Video editing and D-log profile ?

[BrianA]

I am an advanced amateur photographer and can comfortably edit stills. However, when it comes to video and editing, I have no clue as I don't usually do any videoing. Can someone tell me what a decent video editor is and how D-log plays into all of it? I have seen the differences in the color saturation when switching between normal and D-log but not sure what it all means. Thanks for any guidance here.

 

[Saladshooter]

I am an advanced amateur photographer and can comfortably edit stills. However, when it comes to video and editing, I have no clue as I don't usually do any videoing. Can someone tell me what a decent video editor is and how D-log plays into all of it? I have seen the differences in the color saturation when switching between normal and D-log but not sure what it all means. Thanks for any guidance here.

DaVinci Resolve is a great video editor. Its free for the amateur even though it is used widely by the professional community. There is a paid version with a few more features but probably nothing extra that you would need.

Whether or not you use D-LOG or not depends on what you want to get out of your footage. The Air 2s outputs a pretty good video image without major color correction using the Normal mode. So if your goal is to just make quick decent looking videos you can avoid using LOG and just make some basic changes in exposure, contrast and color when using the video editor.

D-LOG is a 10-bit, flat color profile somewhat like photo RAW. It will give you the maximum dynamic range and ability to change parameters of your video in post. D-LOG's 10-bit color gives you access to over a billion colors vs about 16 million for Normal's 8-bit color for more nuance in complex parts of your videos.

The big downside of LOG is that it requires time and knowledge to make the most of it. The image that comes out of camera is desaturated and ugly until you work magic on it through the editor.

 

[Squidinc]

I agree with @Saladshooter comments regarding D-Log. Whilst Davinci Resolve is a magnificent free software editor it does have a fairly steep learning curve in my opinion. If you happen to be a Mac user like myself, then you can’t go past Final Cut Pro for video editing. It will set you back circa AU$300 for a lifetime license. You can also get a 90 day free trial period initially, to see if it’s right for your needs. Well worth considering.

 

[Saladshooter]

I agree with @Saladshooter comments regarding D-Log. Whilst Davinci Resolve is a magnificent free software editor it does have a fairly steep learning curve in my opinion. If you happen to be a Mac user like myself, then you can’t go past Final Cut Pro for video editing. It will set you back circa AU$300 for a lifetime license. You can also get a 90 day free trial period initially, to see if it’s right for your needs. Well worth considering.

Everyone will have their own opinion about which video editor to use and which is easier. Davinci Resolve is very easy for me to use.... its extremely powerful but you only need to use a small part of it to make videos pop. Adobe Premier is excellent as well. I had trouble using Final Cut Pro but it's because the workflow is radically different than the other two kings of editing not because its bad. With any of these programs, follow a Youtube tutorial to color correct and edit your first few videos.

If you own a Mac and don't care about LOG, iMovie is built in, free and easy to use also.

 

[CorralesDan]

Another vote for Davinci Resolve. I have the paid version, but as said before the free version will do all you need. Check out the Youtube videos of a guy named Casey Faris. You can find a lot of good information about basic color correction in his tutorials.

 

[sduck]

I use Final Cut Pro, and have for many years - it's fast, powerful and reliable. And yes, has a learning curve, as all of these do. I'm sure Resolve, Premiere, etc are fine too, pick one and learn it. I got started with iMovie some 20 years ago, so upgrading to Final Cut Pro 10 years ago was easy.

Working with D-Log is relatively easy in FCP for basic results - just drop the free LUT that you can download on DJI download section onto your footage in the timeline, see if you like it, and then fine tune colors from there if you want. The exact steps to make this work are easily findable on google or youtube. Once you set it up once it'll be easy afterwards.

 

[BrianA]

Thanks for all the info. I think I have Premier Pro CS6 but have never really used it much. I will also try the Divinci Resolve. I need to get used to the post process for video before I finally get to travel overseas. Thanks everyone for the the great replies.

 

[MS Coast]

If you decide to go with the paid version of Resolve, check out the package with the Speed Editor. It's a separate small keyboard with a jog wheel that makes editing much easier and faster. The Speed Editor package is only about $25 more than the software itself.

 

[LenSavage]

I am Part 107 and I shoot for film & TV and here's a video I share with people who ask about color grading with LOG footage and LUTs (look-up tables):

LUTs are a starting point to explore a broad variety of looks / settings that can be applied. Once you apply a LUT you can go in and adjust to your needs - and save it as your own to apply to other takes/clips in the project. In film, the color look adds to and effects the emotional feel of a segment.
Imagine a film that starts happy; establishing character(s), location and more and its lots of bright color. Something bad happens and the color goes pretty flat and dark to reflect the mood.
If your video has bright happy color and down-beat music or the opposite then something will just feel odd and confusing.

 

[VinceEdward]

I am Part 107 and I shoot for film & TV and here's a video I share with people who ask about color grading with LOG footage and LUTs (look-up tables):

LUTs are a starting point to explore a broad variety of looks / settings that can be applied. Once you apply a LUT you can go in and adjust to your needs - and save it as your own to apply to other takes/clips in the project. In film, the color look adds to and effects the emotional feel of a segment.
Imagine a film that starts happy; establishing character(s), location and more and its lots of bright color. Something bad happens and the color goes pretty flat and dark to reflect the mood.
If your video has bright happy color and down-beat music or the opposite then something will just feel odd and confusing.

Are these LUTs you use for d-log footage or a collection of your own looks?

 

[LenSavage]

Except for the one; Custom by Len (that's me) these are all included in the Lumetri Color panel which is the color grading interface built inside of Premiere Pro. Using the Lumetri Color panel, you can approach color adjustments in a multitude of ways without leaving your current project.
If you Google 'LUTs' you'll find a multitude offered by individuals for free and others; companies for a price.
In Premiere (or maybe other editor packages) Just drag Lumetri to a clip, then in the edit panel, you'll see all of the controls including a pull-down with LUTs which you can step through to choose then tweek to your own vision. I assume that editors other than Premiere / Lumetri have a color panel with the ability to use LUTs.
You can also apply LUTs or do custom color adjustments to footage NOT shot in LOG, but it will have less ability to 'push' the compressed colors.
It's as easy a drag 'n drop a LUT or as complex as a deep dive into the details.
To learn a lot more, watch this:

 

[VinceEdward]

Except for the one; Custom by Len (that's me) these are all included in the Lumetri Color panel which is the color grading interface built inside of Premiere Pro. Using the Lumetri Color panel, you can approach color adjustments in a multitude of ways without leaving your current project.
If you Google 'LUTs' you'll find a multitude offered by individuals for free and others; companies for a price.
In Premiere (or maybe other editor packages) Just drag Lumetri to a clip, then in the edit panel, you'll see all of the controls including a pull-down with LUTs which you can step through to choose then tweek to your own vision. I assume that editors other than Premiere / Lumetri have a color panel with the ability to use LUTs.
You can also apply LUTs or do custom color adjustments to footage NOT shot in LOG, but it will have less ability to 'push' the compressed colors.
It's as easy a drag 'n drop a LUT or as complex as a deep dive into the details.
To learn a lot more, watch this:

Thank you! I do my work in FCP so was not familiar with the built-in options in Premiere. Could never get myself comfortable with the Premiere workspace.

 

[LenSavage]

FCPX does provide several built-in LUTs in the Inspector under Log Processing—including ARRI LOG C, Blackmagic Design Film, Blackmagic Design 4K, Canon Log, Sony S-Log2 and Sony S-Log3.
If you are not using any of the cameras listed - no problem. Notice in my video that the first LUT used is for the ARRI Alexa camera. Ignore the camera name and try a few just to use as a start point.
Not sure, but you should be able to do everything I described in FCP.

 

[Dan AISCF]

Welcome BrianA to the video editing and color grading free-time evaporator, lol. What a wonderful world it is! Just to add my little .02 to the discussion, as many have said DaVinci Resolve 17 is great, not only for video editing but for those really interested in color grading. I started out a few years ago with Davinci after using Filmora (ugh), FCPX and Premiere. I latched on to DR as I really liked the grading power, although up to that point never really did any.

Whatever editor you choose, having a decent set of LUTs is going to help greatly. Something that I began using last year was a plugin for DaVinci (I think it melds well with FCPX and Premier as well) called CinemaGrade (I'm not affiliated with them, just love their product). It has a lightroom-like interface (and target focused interface) that allows you to quickly target all aspects of your film and grade. My workflow time has been cut in half using CinemaGrade and Sony and Mavic-specific Rec 709 LUTs from Buttery.

I hope you enjoy the 10bit color grading and editing world. It's really fun stuff...

 

[MS Coast]

"video editing and color grading free-time evaporator,"

That's the most descriptive and appropriate phrase I've read in quite a while. I've just added an Insta360 camera into the mix, so the free-time evaporator is running at full throttle.

 

[VinceEdward]

Welcome BrianA to the video editing and color grading free-time evaporator, lol. What a wonderful world it is! Just to add my little .02 to the discussion, as many have said DaVinci Resolve 17 is great, not only for video editing but for those really interested in color grading. I started out a few years ago with Davinci after using Filmora (ugh), FCPX and Premiere. I latched on to DR as I really liked the grading power, although up to that point never really did any.

Whatever editor you choose, having a decent set of LUTs is going to help greatly. Something that I began using last year was a plugin for DaVinci (I think it melds well with FCPX and Premier as well) called CinemaGrade (I'm not affiliated with them, just love their product). It has a lightroom-like interface (and target focused interface) that allows you to quickly target all aspects of your film and grade. My workflow time has been cut in half using CinemaGrade and Sony and Mavic-specific Rec 709 LUTs from Buttery.

I hope you enjoy the 10bit color grading and editing world. It's really fun stuff...

Thanks for sharing the link to Buttery. What’s your experience been like with them on Sony footage? They look nice on the site, but I’m wary of anyone claiming their LUTs to be quite so “set it and forget it.” Looking for a way to unify Air 2s and A7IV footage.

 

[Dan AISCF]

Thanks for sharing the link to Buttery. What’s your experience been like with them on Sony footage? They look nice on the site, but I’m wary of anyone claiming their LUTs to be quite so “set it and forget it.” Looking for a way to unify Air 2s and A7IV footage.

They actually are pretty good. We shoot with an a6300 and I use them on many of our shoots. I apply it in CinemaGrade prior to doing any color-correcting, then I tweak everything. When I use DaVinci for color grading I don't use any LUTs. If we have a job where we do ground work and drone, I use them, example below - Shot with Air2S and a6300 w/ GMaster 18-105 (Used Rec 709 Sony LUT and Rec 709 Mavic LUT):

 

[Six Demon Bag]

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, but it's germane to the question I have.

I currently use and have been using Wondershare Filmora for years for my video needs and it's been quite good. I see everyone using Davinci Resolve. Has anyone used both and can tell me the difference and if it's worth switching?

Filmora is limited on a couple of things, but I suspect Davinci is limited on things as well. So far I haven't run into anything on Filmora that I use that's limited and I would hate to both invest time and money into a new platform for editing if it's not going to give me many benefits over my current workflow.

If anyone has experience with both, I would love to hear your thoughts. I know Dan said he used Filmora in the past, so what he didn't like about it I would like to hear.

 

[RealSting]

DaVinci Resolve is a great video editor. Its free for the amateur even though it is used widely by the professional community. There is a paid version with a few more features but probably nothing extra that you would need.

Whether or not you use D-LOG or not depends on what you want to get out of your footage. The Air 2s outputs a pretty good video image without major color correction using the Normal mode. So if your goal is to just make quick decent looking videos you can avoid using LOG and just make some basic changes in exposure, contrast and color when using the video editor.

D-LOG is a 10-bit, flat color profile somewhat like photo RAW. It will give you the maximum dynamic range and ability to change parameters of your video in post. D-LOG's 10-bit color gives you access to over a billion colors vs about 16 million for Normal's 8-bit color for more nuance in complex parts of your videos.

The big downside of LOG is that it requires time and knowledge to make the most of it. The image that comes out of camera is desaturated and ugly until you work magic on it through the editor.

With Normal mode on the A2S you get a nice looking image. With D-Log, you get nice looking image with emotion. If you learn to grade, you’ll get the latter!

 

[ThatBeardedDroneGuy]

Filmora is limited on a couple of things, but I suspect Davinci is limited on things as well. So far I haven't run into anything on Filmora that I use that's limited and I would hate to both invest time and money into a new platform for editing if it's not going to give me many benefits over my current workflow.

What limitations have you found? I've been using Filmora to help some friends with a YT channel but it's basic splicing, trimming, etc. Less cinematic and more cuts to disparate scenes.

I've actually been looking at some FCP videos that make me wish Filmora did some things (e.g. setting in/out points on a clip).