D-log M night video

[SKT927]

I'm new to this color grading and am really confused as to what color settings to use in resolve. I shot some night footage with my M4P and the D-log M lut makes the video way too dark. I can't really find any settings that give a good result in resolve at all. I find a lot of incomplete and confusing info about this online. Please help.

 

[akdrone]

try color grading without the use of a LUT for Dlog M. If your ISO and such were sufficient you may find you don't need a LUT. I agree the DJI LUT darkens everything. I never use it.

 

[SmilingOgre]

I think you are probably using the DJI dlog "lut" provided in DR. This does not work for Dlog-M. The best tutorials on DR are provided by DR. There are at least two on color grading.

Using the color workspace and the waveform graph, adjust lift to where the bottom of the waveform is just above zero. Next go to gain and adjust until the waveform is at around 80. You can then use gama to get the midrange where you like it. From there you use offset to alter the overall exposure of the footage. This is the beginning of the color grading process, getting everything where you want it from black to white. If using this method you can achieve a reasonable image without it falling apart, you can move to altering contrast and saturation. This is the simplest approach and is just scratching the surface but it is a start.

 

[dmiles119]

I think you are probably using the DJI dlog "lut" provided in DR. This does not work for Dlog-M. The best tutorials on DR are provided by DR. There are at least two on color grading.

Using the color workspace and the waveform graph, adjust lift to where the bottom of the waveform is just above zero. Next go to gain and adjust until the waveform is at around 80. You can then use gama to get the midrange where you like it. From there you use offset to alter the overall exposure of the footage. This is the beginning of the color grading process, getting everything where you want it from black to white. If using this method you can achieve a reasonable image without it falling apart, you can move to altering contrast and saturation. This is the simplest approach and is just scratching the surface but it is a start.

I assume "DR" is DaVinci Resolve?

 

[James in the Desert]

I'm new to this color grading and am really confused as to what color settings to use in resolve. I shot some night footage with my M4P and the D-log M lut makes the video way too dark. I can't really find any settings that give a good result in resolve at all. I find a lot of incomplete and confusing info about this online. Please help.

Yes you will now have to learn about LUT seems overwhelming but not really as hard studying for the Part 107. I use Sky Grades by the Film Poet.

 

[SmilingOgre]

I assume "DR" is DaVinci Resolve?

Yes, Sorry, it's a lot to type out.

 

[SKT927]

I think you are probably using the DJI dlog "lut" provided in DR. This does not work for Dlog-M. The best tutorials on DR are provided by DR. There are at least two on color grading.

Using the color workspace and the waveform graph, adjust lift to where the bottom of the waveform is just above zero. Next go to gain and adjust until the waveform is at around 80. You can then use gama to get the midrange where you like it. From there you use offset to alter the overall exposure of the footage. This is the beginning of the color grading process, getting everything where you want it from black to white. If using this method you can achieve a reasonable image without it falling apart, you can move to altering contrast and saturation. This is the simplest approach and is just scratching the surface but it is a start.

I've tried the lut as well as using a color space transform. I've tried dlog-m without good results. Every color space that I have tried makes the night video so much darker and I can't get it brighter by adjusting the exposure. It makes it look awful. What settings would you use in the color space transform? Thanks in advance!

 

[SmilingOgre]

I've tried the lut as well as using a color space transform. I've tried dlog-m without good results. Every color space that I have tried makes the night video so much darker and I can't get it brighter by adjusting the exposure. It makes it look awful. What settings would you use in the color space transform? Thanks in advance!

I would not use a color space transform. I would however use DR managed color space, DR wide gamet intermediate and rec 709 2.4 final.

 

[Grandpa]

Good discussion here

Grading D-Log M in Resolve

I'm experimenting with the D-Log M format in the new Mini 4 Pro. I'm pretty new to log formats. I have tried a couple of different techniques in Davinci Resolve Studio. The first was to apply the D-Log M to REC.709 LUT from DJI's site. The second was to use a color space transform as shown...

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