When Weather Sealed Cameras Matter

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Cold Cargo – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T1

I’ve always felt that, for me, a weather sealed camera isn’t essential. It’s certainly a nice feature, but not something I just have to have. Cameras that aren’t weather sealed can handle the elements to an extent, and oftentimes there are easy steps to mitigate the weather conditions (such as an umbrella), so I haven’t found it to be a limiting factor to my photography. Yet, there have been times that having a weather sealed camera has allowed me to “get the shot” when I might not have otherwise.

Fujifilm has a few cameras with weather sealing. The X-T0, X-Pro, and X-H series are all weather sealed, while the X-T00, X-T000, X-A, X-M, XF, X-E, X100, and X00 series (am I missing any?) are not. I’ve owned a few of these non-weather-sealed cameras, and I’ve used them with success in conditions that might warrant weather sealing. Take a look at the pictures below:

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Monte Cristo Mountain Snow – Monte Cristo Mountains, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

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Out In The Cold – Cedar City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

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Umbrella Overpass – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

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Dust In The Wind – Bonneville Salt Flats, UT – Fujifilm X-E1

The photographs above were all captured in conditions where a weather sealed camera would have been nice, but I got along just fine without it. The X-E1, X100F and X-T30, which are the cameras that I used for those pictures, are not weather sealed; despite that, I was able to get the picture that I wanted. I didn’t allow it limit my photography.

A weather sealed camera allows you to photograph with confidence in more extreme conditions, such as cold, rain, snow and dust. While non-weather-sealed cameras might get the job done, a weather sealed camera definitely will. Each time that I pushed the envelope on what my camera was designed to handle, it worked fine, but I worried about it. I hoped that I wasn’t ruining an expensive photographic tool.

There was one situation where I know that if I hadn’t used a weather sealed camera, I would have ruined the camera, or at least would have had to have it serviced. More likely, I wouldn’t have photographed at all, knowing that the camera couldn’t handle it, and I would have missed some great pictures. But I did have a weather sealed camera, and I have the shots that I wanted. Those pictures, which were captured on a windy day at Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado using an X-Pro2, are below:

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From Dust To Dust – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO – Fujifilm X-Pro2

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Sandal – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO – Fujifilm X-Pro2

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Passerby – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO – Fujifilm X-Pro2

The conclusion is this: you don’t need a weather sealed camera until you do. Almost always your non-weather-sealed camera will suffice, especially if you take action to mitigate the conditions, but occasionally you might run into a situation where you really do need weather sealed gear. In those circumstances, you’ll either get the shot because of your camera, you’ll get the shot in spite of your camera (and you might find yourself in the market for a new one), or you won’t get the shot because of your camera. I do think those situations are rare for most people, and whether or not you have weather sealed gear is unimportant for most, but it’s sure nice to have it when you need it.

Guest Post: Japan Street Photography by Michael Lynn

Photo by Michael Lynn

My name is Michael Lynn and I live in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The only camera I use is my Fujifilm X100F, which I love! It makes street and travel photography more interesting. I prefer RAW because that’s how I learned. I shoot mostly with an aperture of f/8 or f/11, with the shutter usually 1/125 or faster, and the ISO set manually. I never use a flash.

About a month ago I had the opportunity to travel to Japan. I visited Tokyo and Kyoto, which is where I captured these photographs. To see more, please visit my website.

Photo by Michael Lynn

Photo by Michael Lynn

Photo by Michael Lynn

Phot by Michael Lynn

Thank you, Michael, for sharing!

My Fujifilm X100F Ilford HP5 Plus Film Simulation Recipe


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Back when I shot lots of film, my favorite black-and-white options were Ilford Delta 100, and Ilford Delta 400 when “high ISO” was necessary, as back then I considered ISO 400 to be high ISO. I didn’t use Ilford HP5 Plus very often, but I have used it on several occasions. I still have a few rolls of the film lying around, which I should go out and use just for the fun of it. The differences between Delta 400 and HP5 Plus aren’t huge. Delta 400 uses tabular-grain, which is supposed to be a finer grain that produces sharper images, but I think in real-world use it’s not really noticeable. Delta 400 has a hair more contrast than HP5 Plus and in my opinion is a bit better for push-processing, but HP5 Plus seems to have more exposure latitude, making it more forgiving if you didn’t get the exposure quite right. Overall the two films produce very similar results.

I’ve been asked a number of times to make an Ilford HP5 Plus film simulation recipe for Fujifilm X-Trans III cameras. The title of this article says “Fujifilm X100F” but these settings can be used on any X-Trans III or IV camera. In fact, you’ll find a few Fujifilm X-T20 examples at the bottom. I already have a number of different black-and-white film simulation recipes that I like, so I didn’t really need to make a new one, but I enjoyed doing this and I’m pleased with how it turned out.

A few days ago I was asked if my Agfa Scala recipe is a close match to HP5 Plus, and as I thought about it I realized that it’s not all that far off, and only some small changes would be necessary to get it right. Of course, any time that you attempt to mimic a certain film the problem is that the film can vary in look. How was it shot? Developed? Printed? Scanned? There isn’t necessarily one aesthetic that’s right because there are so many variables. Still, I feel like this is recipe is in fact pretty close to Ilford HP5 Plus film.

I captured the photograph below, Airport Lobby, using a Canon AE-1 about 20 years ago using Ilford Delta 100 film. I printed it on Agfa Classic paper using a split-filter technique and toned it with sepia (just barely). This is a (rather poor) scan of the print. I included it in this article for the heck of it, as it doesn’t really have much to do with this film simulation recipe. My experience with Ilford films goes back pretty far, and perhaps that’s the point of including the picture with this article.

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Airport Lobby – McKinney, TX – Ilford Delta 100 printed on Agfa Classic paper.

You could modify this recipe to shadows +3 if you need more contrast or shadows +1 if you needed less, or highlights to +3 if you need to prevent clipped highlights. If you feel as though the recipe needs some changes to best capture an image, don’t be afraid to make those adjustments. I don’t always stick rigidly to my recipes, and I’m not afraid to adjust them when needed. The example photographs in this article are all the exact recipe, but with some other pictures (that I didn’t include) I made some modifications to the settings because the scene required it. A few of the pictures here might have been better off with a modification to the shadow or highlight, but I wanted to demonstrate the aesthetic of this recipe as is.

Acros (Acros+Y, Acros+R, Acros+G)
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +2
Noise Reduction: -3
Sharpening: 0
Grain Effect: Strong
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 (typically)

Example photos, all camera-made JPEGs captured using my Fujifilm X100F Ilford HP5 Plus Film Simulation recipe:

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Grey Salt Lake – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Kids On The Salt Lake Shore – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Hurry Up & Wait – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Downtown Workday – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Monochrome Caution – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Window Pentax – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Tunnel Chevy – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Virgin River From Canyon Jct Bridge – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Monochrome Vista In Zion – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Zion Juniper – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Rock & Trees – Zion NP, UT – Fuji X100F “Ilford HP5 Plus”

Fujifilm X-T20:

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Frozen Leaf & Grass – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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The Last Leaf – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Morning Clouds Around The Mountain – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Grey Sky Over Antelope Island – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ilford HP5 Plus”

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Fujifilm X100F in Brown Now Available

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Fujifilm ended production of the black and silver-and-black versions of the X100F earlier this year, although there appears to be plenty of stock available. A couple of months ago in some parts of the world Fujifilm made a limited-run brown X100F, which apparently sold like hotcakes. They had previously said that the brown X100F would not be made available in North America, but, because sales have been so good, Fujifilm had a change of heart and beginning today they have made the brown X100F available in the USA and Canada. Yea!

I really want one! I have a silver-and-black X100F that I love, but the brown one looks particularly beautiful. I think it looks better than the brown X-E3, for whatever reason. It’s very tempting, but I don’t have gobs of cash to spend on cameras, and especially not right before Christmas, so if I do end up someday with a brown X100F it will be sometime down the road, perhaps in 2019 if things go well.

As a side note while I’m talking about the X100F, I do believe, although I have absolutely no inside information, that Fujifilm is working on the next X100 camera, perhaps called X100V or X200 or something along those lines. I think it will be announced within the next six months and will include an X-Trans IV sensor. I want to make it clear that I don’t have any proof of this, that I’m 100% speculating. It’s just a guess. If you’ve been waiting for the next model, I don’t believe you’ll be waiting all that much longer for some news.

Photoessay: Antelope Island State Park Buffalo Corral

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Buffalo Corral – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Antelope Island is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake. It’s home to about 700 wild buffalo. Every year Antelope Island State Park rounds up the buffalo herd so that they can be counted, examined, and vaccinated. This event, which is open to the public, happens every autumn and takes place over a seven day period.

I had the opportunity to photograph a portion of this year’s buffalo roundup, which I was very excited about. I missed the actual roundup, where a bunch of cowboys on horseback traverse the island to guide the bison to the corral, but I did get to witness the second phase, where the animals are seen one at a time by a veterinarian. This operation takes a team of about 40 people several days to complete. It’s fascinating to watch, but it’s also a slow process and there is a lot of downtime where very little is happening.

I used my Fujifilm X100F to capture these photographs, which are all unedited camera-made JPEGs. For the camera settings I used the [Not] My Fujifilm X-Pro2 Tri-X Cross Process Film Simulation Recipe, utilizing the X100F’s built-in neutral density filter so that I could use high ISOs even in bright midday light. I took a photojournalist approach, and I think these settings worked particularly well for it. I’m pleased with how this series turned out and I hope that you enjoy the pictures!

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

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Park Patrol – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Time To Watch Buffalo – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Waiting For A Buffalo – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Buffalo Corral Workers – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Buffalo Head – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Cautious Buffalo – Antelope Island, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Running Bison Calf – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Roundup Downtime – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Rope On The Gate – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Leather Gloves – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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A Buffalo – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Workers Waiting – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Between Buffalo – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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

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Utah Cowboys – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Park Ranger – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Bison Barriers – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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From The Holding Pen – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Mother & Calf – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Buffalo Track – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Three Bison – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Tractor Ride – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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

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Circular Gate Operator – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Rope Preparation  – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Bison Spying – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Rope Pull – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Pulling Hard – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Rope Runner – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Waiting Games – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Waiting Buffalo – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Bison Skull – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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

Tri-X Push Process On The Fujifilm X100F

I have been using the [Not] My Fujifilm X-Pro2 Tri-X Push Process Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100F, and I realized that the X100F is actually a better camera to use these settings on. Why? I will explain that in just a moment.

The Tri-X Push Process recipe is my favorite black and white option. It creates stunning results that are so film-like that you could easily convince people that it is film you used and not digital capture. The “problem” with it is that it requires a high ISO, the higher the better, in fact. It looks best at ISO 12800, which is a practical setting for dark situations but not for anything else. The recipe can’t be used all of the time because often it’s just too bright to use an ultra-high ISO.

Bumble Bee – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Tri-X Push Process”

The Fujifilm X100F has a 3-stop neutral density filter built in. That means on the X100F the Tri-X Push Process recipe can be used anytime if you activate the neutral density filter in bright light situations. This is one reason, albeit an unexpected reason, why the X100F is such a great camera!

I do find it funny that I’m using the neutral density filter to increase the ISO. I doubt anyone at Fujifilm expected that to be a use of this feature. It was intended to allow a slower shutter speed or a wider aperture. I’m using it for an unorthodox reason. It’s a great feature on the camera that is often overlooked.

Salt Lake City Street Photography with Fujifilm X100F & XF10

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Salt Lake City Workday – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

I had an adventure in Salt Lake City a couple of days ago. My family and I rode the FrontRunner commuter train into the city and then hopped on the TRAX light rail train to traverse downtown. I captured it all on my Fujifilm X100F and XF10 cameras. These two cameras are both great for this type of trip because they’re small and lightweight and yet are capable of fantastic image quality.

Street photography is something that I enjoy, but it’s only been over the last few years that I’ve really gotten into it. Urban landscape photography is something that I’ve done off and on for two decades. While they are two different genres, they’re very closely related and it’s not uncommon to do both simultaneously, which is what you see in this article. If time allowed I’d certainly find myself wandering urban areas more, camera in hand.

Downtown Salt Lake City is one of the nicer urban centers in America. It’s clean, safe, pedestrian friendly and full of shopping, dining, entertainment and educational opportunities. It’s a great place to spend a day! It’s a great place to walk around with a camera or two, capturing the urban life and urban sights. It seems that I always come away with at least a couple of great images. There are a few photographs in this article that I’m particularly happy with. I hope that you enjoy them! Oh, and be sure to check out the video at the end.

B&W:

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Upside-Down Frown – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

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Urbanhood – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Boarding Anonymous – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

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White Shirt Train Riders – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Blue Line – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

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Joy Rider – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Uncompromising Photographer – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Library Basement Stairs – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Library Interior From Basement – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Bike By The Fountain – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Staircase Down – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Curve Down – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Salt Lake Urbanscape – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Light On The Floor – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Color

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M12 M2 – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

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Light Rail Curve – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

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That I Can’t? – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

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Sisters On A Train – SLC, UT – X100F

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Coming & Going Passengers – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Stop, Look & Listen – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Where The Train Bends – Fujifilm X100F

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Overhead Wire – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

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Green To The Airport – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

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Evening Commuter Train – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

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Autumn Downtown – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Autumn At City-County Building – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Caution – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Look Both Ways – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Dressed In Red – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Passerby Strangers – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

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FrontRunner Station – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

I’m not a video guy, but I wanted to try out the video features of the XF10, so I recorded some footage and made a short video of this adventure:

Fuji X Weekly Merchandise Coming Soon – First Sneak Peek!

I’ve been working on some Fujifilm inspired products to make available for sale. The profits will be used to improve the Fuji X Weekly experience. It’s not yet ready to make public, but it’s getting closer, and it will definitely be up and running prior to the Christmas shopping season.

I ordered an item for myself: an iPhone 7 Plus cellphone case. I needed it, as my old case was falling apart. It arrived today in the mail, and it looks great! I’m really pleased with how it turned out. This is one of many items that will be available for purchase soon.

The camera on the case you might recognize as the Fujifilm X100F. It’s such a beautiful camera, one of the most beautiful cameras ever made, so obviously it looks great printed on other things, such as phone cases and shirts. This is just one of many designs that will be found in the Fuji X Weekly store.

As soon as everything is ready to go you will see a special announcement posted on this blog. I hope that you are excited as I am! I know that I will be purchasing several things for myself. This cellphone case is just the beginning.

My Fujifilm X100F Cross Process Film Simulation Recipe


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Silos – Waco, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Cross Process”

Cross processing film is a technique where you develop a film in chemicals intended for another film. For example, the most common cross process is to develop color transparencies, which require the E-6 process, using color negative film chemicals, which is known as the C-41 process. For slide film, the photographs typically increase in contrast and grain and the colors shift dramatically. There are other types of cross processing, as well. I’ve done cross processing before, and the results can be fun. It’s a great experiment if you’ve never done it before!

Different films will look different when they are cross processed. Overexposing or underexposing or even how the development is handled can effect how the image is rendered. The aesthetic can vary significantly, but usually you can spot a cross processed photograph when you see it. Below are a few examples of actual film that I’ve cross processed:

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Westbound CA HWY 58 – Tehachapi, CA – Fujifilm Velvia 50 cross process

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Flare & Flag – Barstow, CA – Fujifilm Velvia 50 cross process

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Old Tractor – Tehachapi, CA – Kodak Gold 400 cross process

Notice how the three photographs are quite a bit different from each other. There is not a singular look that is cross process, but rather an aesthetic spectrum. The images tend to be less literal and more abstract.

There is a significant challenge in developing a film simulation that mimics the look of cross processing. Most notably, which film and process? There are so many, and besides, one film can give many different looks. For example, the two Velvia images above were from the same 36 exposure roll of film, and one has a much more pronounced yellow-green cast than the other. What I decided to do was create something that could conceivably fall within the aesthetic spectrum, while not copying any specific film.

While this film simulation recipe does not copy one specific film, I do think it’s close to Kodak EliteChrome that’s been cross processed, or perhaps Ektachrome 100G. I think it’s close to Fujifilm Sensia sometimes, although I’d emphasis the word sometimes. These settings are never going to produce results that will always match a certain film because one film can vary in look from frame-to-frame. It’s convincing, but should be thought of in generic terms.

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Truck Stop Cross Process – Bowie, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Cross Process”

Because the results of actual cross process film can vary so much, it would be fun to change up this recipe as you shoot. Maybe add a little more to the shadows or highlights sometimes and change the white balance shift a little after a few frames. I haven’t tried this, but it sounds like a good idea. I did change the Dynamic Range setting a number of times, going between DR100, DR200 and DR-Auto. After some playing around I settled on DR200, although I think you’d be fine with whichever Dynamic Range setting you’d prefer.

Provia
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +2
Shadow: +3
Color: +4
Noise Reduction: -3
Sharpening: 0
Grain Effect: Strong
White Balance: Auto, -3 Red & -8 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 (typically)

Example photos, all camera-made JPEGs using my Fujifilm X100F Cross Process Film Simulation recipe:

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Taos Umbrella – Taos, NM – Fujifilm X100F “Cross Process”

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Pentax Shutter Dial – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Cross Process”

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Get 1 Back – Draper, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Cross Process”

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Umbrella Tie – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Cross Process”

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Covered Hoppers – Westlake, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Cross Process”

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Counters – McKinney, Texas – Fujifilm X100F “Cross Process”

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Kitchen Cross Process – Waco, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Cross Process”

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Speaker – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Cross Process”

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Grain Elevator – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Cross Process”

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Two Towers Cross Process – Dallas, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Cross Process”

Photoessay: Along The Highway, Part 7: Wyoming

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Highway Colonel – Rock Springs, WY – Fujifilm X100F – I-80

Colorado  New Mexico  West Texas  East Texas  Oklahoma (Color)  Oklahoma (B&W)

The final leg of our journey, which also marks the end of this series, took us through the lonely state of Wyoming. Towns are few and far between. It’s a very rural place. Antelope outnumber the people. The main purpose of the small communities situated along Interstate 80 seems to be serving highway travelers.

Wyoming is beautiful, especially the northwest corner. We didn’t travel to the northwest corner, but even the empty southern side of the state has some sites worth seeing. There are mountain passes and grasslands and rivers. Spotted here and there are patches of unique natural artistry. We passed through much of it without stopping.

Because the journey itself can be more important than where the road leads, the destination isn’t as critical as the decision to go. On this road trip I saw and experienced many great places, met some wonderful people, and, of course, captured many memorable photographs. I hope to do this again real soon.

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Small Pet Area – Fort Bridger, WY – Fujifilm X100F – I-80

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Lowering Sun On A Travel Day – Fort Bridger, WY – Fujifilm X100F – I-80

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A Trucker’s Life Is Lonely – Fort Bridger, WY – Fujifilm X100F – I-80

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Text Await – Fort Bridger, WY – Fujifilm X100F – I-80

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Waving Above The Structure – Fort Bridger, WY – Fujifilm X100F – I-80

Weekly Photo Project, Week 2

Welcome to week two of my photo-a-day project! I’m taking things one week at a time, capturing at least one photograph each day for seven days, and hoping to string 52 weeks together. These seven images were all captured using my trusty Fujifilm X100F, which is such a great camera for this type of project because it’s easy to carry around and does a great job at making exposures.

I used my Agfa Scale Film Simulation recipe for all of the black-and-white images. I used my Dramatic Classic Chrome Film Simulation recipe, slightly modified, for the color image. Enjoy!

Monday, July 30, 2018

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Flower In The Pond – Princeton, TX – Fujifilm X100F

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

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Walk This Way – Princeton, TX – Fujifilm X100F

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

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Trash Pallet – McKinney, Texas – Fujifilm X100F

Thursday, August 2, 2018

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Kitchen – Waco, TX – Fujifilm X100F

Friday, August 3, 2018

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Forgotten Sandals – Princeton, TX – Fujifilm X100F

Saturday, August 4, 2018

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Grain Hoppers – Westlake, TX – Fujifilm X100F

Sunday, August 5, 2018

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Storm Shelter – McKinney, TX – Fujifilm X100F

Week 1  Week 3

My Fujifilm X100F Agfa Scala Film Simulation Recipe


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Kitchen – Waco, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

I love the Acros film simulation that Fujifilm included in their X-Trans III cameras. It’s the closest thing to actual film that I have ever found in a digital camera. I made two different Acros recipes for my X100F: original recipe and Extra Crispy Push-Process. I love both; however, I find myself using Acros Push-Process more than my “standard” settings just because it’s more dramatic. I will sometimes adjust each recipe to taste, depending on the situation.

What’s interesting about black-and-white film photography is that all the different film options look fairly similar, yet people have their one or two film stocks that they absolutely love. The differences in contrast, dynamic range and grain aren’t typically wildly different. Black-and-white films are more alike than not alike, but there are indeed differences, sometimes very subtle, sometimes quite noticeable. What is more unique to each film is what can be done in the lab, as each film will respond to different development techniques differently. There’s a lot that can be done in the darkroom to set apart the films from each other. In fact, one film stock could have many different looks, depending on what exactly you do with it.

This film simulation recipe was made by just messing around with the settings. I found something that I liked so I shot with it for awhile. The more I used it the more I liked it. As I was shooting with it, I kept having this feeling that it resembled some film that I’d used before, but I couldn’t put my finger on exactly which one. After a few weeks I finally figured it out: these settings produce results similar to Agfa Scala.

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Taos Tourist – Taos, NM – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

Agfa Scala was a black-and-white slide film. It was unusual in that it was a reversal film and not a negative film. Most black-and-white films are negatives, and most reversal films are color. If you shot a lot of slides, this was an intriguing choice. I used it a number of times. The last roll of Scala that I shot couldn’t be developed as it required a special process that had been discontinued (it’s my understanding that there is a lab in Denver that can now develop Scala). There were people who really loved Scala, and there were people who really did not, mostly because it wasn’t a negative film. Since it was a slide, there wasn’t a whole lot one could do to manipulate the look it produced.

It was quite by accident that I created an Agfa Scala film simulation for my Fujifilm X100F. I’m glad that I stumbled upon it, because it produces excellent results. Interestingly enough, it only looks subtly different than my original Acros recipe, and I think that real Acros and real Scala also produce similar results, and the small differences are, to an extent, accurately replicated in the two recipes. It was a happy accident, and sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

Acros (Acros+Y, Acros+R, Acros+G)
Dynamic Range: DR100
Highlight: +4
Shadow: 0
Noise Reduction: -3
Sharpening: 0
Grain Effect: Weak
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1/3 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photos, all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs captured using my Fujifilm X100F Agfa Scala Film Simulation recipe:

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Two Towers – Dallas, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Santuario de Guadalupe – Santa Fe, NM – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Cafe Flowers – Pawhuska, OK – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Monochrome Silos – Waco, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Storm Shelter – McKinney, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Truck Stop – Bowie, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Ex Lover – Amarillo, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Semi & Dinosaur – Santa Rosa, NM – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Grain Hoppers – Westlake, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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BNSF Alliance Yard – Haslet, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Kitchen Camera – Waco, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Apples To Apples – Haslet, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Forgotten Sandals – Princeton, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Flower In The Pond – Princeton, TX – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Apple Tree Fence – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Agfa Scala”

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Artist At Work: Reloving Furniture

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Amanda Reloving A Chair – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

My wife, Amanda, loves to take old, unwanted furniture a give them new life by giving the pieces a fresh face-lift. She calls this “reloving” which is an appropriate term because when they’re finished people love what she did. It really is an art form. She’s done this to dressers, vanities, end tables, dining tables and chairs. It’s a rewarding hobby for her.

One day she was making some old chairs nice again in the garage, and I wanted to capture her at work. I wanted to document the effort and process. I wasn’t interested in before-and-after photos. Instead, I wanted to show the work itself. I wanted to capture the dust. I wanted to capture what it takes to do this kind of thing, to show behind-the-scenes of reloving furniture.

These photographs were captured using a Fujifilm X100F, which is a great tool for this type of documentary photography. It captures great images without fuss and doesn’t get in the way. I was able to capture these pictures of Amanda working and not bother her too much in the process. I think one day she’ll really appreciate that I took these pictures.

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Dusty Thumb – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Sanding A Chair By Hand – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Chair Sanding – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Amanda Sanding – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Working Thumb – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Chair Reloving – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Charcoal Chalk – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Applying Dark Wax – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Chair Waxing – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Waxing Furniture – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Nose Hard Work – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Draped Rag – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

One Year Later: Fujifilm X100F

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I have made the same amount of pictures in the last 12 months as the previous five years combined. I realized this when I discovered that half of the photographs that I’ve uploaded to Flickr (which is where I backup my images) are from the last 365 days. I’ve been capturing images at a pace well beyond that of any point in the two decades that I’ve been carrying around a camera.

That statistic surprised me, because it’s not as if I wasn’t capturing a bunch of pictures before. In fact, not very long ago, I was spending too much time on photography, and it was beginning to interfere with family life. I made a change. I’m now significantly more photographically productive and I’ve improved my home life simultaneously. How did I do this?

My Fujifilm X100F arrived in the mail on July 19, 2017. Yes, I’ve had this great fixed-focal-length, fixed-lens camera for one year, starting today. Time has flown by! Since I purchased this camera I have relied on camera-made JPEGs, and I no longer fiddle with RAW files on a computer.

It used to be that I would need roughly two hours to post-process one hour of photography. Obviously sometimes it would be much quicker and sometimes I’d spend an hour on just one image, but the two-for-one estimate proved to be generally accurate over the course of years. I spent twice as much time editing as I did capturing.

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Things changed when I got my X100F. The straight-out-of-camera JPEGs resembled post-processed RAW files. They looked like they would if I had edited them, and nothing like typical camera-made JPEGs from other cameras that I have owned. This meant post-production time dropped dramatically. Now I estimate 15 minutes of post-production (typically just reviewing and transferring, and occasionally cropping and minor manipulations) for every hour of picture-taking. It’s all thanks to Fujifilm’s excellent film simulation options.

The time I save by using the X100F (and also the X-Pro2, as of a few months ago) is substantial. It has allowed me to create photographs at breakneck speed while also spending more time with my wife and kids. This camera has been amazing, and I cannot thank Fujifilm enough for making it. It may sound like hyperbole, but it’s true, the X100F has changed my life for the better.

Ansel Adams said, “Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.” I don’t anticipate ever creating an image as significant as any that Adams did, but I took that quote and ran with it for this article, showcasing my favorite picture captured with the X100F in each month that I’ve owned it. Some months were easy because I knew exactly which photograph to choose. Other months were difficult, either because I had three-to-five great options and I debated extensively over which one to showcase, or because I had three-to-five mediocre options and I was trying to pick the least worst.

It can be difficult for a photographer to know which are his or her best pictures. Photographers are often biased based on the circumstances surrounding the exposure. Typically others are the ones who decide which images are the greatest. For example, Steve McCurry’s well-know Afghan Girl photograph, which was on the cover of the June issue of National Geographic, was not his favorite of the photo shoot. Steve actually preferred a different slide, but the publisher liked the one that would later make the cover, so he chose it instead, and now it’ renown. The image that Steve thought was the best has pretty much been forgotten. If you were to pick the pictures for this article, perhaps you would have selected an entire different set. Still, I hope that you appreciate these images that I hand-picked to demonstrate how I have used my X100F over a year’s time.

July 2017

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KeyBank Building – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

August 2017

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Ilford Harman Technology – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

September 2017

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Walking Man – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

October 2017

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Fortuity – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

November 2017

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Pure Fish – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

December 2017

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Curtain Abstract – Mesquite, NV – Fujifilm X100F

January 2018

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Caramel Macchiato – Sandy, UT – Fujifilm X100F

February 2018

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Canyon Pinion – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

March 2018

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Watchtower Sky – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

April 2018

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Sunset Rock – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

May 2018

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Jump – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

June 2018

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Peach City Drive-In – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F

July 2018

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Ethos – Riverdale, UT – X100F – double exposure

Fujifilm X100F Aperture Series: f/5.6

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f/2  f/2.8  f/4

If aperture f/4 is the sweet spot, then f/5.6 is a close second on the Fujifilm X100F. It’s small enough to achieve a large depth-of-field and it’s large enough to achieve a small depth-of-field when focused close to the end of the lens. It’s very sharp. It’s got nice bokeh when you have a blurry background. It’s versatile, and I use it frequently.

Aperture f/5.6 is good for landscapes. It’s good for street. It’s good for still-life. It’s good for family snapshots. I use it anytime that I need more depth-of-field than f/4, or when there’s not enough light for f/8, or anytime that I need a good all-around aperture. Below are some example photographs of f/5.6 on the X100F.

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Black Conduit – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

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Where The Fern Grows – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

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Sky Above The Canyon Below – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

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Watchtower Sky – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fuji X100F @ f/5.6

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Three Old Dock Posts – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

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Barnacle Heart – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

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Mount Rainier Behind The Pines – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

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Trees, Rocks & Cliffs – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – X100F @ f/5.6

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Green Tree – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

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Mesa Arch – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

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Line Workers – Moab, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

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Carrot Farmer – Syracuse, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

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Jonathan Throwing A Water Balloon – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

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Umbrella Overpass – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F @ f/5.6

 

My Fujifilm X100F Kodak Ektar 100 Film Simulation Recipe


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Peach City Drive-In – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

When Fuji X Weekly reader Jackie asked if I could make a film simulation recipe that mimics the look of Kodak Ektar 100 film, I thought that it would be a simple task. Classic Chrome is halfway there already, providing a Kodak-esque look right out of the bag. But, as it turns out, creating an Ektar look wasn’t easy for one reason: Classic Chrome isn’t vibrant enough, even with color set to +4. Velvia was my next choice, but I couldn’t make it work. It turns out Astia is the key.

Before I get ahead of myself too much, let’s roll things back a little. Ektar is a color negative film made by Kodak. It’s known for vibrant colors, high contrast and fine grain, and, even though it is a negative film, it is more like reversal (slide) film. I would say that, while the results aren’t 100% identical, there are a lot of similarities between Ektar 100 and Ektachrome 100VS. In fact, when Kodak discontinued Ektachrome 100VS, they recommended Ektar 100 as the closest film.

Ektar is ideal for vibrant landscapes or any situation where you want lots of contrast and saturated colors. It’s not usually one’s first choice for portrait photography because skin tones can be off. Some people use it extensively for portraits, but the general advice is to use Ektar for everything other than people pictures. I’ve shot a few rolls of it in the past, but it’s been probably seven or eight years.

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Summer Boy – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

I’m actually a little hesitant to call this film simulation recipe Kodak Ektar 100 because it’s not quite right. It’s close, but a little off. The color palette is slightly askew. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get it any closer to being right. I do feel that, if you like Ektar 100 film, you’ll like this film simulation recipe, even though it’s not an exact match.

One thing about this recipe that I’d like to mention is, while I have Dynamic Range set to Auto, almost always the camera selected DR100. If you don’t want to use DR-Auto, set it to DR100 instead and you’ll get the same results. Also, I did not use the faux grain effect for this recipe. I think you could use weak grain if the ISO is 800 or less, but once you get to ISO 1600 and higher the digital noise acts like a convincing weak grain, and adding more grain on top of it is too much. So I elected to set grain to off, but you might consider using weak grain, particularly at the lower ISOs.

Astia
Dynamic Range: DR-Auto

Highlight: +1
Shadow: +3
Color: +4
Noise Reduction: -3

Sharpening: +1
Grain Effect: Off
White Balance: Auto, +3 Red & -2 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +1/3 (typically)

Example photos, all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs captured using my Kodak Ektar 100 Film Simulation recipe:

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Ice Cream Sandwiches – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

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Open Fountain – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

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Peach City Fun – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

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Sunlit Sisters – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

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Happy & Sad – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

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Splash Time – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

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Summer Wildflower Blossom – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

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Birds In The Window – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

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Crates & Dollies – Brigham City, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektar 100”

See also:
My Fujifilm X100F Kodak Porta 400 Film Simulation Recipe
My Fujifilm X100F CineStill 800T Film Simulation Recipe
My Fujifilm X100F Fujicolor Superia 800 Film Simulation Recipe
My Fujifilm X100F Vintage Kodachrome Film Simulation Recipe

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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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Fujifilm X100F Aperture Series: f/4

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f/2  f/2.8  

If there’s one aperture that I use more than the rest on my Fujifilm X100F, it’s f/4. It seems to be the sweet spot, with corner-to-corner sharpness and maximum sharpness in the center. Bokeh is quite nice, although not heavily pronounced. It has enough depth-of-field to be useful in almost any situation. It seems like the best all-around aperture on this camera.

Some of my favorite images were captured with the aperture set at f/4. I use it for street photography, still-life, family snapshots, landscapes–anything really. It’s large enough for use in low-light situations and small enough for bright-light scenes. It’s a good set-it-and-forget-it option. If I could use only one aperture on this lens, f/4 would be my choice.

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Ilford Harman Technology – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/4

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Walking Man – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/4

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Thoughts Grow With A Cup of Joe – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/4

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Train Watching – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/4

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Look What I Drew – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/4

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Man In The Straw Hat – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/4

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Fortuity – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/4

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Train Ride Through The Christmas Tunnel – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F @ f/4

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Christmas Joy – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F @ f/4

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Jump – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/4

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Caramel Macchiato – Sandy, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/4

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Expedition Lodge – Moab, UT – Fujifilm X100F @ f/4

f/5.6  

My Fujifilm X100F Kodak Portra 400 Film Simulation Recipe


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Jump – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

Fuji X Weekly reader Luis Costa asked me if I could create a Kodak Portra 400 film simulation recipe for the Fujifilm X100F. I liked the idea and thought it would be a fun challenge, so I agreed. What I didn’t realize is that challenge was the keyword, as this was extremely difficult to figure out. I gave up a couple of times, but then some inspiration pushed me forward, and eventually I got it right. Or, at least, very close to right.

Portra 400 is a daylight balanced color negative film made by Kodak. There have been four different versions made since it was introduced in 1998: the original film (1998-2000), 400NC and 400VC (2000-2011), and the current version (2011 to present). I’ve used Portra 400NC (“neutral color”) and 400VC (“vivid color”) in the past, but I’ve not shot on Portra film for at least a decade, and I’ve never used the current one. There isn’t a huge difference between the different Portra 400 films, but there are small distinctions as they each have a slightly varied look.

As the name implies, this film is designed for portraits, and has a warm tint in order to enhance skin tones. Being daylight balanced means if you use it on a cloudy day, indoors, under artificial light, etc., it will look different. It’s designed for use in daylight, and using it in other circumstances will skew the white balance (which could be good or bad, depending on the image).

White balance became both the key to this film simulation recipe and the problem. I first tried auto-white-balance (with a white balance shift of +2 Red and -5 Blue), and I got good results a few times and not good results a bunch of times. Next I set it to Daylight (using the same shift) but it wasn’t quite right. Then I tried setting the Kelvin value, starting with 5600K, but couldn’t find one that was correct. Finally, I used Custom White Balance, but it took seven or eight different measurements before I got it right. I did get it right, though.

The measurement that worked was out the back door of my house midday, slightly back-lit, partly cloudy with a lot of green in the scene. Interestingly enough, once I got it right I then tried to get the same custom white balance on my X-Pro2, but it measured slightly different. My suggestion is to use auto-white-balance, and once you capture an image that looks right, use custom white balance to make a measurement of the scene and set it. I think that should work, anyway. Otherwise, just keep trying to get the custom white balance right by taking different measurements until you find one that looks good.

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Hello Summer – S. Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Edited using RNI Films app, Kodak Portra 400 preset.

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Country Red – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Edited using RNI Films app, Kodak Portra 400 preset.

Nailing down an exact Portra 400 look is tricky business because it depends on which version of Portra 400 film you are talking about, plus whether it was scanned (and which scanner) or printed (and which chemicals and paper). To verify that I was close, I put a couple of images through the RNI Films app on my phone using their Portra 400 preset, and compared it to my Portra 400 film simulation recipe. It was very close, but who knows how accurate their Portra preset is and what exactly it is supposed to be simulating (which film version and process). It was good verification that my recipe is at least in the ballpark, as I’m sure their preset is in the ballpark. I also examined images captured with actual Portra 400 film. I don’t think any film simulation is going to be an exact match because there are too many variables, but I think it’s perfectly alright to not be 100% spot on, as long as it gives the right impression, and this recipe does just that.

There are a few of the settings that I’ve debated, going back-and-forth over what’s most accurate. I think that the white balance shift gives the right color cast, but perhaps a bit too strongly. I’ve tried changing it, but, to me, this is what looks most correct. I’ve tried the shadows at +3 but think +2 is better. I’m still not completely convinced that highlights should be at -1 as sometimes 0 looks better, but more often -1 looks right to me. Sometimes I think that color should be at -2 and not -3, but -2 almost looks too saturated. There is certainly room to play around with the settings if one doesn’t completely agree with what I’ve chosen.

The most difficult part of my Kodak Portra 400 Film Simulation recipe will be getting the white balance correct. I didn’t find an easy way to achieve it. It’s going to take trial-and-error. With any luck you’ll get it on the first try. There are three custom white balance settings, and you can make three different ones and see which gives the best results. Just remember that Portra is a daylight balanced film, so measuring a daylight scene will give you a better chance of getting it right.

Here’s the recipe:

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1
Shadow: +2
Color: -2
Noise Reduction: -3
Sharpening: +1
Grain: Strong
White Balance: Custom, +2 Red & -5 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1 to +1-1/3 (typically)

The photographs labelled “Portra 400” (which are all of them except for the two RNI Films examples) are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs. I did slightly crop a couple of them, but no other adjustments were made, just minor cropping.

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Greens of Summer – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Summer Wildflower – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Tiny Bugs On A Rosebud – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Bloom Alone – S. Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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A Coffee Cup – S. Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Obligatory Cat Pic – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Hanging Prints – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Window Box – S. Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Bottle Vase – S. Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Ground Coffee Beans – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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May Clouds Over Wasatch – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Window Clouds – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Standing Tall – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Tonka – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

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Bike Repair – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – “Portra 400”

Click here for my complete list of Fujifilm X100F film simulation recipes!

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Photoessay: Antelope Island State Park, Utah – Part 3: Fujifilm X100F

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Great Salt Lake & Wasatch Range – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifiom X100F

Part 1 – Fujifilm X-E1  Part 2 – Fujifilm X-A3  

Antelope Island State Park is a special place, but I think it is especially wonderful near sunset. That’s when the rather ordinary rocks reflect the sun’s colors, becoming vivid and rich. It’s when you can really appreciate the reflections in the typically smooth water. The crowds leave and everything becomes peaceful. It is, hands down, the best place in Utah to experience the setting sun.

A visit to Antelope Island is like a taking a vacation. It’s stepping into another place, even though, for me, it’s only a short drive. It’s like travelling without all of the travelling. It’s a quick one-day staycation, if you will, but I always feel rejuvenated and more balanced when leaving.

The photographs in this article were all captured using a Fujifilm X100F. This camera is the perfect travel camera because it is small and lightweight enough to fit into a large pocket and it’s never in the way, yet it delivers exceptional image quality. A couple of these images received some very minor touch ups with Snapseed, but are otherwise all camera-made JPEGs using my different film simulation recipes.

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Sunset Rock – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Painted With Warm Light – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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The Cracked Earth – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Frary Peak Behind The Rocks – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Light Around The Corner – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Sun, Stone & Water – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Rocks Above The Lake – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Lake From Lady Finger Point – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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An Antelope Island Evening – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Island Joy – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Warm Light Over Antelope Island – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Sunset From Lady Finger Point – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Dipping Sun – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

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Three Gulls – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Part 4 coming soon!

Possible Workaround For Custom White Balance Shift

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The one question that I’ve been asked the most, by far, since starting this blog last year is whether or not custom white balance shifts can be saved on the X100F. Some of my film simulation recipes, such as Vintage Kodachrome and Fujicolor Superia 800, require different white balance shifts. Auto-white-balance allows you the option to save one white balance shift that’s always on (as long as auto-white-balance is selected), but you can’t customize it for each set of custom settings.

What I’ve done, and it’s not convenient but it works for me, is simply remember what the shift is and adjust it whenever I want to use one of those film simulation recipes that require a shift. For example, I know that Vintage Kodachrome requires +2 Red and -4 Blue and that Fujicolor Superia 800 requires -2 Red and -3 Blue, so I manually make the white balance adjustment before making the exposure.

Fuji X Weekly reader Luis Costa has a different workaround, so I thought I’d share it. The X100F has the option to program three custom white balance settings. You can set the white balance shift to something different with each one. So C1 could be for Vintage Kodachrome, C2 could be for Fujicolor Superia, C3 could be for Classic Chrome and the auto-white-balance could have a white balance shift set for something else. You could have four different white balance shifts saved for different recipes that are all programmed for easy use.

The problem with this solution is that the custom white balance settings are not auto-white-balance. It’s a custom kelvin number based on a measurement by the camera. If the light changes you have to make a new measurement. If you use a grey card and don’t rely on auto-white-balance, Luis Costa’s workaround is a godsend and you should absolutely use it. If you rely on auto-white-balance, then it’s something that you may want to try, but you might find it to be just as much work as adjusting the white balance shift each time you change recipes.

Depending on how you use white balance on your X100F, this might be the thing you’ve been looking for, or it might be something to try and see if it works for you or not. I did give it a try myself and found it to be a good option if the lighting doesn’t change (for instance, shooting outdoors on a sunny day), but a little cumbersome for constantly changing light.

Another thought on how this might be helpful is that you could set a white balance shift in each of the custom white balance options so that you have a reminder of what exactly the shift should be for the different film simulations. You wouldn’t use custom white balance, but simply look at what you set the white balance shift to so that you can remember what to set the shift on your auto-white-balance each time you change recipes.

Hopefully this all makes sense. It’s a little confusing to me as I read it, and I wrote it! My suggestion is to play around with the custom white balance settings and find out for yourself if it’s something that might be helpful to you. Thank you, Luis, for pointing out this white balance shift workaround!