Auto Detect Log Color Space Causing Source Monitor Overexposure in Premiere

[CD_Studios]

Subject: Issue with Auto Detect Log Color Space Causing Source Monitor Overexposure in Premiere Pro 2025

Description:

I’ve encountered an issue in Premiere Pro 2025 when working with Canon R5C footage in C-Log3/Cinema Gamut. When the Auto Detect Log Color Space feature is enabled, the footage appears overexposed and overly saturated in the Source Monitor, even though it looks correct in the timeline (Program Monitor).

Here’s a breakdown of the setup and the issue:

1.My Settings:

•Display Color Management: Enabled

•Auto Detect Log Color Space: Enabled

•Use Media Color Space: Checked

•Auto Tone Map Media: Checked

Clip Properties

System profile

2.Expected Behavior:

The Source Monitor and Program Monitor should display the footage consistently, whether the transformation is auto-applied or manual LUTs are used.

3.Observed Behavior:

•The Source Monitor displays the footage as overexposed and highly saturated.

•The Program Monitor displays the footage correctly with the expected Rec.709 transformation.  

Overexposed Source Monitor

Display Color Management unchecked

4.Testing and Workaround:

Disabling Auto Detect Log Color Space and manually applying a LUT (Canon C-Log3 to Rec.709) resolves the issue, making both the Source Monitor and Program Monitor display consistently. However, this defeats the purpose of the Auto Detect feature, which is meant to simplify this process.

Auto Detect Log unchecked

Adding LUT

LUT applied

Steps to Reproduce the Issue:

1.Import Canon R5C footage recorded in C-Log3/Cinema Gamut.

2.Enable Display Color Management and Auto Detect Log Color Space in the project settings.

3.View the footage in the Source Monitor and compare it to the Program Monitor after adding the clip to a Rec.709 timeline.

4.Observe the discrepancy (overexposure in the Source Monitor, correct display in the Program Monitor).

Impact:

This issue undermines the utility of the Auto Detect Log Color Space feature, forcing manual intervention for correct color handling. It adds extra steps and confusion, particularly for workflows relying on accurate source monitoring.  Further, it doesn't allow for applying an effect to the source clip to save time and effort from having to copy/paste the same effect on multiple cuts from the same clip in the timeline.  

I hope I've made some sense here...  I'm happy to offer clerification if it helps.  

[jamieclarke]

Hi @CD_Studios -  25.1 still has limited color management please try the beta (current version 25.2) for a richer experience. For your situation in 25.2 you can monitor your color management in the source monitor, either by

• Gang to Active Sequence Color Management
• Show Wide Gamut Source Media as Log
• Show Source in Extended Dynamic Range

I believe what is happening is that your sequence is tone mapped but your source clip is not that is why you are seeing it blown out.

Let us know if that helps.

[CD_Studios]

Okay, so I learned that installing the beta won't impact my current stable install at all.  I duplicated my project naming it BETA and opened it in the beta.  

Following your above directions, it appears to solve the issue I was having if I Gang to Active Seq CM.  So, in the next stable update this will be all set.  

Until then, using the old school method of doing the CM manually and applying a conversion LUT would be best.  Yes?

[R Neil Haugen]

Maybe ... ? As in everything, it depends on a number of things. Including the specific definition of "best" ... do you mean fastest? Safest for the pixel? Most accurate? ...   😉

[R Neil Haugen]

Ok, just a quick look at it, and from the Source monitor wrench menu, lower right corner of Source monitor, yep, Gang Source and Program is the top option.

It does seem to set Source monitor using Sequence color management. But I only had time for a quickie look. I'll test more another day.

But this may well be what CD Studios needs at the moment.

[R Neil Haugen]

Jamie,

He's got auto detect log and tonemapping on, correctly ... but as the final image is determined by the Sequence color space, Source is showing the non-tonemapped image.

The OP wants to have Source show the same tonemapping as the sequence. Which currently is ... not really that doable. I've personally not tried your gang to active sequence CM ... in fact, is that an option in the Source monitor settings now? I've not gone through those in detail recently.

What the user is asking for would be useful for those of us who do a lot of Source effect work. I've been through discussions on the Beta board months back, I think with Alexis and user Shebbe on this, and Alexis didn't have any comment at the time.

A "gang Source CM to active Sequence" option would be handy if available. As then you could still have separate sequences using the same clip with different CM, but see what you're getting due to Source effect applied effects.

[jamieclarke]

Hi @R Neil Haugen - Yes, Please check it out and let us know what you think.  It's in the Source Panel under the wrench menu labeled "Monitor Color Management"

[R Neil Haugen]

I'll do that in a bit. Interesting ...

[CD_Studios]

Given I'm in the middle of a handful of client work, I'm squimish about updating to a beta.  

Should I assume that I should go old school, manually applying conversion LUTS, until the next update to Premiere? 

[CD_Studios]

Neil it seems you get what I'm saying and also see the benifits of using source clip effects.  Thanks for helping out.

[R Neil Haugen]

I use Source effect for a lot of bulk/batch type operations. So I'm very familiar with using this.

And most of my own media is BRAW from a UMP4.6K G2 and a pocket 4k. So I do have to be careful of color spaces in Premiere myself.

[CD_Studios]

So, it sounds like I need to simply proceed old school, yes?  And wait for the next release for a fix?