Over at our Fujifilm film simulation group, there is a new recipe that is taking the Fujifilm community by storm: Classic Cuban Negative.

Originally crafted by member Osan (IG: @osanbilgi), his recipe is harvesting likes and praise at our group.

Other members have already dialed it into their camera, such as fellow member stu here, who also made a YouTube video about it that you can check out below.

The film simulation is quite flexible and works well on a variety of settings, but shines best in street photography.

Osan has also made a couple of variations to the original recipe, such as CubanAce Recipe and Cuban Street Neg (similar to Classic Cuban Negative but a bit more subtle and easier on skin tones, hence more suited for shots with people in scene).

You can check out all the images of Osan here, as well as the recipe.

But for those, who are not part of the film simulation group, here is the recipe:

Classic Cuban Neg Recipe:

Fujifilm has released firmware updates for the Fujifilm GFX100 II and the Fujinon GF55mm f/1.7.

These are not the two main updates we are waiting for, which are:

• the tracking AF bug fix for X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2S
• Reala Ace & more on all 5th generation camera models

You can find all the details about today’s firmware below.

• GFX100 II
  BHphoto / Amazon / Adorama
• GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR
  BHphoto / Amazon / Adorama

Firmware Details

There is this cheap and low quality camera that is taking the market by storm and has now pushed Kodak on the very top when it comes to best selling camera in Japan, according to data of BCN ranking

And apparently this is due to a trend social media: the younger generation is excited about inexpensive, compact digital cameras with low-quality images because their imperfections resemble the aesthetic of film photography, as explained by SAR on his IG here.

The camera is made by Kodak, which thanks to it has now become the Nr.1 best seller in Japan.

BCN reports:

• In April 2024, KODAK captured a 22.5% sales share in the overall digital camera market, which combines compact digital cameras (compact digital cameras), mirrorless single-lens cameras, and single-lens reflex cameras. This was the first time that KODAK had ranked first in monthly market share by manufacturer since BCN began compiling digital camera data, according to the “BCN Ranking,” which compiles actual sales data from electronics retailers and online stores.
• The three products that drove KODAK’s market share were the PIXPRO FZ55, PIXPRO FZ45, and PIXPRO WPZ2. All of them were ranked in the top 10 in sales by series for all digital cameras in April 2012. In particular, the PIXPRO FZ55 took the top spot, accounting for more than 10% of the market share. The average unit price is less than 20,000 yen, and its strength is that it is easy to purchase and use.
• Major camera companies have shifted their focus to expensive mirror less single-lens cameras, and have reduced the handling of inexpensive compact digital cameras or withdrawn from the market. On the other hand, the demand for easy-to-use compact digital cameras remains. Furthermore, due to the influence of the retro boom in recent years, inexpensive compact digital cameras have become a hot topic on social media, and their popularity has increased, especially among young people. KODAK has made great strides by tapping into such niche needs. (BCN Research Institute, Kakei Saito)

Here are the the top 10 best selling cameras:

1. Kodak PixPro FZ55 (11% share)
2. Sony ZV-E10 (8.2% share)
3. Kodak PixPro FZ45 (6% share)
4. Instax MIni EVO (5.5% share)
5. Kodak PixPro WPZ2 (5.1% share)
6. Canon IXY 650 (4.9% share)
7. Canon EOS R50 (4.0% share)
8. Kenko KC-03TY (2.7% share)
9. Canon EOS R10 (2.4% share)
10. Nikon Z30 (2.3% share)

via BCN

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