Mini 3 LUT's and Color Grading?

[By-tor]

I have been using DaVinci Resolve 18 (free version) for 2-3 weeks (not long) and trying to get my head around color grading my files, but really having a time of it and seems to have a steep learning curve. I have been recording in D-cinelike, but finding the right LUT or grading technique has not been easy.

Can anyone recommend LUTs for use with the Mini 3 Pro footage or even a good (easy to follow) tutorial for manual color grading for beginners?

Thank you
Mark

 

[DiscoverSpain]

I have been using DaVinci Resolve 18 (free version) for 2-3 weeks (not long) and trying to get my head around color grading my files, but really having a time of it and seems to have a steep learning curve. I have been recording in D-cinelike, but finding the right LUT or grading technique has not been easy.

Can anyone recommend LUTs for use with the Mini 3 Pro footage or even a good (easy to follow) tutorial for manual color grading for beginners?

Thank you
Mark

Sorry, but no LUT is going to do colour grading perfectly for you, they are an aid, a starting point. My advice, before applying a LUT, is to set all clips to the same level of luminance and chrominance. This is explained here: https://documents.blackmagicdesign.com/UserManuals/DaVinci-Resolve-17-Colorist-Guide.pdf

This video has a lot of good comments. Give it a try:

Good luck!

 

[By-tor]

Thank you

 

[By-tor]

Setting the same level of luminance and chrominance is not available in the free version.

This video is a lot to take in and saved the link for referencing while working in DaVinci.

Thanks again

 

[Robert Prior]

I bought these and am very happy with them.

I actually use them mostly with stills, using Affinity Photo.

I'm a fan of Stewart and Alina, so here are some useful tutorials — not for 'here is what this control does', but more for 'this is what you want to do this'.

 

[DiscoverSpain]

Setting the same level of luminance and chrominance is not available in the free version.

I assume you mean that there is no automatic way to do this. I have the paid version and I do it by hand, the automatic way doesn't usually work very well.

This video is a lot to take in and saved the link for referencing while working in DaVinci.

Thanks again

You're welcome!

 

[waynorth]

Have a look at this video, from Filmmaker Central:

Da Vinci has a tool called Colour Space Transform, and he recommends to use it instead of using LUT's. And he explains why it is easier and a timesaver to use it.

 

[DiscoverSpain]

Have a look at this video, from Filmmaker Central:

Da Vinci has a tool called Colour Space Transform, and he recommends to use it instead of using LUT's. And he explains why it is easier and a timesaver to use it.

That could work fine for known colour spaces as Panasonic V-Log, Canon Log, ...etc. or indeed Phantom D -Log (using DJI D-Log colour space) but what's the source / input colour space for clips shoot with a Mini 3 Pro in D-Cinelike?

 

[Dave Maine]

Having been editing video for years, my experience is that there are no effective LUTS or automatic tools for setting up color balance and luminosity. You are far better off learning how to interpret the video scopes and practicing using the image adjustment tools to get what you want.

 

[DiscoverSpain]

Having been editing video for years, my experience is that there are no effective LUTS or automatic tools for setting up color balance and luminosity. You are far better off learning how to interpret the video scopes and practicing using the image adjustment tools to get what you want.

I completely agree and I can even quote myself in my first reply:

Sorry, but no LUT is going to do colour grading perfectly for you, they are an aid, a starting point. My advice, before applying a LUT, is to set all clips to the same level of luminance and chrominance.

 

[Dave Maine]

We have a consensus here, which I think can be expanded to a lot more people, saving those that haven't discovered the same from a lot of time wasted and frustrating results.

This question gets deeper very quickly as color correction of the editing monitor, the re-encoding of both VIMEO and YouTube of the work, and the state of both the video and audio distortion on the end user's device tablet, phone, or PC.

 

[By-tor]

Have a look at this video, from Filmmaker Central:

Da Vinci has a tool called Colour Space Transform, and he recommends to use it instead of using LUT's. And he explains why it is easier and a timesaver to use it.

I tried the D Gamut he recommended for D-cinelike files and it doesn't look bad at all. (to my eyes)

Thanks