Kodak Portra film simulation

Comparing 6 Kodak Portra Film Simulation Recipes

*Sunset Photography* – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Portra 400 v2

Some of the absolute most popular Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras are those that mimic Kodak Portra film. I have a number of Recipes that are modeled after Portra, and with so many choices it can be difficult to know which ones to program into your camera. I thought I’d take this opportunity to compare six of them, with the hopes that it will help you decide. There are actually several more Portra-inspired Recipes than the six here, but I chose to compare these because they’re all X-Trans IV Recipes compatible with my Fujifilm X100V, the camera I used to capture them on a recent trip to the California coast.

Kodak introduced the Portra line in 1998, with two ISO 160 versions, two ISO 400 versions, and an ISO 800 emulsion (plus a short-lived ISO 100 Tungsten film, for those keeping score). Portra saw a couple of updates by Kodak, and in 2010 the two ISO 160 versions were merged into one, as well as the two ISO 400 versions. The film has become iconic, with its warm yet natural colors. As the name implies, it was meant for portrait photography, but is popular for many genres.

*Laguna Coast* – Laguna Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Portra 400 v2

One film can produce all sorts of various looks, depending on a host of factors, including how it was shot, developed, printed and/or scanned. The Kodak Portra 400 and the Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipes are very similar, but they were modeled after two different photographer’s Portra film pictures, and so their rendering varies just a little. Kodak Portra 400 leans a little more towards red-orange, while Kodak Portra 400 v2 leans a little more towards yellow-green. Kodak Portra 400 Warm, which is a modification of both Kodak Portra 400 Recipes, is intended to better replicate the results of Alex MacDougall’s Portra-Style presets. To create Reggie’s Portra, Reggie Ballesteros modified my Kodak Portra 400 Recipe to better suit his style. Because it uses Auto White Balance and a slightly more neutral WB Shift, it is much better than the others in artificial light situations; also, because it has Clarity set to 0, it is the best option for fast photography (Clarity set to anything other than 0 causes a short “storing” pause). Kodak Portra 800 is the grainiest of these Recipes. To create Kodak Portra 800 v2, which is the least vivid of these six, Thomas Schwab captured side-by-side images with a Fujifilm X-Pro3 and an analog camera loaded with Portra 800 film.

While each of these Portra-inspired Film Simulations Recipes are different—some only slightly so, others more significantly so—they all produce a distinct Portra-like aesthetic. Looking at the results, it’s easy to understand why these are popular options! Because they are a little different from each other, you can find the one that most closely matches your style. Or you can choose different ones for various scenarios. Perhaps you prefer something like Kodak Portra 400 for sunsets, Kodak Portra 400 Warm for midday light, Kodak Portra 800 v2 for soft portraits, and Reggie’s Portra for indoor pictures. If you’ve never tried any of these Recipes, be sure to pick at least one to program into your camera today!

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Kodak Portra 400

Kodak Portra 400 v2

Kodak Portra 400 Warm

Reggie’s Portra

Kodak Portra 800

Kodak Portra 800 v2

Kodak Portra 400 v2 — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on December 16 by Ritchie Roesch

*Swath of Red* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

This is a simple update to the Kodak Portra 400 v2 Film Simulation Recipe, which was originally made for X-Trans IV cameras. I discovered that a slight tweak is needed for X-Trans V models, because the new sensor renders blues just a little deeper on some film simulations, including Classic Chrome. For this recipe, simply setting Color Chrome FX Blue from Weak to Off makes it compatible with (as of this writing) the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2S.

Kodak Portra 400 is a popular professional-grade color negative film introduced in 1998. There’s been a number of revisions and improvements to the emulsion over the years, so the Portra that’s available today is slightly different than the original Portra from roughly 25 years ago. As the name suggests, it’s intended for portraitures, but is also a popular option for many other genres of photography. One film can have several different aesthetics depending on many factors, and this particular Film Simulation Recipe is modeled after the Kodak Portra 400 pictures from a specific photographer. It’s one of my absolute favorite recipes for daylight and especially golden hour photography, and it does pretty well in several other light conditions; however, it’s probably not the best option for indoor artificial light, unless you want especially warm pictures.

Succulent Stories – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

This Kodak Portra 400 v2 Film Simulation Recipe is intended for Fujifilm X-Trans V models. It’s compatible with newer GFX cameras too, but will likely render slightly different. If you have an X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II, try the Kodak Portra 400 v2 recipe for those models (click here). If you have an X-T3 or X-T30, try the version for those cameras (click here).

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: 5200K, +1 Red & -6 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: 0
Shadow: -2
Color: +2
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Kodak Portra 400 v2” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

*Christmas Angel* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Nativity* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

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

*Changing Seasons* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Leaves on the Concrete* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Lighted Cupola* – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Sisters* – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Brothers* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*December Fog* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Multi-Arm Saguaro* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Saguaro Mist* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Wall Cage* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Super Star* – Glendale. AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*I Believe* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Standing in the Sun* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Untidy Palm* – Palo Verde, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Misty Desert Hills* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*It Was All Yellow* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Small Pop of Color* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Clouds & Brown Trees* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

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

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Happy Motoring: Abandoned Exxon — Route 66 — Santa Rosa, NM — Fujifilm X-E4 + Kodak Portra 400 v2

Posted on August 19, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Happy Motoring!* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

Back in May, while on a lengthy roadtrip, I stopped in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, for the night. A small town along historic Route 66, Santa Rosa pretty much exists to provide food, fuel, and beds for travelers passing east-and-west through The Land of Enchantment. Like a lot of old Route 66 towns, Santa Rosa has seen better days—there are many abandoned buildings along the highway, and some others that appear to not be far from their inevitable fate of abandonment.

Santa Rosa might be best known for a scene in The Grapes of Wrath, where Tom Joad watches a freight train cross a bridge over the Pecos River. Scars from The Great Depression are still visible if you look hard enough. The biggest tourist attraction is the Blue Hole, a natural swimming pond fed by a vast underground water system. While visiting Santa Rosa, I was asked by locals a couple of times, “Are you here for the Blue Hole?” I guess it’s a big deal, but I didn’t make time to see it.

I did make time to photograph a few of the abandoned buildings. One was an old Exxon gas station. This particular service station offered two grades of gas, two stalls for vehicle maintenance, and two restrooms. You could buy maps or a soda from a vending machine. Inside was an old Dairy Queen sign that I do not believe originated from this particular gas station, but probably another building elsewhere in town, perhaps owned by the same person.

*Evening Charge* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

In an empty grass-filled lot next to the gas station I found some old playground equipment. There may have been a campground or RV park there at one time, but the playground is the only thing left. I suppose on hot summer nights, the ghosts who still use the teeter-totter can get a coke from the abandoned Exxon next door.

Exploring and photographing places like this is both fascinating and frightening. It’s like a large time capsule that broke open years before being discovered, now filled with retro nostalgia and haunting decay. You don’t know what you’ll find—what’s hiding behind a corner—and even if there isn’t any danger, it’s still not safe. Going into abandoned buildings is never safe. I do believe that it’s important to photograph these places for several reasons: they’re always changing (due to nature and vandals) and will eventually be completely gone, they offer a glimpse into a previous time that’s long gone and fading from our memories, and to document the way societies deals with unwanted junk from broken lives and broken dreams. As Troy Paiva put it, these places are “steeped in Wabi-Sabi feelings of accepting loss and finding beauty and nobility in decay.”

The sun was low while I was there, preparing to set behind the western horizon—I had about 30 minutes of wonderful “golden hour” light to work with. I used my Fujifilm X-E4 with a Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 lens attached to it to capture these images. The Film Simulation Recipe that I used for these photographs was Kodak Portra 400 v2, which is one of my favorites—the Kodak-like colors and tones are just so lovely—an excellent option for this particular scene and light.

*Ring* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Unleaded Regular* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Zero Gallons Available* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Gas & Games* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Rusty Hoop* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Dark Lights* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Ice Cold Coke* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Fan Belts* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Someone Left The Lights On* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Toolbox* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Still Being Repaired* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Exxon Pumps* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*DQ Sandwich* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Exxon* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Nickel & Dimed* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Application Information* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Atlas Tires Book* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Sandia Peak* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

*Time Stands Still* – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

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Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe: Reggie’s Portra

Posted on June 11, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Dr Pepper Closed* – Childress, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Reggie’s Portra”

Reggie Ballesteros (website, YouTube, Instagram, Instagram), also known as Reggie B Photo, is an official Fujifilm X-Photographer based in San Fransisco, California. He shoots both film and digital, and on his Fujifilm cameras he likes to use both RAW and JPEG. For his JPEGs, Reggie developed a Film Simulation Recipe that’s a close match to the Kodak Portra 400 film that he shoots and has developed and scanned (on a Noritsu) at Richard Photo Lab. He was very kind to allow me to share his Portra recipe with you on this website and the Fuji X Weekly App. Thanks, Reggie!

Portra 400 was introduced by Kodak in 1998. It used to come in two varieties: “NC” (Neutral Color, which had less saturation) and “VC” (Vivid Color, which had more saturation). I shot a little of both Kodak Portra 400NC and Kodak Portra 400VC back in the day, and I preferred the more colorful version. The film was redesigned in 2006 to improve grain and scanning. It was again redesigned in 2010, with the NC and VC emulsions dropped, replaced by a new mid-saturation version (simply called Portra 400), with more improvements to scanning.

*I’m Your Huckleberry* – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X100V – “Reggie’s Portra”

As the name implies, Kodak Portra 400 is intended for portrait photography, but can be used for many other genres of photography. It’s similar to Portra 160, but with more contrast, saturation and grain. Believe it or not, ISO 400 was considered “high ISO” by many photographers back in the film days, and Portra 400 was one of the absolute best “high ISO” color films ever made. It’s still available today, and is very popular among film photographers.

When developing his Portra recipe, Reggie used the Kodak Portra 400 Film Simulation Recipe from this website as his starting point, and he tweaked it to more closely match his Portra scans and to better suit his photography. One film can have many different aesthetics, depending on how it’s shot, developed, scanned, and a whole host of other factors, so it’s great that Reggie made this alternative version, which might be closer to the exact look that you are after. Also, because this recipe uses Auto White Balance and doesn’t use Clarity, you might find that this one is more versatile than some other recipes. Oh, and take a look at the Kodak Portra 400 v2 and Kodak Portra 400 Warm recipes, which could potentially produce your desired aesthetic.

*Pines* – Lake Catherine SP, AR – Fujifilm X100V – “Reggie’s Portra”

One special note: Reggie has a 5% CineBloom diffusion filter attached to his lens whenever he shoots with this particular recipe. I have been using my Fujifilm X100V as a monochrome-only camera, but because I, too, have a 5% CineBloom filter attached to it, I made an exception so that I could test this recipe on that camera with the diffusion filter. For the shots captured on my X-E4, I did not use a diffusion filter; however, I do like how the 5% CineBloom subtly affects the image, and I recommend pairing it with this recipe if you can.

This Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, & X-T30 II cameras. To use it on the X-T3 and X-T30, simply ignore Grain size and Color Chrome FX Blue, since your camera doesn’t have those options⁠—the results will be slightly different, but nearly identical. More than likely this recipe is compatible with GFX and X-Trans V, but I haven’t tested it to know for sure.

*Abandoned Long John Silver’s* – Elk City, OK – Fujifilm X100V – “Reggie’s Portra”

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

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using “Reggie’s Portra” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4 and Fujifilm X100V cameras:

Abandoned in Childress

*Brick Building* – Childress, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Reggie’s Portra”

*Interior Junk* – Childress, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Reggie’s Portra”

*Inside Mess* – Childress, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Reggie’s Portra”

*Glass Door* – Childress, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Reggie’s Portra”

A Walk in the Ozarks

*Chapel* – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X100V – “Reggie’s Portra”

*Dark Clouds Over Lake* – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X100V – “Reggie’s Portra”

*Fishing Trail* – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X100V – “Reggie’s Portra”

*Ducks by a Pond* – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X100V – “Reggie’s Portra”

Cadillac Ranch

*Classic Drivers* – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Reggie’s Portra”

*Krylon* – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Reggie’s Portra”

*Spray Artists* – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Reggie’s Portra”

*Love Spray Paint* – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Reggie’s Portra”

Below is a video that Reggie made which illustrates his Portra recipe quite well (he notes that the Shadow setting is incorrect in the video⁠—it should say -1, not -2). Be sure to like and subscribe and all that stuff. Enjoy!

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Fujifilm X-E4 (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe: Portra-Style

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Peach Tree* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Portra-Style”

After Anders Lindborg shared with me his interesting discovery that D-Range Priority (DR-P) is essentially the same thing as Hypertone on Fujifilm Frontier scanners, I immediately went to work creating a couple film simulation recipes that use D-Range Priority, since I didn’t have any. Like many of you, I thought that DR-P was a feature reserved only for extreme situations, and not for everyday use, but (as it turns out) it doesn’t have to be—DR-P can be utilized all of the time if you want.

What is DR-P? It’s basically a tone curve intended to maximize dynamic range. There are four options: Off, Auto, Weak, and Strong. When DR-P is Off, the camera uses DR (DR100, DR200, DR400) instead, and when DR-P is On (Auto, Weak, or Strong), DR is disabled. When DR-P is On, Highlight and Shadow are “greyed out” so those can’t be adjusted—the curve is built into DR-P. You get what you get. DR-P Weak is similar to using DR400 with both Highlight and Shadow -2, but with a very subtle mid-tone boost. This recipe calls for DR-P Auto, and the camera will usually select DR-P Weak unless there is a bright light source (such as the sun) in the frame, such as the picture Sunlight Through a Tree further down below.

*Tall Grass* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Portra-Style”

This “Portra-Style” recipe isn’t intended to faithfully mimic Portra film, but was inspired more by Kyle McDougall’s “Portra-Style” presets, which are, of course, modeled after Kodak Portra film. The Kodak Portra 400 Warm recipe was also inspired by these presets, and there are some similarities between this recipe and that one. I don’t know which is better, as they’re both good options for achieving a warm Portra-like aesthetic. For a more-accurate recipe, try Kodak Portra 400 v2. This recipe, which is closer to Portra 400 than 160, works best in natural light, especially daylight, although you can still get interesting results sometimes in other lighting situations. My “Portra-Style” recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: D-Range Priority Auto
Color: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Clarity: +3
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak
White Balance: 5000K, +2 Red & -6 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Portra-Style” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*Jonathan* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Arrow & Cones* – Sandy, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Summer Tree* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Sunlight Through a Tree* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Fence & Tree* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Cautious Nature* – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Bridge in the Forest* – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Yellow Leaves in Green Forest* – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Log in the Forest* – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Last Light on Dead Tree* – Fruit Heights, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

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Fujifilm X-T3 & X-T30 Film Simulation Recipe: Kodak Portra 400 v2

Posted on August 17, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Walking on a Bridge* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

This film simulation recipe is a slight variation of my Kodak Portra 400 recipe. It came about after I made a Portra 400 v2 recipe for the newer X-Trans IV cameras, which was created after studying actual examples of the film provided to me by a reader. I wanted to create a similar modification for the X-T3 and X-T30, which became this recipe. One film can have many different looks, depending on how it’s shot, developed, and scanned and/or printed, so this isn’t necessarily a “better” recipe, just a slightly different take on recreating the film’s aesthetic. I really like this one, and I think you will, too!

Portra 400, which is a color negative film, was introduced by Kodak in 1998. It was redesign in 2006 and again in 2010. As the name implies, it’s intended for portrait photography, but can be used for many other types of photography. It’s similar to Portra 160, but with more contrast, saturation and grain. Believe it or not, ISO 400 was considered “high ISO” by many photographers back in the film days, and Portra 400 was one of the absolute best “high ISO” color films ever made. Interestingly, Kodak briefly made a black-and-white version of Portra 400!

*Downtownscape* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

This isn’t exactly a brand-new recipe. It was published as a Patron early-access recipe on the Fuji X Weekly App back on December 1st, so Patrons have had access to it for quite some time. Now another early-access recipe has replaced it, so this one is available to everyone! If you are a Fuji X Weekly Patron, be sure to check out the new early-access recipe in the app.

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

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Kodak Portra 400 v2” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:

*Blackberry Forest Evening* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

*Three Backlit Leaves* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

*Tiny Red Berries* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

*Broken and Boarded* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

*Window to the City* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

*Lululemon* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

*Two Tall Buildings* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

*Hotel* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

*Two Cranes* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

*A Downtown Cityscape* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

*Moffatt Ct.* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

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Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe: Kodak Portra 800 v2

Posted on May 17, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Flower in a Tree* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 800 v2”

This Kodak Portra 800 v2 recipe is beautiful! It was created by Thomas Schwab, who has made several film simulation recipes published on this website, including Superia Xtra 400, Urban Vintage Chrome, Kodachrome II, Classic Monochrome, B&W Superia, and Monochrome Kodachrome. Thomas has also collaborated on other recipes, playing an important role in getting them right, including Kodak Portra 800, Kodak Ektar 100, Kodachrome 1, Kodak Portra 400, and Kodak T-Max 400. This new Kodak Portra 800 v2 recipe might be his best one yet!

Kodak introduced Portra 800 in 1998. The Portra line has seen a number of revisions and updates over the years, but I couldn’t find any information if the current Portra 800 film is the exact same emulsion from 1998, or if it’s gone through some changes over the years like the ISO 400 and 160 versions. Portra 800 is one of the best options for high-ISO color photography, but I’ve never shot it myself.

*Traffic Cone* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 800 v2”

Thomas compared images side-by-side captured with actual Kodak Portra 800 film with images captured with his Fujifilm X-Pro3, making numerous adjustments in X RAW Studio, to achieve this nearly-identical picture aesthetic. He put in a lot of work, and it shows! Thank you, Thomas, for creating this great recipe and for your willingness to share! You’ll find some of Thomas Schwab’s pictures below. This Kodak Portra 800 film simulation recipe is currently compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, and X-E4 cameras.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: 0
Shadow: -2
Color: -4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Clarity: -5
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong
White Balance: Daylight, +3 Red & -6 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this new Kodak Portra 800 v2 film simulation recipe:

Thomas Schwab

Ritchie Roesch

*Treetop Sky* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Colorful Trees* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Tree Over Creek* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Log & Flowers* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Log & Trail* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Urban Landscape* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*McTrash* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Lobby* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Buckle* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Urban Flower Pot* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Blooms in the City* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

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

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Comparing Portra Film Simulation Recipes to Kyle McDougall’s Lightroom Presets

Posted on December 7, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Kyle McDougall is a great photographer who shoots film and also Fujifilm X cameras. He recently created and shared some free Lightroom presets for creating a Portra look with your Fujifilm files. Fuji X Weekly reader Ryan, who you might remember from the Hugh’s RV video, shot some pictures with his Fujifilm X100V using different Portra film simulation recipes from this website, and he also applied Kyle’s presets to some RAW files in Lightroom. He sent me the pictures, and graciously allowed me to share them with you. Thank you, Ryan!

The film simulation recipes that Ryan used are Portra 160, Portra 400, Portra 400 v2 (currently available to Fuji X Weekly Patrons on the Fuji X Weekly iOS app), and Portra 800. The two Kyle McDougall presets are Kodak Portra Style Neutral and Kodak Portra Style Warm. Kyle mentions that his presets aren’t intended to strictly mimic Portra film, but are his preference to how he likes his Fujifilm photographs to look based on his experience shooting the film. Portra can have many different looks, not only because there are different stocks that share the name, but also because how it’s shot, developed, and printed or scanned can greatly affect the exact aesthetic.

Let’s look at some pictures!

As you can see, there are some pretty significant differences between each recipe and Kyle McDougall’s Lightroom presets. Kyle’s presets create a bright picture with a strong yellow color cast. Portra can certainly be that way, particularly if overexposed. My first thought is that my Bright Summer (a.k.a. “Preetra 400”) recipe is probably the closest to Kyle’s Portra Style. My second thought is that I need to create a recipe that’s a closer match to Kyle’s presets!

Ryan explained, “At the beginning of this project I got kind of discouraged as the weather was transitioning into fall and was gray and dismal here on the west side of the Cascade’s. Sunlit scenes are what I had in mind. But I did my best to work with what I had, which helped my creativity, and one of those creative positives would be the fall colors that I tried to utilize. I loaded the recipes into my X100V, and when I saw an opportunity to take some images, I would take a pic, change to the next recipe, snap, load the next recipe, etc. In my camera, C2 is Portra 400 v2, C4 is Portra 400, C5 is Portra 160, and C6 is Portra 800. I found that when composing the shot, that exposing +2/3 is what I liked, so I tried exposing that way for all the images, though I can’t remember if I hit it the same every time, but did my best to keep the exposure the same between and for each image taken in a session, trying to keep things uniform. It was neat to see the differences between the different recipes. From what I understand, the different Portra films are unique in their own way. I’d say that the Portra 400 v2 was closest to Kyle’s preset. By the way, that recipe and Portra 160 are my favorites!”

Below are a couple comparisons of the Kodak Portra 400 v2 recipe and Kyle McDougall’s Kodak Portra Style Neutral preset.

Here are a couple comparisons of the Portra 160 and Portra 400 v2 recipes:

Thank you again, Ryan, for doing this project and sharing the results! It’s very fascinating, and I’m sure helpful to the Fuji X Weekly community. It’s helpful to me personally!

If you appreciated this article, let myself and Ryan know by leaving a comment!

Fujifilm X100V Film Simulation Recipe: Kodak Portra 800

Posted on November 3, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

*November Cherries* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Portra 800”

There are some good online resources that are helpful when creating film simulation recipes for films that I’ve never used, which I did consult, but that’s not how these settings came about. You see, there’s a new version of my Portra 400 recipe (which I know you’ll love) that’s coming soon, and this recipe is a variant of that. Thomas Schwab, who I’ve collaborated with on a number of different recipes (including Portra 400), and who has actually shot Portra 800, helped me out with this one. Thanks, Thomas!

*Cabela’s Boy* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Portra 800”

I know that many of will love this Kodak Portra 800 film simulation recipe! It’s really nice, and has a good film-like aesthetic. Does it faithfully resemble real Portra 800? I think it does, but film can look different depending on how it’s shot, developed, scanned or printed, and this recipe won’t mimic every aspect of the film. Even so, I think this one will be quite popular, and many of you will use it regularly. It’s only compatible (as of this writing) with the Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3, X-T4 and X-S10 cameras.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +1
Shadow: 0
Color: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Clarity: -4
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak
White Balance: 5200K, +1 Red & -5 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this new Kodak Portra 800 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

*Brown Tree Leaves* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Small Shrub – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Backyard Tree Leaves* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Yellow House* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Suburban Mailboxes* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Red Fire Hydrant* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Suburban Peek* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Evening Commute* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Smith’s* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Drug* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Suburban Dusk* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Parked Car in the Dark* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Tunnel Bench* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Night Mall Architecture* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Empty Sidewalk at Night* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Christmas Decor Display* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Succulent & Globe* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Jon Wearing Cabela’s Hat* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Potted Plant on End Table* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Accidental Exposure* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Sunlight Through a Tree* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Film Simulation Review: Abandoned RV Dealer with Kodak Portra 400

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

*Journal* – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Portra 400”

I recently stumbled upon an abandoned RV dealership in North Salt Lake, Utah. It’s been vandalized. Broken glass and graffiti abound. Nature is doing its thing, too. It’s significantly dilapidated.

Hugh’s R.V. apparently hasn’t been closed for very long, I believe less than two years, but the building looks like it has been abandoned for a decade or more. One of the reviews I found for this place stated that it looked dilapidated—this was when it was still open!—so it was already in a state of disrepair prior to abandonment, and that partially explains why it looks so bad now. Perhaps more than anything, people have just trashed it since it closed.

I captured Hugh’s R.V. with my Fujifilm X100V using my Kodak Portra 400 film simulation recipe. I love how this recipe looks for many things, including structures. Really, it was an easy choice! This particular film simulation recipe could be many people’s “only” recipe. It’s good for such varied situations, and an abandoned building in afternoon light is no exception. This Portra 400 recipe on the X100V is an especially great combination, and a one camera, one lens, one recipe philosophy could be embraced. I appreciate the film-like aesthetic of my Portra 400 settings.

My challenge to you is for one week (or at least one day if that’s too much) use one camera with one lens and one film simulation recipe. If you don’t have an X100V, that’s no problem, just use what you do have. I think the restriction will empower your creativity. Limitations improve art. If you accept this challenge, let me know in the comments which camera, lens and recipe you plan to use, and also report how it goes. I look forward to your feedback!

*Hugh’s R.V.* – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Portra 400”

*Hugh’s Graffiti* – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Portra 400”

*Closed Circuit –* North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Portra 400”

*ERNL* – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Portra 400”

*Open Door, Broken Window* – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Portra 400”

*Trash in the Shadow* – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Portra 400”

*Tubes & Tablets* – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Portra 400”

*Out of Office* – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Portra 400”

Fujifilm X100V Film Simulation: Kodak Portra 400

Posted on June 10, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Bridge Over Stream – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Portra 400”

This is a brand-new version of my X-T30 Kodak Portra 400 film simulation recipe, designed specifically for the Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3 and X-T4. My “old” recipe isn’t, in fact, old, as I published it only one month ago, but already I have improved on it, thanks to Fujifilm’s new tools, and also thanks to Fuji X Weekly reader Thomas Schwab, who helped tremendously refine the recipe to be more accurate to actual Portra 400 film. You see, he captured some pictures with Portra 400 film and made some identical pictures with his X-Pro3. After a few small changes, this new recipe emerged. It’s very similar to the X-T30 Portra 400 recipe, the differences aren’t huge, but it is subtly better in my opinion.

Portra 400 was introduced by Kodak in 1998, and was redesigned in 2006 and again in 2010. As the name implies, it’s intended for portrait photography, but can be used for many other types of photography. It’s similar to Portra 160, but with more contrast, saturation and grain. Believe it or not, ISO 400 was considered “high ISO” by many photographers back in the film days, and Portra 400 was one of the absolute best “high ISO” color films ever made. Like all films, results can vary greatly depending on how it’s shot, developed and printed or scanned, and even which version of the film you’re talking about.

Backlit Forest Leaves – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Portra 400”

This new Portra 400 film simulation recipe requires the use of Clarity, which slows down the camera considerably. Fujifilm suggests shooting RAW and adding Clarity later, but I just use the pause to slow myself down. The use of Clarity also means that this recipe can’t be used on “older” cameras, only the X100V, X-Pro3 and X-T4 (as of this writing), but feel free to apply the white balance shift of this recipe to the X-T30 version and see if you like it better.

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

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this new Kodak Portra 400 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V: