Processing and Formatting Effects > Colour Management >

# Processing Clips with 3D LUTs

You can process clips with a 3D LUT to commit the colour conversion to the clip. There is no way to restore logarithmic data once you have processed a clip with a 3D LUT. Typically, you do this to release a film clip for review on video, or to guarantee real-time playback which may not be possible in 3D LUT display mode.

While this process produces footage with the closest accuracy to film look, its accuracy cannot match how the clip appears on your calibrated Smoke system. Furthermore, you cannot use a 3D LUT to convert linear data back to logarithmic data.

You import a 3D LUT to process clips using the LUT Editor when it is accessed from the EditDesk or Batch. The LUT Editor is accessible from Batch clips and the following nodes in Batch: LUT Editor, Library, and Batch FX Output.

To process a clip with a 3D LUT:

1. Access the LUT Editor from the EditDesk. See Accessing the LUT Editor.

   (a) Conversion LUT Type box(b) Destination box

2. From the Conversion LUT Type box, select 3D LUT.
3. Click Import LUT.

   The file browser appears.

4. Navigate to the 3D LUT file you want to use, select it, then click Load.

   You return to the LUT Editor, and the 3D LUT is applied to the clip in the image window. The 3D LUT name appears in the field next to the Import LUT button.

5. Select an output bit-depth option from the Destination box.

   Select: | To:
   --- | ---
   8-bit | Output 8 bits per channel.
   10-bit | Output 10 bits per channel.
   12-bit | Output 12 bits per channel.
   12-bit Unpacked | Output 12 bits per channel, unpacked.
   16-bit float | Output 16 bits per channel, floating point data.

6. Click Process.

   The clip is processed with the 3D LUT to the destination you selected.