Eterna film simulation recipe for X-Trans IV cameras
Personally, I love the idea of shooting single shots with the smooth subdued tones I see in sweeping cinematic drama films. There’s just something about the softness and tone that looks great. Thankfully, the X-series cameras have the Eterna Cinema film simulation, which gives us that option.
Similarly, I see some lovely photos online using CineStill film recipes, often used in artifical light at night. I wanted to take the spirit of this, and translate it into a ‘use in daytime’ option, so I can play at snapping cinema stills when the sun was out.
So here’s my CineStill Daylight film recipe, for taking cinematic stills during the day. It’s based on the Eterna Cinema film simulation, with a warmed daylight balance. Even with the warming, there is a cool tone to neutrals with this recipe, and a cinematic feeling to the overall effect.
I took it on a city walk in very bright sunny conditions (awful for photography), but was really happy with the controlled tone to the images.
CineStill Daylight Film Recipe
- Simulation: Eterna Cinema
- Grain Effect: Strong, Large (remove for smoothest images)
- Colour Chrome Effect: Strong
- Colour Chrome Blue: Strong
- White Balance: Daylight
- WB Shift: +1 Red, -4 Blue
- Dynamic Range: DR200
- Highlights: -1
- Shadows: +2
- Colour: -1
- Sharpness: -2
- ISO Noise Reduction: -4
- Clarity: -1
- EV compensation: +1/3
Other CineStill Recipes
Here are two other cinematic stills recipes that capture the smooth subtle tones of this cinematic film style. They’re from Fuji X Weekly.
- CineStill 50D – An Astia based recipe, also for daytime use
- CineStill 800T – Wonderful cinematic tones at dusk and night
And for shooting with a cinematic mood, here are some of my other recipes in a similar style.
- Cinechrome – Cinematic mood with Classic Chrome
- Cinematic Cool – Bleach Bypass does soft and cinematic
- Eterna 8K – Golden hour cinematic softness
- Eternal Summer – Cinematic, with Portra-like tones
Film Recipes for Fujifilm Cameras 