D-Log: What is it and (why) should I use it?

[Skybuyer]

I have been drinking through 3 fire hoses at once since the pandemic, learning video editing for the first time in 35 years (since VHS), learning to fly a drone and learning to record and edit audio. A month ago I had never seen a drone in person and never did more with video than trim stuff from video clips from my phone. You guys are schooling me well but I have a ton more to learn. The Mini was a good starter drone and helped me understand where I need to go with it. So in rapid fire my M2P arrived today and I've done as much prep as I could before it arrived.

FWIW, my primary (only?) editing program that I've been learning has been DaVinci Resolve. I'm not sure what it can and can't handle. I know that I would need to Studio version for 10bit, but I don't have to worry about that until I can learn to fly, shoot and get basic editing under my fingers.

So what is D-Log and when should I be using it to shoot video? Are there any other modes I should be considering using that the M2P provides and under what conditions should I use those? TIA

 

[kevbac]

Welcome!


I really just learned a bit about D-log today.
The good - better dynamic range, bet detail in highlights and shadows. Once you apply some color grading, your videos can look better than they will if you let the drone manage colour for you.
The bad - you're going to need to learn about colour grading and LUTs.
The ugly - until you do your colour grading, the video will look VERY washed out.

I'm using cyberlink Power Director, mostly because I also have a Samsung 360 camera that kind of needs it to do the initial stitching.

 

[boblui]

..... I know that I would need to Studio version for 10bit .....

That's not true. The free version can handle 10 bit profiles ( DLog-M and HLG ).

So what is D-Log and when should I be using it to shoot video? Are there any other modes I should be considering using that the M2P provides and under what conditions should I use those?

Just search Youtube. There are tons of info there.

You may also check out this thread : Mavic 2 Pro Normal vs DLOG

 

[Dave Maine]

D-log is a low contrast video file designed to provide post processing flexibility under conditions of high scene contrast. For me, I find that the high dynamic range setting works better. A glance at the histogram while shooting will tell you if there is any advantage at all to using it. If the histogram doesn’t show clipping, there is no advantage to using d-log.

 

[Dale D]

I have been drinking through 3 fire hoses at once since the pandemic, learning video editing for the first time in 35 years (since VHS), learning to fly a drone and learning to record and edit audio. A month ago I had never seen a drone in person and never did more with video than trim stuff from video clips from my phone. You guys are schooling me well but I have a ton more to learn. The Mini was a good starter drone and helped me understand where I need to go with it. So in rapid fire my M2P arrived today and I've done as much prep as I could before it arrived.

FWIW, my primary (only?) editing program that I've been learning has been DaVinci Resolve. I'm not sure what it can and can't handle. I know that I would need to Studio version for 10bit, but I don't have to worry about that until I can learn to fly, shoot and get basic editing under my fingers.

So what is D-Log and when should I be using it to shoot video? Are there any other modes I should be considering using that the M2P provides and under what conditions should I use those? TIA

If I m not mistaken, I consider D-Log like shooting RAW files on my DSLR. E.g.: you have mire dynamic range,details, etc. If you should d-log you will always have to color correct the files. I Googled the term and came up with this screen shot. Lots of good videos out there dealing with this.

I know nothing about DaVinci but from this forum I have learned that it can handle most anything. I personally love Adobe Premiere Pro but is very expensive.
Dale
Miami

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

That's not true. The free version can handle 10 bit profiles ( DLog-M and HLG ).

My memory tells me that while the free DaVinci might handle 10-bits, it does not do H.265. And the M2P only produce 10-bit video in H.265 (also from memory).

 

[Skybuyer]

That's not true. The free version can handle 10 bit profiles ( DLog-M and HLG ).
Just search Youtube. There are tons of info there.
You may also check out this thread : Mavic 2 Pro Normal vs DLOG

Thanks. That is good to know. I 've been working with DaVinci Resolve these past weeks and know just enough to be dangerous.

I really just learned a bit about D-log today.
The good - better dynamic range, bet detail in highlights and shadows. Once you apply some color grading, your videos can look better than they will if you let the drone manage colour for you.
The bad - you're going to need to learn about colour grading and LUTs.
The ugly - until you do your colour grading, the video will look VERY washed out.

I'm using cyberlink Power Director, mostly because I also have a Samsung 360 camera that kind of needs it to do the initial stitching.

The good news on my part is that I've been doing color correction in Photoshop professionally for 25 years. Just like going from analog retouching to digital retouching, once you know WHAT to do, it's only a matter of learning tools to know how to do it. And while there are nuances and differences between color grading and still color correction I believe there are more similarities than differences. The last (and first) video piece I produced (for learning and practice) had 16 clips. I did color grading of some sort on 9 of them. I'm familiar with LUTS from back in the 90's when this digital stuff all got started. Thanks for the synopsis. Very helpful.

D-log is a low contrast video file designed to provide post processing flexibility under conditions of high scene contrast. For me, I find that the high dynamic range setting works better. A glance at the histogram while shooting will tell you if there is any advantage at all to using it. If the histogram doesn’t show clipping, there is no advantage to using d-log.

Very well put Dave. I had to think about your statement about the histogram and d-log for a bit to get what you were conveying. I can see how HDR might be helpful. In my photography work I'd much rather be a bit under exposed than over. So much easier to recover detail in shadows than in blown highlights. I'm not sure how HDR works in video yet and have had my M2P for .5 days.

I went through the settings this morning at home and still have many questions about adjusting settings. At this moment I've programmed the C1 and C2 buttons... but for the life of me I can't remember what C1 is :0. Gonna go fly in the park now to see what this thing can do. I confess I'm a bit nervous. It's way more drone than the Mini.

 

[MavPro72]

For D-Log, you should over expose, by a good two stops. Actually go as far out til you completely blow out your highlights, then just bring it back a little. Then in post, just apply a LUT (Leeming does a specific D-Log to 709) to bring it back to REC709. rec709 is standard, as in what you're probably looking at now, on a laptop / TV etc.... After getting yourself to REC709 in post, then you can add a creative LUT, if that's a look you're going for. I use Premiere as it handles the 10-bit H-265. Mostly at ease, if you have a decent enough PC. The idea of all LOG footage is so that you can not blow out your highlights. Luckily for DJI its 10-bit. You should never use LOG in 8-bit as it completely falls apart very quickly.

Now there are some downsides to LOG.. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.. You will introduce more noise, as you're upping the exposure into your blacks. While bringing it back using levels and contrast will fix most, its still never going to be 100%. But being 10-bit helps. And then the only other downside is the extra work 'ish..... If you wanna call adding an adjustment layer and Log to 709 LUT extra work, that is.. But do expect to play around with colors a little, those log to 709 luts are not always perfect. So with that in mind, try it, play with both a standard profile and d-log, and if you're anything like me, you'll probably end up being satisfied with the standard.

 

[Skybuyer]

For D-Log, you should over expose, by a good two stops. Actually go as far out til you completely blow out your highlights, then just bring it back a little. Then in post, just apply a LUT (Leeming does a specific D-Log to 709) to bring it back to REC709. rec709 is standard, as in what you're probably looking at now, on a laptop / TV etc.... After getting yourself to REC709 in post, then you can add a creative LUT, if that's a look you're going for. I use Premiere as it handles the 10-bit H-265. Mostly at ease, if you have a decent enough PC. The idea of all LOG footage is so that you can not blow out your highlights. Luckily for DJI its 10-bit. You should never use LOG in 8-bit as it completely falls apart very quickly.

Now there are some downsides to LOG.. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.. You will introduce more noise, as you're upping the exposure into your blacks. While bringing it back using levels and contrast will fix most, its still never going to be 100%. But being 10-bit helps. And then the only other downside is the extra work 'ish..... If you wanna call adding an adjustment layer and Log to 709 LUT extra work, that is.. But do expect to play around with colors a little, those log to 709 luts are not always perfect. So with that in mind, try it, play with both a standard profile and d-log, and if you're anything like me, you'll probably end up being satisfied with the standard.

That was very helpful. I'm pretty adept at reading histograms. Getting a handle on the controls is where I'm trying to figure out and will have some ND filters in a few days to possibly help. I've not delved into LUTs but will need to see what is available for DaVinci Resolve and how to install and use them. So much to learn. Thanks.

 

[kevbac]

Thanks. That is good to know. I 've been working with DaVinci Resolve these past weeks and know just enough to be dangerous.


The good news on my part is that I've been doing color correction in Photoshop professionally for 25 years. Just like going from analog retouching to digital retouching, once you know WHAT to do, it's only a matter of learning tools to know how to do it. And while there are nuances and differences between color grading and still color correction I believe there are more similarities than differences. The last (and first) video piece I produced (for learning and practice) had 16 clips. I did color grading of some sort on 9 of them. I'm familiar with LUTS from back in the 90's when this digital stuff all got started. Thanks for the synopsis. Very helpful.





Very well put Dave. I had to think about your statement about the histogram and d-log for a bit to get what you were conveying. I can see how HDR might be helpful. In my photography work I'd much rather be a bit under exposed than over. So much easier to recover detail in shadows than in blown highlights. I'm not sure how HDR works in video yet and have had my M2P for .5 days.

I went through the settings this morning at home and still have many questions about adjusting settings. At this moment I've programmed the C1 and C2 buttons... but for the life of me I can't remember what C1 is :0. Gonna go fly in the park now to see what this thing can do. I confess I'm a bit nervous. It's way more drone than the Mini.

Looking at what Dave said... Think 'expose to the right' in still photography - Adjust exposure until you just start to get clipping, then back off about 1/3 of a stop (or 1/2 if that's all your camera will allow). The images will look terrible in the camera, but you'll maximize your dynamic range without going into HDR.

It's all about getting the maximum amount of useable data.

 

[Pablo]

Yes, expose to the right (ETTR) not over-expose by two stops. That seems like a crazy rule and definitely wouldn't work in all scenarios. Expose until you nearly hit the right side of the histogram. Any further than that and even with D-Log you'll struggle to recover the highlights in post.

Also disagree that you only need D-Log for high dynamic range situations. D-LOG gives you a blank canvas and consistency. If you shot some of your clips in D-LOG and some in standard you'll struggle to make the colours match in post as the post-processing DJI on the standard can be quite oversaturated. Having D-Log footage allows you to grade it how you want.

 

[Pablo]

This was me at 44 seconds messing up ETTR. I overexposed the sky too much (it's difficult shooting straight into the sun). Even after grading it the reflection of the sky on the lake is blown out:

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It's a shame as it was a god shot otherwise (which is why I kept it in), but I wish I had underexposed it even more when I shot it. At least with D-Log I was able to recover some of the highlights and make it a usable clip.

 

[GFields]

Greetings! thanks for sharing!