Comparing the Fujifilm x100v to real film
Aug 19, 2024
Loreal Made
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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The Fujifilm x100v has been called a cult camera, and for good reason. This compact, retro-inspired shooter has won the hearts of photographers around the world, and it’s not hard to see why.
For starters, the x100v’s film simulations have captivated the intrigue of photographers at all skill levels. The camera’s ability to mimic the look and feel of classic film stocks isn’t always perfect but it allows you to achieve a general vibe that resonates with the film classics we all love.
For months now I’ve wanted to put this device to a real test and compare the x100v’s film simulations to the results of shooting with actual film. While the digital renditions may not be 100% identical, they decently capture the essence of those beloved emulsions in a way that’s both familiar and unique.
Of course, Fujifilm’s x100v is more than just a pretty face. Its compact, film camera-inspired design, 35mm format equivalent prime lens, and intuitive controls make it an absolute joy to shoot with. It’s the kind of camera that just begs to be taken out on adventures, whether you’re exploring the city streets or wandering through the countryside. I especially appreciate the way it forces me to slow down and think through my frame.
So if you’re a film enthusiast who’s looking to dip your toes into the digital world, or if you’re simply a fan of beautiful, authentic-looking images, the Fujifilm x100v is definitely worth a closer look. It might just be the camera that reignites your passion for photography.
Variables to consider when comparing x100v film simulations to authentic film stocks:
- Exposure settings will always matter and may not always be able to match flawlessly. I did my best to expose properly and equally with both my x100v and Nikon f100 while shooting.
- There is always variation when film gets scanned. This specific roll was scanned by the awesome crew at The Find Lab, but every lab and even lab tech will render slightly different results.
- Although the x100v camera has built in film simulations, you are still able to load custom film simulations into the device. For this session I used Fuji X Weekly’s Kodak Portra 400 film simulation while shooting actual Portra 400 with my film camera. So much customization means endless possibilities for results; so find what works best for you!
The final results from shooting a roll of Kodak Portra alongside the Fujifilm x100v:
The film scans below are easily identifiable as I’ve opted to include the film borders on the frames shot with Kodak Portra 400 film. As you can see there are obvious differences between the authentic film versus the simulated jpegs; I do love both though! Would you have known which was which?
Comparing the results from the x100v’s film simulated jpegs to that of genuine film is a project I hope to continue to dive deep into — hopefully learning more about how to use this impressive piece of gear in a way that feels most authentic to film aesthetics.
About Loreal Made
Loreal Made is a wedding and family photographer based in Indianapolis. Heavily influenced by photojournalism, armed with her film and digital cameras, she aims to capture the moments you’ll cherish forever. You can find more of Loreal’s work on her website and Instagram. This article was also published here and shared with permission.
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9 responses to “Comparing the Fujifilm x100v to real film”
As much as I love the X100v, it is still leagues away from the top slide filmstock like FUJICHROME Velvia 50
The real question is why are you all trying so hard to make your digital shots look like film?
Digital is ok as is, film is film. accept the difference and move on. Want film – buy film.
‘oh my new preset looks almost like Portra’ – yeah, so you are trying to sell your photos as something they are not, forgetting about the real qualities – the moment, the light, the scene?
I shoot digital and film. I have my own digital aesthetics, which are not trying to duplicate film – they are different and look good in their own way. Why pretend?
The x100v film simulation exhibits a quite nasty green tint on my calibrated monitor (100% sRGB), which makes the sky look quite cyan and skins yellow. If that was the intention: Target achieved.
Yeah, that – and a there’s a noticeable exposure difference between the images so some of the x100v material does look darker in comparison.
At the end of the day All you do is sit on the fence… To tease or sponsor priority?
I approached this article with an open mind happy to accept that clever filter programmes would do the job. The difference between the film shots and digital are however very noticeable which if the digital were better would be very cleaver indeed. They really are not though!
The Portra 400 simulation used here falls a little short. Looking at the two, the right-hand one has much more dynamic range – while the film one has harder shadows and highlights. If you really wanted to faithfully emulate the film (which some may not want to as softer/milky shadows and highlights is also a lovely tone), it could be fixed with more contrast or harder highlight and shadow settings, as well as a minor colour shift change as the digital ones are looking more turquoise generally in the examples.
I appreciate that you did this. I’m a long time film shooter and a 10 year shooter with various models of X100. I believe film and digital are both wonderful BUT I wasn’t expecting for the difference to be so stark. The resolution of the digital images almost detract from the image. I find myself drawn to nearly all of the film shots. Nice project!
The Kodak Portra 400 scans appear so much more color accurate to what I would expect to see. The simulation on the Fuji has such a green tint to it. A third sample per image from the Fuji x100V with no film simulation would of been nice to see. Personally, all in-camera film simulations from digital cameras are better done post process if you want a certain “look.”