Colors not reproduced accurately with X100F

kirkmc · Jul 9, 2017

KimTeo said:
I think what you have found is the way the X- cameras are.

There is need for a slight shift in thinking with the X system. All the film simulations are colour filters. Filters are not made with colour neutrality in mind; just the opposite. For any filter, some pictures will look great, others will look terrible. They are simply not neutral.

The filter that I find is the closest to neutral is Pro Neg High or Pro Neg Std. Not Provia, despite it being labelled as STD on the camera. I have the Olympus XZ-1 and XZ-10. They are not quite neutral as well, but the Pro Neg's are only off by similar amounts compared to the Oly cameras. The cameras that I have found to be the most neutral, (in the sense that I do not have to make any colour adjustment in post processing) are the old Olympus CCD Camedia cameras - C5050,C5060,C5070,C8080,C7000, all of which I still have except for the C5050. With the newer Olympus and the Fuji X (X30,X-E1), I have to make colour adjustment in some pictures, especially the reds.

Thanks, I'll try that. I wish it were possible to bracket all the film simulations at once, so I could go around and shoot a bunch of different photos then see how they look with each one. You can only do three at a time on the X100F. I can do that on my Pen-F, using Art Filter Bracketing. (They're not film simulations as such, but they have similar effects.)

KimTeo said:
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I write about things: www.kirkville.com

georgehudetz · Jul 9, 2017

kirkmc said:
KimTeo said:

I think what you have found is the way the X- cameras are.

There is need for a slight shift in thinking with the X system. All the film simulations are colour filters. Filters are not made with colour neutrality in mind; just the opposite. For any filter, some pictures will look great, others will look terrible. They are simply not neutral.

The filter that I find is the closest to neutral is Pro Neg High or Pro Neg Std. Not Provia, despite it being labelled as STD on the camera. I have the Olympus XZ-1 and XZ-10. They are not quite neutral as well, but the Pro Neg's are only off by similar amounts compared to the Oly cameras. The cameras that I have found to be the most neutral, (in the sense that I do not have to make any colour adjustment in post processing) are the old Olympus CCD Camedia cameras - C5050,C5060,C5070,C8080,C7000, all of which I still have except for the C5050. With the newer Olympus and the Fuji X (X30,X-E1), I have to make colour adjustment in some pictures, especially the reds.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll try that.

Also, try bumping Color a step or two with Pro Neg Std.

On this forum somewhere is a set of posts that have great in-depth dives into the various film simulations. It's worth a search and a read.

kirkmc said:
I wish it were possible to bracket all the film simulations at once, so I could go around and shoot a bunch of different photos then see how they look with each one. You can only do three at a time on the X100F. I can do that on my Pen-F, using Art Filter Bracketing. (They're not film simulations as such, but they have similar effects.)

WillemB · Jul 9, 2017

I remember that in the film era violet flowers couldn't be reproduced faithfully, mostly because there was so much reflected ultra violet from the flower leaves that the different film emusions couldn't cope with it. To a lesser degree this also affected dark blue and purple colours in flowers.

kirkmc · Jul 9, 2017

WillemB said:
I remember that in the film era violet flowers couldn't be reproduced faithfully, mostly because there was so much reflected ultra violet from the flower leaves that the different film emusions couldn't cope with it. To a lesser degree this also affected dark blue and purple colours in flowers.

Interesting, I didn't know that.

michaeladawson · Jul 9, 2017

Purples and blues in flowers are next to impossible to get right in digital cameras. Try taking pictures of purple clematis flowers.

Part of the problem I have read is how flowers reflect/absorb different wavelengths of light in the near UV and near IR channels. As you've found out, even if you get your WB spot on you may not reproduce some flower colors "accurately".

As has been pointed out by others, all images get some sort of profile applied to them upon processing of the raw image. It's done either in-camera when producing jpeg output or it's done in post during the raw conversion. It's quite possible that the Fuji film simulations don't reproduce those flower colors accurately.

If you were a horticulturalist/botanist and demanded totally accurate flower colors you shouldn't be relying on in-camera film simulations or out-of-box camera profiles for raw converters.

It's one of the reasons I create camera profiles for all my cameras using a ColorChecker chart. No, you won't get Fuji colors this way. But your colors will be the same across different cameras. It's not for everyone though.

Birdseed5 · Jul 9, 2017

John Motts said:
On this calibrated monitor I would say that the correct colours lie somewhere between the two. The Fuji image is slightly yellow whereas the Olympus one is more blue.

The depth of field is greater with the Olympus, as is the contrast, making the Fuji look more soft. Overall though I prefer the Fuji image by quite a long way.

michaeladawson · Jul 9, 2017

kirkmc said:
Thanks, I'll try that. I wish it were possible to bracket all the film simulations at once, so I could go around and shoot a bunch of different photos then see how they look with each one. You can only do three at a time on the X100F. I can do that on my Pen-F, using Art Filter Bracketing. (They're not film simulations as such, but they have similar effects.)

You don't need to bracket in the camera. Simply take a single raw image photo. Now open it up with the Fuji supplied Silky Pix software and look at the photo using each of the supplied film simulations. They will show you exactly what you will get from in-camera jpeg. Find the simulation that you think works best all-around for what you're after and then set that in-camera for your ooc jpegs.

Acrill · Jul 9, 2017

'Accurate' colors are not the goal of the Film simulations.

'Pleasing' colors are the goal, and Fujifilm are quite open about this in their literature.

Woodman100 · Aug 28, 2017

I have recently returned an x100f and bought a pen-f. I bought the x100f and went to a friends wedding next day. The fact that I took some very decent shots means that the camera was quick and easy to use. I then went to the Scilly Isles and it was so easy to use and the results were great - But I had a camera that went cold on me several times so it was returned and there was no replacement available so I bought a pen-f.

The pen-f is more complex and not so intuitive, The stabilisation means its very sharp, although so far slower to wake from sleep.

All these points aside I have a straightforward view of the colours using a number of regularly calibrated monitors- they are wrong!

To my eye Nikon have always delivered pretty accurate balanced colours. They are slightly cool. The fuji files are lovely, but they are not balanced, the greens are the ones that stand out to me. They are a bit too luminous and jar with me in landscape shots. They are great with people but not great for Hiking shots.

The Olympus colours are quite balanced but in 'standard' are very pushed up. I have nothing against 'vivid' modes, but the standard is too punchy. The Raws are actually quite accurate, but I don't really want to process raws for every shot.

This brings me to Canon. the 5d3 produces colours which I think achieve what Fuji suggest they do. Canon Colours are warmer than natural, but just enough. However they are balanced so anything from skin tones to Landscapes look balanced. I equate them to looking through brown tinted sunglasses - they make the world look better but natural.

Unfortunately Canon's mirrorless offering's still don't do it for me.

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Colors not reproduced accurately with X100F

kirkmc

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georgehudetz

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