Colour · 2018

ETERNA / Cinema

Low contrast, low saturation, room to grade.

Short answer

ETERNA is modelled on Fujifilm’s motion picture stock. Contrast is low, saturation is muted and shadows stay open, which leaves maximum room for grading. It is the default choice for video on Fujifilm cameras and a subtle option for stills.

Based on: Fujifilm ETERNA motion picture film
Type: Colour
Introduced: 2018
Cameras with this simulation: 25

ETERNA arrived with the X-H1 in 2018, the first Fujifilm body designed with video seriously in mind. It behaves like cinema negative: nothing clips, nothing shouts, and everything is left for the person doing the grade.

Why video people use it

A flat profile survives editing. Skin that is already contrasty cannot be softened later, and a sky that has clipped cannot be brought back. ETERNA holds both ends, which means the footage still has choices in it when it reaches the timeline.

It is also easier to match between shots. Two clips graded from ETERNA cut together more cleanly than two clips baked into Velvia.

Using ETERNA for stills

For stills, ETERNA is a mood rather than a starting point. Muted colour and open shadows suit rain, fog, winter light and interiors — anything where restraint is the subject.

Push Colour to +2 and it stops looking undercooked while keeping the soft tonality. That single change turns ETERNA from a video profile into a genuinely nice photo look.

ETERNA versus Bleach Bypass

They sound related and behave in opposite directions. ETERNA is low contrast and muted. ETERNA Bleach Bypass is very high contrast and almost colourless. Both are desaturated, but one is gentle and one is harsh.

Suggested starting settings

Highlight	0
Shadow	0
Colour	+2
Sharpness	-1
Grain	Weak, Small
White balance	Auto

Common questions

Is ETERNA the same as F-Log?

No. F-Log is a logarithmic capture profile with far more dynamic range for grading. ETERNA is a film simulation: flatter than most, but still a finished look.

Which cameras have ETERNA?

Everything from the X-H1 onwards, which covers all current X Series and GFX bodies.