In mid-2019 I switched to a Fujifilm X-T30 after shooting with a Ricoh GR for about three years. My Ricoh died and I decided I wanted a camera with interchangeable lenses. The size and price of the X-T30 appealed to me but the major drawcard was the Fujifilm simulations — particularly the Acros options since I shoot primarily in black and white.

With the GR, I did most of my black and white conversions in Silver Efex Pro. But I wasn’t getting consistent results. I liked the idea of shooting with Acros to get a more consistent look to my images. I’d also read about how great the Fuji jpegs are and thought it would be great to spend less time post-processing my images.

Since I started shooting with the Fuji I’ve used the Acros simulation extensively. And I haven’t been disappointed. It’s a great film simulation which has given me what I wanted: beautiful black and white images with a consistent look and feel.

Fujifilm Acros is magic on grey days

I shoot Acros all the time. But I’ve found that it really shines on grey days: when there’s cloud or mist softening the sunlight but still enough contrast to get deep blacks. Under these conditions you can also push the ISO up, which brings the much vaunted Acros grain to the fore. I really like the look of Acros jpegs shot at ISO3200 and up.

Last week, I was lucky to experience one of these days in the Silvermine nature reserve, which is close to where I live in Cape Town. I often hike up there but seldom take my camera because I don’t generally shoot nature or landscape photography. But with a bank of cloud hanging over the reserve and blanketing the trees and reservoir in a magical light, I found myself shooting more images than I do on a regular walkabout with my camera. Everything just looked so gorgeous.

All of the images above are jpegs, which I did further editing on in Lightroom (I find that I often push the blacks and whites a bit in post and generally do some dodging and burning).

Besides reminding me of my love for Acros, the process of making these images made me realise how much I value the outdoor spaces I’m fortunate to have nearby, especially during the challenging year that was 2020.

Do you shoot Acros? What do you like about it? What conditions make it come alive for you? Let me know in the comments.

For colour photography, I love using Fuji’s Astia film simulation. Check out this blog about my experience with Astia.