Peter_S
Peter_S
If you want grain, likely only film will do in the long run. I tried for some time to make digital images look "film-like" (incl. from a Fuji X-E1, Sigmas, M8). After some initial perceived success, I gave up and instead enjoy digital for all its advantages.
Grain is grain, and may even increase the perceived sharpeness, some use it to their advantage (e.g. high acutance). Digital noise is degrading image quality, and smearing over it with digital "grain" does so even further.
Plus - the Fuji sensor is quite a bit smaller than 135 film. Some say it matters, others not. I find it does. The closest thing to (color) film in digital for me was the old "medium" format (well, 35mm x 35mm) Kodak DSC Pro Back on the Mamiya 645 AFD. Nice fat pixels on a large sensor and smooth focus-OOF transitions.
I shot several projects with an M8 alongside M6 and Contax T3. Trying to make the M8 image look like from the M6 (even using the same lenses) or T3 is hopeless. And often the M8 image would be superior in overall IQ.
Digital is digital - and pretty awesome. I use it a lot, also with Nik and VSCO. More for b/w conversations and colors, but not to simulate film or grain.
Like others said - embrace digital for what it is and can do (and thats a lot in the case of the Fuji). You may find a different look that you like as much. Hunting for a dark room look may disappoint - particularly in print.
Grain is grain, and may even increase the perceived sharpeness, some use it to their advantage (e.g. high acutance). Digital noise is degrading image quality, and smearing over it with digital "grain" does so even further.
Plus - the Fuji sensor is quite a bit smaller than 135 film. Some say it matters, others not. I find it does. The closest thing to (color) film in digital for me was the old "medium" format (well, 35mm x 35mm) Kodak DSC Pro Back on the Mamiya 645 AFD. Nice fat pixels on a large sensor and smooth focus-OOF transitions.
I shot several projects with an M8 alongside M6 and Contax T3. Trying to make the M8 image look like from the M6 (even using the same lenses) or T3 is hopeless. And often the M8 image would be superior in overall IQ.
Digital is digital - and pretty awesome. I use it a lot, also with Nik and VSCO. More for b/w conversations and colors, but not to simulate film or grain.
Like others said - embrace digital for what it is and can do (and thats a lot in the case of the Fuji). You may find a different look that you like as much. Hunting for a dark room look may disappoint - particularly in print.