Monochrome: clean black and white, with filters
Monochrome is Fujifilm's straightforward black-and-white conversion, with optional yellow, red and green filters. Every Fujifilm X and GFX camera has it, and RAF Film Lab renders all four versions on any RAF.
What does Monochrome look like?
It turns colour into grey without adding a character of its own: no grain and a neutral tone curve. That makes it the more flexible black and white, ready to be shaped with Highlight and Shadow Tone or with curves afterwards.
The filters act like coloured glass in front of the lens: yellow darkens blue skies a little, red a lot, and green lightens foliage.
Which cameras have Monochrome?
All of them. Every Fujifilm X and GFX camera has Monochrome, from the X100 to the newest bodies.
X-T30 III, X-E5, GFX100RF, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, GFX100S II, X-S20, GFX100 II, X-T5, X-H2S, X-H2, X-T30 II, X-E4, GFX50S II, GFX100S, X100V, X-T4, X-T200, X-S10, X-T30, X-Pro3, X-A7, GFX100, XF10, X-T3, X-T100, X-H1, X-A5, GFX 50R, X100F, X-T20, X-E3, GFX 50S, X70, X-T2, X-Pro2, X-E2S, X-A3, X-T10, X100T, X-T1, X100S, X-M1, X-E2, X-Pro1, X-E1, X100
How close is RAF Film Lab's Monochrome to the camera's?
We shot 31 RAWs on an X100VI and had Fujifilm's X RAW STUDIO develop each one in Monochrome, using the camera's own processor. RAF Film Lab's Monochrome lands at a median of 1.40–1.45 L* from the camera's across the plain film and its three filters (mean 1.85–1.98), scored as lightness difference (|ΔL*|), as for every black-and-white film over flat areas of every frame.
About 2 ΔE is roughly the smallest colour difference most people notice side by side. The films were measured on the X100VI; other cameras' RAFs are read with their own colour matrix, but we haven't published scores for their sensors yet. How we measure.
When should you use Monochrome?
- Clean black and white without film grain.
- A base for your own toning in Adjust.
- Architecture with a red filter, for dark skies against pale buildings.
In RAF Film Lab: Develop in Film Lab · Develop in camera · Applying Recipes · Recipe Management
Monochrome questions
Which Fujifilm cameras have Monochrome?
All of them. Every Fujifilm X and GFX camera has Monochrome, from the X100 to the newest bodies.
Should I use Monochrome or Acros?
Acros for a film look with grain and stronger mid-tone separation; Monochrome for a neutral, grain-free conversion. On older cameras without Acros, RAF Film Lab renders both.
Develop your RAFs in Monochrome.
RAF Film Lab is in beta on TestFlight for Mac, iPad and iPhone. Leave your email and Apple will send you an invite.