LOG grading workflow in VP18?

AVsupport wrote on 8/14/2020, 5:52 PM

As I am awaiting the delivery of my new 10-Bit A7Siii (and hoping by that time VP won't crash if I throw those files at it) I am also eagerly anticipating using SLOG3 to take full advantage of 15stops dynamic range in the acquisition process.

I am aware that input transform LUTs can get me into the ballpark of a recommended conversion to 709, but the point of a grading process is to make the most of your footage. But it seems to me that all the color correction tools in VP are linear, and there isn't a choice in whether to use a log scale to resolve those. Drawing 'curves' in the color curves plugin seems like quite an unsophisticated and random approach, I never really could embrace this tool.

I am beginning to feel that with 10-bit becoming more mainstream, this will become more of an issue in the future moving forward. suggestions?

Comments

AVsupport wrote on 8/14/2020, 6:22 PM

a little primer from Gerald Undone here

fr0sty wrote on 8/14/2020, 6:49 PM

I grade 10 bit log footage in VEGAS just fine all the time. The Lut gets me in the general ballpark, then I grade as needed from there. You can also try setting the project to 32 bit mode, then setting the color space on your media properties to "slog" or "vlog" or whatever flavor of log your camera uses.

The new exposure slider is logarithmic, but unfortunately there's a bug with using it in 32 bit projects currently, so it only works in 8 bit.

AVsupport wrote on 8/14/2020, 8:08 PM

what happens if you throw the official conversion LUT onto a scene that has a dynamic range bigger than 709, when editing in 8-bit (since 32 doesn't work) @fr0sty ?

fr0sty wrote on 8/14/2020, 11:50 PM

Seems to work fine from what I can tell. 32 bit does work, you just can't use the exposure slider. Gotta adjust it with gamma, gain, levels, curves.

AVsupport wrote on 8/15/2020, 12:51 AM

a good one to watch re LOG wheels:

AVsupport wrote on 8/15/2020, 2:32 AM

turns out, free version of Resolve doesn't do 10-bit (which is crucial for a LOG workflow). This might be a good business incentive for Magix to offer LOG wheel correction for their clients before they eyeball the master of grading...

fr0sty wrote on 8/15/2020, 3:27 AM

I thought you were referring to log exposure, not log color wheels. that would be a nice addition.

AVsupport wrote on 8/15/2020, 7:37 AM

LOG highlights and shadows with a pedestal mid would be awesome ;-)

Yelandkeil wrote on 8/15/2020, 8:34 AM

...You can also try setting the project to 32 bit mode, then setting the color space on your media properties to "slog" or "vlog" or whatever flavor of log your camera uses.

Are you sure it's not ACESpace but the true 32-bit floating point mode and you can change the color properties of your source media?