March 28, 2025

Camera makers want us to buy their latest models. Then you have the question of what system to choose and do you need the latest one. I’m going to show you real world examples.

These days when I pick a camera it’s less about sensor size and more about what makes me want to take photos. Or what system is the most versatile. I’ve used 4 brands in the past year and today we’ll talk about the best camera for 2025.

Come to my free Shadow Hackers here. Also you can find the Free Filmist pack here and actions like Pictorialist here or everything else I mentioned don my homepage.

Cameras are sold as being the best these days because and influencer did a side by side test or because of specs. IN reality is about how you use a camera.

All of them are good. Choosing a sensor size is more about the lens system you want and how big you want things than an image quality problem.

Choosing a brand is more about flexibility than name. Canon for example makes great camera. But they have been preventing third party lens makers from selling alliterative glass making them much more limited as they try and force you to buy their overpriced glass.

Nikon with it’s small flange distance and blatant support of vintage lenses by adding great manual focus aides is saying. Use the lens you want.

Olympus and Panasonic in Micro Four thirds are two brand using the same mount and also third parties making lenses. Giving them endless options.

All the great features are mute if you don’t want to take a camera with you. Fuji’s X100 series may be fixed lens and not perfect for everything.

But it’s a camera that wants to be picked up. It’s almost part of your outfit rather than a weight to carry. Because I can feel safe throwing it in a cup holder, I always have it. The same can be said for small study micro four third cameras

Don’t limit yourself. If you’re not picking up a camera. Sell it and look for a camera you want at your side. Because that will have you taking photos, hunting shadow and learning faster.

If you have been to one of my classes you know it’s more about shadow and feeling than how clean your sensor is. I think we make buying a camera a decision too much based on specs and not enough on feeling.

Most if the camera I buy are used these days. When I find something special like the Nikon ZF for using my classic lenses I sometimes buy new. But don’t fall for the marketing hype. Your new camera might be 6 years old and inspire you more than any camera you ever owned.

In the end the biggest and the best is not always the cam,era you will actually use and that is often a trap photographer fall for that makes them less creative.

The best camera is not just the one you have with you. The best cam,era is the one you want to use every day.

Gavin Seim

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February 22, 2025

In my recent Filmist 2.4 update I improved various Lightroom presets and Capture One styles. But one of the biggest was the Velvia 100. Here’s what I found and what we can learn from Velvia 100.

The other films in my latest Filmist Update may have been overshadowed a bit by the new Kodachrome 64 update and the video I did on it that you can watch here.

If you missed last week’s in-depth video on Kodachrome 64 go check it out.

But I want to do a follow-up because I did a lot of Velvia testing and thought we should compare these Kodak and Fuji positive films. Because Velvia is the contrast beast.

If film presets that are true to the film have a subtlety that can help us understand tone and color. Kodachrome 64 and Velvia are both color-positive films but each is unique. And while you can’t get Kodachrome anymore you can still get Velvia 100, in fact, I just shot a roll!

There had to be a lot of work on the red mix curve and midtones here. But they should not be as red as people imagine them. When you see really red in fil;m. It’s often because it was processed wrong.

In the same way in digital; when a process feels a little too magenta or yellow. Often a simple White Balance hack with fill it. See my recent video about color science.

Velvia 50 is more red, but in Velvia 100 there’s more yellow and green. People also think Velvia is extra saturated. But in truth, it’s not that crazy. It does have a lot of contrast, however.

Real contrast is the most important thing we can learn from Velvia. That it’s not always about pushing shadows and having “dynamic range”. This film blows out easily and while it’s not ideal, it makes you think a lot about tonality. This contrast idea is talked about in my video, Stop Using Contrast.

Velvia is the opposite of edits like I made in Natural HDR or even negative films. Notice how it’s more contrasty with popping blacks and whites. This is true to the filmstrips I got back from the lab. That does not mean it’s not stunning for portraits or anything else.

Look at how the Velvia 100 preset stacks up against the Portra 400 preset. This file was shot on Micro Four Thirds and both of these presets are solid to the look of their respective films.

Next to Portra 400 Velvia feels a bit Red. But it’s mostly because they are side by. Portra is warm,. Velvia is contrasty and punchy. Velvia 100 is pretty versatile but not so versatile Portra 400. No surprise.

You don’t always want HDR or even film negative level dynamic range. They can be amawszing but in essence, are lower contrast.

In Filmist we can of course increase the dynamic range by adding ChemKit mods or pushing slider. But remember low dynamic range means punchy contrast and often it’s amazing.

Velvia is famous for its rich colors and while it may seem subdued by today’s oversaturated digital norms, it’s more versatile than people think.

If you’ve ever used most so-called Velvia presets they have way overdone color on digital because most film presets are not at all like the film. There just is the name and go all kinds of crazy things.

If you look at the actual strips and scans you see this contrast. You also see this reddish undertone but the greens and yellow from the film curve stand out more. It’s the way this combines that makes the film so punchy.

I use Fuji cameras also, though I don’t worry about color profiles and just add the presets after. In fact my Classic Neg preset which is free in the Filmist sampler pack is very popular because many want that Classic Neg look on non-Fuji files.

But sometimes people use Velvia on their Fuji camera and then my Velvia preset and they are nothing alike. I noticed this in the excellent review of Filmist and NHDR5 from Matt at the Turning Gate.

The truth is the Fuji Velvia profile is nothing like Velvia. They just made a highly saturated profile that name that is more loosey inspired by how people feel about Velvia. There’s nothing wrong with that profile (though I rarely want that much saturation) but understand that it has no relation to the film as we see here.

Whatever i am editing. I’ll start with a film look. Even if I end up on Natural HDR, Silver 5 etc. This is because the real color of films is a baseline you can always come back to and each time you get more confident in your process because you have that baseline.

I immediately know what’s up with a file when lets say I use Portra, Ahfa or Velvia or Kodachrome. These are iconic standards and in using them I can quickly see the way colors and light are responding and guide where I need to go from there.

You can see in my recent photo on Velvia below that the preset was applied to a Fuji RAW file. There are differences, especially in the film’s shadow range. I maintained that punch but you still still see that Velvia film falls off faster on 35mm.

Editing with film real film looks makes all my other editing better and more grounded. It helps prevent me from over editing and it lets me find more creative ideas faster.

I hope you’ll play around with the new pack and even if you don’t have Filmist 2 you can grab the free sampler and get started with film-grade edits. You can get the Velvia 100 in Filmist 2,4 right here.

The takeaway here is that we can use tone and contrast naturally in camera and in post. Like we talk about in my Shadow Hackers class. Today we push a slider for contrast. But when you start being guided by the organic nature of things, you start to see your contrast in a new light.

Have fun and try this yourself – Gavin Seim

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July 9, 2022

I made a blog post the other day where I showed you the new Filmist 1.7. It has better Portra presets and my new Fuji Classic Chrome preset for Lightroom and as a Capture One Style and a video LUT.

Even if you don’t like the Classic Chrome look. You’ll find this video useful for your own editing as I’m going to share secrets about how to make more nuanced color edits that work across all kinds of photos and cameras.

Even if you don’t like the Classic Chrome look. You’ll find this video useful for your own editing as I’m going to share secrets about how to make more nuanced color edits that work across all kinds of photos and cameras.

NOTE: If you have my Filmist film presets pack, the latest Classic Chrome-like preset is included in. But in today’s video, I’ll show you the recipe so you can make your version if you prefer.

VIDEO: How to create a match of the look as a Classic Chrome preset.

Download the latest Gen.2 version of my Classic Chrome Like preset with Filmist presets. You can also get the the classic Negative film preset free in the Filmist sampler pack.

Why use the preset over the Classic Chrome camera profile…

Seim Fuji Classic  Chrome preset on a Canon 5D MK2 file.
Balanced greens are still vibrant but not over the top. Bring that slide film feel even applied to a Canon RAW file like this one.

Simulations in-camera can be beautiful. But to get all the options you have, you have to bake them into a JPEG. This means throwing away information for a color recipe. Custom simulations can be made too, but they only work on the baked-in JPEG also.

The other option is to shoot RAW. Most cameras will then allow you to apply that look as a camera-specific profile. Fuji is one example of this. In Lightroom and Capture One you can select Classic Chrome to look as a profile and it will look very similar to it’s baked-in JPEG counterpart.

I wanted a Classic Chrome Preset that works on everything. I apply the Classic Chrome from FIlmist, I can do it on any file regardless of what camera it came from giving me a consistent look. And I can see every slider that’s been affected, adjusting it as needed.

Classic Chrome Lightroom preset and Capture One Styles recipe on Sony file
Classic Chrome look in LIghtroom applied to a Sony RAW file. It produces those nice sift colors with rich tones inspired by Kodachrome

In Lightroom and in Capture One I can even adjust the intensity of the Classic Chrome preset. I can’t with a baked-in profile.

So In this video, I want to show you how the new Classic Chrome look stacks up with the Fuji version of this Kodoachrome-inspired look (hint it’s almost perfect). Then we’re going to rest in it non-Fuji file to get the Classic Chrom to look on Sony, Canon etc.

And in case you don’t have my Filmist pack and don’t want to buy it, I’m also going to spill the beans, showing you my settings and channels in case you want to make your own variation of Classic Chrome.

I hope this was helpful. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions. And subscribe to my YouTube channel for more videos like this.

Gavin Seim

The Classic Chrom preset works on any Fuji file even  when the camera does not include it
While I can use camera-specific color profiles on Fuji files like this one from an XT3, I find it easier to just use the Classic Chrome preset or capture one and have the added control.
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November 3, 2019

With the Fuji Xpro 3 came the Classic Negative look. It’s based on Superia 200. But older cameras and other brands don’t have this film style. As part of the Filmist Project, I started creating classic Fuji-like presets for Lightroom and Capture One. This is my Classic negative film simulation!

So I made Classic Negative Like, a Free Lightroom Preset, and Capture One Style that’s like shooting it in the camera, but better.

Getting film presets to work on any camera takes time. The classic negative-like simulation was no exception. I don’t like camera-specific color profiles that limit you. I use a preset like this “Classic Negative”-like preset. I also made a Classic Chrome preset and you can read about that here.

In action… Classic Negative film recipe Preset and Capture One Style.

– DOWNLOAD my new 2024 V2 Fuji Classic Negative preset FREE.

The improved Gen.2 2024 classic neg film simulation in my free pack on the Filmist 3 film presets page. It includes Classic Negative as a Lightroom preset as a Capture One Style a LUT for video, PLUS a couple other presets from Filmist.

For years, I’ve been expanding my Film presets project, creating presets such as Porta, Fuji 400, Fujifilm black and white, and others. So I created a mini-free pack from my complete Film presets collection You can get the Seim Classic Negative look for free.

I’ll add the link above so you can get my latest version of the Classic Neg-like look and try it out. Feedback has been great on this and the new 2023 version is even more dialed in,

Fuji Classic Negative Like Lightroom Presets and Capture One Style
In-Camera JPEG beside my 2023 Classic Negative, Like Gen.2 presets for Lightroom and Capture. This new version of my classic neg film simulation is better than ever.

Film-inspired recipes and presets bring out the magic.

Film is a secret weapon most photographers don’t realize. It brings a nuance and atmosphere. It helps us balance shadows in a digital slider world that is often overcooked. See my post… Filmic Lightroom presets and styles ground your edits.

That’s why Fuji is the only camera brand people love for its color profiles. They are inspired by film and they have years of understanding how shadows and colors alter our senses.

Fuji Classic Negative look was inspired by Fujifilm Superia, a negative film from the 1990s. There are zero technical reasons to make color profiles work only on the latest cameras, it’s just a marketing trick. That’s why I set to work and made filmic presets/styles and Luts for this process.

Fuji Classic Negative lightroom preset
Classic negative Like applied to a RAW file.

Don’t stop at the Classic Negative film presets.

People can get stuck on these Fuji colors. They are good, but they are just film-inspired looks. I’ve included a few more film presets for Lightroom and Capture One in the Filmist Sampler download, like Portra 160, start extending out and trying the films, and the more you do the more control you will have over the tone and atmosphere of your photos.

My free classic neg preset works for Capture One, Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic, and Lightroom Mobile, and has a preset for older versions like Lightroom 6. Go here if you need help installing presets.

I hope you enjoy this Fuji Classic Negative look. Please let me know what you think or if you have questions. You can also subscribe to my YouTube photography channel.

Gavin Seim

Fuji Classic Negative Preset and Style from Gavin Seim
Classic negative look recipe on Sony and other cameras
Classic Netagive like on a Sony RAW file brings the same look to my non-Fuji files.
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