Show me the LUTS

Download the LUTs

In the package you get the following print film emulations:

Fujifilm 3510

Kodak 2383

Kodak 2393

Installing the LUTs In Resolve

To install the LUTs in Resolve, bring up the Project Settings and select the Color Management tab. Navigate to the LUTs section and click Open LUT Folder. Copy the LUTs to this folder. Once this is done, click on refresh LUTs. They should now be available for use in Resolve.

If you want to do this manually, you can copy the LUTs directly to the folders below:

On a Mac, the LUTs need to be placed in Macintosh HD > Library > Application Support > Blackmagic Design > Davinci Resolve > LUT

On a PC, place them in C:\ ProgramData \ Blackmagic Design \ DaVinci Resolve \ Support \ LUT

Applying A LUT

The easiest way of applying a PFE LUT is via a node. Create a new node, second mouse button click on the node and navigate to the 3D LUTs drop down, then select the LUT from the list.

Preparing your footage for The PFE

PFE LUTs expect log negative film scans in Rec709 colour space as their input. The closer you can get your footage to negative film, the better your footage will look when using a PFE LUT.

One way to do this in Resolve is to use a Color Space Transform (CST) node to transform your camera’s original gamma and gamut into log/Rec709. In a node prior to the PFE LUT, create a CST node. For the Input Gamma select the gamma your footage was shot in, for the Output Gamma you can select Cineon, but I prefer to use ARRI LogC. For the Input Gamut select the gamut of the footage, for the Output Gamut select Rec709.

This method technically transforms the footage to what the PFE LUT expects, but it still won’t match the look of negative film. The main differences you will notice is that skin tones appear to lack colour contrast, foliage appears yellow/brown and reds are closer to orange. This is due to the differences between the way digital sensors and negative film see colours.

Negative Film Emulation

In the last year or two I’ve spent time profiling various Kodak Vision3 negative film stocks and have a created several LUTs that emulate negative film. In the process I’ve become familiar with the differences between digital and negative film. One thing I’m experimenting with is emulating negative film completely inside Resolve. The results have been impressive, but it’s probably not the most user friendly node graph to use.

Recently I’ve been experimenting with emulating the more important aspects of negative film in an easier to use way. This has resulted in a film matrix that approximates the colours and saturation of negative film – Kodak 250D to be precise, and custom YRGB curves that emulate the density and tints. It’s essentially two nodes, that get close to 80% of the look of the real neg emulation LUTs, for most shots. Due to the complexities of negative film it’s not possible to fully emulate with a 3x3 matrix. But it’s possible to at least overcome some of the colour issues of using the CST method, such as yellow/brown greens and monochromatic skin tones. The film matrix is included as part of the Kodak 2393 PowerGrade.

The great thing about the film matrix is that it can be used with the Kodak PowerGrades, but it’s equally as effective with real PFE LUTs. The below stills are graded with film matrix/curves and the LUTs from this page. Only offset, contrast/pivot and saturation used to grade these images.