Fuji digital film simulations

[Gary R. Smith]

I'm curious to hear from Fuji shooters to understand how you use your camera's ability to simulate film. Do you primarily set it and forget it or do you regularly switch between several?

 

[Gary R. Smith]

Either there are no Fuji shooters here or the number of folks reading/posting here is a lot smaller than I thought.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

It’s years since I had the x100. I found the simulations a little bit gimmicky, and only used the b&w. But I’m not a colour shooter most of the time.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

Good morning, Rob (it's still 11:13pm last night here). For a while I was "hot" to get one of the new ones but I've decided that I'll wait for the used prices to get reasonable. I was just intrigued by the idea of setting one of the x100 series up to shoot a spread of 3 different sims to evaluate their viability. I think for me it would simply be an amusement. I'm not sure how I would do with a fixed 35mm equivalent lens. I don't find myself "playing" with color variations in post as I usually try to go for what my brain thinks my eyes saw.

BTW - how many regular posters do you think inhabit this place?

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

I've never had a modern Fujifilm. Best one I have is the S5600 from 2005 - that only has Chrome, Standard and B+W colour modes....

I've sometimes wondered how much I would use the film modes, as they are unquestionably popular and can look very good in the right hands. (The cameras themselves are cool too).
I think I have a bit too much fun tweaking in post though, I'd have to change my shooting style a bit I suspect to get the most out of the in-camera modes. Mind you, at least on the newer ones I think you can apply the film styles to RAWs in post, so... non-issue? Maybe.

I already have too many different systems. And no money... (and too fond of the gear I do have to sell it!)

BTW - how many regular posters do you think inhabit this place?

Not very many, as far as I can tell. Under 10 I suspect!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

BTW - how many regular posters do you think inhabit this place?

I'd say 6! But of the best quality!!

 

[Gary R. Smith]

I already have too many different systems

Me too. I have relatively new FF, APS-C and mFT digital and (so far) 4 film shooters. It remains to be seen how much more film I'll shoot with the lates addition of both the MF Mamiya 645 1000s and the Leica IIIc.

As far as regulars, I think somewhere between Rob's estimate of 6 and your estimate of 10 would be about right. I suspect that I'm here because of my brush with 35mmc and my current focus on film.

 

[Peter Roberts]

I have a X100s which I like very much, even if the menu options tie me up in knots especially if I've inadvertantly pressed one of the many buttons. Like Rob, I find the colour simulations gimmicky. To me they look exactly what they are: digital manipulations done in-camera.
On the other hand B&W with a yellow filter option I find quite effective and gives nice contrasty results......


Gants Hill Underground Station / B&W, Yellow filter


Feed the Birds, Barbican / B&W, Yellow filter


Charterhouse Square, Farringdon / B&W, Yellow filter

Strangely there is no option for an orange filter. Use the red filter option and in my opinion skies look as if they have been badly pasted in and the sense of depth is lost......


Crosby Beach / B&W, Red filter


Crosby Beach / B&W, Red filter

Perhaps none of this may be particulary helpful but at least it gives me an excuse to post these images

Almost forgot to say, I don't find the 35mm equivalent fixed lens to be any drawback.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Wow, those are great shots, Peter, and you are right, the yellow filter looks great. The Feed the Birds is magnificent, very close to good-quality film on my iMac screen.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

I have a X100s which I like very much, even if the menu options tie me up in knots especially if I've inadvertantly pressed one of the many buttons. Like Rob, I find the colour simulations gimmicky. To me they look exactly what they are: digital manipulations done in-camera.
On the other hand B&W with a yellow filter option I find quite effective and gives nice contrasty results......

View attachment 18894
Gants Hill Underground Station / B&W, Yellow filter

View attachment 18895
Feed the Birds, Barbican / B&W, Yellow filter

View attachment 18896
Charterhouse Square, Farringdon / B&W, Yellow filter

Strangely there is no option for an orange filter. Use the red filter option and in my opinion skies look as if they have been badly pasted in and the sense of depth is lost......

View attachment 18897
Crosby Beach / B&W, Red filter

View attachment 18898
Crosby Beach / B&W, Red filter

Perhaps none of this may be particulary helpful but at least it gives me an excuse to post these images

Almost forgot to say, I don't find the 35mm equivalent fixed lens to be any drawback.

Wonderful photos @Peter Roberts ! All of them, but I particularly like the first and the last. I wouldn't want to know about the process (red filters and so on) because the last one it doesn't seem too built up to me, and the composition, and tone contrast are quite expressive and dense. Perhaps the sky, toward the top, veers too quickly from light to dark in an unnatural way, but overall I appreciate the render.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

Indeed Peter, very nice! To be honest, I can't say that I have really looked at (m)any color sim examples. Maybe I should start there. I think I was mostly interested in the series as a travel camera where I could set up a 3-sim spread. I don't know if the older ones in the series allow that.

 

[Brian Moore]

I have a X100s which I like very much, even if the menu options tie me up in knots especially if I've inadvertantly pressed one of the many buttons. Like Rob, I find the colour simulations gimmicky. To me they look exactly what they are: digital manipulations done in-camera.
On the other hand B&W with a yellow filter option I find quite effective and gives nice contrasty results......

View attachment 18894
Gants Hill Underground Station / B&W, Yellow filter

View attachment 18895
Feed the Birds, Barbican / B&W, Yellow filter

View attachment 18896
Charterhouse Square, Farringdon / B&W, Yellow filter

Strangely there is no option for an orange filter. Use the red filter option and in my opinion skies look as if they have been badly pasted in and the sense of depth is lost......

View attachment 18897
Crosby Beach / B&W, Red filter

View attachment 18898
Crosby Beach / B&W, Red filter

Perhaps none of this may be particulary helpful but at least it gives me an excuse to post these images

Almost forgot to say, I don't find the 35mm equivalent fixed lens to be any drawback.

Lovely set of images, Peter. I particularly like the two beach shots and of those I particularly like Crosby Beach. Lovely image.

 

[Brian Moore]

As far as regulars, I think somewhere between Rob's estimate of 6 and your estimate of 10 would be about right. I suspect that I'm here because of my brush with 35mmc and my current focus on film.

I hope this doesn't mean you plan to quit us, Gary? (Personally I have dipped in and out occasionally--sometimes for lengthy periods--but I have come back each time and always enjoy it. It's friendly, supportive and educational. And to top it off there are some great photos to be seen.)

 

[Gary R. Smith]

I hope this doesn't mean you plan to quit us, Gary?

Nope, I like the quality here as Rob noted