Photography blog

Creative Collective 023: Easy Double Exposure Photography

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

In Camera Double Exposure – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Tri-X 400“

Sometimes I get into a double exposure mood. It might seem difficult to create good double exposure pictures—thankfully, Fujifilm cameras make double exposure photography easy! In this article I’ll explain just how simple it is to do it, and also explain why it’s difficult to do it well.

Note: this was a Creative Collective article, but now it’s available to everyone.

In Camera Double Exposure – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Tri-X 400”

Double exposure photographs are two exposures that are captured together on a single frame. You can combine the two pictures with software, but it’s much easier to do it in-camera. Most Fujifilm cameras are capable of capturing double exposures, and they all work pretty similarly, although not identically.

First, you have to know that the camera will create a low-contrast image, so Film Simulation Recipes with a lot of contrast work best for double exposures. Low or mid contrast recipes can work alright sometimes, but high contrast recipes are the ones that most often produce the best results. I used the Kodak TRi-X 400 recipe on my Fujifilm X100V Acros Edition for these pictures, which I captured earlier today while on a walk in a park in Irving, Texas.

Next, you have to set up the camera. Exactly how this is done depends on the model, but you’ll either find it on a knob on the top of the camera or through a button titled Drive. Definitely open up your camera’s user manual (click here) and look for “Multiple Exposures” if you are unsure what to do. For the X-Pro3 and newer models, you’ll additionally have to decide how the exposures are combined—go to the Shooting Menu, select Multiple Exposure Control, and choose Average.

At this point you are ready to create double exposure images; however, it’s important to know how double exposures will render. Light areas on light areas will be light, with the least amount of detail. Light areas on dark areas will be a muddy middle. Dark areas on dark areas will be dark, and will often show the most details. When you are capturing double exposure photographs, you have to think about how these things will work together, and how they’ll interact with each other. This, of course, comes with practice, but the good news is that the camera will show you exactly what you’re going to get, so you can know before you even capture the second exposure if it will work or not.

When you capture the first exposure, the camera will ask you if you are satisfied with it or if you want to redo it. If you are happy with it, it’s time to capture the second exposure. The camera will superimpose the first exposure over the second and you’ll see exactly what you’re going to get when you capture the second exposure. If you like what you see, capture the image. The camera will then give you another opportunity—are you satisfied with the second exposure? If not, you can redo it.

Once you get into the swing of it, you’ll find the creative juices flowing, and you’ll have more and more success with your double exposure pictures. It takes practice and a lot of trial-and-error. I find that about 50% of my attempts are at least acceptably good, and perhaps one-in-five are ones that I like. In other words, most of my attempts aren’t great, so you can expect to have a fair amount of duds.

The newer Fujifilm cameras will also keep a RAW file of each exposure (in addition to the double exposure JPEG). Below are a few examples of each exposure that makes up the double exposure image, plus the final double exposure photograph.

Frame 1
Frame 2
In-Camera Double Exposure
Exposure 1
Exposure 2
In-Camera Double Exposure
Exposure 1
Exposure 2
In-Camera Double Exposure
Exposure 1
Exposure 2
In-Camera Double Exposure

The tricky thing is creating a more compelling picture when the exposures are combined. If the frame is more compelling as single exposure, the double exposure wasn’t a success. A double exposure photograph is great when the two exposures are stronger together than as individual exposures. That is the challenge of this type of photography. It might take a lot of practice to figure out how to accomplish this, and I don’t think there is much of a substitution for practice. The best thing that you can do is get out with your camera and try. Try and try again.

Here are a few more double exposure photograph examples:

In Camera Double Exposure – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
In Camera Double Exposure – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
In Camera Double Exposure – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Tri-X 400”

Creating double exposure photographs on Fujifilm cameras is easy; however, creating compelling pictures takes practice. Most attempts are likely to be mediocre at best, if not downright failures, but don’t give up! Keep at it, and you’ll begin to create some creative pictures that you’re quite happy with.

Travel: Big Steak at The Big Texan – Amarillo, Texas

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

72 Once Competitor – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Natura 1600“

As you might know, I’m currently on a road trip. We passed through Amarillo, Texas, and stopped at The Big Texan restaurant for dinner. The Big Texan is famous for their 72 ounce steak that, if you can eat it in under an hour, is free. Most who attempt it don’t succeed. I didn’t try, but someone did while I was there, which was neat to see. I don’t know if he was successful or not because he was still at it when I left.

I always try to carry around a camera, because you never know when a photographic opportunity will present itself. If I don’t have a Fujifilm camera with me, I have RitchieCam on my iPhone (if you have an iPhone, be sure to download the app!) or a Ricoh GR. On this occasion I had my Fujifilm X-E4 with the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 attached to it, which is a great combination for travel! I snapped a few pictures while I was at The Big Texan, mostly while waiting for our table to be ready.

A restaurant might not seem like a good place for photography. This spot, which is along old Route 66, is quirky and fun, and anyplace that’s quirky and fun is likely to produce at least one good picture. The Big Texan didn’t disappoint, photographically and taste-wise. The food was delicious! The portions were Texas-sized. The photographs turned out alright I think.

I published last year my “ultimate” travel kit, which consists of a small camera bag, with the Fujifilm X-E4 and Fujifilm X100V inside. This is perfect to ensure that I have a camera with me all of the time, so that I don’t miss any opportunities to capture interesting pictures. You never know what you’ll find, so it’s best to be ready for anything—even a quirky steak restaurant in Amarillo, Texas.

Steak Makers – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Natura 1600”
Underneath the Table – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Natura 1600”
Metal Hook – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Natura 1600”
Fenced Sun – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – Upcoming Recipe
Worth One in the Hand – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Natura 1600”
Junk Monkey – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Vivid Velvia“

Fujifilm X-E4 (X-Trans IV) Film Simulation Recipe: Vibrant Velvia

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Hoodoos – Bryce Canyon NP, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Vibrant Velvia”

I really like The Rockwell Film Simulation Recipe, but sometimes it’s just a hair too much for me. I decided to create a new yet similar recipe that just tones it down a tad. Don’t get me wrong: this new recipe is still wild with vivid colors and definitely not for every situation or even every photographer. It will produce similar results to The Rockwell recipe, but (by a small margin) just a little more soft and tame.

This new “Vibrant Velvia” recipe is for when you want colors to pop. It’s a vibrant recipe for bold pictures. While it’s very colorful, it has low contrast, so it works especially well on sunny days, but I also had good luck with it in grey overcast conditions and in the shade. It’s not well suited for portraits or artificial light; instead, use it outdoors for colorful landscape photography. While I didn’t try to mimic Velvia film specifically, the results do remind me a little of Velvia 50 slides as viewed through a projector, although that is an impression (“memory color”), and not anything I studied specifically for this recipe.

Green Dew – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Vibrant Velvia”

The “Vibrant Velvia” recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. Because it uses Clarity and Color Chrome FX Blue, it isn’t compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30—try the Velvia v2 recipe on those cameras, which is fairly similar. Those with newer GFX cameras can try this recipe, too, although the results will be very slightly different.

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

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Vibrant Velvia” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:

Junk Monkey – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X-E4
Rose Singular – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Rose Bloom – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Vibrant Green Garden – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Church in the Ozarks – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Waterfall Over Table Rocks – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Blue Water Fall – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Nantucket – Branson, MO – Fujifilm X-E4
Orange Rocks – Bryce Canyon NP, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Pine Tree & Colorful Cliff – Bryce Canyon NP, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

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

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Using Partially Compatible Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes on Newer Cameras

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Boat on Lake Hamilton – Hot Springs, AR – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Kodak Vision3 250D“

I get asked somewhat frequently, “Can I use X-Trans III recipes on my X-Trans IV camera?” I’ve published almost 250 Film Simulation Recipes on this website, and there are at least a few recipes that are compatible with whatever Fujifilm X camera you own. Sometimes, though, someone wants to use a recipe on a camera that it wasn’t intended for. Can that work? What modifications does it need? I hope to answer those questions in this article.

If you have the Fuji X Weekly App on your phone and are an app Patron, you have the ability to filter the recipes by camera model or sensor generation. If you Filter by Camera, and that camera is the Fujifilm X100V (for example), there are currently 74 Film Simulation Recipes that will appear. These are recipes that are 100% fully compatible with the X100V. If you were to Filter by Sensor, and choose X-Trans IV, there are currently 170 recipes that will appear. Why the discrepancy? Some of these recipes aren’t compatible with the X100V because it requires an option only found on the newest cameras (such as the Eterna Bleach Bypass film simulation), but most of them are nearly compatible with the X100V—only some small tweaks are needed for it to work.

What kind of small tweaks? To use X-Trans III recipes on a Fujifilm X-T3 or X-T30, simply set Color Chrome Effect to Off and you are good to go (feel free to try it Weak or even Strong if you’d like). To use an X-Trans III recipe (or a recipe intended for the X-T3 & X-T30) on an X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, or X-T30 II, you’ll have to decide on Grain size (either Small or Large). For the picture at the top of this article, I chose Small for the Grain size, and the picture below I chose Large. It’s a decision that you’ll have to make for yourself—whatever you think is most appropriate for your pictures. Set Color Chrome Effect (unless it’s an X-T3 & X-T30 recipe that calls for it) and Color Chrome FX Blue to Off; however, don’t be afraid to try Weak or Strong because you might like the results. Set Clarity to 0 (or try +2 or -2 if you want). For X-T3 & X-T30 black-and-white recipes with toning, you’ll have to figure out what the equivalent tone is, because it works a little different on the newer cameras. With all of that, now the recipe will work on your newer camera. Suddenly the options for the X100V have more than doubled!

Table Rock Waterfall – Ridgedale, MO – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Superia 800“

What about other sensor generations? Will X-Trans I recipes work on X-Trans II? Will X-Trans II recipes work on X-Trans III? What about Bayer recipes?

Technically there is some cross-compatibility; however, the results will be different. That’s not necessarily “bad” because you might like the results. For example, I really love using the Bayer Classic Chrome recipe on my X-T1, an X-Trans II camera. The recipe wasn’t intended for that camera, but it works really well on it. If you have an X-Trans II camera, try X-Trans I and Bayer recipes and see what happens—just know that it will render the pictures differently on your camera, which you might really like or really not like (but you won’t know until you try!). For those with Bayer cameras, try X-Trans I and X-Trans II recipes. There are a few X-Trans II and Bayer recipes that those with X-Trans I cameras can try if they’d like—just look to see if your camera has the required film simulation.

For those with X-Trans III cameras, the cross-compatibility is a little less. You can try X-Trans I, II & Bayer recipes, but it will definitely render differently. You’ll have to decide on Grain (Weak, Strong, or Off). You might find something that you really like, so don’t be afraid to see what happens. For “older” GFX, try X-Trans III and X-T3 & X-T30 recipes. For “newer” GFX, try the X-Trans IV recipes intended for the newer cameras. Also, try GFX recipes on X-Trans IV cameras.

No matter your Fujifilm X camera, there are some Film Simulation Recipes that are 100% fully compatible; however, there are a lot more that are “mostly” compatible. You might have to make some modifications, or just know that the results won’t be exactly as they’re intended—what’s most important it whether or not it works for you. My advice is to give it a try, because you might find something that you really love.

Fujifilm X-E4 + Fujinon 90mm = Great Combo with Challenges

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm X-E4 with Fujinon 90mm

I was cleaning out the notebook on my road trip two months ago—it was a whirlwind to the Grand Teton National Park and to the furthest northwest corner of Oregon—and I was trying to figure out what to write about. The remaining pictures are a hodgepodge, but I wanted to share them nonetheless. I then realized that many of the remaining images were captured with a Fujifilm X-E4 and Fujinon 90mm combination. Suddenly I had my article idea!

You might recall that the 90mm lens doesn’t fit into my “ultimate” travel camera kit, so I couldn’t bring it with me; however, my wife, Amanda, brought it in her camera bag to use with her X-T4. The three lenses that she likes to use are the Fujinon 10-24mm zoom, the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8, and the 90mm f/2, and the 27mm is her (and my) favorite. I had the 27mm in my bag on the X-E4, so on several occasions we swapped. This arrangement ended up working out pretty well for both of us.

Snake River Sun Rays – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm – “Ferrania Solaris FG 400“

The Fujinon 90mm is one of my favorite lenses, but the 135mm full-frame-equivalent focal-length isn’t always easy to use. It’s great for headshots, but definitely challenging for landscape and travel photography. Challenges are actually good if you embrace them because they force you to think outside-the-box and try new things, which will make you a better photographer. While this lens is one of the absolute best in the Fujinon lineup, it’s not always easy for this type of photography; however, if you are up for the challenge you will certainly be rewarded.

The lens isn’t especially compact or lightweight, either. I find that it balances better on bigger camera bodies, such as the X-T4 or X-H1. Using it on the small X-E4 can be a bit awkward, especially if you’ll be shooting all day with it. In other words, it’s not a convenient option. Those who obsess over ergonomics will hate this camera and lens combination. If you can get past that, though, the X-E4 and 90mm will deliver excellent images. Both the camera and lens are highly capable photographic tools, and together, from an image quality point-of-view, they’re a dream team!

Columbia River Rainbow – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm – “Velvia v2“

If you have an X-E4, should you pair the 90mm with it? I love the camera and I love the lens, and they’re great when used together, but they’re not without their difficulties. They’re philosophical opposites. The X-E4 is about “less”—less size, less weight, less complications—while the 90mm is about “more”—more reach, more sharpness, more bokeh. With the Fujifilm X-E4, less is more. With the Fujinon 90mm f/2, more is more. They don’t belong together, yet the images they create together speak for themselves. The pictures are what matter most, and you do what you’ve got to do to create them. That means dealing with the challenges as they come, and, for me, using these two great tools together.

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

Fujifilm X-E4 Black    Amazon   B&H
Fujifilm X-E4 Silver   Amazon   B&H
Fujinon 90mm f/2 Amazon B&H

Haystack in Monochrome – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm – “Kodak Tri-X 400“
Pinnacles & Crashing Waves – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
Astoria Bridge – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
River Boat – Astoria, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
Winter Sage – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm – “Kodak Tri-X 400”

Fujifilm X-E4 Film Simulation Recipe: Fujicolor Natura 1600

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Tree Blossom Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Natura 1600”

Fujifilm produced Fujicolor Natura 1600, a high-ISO color negative film, from 2003 through 2017. It was only sold in Japan, but it became renown worldwide as word got out about this wonderful film. A lot of speculation has surrounded it. Is it simply renamed Fujicolor Superia 1600? Many people think so. Is it slightly modified Superia 1600 for Japanese skin-tones? Some people think so. Is it slightly modified Superia 1600 made specifically for the Fujifilm Natura camera? Perhaps so. I haven’t found any definitive evidence to conclude if Natura 1600 is unmodified Supera 1600 or a slightly modified variant of it—if it isn’t identical, it’s very similar.

I have a Fujicolor Superia 1600 Film Simulation Recipe already, and it’s a recipe that I personally quite like. I had no desire to remake it, but (you know) one film can have many different aesthetics, depending on a whole host of factors, including (but not limited to) how it was shot, developed, and scanned. With that in mind, I looked at Fujicolor Natura 1600 examples that I found online, and from scratch (not using the Superia 1600 recipe as a starting point) I made a whole new recipe to mimic Natura 1600—not surprisingly, the settings ended up being similar to the Superia 1600 recipe. Alternatively, this could be called Fujicolor Superia 1600 v2.

Clown Truck & Geo – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Natura 1600”

A fun thing that I did for some of these pictures is set the ISO to 1600—I think the results are especially good at that particular ISO; however, it’s more practical to use a larger range of ISOs. So set the ISO to 1600 if you’d like, or set it to Auto (up to ISO 6400) if you’d prefer—I tried both, and found either to be acceptable. This particular recipe is only compatible with the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. If you have an X100V or X-Pro3 and want to use this recipe, I suggest setting Highlight to -1 and Shadow to +2. The results will be similar, but not identical.

Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1.5
Shadow: +1.5
Color: -2
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpness: -2
Clarity: -4
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong
White Balance: 5500K, -1 Red & -2 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Fujicolor Natura 1600” Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-E4:

Carpet & Curtain – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Crown Railroad Cafe – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Dinner Conversations – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Daily Specials – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Dynalift – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Ice Cream – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Concrete Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Tulips for Sale – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Hazy Blossom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Evening Sun Through Leaves – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Flower Cluster – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Easter Egg Hunt – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Pine Tree & Rocks – Bryce Canyon NP, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Two Bridges – Bryce Canyon NP, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

Fujicolor Natura 1600 recipe compared to the Fujicolor Superia 1600 recipe:

“Fujicolor Natura 1600”
“Fujicolor Superia 1600”

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

Help Fuji X Weekly

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!

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Goodbye Utah, Hello Adventures!

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Denny’s Days – Beaver, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – “Kodachrome 64“

Goodbye, Utah.

I’ve called Utah home for six years, but now it’s time to move on. It’s bitter-sweet, as I will certainly miss the unbelievable natural beauty of the state, but I’m excited for the new adventures that await. Utah is a great place to live—I feel very lucky to have called it home.

What you don’t know is that (quite literally) as soon as the last episode of SOOC ended, I began packing. And loading. And everything else that goes along with moving. I’ve been extraordinarily busy, to say the least! I apologize for not being very responsive to comments and emails and such over the last couple of weeks. I’m definitely behind on that, but I hope to catch up soon. I appreciate your patience!

Leaving the Neighborhood – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – Upcoming Recipe

What now? Where am I going?

The family and I started out on an epic all-American road-trip. We’ll be traveling for five weeks (!!!), which will allow for some awesome picture opportunities (and probably a few new Film Simulation Recipes). My goal is to keep up with Fuji X Weekly and all the other projects that I have going on, including SOOC, which will be live on May 12. I think some days will be particularly productive, and some days will be especially not, but with some luck it will all work out. I just ask for a little patience during those less-productive periods.

After the road trip is complete, we will end up in Arizona. We’re saying goodbye to mountains and trees and snow and hello to deserts and cacti and sunshine. We’ll get there just in time for the heat of summer, and I hope that we survive (I mean that humorously)—my wife and I used to live there years ago (it’s where we met and got married), so in a way it is a homecoming.

Utah was very good and will be greatly missed; however, many wonderful new experiences are just around the corner, and we’re very excited for that. Be sure to follow my journey on this blog and on Instagram!

Criticisms & Curation

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Low Sun over Tetons – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm – “Ferrania Solaris FG 400“

I receive a lot of feedback—while most of it is positive, some of it is negative. Negative feedback isn’t inherently bad—in fact, it can be extraordinarily valuable—so I’m happy to receive it; however, not all of it is equal: there’s constructive criticism and destructive criticism.

Just guessing, about 70% of the negative feedback could be classified as destructive criticism, which is simply a put-down. It’s negativity for the sake of negativity. It’s meant to make the person saying it feel better about themselves by way of making someone else (me in this case) feel worse about themselves. People are mean sometimes, and that’s just the way it is. The world needs less destructive criticism and more kindness—the antidote is to be the kindness that the world desperately needs.

Constructive criticism is negative feedback that is meant well and is given with the intention of being helpful. Roughly 30% of negative feedback is constructive criticism. Within this, there are two sources: those who you should listen to and those who you shouldn’t. Just because someone has a complaint about something and they mean well doesn’t mean that you should listen to them. Do you trust them? Are they an authority or have some specific experience that makes them particularly qualified to offer quality advice? I would estimate that it is fifty-fifty on whether the constructive criticism is something valuable or not. That 15% of negative feedback that is constructive and from a trustworthy source is pure gold and much appreciated—well worth weeding through the 85% that isn’t.

Sometimes there are grey areas. Sometimes it’s not clear if the criticism is constructive or destructive, or whether the source is someone I should listen to or not. I tend to spend a lot of energy on these criticisms because I’m trying to figure out if there is value in it. So I have to process it. One such “grey area” criticism that I recently received is this: the pictures in one of my articles were not good enough for the words and subject—the article demanded better pictures to illustrate the point, and because the pictures weren’t good enough, I shouldn’t have published the article. Ouch!

Teton Blue – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X-E4 & 90mm – “Velvia v2“

One thing that I’ve always struggled with is curation. Advice that I’ve received over and over and over again is that I should only show the best of the best photographs. If you only show the absolute cream-of-the-crop pictures, people will think you’re a better photographer. Perception is reality, right? People will think you’re a great photographer if all of the photographs of yours that they view are great. But if they start seeing mediocre images, they’ll think you are a mediocre photographer. The truth is that everyone—even the greatest photographers—captures “lesser” pictures sometimes, but some people don’t share those pictures, so nobody knows.

I think sometimes showing these mediocre pictures is more authentic and honest. I’m not sure where the line should drawn when trying to balance perception with vulnerability. Obviously you want people to think the best of you; however, if what you let them see is too carefully curated then you’ll come across as fake, or you’ll leave people disappointed if they do ever find out the truth. I find this to be a tough balancing act. I share more of my frames than most people do, and perhaps I do show too many “lesser” pictures, and that might not be good.

Because I share some of my mediocre pictures with you on this website, I’m able to publish more content. If I waited until I had 12 or more great photographs before publishing a Film Simulation Recipe, I’d have far, far fewer recipes. That’s always a struggle: quality vs. quantity. I have a large quantity of material, but have I not focused enough on quality? Have I sacrificed quality too often for the sake of quantity? Does the quality make the content relatable? These are questions that I ask myself, but I don’t have good answers to them. I hope that I can continuously review and refine what I do, and hopefully this website becomes better and better with time.

Am I not curating enough? I’m I publishing too much content too quickly? What is the right balance? I have to really consider these things. Perhaps these are questions you, too, are pondering. I’d love to hear what you think, especially if this is something you are working through yourself or have had to work through in the past. If you have criticisms, please try to make them constructive and not destructive, but I definitely want to hear your feedback, so leave me a note in the comments!

Shooting with the Kodak Vision3 250D Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Working – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – “Kodak Vision3 250D”

One of my favorite Film Simulation Recipes is Kodak Vision3 250D. It produces wonderful warm tones, and has a vague cinematic feel. Colors pop but not overly so. There’s a lot of contrast, yet it rarely feels like too much, and shadows aren’t overly deep. If you have an X-Trans IV camera and haven’t tried this recipe, you really should!

The Kodak Vision3 250D recipe is intended for the X-T3 and X-T30 cameras, but with some slight modifications it can be used on “newer” X-Trans IV cameras, like my Fujifilm X-E4: I set Clarity to 0, Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, and Grain size to Small. If you have an X-H1, which has the Eterna film simulation, you can also use this recipe, but it will look slightly different because you don’t have Color Chrome Effect. Also, I used this recipe with much success on a GFX 50S camera, as seen in the video below.

In the last SOOC broadcast, Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I introduced the Kodak Vision3 250D recipe as the recipe-of-the-month. Shoot with this recipe and upload your pictures here to be included in the next SOOC episode, which will be live on May 12. Also, all those who upload their images captured with this recipe will have a chance to win a one-year subscription to the Fuji X Weekly App.

If you missed the last episode of SOOC, you can watch it below. Also, Season 02 Episode 03 is already scheduled, so be sure to mark your calendars and set a reminder. We will finish our discussion of the Kodak Vision3 250D recipe, showcase your images, and introduce the next recipe-of-the-month: Fujicolor Superia 800. It will be a great time—both fun and educational—and I hope that you can join us! SOOC is interactive, so the more that can tune-in and participate, the better the show is.

I captured the photographs in this article recently using my Fujifilm X-E4 with the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 lens attached to it. I love this combo! It’s great for travel, street, or just everyday walk-around photography. And the Kodak Vision3 250D recipe works great on it! It doesn’t matter if it’s street, landscape, or candid portrait photography—or almost anything else—this recipe does quite well.

The Kodak Vision3 250D recipe, along with over 200 others, is on the Fuji X Weekly App. If you don’t have it on your phone, be sure to download it now!

Dancing Joy – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – “Kodak Vision3 250D”
No Fun – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – “Kodak Vision3 250D”
Urban Daisies – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – “Kodak Vision3 250D”
Ivy Forest – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – “Kodak Vision3 250D”
Willow – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – “Kodak Vision3 250D”

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

Fujifilm X-E4 Black    Amazon   B&H
Fujifilm X-E4 Silver   Amazon   B&H
Fujifilm X-E4 Black + 27mm f/2.8    Amazon   B&H
Fujifilm X-E4 Silver + 27mm f/2.8   Amazon   B&H
Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR   Amazon   B&H

Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe: CineStill 50D

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Wind from the West – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 – “CineStill 50D”

CineStill 50D is Kodak Vision3 50D (a low-ISO daylight color negative motion picture film) with the remjet layer removed so that it can be developed via the C-41 process. I’ve been asked many times to recreate the look of this film for Fujifilm X cameras. I’ve attempted multiple times, but never succeeded—even this recipe I’m a little hesitant to share because it is “as close as I can get” but perhaps not as close as I’d like it to be. I think some of you will really appreciate it, and I hope everyone else can excuse that it isn’t perhaps the most accurate recipe I’ve ever made.

There were a few tricky parts creating this CineStill 50D recipe. First, I’ve never shot the film, and had to rely on examples from the internet. Second, there are at least three distinct aesthetics produced by this film, which I assume is from how it was shot, developed, and scanned. All films can vary in looks depending on a lengthy host of factors, and this one seems especially so. I picked one specific aesthetic that I came across as the basis of this recipe, and I think this recipe mimics that pretty well. Third, I came across an article stating that CineStill 50D scans must be treated as RAW images, as “they’re not finished straight out of the scanner.” That made me wonder how much editing had been done to the picture samples I found—how much of the look was from the film and how much was from the software. These were just some of the challenges.

Spring & Winter on Wasatch – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4 – “CineStill 50D”

Because the film is missing the remjet layer, it is particularly prone to halation, so I used a 10% CineBloom filter for a couple of these pictures (such as the one above) to mimic that. I don’t think it helped as much as I thought it might, so I discontinued that pretty quickly, but it certainly something you can try. I think this recipe looks best in direct sunlight. Under overcast, shade, indoor, or nighttime light it can produce interesting results, but is “most accurate” to the film when photographing in blue-sky daylight. Because it uses Clarity, this recipe is not compatible with the X-T3 and X-T30; however, if you use a diffusion filter—such as 10% CineBloom or 1/4 Black Pro Mist—in lieu of Clarity, that will give you similar (but not identical) results.

Astia
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: -1
Shadow: 0
Color: -4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: 0
Clarity: -4
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: 6800K, -5 Red & -3 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “CineStill 50D” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4:

Seagulls Circling Haystack Rock – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Small Church – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Cracker Barrel – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Bread Truck – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Red Flag Truck – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Tulip Sale – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Tree & Block Wall – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
House in the Trees – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Country Barn – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Shrub at Night – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Playing Games – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4

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

Help Fuji X Weekly

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The Forgotten Fujifilm X-H1

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Everyone’s talking about the upcoming Fujifilm X-H2 cameras (yes, cameras, as there will be two of them: X-H2 and X-H2s—visit Fujirumors for all of the latest and most accurate details… it is the absolute best source for upcoming Fujifilm cameras and such, and should be one of the websites you visit often), so it’s easy to forget the wonderful Fujifilm X-H1, which is an absolute workhorse that’s easy to love.

Fujifilm introduced the X-H1 four years ago. At the time of its release, the X-H1 was the most premium model in the entire Fujifilm lineup, and the first to have IBIS. They didn’t hold anything back—the X-H1 is a dream to use—but it didn’t sell nearly as well as Fujifilm had hoped. The initial price point was too high for an APS-C camera, and Fujifilm had to steeply discount it for people to buy it. It was the very last X-Trans III camera, and shortly after its release the X-T3 was announced with a new sensor and processor and pretty much identical specs (aside from IBIS), yet cheaper. Once the X-T4 was released two years ago, which seemed to be an X-H camera in an X-T body, it was clear that the X-H1 was done, and some thought that the X-H line was also defunct, and there would be no X-H2 ever.

I got my X-H1 because someone gifted it to me. They didn’t need it anymore, and they knew that I didn’t have any X-Trans III cameras to create Film Simulation Recipes on, so they gave it to me for the benefit of the Fujifilm community. Wow! I had no idea how incredible this camera is! It’s quick and eager, but with unbelievable endurance. Like the Energizer Bunny, it just keeps going and going and going and going. It wants to be used, and used a lot. If you ask anyone who owns a Fujifilm X-H1, even if they have newer models, they’ll tell you that the X-H1 is their workhorse camera.

It’s too bad that the X-H1 didn’t sell as well as it should have. The camera is legendary among those who have used it, and pretty much forgotten by those who haven’t. While I’m just as excited for the new X-H cameras as everyone else, I want to give attention to the original X-H model—the X-H1—which just so happens to be one of my favorite cameras. If you are searching for a used camera, don’t overlook the wonderful X-H1. It’s the one that just gets the job done.

Below are some straight-out-of-camera photographs that I’ve captured on my Fujifilm X-H1 over the last several months.

Highrise, Reflection & Lamp – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Gold 200”
Vespa Mirror Reflection – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Gold 200”
Suburban Adventures – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Portra 160“
Last Warm Light on Wasatch Front – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Negative Print”
Fading Light On Wasatch – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Improved Velvia”
Winter Berries – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Negative Print”
Blossom Remnants 1 – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak GT 800-5“
Doll – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Analog Monochrome”
Lamp & Side Mirrors – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Ilford XP2 Super 400“
A Y – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Ilford XP2 Super 400”

The Instant Joy of the Instax Mini Link Printer

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

I recently purchased a Fujifilm Instax Mini Link instant film printer, which is a way to make Instax pictures from non-Instax cameras. It has already proven to be a lot of fun! I’ve been using the Mini Link to make instant film pictures from some of my recent road trip photographs, and it’s been a true joy to use!

As you might know, Instax is Fujifilm’s most popular photographic line, outselling X and GFX by leaps and bounds. It’s extremely popular worldwide, especially among younger people. Instax is currently the top-selling instant film brand, even more popular than Polaroid.

We have a couple of Instax cameras in our house, but sometimes it’s not practical to carry them around. These cameras are larger than my Fujifilm X100V and Fujifilm X-E4, so occasionally an Instax camera comes along with us, but oftentimes not; however, now that I have an Instax Mini Link printer, this is no longer a problem. In fact, in some ways, the Mini Link is actually better than an Instax camera.

The Instax Mini Link instant film printer is just a little smaller than the Instax Neo Classic Mini 90, yet pretty similar in size. It can fit fairly easily into a camera bag, but, unless you are going to an event and want to be able to instantly share pictures on-location, you might as well leave it at home. Not needing to carry around an Instax camera or even the printer is an advantage to using the Mini Link.

No surprise, the Mini Link uses Instax Mini instant film, which measures 2.1″ x 3.4″ with a 1.8″ x 2.4″ image inside the frame. It’s not a large picture whatsoever, but a good size for a travel journal or sharing with someone. Instax film quickly gets expensive. When you use an Instax camera, you don’t know what you’ve got until the picture develops. If it’s an important image (such as family or friends at an iconic location at a National Park), you have to wait a couple minutes for the image to develop, and if it didn’t come out you have to snap a second or maybe even a third frame. But with the Mini Link, you only print the images you want, which saves you both time and film (and ultimately money).

Another advantage of using the Mini Link printer over an Instax camera is that the picture quality is better. Instant film isn’t necessarily known for its high resolution renderings (although this can and certainly has varied), and I think the Instax cameras themselves often don’t allow you to get the highest potential image quality out of the film. While you still have the limitation of the film, using a Fujifilm X camera (or even a cellphone) to capture the images can improve the Instax picture quality. Instax cameras don’t seem to allow you to maximize the film capability, but the Mini Link definitely does allow you to maximize the image quality of the Instax Mini film.

The photographs that I printed on my Instax Mini Link printer were captured with my Fujifilm X100V and X-E4 cameras using various Film Simulation Recipes, as well as pictures captured on my iPhone using my RitchieCam camera app using various filters. While the printed photos retain much of their original aesthetics, the film itself has its own aesthetics that affect the outcome, so it is a combination of the recipe or filter plus the film that make the final Instax image. I especially like how the Nostalgic Color and Fujicolor Super HG recipes—and the MetroColor and Color Negative Low filters on the RitchieCam app—render on Instax film, but I certainly haven’t tried all of the recipes or filters. It’s amazing, though, how Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes and RitchieCam filters pair so seemingly well with Instax film printed on the Mini Link.

What about the images in this article? The top two pictures were captured with my Fujifilm X-E4 with a Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 lens using my Fujicolor Superia 100 recipe, while the third was captured on my iPhone using the Faded Film filter on the RitchieCam app. The printer requires you to use the Instax Mini Link app to wirelessly (via bluetooth) transfer pictures from your electronic device to the printer. There are several “creative” options within the app that allow you to “enhance” your pictures, but I haven’t found a reason to use these—simply, the fun is found in the magic of instant film. Printing my digital photographs—captured on my Fujifilm X cameras and the RitchieCam app—on Instax Mini film is a true joy, and the Mini Link printer allows me to do this.

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

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link Printer Amazon B&H
Fujifilm Instax Mini Film Amazon B&H

An Open Letter To Fujifilm… In B&W

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm X100V Acros Edition

Dear Fujifilm,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,
Ritchie Roesch
Fuji X Weekly

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

Deal Alert: Fujifilm X-T3 WW Discounted

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm just discounted the X-T3 WW, which is an X-T3 without a battery charger (USB charging only). The X-T3 used to be Fujifilm’s flagship model until the X-T4 was released two years ago, but they still offer it brand-new because it is a best-selling model, even outselling the superior X-T4. The X-T3 WW is one of the absolute best bargains available today, but now (through June 5th, apparently) the X-T3 WW is an even better bargain! If you’ve thought about buying one, it’s a really good time to do so.

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

The Fujifilm X-T3 WW body-only is $100 off, now only $999.95! Amazon B&H
The Fujifilm X-T3 WW + 18-55mm kit is $200 off, now only $1,299.95! Amazon B&H

A few months back I published an article, Best Fujifilm Cameras Under $1,000, and the X-T3 WW was listed as “Best Value Just Above $1,000,” but now that it’s on sale it would be my best value recommendation for $1,000 or less. The X-T3 also made it to number three on my 10 Most Important Fujifilm X-Trans Cameras list.

Fujifilm X-Trans III + X-T3 & X-T30 Film Simulation Recipe: Kodacolor VR

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Inside City Creek – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Kodacolor VR”

This Film Simulation Recipe was an experiment. I started out with my Fujicolor 100 Industrial recipe, but instead of using a cool White Balance with a warm White Balance Shift, I did the opposite: I used a warm White Balance with a cool shift. After many adjustments to various settings, this ended up not resembling the Fujicolor 100 Industrial recipe much at all, but it does have a great vintage print-film aesthetic that I really like.

I wasn’t sure at first which film this recipe most closely resembled (since it wasn’t intended to mimic any specific film), although it seemed to have some similarities to Kodacolor VR. I already have a Kodacolor recipe (plus a variant of it), which does a great job at mimicking Kodacolor VR; this recipe and that one look somewhat similar, but definitely different. Then I ran across some pictures that looked very similar to the ones you see in this article, and it turned out that they were shot on Kodacolor VR film that had expired. So I think this recipe, while it does resemble Kodacolor VR, as well as ColorPlus 200 (which is a direct descendant of that film), it most closely looks like Kodacolor VR that’s been stored a little past its expiration date. Of course, one film can have many different looks, depending on how it was shot, developed, scanned and/or printed, and (in this case) stored, so this recipe serves as a nice alternative to my original Kodacolor recipe.

Leaning Tower – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Kodacolor VR”

This “Kodacolor VR” recipe was originally a Patron Early-Access Recipe, but is now available to everyone! If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, there is a new Early-Access Recipe that replaced this one, so be sure to look for that. This recipe is compatible with Fujifilm X-Trans III and X-T3 and X-T30 cameras. For those with newer X-Trans IV cameras, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0 (or perhaps -2), and I’d suggest Grain size Large, but use Small if you prefer.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1
Shadow: +1
Color: +2
Sharpness: -1
Noise Reduction: -4
Grain: Weak
Color Chrome Effect: Off
White Balance: 10000K, -7 Red & +8 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

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

Summer Reeds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Corner Through Leaves – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Stones & Glass Ceiling – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Glass – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Building a Building – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Small Spaces Between – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Twilight Telephone Poles – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Stoneground – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Goes for Gold – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Night Parking – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Doki Doki – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Escalators – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Downtown Buildings – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Coming Train – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Trax – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Waiting on the Platform – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Glass & Sky – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Tall Downtown Buildings – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Find this Film Simulation Recipe and over 200 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

Help Fuji X Weekly

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Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe: Moody Monochrome

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Apocalyptic Pavillion – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Moody Monochrome”

Of the different faux filter options for Acros, +Y is the one I use the least. I think it goes back to my film days when I used color filters with B&W film. I would select Orange or Red before Yellow, because Yellow is fairly subtle, but the advantage of the Yellow filter is that it doesn’t block as much light. Of course, the faux filters on Fujifilm cameras don’t affect the exposure like real filters with film. Anyway, recognizing that I infrequently use Acros+Y, I set out to make a Film Simulation Recipe that uses +Y and produces an aesthetic that I like. I think it is important to challenge myself sometimes, so if there’s some setting or gear or option that I don’t use often, forcing myself to use it helps me to grow as a photographer. That’s why I made this recipe.

I wanted something with an overall darker curve, so that it would produce a moody look. Maybe deep blacks reminiscent of Tri-X, and maybe a push-process feel. I didn’t have any specific film in mind, but I’m reminded of this time that I push-processed a roll of Ilford Delta 400, but inadvertently got it wrong—I underexposed two stops, and only had the lab push it by one stop, so the pictures were largely underexposed, and they were darker and moodier (yet less contrasty and grainy) than I had intended. This isn’t exactly the same as that, but not too dissimilar, either, so that’s why I call this recipe Moody Monochrome.

Early Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Moody Monochrome”

Because this film simulation recipe uses Clarity, it is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. If you have an X-T3 or X-T30 or X-Trans III camera, ignore Clarity and Grain size, and use a diffusion filter, like a 10% CineBloom or 1/4 Black Pro Mist, to get similar results.

Acros+Y
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1
Shadow: +4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpness: -2
Clarity: -3
Grain Effect: Strong, Large 
Color Chrome Effect: Off
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off
White Balance: Fluorescent 3, -4 Red & -9 Blue
ISO: 3200
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Moody Monochrome” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:

Stop West – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Watch For Falling Bikes – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Sun Beams – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Tower in the Middle of Nowhere – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Path Through The Grass – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Wetland Boardwalk – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Wetland Grass – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Creek in the Trees – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Creek, Stick & Vines – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Log Above The Water – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Grey Brush – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Cat on a Log – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V

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

Fujifilm X100V Black    Amazon   B&H
Fujifilm X100V Silver   Amazon   B&H

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

Help Fuji X Weekly

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!

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RitchieCam Update #1

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

I just released the first “major” RitchieCam app update. For those who don’t know, I created an iOS camera app to simplify and streamline your iPhone photography. The app is free, and is intended to be a useful free tool, yet becoming a RitchieCam Patron unlocks all of the filters and the best app experience.

There are a lot of features that I want to incorporate into the app, but it takes time and work to implement them all, so they will roll out over time. In other words, RitchieCam is just going to get better and better! I just released the first significant update—if you have RitchieCam on your phone and it didn’t automatically update, be sure to manually do it in the App Store now.

One new feature is the volume button—either up or down—as a shutter release. Depending on how you hold your phone, this is a more convenient way to take pictures. Instead of tapping the circle shutter at the bottom, you can press either volume up or volume down to accomplish the same thing. The ability to use the volume buttons to capture photographs was highly requested, so I’m pleased to be able to include it in this update.

Another new feature is additional aspect ratios. Originally, all RitchieCam photos were in iPhone’s standard 4:3 aspect ratio, which is necessary if you want to use the full resolution of the sensor. But if you prefer a different shape, there are now five aspect ratios to choose from: 4:3, 3:2, 5:4, 1:1, & 16:9.

Here are some photos, all captured using the Standard Film filter on RitchieCam, illustrating the different aspect ratios:

4:3 / 3:4

3:2 / 2:3

5:4 / 4:5

1:1

16:9 / 9:16

RitchieCam saves the pictures in Apple’s High Efficiency Image Container (HEIC, also called HEIF) format, which maximizes image quality while simultaneously taking less space on your phone. It’s also necessary for implementing some new features down the road. The downside to HEIC is that it is less universally compatible with non-Apple programs. For those who prefer JPEG over HEIC, you now have that option—tap the Gear icon, and you’ll find the Format toggle about halfway down.

The other improvements are less obvious. RitchieCam will now remember the last Flash and EV settings used (as well as the aspect ratio), which will hopefully improve the user experience for some of you. There are several behind-the-scenes optimizations to improve speed, stability, and quality, which you’re not likely to notice, but micro improvements add up over time, so they’re important to continuously work on.

And that’s the update! Already work has begun on the next one. If the feature you were hoping for isn’t in this one, with any luck you won’t have to wait too long for it, but I do ask for your patience, because these things do take awhile. In the meantime, I hope there’s something in this update that you find helpful to you.

More Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes!

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Boy, did I go down a rabbit hole this morning!

As you probably know, I have published over 200 Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras—it’s fast approaching 250! There are so many looks that you can achieve straight-out-of-camera no matter your Fujifilm model. But I’m not the only one who has created recipes, and maybe you’re after some look that I haven’t yet published, so I thought I’d compile a list of websites where you can find more recipes. Using Google, I was shocked by what I found: so many people have published recipes! I’m sure my list below is not exhaustive—if you know of something I’ve missed, feel free to leave it in the comments. It’s really quite amazing what’s out there!

If you have the Fuji X Weekly App on your phone and are an App Patron, you can use the Blank Recipe Cards feature to add any recipe that you find to the App so that you can always have it with you. Or if you’ve created your own recipe, you can add it into the App. Or if there’s a recipe that you’ve modified in some way and want to keep track of that modification, you can use it for that purpose, too.

Anyway, below are various websites that I found that have Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras. Take a look!

Fuji X Weekly Community Recipes

Life, Unintended (Luis Costa)

Jamie Chance Travels

Pete Takes Pictures

Kevin Mullins

One Camera One Lens

Piotr’s Recipes

Reggie Ballesteros

Captn Look

Craig Bergonzoni

Kebs Cayabyab

Ivanyolo

Øyvind Nordhagen

The Big Negative

Alik Griffin

Helen Fennell

The Broketographers

Fujigraphy

Best Light Photo

Fujifilm X-Trans IV Film Simulation Recipe: Kodak Brilliance

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

Dock in the River – Fujifilm X-E4 – Hammond, OR – “Kodak Brilliance”

Thomas Schwab sent me modification of the Kodachrome I Film Simulation Recipe—he calls this new version Kodak Brilliance. You might recall that Thomas and I worked together on the Kodachrome I recipe, which was an update to the Vintage Kodachrome recipe. Those two recipes (Vintage Kodachrome and Kodachrome I) were modeled after the first era of Kodachrome film. My Old Kodak recipe is also a similar option.

This new version of the recipe isn’t intended to more accurately replicate the film, but instead offer a nice-looking alternative that still retains a vintage Kodak essence. It has a “memory color” that is reminiscent of classic Kodak slide film. I especially like how this recipe renders blues.

Tetons in March – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Brilliance”

Because the Kodak Brilliance recipe uses Clarity and Color Chrome FX Blue, it’s only compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. I believe that you could also use it on newer GFX cameras, although I have not personally tested it. For the X-T3 and X-T30, feel free to try it, ignoring Clarity, Color Chrome FX Blue, and Grain size—it won’t look exactly the same, but will be pretty similar.

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: -2
Color: +4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpness: -1
Clarity: +2
Grain Effect: Weak, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak
White Balance: Daylight, +2 Red & -1 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1 to 0 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Kodak Brilliance” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V and Fujifilm X-E4:

On the Cusp of Spring – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Wet Fern – Columbia River Gorge, OR – Fujifilm X100V
Hanging Orange – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Blowing East – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Beach Staircase – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Misty Ocean – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Haystack Rock – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Helicopter Behind Haystack Rock – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Shipwreck Shell – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V
Peter Iredale at Sunset – Fort Stevens SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V

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

Do Fujifilm Photographs Look Like Film?

Posted on by Ritchie Roesch

The Big Ocean – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Fujicolor Super HG”

Do straight-out-of-camera JPEGs from Fujifilm X cameras actually resemble film?

I used to shoot film. I learned photography at the height of film, in the late-1990’s. I disliked digital when it began to get popular. Yes, I was a film snob for at least a decade, almost two. I don’t want to rehash my journey (you can read about it here), but I simply want to convey that for a long time I was a film-only guy, and I have a lot of experience with it. Now I rarely shoot film (only occasionally); instead, I use Fujifilm X cameras. I make Film Simulation Recipes that often mimic various film stocks and analog processes. I know a thing or two about film, Fujifilm, and making Fujifilm resemble film.

But does it? Can SOOC JPEGs really resemble film?

Horsetail Falls from Bridge – Columbia River Gorge, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “Improved Velvia”

Why I’m writing this post is because I stumbled upon two articles on The Phoblogger: Fujifilm vs Film Photography and We Challenge You to Identify the Fujifilm Negative Film vs Simulation. Neither of these articles are particularly profound, and Film Simulation Recipes are not mentioned, and I’m pretty sure not used. I don’t know if any of my tips for achieving a film-look in-camera were implemented, but probably not. However, as I read these two articles I began to contemplate: what makes a film photograph special, why do we even want our digital pictures to look like film, and can they?

The answer to the first question—what makes film photographs special?—is soul. Digital and film, while very similar, have unique attributes—there are advantages and disadvantages for each. Digital is often very mathematical and clinical, which certainly serves a purpose. Film is more random and serendipitous, which is the character that gives it soul. With digital, the possibilities for an exposure are endless, but with film it is much more limited—yes, there’s a lot that can be done in the darkroom, but you’re still limited by the film itself and how it was shot. You get what you get—especially if it’s slide film—but that’s the fun of it.

You might want your digital pictures to look like film for that analog soul. How can you get the best of both worlds and achieve a film-soul in a digital picture? How can you leave some of that clinical-ness behind and replace it with randomness and serendipity? My first advice is to use Fujifilm cameras, as Fujifilm has sought to use their vast film experience to infuse a little of that soul into their digital cameras. Next, I suggest shooting JPEG using Film Simulation Recipes, which make it a you-get-what-you-get process more similar to film. Then try some of my tips for achieving a film-look in-camera, such as diffusion filters, vintage glass, high-ISO, etc., etc.. This isn’t the only method, but simply what I use and recommend.

Desert Snow – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro3 – “Old Ektachrome”

Can you capture digital pictures that resemble film? Could they actually trick someone into thinking you shoot film when you don’t? While I think the answer to both questions is “yes” (at least to some extent), I think they’re the wrong questions. Instead, the questions should be: what process works for me? And: do my pictures have soul?

If your process doesn’t really work for you, then change it. It took me years to figure out what process works for me: shooting SOOC JPEGs using Film Simulation Recipes on Fujifilm cameras. I don’t edit (aside from minor cropping, straightening, and very occasional small adjustments), which saves me tons of time. The three pictures in this article are recently captured camera-made JPEGs using different recipes on different cameras. That process is great for me, and it might be for you, too, but it’s not for everyone because people are different. You have to do what works for you and not worry about what others are doing.

While the serendipity of film gives it soul, and some of that soul can also be found in Fujifilm cameras (and even in other cameras and processes), the number one thing that gives a picture soul is the photographer. What you do with your photography gear to craft an image is what’s most important. When you infuse a bit of yourself into your images, that’s what makes it special—much more than anything else. So whether your pictures do or don’t resemble film doesn’t matter, just as long as your process works for you and you are photographing with vision. Capture the images that you want to create in the way that you want to create them. The rest just doesn’t matter.