Fujifilm Color Grading Guide

Film simulations and colour grading solve the same problem, controlling how colour and tone appear in the final image, but they operate at different stages. Film simulations are applied in-camera at the point of capture, baking the look into JPEGs in real time. Colour grading is applied in post-production to RAW files or log footage, giving you unlimited control but requiring time and software.

Fujifilm's position in this landscape is unique. Many photographers use film simulations as their primary "grading" tool, delivering finished JPEGs with no post-processing. Others shoot RAW or F-Log and grade in software, using the simulation as a creative reference point. And some do both, delivering recipe-processed JPEGs for speed while keeping RAW files for hero images that warrant individual attention.

Understanding both approaches lets you choose the right workflow for each project. A wedding might use in-camera recipes for 95% of deliverables and selective RAW grading for album highlights. A short film would shoot F-Log for maximum grading flexibility. A travel blog might go JPEG-only for speed.

F-Log is Fujifilm's logarithmic gamma curve, designed to capture the maximum dynamic range from the sensor in a flat, desaturated image. The footage looks grey and lifeless straight from the camera. That is intentional. The flat profile preserves detail in highlights and shadows that would be clipped in a standard simulation, giving you more room to push and pull in grading.

F-Log vs F-Log2

When to Use F-Log

Use F-Log when you need grading flexibility but don't need the extreme latitude of F-Log2. It works well in 8-bit recording modes and is more forgiving of exposure mistakes. For corporate video, event coverage, and YouTube content, F-Log is the sweet spot between flexibility and ease of use.

When to Use F-Log2

Use F-Log2 for narrative work, music videos, and any project where you'll spend significant time in a grading suite. The extra stop of dynamic range and higher bit depth support more aggressive grade pushes. Always pair F-Log2 with 10-bit or 12-bit recording (ProRes or All-Intra) to avoid banding.

DaVinci Resolve is the most popular grading tool for Fujifilm video because it's free (with paid Studio option) and has excellent colour science. Here's a workflow for grading F-Log footage:

Step 1: Set Up Color Management

In Project Settings > Color Management, set the Color Science to DaVinci YRGB Color Managed. Set the Input Color Space to "Fujifilm F-Log / Fujifilm F-Gamut" (or "Fujifilm F-Log2 / Fujifilm F-Gamut" for F-Log2). Set the Output Color Space to "Rec.709 Gamma 2.4" for standard delivery. This tells Resolve how to interpret the flat log footage and converts it to a viewable colour space.

Step 2: Exposure Correction

F-Log footage should be exposed at middle grey (approximately 46 IRE for F-Log, 38 IRE for F-Log2). If the footage is over or underexposed, correct it first using the Offset wheel or Lift/Gamma/Gain controls. Get your exposure right before touching colour.

Step 3: Apply a Creative LUT (Optional)

Fujifilm provides free F-Log to Film Simulation conversion LUTs that replicate the in-camera simulation looks. You can download these from the Fujifilm website. Apply them as a starting point, then refine. Alternatively, grade from scratch using Resolve's colour wheels and curves for a completely custom look.

Step 4: Creative Grading

With the technical foundation set, apply creative grading:

• Skin tone correction: use the qualifier to isolate skin and warm it slightly
• Highlight rolloff: use the Highlights curve to soften bright areas
• Shadow tone: add a slight colour tint to shadows (blue for cool, warm for vintage)
• Saturation control: reduce overall saturation slightly for a cinematic feel

For still photography, grading means processing RAW files in Lightroom, Capture One, or Fujifilm's own X RAW Studio. Each approach has trade-offs.

Fujifilm X RAW Studio

X RAW Studio is Fujifilm's free RAW processor that connects to your camera via USB and uses the camera's hardware processor to apply film simulations to RAW files. The result is identical to an in-camera JPEG, with the same colour science and tone curves. This is the only way to apply film simulations to RAW files with 100% accuracy. The limitation is speed: it processes one file at a time through the camera.

Lightroom / Camera Raw

Adobe provides Fujifilm camera profiles that approximate the film simulations. They're close but not identical. Adobe's demosaicing of X-Trans RAW files differs from Fujifilm's, and the simulation curves are reverse-engineered rather than exact. Lightroom's strength is batch processing speed and integration with photography workflows. For most photographers, the colour difference is invisible in print.

Capture One

Capture One is widely regarded as producing the best colour from Fujifilm RAW files among third-party processors. Their Fujifilm camera profiles are more accurate than Lightroom's, and the X-Trans demosaicing handles fine detail better. It's the professional choice for Fujifilm photographers who grade RAW files extensively.

The Hybrid Approach

Many Fujifilm photographers use a hybrid workflow: shoot RAW+JPEG, deliver the recipe-processed JPEGs for 90% of images, and selectively grade RAW files for hero shots or tricky exposures. This gives you the speed of in-camera recipes with the flexibility of RAW when you need it.