Posts in Photography
My Fujifilm Recipes (2023)

If you know what Fuji “Recipes” are, you know.

If you don’t, here’s a video that explains it better than I could.


Stay Kodak Gold

  • Film Simulation: Classic Negative

  • Dynamic Range: 400

  • White Balance: Shade; Red: 3; Blue: -3

  • Color Chrome Blue: Strong

  • Color Chrome: Strong

  • Highlight Tone: -2

  • Shadow Tone: +2

  • Color: 0

  • Sharpness: +2

  • Clarity: -1

  • Grain: None, None (or Small, Strong)

  • Editing in Post: Increase or decrease contrast until satisfied


Stay Kodak Gold Ver. II

  • Film Simulation: Classic Negative

  • Dynamic Range: Auto

  • White Balance: Shade; Red: 3; Blue: -3

  • Color Chrome Blue: Weak

  • Color Chrome: Weak

  • Highlight Tone: -2

  • Shadow Tone: -2

  • Color: +2

  • Sharpness: +2

  • Clarity: -1

  • Grain: None, None (or Small, Strong)

  • Editing in Post: Increase or decrease contrast until satisfied


Diet Dr. Portra

I’ve personally found that the Fuji X Weekly “Portra” recipes tend to skew toward a sort of “Mountain Dew” yellow that just doesn’t match the results I get when shooting actual Portra 160, 400, and 800. The sky was also looking VERY green in a lot of photos I took with their recipe. I’m also admittedly not a fan of removing sharpness or adding grain in-camera — I would strongly prefer to do it later in Lightroom.

My goal with this recipe was to create something that would not look quite so out of place when I shared an image straight out of camera on Instagram next to countless photos taken on medium format and 35mm film.

  • Film Simulation: Classic Chrome — (If you want to return some of the warmth to the midtones without turning the sky green, use Provia instead of WB shift!)

  • Dynamic Range: 200 or 400

  • White Balance: Direct Sunlight (5500K); Red: +2; Blue: -2

  • Color Chrome Blue: Weak

  • Color Chrome: Strong

  • Highlight Tone: 0

  • Shadow Tone: -2

  • Color: +4

  • Sharpness: +2

  • Clarity: -2

  • Grain: None, None (or Small, Strong)

  • Editing in Post: Increase or decrease contrast until satisfied

What's in My Camera Bag? (2023)

 

This year’s list is different.
This time, it’s ONLY what I’m currently using to make content for YouTube, Instagram, and my other social media. What’s in my studio changes too frequently to keep track of here.
( This all should look better when viewed on an iPad than the last one did, by the way! )

Many of the things you see on this page were either donated to the channel by viewers or paid for using revenue from affiliate links like those featured in this post, so thanks for helping out!

 

Cameras

 

Nikon Z 7

( Amazon )

- MB-N10 battery pack
- Selfie Screen Mirror
( I now use the new, Bigger Version )
-
L Bracket, for portrait video on any tripod
-
Shoe Mounts that can be attached to the L Bracket or selfie mirror

Lenses I use with this camera are now listed in the next section.

Nikon FE2


 

Z Mount Lenses:

- 28mm f/2.8
- 24-70mm f/4S

F Mount Lenses:

- Voigtlander Ultron 40mm f/2
- Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f/1.4
- 24-70mm f/2.8 (Sigma)
- 70-200mm f/2.8 (Sigma)

Canon Lenses:

- EF 40mm f/2.8 STM
- FD 50mm f/1.4

Other Lenses:

- Helios 44 ( Modified for infinity focus on Nikon F by Retro Foto House )
- Asahi Pentax SMC Takumar 35mm f/3.5 ( m42 mount )

Mount Adapters:

- Nikon FTZ Adapter
- Canon EF Lens to Nikon Z Mount (w/ Autofocus!)
- Canon FD Lens to Nikon Z Mount
- Pentax K Lens to Nikon Z Mount
- m42 Lens to Canon FD Mount
- Nikon F mount lens to Fuji X Mount (No link; Not Recommended)

 

Accessories


Lighting:

Audio:

Filters:

( Links do not specify the filter diameter - you must choose the size yourself. )

 

This section is a work in progress. Please come back later!

 

Backpacking / Trail Gear

Camera Bags

 
 
My Fujifilm Recipes

If you know what Fuji “Recipes” are, you already know.

If you don’t, here’s a video that explains it better than I could.

As for Nikon users, I’ve come up with something similar that might interest you.


Superia Family

( This is the preset I use 99% of the time on my X100V. )

  • Film Simulation: Classic Negative / Nostalgic Negative

  • Dynamic Range: Somewhere between 100 and 400, you choose

  • White Balance: Auto; Red: 3; Blue: 5 (Classic Negative) Red: 3; Blue -5 (Nostalgic Negative)

  • Color Chrome Blue: Strong

  • Color Chrome: Strong

  • Highlight Tone: -2

  • Shadow Tone: +2

  • Color: -3

  • Sharpness: +2

  • Clarity: -4

  • Grain: None, None (or Small, Strong)

  • Editing in Post: (optionally) shift the green in the shadows to more of a blue


CineStill 800T

  • Film Simulation: Eterna

  • Dynamic Range: 400

  • White Balance: Fluorescent Light 3; Red: -6; Blue -4

  • Color Chrome Blue: Strong

  • Color Chrome: Strong

  • Highlight Tone: 0

  • Shadow Tone: +2

  • Color: +4

  • Sharpness: 0

  • Clarity: 0

  • Grain: Large, Strong


Not Quite Portra 400 (Ver. 1)

( If you want an exact digital recreation of Portra 400, I highly recommend Kyle McDougall’s Lightroom preset in favor of using in-camera settings. It will get you far closer! )

  • Film Simulation: Classic Chrome

  • Dynamic Range: Auto (or 200)

  • White Balance: Daylight (or Auto); Red: 2; Blue: -5

  • Color Chrome Blue: Weak

  • Color Chrome: Strong

  • Highlight Tone: -2

  • Shadow Tone: -2

  • Color: 0

  • Sharpness: +2

  • Clarity: Between 0 and -5

  • Grain: Small, Weak


Not Quite Portra 400 (Ver. 2)

  • Film Simulation: Classic Chrome

  • Dynamic Range: 400

  • White Balance: 5200K; Red: 1; Blue: -3

  • Color Chrome Blue: Weak

  • Color Chrome: Strong

  • Highlight Tone: -2

  • Shadow Tone: -2

  • Color: 0

  • Sharpness: 0

  • Clarity: -4

  • Grain: Small, Weak


Not Exactly Portra 800

( If you want an exact digital recreation of those Portra tones, again I highly recommend Kyle McDougall’s Lightroom preset. )

  • Film Simulation: Classic Chrome

  • Dynamic Range: 400

  • White Balance: Auto; Red: 4; Blue: -6

  • Color Chrome Blue: Weak

  • Color Chrome: Strong

  • Highlight Tone: 0

  • Shadow Tone: -2

  • Color: 0

  • Sharpness: +2

  • Clarity: -5

  • Grain: Large, Strong


Faded Kodachrome Slides

  • Film Simulation: Classic Chrome

  • Dynamic Range: 200

  • White Balance: Auto; Red: 1; Blue: -2

  • Color Chrome Blue: Strong

  • Color Chrome: Strong

  • Highlight Tone: +2

  • Shadow Tone: -1

  • Color: -1

  • Sharpness: 0

  • Clarity: 0

  • Grain: Small, Weak

What's in My Camera Bag? (2022)

 

This list includes some of the things that I use in my photography studio for graduations, weddings, and other client work, but the primary focus of this post is on what I’m currently using to make content for YouTube, Instagram, and my other social media.

Many of the things you see on this page were either donated to the channel by viewers or paid for using revenue from affiliate links like those featured below, so thanks for helping out!

 

 

Digital Cameras

 

Film Cameras

 

Nikon FE2

Canon AE-1

 

 

Z Mount Lenses:

- 28mm f/2.8
- 24-70mm f/4S

F Mount Lenses:

- 24-70mm f/2.8 (Sigma)
- 16-35mm f/4 (Nikon)
- 70-200mm f/2.8 (Sigma)
- 35mm f/2 (Zeiss)
- 50mm f/1.4 (Samyang/Rokinon)
- 85mm f/1.4 (Samyang/Rokinon)
- Nikkor-O 35mm f/2
- Nikkor AI 50mm f/1.8

Canon Lenses:

- EF 40mm f/2.8 STM
- FL 35mm f/2.5
- FD 50mm f/1.4
- FD 50mm f/1.8
- FD 135mm f/2.8 (for sale)
- FD 28mm f/2.8 S.C. (sold in ‘21)

Other Lenses:

- Helios 44-2 (KMZ, est. late 1960s, Not Modified)
- Helios 44 (Modified for infinity focus on Nikon F)
- MIR-1V 35mm f/2.8
- Asahi Pentax SMC Takumar 35mm f/3.5 (m42 mount)

Mount Adapters:

- Nikon FTZ Adapter
- Canon EF Lens to Nikon Z Mount (w/ Autofocus)
- Canon FD Lens to Nikon Z Mount
- Pentax K Lens to Nikon Z Mount
- m42 Lens to Canon FD Mount

 
 

Video Accessories


 

Lighting:

Audio:

 
 

Photo Accessories


This section is a work in progress. Please come back later!

 

Backpacking / Trail Gear

Camera Bags

  • Billingham Hadley Pro

  • Billingham Hadley Small

  • Duluth Trading Co. Leather Backpack