Several weeks back I stumbled on a review of Kodak Ektachrome E100 color reversal film (the current version), and I thought: That looks a lot like the Reala Ace film simulation. I took a guess at some settings, but didn’t put much effort into testing or refining them. I got busy with some other things (such as planning and preparing for a four-city photowalk tour), and neglected to do anything more. More recently, Fuji X Weekly reader Dan Allen messaged me with the same exact observation about Ektachrome E100 and Reala Ace, which made me revisit the project.
Dan actually captured some side-by-side photos with Ektachrome E100 and a Fujifilm camera using the Reala Ace film simulation; however, he couldn’t quite get it to match. Interestingly, the settings that he had come up with as the closest facsimile were quite similar to mine. It was thought that the particular scanner used likely played a role in the exact aesthetic of the Ektachrome images—one film can produce a variety of looks depending on how it was shot, developed, and printed, projected, or scanned, among other things. Being a slide film, E100 is inherently designed to be projected. While this Recipe isn’t an exact match to Dan’s Ektachrome slides (although it’s not terribly far off, either), it does share a lot of resemblance with some Ektachrome E100 images that can be found online.
Kodak introduced Ektachrome in 1946. I counted once, and there are over 40 different emulsions that have been called Ektachrome over the years, not including slight revisions or improvements to the same film. The “E” development process was invented for Ektachrome film… it began with E1; the E6 process that’s used today was introduced in 1977. Each different Ektachrome and development process produced a divergent look. Kodak discontinued Ektachrome in 2012, but in 2018 they brought back Ektachrome E100. Some have suggested that this new version is simply a revision of Ektachrome E100G, but I don’t believe that’s been verified—it may or may not be.
While Reala Ace can be made into a pretty close match to Kodak Ektachrome E100, there are some issues that prevent it from being even more accurate—I would love a +5 Color option, for instance. Skin tones aren’t perfect, either—it’s possible to improve that, but at the expense of other attributes. I also think DR-Auto would be a good option, but the camera doesn’t jump to DR200 quickly enough, in my opinion. This Recipe is not perfect, but after a lot of tries over the years, this is the most satisfied I’ve been with any of my attempts, and I think it’s convincing enough to be given the Ektachrome E100 name.
This is an App Patron Early-Access Recipe. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, you have access to it right now. If not, no worries, as it will eventually be made available to everyone, once it is replaced by a new Early-Access Recipe. It is compatible with all fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, and X-T50. I’m sure it can also be used on the latest GFX models; however, it will likely render slightly different (try it anyway).
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Ektachrome E100 Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-T50:
Corn Dog – Denver, CO – Fujifilm X-T50
Window Succulent – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T50
Airline Club – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T50
Terminal Passenger – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T50
Green Plant on a Red Desk – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T50
Concrete Wall & Shrubs – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T50
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Rocky Hill in the Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1
I asked OpenAI’s ChatGPT to make a Film Simulation Recipe to mimic the look of Kodachrome X slide film. This wasn’t the first time that I attempted to use ChatGPT to make a Recipe for Fujifilm cameras… you might recall that the Urban Dreams Film Simulation Recipe was made by ChatGPT, and by chance it has some resemblance to Kodachrome 200. I learned a lot about the AI’s ability (or is it inability?) to make Recipes, so I decided to try again just for the fun of it.
Kodak introduced Kodachrome—a color transparency film, and the world’s first commercially successful color film—in 1935. Kodachrome X was in the second era of the emulsion, sold between 1962 and 1973. It was replaced by Kodachrome 64, which was discontinued in 2009. Today you cannot buy Kodachrome, and even if you found some old rolls of the film, you cannot even get it developed. Shooting with a facsimile Film Simulation Recipe on Fujifilm cameras is a great way to experience some of these old emulsions that no longer exist, such as Kodachrome X.
Here’s a YouTube video I made documenting the experience!
My opinion is that ChatGPT’s Recipe is much too vibrant to mimic Kodachrome X. While the film was richly vibrant for its time, no emulsion in the 1960’s was that colorful. Today it would be described more as true-to-life. There are also other issues I take with the settings that the AI chose, so I don’t think it did well at mimicking Kodachrome; however, that doesn’t mean the settings (by chance) don’t look nice.
ChatGPT’s Kodachrome X Recipe
My Kodachrome II v2 Recipe
After examining the ChatGPT Recipe, I decided that it reminds me a lot of Kodak Ektachrome E100VS. There have been over 40 different emulsions that carried the Ektachrome name over the years—each with their own unique look—and E100VS was just one. Kodak introduced this film in 1999 and discontinued it in 2012. Ektachrome E100VS was Kodak’s best attempt at Velvia, and was their most vibrant emulsion. The “VS” in the name meant Vividly Saturated. While it was similar to Velvia, it wasn’t identical—the warmth of the film was the most obvious difference—and many photographers preferred Fujifilm’s Velvia over Kodak’s Ektachrome E100VS. Still, at the pinnacle of the film era, it was a popular choice for landscape photographers wanting a boost in vibrancy.
I noticed with AI generated Film Simulation Recipes that most of the time it chooses Auto White Balance, Grain Strong, and stays within -2 to +2 on all of the settings; my experience is that it only occasionally strays from that. It also seems to always leave some necessary settings out, and you have to ask it to add those. Of course, no film has Auto White Balance—most are Daylight (around 5500K), and some are Tungsten (around 3200K). While it is amazing that ChatGPT can produce a Recipe for Fujifilm cameras, if it looks good or not—and if it truly produces the aesthetic that you asked for—is more by chance than skill. Also, it doesn’t like to cite its sources, which is just wrong in my opinion.
While it tried and failed to resemble 1960’s era Kodachrome, I still liked the look produced by ChatGPT’s Kodachrome X Film Simulation Recipe. Since it has some similarities to Kodak Ektachrome E100VS color transparency film, I renamed it after that emulsion. I also refined the settings to more closely resemble the film, and am including that as a second Recipe, which I call Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2. So v1 is ChatGPT’s Recipe, and v2 is my modified alternative.
I shot a number of rolls of Ektachrome E100VS back in my film days. Most of these pictures are stored away in little yellow boxes, but a few images have been scanned. Obviously, the scanner—and especially the quality of the scan—has an impact on the photo rendering. The four images below are some real Kodak Ektachrome E100VS frames that I shot many years ago. None of these are high-quality scans, and for that I apologize, and I hope you can overlook that aspect of the pictures. Also, it’s important to state that they all look significantly more impressive when viewed on a light table or especially from a slide projector.
Actual Kodak Ektachrome E100VS film
Actual Kodak Ektachrome E100VS film
Actual Kodak Ektachrome E100VS film
Actual Kodak Ektachrome E100VS film
How the film was shot had a significant impact on the look. For deeper blues and reds, one should underexpose the film slightly. For cyan sky and brighter (and warmer) colors, one should overexpose slightly. Of course, you had to be careful, because the film—like most slide films—had a narrow dynamic range, and there wasn’t much room for error either direction. These two Film Simulation Recipes behave similarly, although I believe v2 a little more so than v1.
Without further ado, here are the two Kodak Ektachrome E100VS Film Simulation Recipes!
Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1
ChatGPT Recipe for Kodachrome X
Beef Franks – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Ektachrome E100VS v1
This is the Recipe that ChatGPT created to mimic Kodachrome X, but it looks more like Kodak Ektachrome E100VS. It produces vivid colors similar to—but more warm and slightly less vibrant than—Velvia film. For darker blues and deeper reds, use a lower exposure compensation, and for lighter blues and brighter/warmer colors, use a higher exposure compensation. Because it uses Auto White Balance and DR400, you’ll find it to be quite versatile; however, the rendering is clearly “wrong” in some situations.
The Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 Film Simulation Recipe is fully compatible with X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2s, as well as “newer” X-Trans IV cameras, which include the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. You can use this Recipe on newer GFX cameras; however, it will render slightly differently (but try it anyway!). For the X-T3 and X-T30 (plus older GFX), you’ll have to ignore Color Chrome FX Blue, Grain size, and Clarity (since your camera doesn’t have those options), so it will definitely look a little different, but you might like it nonetheless; for X-Trans III, you’ll have to additionally ignore Color Chrome Effect.
Film Simulation: Velvia Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -2 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +1 Shadow: +1 Color: +2 Sharpness: +1 High ISO NR: -2 Clarity: +1 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Suburban Arches – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red, Green & Yellow – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pink Blossom in Spring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Boy in a Red Hat – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Saguaro & Abandoned Building – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Agave at the Mine – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spiderweb Among Thorns – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Yellow Flowers Behind Cactus – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Cactus Vailed by Sunlight – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Little Purple Wildflowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Veiled Cactus – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Spring in the Shade – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Shaded Bristlebush Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2
Fuji X Weekly Recipe
Unexpected X – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2
This version of Kodak Ektachrome E100VS is my modification to better mimic the film. It’s not too divergent—only slightly dissimilar—since it’s simply a modification of the AI Recipe, and not made from scratch. Because it uses more of a daylight-balanced Kelvin White Balance and DR200, it’s not quite as versatile as v1, and you have to be a little more careful of the light situation you are shooting in and pay closer attention to the highlights to avoid clipping. Sometimes it’s not completely correct, but I think in the “right” conditions it can be quite convincing—nearly identical to some slides I have.
The Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2 Film Simulation Recipe is fully compatible with X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2s, as well as “newer” X-Trans IV cameras, which include the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. Unfortunately, it is not compatible with the X-T3, X-T30, X-Pro3, or X100V. You can use this Recipe on newer GFX cameras; however, it will render slightly differently (but try it anyway!).
Film Simulation: Velvia Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: 5150K, +3 Red & -3 Blue Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: +1.5 Shadow: +0.5 Color: +1 Sharpness: -1 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 using this Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5 and X-E4:
Americana Home – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Sky Behind Trees – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Boy in a Red Hat 2 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Abunda la Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Garden Apex – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bright Backyard Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Shaded Oleander Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Reddish Orange Cactus Flower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
White Paper Flowers – Beckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Hill through Palo Verde – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Little Pops of Purple – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Purple Spring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bunch of Yellow Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red Airplane – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset in Suburbia – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Comparison
In the three examples above, Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 is on the left (revealed by moving the slider right), and Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2 is on the right (revealed by moving the slider left).
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
As a bonus, I asked OpenAI’s DALL-E 2 AI image creator to show me what ChatGPT creating Film Simulation Recipes looks like. The results? Awful, but also kind of funny! I tried rewording the request several different ways in hopes of getting a better image, but it never really got any better.
Here are a few:
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