypass (X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II; however, there is a version for the X-Pro3 and X100V); to use it on X-Trans V cameras, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong.

Serr’s 500T

Neon Red – Tempe, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Serr’s 500T

Last but far from least is Serr’s 500T, which is one of my absolute favorite nighttime Film Simulation Recipes. Due to its strong blue cast, this one is especially great for countering warm artificial light. Serr’s 500T is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras (X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4 & X-T30 II); to use it on X-Trans V, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong.

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

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
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:  Amazon  B&H  Moment
Meike 35mm f/1.7:  Amazon   B&H

Travel Photography Q&A — Don’t Miss It!

Ken Rockwell at the Coast – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodacolor VR Recipe

Next week—on July 27th—Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I will be chatting about travel photography in our upcoming SOOC Live broadcast, including showing your pictures and answering your questions. I hope that you can join us!

The Q&A shows, which are the Part 2 of our monthly topics, are always a lot of fun. They’re more relaxed and interactive. Your participation makes them great—your role is vital! If you don’t have next week’s broadcast on your calendar, be sure to mark it now. I’ve included it below so that you can easily locate it.

Two weeks ago was the Part 1 episode, where Nathalie and I introduced the theme of travel photography. We discussed all sorts of considerations and gave many tips. If you haven’t yet seen that show, you’ll want to take some time to watch it. I’ve included the broadcast below, and you can also find it on the SOOC Live YouTube channel.

In that episode we challenged you to shoot with one or more of these four Film Simulation Recipes: 1970’s Summer, Elite Chrome 200, Fujichrome Provia 100F, and Kodacolor VR. Additionally, if you want an even greater challenge, you can try to get good results from one or more of these Recipes in unfavorable light. And if you want to go boss-level, the third challenge is to print and frame one of your pictures that were captured with these Recipes. To summarize: Level 1 is to use the Recipes listed above, Level 2 is to shoot those Recipes in less-than-ideal light, and Level 3 is to print and frame one of the pictures you captured during the first two levels. Got it?

We invite you to share your results with us and the SOOC Live community. Please upload your images (click here) captured with our four recommended Recipes to be potentially featured in the next episode and also included in the Viewers’ Images slideshow. Don’t forget to include the Film Simulation Recipe name in the file name, so that we know which Recipe you used. The deadline for submission is Tuesday the 25th, which means that you still have a little time, but not a lot, so don’t procrastinate. I look forward to seeing your pictures!

Last month’s Viewers Images slideshow was delayed a little due to a few unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances. If you haven’t yet watched it, I’ve included it below. Thank you to everyone who participated!

See also: The Ultimate Travel Compact Camera Kit