I get asked fairly regularly which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular. For me, this is a fascinating topic, but it’s definitely hard to know definitively. While I get a glimpse on social media, my best gauge is the Fuji X Weekly website statistics; specifically, which Recipe articles are viewed the most. I don’t collect any data on the Fuji X Weekly App, so that’s no help—although, if I did, it would likely offer the most accurate picture; however, it would still be impossible to know which Recipes people programmed into their Fujifilm cameras, or how often they used each. Perhaps a survey would be particularly useful, yet even it has its limitations. While certainly a flawed method, page-view website statics offer the best glimpse at which Film Simulation Recipes are the most popular, so that’s what I’m using for this article. These are simply the Top 25 most-viewed Recipes on the Fuji X Weekly website last month (August 2024).
The last time that I did one of these articles was for May, so June and July were both skipped. By request, I have returned with the most popular Recipes of August. There are usually some surprises when comparing one month to the next, but for the most part it’s pretty predictable; however, skipping a couple of months… there are a couple of major surprises, but it’s still pretty predictable.
Those Recipes with Kodak brand names in the title—Kodachrome, Portra, Gold, Tri-X, etc., etc.—are usually the most popular. Classic Chrome is the king of film simulations, as the majority of the most-viewed Recipes are based on that film simulation—in fact, the Top 7 are all Classic Chrome Recipes. Three of the Top 25 are Classic Negative Recipes; shockingly, the Reala Ace Recipe (not to be confused with the Reala Ace film sim) dropped out of the Top 5 all the way to #18! Two of the Top 25 are based on the Reala Ace film simulation, and one each are based on Acros, Nostalgic Neg., Eterna, and Eterna Bleach Bypass.
Without any further delay, below are the most popular Recipes of last month!
Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes of August 2024
#1:
A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that is the long-time most popular Film Simulation Recipe for Fujifilm cameras. There is a pretty big gap between this and second place.
#2:
A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that is almost always ranked number two in these types of lists.
#3:
A Wes Anderson inspired Recipe based on Classic Chrome for X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras. It was ranked #4 in May.
#4:
Another popular Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras. This is the most versatile of the Portra Recipes, and was ranked #3 in May.
#5:
This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Portra 400 v2. It rose significantly in popularity since May, likely because more people have X-Trans V cameras now.
#6:
This version of Kodak Portra 400 was commonly the third most popular Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly for a long time—it’s still in the Top 10, but hasn’t cracked the Top 5 in awhile.
#7:
A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras, published earlier this year. It rose three spots compared to May.
#8:
Pacific Blues is currently the highest ranked Classic Negative based Recipe. This particular one is compatible with X-Trans IV models, but there is also an X-Trans V version.
#9:
Easy Reala Ace is the most popular Reala Ace based Recipe. It was published in June, so it’s a fairly new Recipe.
#10:
Bright Summer—another Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV—is sometimes called Preetra 400, because it is modeled after Preet’s aesthetic (Preet himself is the one who gave it that nickname, btw). It didn’t crack the Top 25 for a long time, but in March it suddenly made an appearance, and has ranked pretty high ever since.
#11:
Vintage Kodachrome, which is based on Classic Chrome, is one of the older Film Simulation Recipes on Fuji X Weekly, and is compatible with X-Trans III cameras. It usually cracks the Top 15, and sometimes the Top 10.
#12:
By far the most popular B&W Recipe, Kodak Tri-X 400 is based on the Acros film simulation, and has compatibility X-Trans III, X-Trans IV, and X-Trans V models. It was ranked #11 in May.
#13:
This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Gold 200. This is the first time that I’ve seen it rank above the old version.
#14:
Another Classic Chrome based Recipe, for use on X-Trans III models, plus the X-T3/X-T30. This is in the same exact position as it was in May.
#15:
This is the X-Trans V version of Kodachrome 64. It was ranked #18 in May.
#16:
I published this Recipe, which has compatibility with both X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras, in April. It uses Classic Chrome, and has some similarities to Kodak Portra.
#17:
This is a somewhat recently published Eterna-based X-Trans V CineStill 800T Recipe; however, it’s simply an adaptation of the X-Trans IV version that has been around awhile. This is the highest ranking Eterna based Recipe.
#18:
Reala Ace used to be the most popular Classic Negative Recipe, typically found in the Top 10, and sometimes even the Top 5 (and even once at #1!), but it has fallen quite far in the rankings since May. This Recipe is for X-Trans V cameras.
#19:
This Recipe is reminiscent of scanned Kodachrome 64 slides, and is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras. It was ranked #21 in May.
#20:
The very first Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly, it is compatible with X-Trans III cameras. It ranked #16 in May.
#21:
Published in June, this is the highest-ranked Recipe that uses the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, which means that it is for X-Trans V cameras.
#22:
This was the first Recipe I published that uses the new Reala Ace film simulation. It was ranked #15 in May.
#23:
This is a Recipe that I’m surprised doesn’t rank higher. This version is for X-Trans IV cameras, but there are also versions for X-Trans II, X-Trans III + X-T3/X-T30, and X-Trans V.
#24:
A Classic Negative based Recipe that’s compatible with X-Trans V cameras (there’s also an X-Trans IV version). This one typically either just makes the Top 25 or just misses.
#25:
1960 Chrome was published in July and is compatible with both X-Trans IV & X-Trans V cameras. It is based on Eterna Bleach Bypass, a film simulation that doesn’t typically make it onto these type of lists.
See also:
How To Add Film Simulation Recipes To Your Fujifilm Camera
The Essential 7 Film Simulation Recipes to Program Into Your Fujifilm Camera First
Find these Film Simulation Recipes and many more on the Fuji X Weekly App!
