Why Shooting JPEGs Is So Popular (& 10 Fujifilm Simulation Recipes!) (2024)

JPEGS > RAW Files

Have you noticed that more and more photographers are not editing their photos? Instead, more people are using straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) JPEGs.

While SOOC images are a growing trend in photography, those who have been around for a while might need help understanding or appreciating why. This movement will grow even more prominent in the coming years as more unedited shots are embraced.

In this article, I'll explain why shooting JPEGs is so popular right now, plus I'll give you 10 Film Simulation Recipes to use on your Fujifilm camera that you will love.

What's a JPEG?

JPEG is an image file format that uses a compression algorithm to reduce a digital image's file size, allowing faster loading times and more efficient storage on a computer, memory card, or device. Introduced in the early 1990s, it is one of the world's most widely used image compression standards and has become the norm for digital photography and the internet. Even if you shoot RAW, there's a good chance that you will export the finished post-processed picture as a JPEG.

Photographers may shoot straight-out-of-camera JPEGs because the format offers a streamlined workflow (compared to RAW), allowing faster turnarounds, especially when working with multiple images. Additionally, many cameras —particularly Fujifilm models —have advanced algorithms that can produce great results in-camera, so some photographers prefer to use that as a final product instead of editing in-post.

What Are Film Simulation Recipes?

For Fujifilm cameras, Film Simulation Recipes are JPEG settings that produce a particular vibe — often based on traditional film stocks—straight-out-of-camera, with no editing required. I have published over 250 Film Simulation Recipes on my website (fujixweekly.com), which can also be found on the Fuji X Weekly App (available for Android and Apple).

Those who shoot SOOC JPEGs know why they do it, but those who don't might notunderstand why this is becoming an increasingly popular trend in photography.

Here are 10 reasons why some photographers prefer SOOC JPEGs— all of which start with the letter "S" —that I'll discuss below.

Streamline. The first advantage of shooting SOOC JPEGs is a streamlined workflow. Cutting out the editing step saves so much time, allowing photographers to be more productive. Ansel Adams discussed the advantages of one-step photography in his book Polaroid Land Photography. "The effect of one-step processing," Adams stated, "on both amateur and professional creative photography has been revolutionary." While the SOOC JPEG is nothing new, photographers only recently realized how revolutionary it is. Improvements to in-camera JPEG processing, particularly by Fujifilm, have fueled this shift.

Storage. Smaller files have two advantages: storage and speed. Before running out of space, you can fit more pictures on a memory card, computer, external hard drive, or cloud storage. Uploading, downloading, and sharing those smaller files is faster. This might not sound like a big deal, but—compounded over time—it adds up. While the RAW shooter is shopping for a good 256GB SD Card or paying for more cloud storage because they've reached the limit again, it will take much longer for the JPEG shooter to encounter those issues.

Software. No editing means that no editing software is needed. This might save you the headache of learning bulky post-processing programs, and it will save you money. I don't even involve a computer in my photographic workflow — instead, I use my iPhone. I download the pictures from my camera to my phone, crop or straighten if necessary, and then upload them to cloud storage. A whole day of shooting can be culled and completed within minutes.

Seeing. When you shoot JPEGs, you get instant feedback on the final image. You don't have to imagine what the post-processed picture will look like because what you see is what you get. If you don't like it, you can adjust as necessary in the field and try again. This convenience can assist significantly with developing and executing a photographic vision. Spending an extra moment to ensure everything is as you want while photographing will save you time and hassle later.

Speed. With JPEGs, your camera will likely operate more quickly, often giving you more frames per second, which could be necessary depending on your photography type; this could be the difference between getting the shot and not for sports or wildlife.

Sharing. Shooting JPEGs allows you to deliver images to your clients much more quickly. With wedding and event photography in particular, there is an increasing demand for faster picture delivery, and the SOOC JPEG empowers you to be quicker than your competition. Relying on SOOC JPEGs also gives you pictures ready to share with your social media or friends and family the moment they're captured.

Simplicity. When you skip RAW editing, the learning curve for a new photographer gets cut in half, which opens up the medium for those who need more time or desire to learn post-processing software. For those like myself who have done RAW editing for years but don't enjoy it, the simplicity of SOOC JPEGs makes photography much more fun. Enjoying the process of picture-making has the side-effect of encouraging increased camera use.

Similarity. Getting consistent results over a series of images for a cohesive style is easy with SOOC JPEGs; for Fujifilm cameras, use the same Film Simulation Recipe for all the shots in a given series. RAW files require additional discipline to achieve consistent results than those who shoot JPEGs.

Soul. On Fujifilm cameras, using Film Simulation Recipes can be considered more authentic because they often replicate the look and feel of traditional film photography. The camera's built-in simulation modes, such as Classic Chrome, Classic Negative, and Acros (to name a few), mimic the colors, contrast, and tones of analog film, based on Fujifilm's vast experience and heritage in analog emulsions—they infuse a bit of film soul into their digital images. Fine-tuning film simulations, such as adjusting color saturation or grain strength, allows the user to tailor the idea to their personal preferences and creative vision. Additionally, there is a growing sentiment among photography consumers (not photographers, but those who view pictures) that "Photoshop" is terrible and picture manipulation equals people manipulation; however, unedited images don't carry that stigma and can come across as more authentic.

Simulation. Each camera brand has its unique colors and rendering. Fujifilm calls their JPEG profiles film simulations, which are heavily influenced by their experience and history with film. Fine-tuning those film simulations to mimic specific looks (often based on classic film stocks) produces Film Simulation Recipes, which deliver analog-like images straight-out-of-camera that don't require additional post-processing. Film Simulation Recipes' popularity is a significant reason why more photographers are forgoing RAW editing and shooting SOOC JPEGs instead.

Using film simulation recipes on Fujifilm cameras is an excellent way to streamline your workflow while still getting great results that appear when you edit or perhaps even shoot with film. Some advantages of using recipes on Fujifilm cameras are simplicity (quickly and easily achieving a desired aesthetic with little or no editing), authenticity (a film-like quality that doesn't appear heavily manipulated), consistency (a single recipe over a series of pictures produced a cohesive visual style), and productivity (not editing images saves a lot of time).

Let's look at 10 Film Simulation Recipes that you'll love to use on your Fujifilm camera!

1.Kodak Ultramax 400

For X-Trans V models, including the Fujifilm X-T5, Fujifilm X-H2, and Fujifilm X-H2S.

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome

Dynamic Range: DR-Auto

Grain Effect: Strong Large

Color Chrome Effect: Weak

Color Chrome FX Blue: Off

White Balance: Auto, +1 Red & -5 Blue

Highlight: +1

Shadow: +1

Color: +4

Sharpness: 0

High ISO NR: -4

Clarity: +3

2.Kodak Portra 400 v2

For X-Trans V models, including the Fujifilm X-T5, Fujifilm X-H2, and Fujifilm X-H2S.

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome

Dynamic Range: DR400

Grain Effect: Strong Small

Color Chrome Effect: Strong

Color Chrome FX Blue: Off

White Balance: 5200K, +1 Red & -6 Blue

Highlight: 0

Shadow: -2

Color: +2

Sharpness: -2

High ISO NR: -4

Clarity: -2

3.1970s Summer

For X-Trans V models, including the Fujifilm X-T5, Fujifilm X-H2, and Fujifilm X-H2S.

Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg.

Dynamic Range: DR400

Grain Effect: Strong Large

Color Chrome Effect: Strong

Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong

White Balance: 6500K, -1 Red & -4 Blue

Highlight: -2

Shadow: -0.5

Color: -2

Sharpness: -2

High ISO NR: -4

Clarity: -3

4.CineStill 400D v1

For X-Trans V models, including the Fujifilm X-T5, Fujifilm X-H2, and Fujifilm X-H2S, and X-Trans IV models, including the Fujifilm X100VI, Fujifilm X-Pro3, Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm X-S10, Fujifilm X-E4, and Fujifilm X-T30 II.

Film Simulation: Astia

Dynamic Range: DR200

Grain Effect: Strong Small

Color Chrome Effect: Strong

Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong

White Balance: Fluorescent 1, -6 Red & -3 Blue

Highlight: +3

Shadow: +1

Color: +2

Sharpness: -2

High ISO NR: -4

Clarity: -4

5.Pacific Blues

For X-Trans IV models, including the Fujifilm X100VI, Fujifilm X-Pro3, Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm X-S10, Fujifilm X-E4, and Fujifilm X-T30 II.

Film Simulation: Classic Negative

Dynamic Range: DR400

Grain Effect: Strong Large

Color Chrome Effect: Strong

Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong

White Balance: 5800K, +1 Red & -3 Blue

Highlight: -2

Shadow: +3

Color: +4

Sharpness: -2

High ISO NR: -4

Clarity: -3

6.Fujicolor Natura 1600

For X-Trans IV models, including the Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm X-S10, Fujifilm X-E4, and Fujifilm X-T30 II.

Film Simulation: Classic Negative

Dynamic Range: DR400

Grain Effect: Strong Large

Color Chrome Effect: Strong

Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong

White Balance: 5500K, -1 Red & -2 Blue

Highlight: -1.5

Shadow: +1.5

Color: -2

Sharpness: -2

High ISO NR: -4

Clarity: -4

7.Kodachrome 64

For X-Trans IV models, including the Fujifilm X100VI, Fujifilm X-Pro3, Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm X-S10, Fujifilm X-E4, and Fujifilm X-T30 II.

Film Simulation: Classic Chrome

Dynamic Range: DR200

Grain Effect: Weak Small

Color Chrome Effect: Strong

Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak

White Balance: Daylight, +2 Red & -5 Blue

Highlight: 0

Shadow: 0

Color: +2

Sharpness: +1

High ISO NR: -4

Clarity: +3

8.Vintage Color

For X-Trans IV models, including the Fujifilm X100VI, Fujifilm X-Pro3, Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm X-S10, Fujifilm X-E4, and Fujifilm X-T30 II.

Film Simulation: Eterna

Dynamic Range: DR200

Grain Effect: Strong Large

Color Chrome Effect: Strong

Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong

White Balance: 7350K, -1 Red & -4 Blue

Highlight: +2

Shadow: +3

Color: +1

Sharpness: -2

High ISO NR: -4

Clarity: -2

9. Xpro ’62

For X-Trans IV models, including the Fujifilm X100VI, Fujifilm X-Pro3, Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm X-S10, Fujifilm X-E4, and Fujifilm X-T30 II.

Film Simulation: Classic Negative

Dynamic Range: DR400

Grain Effect: Strong Large

Color Chrome Effect: Strong

Color Chrome FX Blue: Strong

White Balance: Auto, -3 Red & -9 Blue

Highlight: +3

Shadow: 0

Color: +4

Sharpness: -4

High ISO NR: -4

Clarity: -4

10.Kodak Tri-X 400

For X-Trans V models, including the Fujifilm X-T5, Fujifilm X-H2, and Fujifilm X-H2S, and X-Trans IV models, including the Fujifilm X100VI, Fujifilm X-Pro3, Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm X-S10, Fujifilm X-E4, and Fujifilm X-T30 II.

Film Simulation: Acros

Dynamic Range: DR200

Monochromatic Color: WC 0 MG 0

Grain Effect: Strong Large

Color Chrome Effect: Strong

Color Chrome FX Blue: Off

White Balance: Daylight, +9 Red & -9 Blue

Highlight: 0

Shadow: +3

Sharpness: +1

High ISO NR: -4

Clarity: +4

ISO: 1600-12800

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