In June 2024, Fujifilm released new firmware updates that include a film simulation called Reala Ace for its digital cameras. This simulation comes pre-installed on the GFX 100 II, X100VI, GFX 100S II, and X-T50 models, and is available via firmware updates for the X-H2, X-H2S, X-T5, and X-S20 models. Reala Ace is inspired by the historic Fujicolor Reala color film, renowned for its ability to reproduce very realistic colors. To understand the importance of this new simulation, it's useful to know about the original film it is based on.
Introduced by Fujifilm in 1989, Fujicolor Reala was a high-end color negative film known for its fine grain and exceptional color reproduction accuracy. The name “Reala” itself evokes the idea of “realism” and “reality”, and this film was designed to meet the needs of photographers seeking color fidelity and sharp detail. It was available in various formats, from 35mm to medium format, with a nominal sensitivity of ISO 100. It was discontinued in 2012.
One of the distinctive features of Fujicolor Reala was its extremely fine grain, allowing detailed images even with significant enlargements, making it particularly appreciated for portraits and landscape photography.
The Reala film was notable for its innovative “Fourth Color Layer” technology. In addition to the traditional red, green, and blue-sensitive layers, it included a fourth layer that captured yellow-green. This allowed for better reproduction of complex colors like plant greens and skin tones. Furthermore, Reala was designed to mimic the human eye's color perception. This feature, called “Human Eye Spectral Sensitivity”, made photos taken with Reala appear particularly natural and true to what the human eye perceives in reality.
For many photographers, Fujicolor Reala was more than just film; it was a medium of artistic expression. Its ability to capture colors exactly as the human eye saw them made it ideal for portrait, landscape, and still life photography. Reala quickly became a favorite not only among professionals but also among enthusiasts who desired high quality without compromise.
Fujifilm introduced the new Reala Ace film simulation for several reasons, mainly tied to their ongoing innovation in image rendering and the market demand for more versatile and faithful simulation options. They also aimed to meet the requests of photographers who wanted a new simulation capable of providing accurate color reproduction with less saturation than simulations like Classic Neg or Provia. Reala Ace thus positions itself as an ideal choice for those seeking a balance between saturation and contrast, making it particularly useful in various photographic contexts, from portraits to landscapes.
The Reala Ace simulation seeks to capture the essence of the original film, adapting it to the modern digital context. It maintains the goal of natural and faithful color rendering while offering more customization possibilities. The moderate contrast typical of Reala is preserved, with added options for finer adjustments. The fine grain is replicated in a controllable and non-intrusive way, while the dynamic range takes full advantage of digital sensor capabilities.
One of the most interesting aspects of Reala Ace is its ability to handle mixed light and shadow areas with great precision. Just like the original film, the simulation captures a wide and deep color range, ensuring natural skin tones and true beauty in landscapes. Additionally, Reala Ace retains the fine grain of analog film, providing sharp and detailed images even in digital files.
I installed the firmware for my X-T5 on the day it was released, eagerly anticipating it. As soon as the installation was done, I started testing it out to understand its features myself, without looking up too much information, so I could form my own opinion.
For my field test, I chose to photograph my favorite subjects: my kids and my faithful four-legged friend Marley.
Before starting, I reflected on two phrases published by Fujifilm on their website to introduce the new Reala Ace simulation: “...a quest for greater photographic freedom and...a more attractive view of the world” and “[photographers] pointed their lenses not at spectacular scenarios, but at everyday life, and realized that beauty could be found even in the most familiar places”.
Photographic freedom, everyday life, familiar places. These concepts perfectly represent the type of photography that relaxes me the most.
My comparison focused on the film simulations ProNeg HI, Provia, Classic Chrome, and Reala Ace. I chose these simulations based on the descriptions provided by Fujifilm on their dedicated page. ProNeg HI is specific for skin tones, while Provia and Classic Chrome are considered general-purpose simulations. Additionally, from the matrix provided by Fujifilm, you can see that the saturation and tone characteristics are quite similar among these simulations.
First of all, let's analyze how the Reala Ace film simulation performs in portraits, particularly in rendering skin tones. We observe
the color fidelity, grain fineness, and the naturalness of skin tones.
The second test, conducted on my dog, a border collie, was done to evaluate the dynamic range of the Reala Ace simulation compared to the others. The dog's fur, being black and white, provides an excellent test case to examine the simulation's ability to handle contrast and detail in high-contrast conditions. The combination of these colors makes it clear how the simulation captures details in both highlights and deep shadows.
The Reala Ace simulation really impressed me, so much that I've made it my default setting for client photo shoots. Coming from Canon, my main issue with Fujifilm was its poor skin tone rendering and overly arsh shadow details, which required fixing in post-production. Until now, I leaned towards using the Provia simulation because it's more true-to-life compared to Pro Neg HI, despite Fujifilm recommending the latter.
Reala Ace saves me time by reducing the need for extensive Lightroom adjustments, especially when processing entire photo shoots. I also appreciate its ability to handle shadows well and perform admirably in high dynamic range situations, which pleasantly surprised me.
Thank you, Fujifilm, for listening to our needs and for this excellent addition!
