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 (May 2024).
There was a lot of movement for May, especially in the bottom 80% of this list—the top five Recipes are pretty predictable. Those 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.
Bright Summer has been on a rollercoaster lately, and its jump to number six is quite surprising. A lot of upward and downward movements overall. A couple Recipes that usually rank in the Top 25 didn’t make the cut. There are three Nostalgic Negative Recipes in this list, which is a bit unusual, two Classic Negative Recipes, one each of Eterna, Reala Ace, and Acros; otherwise, all the rest are Classic Chrome.
Without any further delay, below are the most popular Recipes of last month!
Top 25 Most Popular Film Simulation Recipes of May 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. This is the king of Recipes!
#2:
A Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras that is almost always ranked number two in these types of lists.
#3:
Another popular Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV cameras. It climbed one spot.
#4:
A Wes Anderson inspired Recipe based on Classic Chrome for X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras. It was ranked #2 for April.
#5:
Reala Ace is the most popular Classic Negative based Recipe. It was ranked in the same position last month.
#6:
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 doesn’t usually crack the Top 25, but in March it suddenly jumped to #9, for April it fell to #23, and now in May it up all the way to #6!
#7:
This is a recently published Recipe that uses Classic Chrome, and has similarities to Kodak Portra. It’s compatible with both X-Trans IV and X-Trans V. This Recipe moved up one position from April.
#8:
This version of Kodak Portra 400 was commonly the third most popular Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly for a long time. It fell one spot compared to last month.
#9:
Pacific Blues used to be the highest-ranked Classic Negative based Recipe, but Reala Ace has left it in the dust. This particular one is compatible with X-Trans IV models, but there is also an X-Trans V version. In April it was ranked #16, so it is definitely on the rise.
#10:
A somewhat recently published Classic Chrome based Recipe for X-Trans IV and X-Trans V cameras. It fell one spot compared to April.
#11:
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 #17 last month.
#12:
This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Portra 400 v2. It rose two spots from April.
#13:
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 was ranked #11 last month.
#14:
Another Classic Chrome based Recipe, for use on X-Trans III models, plus the X-T3/X-T30. This one rose several spots, as it was ranked #19 in April.
#15:
This is a fairly recently Recipe, and the very first to use the new Reala Ace film simulation. At the moment, it is only compatible with the Fujifilm X100VI and X-T50. In April it ranked #12.
#16:
The very first Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly, it is compatible with X-Trans III cameras. It ranked #21 last month.
#17:
This is the X-Trans V version of Kodak Gold 200. It rose three positions from April.
#18:
This is the X-Trans V version of Kodachrome 64. It’s in the same exact spot compared to last month.
#19:
This is a newly published Recipe that uses Nostalgic Negative as the base, which means that it is for X-Trans V cameras. This Recipe is what I used for my two pictures that are found on Fujifilm’s new film simulation page.
#20:
1976 Kodak doesn’t typically crack these lists, but it is a very good Recipe that I’m happy to see being used by more people. The base film simulation is Nostalgic Negative, so it is only compatible with X-Trans V cameras.
#21:
This Recipe is reminiscent of scanned Kodachrome 64 slides, and is compatible with X-Trans IV cameras. Last month it was ranked #15.
#22:
This is a 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; however, it fell significantly, from #10 in April.
#23:
This is a Recipe that I’m surprised doesn’t rank higher; typically, it’s not even in the Top 25. 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:
Kodachrome II is an older Recipe made for X-Trans III cameras. It used to often be in the Top 10, but has been falling for awhile. Last month it ranked the same.
#25:
The weather is getting hotter, so it’s not a huge surprise that 1970’s Summer is on the rise. This is a Nostalgic Negative Recipe for X-Trans V cameras.
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!
