Fujifilm film simulations are camera rendering choices. A RAF file can carry a simulation as metadata and use it for the in-camera JPEG, while the RAW data remains available for another interpretation.
Lightroom profiles establish an initial rendering. Presets store chosen editing settings and may optionally switch that profile.
What a profile changes
A profile influences color and tone before the ordinary editing sliders. Camera Matching profiles aim to resemble Fujifilm renderings; Adobe profiles provide Adobe’s own starting points.
Because profiles sit near the beginning of the pipeline, changing one can alter reds, greens, contrast, and highlight behavior even when the visible sliders stay still.
What a preset changes
A preset can store tone, curve, HSL, Color Grading, detail, optics, masks, and other settings. Good documentation should tell you whether it also changes Profile, Exposure, or White Balance.
A reusable creative preset often leaves photograph-specific controls untouched. A correction preset may intentionally do the opposite. The name and purpose should make that distinction clear.
Choose a consistent workflow
If a preset was designed to work across profiles, keep your preferred profile and test several files. If it was built for a specific foundation, use the intended profile before judging it.
Do not stack a camera simulation recipe, a profile-changing preset, and another color preset without checking what each layer replaces. Later choices may silently override earlier ones.
A practical test
Duplicate one virtual copy into several versions. Change only the profile first; then apply the same preset to each. Compare skin, foliage, warm light, and highlight transitions.
Choose the combination that behaves consistently across a set, not only the version that makes one thumbnail look most dramatic.