Kodak Gold 200 | FUJI X WEEKLY

Kodak Gold 200 — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

*Field of Gold* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Gold 200 Recipe

A favorite Film Simulation for the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30, plus X-Trans III cameras, is Kodak Gold 200. I published this Recipe about two-and-a-half years ago, and have had many requests to adapt it for newer models, something that I just recently got around to doing. I took the opportunity to see if I could improve it, utilizing the options that have come out since. While it is still quite similar to the original, I really like how this Kodak Gold 200 Film Simulation Recipe came out.

Kodak introduced Gold color negative film in 1986, and it is still around today. It was originally called Kodacolor VR-G, then Kodacolor Gold, and finally Gold. It replaced Kodacolor VR, which actually (and interestingly) still exists today as ColorPlus. While the film has been improved a few times over the years, it still looks pretty much the same today as it did in the 1980’s. The film is prone to color shifts, and results can vary significantly depending on how i was shot, developed and printed or scanned. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to emulate all of the possible aesthetics of Gold in one Recipe, so this is only a facsimile of one particular Kodak Gold 200 look.

*Sonoran Saguaro* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Gold 200 Recipe

This Kodak Gold 200 Film Simulation Recipe, which will work best in sunny daylight situations, is intended for and is fully compatible with all fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, and X-S20 (yes, X-S20). Because X-Trans V renders blue more deeply on some film simulations, setting Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak (instead of Off) will make this Recipe compatible with newer fourth-generation X-Trans cameras—specifically, the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. This Recipe is not compatible with the X100V and X-Pro3; however, you can either try this one with Highlight set to -2 and Shadow set to +1 (and maybe increase exposure by 1/3 stop), or adapt the old Recipe by selecting Grain size Small, Color Chrome FX Blue Off, and Clarity set to 0. Those with newer GFX cameras can use this Recipe, too, but it will render slightly different (give it a try).

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: Daylight, +4 Red & -5 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1.5
Shadow: +0.5
Color: +3
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Gold 200 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

*Evening Hoop* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Jon on the Gold Coast* – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Wave Crashing* – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Rainbows & Palms* – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Vines & Cage* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Trumpet Blossom Day* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Sun Pouring Over Tree Leaves* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Rays & Leaf* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Happy Thoughts* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Golden Hour Fountain* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Golden Bougainvillea* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Bougainvillea Arm* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Mission Inn & Flag* – Riverside, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Dodge Van Steering Wheel* – Buena Park, CA – Fujifilm X-T5

*Bird on a Twisted Dead Tree* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Leaf Alone* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Red Leaves* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Golden Trees* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Yellow Forest* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Autumn Woods* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Aspen Leaves* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Golden Aspen* – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

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

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Video: SOOC Season 02 Episode 01 Viewer’s Images

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

This video is the viewer submitted photographs from SOOC Season 02 Episode 01. Yes, your pictures! Thank you to everyone who shared their images, to everyone who participated, and to everyone who tuned in!

For those who don’t know, SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different Film Simulation Recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.

The next episode of SOOC will be live on April 14th, so mark your calendars now!

Watch: SOOC Season 2 Episode 1 — Kodak Gold 200 & Kodak Tri-X 400!

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

Season 2 of SOOC kicked off this morning! You can watch it (above) if you missed it. It was a really good show full of fun and surprises, so you’ll want to hit play. In our usual fashion, the broadcast went a little long, but I hope you find it well worth your time.

In Episode 01 of Season 02, among other things, we conclude our discussion (from Season 01) of the Kodak Gold 200 Film Simulation Recipe, and introduce the next recipe-of-the-month: Kodak Tri-X 400. We had a special guest, Anders Lindborg—it was fun talking shop with him, and seeing his wonderful photographs. Thanks, Anders, for joining us live! To submit pictures captured with the Kodak Tri-X 400 Film Simulation Recipe for Episode 02, click here.

Something else to note: we had our first Pre-Show, that was a more informal experience. You can watch it (above) if you missed it. The Pre-Show will be a regular feature, so if you have a few minutes before a broadcast, be sure to join in!

Thank you to everyone who watched, to everyone who participated, and for all who submitted pictures. You all are the best! Episode 02, where we’ll conclude Kodak Tri-X 400 and introduce the next recipe-of-the-month (Kodak Vision3 250D), will be April 14th, so mark your calendars now! See you then!

Click here to see previous episodes!

Join Fuji X Weekly Live Tomorrow — SOOC Season 2 Episode 1

Posted on March 23, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

Season 2 of SOOC kicks off this Thursday, March 24th, at 10 AM Pacific Time, 1 PM Eastern. That’s tomorrow!

SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different film simulation recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow. It’s an interactive show, and your participation is essential, so I really hope to see you there!

This episode will conclude our discussion of the Kodak Gold 200 Film Simulation Recipe, and introduce the next recipe-of-the-month: Kodak Tri-X 400. It will be a great time, with wonderful photographs and discussions. You won’t want to miss it!

Also, there will be a 30-minute pre-show that I invite you to join. So if you have a little time before the show, even if it’s only five or ten minutes, please tune in as we showcase some of your pictures and have an informal chat with the audience.

See you tomorrow!

Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe: Kodak Gold v2

Posted on January 18, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Grass and Frozen Pond* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Gold v2”

This new film simulation recipe comes from Anders Lindborg (Instagram). Anders is the one who created the Kodak Tri-X 400 recipe, Ilford Pan F Plus 50 recipe, seven Fujicolor Pro 160NS recipes, seven Fujicolor Pro 400H recipes, and made an important D-Range Priority discovery. So I know that you’ll love this one, too! He was kind enough to share it with me and allow me to share it with all of you—thank you, Anders!

Anders began by looking at some old prints he has, which were captured on Kodak Gold 200 film. He noticed that these prints looked a little different than my Kodak Gold 200 recipe, but one film can have many different looks depending on how it was shot, developed, printed and/or scanned, or even which generation of the emulsion you’re viewing. This recipe mimics the aesthetic of his prints, but he noticed that it also matches many examples of Gold 200 that he found online.

*Kids in a Tree* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Gold v2”

This recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. To make this recipe work on the X-T3 and X-T30, Anders suggests using Grain Strong, White Balance 5900K (with the same shift), and ignoring Clarity—I suggest that you consider using a weak diffusion filter, such as 1/8 Black Pro Mist or 5% CineBloom, in leu of Clarity. In addition, for X-Trans III, ignore Color Chrome Effect. The results will be slightly different, but nearly the same. Anders suggests trying this recipe with a 3200K white balance for night photography.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: 0
Shadow: -1
Color: -1
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpness: -1
Clarity: -2
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: 5800K, +2 Red & +4 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this new Kodak Gold v2 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

*Moon Behind Pine* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Moon Behind Cattails* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Safe Zone* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Makeshift Gate* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Wood Post* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Trail to Visitors Center* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Green Leaves in January* – Farmington UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Hanging Red Berries in Winter* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Berries and Barren Branches* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Brown Reeds* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Jo in a Tree* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Jo Under The Tennis Net* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Back Alley* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Find this film simulation recipes and over 200 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

5 Frames: Fujifilm X-H1 + Kodak Gold 200 + Downtown Salt Lake City

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Highrise, Reflection & Lamp* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Gold 200”

I took my Fujifilm X-H1 to downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, loaded with my Kodak Gold 200 film simulation recipe, to do some urban photography. Attached to the camera was a Fujinon 18mm f/2 lens, which I find to be a good focal-length for cityscape and street images.

Kodak Gold, which was introduced in the late-1980’s and is still around today, is a general purpose color negative film. It was originally called Kodacolor VR-G, then Kodacolor Gold, and finally Gold. It replaced Kodacolor VR. While the film has been improved a few times over the years, it still looks pretty much the same today as it did in the 1980’s. My film simulation recipe is an approximation of Kodak Gold for Fujifilm X-Trans III plus the X-T3 and X-T30 cameras.

For those following the SOOC video series, Kodak Gold 200 is the current recipe-of-the-month. Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I will be discussing this recipe, including showcasing your pictures captured with it, in the next episode. We’re taking January off, so the next video, which will be Episode 01 of Season 02, will be on February 10th. Be sure to mark your calendar! Since there’s extra time to shoot with this recipe, we’d like to show two of your pictures in the next episode, captured in different light situations and/or of different subjects. Upload your pictures here to be featured in the next video!

In the meantime, this article is a photoessay of five photographs captured in downtown Salt Lake City with a Fujifilm X-H1 using the Kodak Gold 200 film simulation recipe. Enjoy!

*100 South* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Gold 200”

*Vespa Mirror Reflection* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Gold 200”

*Reflected Center* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Gold 200”

*Zamboni* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Gold 200”

Find this film simulation recipe and 200 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

Film Simulation Review: Planting Flowers with “Kodak Gold 200”

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

White Tulip Bloom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Believe it or not, there are over 70 different film simulation recipes on Fuji X Weekly! That’s amazing! There are lots more than I would have guessed before I counted them. And I’m working on even more!

Something I’ve realized is that I haven’t spent all that much time on the practical use of these different recipes. You might not know which ones to choose, or when to use them, or maybe even how to use them. Perhaps you are overwhelmed by all of the options. Maybe you are not sure which ones can be used on which cameras. I haven’t done a great job with this side of it, the practical side. Moving forward I hope to make things easier for you by showing you the “what, where and why” of the different film simulation recipes.

This post is the very tiny tip of what I hope is a great big iceberg of information. I plan to publish many articles that I hope are helpful to you, that answer some of the questions you might have about these recipes. This article is a very simple one: an example of when to use my Kodak Gold 200 film simulation recipe. I get asked often, “What’s the best recipe for this situation?” Whatever that situation might be. I thought it would be helpful to showcase different recipes being used in various situations. I hope to do a whole bunch of these types of articles, and I’m calling them Film Simulation Reviews. You’ll be able to see a certain recipes used in a certain situation, and you’ll be able to judge for yourself if you like it or not. If you appreciate how a certain recipe looks in a certain case, for example Kodak Gold 200 with flowers and shaded light, which is what you see here, then you can use it yourself when in a similar situation.

My wife, Amanda, was going to plant some flowers in a pot on our porch, and I wanted to capture it. I grabbed my Fujifilm X-T30 and attached a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens to it. Why this combo? I like that camera and lens; I don’t have a profound answer. Initially I planned to use my Portra 160 recipe, but after judging the light, which was shady and flat, I decided to go with the Gold recipe instead because it has more contrast. I think it was a good choice for this scene. Actual Kodak Gold film was considered a good all-around choice for many situations, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the film simulation that mimics it is also good for many different situations.

Pot & Soil – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Digging Dirt – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Planting Tulips – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

White Tulip Blossom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Adding Yellow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Adding Soil – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Potted Blooms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Just Add Water – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Wet Potted Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Wet Tulip – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Porch Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Potted Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

My Fujifilm X-T30 Kodak Gold 200 Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on April 16, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Crown Burger – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Kodak Gold 200”

I’ve been asked countless times to create a Kodak Gold film simulation recipe. I’ve tried several times to make one, but I couldn’t get it quite right. Last week I was scrolling through Instagram and I saw a picture that I thought at first glance was captured using my Portra 160 recipe. It’s not unusual to see pictures that were captured using my different recipes, as some of them have become quite popular. It was an interesting picture, so I took my time looking at it, and as I did I thought that there was just too much saturation, contrast and grain for it to be my Portra recipe, yet it was still very similar. When I read the description I realized that the picture was captured with actual Kodak Gold 200 film! At that moment I knew that I could create a Gold recipe simply by modifying the Portra recipe.

Kodak Gold, which was introduced in the late-1980’s and is still around today, is a general purpose color negative film. It was originally called Kodacolor VR-G, then Kodacolor Gold, and finally Gold. It replaced Kodacolor VR. While the film has been improved a few times over the years, it still looks pretty much the same today as it did in the 1980’s. The film is prone to color shifts, and results can vary significantly depending on how the picture was shot, developed and printed or scanned.

Flowing Farmington Creek – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Kodak Gold 200”

Even though this Kodak Gold film simulation recipe is very similar to my Portra recipe, it took many experiments to get it right. I tried different combinations of Highlight, Shadow and Color before settling on these settings. I adjusted the white balance shift several times before returning to the same shift as Portra 160. I feel that this recipe is a good facsimile to actual Gold film, although, like all recipes, it will never be exact, as it cannot account for all the variables. It’s pretty close, though, in my opinion. I want to give a special thank-you to Fuji X Weekly reader Piotr Skrzypek for creating the original Portra 160 recipe for X-Trans II, which allowed me to make one for X-Trans III & IV cameras, which in turn made this Kodak Gold 200 recipe possible. This recipe is compatible with X-Trans III & IV cameras.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR-Auto
Highlight: -2
Shadow: +1
Color: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Grain Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Off
White Balance: Daylight, +4 Red & -5 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Gold 200 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30: