25th Street– Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Eterna is beautiful. Fujifilm’s most recent film simulation, Eterna, has a lot of potential for creating lovely color negative film aesthetics. Even though it has the lowest contrast and lowest color saturation of all the different film simulation options, I suspect that it has significant potential for mimicking many analog looks. It has a film-like feel to it.
Real Eterna was a motion picture film. You’ve likely seen movies and television shows captured on Eterna and didn’t even know it. While Fujifilm invented and intended the Eterna film simulation for video use, which it is quite good for, they made it available for still photographs on X-Trans IV cameras, such as the Fujifilm X-T30, as well as GFX cameras and the X-H1. Unfortunately, if you don’t have one of those cameras you can’t use this recipe. [Update: if your camera doesn’t have Eterna, you can use this alternative (click here)]
I wasn’t trying to mimic the look of any particular film when I invented this recipe. I was just playing around with the settings and really liked what I found. It has an analog feel to it. Initially the look reminded me of something from Nik Anolog Efex. As I used these settings, I found myself getting interesting results. Depending on the lighting and exposure, I was achieving different looks, despite using the exact same settings. Sometimes the results remind me of overexposed Fujifilm 400H, sometimes pushed-process Fujifilm Superia 400, sometimes underexposed expired Superia 800, and sometimes Superia 1600. Occasionally it doesn’t resemble any of those films. It’s not supposed to look like any specific film, yet it often does, but results vary.
Gathering Raindrops– Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
I have always included a typical exposure compensation in my different film simulation recipes, but I didn’t do that this time because you get different results with different exposures. You can select -1 exposure compensation and you can select +1 exposure compensation, or anything in-between, and achieve various looks. You have to play around with it and decide what you like. Also, while I have Auto-ISO set to ISO 6400, I really feel that the best results are found at ISO 3200 or lower. You’ll have to decide how high you want to go with the ISO. For those using this on the X-H1, which doesn’t have Color Chrome Effect, you’ll get very similar results but it will be slightly different.
Eterna
Dynamic Range: DR100
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +4
Color: +4
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: +2
Grain Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect: Weak
White Balance: Auto, +5 Red & -6 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Below are all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Eterna Film Simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30 camera:
Fake Plants For Sale– Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Light Lens –South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Trapped Inside– South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Franklin– South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Wildcat Radial– Layton, Utah – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Evening Orange– South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Cleanup Tools– South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Red Tile– Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Kitchenscape– South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Tops– South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Kodak 35mm Film– South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Longing– South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Ball In The Grass– South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Blooming Red Tulip– Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Wee Wet White Flowers– Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Daffodil Drops– Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Spring or Autumn?– Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Love– Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Siblings Playing On A Tablet– South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Joyful– South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Don, Walt & Mickey– Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Brick & Beer– Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Taste On Sale– Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Jarred Pig– Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Neon Dragon– Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
Neon Reflection– Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
25th Street & Lincoln Avenue– Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Eterna
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