Nikon / RED raw workflow for Premiere Pro: log to log conversion

[Fergus H]

Hi all,

Our friends at Nikon recently released a set of LUTs for converting N-RAW footage from one log format to another. These LUTs have a very specific purpose, which we thought would be helpful to clarify here.

In short, the conversion LUTs are only needed in two cases:

• You’re using Nikon’s RED LUTs designed for N-Log, or

• You’re using a custom LUT created for N-Log.

Those creative LUTs expect the source footage to be in the Rec.2020 color space with N-Log gamma, since that’s how Nikon designed them.

However, Premiere Pro uses RED’s R3D SDK to process R3D, R3D NE, and N-RAW files, and that SDK does not support Rec.2020 or N-Log. Instead, it processes all three formats into REDWideGamutRGB color space with Log3G10 gamma.

That’s actually a good thing. For example, REDWideGamutRGB covers a wider gamut than Rec.2020, and Log3G10 offers smoother highlight roll-off and excellent dynamic range handling.

If you want to get the creative look of Nikon’s RED LUTs for N-Log, the simplest option is to switch to RED’s Creative LUT Pack (available from the Support > Downloads section on RED’s website). Nikon’s LUTs are based on these same LUTs, but RED’s originals are designed for REDWideGamutRGB/Log3G10, so they’ll work perfectly in Premiere Pro without any conversion.

If you still want to use Nikon’s LUTs – or a custom LUT that assumes Rec.2020/N-Log – that’s where Nikon’s new conversion LUTs come in. They convert your footage from REDWideGamutRGB/Log3G10 to Rec.2020/N-Log, after which you can apply your creative LUT.

Here’s the recommended workflow:

1. Import your N-RAW files into Premiere Pro.

2. In the Project panel, select the clip(s) you want to apply the creative LUT to.

3. Go to Lumetri Color > Settings > Source Clip > Input LUT, and select Nikon’s conversion LUT:
   RWG_Log3G10_to_REC2020_N-LOG_size_65.cube.  You’ll see a slight change in the image, indicating it’s now in Rec.2020/N-Log.

4. To apply your creative LUT, add an Adjustment Layer to your timeline, select it, then go to Lumetri Color > Edit > Creative > Look, and click Browse to choose your LUT.

If your image looks oversaturated, make sure Lumetri Color > Settings > Project > Color Manage Auto Detected Log and Raw Media is unchecked. That option automatically applies a color space conversion, which should be turned off when using LUT-based conversions.

Adobe has supported Nikon raw formats for over 20 years and RED raw video for over a decade, so we’re delighted to continue our close collaboration with our friends and partners at the newly combined company. Both N-RAW and R3D NE are currently supported in Premiere Pro Beta. 

As always, if you have any questions, let us know!

Thanks,
Fergus

[R Neil Haugen]

Thanks, Fergus ... this is a well written bit so we can understand not just what, but how and why something works.