Retroscope, Film Recipe Time Machine

Bleach Bypass film simulation recipe for a nostalgic prints look

Let’s wind back the decades with this nostalgic film recipe with a strong retro feel. It differs from vintage looks by not having an especially warm tone, but still having an aged look like prints from a simpler camera from bygone days. 

This film recipe is built from layers, each adding to the overall look. First up is the Eterna Bleach Bypass simulation which washes out the colour. The next layer is the colour balance, which mimics a fading image, like a print from many years ago.  Lastly, negative clarity is used to soften the overall image and add a vintage look to out of focus areas. 

I know that many people prefer not to use the clarity function because of the saving delay that it causes. Often, I’ll suggest using a physical filter as an option, but for Retroscope, I do recommend using negative clarity as part of the aesthetic. 

Now to the results where we can see how this recipe looks. I’ve really enjoyed using it, either for a nostalgic feel like old prints, of where a muted soft look enhances the feel of the images, such as on a foggy day, or when the light is pale and soft already.

Exploring the forest trails with Retroscope film recipe

Retroscope Film Recipe

  • Simulation: Eterna Bleach Bypass
  • Grain Effect: Weak, Small
  • Colour Chrome Effect: Strong
  • Colour Chrome Blue: Strong (IV) / Weak (V)
  • White Balance: 5200K
  • WB Shift: +5 Red, +2 Blue
  • Dynamic Range: DR200
  • Highlights: -1.5
  • Shadows: -1.5
  • Color: +3
  • Sharpness: -3
  • ISO Noise Reduction: -4
  • Clarity: -3
  • EV compensation: 0
Golden fall leaves, given an aged photo look with Retroscope film recipe
Bright and sunny autumn morning, with Retroscope film recipe
A soft aged look to natural subjects, Retroscope film recipe
Golden hour in the golden wheat, Retroscope film recipe
Muted peach cream tones at sunset, with Retroscope film recipe
Walking on a summer afternoon, with Retroscope film recipe
Sights of the summer, captured with Retroscope film recipe
And now, testing Retroscope film recipe with winter scenes
Retro tones in the pale winter light, Retroscope film recipe
Little robin keeping watch, Retroscope film recipe
A forest encounter, captured with Retroscope film recipe
Grabbing a bit of lunch, Retroscope film recipe
New season growth, rendered like fading prints with Retroscope film recipe
Fog over the water, with Retroscope film recipe
An arch for taking photos through, using Retroscope film recipe
MIsty morning on the lakeside, Retroscope film recipe
April on the Mallorcan coast, with Retroscope film recipe
A place to relax and look out to sea, Retroscope film recipe

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