Monochrome | FUJI X WEEKLY

Seeing in Shades of Grey

*Firehoses* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak T-Max P3200 Recipe

Black-and-white pictures are abstract by nature. They’re not faithful reproductions of the world as we see it. Because it is abstract, the photographer is invited to capture the scene in a unique way, with a vision that is dissimilar to—and perhaps even the opposite of—reality. It’s not so much about what the scene is, but about how we see the scene through a divergent eye, and how we can express that to the viewer. It’s a timeless approach to fine-art photography.

The strength of color photographs is color, but it’s also its weakness. When color works within a color theory—perhaps contrasting or harmonious—it can create an especially dramatic or beautiful picture; however, when the colors within an image work against each other, it can be a distraction. B&W photos remove the distraction of color, allowing the viewer to see the important elements without color fighting for their attention—it’s the art of subtraction.

*Clouds & Cactus* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe

Black-and-white photography is about light and shadow. It’s about contrast. It’s about shape. Texture. Pattern. Space. Emotion. Those are very important elements to color photography, too, but they’re even more critical to B&W pictures. Mastering monochrome will make you a better photographer, even for your color work.

Join myself and Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry as we finish our discussion of B&W photography in-depth on SOOC Live this Friday, August 25th, at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern. I’ve included the video below so that you can easily find it on Friday. Also, if you haven’t uploaded your photographs captured with the Kodak Tri-X 400, Kodak T-Max P3200, Ilford HP5 Plus 400, and/or Acros Film Simulation Recipes, be sure to do so ASAP (click here)! There’s not much time, so don’t delay. I hope to see you on Friday!

Also, if you missed our the initial discussion of black-and-white photography, check it out below:

Why do we Still make B&W Photos?

Posted on August 1 by Ritchie Roesch

*Round Window* – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe

The world is full of color, so why would one want to photograph in black-and-white? It’s so old-fashioned anyway. Are there any good reasons to make monochrome pictures in 2023?

In 1826, the first photograph was captured by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in France. It was black-and-white because the first process was B&W. But then in 1861 the first color picture was made by James Clerk Maxwell and Thomas Sutton in Scotland. That should have been the end of B&W photos, right? Actually, color photography didn’t catch on for a very long time because the process to create them was much more complex than B&W, and their color reproduction not particularly accurate. Kodak launched Kodachrome slide film in 1935, which was the first reasonably accurate color process. That should have been the end of B&W, but it wasn’t. In fact, many photographers shunned color photography, and derided it as for amateurs. Black-and-white was for the serious, while color was not.

The New American Color movement of the 1960’s and ’70’s is really what made color photography an acceptable art form. It challenged the idea that “real” photography was only in monochrome. Color images could be just as good as, or perhaps even better than, B&W pictures. It revolutionized photography.

*Epic Zip Line* – Sundance, UT – Fujifilm X100F – Agfa Scala Recipe

That was so long ago. Color photography is the norm now, not black-and-white. Your digital camera captures a color picture, and you have to convert it to B&W if you want to see in shades of grey. B&W has become a niche of sorts.

So why should you shoot black-and-white photographs in 2023? What reasons are there, other than nostalgia for a time long gone? I love B&W photography, so let me offer a few to you.

Black-and-white pictures are abstract by nature. They’re not faithful reproductions of the world as we see it. Because it is abstract, the photographer is invited to capture the scene in a unique way, with a vision that is dissimilar to, and perhaps even the opposite of, reality. It’s not so much about what the scene is, but about how we see the scene through a divergent eye, and how we can express that to the viewer. It’s a timeless approach to fine-art photography.

*Playing with Waves* – Cambria, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400 Recipe

Fujifilm cameras are particularly great for black-and-white photography thanks to their wonderful film simulations: Monochrome and especially Acros. Many different Film Simulation Recipes can be made using these as the base, with a wide variety of characteristics. Pick one that looks interesting to you, and shoot with it for a day or two to see what you get. My personal favorite is Kodak Tri-X 400, but there are so many that are really good, it’s hard to go wrong with any of them.

Whether you’ve been shooting black-and-white for decades and decades, or if you never have before but are interested, I invite you to join myself and Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry as we discuss B&W photography in-depth on SOOC Live this Thursday, August 3rd, at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern. I’ve included it below so that you can easily find in on Thursday.

If you missed last Thursday’s SOOC Live broadcast, where Nathalie and I finished our discussion of travel photography, be sure to watch it now. I’ve included it below, or visit the SOOC Live YouTube Channel. Also, if you haven’t seen the Viewers’ Images slideshow (your pictures!), I’ve added that to the bottom of this article—be sure to watch!

Pentax Has A Monochrome Camera — Fujifilm Should, too!

Posted on April 16, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

Pentax just announced the K3 III Monochrome DSLR. Yes, a black-and-white only camera!

I find a few things intriguing by this. First, a lot of people say that there’s no market for such a camera, that only the Leica enthusiasts with Leica-like budgets will buy a monochrome-only camera. Yet Pentax apparently disagrees. I hope they’re right. It’s certainly a risk that they’re taking, but I think it will do well enough simply based on all the initial hype, which there’s quite a bit of.

The Pentax K3 III Monochrome (such an uninspired name, right?) has a 26-megapixel APS-C sensor inside. Sound familiar? My guess is that it’s the same Sony sensor that’s found in Fujifilm X-Trans IV models, just with the color filter array removed. I could be wrong about that. Perhaps more importantly, this monochrome sensor is clearly available for camera makers to buy, because Pentax is doing so, which means Fujifilm could, too.

The price difference that Pentax is charging for the monochrome vs the regular model is $500. That seems pretty steep, but it’s a niche product, so a premium should be expected. I suspect that Fujifilm would likely charge a similar amount—$300 to $500—for a monochrome version of one of their models, if they were to make one.

I’ve been suggesting for years that Fujifilm should make a dedicated black-and-white camera, and call it the Acros Edition. Why? With an X-Trans sensor, 55% of the light-sensitive sensor elements are recording luminosity information while 45% are recording color information. With a monochrome sensor, 100% of the light-sensitive sensor elements are recording luminosity information. Because of this, you get higher perceived resolution, as pictures will appear more richly detailed, and there’s more shadow latitude, which improves dynamic range and high-ISO capabilities. You can also use color filters just like with black-and-white film. It’s definitely not a camera that everyone will want, but some—myself included—will line up for it the day it is announced.

Basically, it will have only the Acros film simulation, and the same JPEG options as other X-Trans cameras (except no Color or White Balance). I can imagine Fujifilm offering a stronger Grain option than what’s currently available on the other models, and perhaps an Acros Hi and Acros Low, for higher or lower contrast rendering. I’d also like to see a lifted shadow option for a faded look. The X-Pan aspect ratio should absolutely be included. Otherwise, I don’t think too many modifications will be required to the menu.

Hopefully Fujifilm is already working on this. They should be, anyway, but they’re probably not. Ideally, it would be an X-Pro or X100 model, but at this point I’d take any, except for the X-S or X-H lines. Seriously, a Fujifilm X-Pro3 Acros Edition or X100V Acros Edition would be simply incredible! It would definitely catch people’s attention. If Fujifilm wants a WOW product, this is it right here.

Ilford FP4 Plus 125 — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V + X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Gift Giving* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – “Ilford FP4 Plus 125”

Anders Lindborg is, in my opinion, the guru on Fujifilm black-and-white Film Simulation Recipes. After all, he invented the Kodak Tri-X 400, Ilford HP5 Plus 400, and Ilford Pan F Plus 50 recipes, and co-created the Kodak T-Max 400 recipe. These are some of my favorite monochrome options, and Kodak Tri-X 400 is my all-time favorite recipe, period. Anders also created the Kodak Gold v2 recipe, seven Fujicolor Pro 160NS recipes, seven Fujicolor Pro 400H recipes, and made an important D-Range Priority discovery. This Ilford FP4 Plus 125 recipe was invented by Anders Lindborg, too, so I know that you will love it! It’s a real honor to publish it on Fuji X Weekly, and I appreciate his willingness to share it with all of you.

The story doesn’t end there. Recently, Fuji X Weekly reader Dan Allen wanted to help create an Ilford FP4 Plus 125 recipe, and he purchased some rolls of the film to shoot side-by-side with his Fujifilm camera. When he told me this, I sent him Anders’ recipe to try. After he did his experiment, Dan shared with me the results, which were quite fascinating. It turns out that Dan’s Ilford frames and his Fujifilm digital pictures (using Anders’ recipe) looked similar, but the Ilford frames had less contrast, with softer highlights and shadows, so I made a few small modifications to Anders’ recipe to better match Dan’s pictures. Of course, one film can have many different looks, depending on how it was shot, developed, printed, and/or scanned. “This particular film stock,” Anders told me, “is highly tunable, ranging from super clean to ultra gritty.” No single recipe will ever recreate every possible aesthetic from the film.

“Just like the real thing,” Anders explained to me, “a slight underexposure protects the highlights and improves contrast. Centered around the upper half of the grayscale, this recipe ranges from soft and dreamy to sharp and almost graphic with pencil-like lines. It will almost never go entirely black and is great for shadow details.” Ilford originally introduced FP4 Plus 125 way back in 1968, and in 2014 they improved the emulsion, which is what’s currently available.

*Bougainvillea Grey* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – “Ilford FP4 Plus 125”

If you want to use Anders Lindborg’s recipe as he created it, set Dynamic Range to DR100, Highlight to 0, and Shadow to -1. He says that you can “really go crazy” with Clarity and Grain—try Clarity anywhere from -2 to +4, with Grain Weak/Small when using less Clarity (for a cleaner look) and Grain Strong/Large when using more Clarity (for a grittier look). Also, feel free to use the different faux filter options (+Ye, +R, +G) with this recipe.

The Ilford FP4 Plus 125 Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2S, and newer X-Trans IV cameras: X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. If you have an X100V or X-Pro3, you can use Anders’ unmodified version (explained above); for the X-T3, X-T30, plus X-Trans III, additionally ignore Clarity and Grain size. This recipe is especially well suited for mid-to-high contrast scenes, paying careful attention to the highlights so as to not clip them.

Film Simulation: Monochrome
Grain Effect: Weak, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: Daylight, +6 Red & -8 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: -0.5
Shadow: -1.5
Monochromatic Color: 0 WC & 0 MG
Sharpness: 0
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: +2
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1 to -1/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Ilford FP4 Plus 125” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

*Projector Light* – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Fog Lights* – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Disco Ball* – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Christmas Concert* – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Light Lines* – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Window Shade Pull* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Window Light on a Small Rug* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Call it a Fuji X Weekly Holiday* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

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

*Legos for Christmas* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Was a Rose* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Backlit Petunia* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

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

*Lizard on a Wall* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

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

*Waiting by the Pool* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Butcher* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Tamale TV* – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Reading the Morning Paper* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Coffee Sugar* – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Hydrant Top* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

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

*Suburban Rooftop* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

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

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 250 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

Fujifilm X70 (X-Trans II) Film Simulation Recipe: Monochrome Red

Posted on September 6, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Houses, Reflected* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – “Monochrome Red”

Back when I shot black-and-white film, I usually used a color filter to manipulate the shades of grey, and for landscape photography the Red filter was my most-used option. You cannot use these filters on your Fujifilm camera, but Fujifilm does provide you with three faux filters: +Y, +R, & +G. These mimic the aesthetic of using a Yellow, Red, or Green filter (sort of). In my opinion, +R doesn’t actually replicate the use of a Red filter very well; it’s more like an Orange filter. This recipe is intended to produce a look more similar to a Red filter on black-and-white film, which means that it will darken blues and lighten reds.

I actually created this “Monochrome Red” Film Simulation Recipe several months back on my Fujifilm X-T1, but that camera has a dirty sensor in need of a cleaning, so I never shared the results. Then I moved, and the X-T1 got packed away for awhile. Just recently I purchased a different X-Trans II camera—an X70—so I plugged this recipe into it and began shooting. This is an excellent option if you are looking for a black-and-white recipe, and is especially good for landscape photography.

*Sunlit Flowers* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – “Monochrome Red”

The “Monochrome Red” recipe is compatible with all X-Trans II cameras. If you have an X-Trans I or Bayer model, the results will be ever slightly different, but very similar, and you can definitely use it—if you have an X-Pro1 or X-T200 or anything like that, feel free to give this recipe a try.

Monochrome+R
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1 (Medium-Soft)
Shadow: +2 (Hard)
Sharpness: +1 (Medium-Hard)
Noise Reduction: -2 (Low)
White Balance: Fluorescent 1, -4 Red & +7 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured on my Fujifilm X70 using this “Monochrome Red” Film Simulation Recipe:

*Josh Intently Gaming* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70

*Jonathan with a Smile* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70

*Backlit Jo* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X70

*Boy Fishing* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X70

*Dock Abstract* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X70

*Lock & Chain* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X70

*Pole & Chain* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X70

*Fishing Pole on Dock* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X70

*Young Boy Fishing* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X70

*Lakeside Tree* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X70

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and nearly 250 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

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An Open Letter To Fujifilm… In B&W

Posted on April 12, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

Dear Fujifilm,

Please make a black-and-white-only camera. I’m writing this because I want one, but—more importantly—it has become quite obvious to me that many Fujifilm photographers want one, too.

How do I know this? A few days ago I published a Creative Collective article entitled Introducing the Fujifilm X100V Acros Edition, and the response that I’ve received has been overwhelming (in a good way). If Fujifilm made a monochrome model (which I propose is called “Acros Edition”), people would buy it. I have zero doubts about this. I’d buy one. A number of Fuji X Weekly readers would buy one. I’m not suggesting that it would do as well as the X-T3, but it would get a lot of attention. People would talk about it. There is a real interest and demand for a black-and-white-only Fujifilm camera.

I know that it’s not as simple as just removing the X-Trans color array from the filter and—presto!—a B&W-only camera. It’s far, far more complicated than that. Because of this, it’s understood that the camera will cost more than the X-Trans version. I personally think that the X100V or X-Pro3 would be the best base for an “Acros Edition” model, but the X-E4 could also work if you want to reduce the cost of the camera. Even if it was in an X-T3 or X-T30 body, I’d definitely still buy one—just don’t put it into a body with a PASM dial and I’ll be happy.

*Unneeded Boat Cleat* – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Moody Monochrome”

There needs to be some schtick, too, because people will say, “I’ll just use the Acros film simulation, and it’s basically the same thing, yet I can still get color pictures if I want.” There are advantages to monochrome-only, and while it might seem that making such a camera would be enough on its own, it isn’t—there has to be at least one more trick that makes the camera unique, in my opinion. Something that not only further separates it from other Fujifilm models, but other monochrome-only models. What exactly? I have a few ideas. Perhaps a new film simulation: Neopan (based on Neopan 400 Pro, Neopan 1600 Pro, or Neopan 400CN)—the “Acros Edition” camera would have Acros, Neopan, Monochrome, and Sepia (I suppose) as the four film simulation options. I think it would also be cool if there were push and pull process options for these simulations, where the pictures become more or less contrasty and grainy (much like push and pull processing film), depending on the settings selected. Another idea is to have a removable IR filter like Sigma did with their SD Quattro cameras, allowing photographers to easily use their cameras for full-spectrum B&W photography whenever they want. How about built-in colored filters? Since there would be no +Y, +R, & +G faux filters, it would be interesting to have real color filters built into the camera, sort of like the ND filter on the X100V. Adding some sort of extra uniqueness would give the camera even more buzz and would make it even more desirable.

My only point here is that I know for certain that there is an interest in a black-and-white-only camera made by Fujifilm. So, if there’s anyone at Fujifilm who happens to read this, please pass it up the chain that such a demand exists. People would pay a premium for a monochrome model. I personally would.

Sincerely,
Ritchie Roesch
Fuji X Weekly

Now it’s your turn! Would you be interested in an “Acros Edition” Fujifilm camera? Which body would you want it in? What special feature should it have? Leave a comment! I don’t know if Fujifilm will ever read it, but they might, so it’s worth a try!

Creative Collective 021: Introducing the Fujifilm X100V Acros Edition

Posted on April 7, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

I’ve said for awhile now that Fujifilm should make a black-and-white only camera. There’s actually an advantage to a monochrome sensor. With a typical Bayer color array, only 50% of the light-sensitive sensor elements are recording luminosity information, while the other 50% are recording color information. With an X-Trans sensor, 55% of the light-sensitive sensor elements are recording luminosity information while 45% are recording color information. With a monochrome sensor, 100% of the light-sensitive sensor elements are recording luminosity information. Because of this, you get a higher perceived resolution, as pictures will appear more richly detailed, and there’s more shadow latitude, which also improves high-ISO capabilities. You can also use color filters like with black-and-white film.

Fujifilm has said that they have no plans currently to make a monochrome camera. You can actually convert any Fujifilm camera to be black-and-white only, but it is expensive and extreme. I’ve wanted a monochrome-only Fujifilm camera for awhile, but I’m not willing to convert one, and I’m impatient waiting for an official model to come out. So what did I do? I made my own.

Introducing the Fujifilm X100V Acros Edition!

Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe: Ilford HP5 Plus 400

Posted on March 23, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Haystack Driftwood* – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “Ilford HP5 Plus 400”

This new film simulation recipe comes from Anders Lindborg (Instagram). Anders is the one who created the Kodak Tri-X 400 recipe, Ilford Pan F Plus 50 recipe, Kodak Gold v2, seven Fujicolor Pro 160NS recipes, seven Fujicolor Pro 400H recipes, and made an important D-Range Priority discovery. So I know that you’ll love this one, too! He was kind enough to share it with me and allow me to share it with all of you—thank you, Anders!

Anders sent me a lengthy note on his process to create this recipe, and I want to share with you a short snippet just so you get an idea of the effort put into this. “I checked the spectrum sensitivity chart and looked for any significant bumps in the wavelengths,” he wrote. “For the largest bump, I checked what color it represents to try to match it as close as possible with the white balance shift. This recreated the bump in the recipe to make the simulation a bit extra sensitive to that specific color.” This was point four of seven in his process, and shows the kind of effort that can go into creating Film Simulation Recipes.

Specifically about this recipe, Anders noted, “Middle gray is the game here. Soft highlights and things disappearing into deep dark shadows, but never as black as Tri-X. Great for all day shooting in just about any weather. Looks totally awesome on winter shots!” I can add that it looks great on both sunny days and rainy days, too. I think it does especially well in moderate and high contrast situations.

*Footbridge & Falls* – Multnomah Falls, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “Ilford HP5 Plus 400”

Ilford began the Hypersensitive Panchromatic (HP) series in 1931. HP5 Plus 400 is the latest version, released in 1989, and still available today. This is a classic black-and-white film stock that has stood the test of time, and Anders did a great job mimicking it on Fujifilm cameras. This recipe is intended for use on the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras; however, for the X-T3 and X-T30, as well as X-Trans III cameras, simply ignore Grain size, and this recipe is compatible with those cameras, so anyone with an X-Trans III or IV camera can use this.

A side note: this recipe is different than my old Ilford HP5 Plus and Ilford HP5 Push Process recipes, which I still quite like, and are both excellent in low and mid contrast situations. Try those or Anders’ version—or all three if you are feeling adventurous!

Monochrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1
Shadow: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpness: -2
Clarity: 0
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: Daylight, +1 Red & -8 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Ilford HP5 Plus 400” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

*Horsetail Falls From Bridge* – Columbia River Gorge, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*Horsetail Falls* – Columbia River Gorge, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*Upper Falls* – Multnomah Falls, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*36 CFR 261.53(e)* – Multnomah Falls, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*Use Caution For Slipping Bandits* – Multnomah Falls, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*No Cars* – Astoria, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*Two Elk in a Yard* – Warrenton, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*Spiral Stairs* – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*Old Fireplace* – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*Stairs in the Forest* – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*Astoria & Columbia River* – Astoria, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*Two Ships in the Columbia River* – Astoria, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*Tetons, As Seen By Oneskies* – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X100V

*South Jetty* – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*Pointing To The Pacific* – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X100V

*Haystack Sticks* – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X100V

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

Fuji Features: Fujifilm X Monochrome

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

I’ve been saying for awhile now that Fujifilm should make a dedicated black-and-white camera, kind of like the Leica M10 Monochrom. I would absolutely love that, and would shell out gobs of money for it, assuming that I actually have the funds available to do so. Of course, Fujifilm X cameras are already great at capturing black-and-white photographs straight-out-of-camera, but a true monochrome camera would be on a whole other level.

For this week’s Fuji Features post, I found some articles and videos on the web related to this topic is some way. I hope you enjoy!

SLR Lounge

Fujifilm X

The Phoblographer

Fujilove Magazine

Fujifilm X100V Film Simulation Recipe: Ilford Ortho Plus 80

Posted on January 24, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*760* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Ilford Ortho Plus 80”

Many years ago I used to develop my own black-and-white film. It required removing the film from the cassette, winding it around a developing reel, and placing the reel into a developing canister—all in complete darkness! It was very tricky. If you didn’t get the film wound onto the reel quite right, it could ruin the film during development. When people think of darkrooms, they often think of dipping photosensitive papers into tubs of chemicals in dim amber light. This red light is called a safelight, and it’s safe for photographic paper, but not safe for undeveloped photographic film—that’s why you have to get the film from the cassette to the canister in complete darkness.

Ilford Ortho Plus 80 film is different, as it’s orthochromatic, which means it’s sensitive to blue and green light but not red, making it possible to transfer the film from the cassette to the canister under a safelight. This film was introduced in 2019, so it hasn’t been around very long. It produces sharp, fine-grain images that are fairly contrasty for a low-ISO film, and reds will be rendered dark. I’ve never used this film myself, so I relied on pictures I found on the internet to create this recipe. With film, how it’s shot, developed, and printed or scanned can have a big impact on how it looks, and that’s certainly a challenge for creating a facsimile on Fujifilm cameras, but I think this one is pretty close from the pictures I’ve seen. It also seems to be in the neighborhood of Washi S 50.

*Monochrome Country* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Ilford Ortho Plus 80

I set Monochromatic Color (Toning) to WC +1 because many of the examples that I found had some warm toning (not sure if it’s in-software after scanning or from toned prints or both), but it’s completely optional, you can set WC to 0 if you prefer. This recipe is intended for newer X-Trans IV cameras, such as the Fujifilm X100V, X-T4, X-Pro3 and X-S10, and isn’t compatible with other cameras; however, if you disregard Clarity you can achieve something similar on the X-T3 and X-T30, but it won’t be exactly the same (feel free to try).

Monochrome+G
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +2
Shadow: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: +2
Clarity: -2
Toning: WC +1, MG 0
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: 7000K, -5 Red & 0 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Ilford Ortho Plus 80 film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

*Thorns of Nature* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Monochrome Berries* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Icy River* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Zipping* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Playground Boy* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Silhouette Playground* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Canvas Moon* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Cat & Salmon* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Fedex Delivery* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Locked Box* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Emotion Through Glass* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Tablet Play* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

*Arizona Film* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

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Fujifilm X-M1 (X-Trans I) Film Simulation Recipe: Monochrome

Posted on October 7, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

*Broken View* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

Fujifilm introduced the world to the X-Trans sensor in January of 2012 with the announcement of the X-Pro1 camera. Later that same year the X-E1 became the second camera with this new sensor, and a year later the X-M1 became the third and final camera to have the original X-Trans sensor. Even before the X-M1 was released, Fujifilm had begun selling cameras with the X-Trans II sensor, so the original sensor was already old news by the time the camera was released. It seems that, more-or-less, Fujifilm had some spare X-Trans I sensors laying around, so they put them inside of the X-A1, a Bayer sensor camera, and renamed it X-M1. There never was an X-M2.

Even though only three cameras have an X-Trans I sensor, I’ve had many requests for film simulation recipes that are compatible with the X-Pro1, X-E1 and X-M1. I used to own an X-E1 (two, actually), but I mostly shot RAW with it and never developed any film simulation recipes for it. Some X-Trans II and Bayer recipes are technically compatible, but produce slightly different results. I purchased a cheap, gently used X-M1 to create some recipes with, and this is the very first one!

*White Trees* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

The X-M1 only has one black-and-white option. There’s no B+Y, B+R and B+G. There’s just standard B, which is the abbreviation for the Monochrome film simulation. I wanted to create a B&W recipe that produces dramatic results, but the JPEG options are limited on this camera compared to the newer models, so I had to get creative with the white balance to get the look that I wanted. This recipe is intended for X-Trans I cameras, but those with Bayer and X-Trans II cameras can use it, too, but the results will be slightly different.

Monochrome
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +2 (Hard)
Shadow: +2 (Hard)
Sharpness: +1 (Medium-Hard)
Noise Reduction: -2 (Low)
White Balance: Incandescent, -5 Red & +9 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 3200
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs made using this Monochrome film simulation recipe on a Fujifilm X-M1:

*Old Phone* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Dark Chocolate* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Ice Cream Bowl* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Countertop* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Steel Deck* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Good Sam* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Tool Ghosts* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Timesaver* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Saw Table* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Abandoned Workshop* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Buy American* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Anchor Screw Drawer* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Open Drawers* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Indoor Hoop* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Window with Broken Glass* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

*Abandoned Garage* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-M1

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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Fujifilm Noir

Posted on September 9, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Photographer Omar Gonzales made a video about turning your Fujifilm X camera into the Fujifilm Noir, a dedicated black-and-white camera. This post will make much more sense if you watch the video first, so take a moment to do that right now if you haven’t already done so.

Did you watch it? Don’t read anything below until the video is finished!

Done? Okay, let’s move on.

I made my own Fujifilm Noir camera using my X-T30. I have the silver version, so gaffer tape didn’t make a whole lot of sense for the new label that I wanted to attach to the front. I asked my daughter to create something using paper and pencils that might better match the camera. For those wondering, these labels are available for $25 each (only kidding, of course). And, yes, gluing a paper label to a camera is much less heart-stopping than sandpapering a camera.

My Fujifilm Noir is an X-T30 with an Asahi Super-Takumar 55mm f/2 attached to the front. I screwed an 1/2 Black Pro Mist filter to the lens (not pictured, sorry) to further enhance the film-like aesthetic. I shot the camera in manual mode using a black-and-white film simulation recipe that I created just for this project. What’s the film simulation recipe? Well, you’ll find it below!

Acros+G
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +1
Grain: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Toning: 0
Sharpening: -4
Noise Reduction: -4
White Balance: 2500K, +9 Red & +9 Blue
Exposure Compensation: -2/3 to +2/3 (typically)
ISO 3200

This film simulation recipe was actually an experiment (from when I was creating my B&W IR recipe) that I didn’t love, but I thought it was good enough to use here. I won’t make it an official recipe, this is simply a bonus for you. Feel free to use it in your own photography, as it’s compatible with all X-Trans III and IV cameras. It reminds me of Kodak BW400CN, a black-and-white film that used the C-41 (color) development process. These settings weren’t intended to look like that film, but that’s what it reminds me of.

Kodak BW400CN was not likely ever a popular choice for Noir photography. Noir is French for Black, and Noir photographs are often dark and moody, inspired by 1940’s through 1960’s monochrome crime movies. This recipe isn’t especially Noir, but I used it anyway. There are probably ten different film simulation recipes that are more appropriate for Noir than this one.

I didn’t follow all of Omar’s rules. I shot RAW+JPEG, but only because I used a 2GB memory card, which has enough space for 27 exposures. On a 24-exposure roll of film, you could typically get 25 or 26 frames on it if you were careful. 27 exposures was possible but not commonly achieved (outside of disposable cameras). To make this more of a film-like experience, I used the 2GB SD Card to limit myself to a maximum of 27 exposures, and I refused to change the “film” (recipe) until I had exposed the card. I deleted the RAW files and just used the out-of-camera JPEGs. I got the memory card idea from Fuji X Weekly reader Josh Gagnon.

All of the pictures below were from the first 27-exposure “roll” of “Kodak BW400CN” that I captured using my “Fujifilm Noir” camera. Yes, they’re all camera-made JPEGs, unedited except for some minor cropping here and there.

*Smile* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Lamp Top* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Girl, Drawing* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Tortilla Flour* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Drink* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Top Ten* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Building Stack* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Building Tree* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*The* *Nature of Structure* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Campus Skateboarder* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*One of You* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*$5 Pizza Bus* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Fallen Tree at the Capital* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Fallen Tree* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm Noir

*Tree & Stormy Mountain* – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm Noir

Not bad for one “roll” of “film” on my “Noir” camera, right?

Now the ball is in your court! Turn your Fujifilm X camera into a Fujifilm Noir camera and shoot some black-and-white pictures with it! I don’t have any specific rules, but try to give yourself some limitations because limitations improve art. I enjoyed the 2GB card thing. Share with me your Noir pictures using #fujixweekly on Instagram. Let me know in the comments if you like this project and what you think of this “Kodak BW400CN” film simulation recipe!

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Film Simulation Review: Light & Shadow with Ilford Delta Push-Process

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Chair & Pillow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Photography is about light. Without light there are no photographs. Great photographs require great light. What “great light” is depends on the picture and circumstance, and what’s great for one image might not be for another. Great light can be found anytime of the day or night if one looks hard enough for it.

This series of pictures demonstrate the play of light and shadow in an image. It features instances of bright highlights and deep shadows together. It’s the contrast between illumination and the absence of it. I needed a dramatic film simulation recipe to capture these pictures. I knew that it would need to be black-and-white because these pictures aren’t about color, but light and shadow. Color would only be a distraction to the point. But which black-and-white film simulation recipe should I choose?

There are several options for dramatic black-and-white that I could have chosen, including Dramatic Monochrome, Monochrome Kodachrome, Agfa Scala, Ilford HP5 Plus, Ilford HP5 Push-Process, X100F Acros, X-T30 Acros, Acros Push-Process, and Tri-X Push-Process. Any of those recipes would have worked, but each would have produced a different result. Some have more contrast, some less. Some have a greater dynamic range and others a more narrow. Some are brighter, some darker. Some have more grain and other less. I could have picked any of them and gotten interesting results, but I went with Ilford Delta Push-Process instead, partially because I had been using it for other pictures during this time. It turns out it was a good choice, because it seems to have the right contrast, tones and grain for this series. Sometimes luck plays a role. What I know now is that the Ilford Delta Push-Process recipe is a great option for dramatic light situations like these, and I will choose it again for similar situations in the future. I captured these pictures on a Fujifilm X-T30 with a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens attached to it.

Suburban Shadows – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Seat Back Shadow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Chair Details – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Girl Ghost – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Sunlight on the Kitchen Floor – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Don’t Step Into Darkness – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

[Not] My Fujifilm X-T30 Ilford Delta Push-Process Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Boy in a Chair with a Phone – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Ilford Delta Push-Process”

When I shot film, Ilford Delta was my go-to for black-and-white photography. Sure, I used other films, but Ilford Delta was what I most often loaded into my camera. For fine-grain, I used Delta 100. For situations other than bright daylight, or if I wanted more contrast and grittiness, I would choose Delta 400. For dim light, I would on a rare occasion use Delta 3200. Sometimes I would push-process the Delta 100 and Delta 400 a stop or two. I actually still have a couple rolls of Delta film sitting around, although I haven’t shot much film in the last few years. The last roll of Ilford Delta that I shot was Delta 3200.

Something that people might not be aware of is that Delta 3200 is actually not an ISO 3200 film, it’s actually rated at ISO 1000, but has “built-in” push-processing to ISO 3200 (labs know to increase the development time unless you specify otherwise). Ilford Delta films have a lot of latitude and flexibility. There’s a lot that one can do in the lab with any of the Ilford Delta films to customize the contrast and grain.

Fuji X Weekly reader K. Adam Christensen shared with me his film simulation recipe for Ilford Delta 3200, and I really like the way that his recipe looks. It’s a great black-and-white recipe! I made a couple of small tweaks to it, nothing big. Adam uses this recipe on his X100V, and he sets Grain to Large, which is an option on that camera, as well as the X-Pro3 and X-T4, but not on my X-T30. If I could set Grain to Large I would, as that would better mimic Delta 3200. Without it, perhaps these settings more resemble Delta 3200 shot and developed at ISO 1600. It reminds me of Delta 400 pushed one stop or maybe a stop and a half.

White House Beyond the Thistle – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Ilford Delta Push-Process”

I have the ISO on this recipe set at 12800, which makes it difficult (but not impossible) to use in daylight situations. It’s a little easier on X100 cameras that have a built-in neutral density filter. If you need to drop the ISO, you can go as low as ISO 3200 and still get good results, but for best results keep the ISO at 12800 as much as possible. All of the pictures in this article were shot at ISO 12800.

Monochrome (+Y, +R, +G)
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: 0
Shadow: +3
Grain: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Toning: 0
Sharpening: -3
Noise Reduction: -4
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
ISO 12800

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Ilford Delta Push-Process film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:

FED 5C & Industar 69 – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Phone Numbers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Girl, Smile – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Broccoli – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Faux Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Glass Bottles with Stems – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Flowers Waiting to Pot – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Potted Tulip – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

White Tulips at Night – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Outdoor Shelf – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Dirty Feet – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Roller Skating – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Skates – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Girl Outdoor – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Two Feet – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Chair Shadow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Blackberry Vine on Concrete – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Watering Plant – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Wet Handlebar – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Raindrops on a Window – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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My Fujifilm X-T30 Monochrome Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on March 16, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Light on the Wall – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Monochrome Kodachrome”

Kodachrome was a black-and-white film. No, really, it was! The color dyes were actually added during development. The process to develop Kodachrome color transparencies was complex and toxic. As demand for the film decreased and Kodak experienced financial troubles, both the film and the chemicals to develop it were discontinued. If you still have some undeveloped Kodachrome film sitting around, there’s absolutely no place in the world that can process it; that is, except as black-and-white negatives. It’s true: Kodachrome can be developed to this day as a black-and-white film!

While I think that this recipe does more-or-less mimic the look of Kodachrome developed as black-and-white, that’s not necessarily the intent of it. This recipe began as an experiment by Fuji X Weekly reader Thomas Schwab, who created the Urban Vintage Chrome recipe. He took my Vintage Kodachrome recipe and replaced the Classic Chrome film simulation with Acros, Monochrome and Sepia, and the results were quite interesting! I made a couple of minor adjustments to create this recipe. This is definitely a joint effort, and it wouldn’t exist without Thomas Schwab’s experiments and willingness to share the results. Thank you!

Window & Blinds – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Monochrome Kodachrome”

What I like about this Monochrome Kodachrome film simulation recipe is that it has a great film-like quality to it. This recipe pairs especially well with vintage lenses (I used an Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm for about half of these pictures). Even though it says “Fujifilm X-T30” in the title, it can be used on any X-Trans III & IV camera. You can also use this same recipe with the Monocrome+R film simulation, for a slightly different result.

Acros+R
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: -2
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: +1
Grain Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Toning: 0
White Balance: AWB, 0 Red & +9 Blue
ISO: Auto, ISO 3200 to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Monochrome Kodachrome film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:

Roman – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Cleaning Cart – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Fake Potted Plant – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Tree Shadow on a Brick Wall – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Small Bridge – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Rural Road – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Monochrome Mountain Landscape – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

B&W Reeds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Tennis Swing – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Engaged In Television – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Little Jo – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Hand Washing – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Faceless – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Muffins – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Pronto! – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Daylight Balanced – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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Fujifilm X-T1 (X-Trans II) Faded Monochrome Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on March 9, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Partially Illuminated – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1 “Faded Monochrome”

This is my Faded Monochrome recipe adapted for my Fujifilm X-T1. It will work on all X-Trans I & II and Bayer sensor cameras, just so long as it has a double-exposure mode (I think they all do, but I’m not 100% certain). You have to put the camera into double-exposure mode, capture the scene with the first exposure, and use the second exposure to photograph a medium-grey piece of paper (I used an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of construction paper). I prefer the second exposure to be out of focus. The first exposure should be slightly overexposed, perhaps by 1/3 to 2/3 stop, because the second exposure will decrease the contrast. The second exposure should be underexposed by at least 1 stop, and as many as 3 stops. How bright or dark the second exposure is will determine just how faded the picture will be. It requires some experimentation, but thankfully you get a real-time display of what the picture will look like and the opportunity for a do-over (simply select “Retry”). The look you get is similar to using a low-contrast filter when making black-and-white prints in the darkroom.

Monochrome
Dynamic Range: DR100
Highlight: +2 (High)
Shadow: +2 (High)
Sharpness: 0 (Medium)
Noise Reduction: -2 (Low)
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 3200

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Faded Monochrome recipe on my Fujifilm X-T1:

Thought – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

Girl Shadow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

Piano Hand – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

Piano Fingers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

Faded Lily – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

Flowers Fading – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

Bouquet – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

Wheelbarrow Monochrome – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

Gathering – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

Window Blinds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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My Fujifilm X-T30 Dramatic Monochrome Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on February 11, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

The Obscurity of Light – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Dramatic Monochrome”

A couple of weeks ago when I was discussing the possibility of Fujifilm creating a black-and-white only camera, something that I came to learn by accident is that the Monochrome film simulation is pretty darn good. On X-Trans III & IV cameras, I have always used the Acros film simulation because it is beautiful and has a film-like quality to it. But there’s something about the “old-fashioned” Monochrome film simulation that’s nice, as well. I had never made a Monochrome film simulation for X-Trans III & IV cameras, so I set out to do so.

At first I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted, so I decided that the best starting point was to revisit the iconic photographs of the great photographers from the 1930’s, ’40’s and ’50’s—people like Ansel Adams, Andre Kertesz, Robert Doisneau, Weegee, Pual Strand, Elliott Erwitt and others. I realized that I was drawn to the high-contrast pictures that these photographers had created. I wanted to create a recipe that mimics that look in-camera. These settings, which I call Dramatic Monochrome, are what resulted from that.

Francis Peak – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Dramatic Monochrome”

For those with X-Trans III sensors, which don’t have the Color Chrome Effect, you’ll get similar results, but it won’t be quite as dramatic. The difference isn’t very big, so don’t worry about it. I would consider using +2 for Sharpness on X-Trans III instead of +3. On X-Trans IV cameras, you could give a +1 toning for a subtle warm look, such as what would happen if you gave a print a quick Sepia bath.

Monochrome (+Y, +R, +G)
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +4
Grain: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Toning: 0
Sharpening: +3
Noise Reduction: -4
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
ISO: Auto up to ISO 12800

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Dramatic Monochrome film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:

Chair Near a Window – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Shadow Ware – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

White Pillow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Santa Fe – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Young Piano Hands – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Clouds Above The Snow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Wasatch Ridge Winter – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Lines In The Snow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Clouds Over The Frosted Hill – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

White Beyond Dark – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Frosted – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Darkness & Light – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

See also: Film Simulation Recipes

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Fujifilm Monochrome, Part 2

Posted on January 28, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

Dramatic Silver Mountain – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

In my last post I suggested that Fujifilm should make a monochrome camera like the Leica M10 Monochrom. I wasn’t planning to say anymore about it, but the response I received from that article compelled me to type out this one. The majority of those who replied, either in a comment under that post, via Instagram, or through email, said that they would consider buying a black-and-white-only camera if Fujifilm made one. Some of you had great ideas for it. There’s a chance that someone at Fujifilm reads Fuji X Weekly, so I’m writing this with that in mind.

I had suggested that, if Fujifilm did make a monochrome camera, it should either be in an X-Pro3 or X100V body, and they should call it “X-Pro3 Acros” or “X100V Acros” after their film and film simulation of the same name. It was pointed out to me that it doesn’t have to be in those bodies. It could be in a cheaper body, such as the X-T200, and since it doesn’t require any special sensor, just one without a color filter array, and would have a stripped down menu, the camera could potentially be made affordable. The less expensive the camera is, the more copies it will sell. Of all the body suggestions that I received, the X-E3 was the most popular choice for a monochrome camera by Fuji X Weekly readers.

Someone had an interesting idea for a feature on a monochrome camera: color filters. The X100F has a built-in neutral-density filter, so why couldn’t a monochrome camera have built-in yellow, red and green filters (and perhaps blue)? Click a button and the filter of choice is applied. That made me wonder: is it possible to have a color filter array that can be turned on and off? With the click of a button, perhaps the X-Pro4 can become a monochrome camera, and with another click it’s back to normal. That would be cool! It might be completely impossible, but I’m sure someone smarter than I can figure it out.

Bountiful Peak – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

The second largest response that I got from my last post, not far behind the “I want that” replies, is, “would a monochrome camera even produce better results than what I can already get with the Acros film simulation?” My initial response was, heck yes! You get a big bump in resolution. But then I was shown two different YouTube videos that do blind tests between the Leica M10 Monochrom and the Fujifilm X-T3 (here and here), and it changed my mind. I did the blind test in both videos, and I was surprised by the results. In the first blind test, which compares the Leica with the Fujifilm and a Sony A7 III, the author uses the Monochrome film simulation, and not Acros, on the X-T3. Even so, the camera that I blindly picked as I looked at the pictures was the Fujifilm. I watched the blind test part twice before making up my mind and viewing the reveal. In the second video, which compares the Leica against another Leica monochrome camera and the Fujifilm and actual film, the author uses both the Monochrome and Acros film simulations. There were five pictures to choose from, and a few looked very close so it was more difficult to pick a favorite. I was surprised that the one I picked was the X-T3 with the Monochrome film simulation. Again, I watched the blind test part twice before deciding and viewing the reveal.

I’m not sure how much stock one can put into YouTube videos, where it’s difficult to really appreciate the pictures. Even so, I made two conclusions: Fujifilm cameras are especially great for black-and-white photography and I need to shoot more with the Monochrome film simulation. I use Acros on my X-T30, but it’s about time that I create a recipe using the Monochrome film simulation, which is apparently better than I gave it credit for.

Would a Fujifilm monochrome camera be awesome? Yes, it would! Would it be better at black-and-white than your current Fujifilm camera? Probably, but not by a big margin, that’s for sure. Perhaps if you print very large, that’s when the monochrome camera would be advantageous. I would still buy one if Fujifilm made one, but it’s good to reaffirm that Fujifilm is already superb at black-and-white photography, and I’m not missing much by not owning a monochrome-only camera.

In closing, I’m very curious what your results are with the blind tests. If you watched the videos, please let me know in the comments what your results were. Which camera made the best black-and-white pictures in your opinion? Thanks!

Photoessay: Passing Through Nevada, Part 2: Monochrome

Posted on December 21, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Terrible Ford – Boulder City, NV – Fujifilm X-T30

Part 1: Color

I’ve passed through Nevada many times, often only stopping for gas or lunch. It never seems to be my destination. I’m headed somewhere else, and I have to go through the Silver State to get to where I’m going. While I have stayed longer than a few hours, most of the time I’m through Nevada so quickly that it’s easy to forget that I was ever there. The photographs in this article were captured during those times where I just passed through, and didn’t stay. In fact, many of them were captured from inside my car. I hope that you enjoy this set!

Plaza Hound – Las Vegas, NV – Fujifilm X-T30

I-15 Overpass – Las Vegas, NV – Fujifilm X100F

Chance of Rain – Las Vegas, NV – Fujifilm X-T30

Abstract Roof Lines – Las Vegas, NV – Fujifilm X-T30

Empty Hoppers – Las Vegas, NV – Fujifilm X-T30

Palm Shadow – Las Vegas, NV – Fujifilm X100F

Antelope Island State Park In B&W

Posted on February 28, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Brush Strokes Over The Great Salt Lake – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

The Great Salt Lake is the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River, the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere and the 33rd largest lake in the world. It’s massive! It can seem almost ocean-like, or perhaps more like a large ocean bay, but it is located far from any ocean. One difference between the Great Salt Lake and an ocean is that the lake is much saltier, and brine shrimp are the only thing alive in it. It is one of Utah’s natural wonders!

The largest island in the Great Salt Lake is Antelope Island, which is 15 miles long and five miles wide. The highest point, Frary Peak, is 6,594′, and is often snow-capped in the winter. It’s accessible by road via a causeway. Antelope Island is managed by the Utah State Park system.

Kit Carson and John C. Fremont, who visited Antelope Island in 1845, gave it its name after hunting pronghorn antelope on the island. Daddy Stump and Fielding Garr would build homes on Antelope Island over the next few years. This is a place that people have been coming to for a long time. In fact, there is evidence that native people have spent time on the island since at least the time of Christ.

Antelope Island seems like a world away from the Salt Lake City metro area, even though it is located very close to the city. It looks remote, and it must have been very remote before the road was built and the city grew. Interestingly enough, the oldest non-Native American structure in Utah is located on the island: an adobe ranch house built in 1848. The Fielding Garr Ranch was a working ranch from 1848 to 1981, and now the old ranch is open to the public for self-guided tours.

Wildlife abounds on Antelope Island, including buffalo, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, big horn sheep and many other animals. At one time the bison herd on Antelope Island was the largest in America. There are a huge variety of birds that migrate across the area.

The water is often calm and the reflections can be incredible. There are sandy beaches. There are trails that curve across the rugged landscape. There is a unique beauty to Antelope Island that draws me back. It’s one of my favorite places to photograph. But it’s also disgusting! There’s a certain “rotten egg” smell that can be found near the shores. There are tons and tons of bugs, including biting no-see-ums, brine flies (that cover the shore like a thick cloud), mosquitoes, tons of spiders (venomous and non-venomous), among other things. It’s pretty common to see dead birds. There’s plenty to love and hate about this place. I try to look beyond the gross to see the beauty.

Something interesting that I’ve discovered since moving to the Salt Lake City area almost three years ago is that most people who grew up in Utah don’t visit Antelope Island. Maybe they went on a school field trip as a kid, but they haven’t been back since. The majority of people you find on the island are from out-of-town. The locals who do visit are often those that moved to the area from someplace else. It’s too bad for those who don’t make the short trip to the island, because they’re really missing out!

Antelope Island is incredibly beautiful and tranquil. It is indeed odd, and one has to purposefully look beyond the negative aspects of the place to truly appreciate it. I feel like it is a secret treasure that is easily overlooked, and I feel honored to have found it and photographed it.

Frary Fence – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Coming Storm – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3

Island Beach View – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

White Rock Bay Vista – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3

Bush In The Crag – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3

Clouds Over The Great Salt Lake – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

White Rock Bay – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Land & Lake Layers – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Promontory Peninsula – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Sunlight Falling On The Salty Water – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Light Streaming Over Antelope Island – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

Wasatch Mountains From The Causeway – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

Frary Peak Reflected – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

Deer Statue – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

Old Salty Stump – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

Frozen Stump – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Ice, Lake & Mountains – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

Cracked Earth – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Buffalo Snow – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Bison In The Road – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

Area Closed For Bison – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

One Buffalo – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3

Pulling Hard – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Park Patrol – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

On The Fence – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

State Park Workday – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Waiting Game – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Leather Gloves – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Circle Hashtag – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

Fielding Garr Ranch Fence – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

Empty Marina – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

Boys Playing In The Great Salt Lake – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

Pollution – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20