Selecting a Conversion Method

The Convert list includes five choices:

• Straight (default)
• Log to Linear
• Linear to Log
• Copy Parameters from Operator
• Use Imported LUT

Using Straight Conversion

If you select Straight from the Convert list, the preset straight conversion curve appears. This curve preserves the color space of the original source footage (either linear or log).

Typically, you choose this option when you want to work directly in log space from log source material (from Cineon 10-bit log to 10-bit log processing), or if LUT conversion is not needed (16-bit linear to 16-bit linear).

Note: Film Gamma and Soft Clip fields are not available for this option.

Using Log to Linear and Linear to Log Conversion

There are two other conversion methods with preset curves.

Log to Linear

Uses a preset log space to linear space curve for conversion. Usually, this option is used when you are converting Cineon 10-bit log files to linear space of any bit depth.

Linear to Log

Uses a preset linear space to log space curve for conversion.

There are two additional controls for these two methods:

• Film Gamma
• Soft Clip

These two controls do not have the graph gadgets that the other five do.

Copying a LUT from the Workspace

You can copy the LUT settings from any Footage operator or Bit Depth Converter operator in the workspace.

For example, you can import several scenes from the same shoot, modify the LUT for one of them, then use this LUT for the others.

When you select Copy Parameters from Operator, the Operator Picker dialog appears. Select a Bit Depth Converter or Footage operator and click OK.

Using an Imported LUT

You can use an existing LUT file imported from disk. When you select Use Imported LUT, all controls become unavailable. After you select this option, click Import.

However, if you export a LUT from the LUT Editor, and then import it (without modifying the LUT values elsewhere—for example, in a text editor), then the controls are still available. In other words, you can still edit the settings because combustion recognizes the type of LUT file.

In this case, the Convert list shows the setting that is extracted from the imported file (Log to Linear, for example), so there is no indication that the settings are from an imported file. If the settings cannot be extracted, the list continues to show "Use Imported LUT".