Yesterday, the Panasonic Firmware Update 2.3 for Panasonic GH4 has been released. This makes it possible to install Panasonic’s (paid) V-Log L. I have gone through the installation process and yesterday shot som footage with the Panasonic GH4 + Kipon AF adapter + Sigma AF 150-600mm Contemporary. For good color rendition, Panasonic also provides a corresponding Look Up Table, which you need to install in your video editing software. Without LUT , you can also edit the V-Log L footage, but thanks to the LUT color grading runs with one press of a button. Panasonic claims that you achieved through the V-log L a dynamic range of 14 stops. Last night there was a lot of light, so videos without Vlog irrevocably faded highlights and highlights with far too saturated yellows would have produced. Thanks to the V-log L and the corresponding LUT you do not have problems anymore. The processed images look very good. The increase in image quality, makes the investment of 100 euro worth. Here a preview.
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LUT: the secret of the Colorist
To translate the colors from one color profile (such as sRGB) into a different color profile (Adobe RGB), a Look Up Table (LUT) is used. If you use a calibrated display, then the screen reads in an LUT, which is made by the software calibration. That’s how the monitor knows which colors should be changed, and how. Experienced videographers use all flat profiles in the recording, in order to prevent over- and underexposure. In the edit they use a LUT to make the colors as they were during recording. Or they use a LUT for a creative twist. With a LUT you can mimic the color of known analog films, or a day case turn into a night scene. LUTs are also used to tune the color of different cameras in video productions involving different (brands) cameras. As an illustration, I have not used the Panasonic LUT below, but another LUT, which is standard in Adobe Premiere Pro:
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