Canon Log 3 is the format Canon settled on for its mirrorless bodies, and it is the
easiest of the three Canon log curves to work with. It holds a lot of range without the
extreme flatness of C-Log2. Here is how to shoot it and how to get it back to Rec.709.
Which Canon cameras shoot C-Log3
The EOS R5, R6, R6 Mark II and R5 Mark II, plus the C70 in the Cinema EOS line. The
older C100 and C300 shoot the original C-Log. The C200, C300 Mark II and R5 C offer
C-Log2, which is a different curve again.
How to turn it on
Canon Log settings in the shooting menu, then pick C-Log3. The camera will warn you
that the image looks flat, which is expected.
Watch the bit depth
This is the Canon-specific trap. C-Log3 is designed for 10-bit recording, and the
R-series only gives you 10-bit in certain modes and codecs. Record C-Log3 in 8-bit and
the shadows fall apart the moment you grade, with banding in skies and gradients that no
LUT can repair.
Before a shoot, check that the recording format you have selected actually gives you
10-bit. If it does not, you are better off shooting a standard profile than log.
Converting to Rec.709
Apply the conversion first, before any creative work. In Resolve that means the first
node. In Premiere it means Input LUT under Basic Correction, not the Creative slot.
Canon’s colour science is generally kind to skin tones, so after conversion you often
need less correction than with other systems. Resist the urge to push saturation.
If it looks wrong, check which log it is
C-Log, C-Log2 and C-Log3 all appear under the same menu item and produce a flat image,
so it is easy to grab the wrong conversion. C-Log2 is noticeably flatter than C-Log3. If
your converted image is still low contrast, you probably shot C-Log2.
From flat C-Log3 to a finished look
See it in motion
The conversion gets you a correct image. It does not get you a look. That is the second step, and it is the one that takes time if you do it by hand on every clip. The CINEMA LUT pack is 24 graded looks across retro warmth, moody depth and black and white. The C-Log3 conversion is already in the pack, so you convert once and then pick a look on top of it without downloading anything else.
What’s included
| Cinematic looks | 24, retro, moody and black & white |
| Conversion LUTs | 17 log formats, C-Log3 and S-Log3 included |
| Monitor versions | 17×17, for on-set preview |
| Installation guide | step-by-step PDF |
| Works in | Premiere, DaVinci, Final Cut, LumaFusion |
$29.95$44.95instant downloadGet CINEMA
Shooting more than one camera system? The Cinematic Mega Bundle carries 145 looks and all seventeen conversions for $89.95.
Download
Get the free Canon C-Log3 to
Rec.709 conversion LUT. Includes both the 33×33 grading version and a 17×17 monitor
version.
C-Log and C-Log2 conversions are in the
complete pack along with
twelve other camera systems. New to log entirely? Start with
what a conversion LUT does.