Greig Fraser shot The Batman at extreme low light levels, sometimes at T1.0, creating a Gotham City that exists in perpetual near-darkness. The palette is almost monochromatic — deep blacks, dark greys, and occasional violent splashes of red from tail lights, flares, or fire. Rain is the films constant visual element, turning every surface into a reflective plane.
The The Batman look, scene by scene
The Batman is dark, wet and moody. Gotham is almost always at night and in rain, with muted colour and deep shadows. Red flares and fire provide the only strong colour, and crime scenes are lit hard and cold.
Gotham rain
Night, rain and reflections. Colour is drained and shadows are deep.
The Batman is very dark, but faces and shapes are always readable because of strong backlight or a single source. Don't underexpose everything — keep one light source to give shape.
Recipes
Gotham Rain
Perpetual night rain, tail lights reflecting on wet asphalt
Best light: Rainy streets at night with streetlights. Useless in daylight.
Film SimulationEterna/Cinema
GrainWeak/Large
Color ChromeStrong
CC FX BlueWeak
White BalanceDaylight
WB ShiftR-1 / B+1
Dynamic RangeDR400
Highlight-2
Shadow+3
Color-3
Sharpness-1
Noise Reduction-4
Clarity-2
ISOISO 3200-6400
Why these settings
Eterna/Cinema, Color -3
Drained, moody colour.
DR400, Highlight -2, Shadow +3
Protects lights while keeping darkness deep.
Grain Weak/Large
Gritty texture.
Batmobile Chase
Red flares, fire, wet streets — the only real color in Gotham
Best light: Red lights, fire or tail lights at night. Not for daytime.
Film SimulationClassic Chrome
GrainWeak/Small
Color ChromeStrong
CC FX BlueOff
White BalanceDaylight
WB ShiftR+2 / B+0
Dynamic RangeDR400
Highlight-2
Shadow+4
Color-1
Sharpness+0
Noise Reduction-3
Clarity-1
ISOISO 1600-3200
Why these settings
R+2
Emphasises red light.
DR400, Shadow +4
Deep shadows around bright red light.
Classic Chrome, Color -1
Keeps other colours muted so red stands out.
Crime Scene
Harsh forensic light cutting through darkness, cold and clinical
Best light: Harsh flashlights or work lights in dark spaces. Too cold for warm light.
Film SimulationClassic Neg
GrainOff
Color ChromeOff
CC FX BlueWeak
White BalanceFluorescent 1
WB ShiftR-2 / B+2
Dynamic RangeDR200
Highlight+1
Shadow-1
Color-2
Sharpness+2
Noise Reduction-1
Clarity+2
ISOISO 800-1600
Why these settings
R-2 / B+2
Cold, clinical tint.
Sharpness +2, Clarity +2
Hard, forensic detail.
Highlight +1, Shadow -1
Harsh, flat light.
Kit list
The Batman · 2022 · DP Greig Fraser
The recipe handles colour and tone. These handle what a recipe can't.
For this look
cold & clinical
K&F Concept Nano-X circular polariser
A polariser cuts glare off glass and water and deepens skies: the clean, controlled feel of a cold grade.
Buy the thread size of your lens — the ⌀ number printed on the barrel or cap.
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Did you nail the look? What to look for
Very dark images with deep shadows
Rain and wet reflections
Muted colour except for red accents
Strong backlight or silhouettes
A heavy, brooding mood
The Batman recipes — FAQ
Which Fujifilm film simulation is best for a Batman look?
Eterna with low colour for rainy night scenes, Classic Chrome for red-lit scenes and Classic Neg for harsh crime-scene light.
How do I photograph rain at night?
Place a light behind the rain — a streetlight or car headlight — so drops catch the light. Shoot at a high ISO and expose for the light.
Which Fujifilm cameras can use these recipes?
All settings work on current X-Trans V bodies such as the X-T5, X-S20, X-T50 and X100VI. The X-T4, X-S10, X-Pro3 and X100V run the full recipes too. Every body renders slightly differently, so take a few test shots and adjust.
Who was the cinematographer of The Batman?
Greig Fraser, who also shot Dune. Matt Reeves directed.