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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

*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

*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

*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

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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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Fujifilm X-E4 (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe: Kodak Max 800

Posted on August 23, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Ice Cold Pepsi* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Max 800”

This Film Simulation Recipe is modeled after some prints I found in a box that I thought looked interesting. I didn’t initially know what film had been used, but after locating the negatives I discovered it was something called Kodak GT 800-3, and I had no idea what that was. After much sleuthing, I found out it was Kodak Max Zoom 800, also known as Max 800. The film was shot in 2006 (I believe by my wife), and it was the third and final iteration of the emulsion (this version was introduced in 2000). Max Zoom 800 was replaced in 2006 by the similar Max Versatility Plus 800 (which was around for five or six years before its discontinuation).

Kodak made Max 800 film for point-and-shoot and disposable cameras—specifically, they marketed it for point-and-shot cameras with a zoom lens, which exaggerated camera shake. It was a cheap high-ISO consumer color negative film intended for the novice. It had a large latitude for underexposure and (especially) overexposure, but color reproduction was a little different (some have said “bland” or “weird”) when compared to other Kodak films. Kodak intended the film to be printed on Ektacolor Edge paper, but my samples were printed on Fujicolor Crystal Archive paper (which certainly affects the aesthetic)—this recipe is modeled after my samples.

*Winter Greenhouse* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Max 800”

This Kodak Max 800 recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. Because it uses the Classic Negative film simulation and Clarity, it is not compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30, unfortunately. For those with the X-H2s, it’s my understanding that this recipe is completely compatible and renders near identically, but I have not tested it to know for certain. Those with newer GFX cameras can use it, too, although it will render a little differently.

Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -2
Shadow: +1
Color: -1
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpness: -2
Clarity: -4
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: 7300K, -5 Red & -2 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Kodak Max 800” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*Frozen Ponds at a Bird Refuge* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Winter Gate* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Open Gate* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Icy Marshland* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*What Remains of Summer* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Winter Water* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Frozen Marsh Pond* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Nature Trail* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Green Truck* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Santa’s Sled* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Neighborhood Path in Winter* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Trail Closed* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*No Shooting Past the Fence* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

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

*Inside Abandoned Shed* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Walking Tunnel* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

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

*Barnes & Noble Window* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Building Top in Last Light* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Buildings & Palms* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Backyard Garden Trumpets* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Illuminated Desert Shrub* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

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Creative Collective 023: Comparing Kodak Color Recipes

Posted on July 22, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Great American Fish* – Morro Bay, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Portra 400 v2”

I thought it would be interesting to compare Kodak-inspired Film Simulation Recipes on my Fujifilm X-E4. So I pulled out my phone, opened the Fuji X Weekly App, and selected Filter by Sensor (choosing both X-Trans III & X-Trans IV) and Filter by Color. Then I used the Search feature to find all of the recipes with “Koda” in the name—I didn’t search for “Kodak” because Kodachrome would have been excluded. The App displayed 36 recipes. Some recipes, like Reggie’s Portra, Old Ektachrome, and Elite Chrome 200, didn’t show up because “Koda” isn’t found anywhere in the recipe title, despite the Kodak-inspired aesthetic, so I had to search those out separately. Then I reprocessed an exposure (captured in Morro Bay, California) on my X-E4 with all of these recipes.

Let’s take a look at how these 41 Kodak-inspired Film Simulation Recipes compare to each other!

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Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe: Bright Kodak

Posted on June 10, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Stringed Lights* – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Bright Kodak”

Fujifilm cameras have a feature in Advanced Settings called “High Key” that I recently discovered is based on the Provia film simulation, and can be mimicked. While this “High Key” setting can produce nice-looking images, it’s not really my style, so I set out to create a Film Simulation Recipe to serve as an alternative to it, with an aesthetic that I appreciate a little more. Specifically, I wanted a generic overexposed Kodak color negative film aesthetic, perhaps Portra-like (or at least Portra-inspired), which is why I call this recipe Bright Kodak.

Bright Kodak might look familiar. It’s actually similar to a couple of other recipes, namely Bright Summer (a.k.a. “Preetra 400”) and Kodak Portra 400 Warm. If you like those recipes, you’ll certainly like this one, too. The key to using this Bright Kodak recipe is to increase the exposure⁠—almost overexpose⁠—to make the pictures nice and bright.

*Palm* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Bright Kodak”

This Film Simulation Recipe is fully compatible with newer X-Trans IV cameras: Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, & X-T30 II. If you have an X-T3, X-T30, or X-Trans III camera, you can get similar results by ignoring Grain size and using a diffusion filter (such as 10% CineBloom) in lieu of Clarity. This recipe is also likely compatible with newer GFX cameras, although the results won’t be completely identical.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -2
Shadow: -2
Color: +4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Clarity: -3
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: Daylight, +3 Red & -7 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1 to +1 2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Bright Kodak” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*Cactus Evening* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*3 Tall Cacti* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Cacti Reaching to the Moon* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Palm & Flowers* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Bougainvillea* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Palm Moon* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Neighborhood Palms* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*If You Know, You Know…* – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

*Red Stripe* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4

Compared to “High Key”:

Compared to “Bright Summer” & “Kodak Portra 400 Warm”:

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Kodachrome II Recipe + Submit Your Pictures!

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

In Season 01 Episode 01 of the new live collaborative video series SOOC with Fuji X Weekly and Tame Your Fujifilm, Fujifilm X Photography Nathalie Boucry and I, Ritchie Roesch, discussed the Kodachrome II film simulation recipe. If you missed it, be sure to check it out! I had a fun time, and I hope that you found it helpful, interesting, or entertaining—or all three! I appreciate all those who tuned in and participated.

The Kodachrome II recipe is intended to mimic the aesthetic of the second era of Kodachrome color reversal film. It’s actually closer to Kodachrome-X than Kodachrome-II film, but in the ballpark of both. Kodak produced those versions of Kodachrome from 1961 to 1974, when they replaced them with Kodachrome 25 and Kodachrome 64. Ernst Haas, Luigi Ghirri, and William Eggleston are three well-known photographers who used this era of Kodachrome, at least for some of their images.

One of my all-time favorite recipes that I’ve created is Kodachrome II. I made it three years ago, and used it extensively for awhile, and still use it sometimes now. It was created for Fujifilm X-Trans III cameras, although it is fully compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30 (set Color Chrome Effect to Off). Newer X-Trans IV cameras can also use it (set Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and Clarity to 0), simply select Grain size Small; however, there are two new Kodachrome II options (aside from this one) for those cameras. There’s also a Kodachrome II recipe for X-Trans II cameras. You have a lot of options! The Kodachrome II recipe discussed in the video is the original one for X-Trans III.

This new video series is interactive. One way to participate in Season 01 Episode 02 of SOOC (on August 12th) is to submit a picture that you’ve captured using the Kodachrome II film simulation recipe (click here). We’ll show some of your pictures live in the next video! By submitting a photo (by the way, this isn’t a contest), you’ll have a chance to win a one-year Patron subscription for the Fuji X Weekly App. I look forward to seeing your images!

Below are some recent pictures that I made using the Kodachrome II film simulation recipe:

Fujifilm X-E4 Film Simulation Recipe: Ektachrome 320T

Posted on April 26, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Since 1938* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Ektachrome 320T”

The Ektachrome line has been around since the 1940’s, but Kodak didn’t introduced Ektachrome 320T, also known as Ektachrome EPJ 320T, until 1992. This was a high-speed Tungsten color-reversal (slide) film intended for use under artificial light. Tungsten films were never as popular as daylight-balanced films; when used in daylight you get a strong blue cast (unless you have an 80A filter). I’m not completely sure when Kodak discontinued Ektachrome 320T, but I believe it was sometime in the early to mid 2000’s—all Ektachrome films were discontinued by 2013. When Kodak reintroduced Ektachrome in 2018, EPJ 320T was unsurprisingly not included.

This film simulation recipe was not intended to mimic Ektachrome 320T. I was simply trying to create a tungsten film look using the new Eterna Bleach Bypass film simulation. Prior to this I had only one recipe for Eterna Bleach Bypass, LomoChrome Metropolis, so I was eager to create another. The reason for a tungsten-like recipe is because I feel as though I don’t have as many after-dark options as I’d like. This recipe’s similarities to Ektachrome 320T film is coincidental, as I didn’t set out to recreate it, but it does, in fact, resemble the film fairly well.

On – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Ektachrome 320T”

Even though I didn’t intend to create an Ektachrome 320T recipe, these settings come curiously close. I would consider, when using this recipe under artificial light, setting the White Balance Shift to -7 Red & -6 Blue to more accurately reflect the film (I didn’t make that adjustment for any of the photographs in this article). I wish that +5 was an option for Color—that would likely be more accurate to the film—but unfortunately it tops out at +4. I debated if Grain size should be Small or Large, but I ended up going with Small because that’s what I originally set it to; however, Large grain might be slightly closer to what you’d find on actual Ektachrome 320T, although that’s certainly debatable.

This recipe is the first one to use the new Auto Ambience Priority white balance, which is currently (as of this writing) only available on the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10 and X-E4 cameras. That means this recipe is only compatible with those three cameras. As a reminder, the camera will take a moment to save each exposure when using Clarity. Also, High ISO NR on the newer camera models is the same as Noise Reduction—Fujifilm renamed it for some reason, but it’s the same thing.

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

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Ektachrome 320T film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

*White Tree, Blue Sky* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Thistle Field* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Fake Plant on a Table* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Cage Free Eggs* – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Lifted* – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Old Navy Carts* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Ghost Mart* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Pot & Bench* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Lights in a Puddle* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Night Blooms* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Old Old Navy* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

*Cotton Eyed* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

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Fujifilm X-Trans II Film Simulation Recipe: Portra v2

Posted on April 18, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Joshua & Joy at a Creek* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – “Portra v2” – Photo by Jon Roesch

I’ve been wanting to create a Kodak Portra 400 film simulation recipe for Fujifilm X-Trans II cameras for a long time now. I’ve had a Portra 160 recipe on this website for awhile, but I’ve never created a Portra 400 recipe for this sensor. I’ve actually created five different Portra 400 recipes for X-Trans III and IV cameras, but those don’t work on X-Trans II. I made a guess on my Fujifilm X-T1 on what might be a good Portra 400 recipe, handed the camera to my son, Jon, and let him capture some pictures with it. You might remember that Jon created his own Classic Chrome recipe; this time I made the recipe, but I let him capture the pictures.

You might be wondering why I didn’t call this recipe “Portra 400” but named it “Portra v2” instead. While I believe that this recipe is similar to Portra 400, I do plan to create a more accurate recipe. Actually, that was my intentions with these pictures: reprocess the RAW files in-camera to refine the Portra look; however, as I reviewed the pictures, I liked the aesthetic created by these settings, so I decided to keep this as its own recipe. I will still work on a different Portra 400 recipe for X-Trans II.

*Trees* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – “Portra v2” – Photo by Jon Roesch

One film can have many different aesthetics, depending on how it’s shot, developed, scanned or printed, and this is especially true with Kodak Portra 400. Portra can have many different looks. This recipe does resemble one of those aesthetics, but it definitely doesn’t resemble all of the aesthetics, or even the most common. If you do like Portra, I’m confident that you’ll appreciate these settings, which is compatible with all X-Trans II cameras that have the Classic Chrome film simulation.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: -1 (Medium-Low)
Shadow: -1 (Medium-Low)
Color: +2 (High)
Sharpness: -1 (Medium-Low)
Noise Reduction: -2 (Low)
White Balance: Daylight/Fine, +4 Red & -4 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 3200
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured by Jon on my Fujifilm X-T1 using this Portra v2 film simulation recipe:

*Water* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch

*Fence Tree* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch

*Trees & Lake* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch

*Creek in the Woods* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch

*Trees & Leaves* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch

*Moss on a Log* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch

*Grass* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch

*Bridge* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch

*My Friend* – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 – Photo by Jon Roesch

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New Patron Early-Access Film Simulation Recipe: Old Kodak

Posted on April 12, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Wet Radio Flyer* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Old Kodak”

The Fuji X Weekly app is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly Patron unlocks the best app experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new film simulation recipes. These early-access recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. In fact, a few of the original early-access recipes have been publicly published on this blog and the app, so everyone can now use them. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no app. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!

This new recipe, called Old Kodak, is similar to Vintage Kodachrome and Kodachrome 1. I was recently viewing some old pictures captured on various Kodak films, and I was reminded of those two film simulation recipes. I thought that with some tweaks I could get closer to mimicking the aesthetic of the old Kodak pictures I was looking at. If you like the Vintage Kodachrome and Kodachrome 1 recipes, you’ll really appreciate this Old Kodak recipe, too! It’s compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10 and X-E4 cameras.

If you are a Fuji X Weekly Patron, it’s available to you right now on the app!

*Suburban Storm* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Old Kodak”

*The Joy of Writing* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Old Kodak”

*Gumby on a Table* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Old Kodak”

*Sunset Light on Winter Mountain* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Old Kodak”

Fujifilm X100V Film Simulation Recipe: Kodak Ektar 100

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Dock Light – Flathead Lake, MT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Ektar 100”

I already have a Kodak Ektar film simulation recipe that I published a little over two years ago, but I’ve been wanting to revisit it for awhile. In the article that I published for that recipe, I wrote, “I’m actually a little hesitant to call this film simulation recipe Kodak Ektar 100 because it’s not quite right. It’s close, but a little off. The color palette is slightly askew.” That’s a true statement. My original Ektar recipe is close but no cigar. Since that time Fujifilm has added more JPEG options to their cameras, so would it be possible to get closer to real Ektar on my X100V?

Kodak introduced Ektar in 1989. It has been made in ISO 25, 100, 125, 400 and 1000 versions at one time or another. Kodak discontinued Ektar in 1997, but they brought it back in 2008 with an updated emulsion. I’ve shot the old Ektar but never the new Ektar. It’s my understanding that they’re similar but not exactly the same.

This new film simulation recipe will be controversial. To achieve a more correct color palette, this recipe is based off of Classic Chrome instead of Astia. The reason that I used Astia in the original recipe is because “Classic Chrome isn’t vibrant enough, even with Color set to +4.” That’s still true, although Color Chrome Effect does help a little. Honestly, if +6 was an option, that’s what I’d set Color to. Unfortunately that’s not an option, so we have a slightly undersaturated recipe. Another issue is that Ektar can have several different looks, depending on how it’s shot, developed, and printed or scanned, just like any film; however, with Ektar, even a 1/3 stop over or under exposure can noticeably effect the aesthetics of the picture.

Peach Sun – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Ektar 100”

Fuji X Weekly reader Thomas Schwab helped me immensely with this recipe. He’s had a hand in several recipes, and even created one from scratch that’s quite popular: Urban Vintage Chrome. Thomas captured a bunch of pictures with actual Ektar film, and made several similar exposures with his X-Trans IV cameras. He showed me examples of both, applying my original Ektar recipe to the pictures captured with his Fujifilm cameras. Then we began to create a new Kodak Ektar 100 film simulation recipe based on his Ektar pictures, hoping to achieve something closer to the film than the original recipe.

We discovered very quickly that Ektar is impossible to faithfully recreate on Fujifilm cameras, because only Classic Chrome has the correct color palette, and it’s not vibrant enough. We tried Astia, Provia, Velvia, and PRO Neg. Hi, and of those Astia was the closest, but none of them were right. We settled on Classic Chrome despite it not being vibrant enough. We went back-and-forth on different settings, but especially the white balance. There were several times that we said, “This is it,” only to modify something the next day.

A problem we encountered is that Ektar can have several different looks, even from the same roll of film. There was a discussion about creating as many as three different recipes, depending on the exact aesthetic we wanted to recreate, but decided to go with just one recipe, modeled after our favorite pictures from Thomas’ Ektar film. After even more back-and-forth we finished with this recipe here. We feel confident that it is as close as we could get to actual Ektar film, acknowledging that it’s very close but not exactly right.

Boat in the Bay – Flathead Lake, MT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Ektar 100”

The original Ektar recipe isn’t an exact match to the film, and I believe that this new recipe is closer. The two recipes each produce a different look, and perhaps they both have a place, depending on what exact aesthetic you are after. This new recipe was a collaborative effort, and I want to give a special “thank you” to Thomas Schwab for all of the time and effort he put into making this a reality. It’s much appreciated!

This Kodak Ektar 100 film simulation recipe is intended for and only compatible with (as of this writing) the Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3 and X-T4. It uses Clarity, which slows down the camera considerably. I just allow the pause to slow myself down. Another option, which is what Fujifilm recommends, is to add Clarity later by reprocessing the RAW file in-camera or with X RAW Studio.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR-Auto
Highlight: +1
Shadow: -2
Color: +4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: 0
Clarity: +3
Grain Effect: Off
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak
White Balance: 6050K, +3 Red & 0 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this new Kodak Ektar 100 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Daisies by the Dock – Flathead Lake, MT – Fujifilm X100V

Henry’s Fork – Island Park, ID – Fujifilm X100V

Johnny Sack Cabin – Island Park, ID – Fujifilm X100V

North Shore of Island – Wild Horse Island State Park, MT – Fujifilm X100V

Butters – Roy, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Mustang Evening – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Roofline Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Finding Clues – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Golden Boy – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Rocket Launching – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Yellow Lady – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Light Too Bright – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Lawnmower Handle & Shadow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Air Pump – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Blossom Red – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Flower Garden Blossom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Bug Hiding on a Flower – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Rose Fence – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Marsh Reeds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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Fujifilm X100V Film Simulation Recipe: Kodak Ultramax 400

Posted on August 9, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Empty Outdoor Seating – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Ultramax 400”

Ultramax 400 is Kodak’s consumer grade ISO 400 color negative film. Kodak has sold Ultramax 400 under many different names, beginning in 1987 with Kodacolor VR-G 400, rebranded Gold 400 one year later, called simply GC at one point, and finally, in 1997, Kodak settled on Ultramax 400. Kodak still sells Ultramax 400, although it’s not the same film as Kodacolor VR-G 400. This film has been tweaked and updated at least nine times over the years; however, the overall aesthetic is still substantially similar between all variations.

This recipe is a happy accident. I was actually working on a different Kodak film simulation recipe, and this was a failed attempt. But I liked how this one looked, so I made a minor adjustment, and created this recipe, which I determined looked a heck-of-a-lot like Ultramax 400. I didn’t intentionally create an Ultramax 400 recipe, but nonetheless here it is! Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

Colorful Store Decor – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Ultramax 400”

For some of you this new recipe will be an instant favorite. I really love how it looks and plan to use it frequently. This one might be right up there with Kodachrome 64 and Portra 400 for favorite Kodak presets. A word of caution: it does require Clarity, which slows down the camera considerably. This film simulation recipe (as of this writing) is only compatible with the Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3 and X-T4 cameras.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR-Auto
Highlight: +1
Shadow: +1
Color: +4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: 0
Clarity: +3
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak
White Balance: Auto, +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 Ultramax 400 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Road Construction – Clearfield, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Store Closing – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Urban Roses – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Summer Fruit Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Ripening Peaches – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Wood Barrel – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Table & Chair – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Library Lights – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Contemplation – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Blackberry Boy – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

End Table Succulent – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Math Books on a Table – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Kitchen Tools – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Quality Goods – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

75 – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Table Bloom – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Fake Tulips – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Fake Flowers in Window Light – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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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:

Light Green Leaves – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Sunlight In The Tree – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Forest – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Creek Through The Trees – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Light on the Water – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Creek – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Big Green Leaf – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Sunshine & Tree Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Sunlit – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Stone & Blooms – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Jo Swinging – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Brother & Sister Driving – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Protect & Serve – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Seagull on a Lamp – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

Stormy Reeds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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Film Simulation Review: Kodak Portra 400 – New vs. Original

Posted on May 15, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

New Kodak Portra 400

Original Kodak Portra 400

I have two different Kodak Portra 400 film simulation recipes. I created the original Portra 400 recipe two years ago on my old Fujifilm X100F. I created the new Portra 400 recipe just recently on my Fujifilm X-T30. Which one is better? Which should you use? How do they compare?

The original recipe requires a hard-to-achieve custom white balance measurement, and for that reason I never really liked it. Yes, it looks good, but to get the recipe right requires a vague setting. Some people, in lieu of the custom white balance measurement, use auto-white-balance, which is a fair way to deal with the issue. On my X-T30 I don’t think I have the custom white balance quite right, but it was as close as I could get at the time that I took the measurement. The original Portra 400 recipe is one of the most frustrating recipes I’ve created, but it also produces great results sometimes.

The new Portra 400 recipe is a little more accurate to the film, in my opinion. Of course, with film, depending on how it’s shot, developed, printed or scanned, results can vary greatly. While I think the new version is more accurate, that’s not to say that the original version isn’t accurate. It’s just a little different look. In this post are examples of pictures captured with both recipes side-by-side.

Which one is the better Kodak Portra 400 recipe? The new version is easier to program, overall a little more accurate to the film, and in many situations I like it better; however, sometimes I prefer the original Portra 400 recipe. I can’t tell you which one is better for you, but I can tell you for me, I like the new recipe better, yet I see that the original version has its place and shouldn’t be discarded. That’s just my tastes, and yours might be different. Hopefully seeing the two recipes next to each other provides you with some clarity on which to choose.

New Kodak Portra 400

Original Kodak Portra 400

New Kodak Portra 400

Original Kodak Portra 400

New Kodak Portra 400

Original Kodak Portra 400

New Kodak Portra 400

Original Kodak Portra 400

New Kodak Portra 400

Original Kodak Portra 400

My Fujifilm X-T30 Kodak Portra 400 Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on May 10, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Around The Bend – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Kodak Portra 400”

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. 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. Interestingly, Kodak briefly made a black-and-white version of Portra 400!

I’ve been meaning to revisit Kodak Portra 400 for some time now. As you may know, I already have a Kodak Portra 400 recipe, which I created two years ago, but it requires a difficult-to-achieve custom white balance measurement. I was never really satisfied with that recipe, even though it can produce interesting results. I have been eager to create a new Portra 400 recipe, and, In fact, I’ve tried a couple of times, but without success.

Blue Sky Day – Syracuse, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Kodak Portra 400”

A Fuji X Weekly reader suggested to me that if I use my Kodak Portra 160 recipe, except increase Shadow, Highlight and Color by one, that should be pretty close to Portra 400. Indeed it is! I liked what I saw, but I played around with the settings more to see if I could improve on it. Turns out not much needed to be tweaked. I liked the results better with Color Chrome Effect set to Strong, but if you have an X-Trans III camera, which doesn’t have that feature, you can still use this recipe, but it will look slightly different. The only other change that I made was I set Grain to Strong.

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, +4 Red & -5 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 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:

Mountain in the Evening Light – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Reeds To The Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Jensen Pond – Syracuse, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Water Beyond The Trees – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Paved Trail – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Spring Green & White – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Fries in the Sky – Syracuse, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Royal Lunch – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Evening Suburban Home – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Boy in the Striped Light – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Boy Sitting – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Sunlight Through The Pink Blooms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Pink Tree Bloom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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Film Simulation Review: Walk in the Park, Part 1: Kodak Ektar 100

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

April Forest – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Last week I went for a walk in a local park here in Utah. This park has trails that pass through forests. There’s a stream and a small lake. The snow-capped peaks are visible to the east. It’s a beautiful place, especially in the spring when the green is fresh and the flowers are blossomed. On this hike I brought along my Fujifilm X-T30 with a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens attached to it, which is one of my absolute favorite lenses. It’s sharp, small, and plenty fast, plus it’s a versatile focal length. On the way up the trail I used my Kodak Ektar 100 film simulation recipe, which are the pictures that you see here in Part 1, and on the way back down I used my Portra 160 recipe, which you’ll find in Part 2.

Ektar is a color negative film made by Kodak. It’s known for vibrant colors, high contrast and fine grain. It’s the closest negative film to reversal film. In fact, when Kodak discontinued Ektachrome 100VS, they recommended Ektar 100 as the best alternative. It’s a great film for landscape photography, which is why I chose it for this walk in the park.

Ektar film, and especially this Ektar film simulation, can be difficult to use because of the contrast. With the film, there are things that can be done in development and/or printing to reduce the contrast if it’s too much. With these settings, one could use +2 Shadow instead of +3, which is what the recipe calls for, if they wanted less contrast. These pictures are straight-out-of-camera (with the exception of some minor cropping) with the settings exactly as the recipe states.

My opinion is that my Ektar recipe is best suited for low-contrast landscapes, where a boost in contrast and vibrancy is needed. But it can do well in other situations, as well. I thought it served this photographic outing well, although it was borderline too contrasty for the scene. Ektar was a good choice for a walk in the park, but was it the best choice? How does it compare to Portra 160? We’ll take a look at that in Part 2.

Sunlight Through The Leaves – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Old Log – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Forest Stream – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Stream & Yellow Flower – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Single Tree Blossom – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Green Tree, White Tree – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Blossoming Branches – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Walk in the Park, Part 2: Portra 160
See also: Film Simulation Reviews

My Fujifilm X-T30 Kodacolor II 126 Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Blooming Pink – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Kodacolor II 126”

A Fuji X Weekly reader asked me to recreate the look of some old family prints from the 1970’s that he found. After some investigating, it was determined that the pictures were captured on an Instamatic camera using 126 film (also called Kodapak). 126 film was basically 35mm film, except with a paper back and no sprockets (like 120 film), and in a cartridge that didn’t need to be rewound (similar to 110 film). It was intended for low-budget point-and-shoot cameras, and the cartridge made loading and unloading film easier. Basically, Instamatic was Kodak’s attempt to open up photography to the masses, as it required little to no skill or photographic background. It was very popular in the 1960’s and ’70’s, and became less popular in the 1980’s. A quirk of Instamatic cameras and 126 film is that it captured square pictures.

It’s unknown what film was used on the pictures in question, but most likely it was Kodacolor II, which was by far the most popular color 126 film during the time that these pictures were captured. Kodacolor is a name that Kodak gave to a number of different color negative films going back to the 1940’s. Kodacolor II was the very first C-41 process film. It was introduced in 1972 and discontinued in 1981, replaced by Kodacolor VR, which is the film that my Kodacolor film simulation recipe resembles. The prints likely have some fading and color shifts due to age, but they appeared to be in good condition overall.

Instamatic – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Kodacolor II 126”

This film simulation recipe, which I’ve called Kodacolor II 126, is a bit unusual in that it is supposed to mimic a look that came from cheap cameras. It calls for Image Quality to be set to Normal instead of Fine (I normally use Fine). The only other recipe that I’ve done this with is my Kodak Elite Chrome 200 Color Fade. I keep the ISO high on this recipe to make it look more grainy. While I’ve done that with several black-and-white recipes, this is the first time I’ve done it with color. This is also the only recipe that calls for the 1:1 aspect ratio, although feel free to use 3:2 or 16:9 if you’d like. These settings pair well with vintage lenses, and if you “miss” focus a little sometimes, well, that just makes it resemble Instamatic even more.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: -1
Shadow: +3
Color: -4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -4
Grain Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Image Quality: Normal
Aspect Ratio: 1:1
White Balance: 6300K, +6 Red & +3 Blue
ISO: 3200 – 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Kodacolor II 126” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:

Polaroid Girl – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Lizard, Boy & Wall – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Boy in the Alley – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Two Cans – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Suburban House & Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Suburban Trees & Distant Mountain – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Tree Top & Mountain Top – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Suburban April – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Robot in the Window – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Heart & Soul – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Wreath & Flowers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

White Paper – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Bowl on a Trike – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Hose & Elephant – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Concrete Path – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Little Colorful Chair – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Summer Chair – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Day Dreaming – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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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:

Space Communication – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Sky Traffic – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Little Grass Runner – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Pear Tree Top – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Spring Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Tree Blossom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Backlit Pear Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Pear Blossom Day – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Boy in Spring – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Branch & Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Pear Blossom Reflection – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Phragmites – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Easy Feelin’ – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Girl in the Backyard – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Stages of Tulip Blooms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Crescent Tulips – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Floral Decor – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Cheese – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Grill & Chill – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

No Door Dash in the Drive Thru – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Corner – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

KFC – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Everette Brown – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Outside 7-Eleven – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Sunlight Through The Trees – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Tree Trunk Above the Pond – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Boulder Above the Pond – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Father & Son Fishing in Farmington Pond – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Fishing in Farmington Pond – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Staircase Down to the Water – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Flowing Creek – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Creek in the Woods – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Rocky Farmington Creek – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Winter is Nearly Over – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Red Car in Green Grass – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Bug in the Dirt – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Sunset on Burger Customer Parking – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Kodak & Fujifilm Unite! Sort of….

Posted on April 26, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

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When I first started out in photography, two big names in the industry were Kodak and Fujifilm. While they both made cameras, it was not their gear that they were famous for. Kodak and Fujifilm were known for their photographic films. Kodak was the long-standing big dog on campus, while Fujifilm was the distant runner up. Back then, almost everyone used film, as digital capture was new and not particularly good, and so there was a lot of business to be had. These two companies were rivals, and they both battled very hard for your business.

When the film industry collapsed, it was very abrupt. Within a couple of years, both companies went from record profits to full-fledged panic. Film sales dropped about 25% each year for many years in a row. Kodak, the giant in the industry, fell especially hard, eventually going bankrupt. What remained was divided and sold, and Kodak today, in its various forms, is mostly insignificant in the current photographic industry. Fujifilm, on the other hand, made some smart decisions, such as diversifying by applying their unique knowledge to other fields (such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals), which allowed them to not only survive, but grow. Now photography is a small part of their overall business model, but nevertheless it is a successful and profitable arm of the company. While Kodak had the upper hand for a long, long time, Fujifilm won in the long run.

A Kodak Moment – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

When I purchased my Fujifilm X-T30, I wanted to upgrade to a better camera neck strap than the one that came with the camera. I browsed the web for different ones, and I ended up going with a vintage Kodak strap. A cool feature is a built-in film canister holder (it can hold up to three), which is completely useless in today’s photographic world, but would have been handy 20 years ago. I’m not completely sure how old the neck strap is, but it was in great condition, like it was barely used, if used at all. It adds a retro touch that nicely compliments the retro-inspired design of the X-T30.

It might seem strange to put a Kodak strap on a Fujifilm camera. At one time these two companies were serious rivals. Back then I used film made by both of them, as well as other companies like Ilford and Agfa. I supported these companies with my hard-earned dollars. It’s sad that film has become a small niche market. It’s sad that the mighty Eastman Kodak Company experienced such a big fall. I’m happy to display their logo on my gear in honor of the pictures that I made with their products. I’m also happy to use a Fujifilm camera today, as it’s such a great photographic tool. While it may seem unusual to unite these two brands together in this way, I feel privileged to do so, since both have played an important role in my photography.

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[Not] My Fujifilm X-Pro2 Tri-X Push-Process Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on August 25, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Hail Storm – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

Fuji X Weekly reader Luis Costa shared on his website, Lifeunintended.com, a brilliant black-and-white film simulation recipe for Fujifilm X-Trans III cameras. I’ll get into why it’s genius in a moment, but I wanted to give Luis a big “thank you” for coming up with these settings and sharing them. I strongly encourage you to visit his site and check out his photography and articles, as it’s worth your time to do so.

For most of the 20 years that I’ve been making pictures, one rule of thumb has been to keep the ISO as low as you can get away with. A big reason for this is that high-ISO film typically wasn’t very good. In fact, my favorite choice for high-ISO photography was Ilford Delta 400, and if I needed something higher than ISO 400 I might push that film a stop or two. So, if I really needed to, I’d go as high as ISO 1600. I did shoot Delta 3200 once and found it barely usable. Usually ISO 800 was my limit. Most often I was shooting between ISO 50 and ISO 100.

I was a little late to the digital photography game. Even so, my first digital camera, a Pentax DSLR, didn’t look great at ISO 1600 except for “grainy” black-and-white pictures. At one time I used a Sigma Merrill camera that even ISO 400 was pushing it. The crazy high ISOs that are common today are a recent development. Now ISO 3200 doesn’t seem all that high, and many people use it freely without thinking twice about it. It’s really quite amazing!

I have found on X-Trans III cameras, such as the Fujifilm X-Pro2, that ISO 12800 is the upper limit, and it’s better for black-and-white than color. Even so, I stopped using ISO 12800 and made ISO 6400 my upper Auto-ISO limit some months ago just because I felt that ISO 6400 was a better top ISO for color photographs and I didn’t want to bother changing the ISO depending on if I was shooting color or black-and-white. Besides, ISO 6400 is plenty high for almost any situation. As it turns out, that wasn’t the greatest idea I’ve ever had, and I’ll explain why.

Shutter Speed – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

Luis made a film simulation recipe that requires the ISO to be high. In fact, he uses ISO 12800, and only moves the ISO down when he has to because there is too much light. In case you didn’t catch that, he purposely chooses ISO 12800 because of how it looks. This is a radical move! It works because of the genius of the Acros film simulation. You see, Fujifilm designed Acros to have a built-in grain effect that automatically increases the graininess of the photograph as the ISO increases. At and near ISO 12800 the grain looks absolutely beautiful, and his recipe takes full advantage of that.

The film simulation recipe that Luis invented produces results that resemble Kodak Tri-X 400 film that’s been pushed one or perhaps one-and-a-half stops, and I would add using Agfa Rodinal. The grain pattern and structure isn’t a 100% match, but for straight-out-of-camera results, it’s pretty darn convincing. I’ve only been using it for a week, but it has already become one of my favorites! It’s better than my Acros Push-Process recipe that I use frequently, and I like that one a lot, too.

The one thing that I do different than Luis is I set Auto-ISO to be between ISO 3200 and 12800, with the minimum shutter speed 1/500. I find that ISO 3200 is the lowest ISO that still gives an acceptably grainy result (but the results are better when the ISO is higher). Using 1/500 as the minimum shutter speed forces the camera to use a higher ISO except for when there is a lot of light. Initially I tried a lower shutter speed, but it wasn’t pushing the ISO up enough, so I found 1/500 to be better. Now the camera will often choose an ISO of 6400 or higher, which is where this recipe shines.

Acros (Acros+Y, Acros+R, Acros+G)
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +3
Shadow: +4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -1
Grain Effect: Off
ISO: Auto between 3200 & 12800
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs made using [Not] My Fujifilm X-Pro2 Tri-X Push-Process Film Simulation recipe:

Camera Shutter Dial – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

Aperture – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

35mm Film Rolls – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

Strange Plant – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

Chair Stripes – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

Canadian – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm “Tri-X Push-Process”

Storm Building Over Wasatch Ridge – South Weber, UT – Fuji X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

Writing Lessons – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push-Process”

Learning The Letter S – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

Joshua Bowling – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

Watching The Rainfall – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

Boy On A Rocking Chair – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push-Process”

Cracker Barrel Checkers – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

Deer On The Wall – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

Reverends – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 “Tri-X Push Process”

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My Fujifilm X100F Kodak Ektar 100 Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on June 16, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Peach City Drive-In – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

When Fuji X Weekly reader Jackie asked if I could make a film simulation recipe that mimics the look of Kodak Ektar 100 film, I thought that it would be a simple task. Classic Chrome is halfway there already, providing a Kodak-esque look right out of the bag. But, as it turns out, creating an Ektar look wasn’t easy for one reason: Classic Chrome isn’t vibrant enough, even with color set to +4. Velvia was my next choice, but I couldn’t make it work. It turns out Astia is the key.

Before I get ahead of myself too much, let’s roll things back a little. Ektar is a color negative film made by Kodak. It’s known for vibrant colors, high contrast and fine grain, and, even though it is a negative film, it is more like reversal (slide) film. I would say that, while the results aren’t 100% identical, there are a lot of similarities between Ektar 100 and Ektachrome 100VS. In fact, when Kodak discontinued Ektachrome 100VS, they recommended Ektar 100 as the closest film.

Ektar is ideal for vibrant landscapes or any situation where you want lots of contrast and saturated colors. It’s not usually one’s first choice for portrait photography because skin tones can be off. Some people use it extensively for portraits, but the general advice is to use Ektar for everything other than people pictures. I’ve shot a few rolls of it in the past, but it’s been probably seven or eight years.

Summer Boy – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

I’m actually a little hesitant to call this film simulation recipe Kodak Ektar 100 because it’s not quite right. It’s close, but a little off. The color palette is slightly askew. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get it any closer to being right. I do feel that, if you like Ektar 100 film, you’ll like this film simulation recipe, even though it’s not an exact match.

One thing about this recipe that I’d like to mention is, while I have Dynamic Range set to Auto, almost always the camera selected DR100. If you don’t want to use DR-Auto, set it to DR100 instead and you’ll get the same results. Also, I did not use the faux grain effect for this recipe. I think you could use weak grain if the ISO is 800 or less, but once you get to ISO 1600 and higher the digital noise acts like a convincing weak grain, and adding more grain on top of it is too much. So I elected to set grain to off, but you might consider using weak grain, particularly at the lower ISOs.

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