Fujifilm Film Simulation Challenge Roll 5: Kodak Portra 400

UPDATE: After messing around with Color Efx Pro 4from DxO's Nik Collection 3, I think my criticism and reaction to the SOOC JPEGs from my Fujifilm Film Simulation Challenge Roll 5: Kodak Portra 400 test was "user error". I think the exposure compensation dial may have moved during my photo walk. That would certainly explain the washed-out look of the SOOC image. As a test, I used Fuji X RAW Studio to reprocess the images with Ritchie's Kodak Portra 400 recipe and adjusted exposure compensation settings, and the results are much better. I think the photos were over-exposed by between EV +1/3 to +1. In the interest of transparency, I left the original blog post but included reprocessed images at the bottom of the post.

This blog entry is my fifth installment for Ritchie Roesch's Fujifilm-inspired Film Simulation Challenge. For this challenge, I chose Ritchie's Kodak Portra 400 recipe for X-Trans III sensors and went for an early morning walk around downtown Princeton. This recipe attempts to simulate the look of the Kodak Portra 400 Professional ISO 400 film. I've never used the actual Kodak Portra 400 Professional ISO 400 film, but I like the SOOC JPEG images on Ritchie's web page and decided to give it a try.

I walked north on Nassau Street toward Hogie Haven. I shot using Kodak Portra 400 until I got to Shouse, then switched to Kodak Portra 160. I shot RAW + JPEG and EV +2/3. The challenge is all about film simulation recipes and SOOC JPEGs, so I've included the best of the roll of 36. Many of the SOOC images have been cropped and edited for perspective correction only. Despite my best efforts with the built-in level of the Fujifilm X-T2, I tend to tilt.

What I learned from this experience is that Kodak Portra 400 was most likely designed and tweaked for Western wedding portraiture. It seems to work best with a white and grey and a generally muted colour palette. This film would not be my choice for colourful Asian weddings and events. While I like how some of these images were rendered, I had this feeling that the photographers singing the praises of Kodak Portra 400 must hate the colour.

In other words, this film simulation and Kodak Portra film would have been great for Erin's and Joe's wedding or Andrew's wedding but may not have been appropriate for my brother-in-law's wedding. Mastin Labs wrote an article about editing skin tones after applying their Adobe Lightroom film presets.

If your predominant market is light-skinned/Caucasian people, you can easily use any of the Portra packs or the Fujicolor packs.

If you're shooting mostly people of color or Asian skin tones, we recommend sticking with the Fujicolor packs and films.

I found Mastin Labs' article by searching for "best film for dark skin tones". Most of the results from Google were links to forums where photographers were asking the question. That's a good thing. Those photographers realise that not all skin tones are the same. But when I see any film described as "... delivers spectacular skin tones plus exceptional color saturation" I get this sick feeling inside that the writer meant white skin tones. When did white skin become the default?

Other entries in this challenge series.

6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 50 mm
Nassau Street and Vandeventer Avenue | 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 34.2 mm
Lunch and a backrub | 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 33.2 mm
Hair Salon | 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 33.2 mm
St. Paul's | 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 45.5 mm
Bicycles | 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 42.7 mm
schouse | 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 28.3 mm

These images were reprocessed using Fuji X RAW Studio with the EV adjusted Kodak Portra 400 Film Simulation Recipe.

H1912 Vintage Jewelry | Saturday 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Saturday 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Nassau Street and Vandeventer Avenue | Saturday 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Fruity Yogurt & Cafe | Saturday 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Lunch and a backrub | Saturday 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Hair salon | Saturday 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
St. Paul's Catholic Church | Saturday 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Saturday 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Bicycles | Saturday 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
schouse | Saturday 6 June, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR

Fujifilm Film Simulation Challenge Roll 4: Ilford HP5 Plus

During my sophomore year at Drew University, I took a winter semester course on photography with access to a fully stocked darkroom. As a student, the only thing I needed was a camera, film, and 8x10 photographic paper. I shot colour reversal, but thinking back to that time, I was enamoured with B& W film, shooting mostly Kodak T-MAX.

I recently purchased a roll of ADOX Scala 160, which is the reversal process film alternative to the discontinued AGFA SCALA. Once I shoot the roll of film, it would be interesting to compare to Ritchie's Agfa Scala Film Simulation Recipe. I wish I had done a better job of keeping my negatives. They are lost somewhere during one of my many moves. After selling her home in Florida, my mom is visiting while she decides what's next, and she shipped me a large box full of prints and film negatives she found. We are going through the box, and I occasionally have found a gem or two. Somewhere in that box is a set of film negatives that I may have captured during my photography course. Maybe.

This blog entry is my fourth instalment for the Ritchie Roesch's Fujifilm inspired Film Simulation Challenge. For this challenge, I chose Ritchie's Ilford HP5 Plus recipe for X-Trans III sensors and went for an early morning walk around downtown Princeton. I shot RAW + JPEG. I've never used the actual Ilford HP5 Plus film (or ACROS), but I do like some of the SOOC JPEG images which I've posted below. Some processed some of the RAW and achieved results that I preferred over the SOOC JPEG version. But the challenge is all about film simulation recipes and SOOC JPEGs, so I've included the best of the roll of 36. Many of the SOOC images have been cropped and edited for perspective correction only. Despite my best efforts with the built-in level of the Fujifilm X-T2 I tend to tilt.

I drove into Princeton with the intention of getting some early morning images and then stopping in at Rojo's Coffee for a latte and muffin for breakfast. Rojo's opens at 8 AM on the weekend so I had about 45 minutes to walk around. Perhaps because it was a cold winter morning or because it was very early morning, the area around Palmer Square was mostly free of vehicles and people. I parked on Palmer Square West and walked around to Palmer Square Sout toward Nassau Street and toward Witherspoon, then down Witherspoon toward Hulfish Street, before circling back toward Palmer Square East.

None of the restaurants and stores on Palmer Square was open at this hour but there were a few people on Nassau Street. I found myself drawn to the facades of the stores and restaurants and the way the early morning light looked on some of the buildings. There is a lot of shadows. Once I completed the square and arrived back at my car, I looked at the time and realised that it would be another fifteen minutes before Rojo's would be open. I was cold and hungry. I left Palmer Square and drove back to Skillman to pick up breakfast at Bagel Barn.


Other entries in this challenge series.

Palmer Square, Princeton, Street
22 February, 2020 | Palmer Square , Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 400
Man, Truck, Street, Buildings
22 February, 2020 | Palmer Square South, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 1000
Men, People, Street, Store Front
22 February, 2020 | Ann Taylor, Palmer Square, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 1000
Parking Meter
22 February, 2020 | Coins, Credit Cards and Phone Apps. Palmer Square, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 4000
Store Facade, Building
22 February, 2020 | Palmer Square Kiosk, Palmer Square, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 640
Street Sigh, Street Lights, Witherspoon Street, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Witherspoon Street, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 200
Store Facade, Restaurant, Lahierre Restaurant, Witherspoon Street, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Lahierre Restaurant, Witherspoon Street, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 800
Store Facade, Hamilton Jewelers, Witherspoon Street, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Hamilton Jewelers, Witherspoon Street, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 1600
Store Front, Agricola Eatery, Witherspoon St, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Agricola Eatery, Witherspoon St, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 4000
Store Facade, Jules Thin Crust, Witherspoon St, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Jules Thin Crust, Witherspoon St, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 800
Store Facade, Alchemist & Barrister, Witherspoon St, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Flags on Alchemist & Barrister, Witherspoon St, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 200
Store Facade, Alchemist & Barrister, Witherspoon St, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Princeton University Flag on Alchemist & Barrister, Witherspoon St, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 200
Store Facade, Alchemist & Barrister, Witherspoon St, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Princeton University Flag on Alchemist & Barrister, Witherspoon St, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 200
Store Facade, Purinsu Ramen, Witherspoon St, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Purinsu Ramen, Witherspoon St, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 2500
Store Front, Corner of Witherspoon Street and Spring Street, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Corner of Witherspoon Street and Spring Street, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 320
Store Facade, LAN Ramen, Hullfish Street, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | LAN Ramen, Hullfish Street, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 640
Book, Store Window
22 February, 2020 | Goodnight Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 800
Store Facade, Halo Fete, Hulfish St, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Halo Fete, Hulfish St, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 1000
Store Window, Jazams, Palmer Square East, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Jazams, Palmer Square East, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 3200
Back Alley, Palmer Square East, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Back Alley, Palmer Square East, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 2000
Door, Nassau Inn, Palmer Square, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Nassau Inn, Palmer Square, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 1000
Chimney, Nassau Inn, Palmer Square, Princeton
22 February, 2020 | Nassau Inn, Palmer Square, Princeton | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 200
22 February, 2020 | Palmer Square, Princeton, New Jersey | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 640
Store Front, Man Walking, Palmer Square West, Princeton, New Jersey
22 February, 2020 | Palmer Square West, Princeton, New Jersey | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR | f/8.0 | ISO 640

Fujifilm Film Simulation Challenge Roll 3: Tri-X Push

For this 36 frame "roll of film" for the Film Simulation Challenge, I chose to use Ritchie's "Not" My Fujifilm X-Pro2 Tri-X Push-Process which is Luis Costa's Black and White recipe which is based on ACROS. I'll let Luis describe the recipe.

When it comes to monochrome images, I still use the same recipe that I came up with once I upgraded to an X-trans III camera a few years ago. I’m a fan of contrasty, grainy images when it comes to B&W, so I experimented a bit and discovered that the Acros film sim when shot at high ISOs produces some very film-like grain, which looks much more natural than the grain effect in the film sim settings. This works particularly well with older legacy lenses, because of their natural imperfections compared to current lenses.Luis Costa

And here's what Ritchie wrote about that recipe:

The film simulation recipe that Luis invented produces results that resemble Kodak Tri-X 400 film that’s been pushed one or perhaps one-and-a-half stops, and I would add using Agfa Rodinal. The grain pattern and structure isn’t a 100% match, but for straight-out-of-camera results, it’s pretty darn convincing. I’ve only been using it for a week, but it has already become one of my favourites! It’s better than my Acros Push-Process recipe that I use frequently, and I like that one a lot, too.Ritchie Roesch

And the following set of images is what results when I don't read the fine print, and my wife drives me into Princeton on a sunny, cloudless fall afternoon w, here I spend 45 minutes walking around capturing high contrast scenes at ISO 400. This recipe is meant to be used at high ISO, between 3200 & 12800, and I shot the whole roll of 36 on the wrong ISO setting.

This is one reason why shooting film sucks and why most professional photographers that I know, including ones who were in the industry for several decades, switched to digital a long time ago. Whether it's sniffing chemicals in some dark, dingy hole or clicking and dragging, their clients don't care how you got the shot. They don't care about "slowing down" or "decisive moments" or shooting only in manual or with primes or any of that other mental junk that amateurs spend their time debating. They get paid for results.

If you shoot film and process film, I hope you enjoy it. If you shoot and process digital, I hope you enjoy doing that. Just don't tell me that one or the other has some sort of magical property. I rarely post straight-out-of-the-camera images on this website.

I have a roll of Kodak Tri-X 400 in my Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II. I have been waiting for an opportunity to shoot that roll, which I now know from this experience with the film simulation recipe must be a cloudy or overcast day. It will soon be winter in New Jersey and I expect I will have a lot of cloudy, grey, dreary days.

From the SOOC JPEG, you see here; I did not get good results. These are the best of the shots. The rest are all blown out in highlights. I rented a Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR (~52mm full-frame FOV) for the week and through the week and decided to try it out. The Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR performed admirably despite my ineptitude. A few of the shots were out of focus, which is also operator error.

I took a landscape and cityscape in B&W workshop a few weeks ago. I think I will process the same set of RAF images using the techniques I learned in that course. The results won't be based on any films except the one I invent in my head.


Other entries in this challenge series.

Fujifilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR | f/5.6 | ISO 400
Fujifilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR | f/5.6 | ISO 400
Fujifilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR | f/5.6 | ISO 400
Fujifilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR | f/5.6 | ISO 400
Fujifilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR | f/5.6 | ISO 400
Fujifilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR | f/5.6 | ISO 400
Fujifilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR | f/5.6 | ISO 400
Fujifilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR | f/5.6 | ISO 400