Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe: Fujicolor C200

Blooming Pink – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 “Fujicolor C200”

I’ve been asked at least a dozen times—probably more—to create a Fujicolor C200 film simulation recipe. I’ve tried a few different times, but I never felt that I got close enough. A couple of recipes came out of those experiments, but a C200 recipe remained elusive. The good news is that George Coady (check out his Instagram) figured it out! Yea! George has a lot of experience shooting actual Fujicolor C200 film, and he experimented using X RAW Studio until he got the recipe right. I had a very small hand in tweaking it, but really George did all the work. He gave me permission to publish his recipe here. Thanks, George!

Fujifilm introduced Fujicolor C200 in 1990 as a low-budget, no frills color negative film. I’ve shot several rolls of it over the years, although it was never my go-to option. Fujifilm gave it a small refresh in 2017, and it’s still available today. Even though C200 is a cheap color film, it has a cult-like following, and many people enjoy its aesthetic and choose it over more expensive emulsions.

Red Chairs in a Yard – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor C200”

This recipe looks great! In high-contrast situations DR400 does better to protect highlights than DR200, but in low-contrast situations DR200 produces better contrast. After awhile I decided to set my camera to DR400 and adjust it to DR200 when the situation calls for it. The pictures in this article are a mix of DR200 and DR400. The White Balance Shift can be set to -4 Blue, which can sometimes be more accurate to the film, or -2 Blue, which can sometimes be more accurate to the film, because one film can have many different looks depending on how it was shot, developed, and scanned or printed, but -3 Blue does well for all-around use. Because this recipe requires a half adjustment to Highlight & Shadow, it’s only compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10 and X-E4, although if you use Highlight 0 and Shadow -1 it’s pretty close to the same, which opens it up for use on the X100V and X-Pro3.

Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400 (DR200 in low contrast situations)
Highlight: +0.5
Shadow: -0.5
Color: +2
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpeness: -3
Clarity: -3
Grain Effect: Weak, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: Daylight, 0 Red & -3 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Fujicolor C200 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

Red Palms – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Red Chair – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Fairy & Elf – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Throw Pillows – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
R&R BBQ – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Restaurant Counter – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Standing Tall – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Sour Honey – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Large Leaf – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Blooming Branch – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Yellow Bush – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
If a Tree Falls Does Anyone Hear? – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Up The Trunk – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Trailers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

Find this film simulation recipe on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

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Fujifilm X-E4 Thoughts….

I wasn’t intending to write this article. I had other things that I wanted to talk about. There are a couple new film simulation recipes I’ve created that I plan to share. I want to give my thoughts on the new GFX100S. I want to talk more about the GFX-50S that Fujifilm sent me to use. There are a couple of lens reviews that I’ve been procrastinating on. The Android version of the Fuji X Weekly App is edging closer to being finished. But, the upcoming Fujifilm X-E4 has been turning inside my brain all day, so that’s why I’m writing about it instead.

I think a lot of people had high hopes and expectations for the Fujifilm X-E4, and nobody really predicted what it ended up being. It’s like when the X-Pro3 was announced, and everyone was scratching their heads. With the X-Pro3, even though so many didn’t understand it, I think there was a pretty large curiosity towards it, and a lot of people came around to it after awhile. The X-E4 has a similar lack of understanding surrounding it, but it doesn’t carry that same curiosity, so it will likely be fairly ignored. It’s already been overshadowed by other gear announcements.

There was a post I published back in July called Shrinking Camera Market: What Fujifilm Should Do in 2021 & Beyond. I suggested that Fujifilm should make a less-expensive 100MP GFX camera. Guess what? They did! Another thing I suggested is that Fujifilm should do more to differentiate the X-E4 from the X-T30 (and the eventual X-T40) because the X-E3 and the X-T20 were so very similar (aside from camera shape). Well, it looks like they did that, too. My apologies.

The question is: what was Fujifilm thinking when they designed the X-E4? What was their vision? That’s tough to know until the tell us, if they tell us, as they might not. Until then, we’re left guessing, and most of the guesses seems to be along the lines of, “They cheapened the X-E line.” I really don’t believe that was their intention.

As I’ve thought about this, I believe the X-E4 is intended to be a minimalist’s “just shoot” camera. Looking at all of the aspects of an X-E3, the designers asked themselves, “Is this necessary?” If the answer was yes, it stayed, perhaps repositioned or redesigned. If the answer was no, to the chopping block it went! I question if the rear wheel and focus-type-selector were really unnecessary, because I think they’re both quite handy. But someone obviously didn’t think so. An ISO dial on the shutter knob (like the X100V) would have been a great addition, but that didn’t happen, unfortunately. I do believe the design of the X-E4 was very intentional, and there was a purpose to the decisions, even if I don’t fully understand them myself.

Besides being a “just shoot” camera, I think the X-E4 was intended to be a smaller pocketable-ish camera, like the X100V or the X70. Remember the X70? It was the short-lived baby-brother to the X100T, with an 18.5mm fixed-lens. Sony suddenly stopped production of the X-Trans II sensor, which the X70 used, and that killed the camera. The X-Trans III sensor was too hot to place inside the small X70 body, so an X80 never happened. Is the X-E4 actually an interchangeable-lens X80? Maybe. Attach one of Fujifilm’s pancake lenses—the 18mm f/2 or 27mm f/2.8—to the X-E4 and it could pass as an X70 successor. It wasn’t very long ago that Fujifilm said there would be no X-E4, that the X-E3 was the end of the line, so maybe the initial vision of this camera wasn’t X-E at all. Just a thought.

Where I think the Fujifilm X-E4 makes the most sense is as a lightweight, compact, carry-everywhere camera. It could nicely complement the X100V. It might be a good option to replace an aging X70. Or, if you never purchased an X70 but always wanted to, this might be a solid alternative. Maybe the XF10 never interested you because of its sluggish performance, Bayer sensor, and PASM dial, but you’d love a compact X-Trans option. Well, now you have one.

My opinion is that if you can make peace with the minimalistic redesign, and you get yourself the 18mm f/2 and/or the 27mm f/2.8—maybe even use a wrist strap instead of a neck strap—this camera could be a very nice travel/street/have-with-you-wherever-you-go option. Is it perfect? No, but what camera is?

Like a lot of you, I’m disappointed that the Fujifilm X-E4 isn’t the camera that many of us thought it could or should be, but as I’ve pondered what it is exactly that Fujifilm created, I can see its place and it does make some sort of sense. If you embrace it for what it is, and perhaps think of it more as an interchangeable-lens X80 than an X-E camera, than I think the X-E4 could actually be a wonderful and fun option.

I say all of this, but I’ve never used or even held an X-E4, so this rant should be taken with a grain of salt. I was initially bummed by the camera because my expectations were off, but now that I’ve had time to dwell on it I’m actually beginning to warm up to it. I think the X-E4, like many of the X-E cameras that came before, will go under the radar and will be under appreciated, but for those who own one, it will be a joy to use.

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-E4 (Body Only)   Amazon  B&H
Fujifilm X-E4 (w/27mm f/2.8)   Amazon  B&H

#FujiXWeekly Episode 002 – Your Instagram Photos Are Impressive!

I just published Episode 002 of the #FujiXWeekly video series on the Fuji X Weekly YouTube Channel!

Fuji X Weekly is on Instagram, and when I created that account I also created the hashtag #fujixweekly. I’ve noticed that many of you are also using that hashtag, and since I follow it, whenever you post using #fujixweekly your pictures show up in my feed. You guys are creating some impressive images! It’s very inspiring to me, so I wanted share that with everyone.

Please keep using #fujixweekly on Instagram. I’ll pick some of the pictures to showcase in the next video. Obviously I can’t use all of them, but I’ll pick some that I find interesting. If you used one of my film simulation recipes, include which one you used in the description if you don’t mind. I’d love to know which recipes you guys are using!

I appreciate every one of you! Keep up the great work! Below I’ve included a link to everyone’s Instagram accounts who had pictures in the video above. Be sure to check out their work!

@503_x100v
@max_street_photography
@leongoossens_film
@jassonwu0529
@alensinthelandscape
@neopanacros
@yongjie1220
@hugovangool.nl
@smile_n_shoot
@1080paolo
@apollokreed
@mirrorlessron
@dennyf
@effzwo.thommy
@seize_the_moment
@cederaiz
@fujisbyjakob
@spicy.eye
@drjkgas
@kato.dng