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First you had film: a chemical process that already distorted reality. The world went into the camera, got chemically bullied, and came out looking like reality according to film. Then they made a “film sim”. Except the simulation looks nothing like film. It is two-faced and half-hearted. But it’s perfect, because now, say, “Provia” no longer has to signify the actual film but the SIGN of Provia. You aren't getting Provia, just the marketing team’s idea of what the cultural memory of Provia is supposed to feel like. The signified has begun to evaporate.

But fujislugs still weren't satisfied, so now the DIGITAL camera displays a little box end on the rear screen. If you’re a zoomer, that’s the cardboard tab you'd put in the holder on the back of the camera reminding you of the film you loaded. But there is no film, no box, no physical thing inside the camera that needs identifying. Literally a simulation of the thing that used to tell you which film was inside the camera. It’s displaying a simulation of the signifier of a nonexistent signified. You successfully reached the point where the camera says: “Here is the little square that would have told you which film you loaded into the camera.” Except you loaded a menu option instead of film, and now the camera is proudly showing you the nostalgic little fake box for the imaginary film you didn't load. There is no film, no Provia, no box. There never was. There never will be. There is only a crude mockery on the back of the camera telling you that there is. Fitting that it's X-TRANS.

Reality > film > film look > film simulation > simulation of the film label > ???
In the end the camera is no longer pretending to reproduce reality. It's pretending to reproduce the evidence that reality was once being reproduced. It's transfilm, and it doesn't pass. It's Baudrillard's hyperreality except instead of Disneyland it's an X-Pro3 displaying a fake Provia box while you photograph your animal companion.

NFT

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