A nostalgic classic chrome film simulation recipe for X-Trans IV cameras
Sometimes, I have a name for a recipe before I have the settings to go with it. This is one of those occasions, when hearing the lo-fi song by Massive Attack, I thought that I just had to make a recipe called Karmachroma.
In keeping with the mood of the song, I’ve devised a mellow and laid back recipe, with a warm tone and 1990’s lo-fi styling. It likes nice bright conditions, where it produces a retro image that reminds me somewhat of old prints and postcards.
This film recipe with Classic Chrome also marks a moment in the development of this recipe site, as it is film recipe no. 100 in the collection. I never expected to be able to devise so many distinct looks when I got started, but here we are with 100 recipes and still more to come!
Karmachroma Film Recipe
- Simulation: Classic Chrome
- Grain Effect: Strong, Small
- Colour Chrome Effect: Weak
- Colour Chrome Blue: Strong (IV) / Weak (V)
- White Balance: Auto White Priority
- WB Shift: +3 Red, -6 Blue
- Dynamic Range: DR200
- Highlights: +2.0
- Shadows: -1.0
- Color: -3
- Sharpness: 0
- ISO Noise Reduction: -4
- Clarity: -2
- EV compensation: -1/3 (to balance out the +2 highlights)
Take a look: From the late-September round of the Film Recipes Challenge, see the photos in the Karmachroma User Gallery.
More mellow film recipes
Warm and mellow tones give a softer looking image, which is in some situations quite nostalgic. Here are a few other film recipes with a mellow character.
- Natural Standard – a mellow feel, based on Pro Neg Standard
- Kodak Gold – my take on this classic 35mm film
- Arthouse Cinema – an eterna recipe with a mellow tone
- Eterna Nostalgia – heavy on mellow, soft on tone
- Cheery Chrome – even warmer, even softer
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