Mastin Labs Video LUTs for Premiere, Final Cut, and DaVinci Resolve
So, you’re interested in LUTs (Lookup Tables) for video editing? There are plenty of reasons why that might be, whether you’re a wedding photographer thinking about getting into videography, or you’ve been shooting creative film for years.
In the past, all videos were made on actual film stock. Similar to film photography, these films offered a certain look and style. Filmmakers would purchase a specific type or brand of film in order to achieve the desired look.
As with many things, the digital world has drastically changed the way we shoot video. Now, we can manipulate the look and feel of a video in post-processing. There are many benefits to this, but it also means a few extra steps must be taken to get that classic, cinematic film look that many videographers desire. And we can’t blame them—after all, we love the look of film!
One of those steps is color grading, which has an important impact on the resulting look and feel of your video. But color grading is a challenging skill that can take years to master.
In this blog, we’re going to dish out the important information you need to know about Mastin Labs video LUTs for Premiere Pro by Adobe, Final Cut Pro by Apple, and DaVinci Resolve by Blackmagic Design. But first, let’s dive into some common questions about LUTs.
What is a LUT?
LUT stands for Lookup Table. In the broader sense of the term, Lookup Tables are shortcuts that take input data and transform it into the desired output data. Phew!
To put it more simply and in terms of video editing and color grading, LUT profiles are similar to presets, but for video footage. They are used to adjust the colors and overall vibe of a video with (hopefully) just a few clicks.
Essentially, the LUT is the difference between the source data and the result you want to achieve. The LUT does this work for you to save you time. And who doesn’t want to spend more time shooting and less time behind the computer?
What is Color Grading and Why is Color Grading Important?
Color grading is a process used to change the appearance of a video and may involve altering the color, saturation, detail, contrast, and so on.
Color grading is an essential part of post-processing for digital videos. Think of it like editing RAW images. RAW images take in so much data that they tend to look washed out until the photographer edits them and decides how they want it to look and which parts of the data to pull out of the image.
Similar to RAW images, without color grading, digital film is likely to look washed out and lack overall appeal. With the help of color grading, you can decide what you want your video to look like, which affects the overall tone and feel of the film.
What are the Benefits of Using LUTs?
There are several benefits of using video LUTs:
- Get into videography without having to spend years practicing color grading.
- Save time on editing and spend less time behind your computer.
- Achieve a more cinematic look, and a specific look and feel for your film.
- Achieve a more consistent look across different clips and footage (with Mastin Labs LUTs, you can even achieve consistent looks across footage from different cameras).
- Find a starting point for your own unique style.
- In the case of Mastin Labs LUTs, achieve a consistent look across your photos and videos since they go hand-in-hand with our presets (great for weddings where you’re offering both!).
Mastin Labs Video LUTs
Mastin Labs spent years developing video LUTs that are easier to use and more effective than many other products on the market. Have you ever tried some of the free LUTs you can find out there, but didn’t get the results you were hoping for? If you’re nodding your head, you’re definitely not alone—we heard this feedback many times and decided to build something different.
So, what makes Mastin Labs LUTs different?
Camera Profile Standardization
Our LUTs are standardized across a variety of cameras and settings, so you can achieve a consistent look no matter what gear you’re shooting with. This is especially helpful in situations where there are multiple cameras being used in the creation of a video.
Have a second videographer at your wedding? Capturing multiple angles? No problem!
Camera Brands Supported by Mastin Labs LUTs:
Picture Profiles Supported by Mastin Labs LUTs:
- Canon Standard
- C-Log
- C-Log2
- C-Log3
- Blackmagic Design Film
- DJI D-Log
- Eterna Cinema
- F-Log
- Provia Standard
- Nikon Standard
- N-Log
- Nikon Flat
- Nikon Neutral
- Panasonic
- V-Log
- REDLogFILM
- Sony Standard
- Cine4
- HLG3
- S-Log
- S-Log2
- S-Log3
The Mastin Labs 3-Step Workflow for Video LUTs
When it comes to editing video with Mastin Labs LUTs, we recommend a similar 3-Step Workflow to what we teach when editing with our Lightroom Presets and Capture One Styles.
Usually, it’s important to color correct a clip before applying the LUT profile. Color correction is the process of altering video to correct any underlying issues and make it appear more accurate to reality—for example, if it’s underexposed or the white balance is off.
Color grading would come afterwards, and is what takes the editing process a step further by adding a mood or tone to the film. Like we mentioned before, this is what LUTs do.
With Mastin Labs, a lot of this legwork is done within the LUT. So instead of spending a bunch of time color correcting in the beginning, you can start by applying the LUT and then simply adjust the exposure, white balance, and tint as needed.
Of course, sometimes some other tweaks and corrections are needed—but this is the general idea, and it’s designed to make video editing easy and accessible.
Mastin Labs Lookup Tables Video Editing Softwares
Mastin Labs LUTs are available on three different video editing programs: Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve.
Once purchased, they can be used across any of these three editing softwares.
When you make your purchase, you will also receive an instructional video about how to install the LUTs and a walk-through of how to use them.
Here are a few distinguishing features and important things to know about each of the video editing softwares.
Mastin Labs LUTs for DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve by Blackmagic Design is an excellent video editing software. Something we really love about it is that we were able to build a special Power Grading System into the LUTs, which allows the user to more easily adjust exposure and tonal contrast within the power grade itself.
This is done in a very gentle, natural way. There is a dedicated path to adjust the settings that is very clear and easy to understand. It offers an impressive level of tonal and contrast control that isn’t available in the other programs.
Mastin Labs LUTs for Premiere Pro by Adobe
Instead of a Power Grade, the Adobe Premiere Pro LUTs use a Preset System. Unsurprisingly, this is more similar to a Lightroom workflow. So, if you’re used to Lightroom, this should be an easier learning curve!
When using Premiere, the LUTs are saved as presets, and the preset contains the LUT inside. One thing to be aware of is NOT to layer the LUTs. While some softwares will automatically remove the old layer when a new one is added, Premiere does not. And this can lead to a rather strange look. (imagine layering one preset on top of another).
Mastin Labs LUTs for Final Cut Pro (FCP)
Final Cut Pro LUTs can be found in the effects panel.
First, choose the correct camera. Then, custom LUTs will be placed in the “Video Inspector”. Final Cut Pro also uses color wheels to adjust the colors, shadows, highlights, brightness, saturation, and so on.
Final Cut is only available on Apple devices.
Start Editing Video with Ease
Ready to start producing beautiful, cinematic films in less time? Shop Mastin Labs Video LUTs here! Choose from Portra LUTs, Fuji LUTs, or Adventure Everyday LUTs.
If you have questions or would like to share your work, we encourage you to join the Mastin Labs Facebook Community. We love hearing your feedback and seeing the amazing things you create!
