Fujifilm X-Trans II film like qualities?

Papa48 wrote:

I have an X-E2S and an X-T4 (X-Trans 2 & 4). I find the X-E2S jpegs have both more contrast and saturation. They also go faster toward clipping highlights and crushing shadows, and I have to watch that. The X-T4’s jpegs almost never display these problems (with corresponding Auto DR). I do like the X-Trans 2 images better with my TTArtisan 17, 35 and 50 lenses, which all render softer and with more flare than do my Fujicrons. When on the X-T4, their output appears more flat. As to the question of X-Trans 2 being more “film-like”, I’ve seen arguments on both sides. That’s a hard definition to nail down. My X-Trans 4 jpeg output seems generally less noisy and less contrasty. It also lacks what I would define in my X-Trans 2 images as “punch”. To me, “film-like” would mean more grain and more “tooth” - a term from film days describing edge acutance. Digital looks smoother/flatter to my eye, after thirty previous years shooting various 35mm films. So, if grainy, contrasty, punchy and having tooth is the target definition, then yes, my specific X-Trans 2 files look more film-like than do my X-Trans 4. Someone may disagree if they define film-like in a different way.

I remember well the complaints about the X-E2 and X-T1 (gen 2) not having the "film-like" character of the first generation (X-Pro1 and X-E1). In fact, i had to abandon Provia on the X-T1 -- switching to Pro-Neg Standard to try to get the subtler, more film-like tonality that i had become used to from Provia on my X-E1.

Some were pleased that the 3rd generation returned to something closer to the original X-Trans.

Apart from the waxy skin complaints about x-trans2, complaints poured in about blocked shadows and Fuji having bowed to mass market demands for a more contrasty, comercial look -- the "pop" offered by other camera manufacturers. The lament was that they had abandoned the unique, filmic tonality of the original X-Trans.

So I am bewildered by people now commending Gen2 for having had the very thing they once complained that it lacked. I've owned every generation of X-Trans and have generally seen gens 3 and 4 as having returned more toward the subtler, "filmic" tonality of the original X-trans, with X-trans2 (X-E2 and X-T1) standing apart as an effort to appeal to mass consumer tastes for high contrast and saturated colors.