Nostalgia Color recipe | FUJI X WEEKLY

Nostalgia Negative — My First Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe!!

*Lynx Lake Overlook* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – “Nostalgia Negative”

I spent $1,700 to get the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation. When I tried out-of-the-box default Nostalgic Neg., I was initially disappointed. It didn’t seem like anything special, or even particularly nostalgic. After a closer look, I saw the potential. The Nostalgic Neg. film simulation is like a cross between Eterna and Classic Chrome. It has soft tonalities in the shadows like Eterna, and warm colors are similar to Eterna, but with contrast and an overall palette more similar to Classic Chrome. There are some aspects that aren’t necessarily like either Eterna or Classic Chrome, but, for the most part, if Eterna and Classic Chrome had a baby, it would be Nostalgic Neg.

For this first Fujifilm X-Trans V Film Simulation Recipe, I wasn’t trying to emulate any specific film or process. I just wanted something that looked good. I simply attempted to create a better Nostalgic Neg., something that I would like shooting with. I hoped that perhaps it would even evoke feelings of nostalgia—that’s why I call this recipe Nostalgia Negative—and it would produce a vintage analog-like aesthetic. I think it does.

I really like this recipe for daylight situations. It does quite well in both midday and golden hour light. It’s pretty decent in shade, too. It’s not particularly well suited for indoor artificial light or nighttime photography, so I would avoid it for that. Otherwise, use it for landscapes, portraits, urban—it will look good for pretty much any genre of photography. I think this will be an instant favorite recipe for those with the latest cameras. Because this recipe uses Clarity, you cannot use the HEIF format, because HEIF disables Clarity. Also, for those who aren’t aware, Clarity causes the camera to pause briefly after each shot, similar to the amount of time it takes to advance to the next frame of film on an analog camera. I have Smooth Skin Effect Off, but I’m sure it’s fine if you enable it, either Weak or Strong, if you prefer.

*Two Ducks* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – “Nostalgia Negative”

This Nostalgia Negative Film Simulation Recipe is only compatible with (as of this writing) the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2S. I assume that the GFX100S and GFX50S II can also use this recipe, but that it will render slightly different—I don’t have either of those cameras to test it to know for certain. Unless Fujifilm gives X-Trans IV cameras this film simulation, which I highly doubt that they will, this recipe is only for X-Trans V, and maybe the latest GFX, too; however, my Nostalgic Negative recipe for X-Trans IV cameras is actually not too far off from the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, so you might appreciate using that recipe while you wait to get a camera with the new film simulation.

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

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this new “Nostalgia Negative” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

*Blue Tree* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Lake Log* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Caution: Nature* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Believer* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*CVS Obscured* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

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

*The Burmister* – Prescott, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Dusk Blazer* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Spiderweb Rocks* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Don’t Shoot* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Golden Light Chair* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Lake Rocks* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Log on the Lake* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Brush Above the Water* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Private Dock* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*PFG Boy* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Amanda* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Forest Abstract* – Lynx Lake, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Last Light on the Desert Mountain Ridge* – 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!

Creative Collective 029: Cheap LoFi Pancake For Digital Lomo Photography

Posted on September 22, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*Fujifilm X-E4 with Xuan Focus Free 30mm F/10 Body Cap Lens*

With film photography, there are more-or-less two groups: those who used rangefinders, SLRs, TLRs, etc., and those who used cheap point-and-shoots and disposable cameras. Generally speaking, pros and hobbyists used SLRs, while novices who didn’t have much interest in photography primary used point-and-shoots (my parents’ and grandparents’ photo albums are full of these pictures). Of course, there are always exceptions, such as the novice who insisted on using their SLR despite not understanding how it worked, or the artist who used cheap gear for artistic effect.

As you probably know, I like to create approximations of classic analog looks on Fujifilm cameras with Film Simulation Recipes. Much of the time, the facsimile aesthetic is based on film shot on SLRs, etc., but occasionally I like to replicate the look of cheaper gear, such as disposable cameras, Holga, pinhole, 126, light leaks, etc.. I do crazy things occasionally—like when I distressed a camera or when I used tiny lenses—so I’m not afraid to try something that’s a bit unconventional. In the case of this article, it’s the Xuan Focus Free 30mm f/10 Body Cap Lens.

*Rain, Not Rhein* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Xuan 30mm – “Nostalgia Color“

What is the Xuan Focus Free 30mm f/10 Body Cap Lens, you ask? Well, someone took a cheap third-party Fujifilm body cap, drilled a hole in it, and attached (via glue) a recycled 30mm f/10 lens from a Kodak Funsaver disposable camera. They’re selling them for $26 each. You can actually do this yourself without too much trouble, but for such a cheap price (and with free next-day delivery), it made sense to go the easy route.

The reason why it’s called a “focus free” lens is because it’s pre-focused, and you cannot adjust it (nor can the aperture be changed). I don’t think the distance from the lens to the sensor on my Fujifilm X-E4 is exactly the same as the lens to the film on a disposable camera, so the focus point is slightly different. Xuan claims that from roughly 5′ to infinity is in focus, but that’s not my experience. I believe the focus point is set to about 11′, and the depth-of-field is more like 6.5′ to 37′, and 8′ to 15′ seems to be the sharpest zone.

*Bougainvillea Day* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 + Xuan 30mm – “Nostalgia Color”

If you want to shoot with a pancake lens on your Fujifilm X camera, your options are limited. You have options—some excellent options, in fact—but only a handful in total. The Xuan Focus Free 30mm F/10 Body Cap Lens is another pancake choice, but is it good? Is it even worth $26? I used this lens recently on my X-E4, attempting to capture beautiful LoFi pictures—more resembling those found in picture albums, and less like those printing in magazines and hanging on gallery walls. How was my experience? What do I think of the Xuan 30mm lens? Read on to find out!

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

Xuan 30mm Amazon

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you join the Fuji X Weekly Creative Collective today! Click here to find out more.