X-Trans IVPRO Neg. HiColour4 photos

Night Studio Tone Recipe

Capture night with soft warmth and depth using Night Studio Tone.

Fuji Pic StudioTested on real gear · X-T3 · Updated October 19, 2026

A drummer energetically playing on stage with colorful visuals in the background.

Difficulty

Intermediate

Film simulation

PRO Neg. Hi

Tested on

X-T3

Sample frames

The lookWhy this one earns a slot

The Night Studio Tone recipe brings a comforting warmth and dramatic depth to your night photography, reminiscent of classic film noir. With a subtle bluish cast from the white balance shift, your images take on a moody, cinematic quality that enhances urban landscapes and portraits alike. Highlights are softened to maintain detail in bright lights, while the shadows remain true, offering a balanced contrast that evokes the feeling of wandering city streets after dark. The colour chrome effect intensifies hues, adding richness to your shots, and the weak grain provides a hint of filmic texture without overwhelming detail. It's a recipe that truly sings when capturing the interplay of artificial light and shadow, creating a compelling atmosphere that draws the viewer in.

The settingsThe recipe

PRO Neg. Hi · X-Trans IV

Film Simulation: PRO Neg. Hi
Dynamic Range: DR400
White Balance: Custom Kelvin, 2650K, −1 R / +4 B
Highlight: +1
Shadow: 0
Color: +2
Sharpness: +1
Noise Reduction: −4
Clarity: 0
Grain: Weak
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
ISO: 6400
Exposure Comp.: -1 to +2/3

How to copy it to your camera

Open the Image Quality (IQ) menu and select an empty custom setting slot (C1–C7).
Set the base film simulation to PRO Neg. Hi.
Enter each value from the settings above, then save the slot.
Select that slot to shoot Night Studio Tone JPEGs straight out of camera.

Sample framesShot on this recipe

Food truck at night with customers ordering, illuminated by soft light against a dark background. — Street · Urban · Night

A singer performing on stage with blue lighting, accompanied by a musician playing an instrument. — Event · Indoor · Mixed

A modern sculpture illuminated in blue light at night, reflecting on water with city lights in the background. — Architecture · Urban · Night

Notes & caveatsWhat it nails, what to watch

What it nails

Warmth enhances night portraits beautifully
Intense hues with colour chrome effect
Softened highlights maintain detail
Weak grain for subtle texture

What to watch

Not for vivid daytime landscapes
Bluish cast may affect skin tones
ISO 6400 might introduce noise

Explore similar

PortraitsStudio

CompatibilityWill it work on your camera?

Tested across the X-Trans IV and GFX generations — compatibility is defined by sensor, so any body on these generations can run it. This recipe is tuned for X-Trans IV. It will work on X-Trans V, but blue can render more deeply there — adjust to taste.

Tested sensors & cameras

X-Trans IV GFX X-T3 X-T30 GFX100

Best forWhen to reach for it

Night Studio Tone is perfect for low-light portraits and studio settings. It thrives in artificial lighting, capturing the interplay of shadows and highlights beautifully. The recipe isn’t ideal for capturing bright, vivid landscapes, as the mood is more subdued and intimate.

Best for

Scenes and subjects this recipe is tuned for.

PortraitsStudio

Less suited to

Where another look will likely serve you better.

Vivid landscapes

Learn more

Frequently asked questions

Which cameras support Night Studio Tone?

Night Studio Tone is confirmed for the Fujifilm X-T3, X-T30, and GFX100. These belong to the X-Trans IV and GFX generations supported by the recipe, giving it a narrower camera range than many other Fujifilm recipes. Newer Fujifilm bodies are not listed among its confirmed compatible cameras.

Why does Night Studio Tone use a 2650K white balance?

A 2650K white balance matches warm tungsten and artificial lighting, so the camera neutralises that warmth instead of adding to it. That makes it particularly well suited to the kind of night photography associated with stage performances, illuminated venues, and other scenes where artificial light is the dominant source rather than natural daylight.

What scenes suit Night Studio Tone best?

Night Studio Tone is particularly suited to atmospheric scenes involving artificial light and activity after dark. Concert performances, singers and musicians under stage lighting, illuminated food trucks, and brightly lit sculptures against a night setting all fit its warm, cinematic character and richer colour response.

When should you avoid using Night Studio Tone?

Bright daylight and neutral-light scenes are better avoided with this recipe because its 2650K white balance is set for warm artificial lighting. Under daylight, it pushes the image strongly towards blue, a pronounced colour cast that may feel unnatural for scenes intended to look neutral.

What does the B +4 shift add to the 2650K white balance?

The B +4 shift adds more blue on top of the 2650K setting, which already cools the scene by neutralising warm artificial light. Together they give night scenes a cooler colour balance, letting the blue tones of stage lighting and illuminated subjects gain depth instead of being swallowed by tungsten warmth.