Considering the X-Pro 1 -- I need my BW grain though

[filmfan]

I have been too busy in the past 2 years to make many photos using my film cameras and thus I have stopped taking photos entirely. I like shooting BW with grainy films like Tri-X and Delta 3200 and have been processing film myself and printing in darkrooms for 15 years, so I am into that look in my photos so I am looking to achieve this same aesthetic with digital.

I think that I need to go digital in order to get back into photography due to the ease of shooting digital and not having to process film and print it in the darkroom (I have never been satisfied with 35mm film scans in print form). I can plug in the camera and edit the images I like and print in an inkjet printer without processing film, scanning, removing dust, etc etc... The Fuji X Pro 1 is what I am thinking of going with due to what I have read online as being a camera that produces very film-like digital files.

Will I be able to achieve similar film-grain looking images if I buy into this system? If so, how would you recommend getting there? High ISO in BW JPEG setting? I have photoshop and downloaded the (now free) google Nik software.

Thanks!

 

[kiteboy]

It makes more sense if the images appear:bang:

Second attempt;

Image one - unprocessed

Image 2 - processed in Lightroom 6.6

 

[Chubberino]

X Pro 2 has grain processing option in camera.

 

[Fjäll]

If you're gonna make digital look like film you will have to put the time into it anyway.

 

[fenixv8]

X Pro 2 has grain processing option in camera.

This ^ I like the look.

 

[willie_901]

Quite a few raw rendering software platforms include flexible grain tools. For instance LR CC offers three parameters: Amount, Size and Roughness.

In my experience XTrans monochrome rendering with NIK Silver Efex Pro 2 is excellent. It turns out it's also free courtesy of Google. I use it as a LR CC plug in. However if I remember correctly (dicey these days) is also a stand-alone tool as well.

I have no experience adding grain to color images.

Likewise I don't use JPEGs.

 

[jsrockit]

The Fuji X Pro 1 is what I am thinking of going with due to what I have read online as being a camera that produces very film-like digital files.

This is a myth...no digital camera makes film like images. Highlights are the issue. Film and digital deal with highlights differently and noise looks different than grain.

Will I be able to achieve similar film-grain looking images if I buy into this system? If so, how would you recommend getting there? High ISO in BW JPEG setting? I have photoshop and downloaded the (now free) google Nik software.

Only you'll be able to decide if it comes close to what you are looking for. However, I think your plan sounds like a good start (except RAW might be better than jpeg).

Unfortunately, I don't think there is an easy solution to your needs. You'll have to put in the time and effort.

 

[cz23]

....In my experience XTrans monochrome rendering with NIK Silver Efex Pro 2 is excellent....

"Film-like" is in the eye of the beholder, but I agree that this combo offers among the most natural BW rendering available. And in addition to film presets, Silver Efex has dedicated grain simulation.

But I suggest you forget film replication and embrace digital for what it is, especially if that's what it takes for you to get back into photography.

John

 

[shawn]

X Pro 2 has grain processing option in camera.

As well as the ACROS mode which has another type of grain addition too. In ACROS it changes the NR functions to be more like a grain substitution. You control how much by where you set the ISO. More ISO = More grain.

For post processing I like the DXO Film packs. Every so often they have a promotion where they give away an earlier version for free. It lets you do all sorts of things with grain and has presets for many different films and film sizes.

Shawn

 

[KansanTim]

But I suggest you forget film replication and embrace digital for what it is, especially if that's what it takes for you to get back into photography.

I tend to agree with this sentiment. Like the OP, I quite enjoy the look of film, but I too have been unable to do much with it recently--I changed continents, and ended up unloading all of my film processing gear, so at the moment have to send any film off to a lab for processing or printing. As a result, I'm just enjoying the look (and color!) of my one digital camera, and have a dozen rolls of Ilford XP2 Super plus my old Konica Minolta scanner for anything I decide I want to do with film / black and white. If I wanted a grainier look, I'd shoot a grainier B/W film and send that to a lab.

 

[filmfan]

I think I am just going to try out the X Pro 1 w/ 23mm 1.4 or 35mm 1.4 to see how it goes w/ Nik SilverEfex Pro 2 photoshop plug-in.

If it does not work out, I can always research lab options for film!

 

[cz23]

I think I am just going to try out the X Pro 1 w/ 23mm 1.4 or 35mm 1.4 to see how it goes w/ Nik SilverEfex Pro 2 photoshop plug-in.

If it does not work out, I can always research lab options for film!

I'd be glad to send you one or two raw files, if that helps. But I'm sure they are readily available on the web.

John

 

[Ken Ford]

This is probably sacrilege, but I actually prefer digital rendering to film...

 

[rybolt]

I agree that a 'film look' is completely in the eye of the beholder. While I do use NIK SEFX Pro regularly I also use many of Thomas Fitzgerald's presets for Lightroom. Take a look at both the Monolith and Monolux sets. They are very reasonably priced and my experience is that they work flawlessly with LR.
https://store.thomasfitzgeraldphotography.com/shop/

 

[Faintandfuzzy]

This is probably sacrilege, but I actually prefer digital rendering to film...

I'm starting to find I feel the same. There is a different look, but I am creating what I want through Silver Efex and Analog Efex. I am as much attached to film as I am to the use of various film cameras...but that is not really a reason to keep going with it.

 

[jsrockit]

This is probably sacrilege, but I actually prefer digital rendering to film...

Me too... and the whole process is preferable to me. I do understand the preference for film cameras though.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

DxO application has profiles for BW film with grain.

 

[kxl]

I'm starting to find I feel the same. There is a different look, but I am creating what I want through Silver Efex and Analog Efex. I am as much attached to film as I am to the use of various film cameras...but that is not really a reason to keep going with it.

Same here. My only reason for shooting film these days is the RF experience, especially with my ZI's bright VF. At some point however, I may take the plunge and get a DRF.

 

[Ken Ford]

Same here. My only reason for shooting film these days is the RF experience, especially with my ZI's bright VF. At some point however, I may take the plunge and get a DRF.

I finally did this and am happy I did. Broke, yes - but happy nonetheless.

 

[jbielikowski]

The real problem with "film look" is not finding correct plug-in but much higher resolution of digital images and modern lenses. You can add grain, but it will look like a layer above. Only solution I found is a soft lens wide open on some sort of older sensor, ie Vivitar 28mm f/2.0 on Lumix G1. Or a Helios on full frame.