Fuji camera's film simulations

[ntz]

Hello,

I have X100F and I've bought it mainly because I like the idea of shooting to JPEG .. Yeah, you see right, me, as lifetime Nikonist I've never used JPGs in reality .. Just RAWs forever and ever, but suddenly I've got myself caught and attracted by those fancy and famous film simulations

Film Simulation

A website for FUJIFILM digital camera manuals.

fujifilm-dsc.com

after half year with Fuji camera I am relatively disappointed because in general the JPEGs are not looking better completely and I am finding myself that I export photos from RAWs like with Nikon. I am shooting mostly with Cc (Classic Chrome) and Ar (ACROS Red) ..

On the other hand I don't use any specific camera settings like added + sharpness or +tone or +contrast (I have just +1 sharpness), also I try to keep under the control the Fuji "DR" feature (it flattens the images, just 100% is the best or AUTO, which allows 200% in well lit scene) and also the ISO

So my question is - what is please your workflow while using these Film simulations ? Are you editing the JPEGs slightly ? (just basic editing eg S-curve for contrast and while/black levels for lightness)

thanks and regards, dan

 

[jcdeboever]

X100V...I shoot in raw monochrome, manual focus, high red peaking highlights. Mostly spot meter and use EC alot. Mostly shoot in Aperture priority. I have everything set to defaults. I access q button for flash settings. I mostly use the optical viewfinder when I street shoot. I convert everything in camera, to any simulation I envision, I even make minor tweaks and crops in camera. I never sharpen, normally it is exposure and shadow bumps Voice memo is very handy. It's my favorite digital camera and keeps me off the PC. If I could only have 1 digital camera, this would be it. On a side note, I had a very difficult time choosing between this and the Leica Q.

 

[ntz]

X100V...I shoot in raw monochrome, manual focus, high red peaking highlights. Mostly spot meter and use EC alot. Mostly shoot in Aperture priority. I have everything set to defaults. I access q button for flash settings. I mostly use the optical viewfinder when I street shoot. I convert everything in camera, to any simulation I envision, I even make minor tweaks and crops in camera. I never sharpen, normally it is exposure and shadow bumps Voice memo is very handy. It's my favorite digital camera and keeps me off the PC. If I could only have 1 digital camera, this would be it. On a side note, I had a very difficult time choosing between this and the Leica Q.

interesting ... good point, thanks ... I've never understood why camera manufacturers put the editing capabilities into the cameras firmware, I never knew/heard about anyone using that ...

I like those film simulations on the LCD screen on camera, but when I transfer them to the computer, I am not so much happy with them after close look ... worth to say I am not talking about pixel peeping ..

 

[jcdeboever]

interesting ... good point, thanks ... I've never understood why camera manufacturers put the editing capabilities into the cameras firmware, I never knew/heard about anyone using that ...

I like those film simulations on the LCD screen on camera, but when I transfer them to the computer, I am not so much happy with them after close look ... worth to say I am not talking about pixel peeping ..

I haven't looked at them very much directly from a jpeg out of camera, occasionally a raw. I don't shoot jpeg though, just monochrome raw. I convert them to desired simulation then just transfer them via blue tooth to my phone and put the raw and converted jpeg onto my hard drive. The only thing I do is scale them down to 1366px, 100% jpeg in snap seed if I plan on posting. I have looked at the in camera converted jpegs and have no issue with them. Keep in mind, I shoot mostly film and I think that makes me less picky. Sharpness is not really a concern for me as I am more into composition and vision. I may test out shooting the same scene with a jpeg vs converted jpeg, you have me curious. I will say the V lens is pretty different than the F in terms of image fidelity but I doubt that is your challenge unless sharpness is quintessential for you. The Leica Q was off the charts in terms of image quality but not $4250 better. If I would have bought that, I would have bought the grip with it as well...having said all that, very impressive camera.

 

[ntz]

I haven't looked at them very much directly from a jpeg out of camera, occasionally a raw. I don't shoot jpeg though, just monochrome raw. I convert them to desired simulation then just transfer them via blue tooth to my phone and put the raw and converted jpeg onto my hard drive. The only thing I do is scale them down to 1366px, 100% jpeg in snap seed if I plan on posting. I have looked at the in camera converted jpegs and have no issue with them. Keep in mind, I shoot mostly film and I think that makes me less picky. Sharpness is not really a concern for me as I am more into composition and vision. I may test out shooting the same scene with a jpeg vs converted jpeg, you have me curious. I will say the V lens is pretty different than the F in terms of image fidelity but I doubt that is your challenge unless sharpness is quintessential for you. The Leica Q was off the charts in terms of image quality but not $4250 better. If I would have bought that, I would have bought the grip with it as well...having said all that, very impressive camera.

sharpness is not an issue .. I am only saying that in general the contrast and the look of JPGs is mediocre .. Maybe I am missing something, maybe you're about to tell me that it's completely and perfectly normal like that .. I don't know .. I am only saying, that at least for my picky eye is 90% out-of-camera-JPEGs flat and muddy and boring and I am able to produce much better result from RAW

 

[Braineack]

I have X100F and I've bought it mainly because I like the idea of shooting to JPEG .. Yeah, you see right, me, as lifetime Nikonist I've never used JPGs in reality .. Just RAWs forever and ever, but suddenly I've got myself caught and attracted by those fancy and famous film simulations

Funny. I'm highly considering dumping all my Nikon equipment (and lighting) and picking up an X-S10 and just having something relatively small and simple to use and JPGs that are easy to transfer/share. But I would still always shoot it RAW.

 

[SquarePeg]

Are you using Lightroom? I don’t care for the Fuji jpegs when I export them into LR. If I’m using jpegs I edit them on my iPad using Affinity for iPad app.

If I’m editing raw photos then I use LR and PS.

Re the film sims - if I’m shootings at the beach not sunset/sunrise (for those I need raw) I will use Astia or Chrome sims. If I’m shooting flowers or landscapes I use Velvia Vivid. I typically add sharpening etc later if it’s needed.

Except for astro I shoot 1 card raw and the other jpeg. I decide when I review them later whether or not I’ll use the raw files or jpegs. Social media sharing I almost always use the jpegs. If I’m going to print something or it needs lots of editing I use the raws. I will sometimes convert the raw to a film sim in LR presets but usually that is after I edit what I want to do for exposure, wb and spot edits.

 

[ntz]

Are you using Lightroom? I don’t care for the Fuji jpegs when I export them into LR. If I’m using jpegs I edit them on my iPad using Affinity for iPad app.

If I’m editing raw photos then I use LR and PS.

Re the film sims - if I’m shootings at the beach not sunset/sunrise (for those I need raw) I will use Astia or Chrome sims. If I’m shooting flowers or landscapes I use Velvia Vivid. I typically add sharpening etc later if it’s needed.

Except for astro I shoot 1 card raw and the other jpeg. I decide when I review them later whether or not I’ll use the raw files or jpegs. Social media sharing I almost always use the jpegs. If I’m going to print something or it needs lots of editing I use the raws. I will sometimes convert the raw to a film sim in LR presets but usually that is after I edit what I want to do for exposure, wb and spot edits.

personally I use RawTherapee (but I have also Lightroom) ... but it probably doesn't matter much ... perhaps if I will do just a basic global edits on JPEGs it will work ... it usually requires just adding a bit contrast with S-curve and adjusting white/black point ... and that's it

Funny. I'm highly considering dumping all my Nikon equipment (and lighting) and picking up an X-S10 and just having something relatively small and simple to use and JPGs that are easy to transfer/share. But I would still always shoot it RAW.

I am not lifetime photographer .. I just do it seriously last 5 years only but I think that I can already do some basic judgements based on my experience ... I've bought my X100F exactly because of your reasons and in reality thank to it I realized how much I love my Nikon and that it's impossible to replace that with something small and simple because of many reasons ... X100F does great photos but no way that it can replace my traditional Nikon setup with tripod and wide (my 11-20mm) and zoom (my 70-200mm) lenses at least for my photography ... I am thinking instead that I will need to switch to even heavier FX ...

also I realize that a camera is just tool .. certain situations allow/favour a lighter easier tool but other not so it makes sense to have a setup for both .. In my case it's also about the budget .. I am not Rockefeller so spending ~ $7000 for a set of my dreams (D850 or Z6 or Z7 with holy trinity lenses in f/2.8) is not possible - at least not at once .. as a Nikonist I would consider a lighter set which would be Z50 in set with 16-50mm + 50-250mm (one my friend have it, it's new for $1300 and it's IMHO the best deal on the market currently - nothing can beat that) + traditional "full size" camera like Z5+ ... now I am still hooked up with Nikon f-mount so my plan is to dump in future (maybe far future) my D7200 and DX lenses and go for (used) D850

 

[SquarePeg]

personally I use RawTherapee (but I have also Lightroom) ... but it probably doesn't matter much ... perhaps if I will do just a basic global edits on JPEGs it will work ... it usually requires just adding a bit contrast with S-curve and adjusting white/black point ... and that's it



I am not lifetime photographer .. I just do it seriously last 5 years only but I think that I can already do some basic judgements based on my experience ... I've bought my X100F exactly because of your reasons and in reality thank to it I realized how much I love my Nikon and that it's impossible to replace that with something small and simple because of many reasons ... X100F does great photos but no way that it can replace my traditional Nikon setup with tripod and wide (my 11-20mm) and zoom (my 70-200mm) lenses at least for my photography ... I am thinking instead that I will need to switch to even heavier FX ...

also I realize that a camera is just tool .. certain situations allow/favour a lighter easier tool but other not so it makes sense to have a setup for both .. In my case it's also about the budget .. I am not Rockefeller so spending ~ $7000 for a set of my dreams (D850 or Z6 or Z7 with holy trinity lenses in f/2.8) is not possible - at least not at once .. as a Nikonist I would consider a lighter set which would be Z50 in set with 16-50mm + 50-250mm (one my friend have it, it's new for $1300 and it's IMHO the best deal on the market currently - nothing can beat that) + traditional "full size" camera like Z5+ ... now I am still hooked up with Nikon f-mount so my plan is to dump in future (maybe far future) my D7200 and DX lenses and go for (used) D850

Same here except I bought the xf10. For hiking, parties, vacations etc but too frequently in those situations I wished I’d brought my xt2 so I bring it everywhere now. The xf10 is gathering dust.

 

[Braineack]

I am not lifetime photographer .. I just do it seriously last 5 years only but I think that I can already do some basic judgements based on my experience ... I've bought my X100F exactly because of your reasons and in reality thank to it I realized how much I love my Nikon and that it's impossible to replace that with something small and simple because of many reasons ... X100F does great photos but no way that it can replace my traditional Nikon setup with tripod and wide (my 11-20mm) and zoom (my 70-200mm) lenses at least for my photography ... I am thinking instead that I will need to switch to even heavier FX ...

I typically now only shoot now when I travel. I just recently did a week in Napa and lugged the D800 and a few lenses and it was simply a PITA.

Then I wasn't able to share anything with the group until I got back where I then had to edit for hours and ultimately end up with pics that were barely better than my Pixel 5 images, and really only in Image Quality terms only.

I rarely do paid shoots, so I don't need all the equipment.

I still very much enjoy taking photos, but just not in the same way I used to. I've owned an a6000 in the past for traveling and those images turned out great on the kit lens and was much easier to travel/deal with.

I don't think I could do a fixed lens camera, although I was considering the Rx100 for a while, but that sensor simply too small. At least a crop sensor, lens mountable, mirrorless seems to be a decent compromise in my situation.

Really I just want to be able to take images, share them easily, and maybe edit/upload decent ones to my portfolio and print one out.

 

[ntz]

I typically now only shoot now when I travel. I just recently did a week in Napa and lugged the D800 and a few lenses and it was simply a PITA.

Then I wasn't able to share anything with the group until I got back where I then had to edit for hours and ultimately end up with pics that were barely better than my Pixel 5 images, and really only in Image Quality terms only.

I rarely do paid shoots, so I don't need all the equipment.

I still very much enjoy taking photos, but just not in the same way I used to. I've owned an a6000 in the past for traveling and those images turned out great on the kit lens and was much easier to travel/deal with.

I don't think I could do a fixed lens camera, although I was considering the Rx100 for a while, but that sensor simply too small. At least a crop sensor, lens mountable, mirrorless seems to be a decent compromise in my situation.

Really I just want to be able to take images, share them easily, and maybe edit/upload decent ones to my portfolio and print one out.

then go for Z50 in kit with 16-50mm and 50-250mm (and/or eventuall with FTZ adapteur), all that new for $1200 .. My friend, my usual photography companion have it ... I was using that camera also, I've seen his photos (he also has FTZ), it's the best deal ever .. there's is nothing comparable on the market ... and still you can occasionally use, when the conditions will call for that, your traditional monstrous big-gun D800

it's not option for me because I have multiple cameras and Z50 simply doesn't fit to my current setup and future evolution plans which are still DSRL-centric around Nikon F-mount .. Ok, if I will win in lottery, I will go for Nikon-Z and f/2.8 Z lenses, but this doesn't seem likely

in meanwhile for me the interlink is my Fuji X100F, it's awesome camera for travel and for street photography with IQ on par with my D7200 but with fixed 35mm lens (23mm on DX) .. Also I have D5100 which I sometimes use as secondary body mainly with primes

 

[SquarePeg]

I typically now only shoot now when I travel. I just recently did a week in Napa and lugged the D800 and a few lenses and it was simply a PITA.

Then I wasn't able to share anything with the group until I got back where I then had to edit for hours and ultimately end up with pics that were barely better than my Pixel 5 images, and really only in Image Quality terms only.

I rarely do paid shoots, so I don't need all the equipment.

I still very much enjoy taking photos, but just not in the same way I used to. I've owned an a6000 in the past for traveling and those images turned out great on the kit lens and was much easier to travel/deal with.

I don't think I could do a fixed lens camera, although I was considering the Rx100 for a while, but that sensor simply too small. At least a crop sensor, lens mountable, mirrorless seems to be a decent compromise in my situation.

Really I just want to be able to take images, share them easily, and maybe edit/upload decent ones to my portfolio and print one out.

That is where I was with Nikon and my reason for getting the Xt2 and 18-55 kit lens as my “vacation” camera. After a year of not using the Nikon gear, I sold it all. You should consider a Fuji.

 

[AlanKlein]

I typically now only shoot now when I travel. I just recently did a week in Napa and lugged the D800 and a few lenses and it was simply a PITA.

Then I wasn't able to share anything with the group until I got back where I then had to edit for hours and ultimately end up with pics that were barely better than my Pixel 5 images, and really only in Image Quality terms only.

I rarely do paid shoots, so I don't need all the equipment.

I still very much enjoy taking photos, but just not in the same way I used to. I've owned an a6000 in the past for traveling and those images turned out great on the kit lens and was much easier to travel/deal with.

I don't think I could do a fixed lens camera, although I was considering the Rx100 for a while, but that sensor simply too small. At least a crop sensor, lens mountable, mirrorless seems to be a decent compromise in my situation.

Really I just want to be able to take images, share them easily, and maybe edit/upload decent ones to my portfolio and print one out.

I use an RX100 iv. It's light, pocketable, shoots a 1" sensor which gives me slide shows that are beautiful on my 75" UHD TV including 4K movie clips. Although my model has a 24-70mm zoom, the newer models have a 24-200 zoom. They also look great on the web to see on a monitor. I don't print anything, so I can't say whether that matters. There's a lot I like about not having to schlep much.

Flickr Search

www.flickr.com

 

[Braineack]

then go for Z50 .. there's is nothing comparable on the market ...

The x-S10 compares directly to the Z50 and beats it in most places on paper. The biggest for me is IBIS, which reduces the size/bulk of lenses (if they would actually make them) and works better than VR imho (works in conjunction with "VR" lenses).

I see no reason to stay loyal to "Playing From Behind" Nikon just for the ability to use big heavy lenses with an adapter. Which is one of the reasons I want to change systems in the first place.

I can buy the kit 16-80mm f/4 and have nearly the same coverage of my 24-70 and 70-200--in a smaller/lighter package. I wouldn't even want the slow Nikon kit lenses. f/6.3 @ 50mm????

Also, have you not read me rant about how much I dislike Nikon as of late?

One of the biggest reasons I was a Nikon fan was their DR and sensor technology. Well once Sony come out with the A7, everything changed. Then Nikon decided to go to the 20MP APS-C sensor, that IMHO isn't that great.

It's been pretty obvious since ~2006 when I bought my D40 they have no intention of being cutting-edge trend-setters, but instead do the least amount of improvements/advancements as possible, wait for Canon to release a camera, then spec theirs slightly better with minimal improvements, while at the same time removing other features that made them better (like what they did to the D7500 released after the D500). I remember replacing the D40 with the D3100 (not knowing better back then) for the extra MPs and finding out the camera lacked many of the features the D40 offered.

And don't get me started on the absolute **** menu system they had used since day one.

Anyway, I'm up for a change, and I hear nothing but good things from Fuji owners/reviewers.

 

[SquarePeg]

@Braineack Love the 16-80 f4. It’s a great walk around/vacation lens. I use it the most of the time. The extra stops of OIS make it easy to hand hold to keep ISO down. Not needing a tripod except for really low light is very freeing!