I’m always fascinated by which Film Simulation Recipes you are using. I get a glimpse on social media, but my best gauge is the website statistics; specifically, which Recipe articles are viewed the most. Two months ago I shared with you the Top 10 most viewed Recipe articles of 2022 plus the most viewed through the first two months of 2023, and I was surprised by a couple of the rankings. Looking at this two months later, I’m once again surprised by a few things, and not so much by most of it.
So far in 2023, seven of the ten—including the Top 3—Film Simulation Recipes are for X-Trans IV camera. From the data I have, the majority of people who shoot with Recipes are doing so on X-Trans IV models. Kodachrome 64 remains king of Recipes, Kodak Portra 400 v2 is a close second, and Kodak Portra 400 is solidly third. Vintage Kodak and Classic Chrome (the original Fuji X Weekly Recipe), which are both for X-Trans III cameras (plus the X-T3 and X-T30), hold the fourth and fifth spots. Kodak Tri-X 400, the only B&W Recipe on this list, is sixth. Those first half-dozen are all identical rankings to 2022.
Kodak Ultramax 400 didn’t make last year’s Top 10 list, but it did rank number seven through the first two months of this year, and it continues to hold that through April. The X-Trans III version of Kodachrome II dropped one spot, while the X-Trans IV version moved out of the Top 10 completely. Pacific Blues didn’t make the Top 10 last year, but is number nine so far in 2023, up one spot from two months ago. Reggie’s Portra also didn’t make the Top 10 last year, but now holds the last spot, down one from two months ago, switching places with Pacific Blues. Kodak Ektar 100 and Nostalgic Negative both fell out of the Top 10.
10 Most Viewed Film Simulation Recipes of 2023 (…so far)
Now let’s look at April-only. How did the Film Simulation Recipes rank during those 30 days?
The big surprise is that Vibrant Arizona is number two. It’s a little complicated, because that article actually includes four Recipes—two for X-Trans IV and two for X-Trans V. Even though I published it only nine days ago, the Vibrant Arizona Recipe, which is intended to produce a Wes Anderson aesthetic, is being used a heck-of-a-lot right now! The only other surprises are that Pacific Blues moved up to number eight, while Kodak Tri-X 400 fell two spots to number nine and Kodachrome II fell two spots all the way to the bottom. The first seven Recipes, plus the last one, all use the Classic Chrome film sim, which is Fujifilm’s most popular.
Rocky Hill in the Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1
I asked OpenAI’s ChatGPT to make a Film Simulation Recipe to mimic the look of Kodachrome X slide film. This wasn’t the first time that I attempted to use ChatGPT to make a Recipe for Fujifilm cameras… you might recall that the Urban Dreams Film Simulation Recipe was made by ChatGPT, and by chance it has some resemblance to Kodachrome 200. I learned a lot about the AI’s ability (or is it inability?) to make Recipes, so I decided to try again just for the fun of it.
Kodak introduced Kodachrome—a color transparency film, and the world’s first commercially successful color film—in 1935. Kodachrome X was in the second era of the emulsion, sold between 1962 and 1973. It was replaced by Kodachrome 64, which was discontinued in 2009. Today you cannot buy Kodachrome, and even if you found some old rolls of the film, you cannot even get it developed. Shooting with a facsimile Film Simulation Recipe on Fujifilm cameras is a great way to experience some of these old emulsions that no longer exist, such as Kodachrome X.
Here’s a YouTube video I made documenting the experience!
My opinion is that ChatGPT’s Recipe is much too vibrant to mimic Kodachrome X. While the film was richly vibrant for its time, no emulsion in the 1960’s was that colorful. Today it would be described more as true-to-life. There are also other issues I take with the settings that the AI chose, so I don’t think it did well at mimicking Kodachrome; however, that doesn’t mean the settings (by chance) don’t look nice.
ChatGPT’s Kodachrome X Recipe
My Kodachrome II v2 Recipe
After examining the ChatGPT Recipe, I decided that it reminds me a lot of Kodak Ektachrome E100VS. There have been over 40 different emulsions that carried the Ektachrome name over the years—each with their own unique look—and E100VS was just one. Kodak introduced this film in 1999 and discontinued it in 2012. Ektachrome E100VS was Kodak’s best attempt at Velvia, and was their most vibrant emulsion. The “VS” in the name meant Vividly Saturated. While it was similar to Velvia, it wasn’t identical—the warmth of the film was the most obvious difference—and many photographers preferred Fujifilm’s Velvia over Kodak’s Ektachrome E100VS. Still, at the pinnacle of the film era, it was a popular choice for landscape photographers wanting a boost in vibrancy.
I noticed with AI generated Film Simulation Recipes that most of the time it chooses Auto White Balance, Grain Strong, and stays within -2 to +2 on all of the settings; my experience is that it only occasionally strays from that. It also seems to always leave some necessary settings out, and you have to ask it to add those. Of course, no film has Auto White Balance—most are Daylight (around 5500K), and some are Tungsten (around 3200K). While it is amazing that ChatGPT can produce a Recipe for Fujifilm cameras, if it looks good or not—and if it truly produces the aesthetic that you asked for—is more by chance than skill. Also, it doesn’t like to cite its sources, which is just wrong in my opinion.
While it tried and failed to resemble 1960’s era Kodachrome, I still liked the look produced by ChatGPT’s Kodachrome X Film Simulation Recipe. Since it has some similarities to Kodak Ektachrome E100VS color transparency film, I renamed it after that emulsion. I also refined the settings to more closely resemble the film, and am including that as a second Recipe, which I call Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2. So v1 is ChatGPT’s Recipe, and v2 is my modified alternative.
I shot a number of rolls of Ektachrome E100VS back in my film days. Most of these pictures are stored away in little yellow boxes, but a few images have been scanned. Obviously, the scanner—and especially the quality of the scan—has an impact on the photo rendering. The four images below are some real Kodak Ektachrome E100VS frames that I shot many years ago. None of these are high-quality scans, and for that I apologize, and I hope you can overlook that aspect of the pictures. Also, it’s important to state that they all look significantly more impressive when viewed on a light table or especially from a slide projector.
Actual Kodak Ektachrome E100VS film
Actual Kodak Ektachrome E100VS film
Actual Kodak Ektachrome E100VS film
Actual Kodak Ektachrome E100VS film
How the film was shot had a significant impact on the look. For deeper blues and reds, one should underexpose the film slightly. For cyan sky and brighter (and warmer) colors, one should overexpose slightly. Of course, you had to be careful, because the film—like most slide films—had a narrow dynamic range, and there wasn’t much room for error either direction. These two Film Simulation Recipes behave similarly, although I believe v2 a little more so than v1.
Without further ado, here are the two Kodak Ektachrome E100VS Film Simulation Recipes!
Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1
ChatGPT Recipe for Kodachrome X
Beef Franks – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Ektachrome E100VS v1
This is the Recipe that ChatGPT created to mimic Kodachrome X, but it looks more like Kodak Ektachrome E100VS. It produces vivid colors similar to—but more warm and slightly less vibrant than—Velvia film. For darker blues and deeper reds, use a lower exposure compensation, and for lighter blues and brighter/warmer colors, use a higher exposure compensation. Because it uses Auto White Balance and DR400, you’ll find it to be quite versatile; however, the rendering is clearly “wrong” in some situations.
The Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 Film Simulation Recipe is fully compatible with X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2s, as well as “newer” X-Trans IV cameras, which include the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. You can use this Recipe on newer GFX cameras; however, it will render slightly differently (but try it anyway!). For the X-T3 and X-T30 (plus older GFX), you’ll have to ignore Color Chrome FX Blue, Grain size, and Clarity (since your camera doesn’t have those options), so it will definitely look a little different, but you might like it nonetheless; for X-Trans III, you’ll have to additionally ignore Color Chrome Effect.
Film Simulation: Velvia Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -2 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +1 Shadow: +1 Color: +2 Sharpness: +1 High ISO NR: -2 Clarity: +1 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Suburban Arches – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red, Green & Yellow – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pink Blossom in Spring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Boy in a Red Hat – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Saguaro & Abandoned Building – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Agave at the Mine – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spiderweb Among Thorns – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Yellow Flowers Behind Cactus – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Cactus Vailed by Sunlight – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Little Purple Wildflowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Veiled Cactus – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Spring in the Shade – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Shaded Bristlebush Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2
Fuji X Weekly Recipe
Unexpected X – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2
This version of Kodak Ektachrome E100VS is my modification to better mimic the film. It’s not too divergent—only slightly dissimilar—since it’s simply a modification of the AI Recipe, and not made from scratch. Because it uses more of a daylight-balanced Kelvin White Balance and DR200, it’s not quite as versatile as v1, and you have to be a little more careful of the light situation you are shooting in and pay closer attention to the highlights to avoid clipping. Sometimes it’s not completely correct, but I think in the “right” conditions it can be quite convincing—nearly identical to some slides I have.
The Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2 Film Simulation Recipe is fully compatible with X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2s, as well as “newer” X-Trans IV cameras, which include the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. Unfortunately, it is not compatible with the X-T3, X-T30, X-Pro3, or X100V. You can use this Recipe on newer GFX cameras; however, it will render slightly differently (but try it anyway!).
Film Simulation: Velvia Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: 5150K, +3 Red & -3 Blue Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: +1.5 Shadow: +0.5 Color: +1 Sharpness: -1 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: +3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5 and X-E4:
Americana Home – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Sky Behind Trees – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Boy in a Red Hat 2 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Abunda la Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Garden Apex – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bright Backyard Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Shaded Oleander Blooms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Reddish Orange Cactus Flower – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
White Paper Flowers – Beckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Hill through Palo Verde – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Little Pops of Purple – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Purple Spring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bunch of Yellow Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Red Airplane – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunset in Suburbia – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Comparison
In the three examples above, Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 is on the left (revealed by moving the slider right), and Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v2 is on the right (revealed by moving the slider left).
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
As a bonus, I asked OpenAI’s DALL-E 2 AI image creator to show me what ChatGPT creating Film Simulation Recipes looks like. The results? Awful, but also kind of funny! I tried rewording the request several different ways in hopes of getting a better image, but it never really got any better.
Here are a few:
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When I first watched the trailer for the upcoming Wes Anderson movie Asteroid City, I thought perhaps it might be possible to mimic the aesthetic on my Fujifilm X-T5; however, I quickly realized that it’s not possible straight-out-of-camera. The movie has an orange and teal look, and I’ve tried unsuccessfully for years to achieve that on Fujifilm. In order to get orange and teal, the White Balance Shift requires plus red for orange and minus red for teal; it’s not possible to do both, so you must decide which one you want: orange or teal? After a few hours of unsuccessfully trying to get the settings right, I gave up.
Then I saw your pictures on Instagram. Specifically, there were photos captured using the Bright Summer, Bright Kodak, Kodak Portra 400 Warm, and Pacific BluesFilm Simulation Recipes that had some Wes Anderson vibes to them, which convinced me to try again. I directly compared those four Recipes to Asteroid City screenshots, and decided that Bright Summer and Bright Kodak were the closest; however, none of them were quite right. So I set out to get a little closer—as close as I could—knowing that I wouldn’t be able to achieve a perfect match, but I hoped it would be similar enough that at a cursory glance it would pass for Asteroid City.
Popeyes – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vibrant Arizona Recipe
Knowing that most of you don’t have an X-Trans V camera, I made a version for X-Trans IV models, too, since the majority of those who shoot with Recipes do so on X-Trans IV cameras. Also, I figured that some of you won’t be satisfied with the results, and are after an even closer facsimile of Asteroid City, so I have some advice for that, too, a little further down, but it does require a small amount of post-editing with Capture One.
While attempting to mimic Asteroid City, I was inspired by another Wes Anderson film: The French Dispatch, specifically, the indoor scenes of the newspaper office, so I made Film Simulation Recipes for that, too—one for X-Trans V and another for X-Trans IV. I don’t know what the light situation was exactly in those scenes, so I don’t know if it would render similarly under identical light, but it does produce convincing results in certain artificial and mixed light scenarios.
If you are after a Wes Anderson look, check out the four Film Simulation Recipes below!
Vibrant Arizona (X-Trans V)
Look that Way – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Vibrant Arizona Recipe
The Vibrant Arizona Film Simulation Recipe can be characterized as bright, colorful, and warm, yet still classic-analog-like, with some similarities to overexposed Kodak negative film. While not an exact match, I’m confident that it is as close as you’re going to get to an Asteroid City aesthetic straight-out-of-camera. The movie takes place in a fictional northern-Arizona town (although it was filmed in Spain, apparently), so that is why I’m calling it Vibrant Arizona.
An important note is that this Recipe uses D-Range Priority (a.k.a. DR-P), which takes the place of Dynamic Range and the Tone Curve (Highlight and Shadow). I don’t have a lot of Film Simulation Recipes which utilize D-Range Priority, but there are a few, including Pulled Fujicolor Superia, Scanned Superia, and Portra-Style, the last of which has some similarities to Vibrant Arizona.
This particular Recipe is for X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2s. For best results, use in sunny daylight. I shot in both the 3:2 and 16:9 aspect ratios, and preferred the latter for a more cinematic feel.
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: 4350K, +6 Red & -8 Blue Dynamic Range: DR-P Strong Color: +4 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to + 1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Vibrant Arizona Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Backyard Spring – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spring or Fall? – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Star – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Ocotillo & Saguaro – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Palo Verde on Rocks – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rocks & Vista – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Arizona View – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Girl with a Camera – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Contemplation – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Over There – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Please Let Me Get Back to Playing – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Neil’s – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Deere in the Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Apartment Palm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sonoran Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
The Yellow Desert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
A Cactus Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Main Fountain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Vibrant Arizona (X-Trans IV)
Red Light – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Vibrant Arizona Recipe
Because X-Trans V cameras render blue more deeply on some film simulations, the X-Trans IV version of this Recipe calls for Color Chrome FX Blue to be set to Strong instead of Weak, and is otherwise identical. This Vibrant Arizona Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. For the X-T3 and X-T30, you can ignore Grain size and Color Chrome FX Blue (since your camera doesn’t have those options), and use a 1/4 Black Pro Mist or 10% CineBloom diffusion filter in lieu of Clarity; however, it will look slightly different. For newer GFX models… I’m not sure if you should use this version or the X-Trans V version, but one of the two should work well on your camera—try them both, and see which you prefer.
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: 4350K, +6 Red & -8 Blue Dynamic Range: DR-P Strong Color: +4 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to + 1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Vibrant Arizona Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Bird in a Palm – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Green Sign – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Two Palm Building – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Indicative? – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Spring or Autumn? – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Caged – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea Branch Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Pink & Yellow – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bougainvillea Garden – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Green Meets Red – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Asteroid City Edit
Asteroid City Edit
If you aren’t satisfied with how well the Vibrant Arizona Film Simulation Recipe matches Asteroid City, there is a quick and easy Capture One edit that will make your pictures even closer to the aesthetic of the motion picture film. Simply import your straight-out-of-camera JPEGs (not the RAW!) into Capture One, find the Basic Color Editor, and make these adjustments:
Cyan Hue -30 Lightness -20
Blue Hue -20 Saturation +50
Those are the adjustments that I made to the picture above plus the five images below. You might have to stray from the above settings and modify the exact parameters, just depending on the photographs, but for these six, I followed them precisely and made no other changes. With this edit, the pictures are pretty convincing, and there’s no doubt that we’re mimicking Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City. Even though this will get you closer to the movie aesthetic, I personally prefer the unedited versions.
There was a moment while creating the above Recipes that I became particularly frustrated with the process, so I took a break, and instead worked on a different Wes Anderson look. I was inspired by the indoor scenes inside the newspaper office in the movie The French Dispatch, so I began working on a Film Simulation Recipe to mimic that aesthetic. The look is warm when shot in warm light, with somewhat muted colors and low contrast. This is a much different aesthetic than Asteroid City, but it is another Wes Anderson film that’s popular right now.
While the movie takes place in a fictional French town, it was filmed in the real town of Angouleme, which apparently (and appropriately) is known as the City of the Image. While these Recipes look quite interesting in outdoor daylight situations, they are intended for artificial and mixed indoor lighting, which is where they really shine. That’s why I’ve named the two Film Simulation Recipes below Indoor Angouleme. Although none of the movie was filmed in the 16:9 aspect ratio, I used it for these Recipes, but feel free to use whichever aspect ratio you prefer.
Indoor Angouleme (X-Trans V)
Red Chair – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Indoor Angouleme Recipe
This version of the Indoor Angouleme Film Simulation Recipe uses the new Nostalgic Neg. film simulation. It also utilizes the Auto Ambience Priority White Balance, which I’ve only used once before (on the Ektachrome 320T Recipe). Indoor Angouleme is compatible with X-Trans V cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2s. Those with newer GFX cameras can use it, too; however, it will likely render slightly differently.
Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg. Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: Auto Ambience Priority, -2 Red & -6 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -2 Shadow: -2 Color: -1 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Indoor Angouleme Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Dessert – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Nutmeg – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Iced or Hot? – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pumps – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mmmm – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Tea Cup – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Artist at Work – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Making Salad – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Joshua in Front of a Curtain – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spectacular Suburban Sunset – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Pergola Corner – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Roof Ridge – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sun Peeking Behind Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Big Bloom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
A Pink Rose – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Indoor Angouleme (X-Trans IV)
Water, Fish, and View – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – Indoor Angouleme Recipe
The Nostalgic Neg. film sim is somewhat similar to Eterna, and can sometimes be closely mimicked with it. Since X-Trans IV models don’t have Nostalgic Neg., I used Eterna instead. While this version isn’t 100% identical to the X-Trans V Recipe, it is pretty close overall, and retains the same feel.
This version of Indoor Angouleme is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. To use it on the X-T3 and X-T30, ignore Color Chrome FX Blue and Grain size (since your camera doesn’t have those options), select regular AWB (since your camera doesn’t have the Ambience option), and use a 1/4 Black Pro Mist or 10% CineBloom diffusion filter in lieu of Clarity; however, it will look slightly different.
Film Simulation: Eterna Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: Auto Ambience Priority, -1 Red & -6 Blue Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: -1 Shadow: -1 Color: +4 Sharpness: -2 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 Indoor Angouleme Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Tabletop Succulent – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Bookshelf Plant – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Sugar & Creamer – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
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Neutral Density filters, more commonly called ND filters, are very useful. It’s worthwhile to have at least one ND filter available for your photography. Maybe you don’t know which one (or ones) to own and why you’d use it. I recently got some ND filters, and perhaps my story will be helpful to you.
In my How to get Filmic Photographs from your iPhone article I explained that my wife has a Sandmarc case for her iPhone 13 Pro. I thought she’d also appreciate some ND filters for her phone, since she uses it regularly for videography, so I got her three Sandmarc ND filters that can attach to her iPhone case. You see, ND filters are common in cinematography because you want a shutter speed close to the frames-per-second you’re recording in order to avoid jutter (a.k.a. stutter or choppy) when panning or whenever there is movement. Getting a slow enough shutter speed in bright conditions can be difficult without an ND filter. Unfortunately, the ND filters didn’t really work out with her iPhone workflow, so they initially went unused. Not wanting to let the filters go to waste, I reimagined how they could be utilized, and I figured out how to make them work for me. Now I see them as an essential tool for my photography!
Before I get to the filters, I want to briefly talk about one other Sandmarc item I have: iPhone Tripod, Compact Edition. This was also for my wife, but she doesn’t use it often—only occasionally—so I borrow it regularly, except that I use it with my Fujifilm cameras and not my phone. I need a small tripod for my desk when I do the SOOC Live broadcasts, but the one I’ve owned for years kind of sucks and just barely works; however, with Season 3, I began using the Sandmarc tripod, and it is so much better—perfect for the job! I also discovered that it’s great for travel because it folds up very small and doesn’t take up much space (about 8.5 inches). The tripod only expands to a little taller than two feet, but it is sturdy enough to hold my X-T5 with a lens as large as the Fujinon 90mm, so for occasional casual use—which is all I ever use tripods for in my photography—it is just fine. Since getting it, the Sandmarc tripod has become my most-used. I don’t think that it’s intended for “real” cameras like the Fujifilm X-T5, but that’s what I use it for, and it works great. I bring this up because tripods are closely associate with ND filters.
Neutral Density filters block the amount of light entering the lens, which allows for slower shutter speeds. Why would you want to do this? I already mentioned that in cinematography, slowing the shutter can reduce juttering. In still photography, slowing down the shutter allows you to show motion by way of blurring moving things, and it allows for high-ISO photography in bright conditions.
Sandmarc’s iPhone ND filters come in a pack of three: ND16, ND32, and ND64. The ND16 reduces light by four stops, the ND32 reduces by five stops, and the ND64 reduces by six stops. I most commonly use the ND16, but for longer exposures, the other two certainly come in handy. Did I mention that Sandmarc’s ND filters are also polarized? They are! Polarizers reduce glare and haze, which can be particularly useful when photographing water. Pretty cool, eh?
So if these ND filters are made for iPhones, how am I using them on my Fujifilm cameras? Technically, I’m not using them on my camera, I’m attaching them to my Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 lens. The ND filters have 40.5mm threads, and the 27mm lens accepts 39mm threads, so I purchased a cheap Rise 39mm-40.5mm step-up ring, which allows me to use the Sandmarc ND filters on my Fujinon lens. It works like a charm!
There are three ways in which I’ve integrated ND filters into my photography: slow shutter with a tripod, slow shutter without a tripod, and high-ISO in daylight. I’ll briefly explain each below.
The classic way ND filters are used for still photography is with a tripod. By utilizing a slow shutter speed, things within the frame that are moving will become a blur. Waterfalls are probably the most common subject for this technique, where water appears to be a streak of blur or even a mist if the exposure is long enough. Typically, a maximum shutter speed of 1/15 is required for blurring the subject, but there are a few factors—lens focal length, speed and distance of the subject, desired blur—that could affect the necessary shutter speed, either faster or slower. The longer the shutter is open, the more blur you will get. Because you want everything that’s not moving to be sharp, a tripod is required for this technique.
Who says that pictures have to be sharp? Maybe you want everything in the frame to be blurry! For this, you simply remove the tripod and use a slow shutter while the camera is handheld. Panning is one example of this. Using a slow shutter speed without a tripod is probably the most difficult ND filter technique, but there is a lot of opportunity for creativity, which means there is potential for dramatic or interesting photographs. The longer the exposure the more difficult this technique is—unless you’re really going for abstract art—so be careful not to set the shutter too slow.
ISO 25600, f/2.8, 1/350 — Ilford HP5 Plus 400 Push ProcessRecipe
You might think that purposefully setting a high-ISO in bright daylight is a weird thing to do. The general advice given since the beginning of photography is to use the lowest ISO that you can get away with. If you can use ISO 200, use ISO 200. If you need to bump it up to ISO 400 because the light is dimmer, use ISO 400. Only use ISO 800 if you have to. And ISO 1600 should be used with extreme caution. ISOs higher than that are for emergency purposes only. But is that still good advice? In my opinion, Fujifilm cameras are excellent at high-ISO because—thanks to the X-Trans sensor and processor—they better control the aesthetic of digital noise, rendering it more like film grain. In other words, purposefully using high-ISOs can produce a more analog-like result. Some of my Film Simulation Recipes actually require ultra-high ISOs, and using them in bright daylight can be difficult; however, ND filters make it much more practical. My X100V has a built-in ND filter, but my other Fujifilm cameras do not; ND filters have opened up the opportunity to use these high-ISO Recipes in situations that would be much more difficult otherwise—this is how I’m most often using my Sandmarc ND filters.
Note: the top four pictures were captured with a Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 35mm f/2; images 1, 2 & 4 are Pacific Blues and image 3 is Kodak Portra 400 v2. The other pictures were captured using my Fujifilm X-T5 & Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 with a Sandmarc ND filter attached.
Vibrant Flowerbed – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia Recipe
April showers bring May flowers, as the saying goes. Yes, it’s wildflower season already, and if you are not sure which Film Simulation Recipe to program into your Fujifilm camera to capture the colorful spectacle, this article should help with that. No matter which Fujifilm X-Trans camera you have, there’s a Recipe for you to try today!
This is far from a comprehensive list of Film Simulation Recipes that will work well for photographing spring blossoms. There are nearly 300 Recipes, and most of them could be a good choice, depending on the exact subject, lighting, and your style. This list is simply a selection of the ones that I personally like and can recommend to you. Feel free to try other Recipes not included in the list below. If I didn’t include your favorite Recipes for photographing spring flowers, let me know in the comments because I’d love to hear which ones you use. If you are not sure which Film Simulation Recipe to try, these recommendations should get you started.
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” frame 18 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
I shot a 36-exposure roll of Fujichrome Fortia 50 on my Fujifilm X100V.
Right now you are thinking one of a few things. What is Fujichrome Fortia 50?Fortia was discontinued a long time ago, and is well expired now and difficult to find.Anyway, you can’t shoot film in a Fujifilm X100V!There’s not a Fujichrome Fortia 50 Film Simulation Recipe, is there? All of that and more will be explained in this article!
Note: This was a Creative Collective article, but now it’s available to everyone.
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 5 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
Fujifilm made Fujichrome Fortia 50 color reversal (slide) film from 2004 to 2007, and was only available in Japan (although it did manage to slip out of the country). It was their highest saturation emulsion, even more wild than Velvia 50!
An urban legend says that someone at Fujifilm messed up a batch of Velvia 50; when it didn’t pass quality control, instead of tossing it into the trash, Fujifilm decided to package it as a new film—Fujichrome Fortia 50—and sell it during the Japanese cherry blossoms when photographers might want an extra boost in color vibrancy. It was a hit! So they brought it back the next three years during the cherry blossom season; however, it was sold under the name Fujichrome Fortia SP 50 (SP might mean “SPecial” or “Saturated Palette” or something like that). This new run of Fortia was a little different than the original, presumably because the first one was a complete accident, and the second was an attempt to recreate that accident. While Fortia was discontinued in 2007, apparently there was enough supply that it could be found fairly easily in 2008. If you are lucky to find an unexposed roll today, it will be well past the expiration date and I’m sure very expensive. If you don’t know what Fortia looks like, click here, here, and here to get an idea.
Fujifilm doesn’t have a Fortia film simulation in their cameras. The closest is Velvia, and if you go wild with it, such as The Rockwell Film Simulation Recipe, you can approach but not quite reach a Fortia look. It’s not possible to truly get a Fujichrome Fortia 50 aesthetic from your Fujifilm camera. Or is it?
The Rockwell is left, revealed by moving the slider right; Pop Color (a.k.a. Fortia) is right, revealed by moving the slider left — frame 20
Most Fujifilm cameras have what they call “Advanced Filters” which aren’t really advanced, but are instead kind of gimmicky. I’ve used Toy Camera, High Key and Low Key. They’re ok, but not something that I would choose often. There’s another that’s called Pop Color, which I never paid much attention to, until recently. Fujifilm claims that Pop Color “emphasizes contrast and color saturation.” If you want to learn more about Advanced Filters, Fujifilm has a video that you can watch about this topic.
Fortia 50 is like Velvia 50 on steroids; Pop Color is like the Velvia film sim on steroids—is Pop Color basically a built-in Fortia film simulation? Actually, yes! It’s not a perfect replication, but it’s not all that far off, either. Unfortunately, you cannot customize any aspect of Pop Color, so it’s not possible to add Weak/Small Grain, for example, or Color Chrome Effect. You get what you get, but (fortunately) what you get is actually kind of good if you are after wild colors. The best part is that it doesn’t use up a C1-C7 Custom Preset, so you can use the Pop Color Advanced Filter as a bonus option in addition to whatever Film Simulation Recipes that you have programmed.
Recently I shot 36 exposures (simulating a roll of film) of Fujichrome Fortia 50—I mean, Pop Color—on my Fujifilm X100V. Below are some of the pictures:
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 1 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 4 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 7 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 8 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 9 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 13 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 16 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 23 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 24 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 25 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 26 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 29 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 30 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 31 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 32 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 34 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 35 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
“Fujichrome Fortia 50” Frame 36 of 36 — Fujifilm X100V
If the Velvia film simulation isn’t quite vibrant enough for you, Pop Color might just be a solid solution. If you have C1-C7 already set with your favorites, but want a colorful 8th option, give Pop Color a try. It’s not as gimmicky as I thought it would be, and (surprisingly) the results retain an analog soul despite not being a Film Simulation Recipe. I don’t think Pop Color is for everyone or every situation, but in the right situations it can look quite good. For those wanting to mimic Fujichrome Fortia 50 on their Fujifilm camera, Pop Color is as close as you’re going to get.
Underwood Typewriter – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – AgfaChrome RS 100 Recipe
All photographs tell stories—a picture is worth a thousand words, after all—but storytelling photography is perhaps a step further than just ordinary picture-taking. How exactly do you effectively tell stories through photos? What gear do you need? Which techniques should you consider? Which Film Simulation Recipes are best?
All of those questions and more are discussed at length by myself and Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry in the video below, which was last week’s SOOC Live broadcast. If you haven’t yet watched it, I invite you to do so now. If you want to try this type of photography or simply challenge yourself to become better at telling stories through your pictures, this episode is a must-watch. Also, so you don’t miss any future broadcasts, be sure to follow the SOOC Live YouTube channel—Episode 1 and Episode 2 of Season 3, plus all of the first two seasons, can be found there, too.
Most simply, storytelling photography is a type of documentary photography. It is chronicling the important or everyday events that you’ll want to remember for many years to come, such as holidays or precious family moments. It is capturing the human experience—how people adapt to or effect the environment around them. It is eliciting a response from the viewer, weather prompting questions or evoking emotions. Perhaps most importantly, you should “f8 and be there” because storytelling pictures become more meaningful over time, so it is critical to be in the moment and capture the picture.
The four Film Simulation Recipes that Nathalie and I challenge you to use for storytelling photography are:
This is a versatile Film Simulation Recipe that produces classic Kodak negative film colors. This could easily be your go-to Recipe for almost any situation, as Reggie Ballesteros, the creator of this Recipe, will gladly attest. It is intended for “newer” X-Trans IV cameras—X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II; for X-Trans V, I recommend setting Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and for the X-T3 and X-T30, simply ignore Color Chrome FX Blue and Grain strength, since your camera doesn’t have those options.
Cute Alien – Rock Springs, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Reggie’s Portra Recipe
We Are Open – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – AgfaChrome RS 100 Recipe
I love the retro rendering of this Recipe! It’s not quite as versatile as Reggie’s Portra, but, because it has a cooler cast, it does still do well in a variety of light situations. If you want to emphasize blues and reds, this is the one to use. It is intended for “newer” X-Trans IV cameras—X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II; for X-Trans V, I recommend setting Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak.
Bikes & Brunch – Cave Creek, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – AgfaChrome RS 100 Recipe
Here Ducky, Ducky, Ducky – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – AgfaChrome RS 100 Recipe
Pan for Gold – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Classic Slide Recipe
This Film Simulation Recipe reminds me of a reversal film aesthetic similar to Elite Chrome or Provia 100F, although it’s not modeled after those emulsions specifically. It has a lot of contrast, and (like slide film) you have to be careful to get the exposure right. Because of the cool cast, it can be used in some artificial light situations and produce good results. This Recipe is compatible with all X-Trans III cameras, plus the X-T3 and X-T30; to use it on newer models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and Grain size to Small.
Saguaro Wearing a Hat – Cave Creek, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Classic Slide Recipe
Bear in a Shop – Rock Springs, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Classic Slide Recipe
Dirty Feet – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Ilford Delta Push Process Recipe
This is a great black-and-white Recipe; I think B&W lends itself well to this genre in general, so definitely give it a try! It does require an ultra-high ISO, which is challenging for bright daylight photography—enable the electronic shutter for faster shutter speeds and stop down, or use an ND filter. It is compatible with all X-Trans III cameras, plus the X-T3 and X-T30; to use it on newer models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and Grain size to Large.
March Horses – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Ilford Delta Push Process Recipe
Fetching Bowls – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Ilford Delta Push Process Recipe
Rodeo Cold – Cave Creek, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Is there a better way to get a retro film look? In my opinion, the answer is yes!
Notice that I didn’t say the best way, only a better way. The best way to get a retro film look is to shoot actual analog film on a retro film camera; however, film is expensive and the process inconvenient. Digital is much more convenient, but digital images inherently don’t resemble film—one must manipulate them. There are numerous programs, plugins, and presets that will provide you with a film look without a lot of fuss, but it does require some level of post-processing; editing pictures is a good way to get a retro film look, but a couple downsides are 1) you must have access to (and pay for) the software and know how to use it and 2) it takes time to edit all of your pictures. There is another way, which I believe is a better way.
It’s very simple: shoot JPEGs on Fujifilm cameras programmed with analog-likeFilm Simulation Recipes and use vintage lenses. I say that this is a better way because you can achieve a retro film look without the hassle of picture manipulation. Better, of course, is subjective, but this is an increasingly popular method, largely because more and more photographers are deciding that it is indeed a better way for them.
Fujifilm cameras are an important ingredient to this because, when programming their digital output, Fujifilm utilized their film department to assist with the image rendering. In other words, using their vast film experience, they set out to infuse an analog aesthetic into their digital photographs. Film Simulation Recipes take it a step further by fine-tuning the camera settings to better replicate specific film stocks and/or processes or mimicking certain looks. There are nearly 300 Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly App (available for Android and Apple), so be sure to download it if it’s not already on your phone. You can do pretty much the same thing as Recipes with software, but it will not 100% match the straight-out-of-camera images and you will have to work for it (at least a little), while camera-made JPEGs are good-to-go without editing (the work is already done for you). This is a paradigm shift that can dramatically transform your workflow by drastically simplifying it, which saves you a lot of time, hassle, and potentially money, while simultaneously making photography more fun. Like I said: better.
The final ingredient is the glass. Modern lenses are often precision engineered, making them nearly flawless. That’s great if you want a digital look, but if you want a retro film look you should employ the same lenses that were used to shoot film, which often have flaws that give them character—an important aspect of the analog aesthetic. Find some old glass and shoot through it! You’ll need an adapter—the exact one depends on the mount of the lens—and set the camera to “Shoot Without Lens” in the Menu settings. These lenses are manual focus, which can be tricky at first, but thankfully Fujifilm provides you with some excellent tools to assist with it, making manual focus much easier and more enjoyable. Alternatively, you could use inexpensive third-party lenses, which often have similar characteristics to vintage lenses, and you won’t need a special adapter.
For the pictures in this article, I used a Fujifilm X-T5 programed with my AgfaChrome RS 100 Film Simulation Recipe shot through various tiny Pentax-110 lenses. The straight-out-of-camera results are very analog-like, and could probably pass as actual film photographs if I didn’t provide any background information. You’re not likely to think that these are out-of-camera pictures from a modern camera. If you weren’t convinced that they’re film, you’d likely assume some post-processing was done to make them appear film-like, yet they’re unedited. In any event, if you want a better way to get a retro film look, use Fujifilm cameras programmed with Film Simulation Recipes and shoot through vintage lenses. Simple. Easy. Convincing. Fun.
Colorful Wheel – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Turn Signal – Cave Creek, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Rockshop – Rock Springs, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Out the Upstairs Window – Rock Springs, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Pie – Rock Springs, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Kokopelli – Rock Springs, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Fuzzy – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 70mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Yellow – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 70mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Desert Spring – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 70mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Two Cholla – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 70mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Spring Lupine – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 50mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Purple Lupine – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 50mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Yellow Spring – New River, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 50mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
Blossoms Among Ocotillos – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 & Pentax-110 24mm – AgfaChrome RS 100
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Sentinel & Merced – Yosemite NP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Vintage Color Recipe Captured on a 26-megapixel X-Trans IV sensor
According to Fujirumors, who is almost always right, the upcoming X-S20 camera, which will likely be announced in May, will have a 26-megapixel X-Trans IV sensor, the same sensor as the X-S10 and all other X-Trans IV cameras, and not the new 40-megapixel or 26-megapixel-stacked X-Trans V sensor.
Wait, what?!? Why would Fujifilm do this?
This doesn’t make any sense because Fujifilm has historically used the same sensor in all models of a certain generation, with few exceptions. What are the exceptions? The X-M1 had an X-Trans I sensor paired with an X-Trans II processor (yet with options more like a Bayer model). The X20, X30, XQ1, and XQ2 were X-Trans II cameras with small sensors and not APS-C. Otherwise, all of the X-Trans cameras in a generation shared the same sensor. All of the X-Trans III cameras had the 24-megapixel X-Trans III sensor. All of the X-Trans IV cameras had the 26-megapixel X-Trans IV sensor. But X-Trans V is definitely different.
First we have the 26-megapixel-stacked X-Trans V sensor in the X-H2S, which presumably will be found only in that one model and no others. Then there is the 40-megapixel X-Trans V sensor found in the X-H2 and X-T5, which presumably will also be found in the next X-Pro and X-100 models. Now we’ll have the 26-megapixel X-Trans IV sensor (presumably paired with the X-Trans V processor) in the X-S20. Weird.
The advantage of having just one sensor for each Fujifilm era is that no matter your camera within a certain generation, you know you will get identical images out of each body. So you could have an X-T2 as your main camera, an X-T20 as a second body, and an X-E3 as a travel option, and the images will look the same, because they all share the same sensor and processor. Consistency. Or you might have an X-Pro3 and X100V, and—no matter which you used—the picture quality will be identical. Now with X-Trans V there’s a lot less consistency across the range, which in my opinion is a disadvantage.
Using the X-Trans IV sensor in the X-S20 does make sense because the sensor, while a few years old, is still excellent, and pairing it with the new processor will (potentially) get the most out of it. I have both X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras; while they’re all great, I actually prefer X-Trans IV. I don’t need 40-megapixels. Some people do—yes—but the vast majority don’t, and it’s overkill that for most people only exacerbates storage issues. So I would rather Fujifilm work to squeeze more—increased dynamic range, improved high-ISO, speed, etc.—out of the 26-megapixel sensor than to push more resolution. I feel like 26MP is a really good spot for APS-C, and Fujifilm shouldn’t be in a hurry to move past it. I’ve made many very nice 2′ x 3′ prints from X-Trans IV JPEGs, and the majority of people don’t print that large, let alone bigger.
One question that this raises is what will be different about the X-S20 compared to its predecessor, since they’ll share the same sensor? Apparently the X-S20 will have the new NP-W235 battery, which is certainly nice. I would be surprised if a slight design change isn’t necessary to accommodate the bigger battery, but I don’t expect any drastic changes to the design overall. I expect some improvements to autofocus, maybe image stabilization, and perhaps some small video spec upgrades (such as better time limits) will be included, but certainly nothing major. Most likely more will be alike than dissimilar; however, the upgraded battery and processor will make the X-S20 better than the X-S10, at least by a little, but probably not much more than a little.
I do think this gives some credibility to my theory that another PASM model is in the works—I don’t have any inside information, this is just my personal thoughts. I think a number of X-S10 users would like to upgrade to a higher-end body, but the X-H2/X-H2S is too big and expensive for them. I also believe that a number of X-H2/X-H2S owners would like a more compact and cheaper second body, but the X-S10 is a little too much of a downgrade for them. These folks aren’t interested in the X-T4 or X-T5 because of the traditional dials. Fujifilm has created a need for an in-between mid-tier PASM model. Don’t be surprised if an X-S2 (or whatever they will call it) is being designed right now, which will be a little larger than the X-S20 (but not as large as the X-H2/X-H2S), have weather-sealing, two SD-Card slots, seven Custom Presets, but no external fan accessory and slightly more limited video specs compared to the X-H2 (more similar to the X-T5), with an MSRP around $1,500-ish. Look for it in 2024. Like I said, this is all just a guess.
Another question that is raised is whether the X-T40 (or maybe they’ll call in X-T50) will have the X-Trans IV sensor like the X-S20, and I think the answer is yes. Fujifilm will use the “old” sensor to differentiate low-end models from mid and high-end bodies. If there is an X-E5, which is far from guaranteed, it would also have the 26-megapixel X-Trans IV sensor. I don’t personally believe that both the X-T00 and X-E lines will continue, and most likely the one to get axed is the X-E series, which is unfortunate because I really like the X-E line. If there eventually is an X-E5, look for it in 2025 near the very end of X-Trans V. Fujifilm should 100% be making an X80—the long awaited successor to the X70—and if they do it will certainly also have the 26-megapixel X-Trans IV sensor, but I don’t think that such a camera is in the works. I really hope I’m wrong.
I don’t know if the X-S20 (and future X-T40) will have an output more similar to X-Trans IV or X-Trans V or something unique. My guess is that the processor will be programmed to produce results more like the X-T5, which renders blue a little deeper on some film simulations and does some odd things with AWB (otherwise the differences between X-Trans IV and V are pretty small overall). We’ll have to wait until the camera comes out to find out.
Personally, I feel as though camera makers release new models much too quickly. There’s still quite some demand for X-Trans IV models. The X-E4 and especially the X100V have long backorder lists. A camera store told me that if they received zero new orders for the X100V and they continued to received new bodies at the same rate that Fujifilm has been delivering them, that it would take them six months to fulfill all of the current X100V orders; yet, they continue to receive new orders at a higher rate than bodies are being shipped to them by Fujifilm, so the backorder list is constantly growing. Fujifilm should concentrate their efforts on fulfilling current demand for X-Trans IV before pressing forward with X-Trans V. Unfortunately, camera makers will constantly push slightly improved new models because there is so much GAS and FOMO out there that people will buy them up.
There’s a cycle, which I’ve certainly been caught up in, and it’s not healthy: buy a new camera every year. People often have two camera bodies (sometimes someone has only one, and sometimes someone—like me—has a bunch)—and one of the two is replaced every odd year and the other is replaced every even year. Perhaps in 2021 you replaced your X-T2 with an X-T3 and in 2022 you replaced your X100F with an X100V; maybe in 2023 you will replace your X-T3 with an X-T5, and in 2024 you’ll look to replace your X100V with an X100Z (or whatever they’ll call the next X100). The cycle goes on and on.
My most recent camera purchase was an X-T5, but I did so in order to try the new film sim and make Film Simulation Recipes for X-Trans V; otherwise I didn’t need it—yes, the X-T5 is very nice to have and I’m not complaining whatsoever, but I’d be just as happy without it. I purchased my X-E4 two years ago, and I have no desire to replace it anytime soon—it was my most-used camera in 2022. My X100V was a birthday gift from my wife nearly three years ago, and I’m sure I’ll skip the next X100 series model, unless there’s something really radical about it. A year before that I bought an X-T30, which is a good camera that would still seem fresh if Fujifilm had shown it more Kaizen love, instead of releasing the firmware as a new model. Of those four, the X100V and X-E4 are my two favorites, and I hope to be still using them in 2025 and perhaps well beyond that. If Fujifilm made an X80, monochrome-only X100 or X-Pro, or an IR model, I’d be in line to buy those, but otherwise I’m not personally interested in anything new. I have what I need, but more than that I need to break the cycle of buying a new camera every year.
The fact is that even the older Fujifilm models are good. Yes, the newer models are better in many ways, but that doesn’t mean that their predecessors weren’t good. I used my Fujifilm X-T1 exclusively for a couple of weeks last November, and, not surprising to me but perhaps a surprise to some of you, the X-T1 did exceptionally well in most situations, including sports—the biggest shortcoming was autofocus in dim-light. If your camera still works for you, there’s not likely a good reason to upgrade.
Of course, the X-S20 isn’t intended as an “upgrade” model. Its purpose is to convince those unhappy with their Canikony cameras to consider Fujifilm instead. The X-S line’s main goal is to attract those from other brands who aren’t interested in (or are intimidated by) Fujifilm’s traditional tactile controls, but want Fujifilm’s colors and such. The X-S20 is an entry-level model, so Fujifilm is hoping that those with a Nikon D3500 or Sony A6300 or Canon T7 (or another model along those lines) will take a long look at the X-S20. I’m sure it will sell well, bringing people into the Fujifilm fold who otherwise wouldn’t be.
Night Statue – Jackson Hole, WY – Fujifilm X100V – Serr’s 500T Recipe
Which Film Simulation Recipes are good for nighttime photography? With nearly 300 to choose from, it can be difficult to know when to use which Recipe. Almost all film emulsions are either Daylight-balanced or Tungsten-balanced; similarly, most Recipes are intended for daytime photography, and some are intended for nighttime photography. There are also some that, even though made for sunny conditions, still do well after the sun goes down. So let me suggest to you 10 Film Simulation Recipes that do well at night!
Depending on the exact light situation, some Film Simulation Recipes that are intended for daytime use will still look good at night, and other times they will produce a strong warm cast that you might not like. While adjusting the White Balance to better suite the situation is always an acceptable option (“season to taste” the Recipe), picking a Recipe that is intended for the light situation you are in is my preferred method. Like film, it’s better to pick the “right” one that matches the conditions you’ll be shooting in, but there’s no right or wrong way to do photography, so you’ll have to decode what works for you.
Of course, everyone has different tastes. There are some Recipes that you might love, and some that you might not. Your favorite after-dark Recipe might not be in this list, as it’s not comprehensive. There are certainly other Recipes that I have personally used and liked for nighttime photography; however, these are ones that I think are especially well-suited. A couple were tough cuts, and would certainly have been included if it was 15 Recipes and not 10.
If you are not sure which Film Simulation Recipe to use at night, try one of these!
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
iPhone 13 Pro + RitchieCam + Sandmarc Case + 20% CineBloom filter
There’s an easy way to get a filmic look from your iPhone!
I set out to help my wife, Amanda, get a filmic look from her cellphone images. Her “main” camera is a Fujifilm X-T4, but she also shoots quite a bit on her iPhone 13 Pro; her interest in photography and videography began with the iPhone. The filmic aesthetic is highly sought after, but not always easy to achieve; however, I found a good way to get it on the iPhone, so read on to find out how you can do it, too!
RitchieCam App — Vintage Kodak filter — iPhone 13 Pro — Photo by Amanda Roesch
What exactly is a filmic look? I would describe it as a cinematic film aesthetic. Think stills from a motion picture, or photographs captured with cinema film that has had the Remjet layer removed. This wasn’t an attempt to mimic any specific movie or emulsion, but just achieve a general filmic look through cellphone photography—make it seem less digital and more analog-like, except without all of the editing that is traditionally required. As a mother of four and behind-the-scenes Fuji X Weekly cohort, Amanda is quite busy, and doesn’t have time for extensive editing, so post-processing pictures could not be a prerequisite for achieving a filmic aesthetic.
I started with a Sandmarc case for her iPhone 13 Pro because Sandmarc has an adapter, which they call Step Up Ring Filter Mount, that allows you to use filters on your cellphone camera. This adapter has 40.5mm threads, and, using a 40.5mm-49mm step up ring that I already owned, I was able to mount my 20% CineBloom diffusion filter to Amanda’s iPhone. I felt that this filter would be a key component to achieving a filmic look, and the Sandmarc case with the Step Up Ring Filter Mount plus the 40.5mm-49mm step up ring was the easiest way to get that CineBloom filter onto her iPhone.
I’m sure the Sandmarc case isn’t the only one that allows you to use filters, but it is the one we got, and so far it seems to be a quality product. It works well and is reasonably inexpensive, so it’s easy to recommend. It did take a fall; while the case kept the phone safe and undamaged (which is great!), it did leave a noticeable mark on the case itself. Another note: Sandmarc has their own line of filters—including a diffusion filter—but we used the 20% CineBloom because I already own it for my Fujifilm X100V. I personally really like CineBlooms, but the brand of diffusion filter doesn’t really matter all that much, I don’t think.
On the iPhone 13 Pro, you can attach the filter over the main 26mm camera or over the telephoto 77mm camera, but not over the ultra-wide 13mm camera. You can only use it on one camera at a time, so it does take some of the convenience out of using the iPhone for photography—not only do you have to carry the filter, but also screw it over the correct lens. Not a dealbreaker for this method, but certainly a limitation that one should be aware of.
The camera app that Amanda uses is RitchieCam, which has filters inspired by film, crafted to have an analog essence. Designed with a one-step philosophy, RitchieCam produces photos that are ready to be shared or printed the instant that they’re captured. RitchieCam was recently enthusiastically endorsed by Leigh & Raymond Photography as their favorite iPhone camera app—it was one of their five suggested ways for achieving a film look on a digital camera. RitchieCam is my very own camera app; download it for free today from the Apple App Store!
I said that the 20% CineBloom was key to getting a filmic look because diffusion filters take the digital edge off of digital pictures. It blooms the highlights and softens the shadows more like negative film. Also, diffusion filters have been a cinematographic tool long before they were popular for still photography, so the aesthetic produced by these filters is inherently filmic. Below is an example of what a diffusion filter does to an image. I chose this particular set because the difference is obvious; oftentimes the effect is a little less apparent, especially if there is not a bright light source (such as the sun) in or near the frame. The strongest CineBloom is 20%, so if you find it to be too strong, consider the 10% or 5% options instead—sometimes subtlety is preferable.
With CineBloom filter
Without CineBloom filter
Below are some of Amanda’s pictures captured with her iPhone 13 Pro using RitchieCam and the 20% CineBloom filter, made possible by the Sandmarc case and filter adapter. Combining RitchieCam with a diffusion filter produces images with a filmic quality, and, because editing isn’t required, this process works well for those who don’t have time to post-process their pictures, or who only want to do quick adjustments.
RitchieCam App — Analog Gold filter — iPhone 13 Pro — Photo by Amanda Roesch
RitchieCam App — Sunny Day filter — iPhone 13 Pro — Photo by Amanda Roesch
RitchieCam App — Vintage Kodak filter — iPhone 13 Pro — Photo by Amanda Roesch
RitchieCam App — Vintage Kodak filter — iPhone 13 Pro — Photo by Amanda Roesch
RitchieCam App — Vintage Kodak filter — iPhone 13 Pro — Photo by Amanda Roesch
RitchieCam App — Instant Color 2 filter — iPhone 13 Pro — Photo by Amanda Roesch
Have you ever wondered about the story behind Fuji X Weekly? How did it all began? What’s behind the curtain? The April issue of FXW Zine is for you!
This never-before-told journey is something that I’ve been wanting to share with you for awhile now. I had to be a little vulnerable, because some of the details are personal. I hope that you find it inspirational to you and your personal journey, whatever that is. Ultimately, this journey isn’t so much about me as it is about you.
If you are a Creative Collective subscriber, the latest issue of FXW Zine is available for you to download now! If you are not a subscriber, consider joining the Fuji X Weekly Creative Collective to gain access to all of the issues plus other bonus articles.
I get asked all of the time when to use which Film Simulation Recipe. With nearly 300 on the Fuji X Weekly App to choose from, it can be difficult to know when each Recipe should be chosen. Besides, you only have C1-C7 Custom Presets on your Fujifilm camera (most of you, anyway). Which seven Recipes should you have programed? When should you select them?
To understand the idea behind this post, it’s important to go back to Part 1, which explains it all. Definitely review the earlier articles in this series if you never saw them or if it’s been awhile. When I started, the Fujifilm X-T5 wasn’t even announced yet, and I had zero X-Trans V Film Simulation Recipes. By the time I published Part 4, I had a couple of Recipes for the X-T5, but only a couple. This followup had to wait awhile.
I still don’t have a ton of X-Trans V Recipes, but I do have just enough that I could complete this Part 5. I do want this to be an ongoing series, but new posts will likely be few and far between, so don’t expect a Part 6 anytime soon.
Below I will suggest to you seven Film Simulation Recipes (one for each C1-C7 Custom Preset) for you to program into your Fujifilm X-Trans V camera, and state when to use each. If you have a Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, or X-H2S (or any other X-Trans V camera that is released after this is published), I invite you to try these Recipes for the situations that I recommend.
Flock of Cranes – Gilbert, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe
Kodak Portra 400 v2 is a Recipe that does well at anytime during daylight hours, and as the name suggests it is a good option for portrait photography, but I’m going to recommend it specifically for “golden hour” near sunrise and sunset. This really could be your primary use-all-of-the-time Recipe, and that’s why I suggest placing it in C1, but when the sun is low to the horizon, make sure that this is the one you’re shooting with. I personally use this Recipe frequently.
More Than Double Wide – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – 1970’s Summer Recipe
You might be surprised that Kodachrome 64 didn’t make it to the top-spot on this category. I love that Recipe and think it’s a wonderful choice—don’t be afraid to choose it over this… or even over Kodak Portra 400 v2 for “golden hour” photography. Yet, for midday—which I’m defining as daylight that’s in-between the “golden hour” light of sunrise and sunset—I think 1970’s Summer is tough to beat. It’s not the most versatile Recipe, but if the sun is out, it’s an excellent option.
Rainy Day Window – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodak Ultramax 400 Recipe
For dreary overcast, Kodak Ultramax 400 is my favorite option. It is a versatile Recipe, so it’s not just good for rainy days, but many other situations, too, including golden hour, midday, shade, indoor, nighttime and more. This could be your go-to Film Simulation Recipe. Emulsion ’86 and Thommy’s Ektachrome are very good runners up, and could also be alternatives for C2.
Dark Coffee – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Timeless Negative Recipe
For natural light indoor photography, my top choice is the Timeless Negative Recipe (although any of the Recipes listed above this could work well, too). Timeless Negative is an all-rounder that could be used in most situations and produce excellent results, but specifically I’m recommending it for natural light indoor pictures. For artificial-light indoor images, use the recipes for nighttime photography below.
Night Blossoms – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Superia Xtra 400 Recipe
I don’t yet have a “Tungsten” Film Simulation Recipe for X-Trans V, but that doesn’t mean you are out of luck. I’ve gotten good results at night with both Kodak Ultramax 400 and Timeless Negative, but Superia Xtra 400 is my favorite for after-dark photography. Superia Xtra 400 is also good for any of the C1-C4 situations mentioned above, as it’s a versatile Recipe—it’s another that could be your go-to for any situation. The two alternatives mentioned below are great options for golden hour or midday photography—I prefer both for that, and Pacific Blues is one of my absolute favorites—but I have also had decent results with those two Recipes at night, so they are worth your consideration (either in C5, or in C1 or C2).
In Parts 1-3, this category was called Alternative Process; however, for Part 4 and Part 5, since there is no Film Simulation Recipe that fits that category, it was renamed Wildcard. My top-option for it is Vintage Bronze, which produces vintage analog-like results in a variety of situations, including daylight and indoors. Alternatively, you could fill C6 with a favorite color Recipe that didn’t make it to C1-C5 above (such as Kodachrome 64 or Pacific Blues). Otherwise, the two options below are also great choices to program here.
Window Shade Pull – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Ilford FP4 Plus 125 Recipe
Technically speaking, Ilford FP4 Plus 125 is the only black-and-white Film Simulation Recipe made specifically for X-Trans V cameras—and it’s a very good Recipe! But, X-Trans IV B&W Recipes are also compatible with X-Trans V cameras, and of those Kodak Tri-X 400 is my all-time favorite. I definitely recommend that one, but Ilford FP4 Plus 125 is excellent, too.
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Thomas was simply trying to make a Recipe using the Nostalgic Neg. film sim that would be good for portraits. The Recipe he created has a distinctive Ektachrome aesthetic, especially similar to National Geographic photographs prior to Ektachrome’s discontinuation by 2013 (prior to the revival in 2018). That was, of course, by chance and not intentional, but there certainly are some similarities, and why this Recipe is called Thommy’s Ektachrome. It’s not only good for portraits, but also landscapes and I’m sure many genres of photography. This Recipe does particularly well in sunny daylight, but is good for overcast, shade, and natural-light indoors, too.
Way Over That Way – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Thommy’s Ektachrome
Because this Thommy’s Ektachrome Film Simulation Recipe uses the new Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, it is only compatible with the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2S (as well as any other X-Trans V camera released after this article is published). Those with newer GFX cameras can likely use it, too, although it will probably render slightly different (but try it anyway!).
Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg. Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Weak Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: 5000K, -1 Red & +3 Blue Dynamic Range: DR100 Highlight: +1.5 Shadow: +1.5 Color: +1 Sharpness: -1 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +0 to +1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using Thommy’s Ektachrome Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Amanda Using RitchieCam– Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Caterpillar Blossoms – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Wildflower Spring – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Lupine – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Colors of Spring – Sun City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rain on a Green Leaf – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Raindrops on Rose Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Trumpet Flower in Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Water Drop on a Lightbulb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Spring Cage – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Breakfast – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Fallen Tree over Sabino Creek – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sabino Creek – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Waterfall from Snowmelt – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Waterfall over Stone – Summerhaven, AZ -Fujifilm X-T5
Historic Ranch House – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Jon in the Forest – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Reserved – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Two at the Overlook – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Old Man at the Vista – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Mountains – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rock Climbers – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Resting on Top – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Desert Pine – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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It’s been widely reported that DPReview is closing down on April 10th. This is huge news! Not only is DPReview one of the oldest photography websites—first launched in 1998 when digital photography was a small niche—but it is one of the most popular. Its closure was a shock to me, and it probably was for you, too.
I’m not afraid to admit that I didn’t know DPReview was owned by Amazon. I was still shooting film when that purchased happened (and I think the only thing I had ever ordered from Amazon by that time was used school books), so it’s understandable that I didn’t notice. I suppose it makes sense that Amazon would want to own a camera tech website at the peak of digital camera sales. I’m sure that DPReview drove a lot of sales for them, and helped Amazon become one of the largest—if not the largest—camera seller in the world. Now that Amazon has a clear hold on that market—which has been a shrinking market over the last decade—DPReview has run its course and is no longer worthwhile to its giant parent company. After all, the many websites with affiliate links back to Amazon—which includes Fuji X Weekly—probably drive more sales nowadays than DPReview does.
Going Out of Business – Prescott, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – “1970’s Summer” Recipe
DPReview had its time and place, but I think its demise was inevitable. I suppose that could be said for every website—including mine—but why I say that about DPReview specifically is this: digital camera tech has gotten to a point where it’s all pretty excellent and everything is more than good enough for most people, and forums are outdated. That’s DPReview’s bread-and-butter.
The bread is pointing out the small differences in digital camera tech that at one time actually mattered, but now matters a whole lot less. If you cannot do amazing things with your gear, it’s not the gear’s fault! At one point it might have been, and that’s where DPReview came in handy. Nowadays your gear can do more than you can, so it’s more important to learn how to achieve what you want with it than to spend your energies studying the extraordinarily tiny differences in dynamic range or high-ISO performance or autofocus speed or lens sharpness. In other words, the attention to fine detail that made DPReview relevant is also what made it eventually irrelevant—or at least less relevant—as the fine details themselves mattered a lot less.
This almost decade-old budget camera takes pretty good pictures.
The butter is the forums. This was a popular digital hangout for photographers for a long time. But, forums just aren’t cool anymore (and haven’t been for awhile). The problem is that trolls and jerks ruin it for everyone else. There’s someone genuinely trying to learn something and gain some insight, and there’s someone with pure gold to offer, but there’s someone else who belittles the person for asking, and another who argues why the pure gold is garbage. While a lot of good happened in those forums, there was also a heck-of-a-lot of toxicity. One bad apple spoils a whole bunch, but unfortunately the forums had a lot of bad apples. I just hope those trolls don’t find their way here, because their behavior is not welcome and will not be tolerated. DPReview shouldn’t have tolerated it, either, but they surely seemed to do so, which made their butter taste bitter for many good-hearted people.
There’s a lesson here that I think might get overlooked but shouldn’t. Technical reviews of camera gear are less important now than they were 25, 20, 15, 10, and even just five years ago. All of the gear is plenty good enough nowadays. What people want to know is how to use what they own. How to get the most out of it. How to achieve what they want to achieve, either the simplest way or the “best” way. That’s what most people are looking for. Fuji X Weekly is successful because I help people achieve the look they want the simplest way (and what I would argue is also the best way, but I understand that’s certainly debatable). DPReview didn’t do enough, in my opinion, to help people in the way that they increasingly needed it. The opportunity was there—they had the audience—they just failed to recognize it and seize it, or perhaps because it wasn’t in the interest of the owner to do so. Now DPReview is dead.
I think it’s easy to say that DPReview’s closure is a result of the economic times—and there’s certainly an aspect of that to the situation; however, I believe that its failure is pointing out an opportunity for whoever will listen. It’s not to fill the void. Certainly some are already eagerly trying to do that—attempting to capitalize on the failure by attracting their audience. No, that’s not where the opportunity truly is. What DPReview’s failure is showing you is that if you can help people in the way that they desire to be helped, there’s an opportunity for success—even in a struggling economy with a shrinking market. Figure out what help people need, and provide them with the easiest and/or best solution. If you do that, you’ll find success. Maybe I should write a book about this?
The best part of DPReview was their YouTube channel. Chris and Jordan will be moving over to PetaPixel’s YouTube channel (which I didn’t know was a thing), and certainly that will quickly become the best part of PetaPixel. I wish them much luck!
Ranch House – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of 1960 Recipe
I love Arizona Highways magazine! When I was a kid, my grandparents, who lived in Arizona, would give me their old copies of the publication. The pictures were always amazing. I didn’t know it at the time, but that simple act had a profound impact on my life. Eventually I would become a photographer, and I would be significantly influenced by the pictures from that magazine.
For those who don’t know, Arizona Highways is a magazine with an important history. It began in 1925, and in 1946 published the world’s first all-color publication. From the beginning, Arizona Highways has been dedicated to the art of photography. Ansel Adams was a regular contributor. Barry Goldwater, Ray Manley, Chuck Abbott, David and Josef Muench, Ed Ellinger, Esther Henderson, and many other talented photographers were often featured. The publication is full of wonderful images even to this day. While it is not purely a photography magazine, Arizona Highways is a publication that photographers love due to their passion for the medium.
I recently found the December 1960 issue of Arizona Highways in a used bookstore. It has page after page of amazing photography! I really love the look of the pictures in this particular issue—while not every image looks alike, there is definitely a commonality to the photo aesthetic. I suppose that some of it is due to the printing process, which the magazine proudly claims is “Micro-Color Lithography” printed on “Glossette Offset Enamel 70-pound base” paper. I believe that the age of the magazine—now over 62-yeas-old!—has something to do with it, as color photographs and pages have a tendency to fade and discolor over time. What about the film? Well, there’s that, too.
Agaves in 1960 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of 1960 Recipe Photo of a page in the December 1960 issue of Arizona Highways magazine.
In the back of the magazine is a page that provides detailed notes on all of the photographs. For example, the picture shown in the magazine above—entitled The Blossoming Agaves—was photographed by Chuck Abbott in July 1960 during midday using a 5×7 Deardorff View camera set to f/18 and 1/10 shutter on Kodachrome, which had an ISO of 10. You might note that this is the “Sunny 16 Rule” except underexposed by 1/3 stop (presumably to protect the highlights). The detailed notes that were provided are a real treasure trove!
The vast majority of the pictures in the December 1960 issue were captured on Ektachrome. Now Ektachrome prior to 1955 used the E1 development process and was ISO 10, from 1955 to 1958 used the E2 development process and was ISO 32, and from 1959 to 1965 used E3 and was ISO 50—this particular issue had a mix of all three of those Ektachromes. A few Ascochrome images were also published, and those have a look that’s noticeably different than the Ektachrome and Kodachrome pictures. One image was captured on Ektacolor negative film, and that’s the only picture in the issue that wasn’t shot on slide film. Many of the photographs printed in the December 1960 issue of Arizona Highways were captured during the spring, summer, or fall of 1960.
Inspired by the aesthetic of the pictures found in the magazine, I set out to mimic the look with my Fujifilm X-T5. After a little fiddling and trial-and-error, I was able to get surprisingly close—almost an exact match to some of the pictures! There are certainly some similarities to both the Ektachrome and Kodachrome photographs published in the December 1960 issue of Arizona Highways, some of which were captured in the summer of 1960, hence the name of this Film Simulation Recipe.
Saguaro Spines – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Summer of 1960 Recipe
Because this Summer of 1960 Film Simulation Recipe uses the new Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, it is only compatible with the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2S (as well as any other X-Trans V camera released after this article is published). Those with newer GFX cameras can likely use it, too, although it will probably render slightly different (but try it anyway!). This Recipe seems especially well suited for sunny daylight photography, and does alright in overcast, shade, and natural-light indoors, too.
Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg. Grain Effect: Strong, Small Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: 5250K, -3 Red & -5 Blue Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +4 Shadow: +2 Color: +3 Sharpness: -4 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 Summer of 1960 Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
Green Growth Under Dormant Trees – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Falling Rain on Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Bougainvillea on a Sunny Day – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Oleander and Palm Tree – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
March Palms – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Agua Caliente Pond – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Palm and Pond – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Manmade Pond – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Ham & Cheddar – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Jon by a Pond – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Ranch House & Palm – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Yellow Blossom by Blue Window – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Door Lamp – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Sunlight Pines – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Light Pouring Downhill – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Leftover Forest Snow – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Small Waterfall – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Evergreen Forest – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Icy Mountain Road – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Blue Sky & Green Pines – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Evening at an American Mountain – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Eastern Mountains at Sunset – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Rincon Peak at Sunset – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
Small Water Fountain at Sunset – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5
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B is for Bisbee – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams Recipe
Can you use Artificial Intelligence to create Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras? Does AI even know what that is? If so, would those Recipes be any good? Those questions and more have been rattling around inside my head for the last few months.
Back in January I asked Open AI‘s Chat GPT what a Film Simulation Recipe was and it didn’t know—it couldn’t differentiate a Film Simulation Recipe from a Film Simulation, but only went so far as to acknowledge that Film Sims could be customized. It also didn’t know much about Fuji X Weekly. It didn’t take long for things to change.
Last week Open AI announced the new-and-improved GPT-4, and so I put it through the same test. To my surprise, it not only knew what a Film Simulation Recipe is, but could even create one! The AI also provided the reasons why it chose the settings it did, and they seemed logical. However, I noticed that some required parameters were missing, so I asked it to add those settings to the Recipe, and it did. I also asked Chat GPT to give the Recipe a name. The AI created Recipe turned out to be pretty good, and I used it for some photography in southern Arizona, but I’m getting ahead of myself. We’ll get back to this in a moment, but let’s talk about some other things first.
Don’t Park Overnight at Boothill – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
I wanted to find out how Chat GPT knew how to create a Film Simulation Recipe. Obviously the software has never used a camera, so where was it getting its information? I asked, and the software deflected, telling me where I could find further information on Fujifilm cameras and Film Simulation Recipes. To my surprise, Fuji X Weekly was listed as a potential resource. I wasn’t satisfied with the answer, so I kept asking, rewording the question, until the software admitted that it gathers information from (among other things) websites, such as Fuji X Weekly, One Camera One Lens, Dan Bailey, and Ted Forbes. I was a little surprised on the last two, especially Ted who I’m pretty certain doesn’t use Recipes or out-of-camera JPEGs. Maybe it just threw out some names associated with Fujifilm gear. My conclusion is that the software searches the web for resources and attempts to make sense of what it finds, and it borrows heavily from the work of others (but, thankfully, doesn’t outright copy).
I had Chat GPT make a total of seven Film Simulation Recipes for the Fujifilm X100V. Not once did it provide me with all the necessary parameters on the first try, and I had to ask it to add the missing fields. It always chose Auto White Balance (once it did not provide a WB, so I had to ask it to do so), and only provided a White Balance Shift once on the first try; for the other six Recipes, when I asked it to provide me with a WB Shift, it never ventured beyond +/- 2 for Red and Blue. In fact, only once did the software suggest that any setting go beyond +/- 2, so I think it takes a conservative approach, perhaps not understanding why anyone would want to go wild with the JPEG options.
On the first try I was provided with Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue settings: Off on both. For the next five attempts Chat GPT didn’t list either option, so I had to ask, and it chose Off each time. With the final Recipe attempt, it listed Color Chrome Effect set to Strong, but didn’t list Color Chrome FX Blue; when I asked it to give me a Color Chrome FX Blue setting, it (surprisingly) stated that Color Chrome FX Blue isn’t an option on the Fujifilm X100V. I think the software struggles to understand what these settings do and why someone would choose them, and also struggles to understand what specific settings are available on each Fujifilm model.
Cienega Bridge on Old Highway 80 – Vail, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams Recipe
Two settings that the software never provided on the first try are Grain size and Clarity. It would list Grain strength (Off, Weak, or Strong) but never size (Small or Large). When asked about size, it suggested Large four times, Small twice, and Standard once (there is no Standard option). With Clarity, it typically suggested a positive number, and only gave me a negative number once, zero once, and Off (which I suppose is the same as zero) once. As with the other settings, it never ventured beyond +/- 2.
I asked it to mimic the look of a certain film stock, and Chat GPT provided a Film Simulation Recipe that (in my opinion) wasn’t a great match. I then asked it to mimic the look of a different film that just so happens to be the same exact emulsion just sold under a different brand name (to see if it would provide similar or identical settings), and the second Recipe was much different than the first. It’s clear that the AI isn’t analyzing pictures from film to create its Recipes, but instead finds descriptions of the stocks and suggests which Fujifilm settings could logically match the descriptions. “Vibrant” means Velvia and “soft” means PRO Neg. Std, which makes sense to a point; even though one film can produce many different aesthetics based on how it was shot, developed, printed and/or scanned (among other things), I believe you’d be hard pressed to find a single emulsion that could be emulated by both Velvia and PRO Neg. Std, but that’s what the software did.
I also asked Chat GPT to create a Recipe that I already have a Film Simulation Recipe for. I wanted to see if it would just copy my Recipe, but thankfully it didn’t. It was actually significantly different. For now, at least, the software isn’t outright plagiarizing anyone (that I’m aware of), and I hope it stays that way. Finally, using a different account, I asked Chat GPT to create a Recipe with an identical request to one of the seven, just to see if it would give me the same answer, and it didn’t. I repeated this test once more, and it once again provided a different result. While it tries to come across as “intelligence” it appears to be more like a roll of the dice.
Red Brick and Good Cakes – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams Recipe
Based on this test, I believe that AI is about 60% of the way there to being a useful tool for creating Film Simulation Recipes. It struggles to know which parameters to provide. It doesn’t understand the nuances between camera models. It seems to take a rather predictable and conservative approach to creating Recipes. While I think it tries to be logical with its choices, it is basically just taking a guess and giving random settings, which might produce good results sometimes and might not other times. The amazing thing, though, is that just a couple months ago the AI didn’t even know what a Film Simulation Recipe was, so it has made significant strides in a short period. I think eventually—and it might not even be that far out—the software will be able to analyze an image and provide settings for your Fujifilm camera that will be a reasonably close match to that image. For now, though, AI isn’t a particularly good way to get a Recipe.
I promised that I would get back to the first Film Simulation Recipe that I asked Chat GPT to create for me to use on my Fujifilm X100V. I asked the software to create a Recipe that would be good for an urban environment at night. It provided me with everything except for Grain size, White Balance Shift, and Clarity, so I asked it to give me those settings, too. Then I asked it to name the Recipe—it gave me five choices, and I went with the first: Urban Dreams.
I found Urban Dreams to be a pretty decent and versatile Recipe. I didn’t get a chance to use it much in an urban environment at night, but the results were good in the few opportunities that I did have. It seems to do well in sunny daylight, dreary overcast, nighttime, indoors, outdoors, landscapes, street, still-life, portraits, etc., so this could be one’s go-to Recipe for everyday photography. It reminds me a little of Kodachrome 200, a high-ISO slide film introduced by Kodak in the mid-1970’s and discontinued in 2006. It’s not completely “right” for Kodachrome 200, but can be surprisingly close sometimes, and this Recipe is probably the closest to it that I’ve seen.
Dusk on Highway 90 – Benson, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams Recipe
This Urban Dreams Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with most X-Trans IV cameras: the X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. For X-Trans V and newer GFX, you can use this Recipe, but it will render slightly different (try it anyway). For the X-T3, X-T30, X-Trans III, and older GFX, simply ignore Clarity and consider Sharpness set to 0; the results will be very similar (only slightly different).
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1 Shadow: +1 Color: +2 Noise Reduction: -2 Sharpness: -1 Clarity: +2 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off White Balance: Auto, 0 Red & +2 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Urban Dreams Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X100V:
Oleander Blue – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Colorful Triangle – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Boothill Visitors Leaving – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
H.B. Cook 1882 – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Tattered Flag – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Gunslinger – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Wells Fargo – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Courthouse – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Bisbee Afternoon – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Under the Trestle – Vail, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Just not Straight Ahead – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Studebaker – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Studebaker 2 – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Blue Truck – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Uphill to Downtown – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Object Limited – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Cafe – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Outdoor Breakfast – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Coke and Produce – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Lit Lamp – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
Saloon & Steaks – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X100V
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Omar Gonzalez posted a hilarious YouTube video called Do You Suffer from Fujifilm Sim Depression?, which is a parody of pharmaceutical commercials, except that it’s about Fujifilm film simulations and not prescription drugs. It’s incredibly well done and funny! I don’t want to spoil it if you haven’t watched it, but the conclusion is that Omar likes the Provia film simulation. So watch the video if you haven’t yet seen it, and if you are suffering from “Fujifilm Sim Depression” let me offer you are this cure: the PROvia Film Simulation Recipe. Perhaps Omar someday will see it and try it; if so, I hope he likes it!
Provia is one of the film simulations that I personally like least… well above Sepia, but towards the bottom of the list nonetheless. Ouch. As it turns out, I was never meant to like it, yet it is the “Standard” film simulation on all Fujifilm cameras. This PROvia Recipe is my take on a “better” Provia, and is intended to not only look good, but also be versatile so that it could be one’s go-to Film Simulation Recipe (that’s why “PRO” is capitalized in the name). It is compatible with all X-Trans II cameras; those with X-Trans I and Bayer models can use it, too, but it will render slightly different on those models (try it anyway!).
Car Care – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – PROvia Recipe
This PROvia Film Simulation Recipe is a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access recipe, which means if you are an App Patron, you have access to it right now. The Fuji X Weekly App is free, yet becoming a Patron unlocks the best App experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new Film Simulation Recipes, such as this one. These Patron Early-Access Recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. 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!
If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, I invite you to give the PROvia Film Simulation Recipe a try today! Don’t have the Fuji X Weekly App? Download it for free today! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience, to gain Early-Access to this Recipe, and to support Fuji X Weekly.
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this PROvia Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X70:
Sabino Creek – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Saguaro Behind Palms – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Palm Branches – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Green Ocotillo – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Gunfight Site – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Reach for the Sky – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Bird Cage Theatre – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X70
One Way Alley – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Cloudy Saguaro – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Prickly Pear Pads – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Sunlight Through the Forest – Summerhaven, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Empty Baseball Field – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1 – Provia Negative Recipe
Unlike most Film Simulation Recipes, I didn’t model this one after any film or process. My first thought was this: how can I make a Recipe that’s helpful. Let me back this up a minute. Unless your camera is an X-Pro3 or newer, you cannot save a white balance shift with your C1-C7 custom presets; however, your camera will remember one shift per white balance type, so if each C1-C7 recipe uses a different white balance type, you won’t have to remember to change the shift when you change Recipes. For X-Trans II, there are recipes that use Auto, Daylight (which Fujifilm calls “Fine” for some reason), Kelvin, and Shade, so I thought it would be helpful to create a recipe that calls for a different white balance type that I haven’t yet used.
After some playing around, I created a Film Simulation Recipe that I was quite happy with. It reminds me a little of Fujichrome Provia 100F slide film, but less vibrant, and a tad less contrasty, too, but still kind of similar; however, I think the tonality is more similar to negative film than reversal film. That’s why I call this recipe Provia Negative. This recipe has a slight cool color cast, with white leaning towards blue. I was able to get good results in several different light situations—including indoors, overcast, and shade—but it is especially well suited for sunny daylight.
Indoor Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1 – Provia Negative Recipe
This Provia Negative Film Simulation Recipe was a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, so subscribers to the App have been able to use it since July; however, a new Early-Access Recipe has replaced it, so it is now available to everyone. Because it uses the Classic Chrome film simulation, it is only compatible with X-Trans II camera with Classic Chrome, which are the Fujifilm X100T, X-E2, X-E2S, X-T1, X-T10, X30, XQ2, and X70.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -2 (Soft) Shadow: +2 (Hard) Color: +2 (High) Sharpness: -1 (Medium-Soft) Noise Reduction: -2 (Low) White Balance: Fluorescent 3, -2 Red & -2 Blue ISO: Auto up to ISO 3200 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Provia Negative Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T1 and Fujifilm X70 cameras:
Fake Leaf by Real Window – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Cienega Creek Bridge – Vail, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Sharp Agave – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Two Magenta Flowers – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
One Bloom Remains – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Pink & Green – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Pop of Warmth – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Pink Flower Blossom – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Pink Flower Blossom 2 – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Bougainvillea Pink – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Backlit Flowers & Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Basketball in the Grass – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Go Supply – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
Hobby Lobby – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
1:40 Diner – Benson, AZ – Fujifilm X70
Square on Block Wall – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T1
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Garden Spiderweb – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 – GAF 500 Recipe – ISO 12800
I remember when ISO 400 used to be consider high ISO. In fact, the “H” in Fujicolor Pro 400H means high ISO. When I shot film, I usually didn’t go higher than ISO 400, although on a rare occasion I did go wild and use an ISO 800, 1600, or (gasp!) 3200 emulsion (those were ultra-high-ISOs back then), when the expected light was dim and a tripod wasn’t practical. When I started shooting digital almost 15 years ago, I remember that ISO 1600 on my first DSLR was barely usable in a pinch, and it was best to stay at or below ISO 800. Nowadays those limitations are long gone.
Thanks to the X-Trans color array, Fujifilm is better able to differentiate color noise from color information (than with a Bayer array), allowing more control over how noise is rendered. Because of this, the APS-C sensor on Fujifilm X cameras does pretty darn well at high-ISO photography. Yes, it can get noisy, but the noise is more organic-looking and less color-splotchy (perhaps even a little film-grain-like) than non-X-Trans cameras typically produce.
Still, a lot of photographers are hesitant to try high-ISO photography. I’ve had someone tell me that they never go beyond ISO 800 on their Fujifilm cameras. Someone else said that they don’t use Film Simulation Recipes with DR400 because it requires an ISO that they’re not comfortable using. Everyone has their own preferred upper ISO limit—mine might be higher than yours, and that’s ok. What I’d like to do, though, is encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone, and try some ISOs that you would not normally—or perhaps ever—use.
You might want to use ultra-high-ISOs—which I consider to be ISO 12800 and higher, but your definition might be different—in dim light situations, such as at night or in a poorly lit room. That’s probably the most common reason. I will sometimes use really high ISOs in daylight when it’s not even necessary just for the aesthetic of it. Crazy, right?! I think sometimes digital can appear too clean, and an ultra-high-ISO can give the picture a grittier look, more similar to some film emulsions.
Of course, using ultra-high-ISOs in daylight can be problematic because the light is strong. My Fujifilm X100V has a built-in ND filter, which makes it more practical. Otherwise, screwing an ND filter onto the end of the lens will help. If you don’t have one, be sure to use your camera’s electronic shutter (instead of the mechanical one) because it is capable of faster shutter speeds. You might also have to use small apertures like f/11 or f/16 to reduce the light entering the camera.
If you want to give it a try, below are seven Film Simulation Recipes that use ultra-high-ISOs. Many of them go “up to” an ultra-high-ISO, so in that case you’d want to purposefully choose a high ISO instead of a low one. Give one or more of these Recipes a try today! Leave a comment to let me know which one (or ones) you like. My personal top favorites are GAF 500 for color and Kodak Tri-X 400 for B&W.
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