The Fuji X Files

Last weekend (as I write this) I was in the neighboring town of Hokitika to try out my Ilford HP5 film simulation. I found myself wandering the back-streets on a drizzly afternoon - ideal conditions for black and white images, but not my normal subject matter. Although I wasn't really expecting much, I actually came away with a couple of images that I loved, and that really excited me (see the post here ). Urban exploration really isn't my thing - mostly because I live in a small town and don't really think of it as somewhere worth exploring (familiarity really does breed contempt)! But my brief afternoon spent exploring the streets of Hokitika made me re-evaluate that a little. I decided that if similar conditions (drizzly and cloudy) represented themselves here in Greymouth where I live, then I would take the opportunity to go out and explore my local town. All you need is Love. Fuji X-E2 with XC16-50mm. f/5.6 @ 1/280th, ISO 400. Ilford HP5 recipe This being Greymouth, I...

I've probably mentioned before (a few times) that when I shoot 'real' film, I often choose black and white. Firstly for practical and budget reasons - it's cheaper and I can develop it myself. But second for aesthetic reasons - I love the look you get from true black and white film stocks. Black and white conversions from colour are not quite the same. And nor is shooting on the 'monochrome' setting on DSLRs. Lake Mahinapua Sludge. Fujifilm X-E2. f/8 @ 1/240th, ISO 400. 'C6' Ilford HP5 recipe Now having said that, I believe that the closest you can get to a 'true' black and white result shooting on digital is with the Fujifilm simulations (without selling your children and a kidney to buy the Leica Monochrom). For a start, the newer X-Trans III cameras have the Fuji Acros film look built right into the camera - how good is that! But even if, like me, you've got an older generation Fujifilm body, then the custom film simulations come to the ...

If you're playing along at home (and thanks if you are btw), then you will know that the first three film simulation modes I've recently programmed on my X-E2 have all been colour. The X-E2 has space for seven custom simulations (often referred to as film 'recipes'), and most Fuji shooters use them to replicate particular film stocks. In my C5 setting I have a punchy Velvia recipe that I wrote about here . In pride-of-place in the C1 setting, and the colour profile I'll probably use the most, I have a Kodak E100SW simulation outlined here . And in the C7 setting, a good all-rounder colour recipe that will also get a lot of use - Kodak Gold 200 shown here . That's a lot of colour - and I've still got two to go. But what about Black and White? Rapahoe morning light. Fuji X-E2. f11@ 1/3rd sec, ISO 200. Polariser/Grad filter. Acros recipe Of course I haven't forgotten monochrome. Two of the seven custom settings have monochrome film stocks programmed. If my...

My pimped X-E1 with 27mm pancake... Nice! As mentioned in my last post, I am using the Fuji X-E2 as my main camera, but have also purchased an X-E1 and Fujinon XF 27mm f2.8 pancake lens as a 'backup'. Just a couple of  months ago, I put my toe in the water of the Fujifilm system with an X-E1. I was hooked from the moment I took my first image with the compact, range-finder style body, and the beautiful Fuji x-trans sensor. The X-E1 very quickly made way for the X-E2, although it was far from being a straight forward decision. I was still running a Nikon DSLR kit as well, and couldn't justify keeping both X-E's. So reluctantly the X-E1 had to go. But, so enamored have I become with Fujifilm, that I soon after decided that it was the one system for me - so I sold my Nikon gear and got an X-T1. Great decision - right? Well, for some maybe. But not for me. Turns out I'm a compact, range-finder style guy. Who knew!? (Certainly not me). So I've so...

If you've been following along recently (thanks if you have - shame on you if you haven't), you will have been introduced to the first two of my custom film recipes for my Fujifilm X-E1. If you want to catch up on these posts, go here for my version of Classic Chrome, and here for my version of Acros. Hansen Park, Christchurch. Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm. f/16 @ 1/100th, ISO 400 C4 film simulation recipe - Kodak Tri-X jpeg To mix things up a bit (and to keep those who are following along on their toes), I'm going to jump from C2 to C4, missing out C3 - my Kodak Portra 400 simulation - for another time. Couple of reasons for this. First, I haven't used the C3 Portra 400 simulation yet, since I haven't been taking many portraits (which is mainly what I would use this film simulation recipe for). But mainly it's because I recently had the opportunity to shoot in a park early in the morning and decided to use the more 'grittier' C4 fi...

The Fujifilm X-E2 (and briefly the X-E1) is quickly becoming my go-to camera - for everything! Trust me, this is a huge surprise to me - so much so that I can't quite believe it and am starting to second-guess myself. How so? Well, as much as I like the look of a range-finder style camera like the X-E2, I've always actually preferred the handling and feel of a more traditional SLR styled camera body. So I figured that if I like the X-E2, I'll love the X-T1!? So yes - you guessed it. I brought one. Carters Beach tree stump. Fujifilm X-T1 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/5.6 @ 1/240th, ISO 200. Polariser I've had it for a couple of weeks, but haven't had a chance to get out and shoot with it until yesterday (as I write this). The X-T1 uses a more 'traditional' SLR design, with a few more knobs and dials (it has a dedicated ISO dial), but as can be seen in the comparison photo, it's not actually that much bigger than the rangefinder-esque X-E2...

I'm seriously loving using the Fujifilm system - especially the custom film simulations. In this post I'd like to outline my C2 custom setting recipe - my version of Fuji Acros. Lake Mahinapua Jetty. Fuji X-E1. f/5.6 @ 1/350th, ISO 200. C2: "Acros" Jpeg Fuji Acros just happens to be my favourite black and white film. It's a beautiful, tonal, fine-grained film, that I shoot in my film cameras whenever I can. I was gutted when Fuji discontinued it in 2017, and then elated when they said they would be bringing it back in 2019! They have also introduced an Acros film simulation into their latest digital cameras - but only in the latest with the third generation processor. It doesn't look like it can, or will, be released in earlier camera models, since the Acros 'special sauce' requires the latest processor to work. Darn! So what is a guy to do? Hey, I know... why not make my own 'Acros' film simulation recipe? What a great idea! And s...