Hey guys,
I’m finally sharing my new LUTs i made for the Blackmagic 4K camera that have also been ‘adapted’ to work for the BMCC and Pocket Camera to be used inside of Resolve.
// I highly recommend also checking out this LUT in beta:
http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?8492-quot-Public-Beta-quot-of-a-new-LUT-from-me
https://captainhook.co.nz/LUT_Hook_Mar2014/Hooks LUTs – Free.zip
Inside there’s an installer for OSX that places them in the correct location, or for windows/linux users a folder with the .cube files to manually place in the correct location. The easiest way to do this manually is inside resolve in the project settings tab, go to the “Lookup Tables” tab and choose “Open LUT Folder” and copy the files to that location. Then choose “Update Lists”.
I’ve also got some “gifts” for those who find these useful and would like to donate $10USD, in the form of a few “utility” powergrades (plus an ‘experimental’ LUT i’ve been working on to deal with IR contamination in Blackmagic footage) that i often use and are detailed further below. To Donate and get them, click here:
These were a long time in the making, and i would like to thank those who helped test and give me feedback while working on them!
If you’re looking for my old LUT, go here:
https://captainhook.co.nz/blackmagic-lut-old/
If you want to be part of a public beta test for a new LUT, go here:
http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?8492-quot-Public-Beta-quot-of-a-new-LUT-from-me&p=114363
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LUT INFO
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I created these LUTs a little differently this time. The basis for these LUTs were created in the wonderful software “3D Lut Creator” by Oleg Sharonov. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a very unique approach to creating LUTs that primarily uses a grid/mesh for mapping hue/saturation/luminance. It’s still pretty new, but a really great visual way to approach colour correction. Check it out by visiting the Facebook page here (Official Site still coming):
After creating the initial 64^3 LUT in the OSX version of this app, i took it into Resolve and did further tweaking before and after the ‘base’ LUT to create the final versions.
There’s two versions of each LUT this time. One is named ‘BASIC’. This has the 3D Lut Creator LUT performing all the colour adjustments, but the official BMD LUTs (either the 4K version or BMDFilm version) for luminance. The luminance curves i did inside 3D Lut Creator were actually quite similar, but i decided that since the goal of the ‘BASIC’ LUTs were to give a very basic starting place to begin your grade, the official BMD LUT luminance curves were a better starting point.
The ‘VIBE’ version of the LUTs use the same 3D Lut Creator LUT at the ‘heart’, but use my own luminance curves and has other colour/saturation/etc adjustments on top. The purpose of this LUT is like my first one, to get a starting point for grading that is generally pleasing to me but as with the first one, it doesn’t remove the need for grading but rather is to help speed up the grading process. I still recommend “prepping the image” for each clip prior to the LUT by adjusting WB and contrast/saturation to get the best from it, and making other adjustments post-LUT if it works for what you’re trying to achieve. Keying for example tends to work better after the LUT node, but sometimes adding/removing saturation/contrast/etc after the LUT can produce more desirable results also.
My recommended workflow is to have 3 nodes for organisation, node #1 is for pre-LUT adjustments, node #2 contains the LUT, node #3 for post adjustments. Obviously this can be modified to preference, but for those newer to grading and looking to incorporate these LUTs i recommend starting there. I also detail further below how i approach WB/Tint for non-RAW material using a powergrade contained in the ‘donation pack’.
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EXAMPLES
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Here’s some examples of the various LUTs (i apologise for the image spam):
Blackmagic 4K
Blackmagic 4K – Flat (Straight from Cam)
Blackmagic 4K – BM4KFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT
Blackmagic 4K – Flat
Blackmagic 4K – BM4KFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT
Blackmagic 4K – BM4KFilm ‘BASIC’ LUT
Blackmagic 4K – Flat
Blackmagic 4K – BM4KFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT
Blackmagic 4K – BM4KFilm ‘BASIC’ LUT
Blackmagic 4K – Flat (jpg shared by Kholi)
Blackmagic 4K – BM4KFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT (applied to jpg shared by Kholi)
Blackmagic 4K – Flat (jpg shared by Kholi)
Blackmagic 4K – BM4KFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT (applied to jpg shared by Kholi)
Blackmagic Cinema Camera and Pocket Cam
BMDFilm – Flat
BMDFilm – BMDFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT + 20% IR cut LUT from ‘donation pack’
BMDFilm – Flat
BMDFilm – BMDFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT + 20% IR cut LUT from ‘donation pack’
BMDFilm – Flat
BMDFilm – BMDFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT + 20% IR cut LUT from ‘donation pack’
BMDFilm – Flat
BMDFilm – BMDFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT + 20% IR cut LUT from ‘donation pack’
BMDFilm – Flat (image by 4saken)
BMDFilm – BMDFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT (image by 4saken)
BMDFilm – Flat (image by 4saken)
BMDFilm – BMDFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT (image by 4saken)
BMDFilm – Flat (image by 4saken)
BMDFilm – BMDFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT (image by 4saken)
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DONATORS PACK
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So here are some examples of using some of the powergrades that come with the ‘donators pack’.
First is the set of WB “tools” i made for non-RAW images. These are a group of 4 nodes which all default to having the gain output in the “key” tab set to ‘0’, in other words they have no effect on the image by default. These are intended to be used before any saturation is applied, or any LUTs etc. They’re the first nodes of your node tree. The 4 nodes each push the image along one of 4 axis using curves, either towards cooler (2850K) or warmer (5500K) like a traditional WB slider, or towards green or magenta like a traditional “Tint” slider. I originally tried doing this via the RGB Mixer which i believe is the more “accurate” method, but i found it didn’t match up very well to using the WB sliders of the RAW tab when adjusting Blackmagic RAW images. So these curves were made to more closely match those two sliders (or as close as i got them at the time). Also included is a “WB Tools + LUT Setup” powergrade. I use this a lot to setup my node tree, the LUT node has nothing applied, it’s simply a holding place for me to choose the LUT i want to use. I also adjust curves/LGG/saturation/etc in this node as those operations are applied before the LUT in the same node within Resolve.
On to examples of using the WB tools:
BMDFilm – BMDFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT (image by 4saken) – As Shot – Clearly the WB is too “cool”.
BMDFilm – BMDFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT and WB Tools (image by 4saken) – Here i’ve used my 5500K node and adjusted the gain output in the “key” tab to 1 (or 100% or “full”). I think i could actually duplicate this node and add a smaller amount again to the adjustment, but i think it shows just how far non-RAW footage can be pushed even when the WB is so far off.
BMDFilm – Flat (image by 4saken)
BMDFilm – BMDFilm ‘BASIC’ LUT (image by 4saken) – As Shot – Clearly the WB is too “warm”.
BMDFilm – BMDFilm ‘BASIC’ LUT and WB Tools (image by 4saken) – Adjusting for an image shot in Tungsten and mixed lighting can be trickier. Here i used a combination of my 2850K node at 60% (0.6) to cool off the image, and then a overall Hue rotation just before the LUT.
And here’s some examples using the other powergrades and LUTs on a frame from the 4K camera. These might be subtle in these small frames, so i recommend clicking on the images for the larger versions and comparing the images “stacked” in photoshop or similar to compare more easily.
Blackmagic 4K – Flat
Blackmagic 4K – BM4KFilm ‘BASIC’ LUT
Blackmagic 4K – BM4KFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT
Blackmagic 4K – BM4KFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT + Skin Map Powergrade.
This powergrade is based off a technique i used to do when retouching high-end beauty/fashion images. In photoshop one of the methods i used to reduce skin colour variation (something done very often with digital beauty images as film didn’t tend to show so much colour variation) was to make a gradient map using a ‘skin tone’ colour in the middle, mask the area of the skin i wanted to apply it to, and lower the opacity to around 20%. The powergrade defaults to 20% also (0.2 in output gain) which you can adjust in the “Blend %” node. You can also adjust the skin key or tone nodes as desired.
Another thing i often did with fashion images was to desaturate using the blue channel. Because it also affects tone particularly skin, it was often a nice way to add density to skin and desaturate other parts of the image by varying amounts. This defaults to around 18% (0.18) in output gain. There’s also 2 other powergrades that desaturate and saturate using luma vs sat curves that i often use as a starting point.
This one is my node tree that i start with for sharpening inside Resolve. It splits Chroma and Luma via the old method in Resolve 9, and applies sharpening to the luma only, but also restricted by a luma key that keeps the sharpening fixed more to brighter parts of the image, and leaves darker shadows areas that tend to have more noise alone so as to not exaggerate noise/grain (i do the opposite with NR and adding film grain scans by restricting them more to shadows than highlights).
Here’s the result of my ‘diffusion’ node tree i currently use. Again, the amount can be easily blended in the appropriately named node, or settings in the “mist” node adjusted. This powergrade adds a bit of density at the same time, but i like the effect.
And finally, here’s my experimental and VERY preliminary LUT to try address IR pollution on the Blackmagic cameras if not using a good ND/IR Cut like the new Hoya PROND’s (see links below for Hoya comparisons to Tiffen IRNDs). I’ve found for Tiffen IRNDs on my Blackmagic footage, this LUT can help when used with a low output gain (as shown further above in some examples). Here the problem is shown extreme by using a 1.2ND Tiffen filter with NO IR Cut filter, and then after with my LUT set to 100% or “1” in the output gain. It’s very important that this LUT is in the first node before ANY other corrections.
Blackmagic 4K – BM4KFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT – As Shot with NO IR Cut filter.
Blackmagic 4K – BM4KFilm ‘VIBE’ LUT + IR CUTTER LUT from the donators pack set to full/100%/”1″. Not perfect, but a lot better starting place for grading than the before!! Obviously trying to solve this in post is far from ideal and is much better addressed by filtering, but i’ve found it useful all the same for certain footage i’ve shot, or supplied to me for grading.
Follow these links to see examples comparing the Hoya PRONDs to various Tiffen IRNDs:
Pocket Cam – http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?6403-New-Hoya-ProNDs-Rolling-Report-Thread&p=97497&viewfull=1#post97497
4K Camera – http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?6403-New-Hoya-ProNDs-Rolling-Report-Thread&p=108645&viewfull=1#post108645
Thanks again for the kind words and encouragement over the last (almost) year since releasing my first LUT, hope some of you find these ones just as useful! 
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cheers from Lisbon, Portugal and thanks for the LUT! Amazing work! Can’t wait to get my BMCC MFT.
See ya @ the bmcuser.com!
Thanks!
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Hi, thanks for providing this LUT for everyone to use. I will try it as soon as my new conputer arrives that can handle Resolve.
I am barely an ametuer but I have been trying to soak up as much as possible on the BM forum. It was mentioned somewhere that Red colors are coming out more red/brownishy/orangishy. Then I remebered that the famous pool shooter with the bright lipstick above was said to be wearing “fire engine red” coat and lipstick. Is there a way to address the reds in your LUT or is that better addressed in another way? I realize not everyone is looking for actual colors when “filming” but it would be nice to make the reds pop too. thanks again and I will definately slide you a donation when I use your LUT.
Hi, i’m working on a couple of other LUTs, and one does push reds more. Red/Orange obviously crosses into skin tone though so it’s tricky.
That makes sense, any estimate when these other LUTs may be available?
I would say a couple of weeks. I work on them when not busy/tired.
The next ones are based on trying to make matching to Alexa in dual camera shoots easier/faster.
Hello,
I would like to use your LUT, but even when I put it in the “Bibliothèque/Application Support / Blackmagic Desin/ Resolve / LUT” (I am french so “bibliothèque means Library), and I do an “Update list” in the setting page of Resolve, your LUT doesn’t appear in the pop up menu in the LUT section. I removed the “.txt” from the downloaded file but even without the “.txt” when I click on the file, it is opened in Textedit… Any idea to help me to use your LUT ??
Best Regards
Didier
Hey, you’re browser detects that LUT’s are just txt files and changes it. In Finder, select the file and press “Command+I” or right click and choose “Get Info”. Rename the file from that pop-up window rather than in Finder, and replace the .txt extension so that the extension is .cube
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Hi Captain Hook! Thanks a lot for your work, I’ll test it as soon as I get the chance! Hopefully the LUT runs just as smoothly on a Resolve Lite version. I was looking for a Twitter button to spread your great work, but couldn’t find it
Consider it, you’re worth the attention, after nofilmschool made it public. Best /T
check out blackmagic’s HDLink Pro.
for $500 you can add custom LUTs to any monitor that has SDI or HDMI or DVI input.
I’ve used them on set and they are great.
Thanks for the suggestion, but it is my understanding that box is essentially ‘broken’ (not really portable for run and gun also):
http://www.lightillusion.com/forums/index.php?action=vthread&forum=13&topic=34
I have some trouble with download this LUT. As I’m trying to open this link:, it directs me to a page with full of codes. How can I fix it?
Thanks in advance
A LUT is a text file so your browser is just showing you the text instead of downloading it. Right click on the link, and choose “save as” or the equivalent in your browser. If it downloads with a “.txt” extension, remove the extension. If you’re in OSX you may need to remove the extension in the “get info” window rather than just removing it in finder.
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Thank you so for the great looking LUT! It is working in FCP 7, however i would love to use it in Premiere CS6 as well. Do you know how to import it in CS6 (without using LUT buddy, this is not working somehow..) Thank you so much!
How to import the CaptainHook’s LUT into FCP 7. Is there a guide in how to do it?
Thanks in advance!
CaptainHook, thanks for the LUT. The mga version is working in FCP 7 through Redgiant’s Buddy LUT.
Any updates on the new LUT’S ? Thank you Tom
Hopefully soon! Just one LUT i’m working on i need more source material of scenes shot both on Alexa and BMCC. I have made an update to this first LUT as well but i want to release them at the same time so i’m waiting to finalize one LUT.
I have been following your progress since day one. Nice work on the LUT. Is there any possibility to import the LUT into other software than Resolve?
You can import into Premiere CC by using the default Lumetri plugin or into After Effects/Photoshop using the default LUT tools, otherwise if you have LUT buddy you can download the .mga version and use it in various apps that LUT buddy works with. Just be aware every app interpolates LUTs differently so it may look different than using it in Resolve.
hey captainhook. i’m confused. i tried downloading the MGA version, the one under the heading “And a version for Lut Buddy for those who don’t use Resolve” but when i try to download it, my mac makes it a TXT file. when i change the extension back to MGA, RedGiant LUT buddy doesn’t recognize it.
I also tried getting the Lumetri plugin to open the LUT but it gives me an error. I’m completely confused. can someone here please help me?
Hi, in OSX in finder, right click the file and choose “Get Info” and rename the file with the proper extension from that window. Cheers.
hey. i have the .cube files working in davinci, they are awesome and i love the look they give. but i’m not having much success with using the .mga version with LUT Buddy in Premiere (referring to the old LUT). i’m using a mac, would that affect my ability to use it? using Premiere Pro CC. LUT Buddy doesn’t recognize the file format :-/
thank you so much for the help!
Hello,
i tested your LUT and it looks GREAT ! I have ordered a BMPCC and can’t wait to test it on my own footage. One question please, just to be sure …. Let’s say i love your footage, and i have decided that most of my shoot should look like yours… I will just have to shoot in film mode then apply your LUT then 90 / 95 % of the color job will be done??
If it’s a yes i will for sure donate for a little thanks compare to the hours you make us gain !!!!
thanks for your feedback
Jean-yan
Hi, its not quite that simple. But just try it when your Pocket cam arrives and spend some time getting to know the camera etc. If you decide later you find my LUT useful and want to give back, donate then.
Hi there, I’ve been running Resolve 10 Lite on my Macbook for a few weeks and have a strange problem… When I go to drop your LUT under Library > Application Support > Blackmagic Design > Resolve > LUT, I see no folder for Blackmagic Design in Application Support. I’ve had no other issues with running Resolve though. Even a search for “Blackmagic” in the finder doesn’t reveal it.
Thanks.
Hi, inside Resolve open the project settings window and go to the look up tables page, then click on “Open LUT Folder” – put LUT in there then click on “Update Lists”.
Just got my BMCC MFT at work and did some test shots. I new they would be flat and new that I would have to add a LUT to make it look cine-licious, but had not plan as to how to do it. I used the included Resolve software with so-so results. I opened up Color, a program I am more familiar with, and added your LUT. WOW! It looked amazing. Way to go, dude!
Nice write up Captain Hook! I appreciate your time taken to illustrate the capabilities of your LUT! Will give them a go and see how it compares to the Arri Log C to Rec 709 LUT since most of us don’t really fancy the BMD TO Rec 709 LUT. However, I’d like to ask whether you experience a similar case as I am when filming in PRORES under warm indoor lighting; the yellowish tones seem to be washed out red. Shooting in RAW however, seems to be spot on the separation between yellow and red tones. Have u ran into this scenario just yet?
Yes, i know what you’re saying. Tungsten can be difficult in certain situations.
Hey I have been trying to install Captain hook Lut on Davinci resolve 10,but when I download from dropbox I only get a text file. I tried to do it by following the instructions above but so far I have not succeed. I deleted the text part leaving just “.cube” and it is still not working for me. I have an iMac. Does someone have any idea how to do it step by step?
I appreciate it. Thank you
Hi, in OSX in finder, right click the file and choose “Get Info” and rename the file with the proper extension from that window. Cheers
https://captainhook.co.nz/LUT_Hook/Hook_BMCC_BMDFilm2Vid_V1.1.cube i need this lut i send u money to paypal account
thanks a lot for sharing this! just got my bmpcc yesterday and i can’t wait to try it out
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Hi.
I´m very thankful for your LUT’s.
I´ve purchased your donators pack as soon as you put them up but at the time you didn´t include the IR contamination corrector.
Do i have to buy it again? Thanks!
Hey, sent you an email and a new link for download. You should have already got the IR Cut as it was always part of the donators pack. Thanks!
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Hey, Cap’n
Thanks for the lut. I am new to shooting BMCC. I found your LUT worked great on my prores footage but raw looks too unnatural. Any ideas? Tnx!
Are you using Resolve? With RAW you need to set it to BMDFilm in the raw tab of Resolve, if you’re not using Resolve the LUT won’t work as intended as it expects BMDFilm for the input. With Prores you can choose BMDFilm on the camera, but RAW requires Resolve to process as BMDFilm, which is partly why the app comes free with the camera.
Sorry, missed this. Updated link.