Nostalgic Americana — Fujifilm X-T5 (X-Trans V) Film Simulation Recipe

On Top of a Desert Hill – Tucson, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Nostalgic Americana

If you are a Fuji X Weekly regular, you probably know that I like to read vintage issues of Arizona Highways. For those unfamiliar, Arizona Highways is a photo-centric magazine that has been around for a hundred years. Many decades ago, Ansel Adams was a regular contributor, as were Barry Goldwater, Ray Manley, Chuck Abbott, Ester Henderson, David and Josef Muench, and Ed Ellinger, among many others. It’s a great resource for photographic inspiration!

I have a stack of these magazines in my office that I like to browse from time-to-time. This particular Film Simulation Recipe was influenced by many different pictures found in the pages of Arizona Highways issues from the 1960’s and ’70’s. This was during the American New Color movement. Sometimes extensive details were given about the photographs in the magazine, and sometimes not much at all; the pictures that inspired this Recipe were likely captured on first and second era Kodachrome, as well as E3 and E4 Ektachrome. I believe the printing process, as well as the aging of the magazines, play a roll in the aesthetic. This Nostalgic Americana Film Simulation Recipe replicates the look of those pictures, and produces an obvious retro rendering.

*Old Yellow Truck* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Nostalgic Americana

Because this Nostalgic Americana Recipe uses the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, it is only compatible with fifth-generation X-Trans models, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, and X100VI. I’m sure it can also be used with newer GFX models, but I’ve not tested it, and it will likely render very slightly differently (try it anyway, though). Nostalgic Americana works best in sunny daylight situations.

Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg.
Dynamic Range: DR200
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: 5800K, -2 Red & -4 Blue
Highlight: -1
Shadow: -1.5
Color: -2
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Nostalgic Americana Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:

*White Brick* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*White Dome* – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Old Spanish Mission* – Tumacacori, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Horses on Allen Street* – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Studebaker Bells* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*No Parking Vines* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*The Road is Closed* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*No Parking Garage* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Various Textures* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Reaching Down* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Fake Flowers in a Window Box* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Star Spangled Dress* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Final Sale* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Mustang* – Tombstone, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Se Renta Especio* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Space for Rent* – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Restrooms* – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Mule Pass Tunnel* – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Hall’s Trailer* – Arlington, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Sign for Abandoned Mall* – Casa Grande, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

*Caution: Desert Ahead* – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Fujifilm X-T5 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Wex, Nuzira

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