A little while ago, Sony released the latest firmware for the F5 & F55 cameras, as well as the AXS-R5 Raw recorder. Version 1.15 of the F5/F55 firmware has some small incremental updates, with mostly bug fixes included. However, some big changes include improved naming conventions on the AXS card, de-anamorphic function on the viewfinder, and a warning when you haven't black balanced in a while.

Pomfort has put together a new tutorial on how to use their LiveGrade software in conjunction with DaVinci Resolve to create dailies. LiveGrade can be used with hardware like the BlackMagic HD Link Pro to create LUTs live. I outlined how to apply different LUTs in a previous blog, but Pomfort has put together a very simple way to work with ASC-CDL (Color Decision List) files in DaVinci Resolve.

Working with Log material can be difficult at times, so we have put out a couple of different LUTs for use when using the Sony F3's S-Log or Canon Log from the Canon C300. You can download the F3 LUTs and the C300 LUTs, as many of you have already done. Arri has their online LUT Generator, and the Technicolor CineStyle LUTs are available when using the CineStyle profile on the 5D Mark II.

Canon provides several De-Log LUTs on their website that are meant to convert Canon Log back into REC709 or video gammas. These files can be found on Canon's website but can be tough to use, because they are given in 1D LUT format as a simple CSV (comma seperate value) file.

With more and more cameras shooting in flat-looking Log modes or RAW, the topic of LUTs on set and their implications in post have become big points of discussion. At the same time, there are many cameras that utilize the more traditional Scene Files for control of color and contrast. Furthermore, there are cameras like the ARRI ALEXA and RED EPIC that offer their own unique types of image control. With all these different formats, the difference between LUTs, Looks and Scene Files can be confusing, so in this article I explain the terms and discuss how these files are applied.

In this last part of my Sony F3 and S-log series, I go over how to generate 3D LUTs that can be used with external LUT boxes and in post. In order to do this I use an HD Link Pro from BlackMagic Design and, to control it, a program called LinkColor.

When Arri released the SUP 4.0 firmware for the ALEXA, they also added the ability to create color 'Looks' to load into the camera. These Look files are similar to scene files found in other cameras, but they aren't burned into the Log C recording of the camera. Instead, they can be used in post by converting them to LUTs using Arri's LUT Generator. These looks then travel as metadata with the clips recorded (through the XML file). Look files can be created by saving a still from the camera and loading it into the Arri Look Creator, which can then modify the still and output a look.

There's no denying that Canon HDSLRs have made a big impact on our industry, and while proving to be an amazing tool for cinematographers, some of their limitations become apparent in post-production. While the native HDSLR image is often lauded its for high contrast and saturation, this can also prove challenging to color correct and grade.

ARRI Digital has created a series of online resources for the ALEXA camera. These tools are designed for operators to get the most out of the camera. ARRI will be creating more of these tools in the future, and we will continue to bring them to you here.