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Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve is a potent video editing application besides being a stellar color grading tool which is used by millions of users, including both novice and professional colorists and video editors belonging to different parts of the world. It features a wide range of tools for editing video, color correction, VFX , as well as audio post – production.
One of its most popular features is the option to utilize LUTs or Look Up Tables. LUTs are color presets which can easily be transferred from one tool to another. They are essential tools in the realm of color grading, facilitating video editors to obtain the desired color styles quickly and seamlessly.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the process of adding LUTs to DaVinci Resolve, and cover other related aspects, including the reasons for using them, their different types and much more. Let us dive right into it:
Reasons to use LUTs
- Color correct log media along with complicated or regular footage
- Get the best colors out of your video files or footage
- Achieve colors that you cannot make yourself
- Speed up your editing process
- Get a preview of color styles in your camera while shooting
- Transfer color profiles from one software to another
How to Add LUTs on DaVinci Resolve
There are just seven simple steps you need to keep in mind when you want to add LUTs on DaVinci Resolve:
- Select and click on the Gear Icon or Settings Icon on the bottom right of the DaVinci Resolve Software
- Click on Color Management
- Scroll down the dropdown menu to ‘Look up Tables’ and click on ‘Open LUT Folder’
- Copy and Paste your LUTs here
- Click on ‘Update Lists’ and click ‘Save’
- Navigate to the color tab and click on the clip you want to apply the LUT to
- Right-click on the node and go to “LUTs” and find your LUT
Tip: During Step 4, Paste your LUTs into their own folder or file path so they are easy to find and tidy.
How to Install LUTs on DaVinci Resolve
Different Types of LUTs
Here is a brief look at some of the different types of LUTs:
- 1D LUT: 1D LUT, as its name suggests, is controlled by only one value setting. This kind of LUT holds resemblance to applying a preset which alters how bright or dark a video appears. Although it successfully achieves the general target of using a LUT, it does not offer users with ample control, which most editors as well as colorists like having access to. 1D LUTs feature the “.lut” extension.
- 3D LUT: 3D LUTs, as compared to 1D LUTs, offer much more control. They facilitate in mapping hue, saturation levels, as well as the brightness to a specific axis, thereby offering a higher amount of control in terms of certain color values. 3D LUT files generally feature the “.cube” extension and are referred to as CUBE files.
- Technical LUT: Technical LUTs are commonly-used LUTs in the world of post-production. This kind of LUT is used for transferring footage from a specific color space to a different one. Colorists often use a Technical LUT for the conversion of Rec. 709 footage, which is the generic color space for high-resolution footage, more specifically HD videos, to DCI XYZ, the color space which is used for projection of digital cinema.
- Speed LUT: Speed LUTs, also referred to as log normalization LUTs, are used for rapidly converting footage from the log of a cinema camera or the log footage to more standard or generic color space like Rec. 709. Some popular log profiles include sLog (Sony), cLog (Canon), REDLogFilm (Red), Log C (ARRI), and Blackmagic’s Log.
Are LUTs useful for you?
LUTs are helpful for so many different groups of people and a bunch of different professionals and editors. The number of people who use them would surprise you.
Production Houses
Though this might seem obvious to many. It could be surprising for a few to know that they’re used by high-end production houses too. The color team uses LUTs to develop a rough style or color grade to apply on the director’s monitors that are on set. Allowing them to get a feel for the final film.
Video Editors
LUTs are also used by video editors. LUTs help editors transfer color profiles from one software to another. For instance, users can transfer the desired color profiles from Premiere Pro to DaVinci Resolve. LUTs are quite universal and extremely intuitive to use.
YouTubers
YouTubers have a steep learning curve when first starting out. LUTs help speed up their editing process. LUTs on DaVinci Resolve definitely help YouTubers with the color grading process as well as monitoring.
Where to Download Free LUTs for DaVinci Resolve?
If this article has created further interest in LUTs for you. You can go explore some LUT packs on Bounce Color. LUTs are amazing tools that can improve your color grading journey significantly. The fact that you can transfer colors between softwares makes it that much more useful.
Although free LUTs come in handy in most scenarios, there are instances when users need to purchase LUTs to achieve the desired results. Here are some paid high-quality LUTs which users can utilize if their complex project demands specific looks:
Final Thoughts
Utilizing LUTs by adding them to Blackmagic’s advanced video editing software holds the potential to significantly enhance the overall quality as well as efficiency of video editing projects and color grading workflows. Whether you are an experienced video editor, a part of an esteemed production house, or even a full-fledged content creator, DaVinci LUTs offer a fast and reliable avenue to obtain visually-appealing and stunning visual styles.
By properly understanding the different varieties of LUTs and how to use them, you can take all of your creative projects to a whole new level. Begin experimenting with LUTs today and start witnessing the differences they can make in terms of your work’s color settings!
