Trouble applying LUTs to C100 Cinema footage

Trouble applying LUTs to C100 Cinema footage

by Brian Car

on Feb 26, 2016 at 10:38:31 pm

Running in circles trying to figure out grading C-log footage, and would much appreciate your help! Thanks in advance!

Camera: Canon C100 mk ii
Computer: Mac Pro
Software: LUT Buddy, Premiere CS6

I have been shooting in Cinema mode to get that super flat video that I can fine tune in post. My understanding is that I need to start by applying a LUT, but all the C-log LUTS I have tried make the video look atrocious and totally unusable even after lots of color correction. Sometimes I can get the whites and blacks to look pretty good, but the tradeoff is distracting posterization. I have tried applying filters above and below the LUT.

I tried LUT Buddy for Premiere CS6 (mac), and imported these LUTs: http://blog.abelcine.com/2013/12/04/canon-luts-for-the-c100-c300-and-c500/

So far, the best results have been SpeedGrade with the "QuickTime_Gamma.ilut" LUT. But I would much rather not have to go through SpeedGrade.

Thanks again!!

Re: Trouble applying LUTs to C100 Cinema footage

by Will Gonzalez

on Feb 28, 2016 at 2:06:06 am

Hi Brian.
I've used the abelcine canon c100 lut "log to wide dr" with success. It depends on the exposure and conditions of your shot sometimes but that lut should get you going in the right direction.

Wil

Re: Trouble applying LUTs to C100 Cinema footage

by Chris Wright

on Feb 28, 2016 at 10:24:14 pm

you know, premiere has lumetri. just load-browse
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe SpeedGrade CC 2015\Lumetri\LUTs\Legacy
QuickTime_Gamma.ilut

or try this c-log to rec 709
https://f1.creativecow.net/4255/canon-log-lut-for-resolve

Re: Trouble applying LUTs to C100 Cinema footage

by Brian Car

on Mar 1, 2016 at 8:25:34 pm

Thanks for the download, Chris! I'll give it a try.

...Though, I actually just found that, surprisingly, the best results come from simply using the Brightness/Contrast filter inside Premiere. I seldom use this filter, but the results look fantastic (I also add Curves to adjust exposure). I feel like I must be doing something wrong... because that was too easy. Looks way better than EOS Standard.