If you’ve been searching what is a LUT in video, here’s the short answer: a LUT (Look-Up Table) is a file that remaps the colors and tones in your footage from one set of values to another. It’s a mathematical instruction set — when your software sees input color value X, it outputs color value Y. That’s it. No magic, just math applied consistently across every pixel in every frame.
LUT Definition: What a Look-Up Table Actually Does
A LUT is a pre-calculated color transformation stored in a small file — most commonly a .cube file, though .3dl and .lut formats also exist. When you apply it to a clip, your editing software reads every RGB value in the image and maps it to a new RGB value defined by the LUT. The result is an instant, repeatable color change applied uniformly across your entire timeline.
There are two main categories:
- Technical LUTs — used to convert log footage (like S-Log3 or Log-C) to a standard viewing color space like Rec. 709. These aren’t creative tools; they’re calibration tools.
- Creative LUTs — applied on top of corrected footage to add a specific look: film grain emulation, teal-and-orange contrast, bleach bypass, cinematic color grades. These are what most people mean when they talk about buying or downloading LUTs.
The file itself is tiny — typically 1–5 KB for a 33-point cube LUT. What matters isn’t the file size, it’s the quality of the math inside it.
Key Color Grading Terms You Need to Know
LUTs don’t exist in isolation. To use them correctly, you need to understand the vocabulary around them.
Log Footage
Log is a gamma curve used during recording that preserves more dynamic range than standard profiles. Instead of recording a punchy, contrasty image, your camera records a flat, desaturated image that holds detail in both shadows and highlights. Common log formats include:
- S-Log2 / S-Log3 — Sony (used in cameras like the FX3, A7S III, FX6)
- Log-C / Log-C3 — ARRI
- C-Log / C-Log3 — Canon (R5, R6)
- V-Log — Panasonic (GH7)
- BRAW — Blackmagic RAW (Pyxis, Pocket Cinema Camera)
Log footage looks washed out straight out of the camera. That’s intentional — it gives you maximum latitude in post. A technical LUT converts this flat image back to a viewable color space.
Color Space
A color space defines the range of colors a device can capture, display, or process. The most common ones you’ll encounter:
- Rec. 709 — standard for HD video, used by most monitors and YouTube delivery
- Rec. 2020 — wider gamut used for HDR content
- DCI-P3 — cinema projector standard, wider than Rec. 709
- S-Gamut3 / S-Gamut3.Cine — Sony’s wide-gamut capture color spaces
- ACES — Academy Color Encoding System, used in high-end VFX and film pipelines
When you apply a LUT, it has to match the input color space of your footage. Apply a S-Log3 LUT to C-Log3 footage and the result will look wrong — the math doesn’t match.
.cube File
The .cube format is the industry standard for LUT distribution, developed by Adobe. It’s a plain text file containing a 3D grid of input-to-output color mappings. A 33-point cube (33x33x33 grid = 35,937 data points) offers enough precision for most color grading work. A 65-point cube is more precise but overkill for most creative applications. Every major NLE — DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro — supports .cube files natively.
Gamma
Gamma describes how brightness values are encoded and decoded. Linear gamma (1.0) means the signal directly represents luminance. Log gamma uses a curve to compress the highlights and lift the shadows, preserving more dynamic range. When you see S-Log3 or V-Log, the “log” part refers to this gamma encoding. Your technical LUT corrects the gamma back to something your monitor can display correctly.
Dynamic Range
Dynamic range is the difference between the darkest and brightest detail a camera can capture simultaneously, measured in stops. A smartphone might capture 10–11 stops. A Sony FX3 in S-Log3 captures around 15+ stops. More dynamic range means more room to grade in post without losing detail in skies or shadows.
Nodes (DaVinci Resolve)
In DaVinci Resolve, a node is a processing block in the color pipeline. Each node applies one operation — exposure, saturation, a LUT, a curve adjustment. Nodes are non-destructive and connect in sequence, giving you full control over the order of operations. LUTs in Resolve are typically applied as a node, often using the Color Space Transform or a dedicated LUT node. If you work in Resolve, you’ll also want to understand how PowerGrades differ from LUTs — they use the full node tree rather than a single transformation.
Powergrade
A PowerGrade is a complete color grade saved as a DaVinci Resolve Gallery Still — it includes the entire node structure, not just a single color transformation. Where a LUT is one instruction, a PowerGrade can contain 10+ nodes covering noise reduction, color space conversion, creative grading, and output sharpening. PowerGrades are Resolve-exclusive. If you’re working in Premiere or Final Cut, LUTs are your option.
Color Correction vs Color Grading
These two terms get mixed up constantly. Color correction is technical: fixing exposure, white balance, and making your footage match across shots. Color grading is creative: shaping the mood, tone, and look of the image. In a professional workflow, you correct first, then grade. Applying a creative LUT to uncorrected footage is one of the most common mistakes beginners make — your results will be inconsistent shot to shot.
Output Transform / Finishing LUT
After grading, you need to convert your image to the delivery color space. An output transform or finishing LUT handles this — it takes your graded image (often still in a log or wide-gamut space) and maps it to Rec. 709 for web delivery, or DCI-P3 for cinema. Applying a finishing LUT incorrectly — for example, before your creative grade instead of after — will clip highlights and destroy your grade. Order of operations matters.
1D LUT vs 3D LUT
A 1D LUT maps input values to output values along a single axis — it can adjust brightness and contrast, but it treats red, green, and blue channels independently. A 3D LUT maps values across all three channels simultaneously in a three-dimensional grid, which means it can alter hue and saturation relationships, not just luminance. Creative LUTs are always 3D LUTs. 1D LUTs are used for simple gamma corrections.
How LUTs Fit Into a Real Color Grading Workflow
Here’s how a standard node-based workflow looks in DaVinci Resolve with log footage:
- Node 1 — Color space conversion: Apply a technical LUT or CST (Color Space Transform) to bring your S-Log3 footage into Rec. 709 or your working color space.
- Node 2 — Color correction: Fix exposure, white balance, and match shots. This is where you make everything consistent before any creative decisions.
- Node 3 — Creative grade: Apply your creative LUT or start shaping the image manually with curves, color wheels, and qualifiers.
- Node 4 — Output / finishing: Apply any final output transform or finishing LUT for your delivery spec.
In Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro, the workflow is less node-based, but the principle is the same: technical correction first, creative grade second. You can follow a step-by-step guide for applying LUTs in DaVinci Resolve if you’re just getting started with the application process.
When to Use a LUT — and When Not To
Use a LUT when:
- You need a fast, consistent starting point across a multi-camera shoot
- You’re working with log footage and need a technical conversion
- You want to match a specific cinematic look without building it from scratch
- You’re delivering multiple projects with the same brand aesthetic
Don’t use a LUT when:
- Your footage isn’t properly exposed — a LUT won’t fix a blown-out sky or crushed blacks
- You haven’t done color correction first — mismatched white balance makes a LUT look inconsistent
- The LUT was built for a different camera or log profile than what you shot on — input mismatch produces unpredictable results
- You’re applying a creative LUT at full strength (100%) without adjustment — most creative LUTs are starting points, not finished grades. Reduce opacity to 60–85% and adjust to taste.
Browse the full Cine Source LUT library to find camera-specific LUTs built for the exact log profile and color space of your camera — that’s the fastest way to get predictable, professional results.
LUT vs PowerGrade: The Key Difference
A LUT is a single, baked transformation — it applies one color mapping, universally, with no awareness of your specific shot. A PowerGrade is a full DaVinci Resolve grade with multiple nodes, each doing a specific job. PowerGrades are more flexible, more adaptable, and typically produce better results on challenging footage. But they only work in Resolve. See a full comparison of PowerGrades vs LUTs if you’re deciding which format makes sense for your workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a LUT in video editing?
A LUT (Look-Up Table) is a file that remaps the color and tone values in your video footage. When applied in software like DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, or Final Cut Pro, it reads every RGB value in your image and outputs a new RGB value — changing the look of your footage instantly. LUTs come in two types: technical (for log-to-Rec.709 conversion) and creative (for adding a cinematic look or film emulation).
What is the difference between a technical LUT and a creative LUT?
A technical LUT converts log footage (like S-Log3 or C-Log3) to a standard viewing color space such as Rec. 709 — it’s a calibration tool, not a style choice. A creative LUT adds a specific visual look on top of already-corrected footage: film tones, color contrast shifts, or a particular cinematic palette. In a professional workflow, you apply the technical LUT first, correct your exposure and white balance, then apply the creative LUT.
Can I use a LUT on any camera footage?
Only if the LUT matches the input color space and gamma curve of your footage. A LUT built for Sony S-Log3 footage will produce incorrect results if you apply it to Canon C-Log3 or standard Rec. 709 footage. Always check which camera profile and log format a LUT was designed for before applying it. Camera-specific LUTs — built for your exact model and log profile — give the most accurate and predictable results.
What is a .cube file?
A .cube file is the standard file format for LUTs, developed by Adobe. It’s a small text file that contains a 3D grid of input-to-output color values. Most .cube LUTs are 33-point (33x33x33 data points), which is more than enough precision for creative color grading. DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro all import .cube files natively — no plugins required.
What is the difference between a LUT and a PowerGrade?
A LUT is a single color transformation — one file, one operation. A PowerGrade is a full multi-node color grade saved in DaVinci Resolve’s Gallery format, which can include separate nodes for color space conversion, exposure correction, creative grading, and output transforms. PowerGrades are more flexible and adaptable than LUTs but only work inside DaVinci Resolve. If you use Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro, LUTs are the right format for you.
