> 3 minute read

Why You Should Use ETERNA for Movies

ETERNA is a huge benefit for X Series filmmakers. Let’s see how this unique Film Simulation mode can give your video clips and filmmaking projects that big-screen look.

Many X Series cameras feature a Film Simulation mode called ETERNA. This is named after the FUJIFILM ETERNA analog film stocks that were very popular with movie studios and cinematographers across the world. That should give you a clue as to what it’s meant for.

While it’s perfectly good to make still photos in ETERNA, this is a Film Simulation mode that comes into its own when your X Series camera is creating movies. It reproduces the look and feel of its analog namesake, with more muted colours and flatter contrast than the other Film Simulation modes. You’ll find ETERNA with the other Film Simulations in the camera’s menu system.

This can be important when creating video – more so than when making stills – since the ability to retain natural colour and properly expose the very brightest and very darkest parts of a picture (known as dynamic range) is not as wide as it is for stills photography. ETERNA takes this into account, changing the camera’s tone curve and creating an intentionally flatter result. You can also combine this with your camera’s Dynamic Range setting to get even flatter results that are packed with detail if required. Because of this flat tone and natural colour, ETERNA can be a much better Film Simulation to use in video than PROVIA or ASTIA.

If you’re wondering why a flatter result in a movie is favourable, it really comes down to the differences in how movies are produced compared to stills. Filmmaking – especially on a professional level – is expensive and time-consuming, and anything that makes a remake less likely is a benefit. Using a flat profile like the ETERNA Film Simulation mode makes the need for remakes less likely because exposure and colour is truer to life.

So, if you find the footage is a little too flat for your liking, you can always increase contrast using editing software on your computer or smart device. In fact, it’s better to do it this way around, since removing excess contrast is very difficult (and sometimes impossible).

If, on the other hand, you would prefer an even lower-contrast result than ETERNA can provide, try creating videos on your X Series camera in F-Log mode. This footage must be colour and contrast adjusted – a process known as grading – before it will look any good. With ETERNA, you can get detailed footage that looks as if it’s been graded without any extra editing work – and that’s got to be a good thing, right?

Your Next Steps

• CHALLENGE Show us what you can do with ETERNA by creating some video of where you live. Post your clips to social media with the hashtag #learnwithfujifilm and #ETERNA. You can also submit your work here for a chance to be featured on our social media channels.