Drone footage is where a bad conversion shows up fastest. Skies are large, smooth
gradients, and they are unforgiving about banding. Getting D-Log back to Rec.709 properly
is most of the work.
D-Log and D-Log M are not the same
Start here, because it catches almost everyone. DJI ships two log curves:
- D-Log on the larger drones. Mavic 3 series, Air 3, the Inspire
line. - D-Log M on the smaller ones and on handhelds. Mini 3 Pro, Mini 4
Pro, Osmo Pocket 3. It is a lighter curve built for 8-bit recording.
They need different conversions. Using the D-Log LUT on D-Log M footage gives you an
image that looks almost correct, with contrast slightly off and skies that band when you
push them.
How to turn it on
Colour setting in the camera menu, then D-Log or D-Log M depending on what your drone
offers. On drones that shoot both, D-Log is the one to pick if you have 10-bit
available.
The sky is the test
Aerial footage lives or dies on gradients. A clean conversion keeps the transition
from horizon to zenith smooth. A wrong one puts visible steps in it, and once banding is
baked into an 8-bit file there is no fixing it in the grade.
If you see banding after conversion, check the log curve first before assuming it is
the codec. Nine times out of ten it is D-Log M footage graded with the D-Log
conversion.
Converting to Rec.709
First node in Resolve, Input LUT in Premiere. Convert before you touch anything else,
including any sky replacement or ND-related correction.
Drone footage often needs a small exposure adjustment after conversion because
aerial scenes are bright and the camera meters for the whole frame. Do that after the
conversion, not before.
From flat D-Log to a finished look
See it in motion
This skips the second step entirely. The DRONE LUT pack is built for drone footage, and every look has the matching DJI conversion inside the file. You do not convert first and then grade on top. One LUT takes the clip from flat grey straight to finished, with separate versions for D-Log and D-Log M so the curve is always right.
What’s included
| Looks for D-Log | 20, conversion built in |
| Looks for D-Log M | 20, conversion built in |
| Looks for Rec.709 | 11, for non-Log footage |
| Conversion LUTs | 2, one for each DJI curve |
| Total files | 53 LUTs, 33-point .cube |
| Works in | Premiere, DaVinci, Final Cut, LumaFusion |
$44.95instant downloadGet DRONE
Download
Get the free DJI D-Log to Rec.709
conversion LUT, with both the 33×33 grading version and a 17×17 monitor version.
The D-Log M conversion is in the
complete pack. For a
finished aerial look on top of the conversion, see the
DRONE LUT pack.