Recording in LOG: What Is It and Why Does It Improve Your Color?
Shooting in LOG Profile: What Is It and Why Could It Revolutionize Your Color?
Have you seen videos with incredible color quality, with detail in both the darkest shadows and brightest highlights? Part of that secret might be in something called “shooting in LOG.” But what exactly is it, and is it for you?
If you’ve already delved into the world of basic color correction and started experimenting with LUTs, you might have come across the term “LOG” or logarithmic profiles like S-Log (Sony), C-Log (Canon), V-Log (Panasonic), F-Log (Fujifilm), etc. You’ll notice that footage shot in LOG looks incredibly flat, desaturated, and low-contrast straight out of camera. Don’t be alarmed! That’s exactly what’s intended.
At EdicionVideoPro, when a project requires maximum flexibility in color post-production, shooting in LOG is often our choice. It’s a more advanced step, but understanding it can open up a new world of possibilities for color grading.
What Does “Shooting in LOG” Mean? The Science Simplified
When your camera records in a standard profile (like Rec.709, what you normally see on your phone or TV), it applies a series of contrast, color, and sharpness adjustments directly to the image. This makes the video look “ready to use,” but also “burns” or “crushes” much information in highlights and deep shadows.
Shooting in a logarithmic profile (LOG) is different:
- The camera captures the image with a special gamma curve that preserves much more dynamic range. Dynamic range is the camera’s ability to see detail simultaneously in the brightest and darkest areas of a scene.
- The result is an image that, straight from camera, looks very flat, desaturated, and low-contrast. This is INTENTIONAL. It’s not “broken,” it’s full of “latent” information.
Think of it as a “digital negative”:
- A film negative also looks strange and needs processing (developing, printing) to show the final image.
- A LOG image needs to be “digitally developed” in post-production through color correction and grading to extract all that information and give it the desired look.
The Major Advantages of Shooting in LOG
Why go through the hassle of shooting something that looks “ugly” at first?
Maximum Dynamic Range:
This is the crown jewel! You can capture high-contrast scenes (e.g., an interior with a bright window to the outside) and have detail in both shadows and highlights. With a standard profile, the window would be “blown out” (completely white) or the interior too dark.
Greater Flexibility in Post-Production (Grading):
By having more information in the image, you have much more freedom to manipulate color and exposure in editing without the image “breaking” (artifacts, banding, etc.). You can push colors, change the look drastically…
Better Tone Gradation:
Transitions between different tones and brightness levels are smoother, resulting in a richer, more cinematic final image.
Consistency Between Cameras (Potentially):
If you use different camera models that offer LOG profiles, it may be easier to match their color in post-production starting from a common LOG base.
When Should You Consider Shooting in LOG?
Shooting in LOG isn’t for every project or every skill level. It’s ideal when:
- Color and Look are CRITICAL: For cinematic projects, high-end music videos, advertising, or any video where visual aesthetics are paramount.
- There Are High-Contrast Scenes: Interiors with bright windows, exteriors with sun and strong shadows.
- You Want Maximum Possible Image Quality: If you want to squeeze every bit of information from your sensor.
- You Have Time and Knowledge for Post-Production: Shooting in LOG absolutely requires subsequent color correction and grading work. It’s not for direct delivery from camera.
- Your Camera Offers It: Not all cameras have LOG profiles. This is usually a feature of mid-to-high range cameras (mirrorless, cinema, some pro drones).
EdicionVideoPro Consideration: If you’re just starting out, we recommend first mastering basic color correction with standard profiles. When you feel comfortable with that and want more control, then it’s a good time to explore LOG!
The Workflow with LOG Material: From Flat to Vibrant
Editing LOG material requires additional steps:
- Correct Recording:
- Exposure (ETTR – Expose To The Right): Often recommended to slightly overexpose (without blowing highlights) when shooting LOG to get the best quality in shadows. This is an advanced topic in itself! Consult your camera manual.
- White Balance: Still crucial to get right in camera!
- Import into Editing Software:
- The material will look flat and grayish. Don’t worry!
- Step 1 of Post: Apply a Technical Conversion LUT (Input LUT):
- This is the first fundamental step. You need a technical LUT specific to your LOG profile (e.g., S-Log3 to Rec.709) and your camera’s color space. This LUT “normalizes” the image, returning it to more standard contrast and saturation so you can start working on it.
- Many editing programs (DaVinci Resolve is king here) detect the LOG profile and suggest applying the correct conversion LUT, or you can load it manually.
- Step 2: Primary Color Correction:
- Now that the image is normalized, perform your usual correction: fine white balance, exposure, contrast, saturation…
- Step 3: Creative Grading (Color Grading):
- This is where you apply your look, either manually with color tools or using creative LUTs (after correction and on the already normalized image!).
Disadvantages and Considerations When Shooting LOG
- Requires More Work in Post-Production: Not a “ready-to-use” format. It always needs correction and grading.
- Larger File Sizes (Sometimes): Depending on the codec, files can be larger.
- Harder to Expose Correctly in Camera: The flat image can deceive the eye if you’re not used to it or don’t use viewfinders properly (waveform, histogram).
- Noise in Shadows if Underexposed: Underexposing in LOG can generate a lot of noise in shadows that’s hard to clean.
- Not All Cameras Do It Well: The quality of LOG implementation varies between manufacturers and models.
Does shooting in LOG seem too complicated but you want that cinematic look and dynamic range? At EdicionVideoPro, we’re used to working with all types of formats, including LOG from various cameras. We know how to extract the maximum potential from your material to achieve spectacular color. Consult us about your project.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Shooting LOG
Do all cameras have LOG profile?
No. It’s a more common feature in mid-to-high range mirrorless cameras, cinema cameras, and some action cameras or professional drones. Entry-level cameras or smartphones rarely have it (though some phones are starting to offer pseudo-LOG or HDR).
If I shoot in LOG, will my video automatically look “cinematic”?
No! Shooting in LOG gives you the potential for a cinematic look thanks to flexibility in post-production. But the final look depends completely on the color correction and grading work you do afterward. An unprocessed LOG image looks worse than one shot in standard profile.
Is it very difficult to learn to grade LOG material?
It requires practice and a good understanding of color correction concepts. The first step (applying the conversion LUT) is simple. Then, the correction and grading process is similar to standard material, but with more latitude to “play”. Tools like DaVinci Resolve make this process much easier.
Is the extra effort worth it?
If you want maximum image quality, color flexibility, and a professional/cinematic look, yes, absolutely. If you need to deliver videos quickly without much post-production, or if you’re just starting and color correction still overwhelms you, it might be better to stick with standard profiles for now.
LOG: Great Power That Requires Great Post-Production
Shooting in LOG profile is a powerful technique that opens doors to much greater control over the color and dynamic range of your videos. It allows you to capture more scene information and gives you enormous flexibility in the editing suite to achieve truly professional, cinematic looks.
However, it’s not a magic solution. It requires a clear understanding of workflow, additional effort in post-production, and often proper exposure in camera.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your image quality and aren’t intimidated by post-production, experiment with LOG! And if you prefer experts to handle extracting the hidden beauty in your LOG recordings, the team at EdicionVideoPro is at your service.
