I adore the Blackmagic Pocket 4K and 6K cameras due to their incredible features, small size and affordability.
The only problem I ran into came during the colour grading process - the default Blackmagic LUTs really felt like they were holding me back with terribly inaccurate colour reproduction and a very video-like contrast profile.
So I decided to develop my own LUTs to help get the most natural and compelling images possible out of the P4K & 6K and to truly unlock the full potential of this incredible camera.
To do so, I developed a pair of LUT Packs centred around two distinct themes:
Gen 4 and 5 Colour Science Supported. These will work on both the P4K and P6K as there are versions for each included when you purchase
The ‘ARRI Look’ LUT pack was meticulously developed alongside my ARRI Alexa Mini to first and foremost provide a way to emulate the Alexa709 LUT (K1S1 LUT) with the Neutral LUT and secondly to provide four creative looks to act as creative variations and alternatives for further colour grading options.
The 5 LUTs Described Below:
LUT 1) Neutral
Developed to emulate the Alexa Rec709 LUT as close as technically possible.
Featuring Alexa-like skin-tone reproduction.
Drastically Improved colour accuracy with all primary colours and skin tones for a clean, neutral starting point for grading
LUT 2) Tungsten
A slightly warmer golden cast designed to be utilised for subjects bathed in tungsten light.
LUT 3) Ice Blue
Blue, colder cast with punchy, deep blues (looks amazing on subjects with blue eyes).
LUT 4) Jamaica
Green and gold cast - distinctive, rich, filmic greens and beautiful golden skintones.
LUT 5) Utopia
The most filmic look of the LUTs, with blood red reds and filmic blues and greens with a slight boost in contrast.
It’s my personal take on what Utopia would look like.
The ‘Film Look’ LUT Pack contains 6 LUTs inspired by real film stocks designed to give your Blackmagic Log Footage the Film Look. The emulations are based on my own research and subjective impressions of the film stocks listed.
The 6 LUTs Described Below:
LUT 1) ‘Vision’ - Modelled on Kodak Vision 5274
Shot on: The Matrix, Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Gladiator
The most colour accurate stock with accurate blues, slightly cool greens, accurate skin tones which slightly skew pink/gold
Strong contrast and filmic subtractive colour model in saturation
Gentle roll off and rich, smooth fall off in shadows
Skews green in shadow areas and when underexposed
Classic film character but less stylised than any other stock
LUT 2) ‘Eastman’ - Modelled on Kodak Eastman 5247
Shot on: Apocalypse Now, Bladerunner, Alien, ET
Vintage, dated Kodak look and feel.
Saturation strongest in mids and falls off in shadows and highlights.
Greens skew warm, blues slightly turquoise, gold/pink skin-tones.
Smoother contrast than modern stocks.
LUT3) ‘Eastman RM’ - Variation on Kodak Eastman 5247 (Introduced Jan 2022)
Classic Eastman Look but modernised (Orange & Teal)
Greener in cast than the more magenta original Eastman 5247
Modelled on the Re-Graded versions of classic films from 70s & 80s
LUT 4) ‘Vision Teal’ - Variation on Kodak Vision 5274 (LUT# 1)
Subtle Orange/Teal colour scheme.
More stylised version of ‘#1 Vision’. Less realistic - ‘prettier’.
Greens are slightly warmer, blues slightly turquoise and skin more golden.
Overall lift in saturation and contrast compared to ‘Vision’ but still balanced.
Can elevate a dull scene with its look but not overpower a rich scene.
LUT 5) ‘Eterna’ - Modelled on Fuji Eterna 8563
Shot on: Captain Phillips, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, The Butler
Overall smoother contrast and rolloff compared to Kodak.
Rich but not overpowering colours and saturation characteristics.
My go-to for Fashion and Beauty but can work with almost anything.
Very flattering skin-tones.
Greens are cool and rich, skin is golden, blues skew turquoise and modern, colour accurate yellows compared to Kodak.
LUT 6) ‘Bleach’ - Modelled on Fujifilm Super F 8552
Shot on: Munich, War of The Worlds, Crash
Modelling the Bleach Bypass process for strong contrast and low saturation.
Aggressive, gritty look - halfway between black and white and colour film.
Great for War Films, Crime, Urban Fashion.
Works especially well with heavy film grain.
The images below are taken from video projects that were colour graded with Phantom LUTs.