I traveled to California’s central coast last month. If you regularly read this blog, you’ve certainly seen the pictures, such as Pacific Poppies above. Well, tomorrow—July 6th—Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I will be chatting about travel photography in our SOOC Livebroadcast. I hope that you can join us at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern, as it is an interactive program, and your participation will make it better.
We have a lot of points to discuss—from Film Simulation Recipes to camera gear to practical advice and so much more! If you have any upcoming travel plans, this is a can’t-miss episode! I’ve included it below so that you can easily find it. If you don’t yet subscribe to the SOOC Live YouTube channel, be sure to do so now, so that you don’t miss any future shows.
My personal favorite of these four is Urban Dreams, which has a Kodachrome 200 vibe. Especially during overcast conditions and blue-hour, this is a Recipe that I really enjoy using—I shot a lot with it on my coastal trip. Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 is my second favorite, which is good for sunny days when you want colors to pop. My third favorite is Vivid Summer Glow, which has some similarities to the Kodachrome II Recipe, but I like Kodachrome II better. Last and least, Soft Blue Classic does alright when the sun is high and the light is warm, but overall I didn’t like it very much.
The next SOOC Live broadcast will be this coming Thursday, June 29th, at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern. We’ll finish our discussion of these four AI-made Film Simulation Recipes, and much more. I hope that you can join us, because it’s an interactive program, and your participation makes it better!
During the last SOOC Live show, we challenged you to shoot with these four ChatGPT Film Simulation Recipes. I hope that you’ve had fun trying them! As a reminder, you have until tomorrow (June 27th) to upload your pictures captured with these Recipes (click here) for the next show, so you’ll want to do so quickly if you haven’t already. Be sure to include the name of the Recipe used in the file name, so that we can keep track of which is which.
I hope to see you on Thursday!
Pacific Cove – Montaña de Oro SP, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1
Lower Sea Cliff – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Soft Blue Classic”
Wave Crashing on Rock – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Vivid Summer Glow”
House on the Seaside Cliffs – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
We invite you to share with us your photographs (click here) captured with those AI Recipes to be potentially featured in the next broadcast, to be included in the Viewer’s Images Slideshow, and to enter a chance to win a one-year Patron subscription to the Fuji X Weekly App. Please upload your pictures no later than Tuesday, June 27th! That’s coming up very soon, but there’s still time if you haven’t yet begun the challenge. Don’t forget to include the name of the Recipe that you used in the file name.
If you missed the last broadcast, I’ve included it below. You’ll want to check it out if you missed it when it was live. You can find all the past episodes on the SOOC Live YouTube channel.
Open AI’s ChatGPT can make Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras. But are they any good? Should you use them? Should you ask ChatGPT to make you a custom Recipe for your camera? What can you expect from these Recipes?
Back on June 2nd, Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and myself chatted about using ChatGPT to make Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras. We even asked the AI to create one for us live during our SOOC Livebroadcast. If you’ve ever been even remotely curious about this topic, it’s worth watching—I’ve included it below.
There’s so much that could and should be said, and we covered much of that in the broadcast. If you haven’t yet watched the video, be sure to do so!
One issue about using AI to create Film Simulation Recipes is that ChatGPT only examines descriptions. For example, how does it “know” what Kodachrome film looks like? It has been trained on people’s descriptions of the emulsion. Whether or not those descriptions are accurate (or if Open AI received permission to use those descriptions) is anyone’s guess. How does it “know” what the Astia film simulation looks like? It has been trained on someone’s description of the setting. When you ask it to make a Film Simulation Recipe, it simply searches its database for descriptions that seem to match, and then spits out some settings that may or may not make sense.
Abandoned Ford – Cambria, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
How does ChatGPT even know what a Film Simulation Recipe is? It’s been trained on Fuji X Weekly and other websites (without permission or citation). There are some significant ethical considerations, and probably some legal ones, too, that will hopefully get hashed out in time.
Another issue is that it rarely ever gives a complete Recipe. You have to know which parameters are required, spot the missing ones, and ask ChatGPT to provide them to you. Occasionally it will give you some setting that doesn’t actually exist. You have to be well versed in Fujifilm camera settings to know if you’ve actually got a complete Recipe; otherwise, you’re likely to have a few that are missing.
Aside from that, if you ask ChatGPT to make a particular Film Simulation Recipe more than once, each time you’ll get a different answer. Even with identical prompts, the answer will be different, sometimes wildly so. It all seems very random. If a particular ChatGPT Recipe is any good is more by chance than anything else. You’re just as likely to get a good Recipe from rolling dice.
This is the case because Open AI’s ChatGPT is a bit of a card trick. It’s very impressive until you spot the slight-of-hand. It will always give you a response; if you are a novice on the topic, the answer will likely be better than you could have come up with on your own, but if you are an expert, it will always be worse, perhaps much worse. Despite “learning” from human input, there’s no humanity in the answer—if you want authenticity and creativity, you need a person’s experience to be at the core. The software can do its best to take from others and spit out a Recipe, but it will always be untested, based on descriptions, without any personal experience behind it.
Lower Sea Cliff – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Soft Blue Classic”
That doesn’t mean it’s not fun to try. I’ve used ChatGPT a bunch of times just to see what it comes up with and to understand what exactly it’s doing. The Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 and Urban Dreams Recipes are from ChatGPT. For every AI Recipe that’s good there’s probably five or more that aren’t any good. Actually, the majority are mediocre—neither terrible nor great—because ChatGPT doesn’t stray very far from the default settings, rarely ever going beyond +/- 2 on anything.
I made a video about the Kodak Ektachrome E100VS Recipe, which you’ll find below. I asked AI to make a Film Simulation Recipe that mimics Kodachrome X. What it came up with by chance looked pretty good, but didn’t much resemble the second era of Kodachrome. Take a look, if you haven’t yet seen it.
What about the Vivid Summer Glow and Soft Blue Classic Film Simulation Recipes I referenced in two of the pictures above? Those were also made by ChatGPT. Vivid Summer Glow was created live during the last SOOC Live broadcast. Soft Blue Classic was created for Nathalie during preparations for the show. In the broadcast we challenged you to shoot with Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1, Urban Dreams, Soft Blue Classic, and/or Vivid Summer Glow, and upload your results (click here) by June 27th to be potentially featured in the next episode, and to be included in the Viewer’s Images slideshow.
Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 and Urban Dreams can both be found in the Fuji X Weekly App. Soft Blue Classic and Vivid Summer Glow are not “official” Recipes, so I’ve included them at the bottom of this article should you want to try them yourself.
Also on June 2nd, Nathalie and I finally finished the much-delayed conclusion to our Storytelling theme. If you missed it when it was live, I’ve included it below. Also, right below that, is the most recent Viewer’s Images slideshow video. If you don’t yet subscribe to the new SOOC Live YouTube channel, be sure to do so now!
Now, to the two new AI-made Film Simulation Recipes: Soft Blue Classic and Vivid Summer Glow!
Soft Blue Classic
Boat Ashore – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Soft Blue Classic”
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: -1 Shadow: -1 Color: -2 Noise Reduction: -2 Sharpness: +1 Clarity: 0 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: Auto, -1 Red & -1 Blue
This AI Recipe is compatible with “newer” Fujifilm X-Trans IV cameras: X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. For X-Trans V, just know that blue will render more deeply. For the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30, ignore Grain size, Color Chrome FX Blue, and Clarity (the results should be the same); for X-Trans III models, additionally ignore Color Chrome Effect.
Vivid Summer Glow
Wave Crashing on Rock – San Simeon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – “Vivid Summer Glow”
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +1 Shadow: +2 Color: +1 Noise Reduction: -1 Sharpness: +1 Clarity: +1 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -1 Blue
This AI Recipe is compatible with “newer” Fujifilm X-Trans IV cameras: X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II. For X-Trans V models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak (instead of Strong).
As you can see, I used all four of these ChatGPT Film Simulation Recipes while on a roadtrip to California’s Central Coast. I liked Urban Dreams—which has some similarities to Kodachrome 200 film—the most, but Kodak Ektachrome E100VS v1 did pretty well for a few shots, too. Vivid Summer Glow (which isn’t a good name for the Recipe in my opinion) is not bad at all, and isn’t all that much divergent from my Kodachrome II Recipe (did AI copy it, just making a few changes?). Soft Blue Classic was my least favorite, but it can produce good results in harsh overly-warm light.
Today I’ll be live on YouTube! The SOOC Live broadcast will begin at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern—I hope that you can join myself and Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry as we finish our discussion of storytelling photography, showcase some of your pictures, answer your questions, and more! This episode has been delayed a few times, but it is really going to happen today!
It’s actually a double-header, so after that broadcast we’ll jump right into the next episode. Join us again at Noon Pacific Time, 3:00 PM Eastern as we discuss using ChatGPT to make Film Simulation Recipes!
Please join us for one or both of those shows if you can! The SOOC Live broadcast is an interactive program, so the more who can join in and participate, the better it is. I hope to see you in the show today!
Also, be sure to check out the Viewer’s Images slideshow—your pictures! I want to say a big “thank you” to everyone who submitted pictures for the program, without you the episodes wouldn’t be anywhere near as good.
***Update*** The show has been postponed until June 2nd, due to technical issues. Sorry.
Just very quickly: the next SOOC Live broadcast is today at Noon Pacific Time, 3 PM Eastern (two hours later than usual). I hope that you can join Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and myself as we finish our discussion of storytelling photography, showcase some of your pictures, answer your questions, and more!
If you don’t follow SOOC Live on YouTube, be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss any future episodes.
I’m sorry to announce that today’s SOOC Live broadcast has been postponed one month, and next week’s show has been canceled. A number of unforeseen and unfortunate life events happened, and something had to give. Sadly, it became obvious late last night that today’s show just wasn’t going to work out.
The silver lining is that you have more time to shoot with the four Film Simulation Recipes that we are challenging you to shoot with: Reggie’s Portra, AgfaChrome RS 100, Classic Slide, and Ilford Delta Push Process. Be sure to try those Recipes for your storytelling photography. Additional challenges, for those who want more, are to use layered compositions and/or elicit emotion. If you missed the last episode, be sure to watch it (click here), because all of this will make a lot more sense to those who have viewed the broadcast.
For those who don’t know, SOOC Liveis a bimonthly broadcast where Nathalie Boucry and I discuss Film Simulation Recipes, give tips and tricks for achieving the results you want straight-out-of-camera, and answer your questions. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.
Underwood Typewriter – Vulture City, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – AgfaChrome RS 100 Recipe
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the next SOOC Live broadcast is being delayed one day, and will now be on Friday April 28, and not Thursday the 27th. I apologize for any issues that this might cause. I hope that you can still join us!
Don’t forget: the next show will be LIVE on Friday the 28th! It’s an interactive program, so the more who can tune in, the better it will be. I look forward to seeing you then!
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
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words—a lot can be nonverbally communicated through an image. But what exactly is storytelling photography? How do we effectively become storytellers with our cameras? Those questions and so many others will be discussed at length in the next SOOC Livebroadcast, which is THIS Thursday, April 6th, at 10 AM Pacific Time, 1 PM Eastern. Mark your calendars now! I hope you can join us live!
For those who don’t know, SOOC Live is a bimonthly broadcast where Nathalie Boucry and I discuss Film Simulation Recipes, give tips and tricks for achieving the results you want straight-out-of-camera, and answer your questions. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow. On the first Thursday of each month we introduce and discuss a theme—the theme for March was Street Photography—and the fourth Thursday of each month we look at the photographs captured within the theme using the Recipes, talk about lessons learned, and answer any and all of your questions. It’s an interactive show, and your participation is what makes it great!
Last Thursday was the Q&A broadcast. If you missed it when it was live, you can watch it now (see below). We had some very good discussions about street photography, so be sure to play it if you haven’t seen it yet!
Also, check out the Viewer’s Images slideshow! It was so great to see your wonderful pictures—they were quite inspiring to me—and I appreciate everyone who shared—thank you! Take a look!
Be sure to follow SOOC Live on YouTubeif you don’t already, so that you don’t miss any broadcasts. I look forward to seeing you in just a few days as we talk about Storytelling! This will be an especially insightful episode, I think, so you won’t want to miss it. See you on Thursday!
Want to talk about street photography? Yeah? Me, too!
Join myself and Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry this Thursday as we discuss Street Photography live! We’ll talk about the four Film Simulation Recipes—Kodachrome 64, Classic Kodak, Serr’s 500T, and Agfa Scala—that we’ve been shooting with, show a selection of your pictures, answer any questions that you might have, and much more. I hope that you can join us on March 30 at 10 AM Pacific Time, 1 PM Eastern! This is 2nd part to our discussion, so click here if you missed the last broadcast.
We are inviting you—challenging you, in fact—to shoot with one, two, three, or even all four of the Film Simulation Recipes this month. For those wanting an extra challenge, we have two: 1) use reflections and/or silhouettes in your pictures and 2) use a 1/15 shutter speed. These extra challenges are completely optional, but I am excited to see what you do with them. Upload your images by today: up to three of your favorite street photography photographs captured with one (or more) of the four Film Simulation Recipes that we suggested you try—please include the Recipe(s) you used in the file name so that we know. The uploaded pictures will be included in the Viewer’s Images slideshow video and have a chance to be featured in the next live broadcast. Don’t procrastinate! If you have something to upload, be sure to do it right now (click here to upload).
Of course, we don’t just ask you to shoot with these Recipes—Nathalie and I are doing it, too, right along with you. This is a community-wide project, which means that everyone is invited to participate. Below are a few of my street photography pictures for this month. I didn’t do real well with the extra challenges, but I feel good that I tried, even if I wasn’t all that successful.
First, before we get into this article, I’ve got to apologize to you all. You see, I went out of town, and I didn’t answer any comments or emails while gone. I just didn’t have time. Sorry. Last night I returned back home, so I’ll try to catch up on all of that over the next several days. It might take a few days to get to them all—I just ask for a little patience. Thank you! Now to the article….
The first episode of the third season of SOOC Live aired on March 2nd. This year Nathalie Boucry and I are doing things a little different, and one of the changes is that we’re discussing themes instead of a singular Film Simulation Recipe. The very first theme is Street Photography. If you missed Episode 1 when it was live, you can watch it below. Don’t worry, the shows this year aren’t two or three hours long like they often were in the first two seasons, so it won’t require quite the time commitment that they used to. Definitely check it out if you haven’t seen it yet!
The Film Simulation Recipes that we suggested for street photography are Kodachrome 64, Classic Kodak, Serr’s 500T, and Agfa Scala. We think that these four Recipes are excellent options for this genre of photography, and if you have an X-Trans III or newer model, there’s one that you can use. We are inviting you—challenging you, in fact—to shoot with one, two, three, or even all four of them this month. For those wanting an extra challenge, we have two: 1) use reflections and/or silhouettes in your pictures and 2) use a 1/15 shutter speed. These extra challenges are completely optional, but I am excited to see what you do with them. Upload your images by March 28: up to three of your favorite street photography photographs captured with one (or more) of the four Film Simulation Recipes that we suggested you try (click here to upload)—please include the Recipe(s) you used in the file name so that we know. The uploaded pictures will be included in the Viewer’s Images slideshow video and have a chance to be featured in the next live broadcast; those who upload are automatically entered into a Fuji X Weekly App Patron 12-month subscription giveaway. I can’t wait to see your pictures!
The next show will be live on March 30th at 10 AM Pacific Time, 1 PM Eastern. SOOC Live is now twice per month: the first Thursday and the fourth Thursday. The first broadcast is where we introduce the theme-of-the-month and challenge you to photograph using the suggested Film Simulation Recipes, and the second show is where we discuss lessons learned and show your pictures. I hope that you can join us on March 30th! I’ve included the scheduled video below so that you can set a reminder.
Here are a few of my street photography images captured with a Fujifilm X100V using the four Film Simulation Recipes we’re all shooting with this month:
For those who don’t know, SOOC Liveis a (now) bimonthly broadcast where Nathalie Boucry and I discuss Film Simulation Recipes, give tips and tricks for achieving the results you want straight-out-of-camera, and answer your questions. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow. Each episode will be a different theme, and Season 3 kicks off with the topic of Street Photography. If that’s something you are interested in, be sure to tune in.
Today’s broadcast begins at 9:00 AM Pacific Time (Noon Eastern Time). It’s an interactive program, so your participation makes the show better. I hope to see you soon!
Season 3 of SOOC Live kicked off today! I want to give a big shoutout to everyone who tuned in, and a big “thank you” to everyone who participated. It’s an interactive program, so your involvement is essential to making it great. If you missed it when it was live, you can still watch it above. Don’t forget to subscribe to the new YouTube channel.
For those who don’t know, SOOC Live is a (now) bimonthly broadcast where Nathalie Boucry and I discuss Film Simulation Recipes, give tips and tricks for achieving the results you want straight-out-of-camera, and answer your questions. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.
In the show we announced several changes for Season 3. First, we are going to have shorter but more frequent broadcasts. Beginning in March, we’ll be live on the first and fourth Thursdays of each month. Another change is that instead of discussing a single Film Simulation Recipe each month, we’ll be discussing a theme (such as street photography, the theme for March) and how to use Recipes within that theme. There are a number of other changes, too, so if you want to know them all, be sure to watch the show.
We invite you to join us on March 2 for the Let’s Hit the Streets episode about street photography. It’a already scheduled on YouTube, so be sure to set a reminder. I hope to see you then!
I purchased my Fujifilm X-T5 when it was released back in November. I’ve received several messages lately asking why I haven’t published a review of the new camera. I think it’s because they are considering buying one themselves, and they want to know if it’s actually “worth” upgrading to or if there is something they should be aware of. Basically, some people want to either be talked into buying it or talked out of buying it, as it’s a lot of money and a big decision—which can be paralyzing—and you want to be wise with it. Lots of research is essential, and finding opinions from those you trust can be invaluable. I’m honored and flattered that many of you consider this website to be trustworthy.
At the beginning of each year, I like to take some time to consider how things went the prior year, what the current trajectory is, and where I want things to go. For Fuji X Weekly, I really feel that a slight shift in trajectory is needed, and in some ways I began moving towards that last year, even if I wasn’t sure the why and where. After much consideration, I have a clearer vision of where I want this website to go in 2023, and how to achieve it. I haven’t communicated these changes to you (until now, I suppose), but you’ve probably already noticed some.
There’s actually a lot going on behind the scenes. Many different projects are in the works. I’m juggling quite a bit right now. When the time is right, there are many exciting things that I look forward to announcing and sharing with you. Some projects might never work out, which has happened before (that’s just they way it goes sometimes), but I do believe that most of these will come to fruition. Some will take much longer than others, so stay tuned for these announcements over the coming weeks and months.
One thing that I haven’t announced (but you might have already picked up on) is that I’m doing more to explain and suggest when to use various Film Simulation Recipes. There are so many to choose from, and it can be difficult to know which to try. Then, when you find one you like, maybe the weather or light changes, and you don’t like it nearly so much in that situation. Now what do you do?
The trouble with suggesting Recipes is that, while one person might love one for a certain light and situation, another person might hate it for the same light and situation. For example, in the very same day, one photographer told me that they used the Kodak Portra 400 Recipe for a professional portraiture photo shoot and they couldn’t be more happy with the results, while another photographer told me that they tried that same Recipe for portraits and the results were horrible. Each person has their own tastes and style, and what will work for one person won’t work for another. I could suggest to you the Recipes that I think are good for various situations, but you might completely disagree with my assessment. Still, it can be helpful have a starting point.
None of this is completely new. For example, in the SOOC Livebroadcasts, not only have we discussed at length a Film Simulation Recipe in each show, but for awhile now we’ve suggested several Recipe for use in specific situations or for various genres of photography. Without giving away what’s in store of Season 3, which kicks off tomorrow, I can tell you that we’re doubling-down on that concept. Be sure to tune in, and subscribe to the new SOOC Live YouTube channel.
What does any of this have to do with a review of the Fujifilm X-T5? Simple: I’m moving away from product reviews. For now—and I don’t know if this will last forever or if it’s just for a time—I won’t be publishing any camera or lens reviews. I want to focus a lot less on telling you what is good or bad about various gear, and focus more on how to use your get to achieve the aesthetics you want straight-out-of-camera. I’m not going to publish a review of the X-T5, but instead publish more articles on using Recipes with that camera (and other camera, too, definitely not just or even mostly the X-T5). I want to help you get the results you want out of your camera, and product reviews, which take a lot of time to put together, get in the way of that. Besides, there are so many reviews of the Fujifilm X-T5 already, what could I possibly add? The only things I would say is that X-Trans V renders the color blue slightly deeper on some film simulations, Auto White Balance can be quirky, Nostalgic Neg. is similar to Eterna, and if you are doing long broadcasts the camera might overheat. Those are the only things that I would add to what others have discussed, and I’ve already said them. If you have been waiting patiently for my review (that won’t come), I hope this is somehow helpful to your decision to buy or not buy; mostly I would say trust your gut, because deep down you know whether or not you actually “need” that new camera, or if it’s just Gear Acquisition Syndrome, New Camera Envy, or Fear of Missing Out.
While not publishing camera and lens reviews might be seen as negative, I hope that the revised vision for Fuji X Weekly is very positive, and that the benefits of the changes far outweigh what must be left behind. I invite you to come along for the ride, and let’s see where all of this goes.
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We’re two weeks away from kicking off SOOC Live Season 3! Join myself and Nathalie Boucry as we talk about Film Simulation Recipes, Fujifilm cameras, photography, and so much more. There will be quite a few changes to the show, which we’ll discuss in the initial episode, so you’ll want to tune in. We’ll be broadcasting live on February 9th at 9 AM Pacific Time, Noon Eastern Time, and we hope that you will join us. Mark your calendars now!
One big change is that SOOC Live has its own YouTube channel. All of the “old” episodes will be added there, but it is a work-in-progress and will take some time, so please excuse the construction. You’ll want to take a moment right now to subscribe to the SOOC Live channel, that way you’ll get notified of new broadcasts. Also, the Season 3 Kickoff episode has already been scheduled, so be sure to set the reminder. You know, hit the bell and smash the button and all that fun stuff.
If you haven’t uploaded your photos, don’t forget to do so soon (click here)! Which pictures should you share? Submit up to three of your favorite images captured with the Mystery Chrome Film Simulation Recipe (which was created live during the last episode of Season 2) and/or festive photographs captured over the holiday season with any Film Simulation Recipe. Be sure to include your name and the recipe used in the file name. All the pictures submitted will be included in a slide show, and some will be shown during the show. Everyone who submits a photo will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a 12-month Patron subscription to the Fuji X Weekly App. Please submit your pictures by February 7th.
If you haven’t visited the SOOC Live website, you’ll want to do so and bookmark it. It’s also a work-in-progress, and you’ll see a few changes and updates over the coming weeks and months.
There are some big things in store for SOOC Live Season 3! Come along for the ride and see where this journey takes us.
During this last SOOC broadcast, we attempted something never done before by anyone ever: create a new Film Simulation Recipe live on YouTube (which you can find at the 2:09:19 mark, if you missed the show). It was all done randomly. We spun wheels, used random number apps and programs, picked paper out of a hat, conducted a couple polls, and even had a kid pick a number—this recipe was a group effort created by you using chance. A special Thank You to everyone who participated! This was, of course, for fun. I would say that this is the least serious recipe ever to be published on this website, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it for serious photography, because you absolutely can!
After completing the recipe, we took up name suggestions from the audience, and then ran a poll to decide which to go with, and “Mystery Chrome” won by a significant margin. The mystery is, perhaps, whether or not this is any good, or if anyone will actually use it—or maybe because it was all a mystery as it was being formed, parameter-by-parameter. We (as in the hosts, the guests, and those in the audience) also programmed this recipe into our cameras right away, and while still broadcasting live, we captured a picture, uploaded it, and shared them in the show (my picture is below). That’s the power of Fujifilm cameras and Film Simulation Recipes: within minutes of creating a recipe, people can program it into their cameras, capture an image, and share it across the globe—it can be that quick. Amazing!
Slides – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Mystery Chrome”
Interestingly, this recipe—completely by luck—has a Kodak-like reversal film look, thanks to Classic Chrome, the white balance, and Highlight/Shadow settings. I think it’s somewhat similar to Kodachrome 200—it’s not quite right for that, but certainly in the ballpark, and probably the closest recipe on this website for that film. This is a high-contrast recipe, and is best for use in low-contrast situations or to achieve bold results in mid or high contrast scenarios. It certainly has the potential to be well-liked, but I don’t suspect it will be anyone’s go-to recipe for everyday photography.
If it were up to me, I would make one modifications to Mystery Chrome: Noise Reduction to -4 instead of +4. I’m not a big fan of the in-camera Noise Reduction, and I like to take it all the way down. For internet viewing, and even 8″ x 12″ prints, you’ll have a hard time even noticing the difference between +4 and -4, but if you zoom in or print larger, it becomes more obvious. Maybe you prefer the increased Noise Reduction; personally, I do not. All of the photos in this article were captured with Noise Reduction set to +4.
This Mystery Chrome Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with all Fujifilm X-Trans III cameras—X-Pro2, X100F, X-E3, X-T2, X-T20, and X-H1—plus the X-T3 and X-T30 by simply setting Color Chrome Effect to Off. For newer X-Trans IV cameras, additionally set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and choose a Grain size (either Small or Large)—if you use it on X-Trans V cameras, blues will render slightly more deeply. For GFX, shadows will render slightly less dark, which you might actually prefer.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +3 Shadow: +4 Color: 0 Color Chrome Effect: N/A (X-Trans III) or Off (X-T3/X-T30) Sharpness: -4 Noise Reduction: +4 Grain: Strong White Balance: Daylight, +3 Red & -5 Blue ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Mystery Chrome” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-H1:
Slides Plus Canisters – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Corvette Abstract – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Taco Lamp – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Happy Girl – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Late Bloomer – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Rainbow Trumpets – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Wren in Rome – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Traffic Flag – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Pergola Lights – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Autumn Rainbow – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Amber Autumn – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Brilliant Leaf – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Yellow Tree – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
Bougainvillea & Palm Fronds – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-H1
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Join me next week for a very special SOOC broadcast! On Thursday, December 8, at 8:30 AM Pacific Time, 11:30 AM Eastern, Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I, plus a number of guests, will get festive live on YouTube, as we finish our discussion of the Kodak Ektachrome 100SW Film Simulation Recipe (don’t forget to upload your pictures by December 6th—click here). We have several fun surprises planned, so this is an episode that you won’t want to miss! I hope to see you then!
For those who don’t know, SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different Film Simulation Recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.
If you missed the last broadcast… due to technical difficulties, it’s been divided into Part 1 and Part 2, which you can find below. Also, I’ve included the last Viewers’ Images slideshow (your pictures!) at the bottom, in case you missed that, too.
Today’s SOOC live broadcast started out well. Very well, in fact. A lot of you tuned in—even Fujirumors! There was a lot of participation. It was on pace to be one of the best episodes yet!
Then it all came to an abrupt end.
When you do a live broadcast, there’s bound to be some trouble. Especially since we’re doing this from two different continents, there’s a lot of opportunities for technical difficulties. If you’ve watched a couple SOOC broadcasts before, you’ve likely seen some of these unfortunate issues. It’s expected that things won’t go completely according to plan, and there will be some minor hiccups here and there. Today’s hiccup was far from minor. At almost the two-hour mark, as we were nearing the end of the show (but not at the end—we still had plenty to say), YouTube cut us off. The broadcast just ended, mid-sentence. We were suddenly done. We tried to get it up-and-running again, but that was a failure, too, due to additional technical difficulties.
If you didn’t watch it live, you can view the broadcast below—just know that it ends quite abruptly when it shouldn’t. It’s incomplete.
I have to apologize for this. There’s a lot of problems that we can work through. “The show must go on,” is the saying, and normally that’s what we do. There was no going on from this, though—it was a fatal flaw. The broadcast was over, and we couldn’t salvage it. I’m really sorry, because you gave up a lot of your time to tune in and participate. We want to give you our best, and we couldn’t do that. It’s embarrassing. I hope that our situation wasn’t too much trouble for you.
Nathalie and I want to finish the show. We tried to do that today, but it didn’t work out. So, instead, we’ll finish the episode with a Part 2 on Tuesday, November 22nd, at 9:30 AM Pacific Time, 12:30 Eastern. We’d like to finish our discussion of the recipe-of-the-month, Kodak Ektachrome 100SW (here and here), reveal the giveaway winner, and make a special announcement. Those are the things we couldn’t say today because we were cutoff. This special edition Part 2 on Tuesday will be a much shorter show. I hope that you can join us live!
For those who don’t know, SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different Film Simulation Recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow. It’s also interactive, and your participation makes it great!
I want to say a big “thank you” to everyone who submitted pictures using the Fujichrome Sensia 100 Film Simulation Recipe! The Viewers’ Images slideshow video is below, so be sure to take a look!
For those who watch the monthly SOOCbroadcast, the current recipe-of-the-month is Fujichrome Sensia 100. We introduced that Film Simulation Recipe in the last episode, and we will finish our discussion of it in the next show, which will be in one week, on Thursday, November 17th. I hope that you’ll join us! Don’t forget to upload your photos captured with the Fujichrome Sensia 100 Film Simulation Recipe (click here) by November 15th to be shown in the next broadcast.
Speaking of the next SOOC broadcast, after we finish our discussion of the Fujichrome Sensia 100 recipe, we’ll introduce the next recipe-of-the-month, which will be Kodak Ektachrome 100SW. It produces warm and vibrant colors, which I find especially well suited for landscape photography. Be sure to set a reminder, so that you don’t miss the episode!
For those who don’t know, SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different Film Simulation Recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow. It’s also interactive, and your participation makes it great!
Even though I have my own photography projects going on and I’m always working on new Film Simulation Recipes, I also shoot with the recipes that we discuss in each episode (plus the upcoming episode). I have been using both the Fujichrome Sensia 100 and the Kodak Ektachrome 100SW recipes. I don’t just ask you to use the recipes, myself and Nathalie both use them, too—we’re doing it together as a community.
Flag Pole – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Fujichrome Sensia 100”
If you have a Fujifilm X-Trans III or newer camera, I invite you to program and shoot with the Fujichrome Sensia 100 Film Simulation Recipe, and share with us your results. While you’re at it, load the Kodak Ektachrome 100SW recipe into your camera, too, and have it ready to go for next week.
If you missed the last SOOC broadcast, which really was a good one, you can watch it below. It’s a bit long (we have a little problem called “time management”… 🤣), but I believe you’ll find it worthwhile.
