DaVinci Resolve LUTs: A Simple Color Grading Workflow for Natural, Cinematic Color
DaVinci Resolve gives filmmakers an incredible amount of control over color, but that doesn’t mean every grade needs a complicated node tree.
Search for DaVinci Resolve LUTs or color grading tutorials today and you’ll find workflows involving Color Space Transforms, multiple technical transforms, creative LUTs, film emulation plugins and increasingly complex node structures.
There’s nothing wrong with working that way when a project requires it.
But for most of my work, I prefer to keep things much simpler.
After years of grading footage from Sony, Blackmagic, Canon, Panasonic, DJI and other cameras, the workflow behind BUTTERY LUTs has always been based on one idea:
Correct the image → apply the LUT → fine-tune if necessary.
That’s it. I always cared more about getting the image right in camera and avoid to waste time fixing it in post.
What Are LUTs in DaVinci Resolve?
A LUT, or Look-Up Table, transforms the color and tonal values of an image.
When working with Log footage in DaVinci Resolve, LUTs generally serve one of two purposes: converting the image into a normal viewing space such as Rec709, or creating a specific aesthetic.
Conversion LUTs
A conversion LUT transforms footage recorded in a flat Log profile into a natural-looking Rec709 image.
Examples include footage shot in Sony S-Log3, Canon C-Log, Panasonic V-Log, Blackmagic Film/BRAW or DJI D-Log.
BUTTERY Natural Rec709 LUTs are designed specifically for this purpose.
Rather than simply adding contrast and saturation, they are designed to create a balanced starting point with natural skin tones, accurate color and smooth highlight roll-off while maintaining the character of the original camera.
Creative LUTs
Creative LUTs are different.
Instead of simply converting Log footage to a normal image, they create a specific visual style.
That can mean warmer tones, cooler shadows, film-inspired color, stronger contrast, black and white, commercial looks or more stylized cinematic grades.
The important thing is knowing what input the LUT was designed for.
A LUT designed for Sony S-Log3 expects Sony S-Log3 footage. A LUT designed for DJI D-Log expects DJI D-Log footage.
That sounds obvious, but it’s one of the most common mistakes I see when people start working with LUTs.
My Simple DaVinci Resolve LUT Workflow
For most projects, I don’t need an enormous node tree.
A very simple workflow can be enough.
I usually start by applying the correct LUT on a second node.
Then on the first node I do my basic adjustments such as white balance, contrast, masks (if needed) etc.
The point isn’t to use the fewest nodes possible just for the sake of it. The point is to avoid adding unnecessary technical steps when they aren’t improving the image.
Watch My DaVinci Resolve Color Grading Workflow
In this tutorial, I walk through the simple color grading workflow I use in DaVinci Resolve and explain why I prefer keeping the process straightforward rather than building unnecessarily complicated node trees. You will also see the how much I care about capturing the perfect image in production so I can avoid wasting time and money in post.
Do You Need a Color Space Transform Before a LUT?
I never used CST in my entire filmmaking career and I still don’t. Why? Because I tried and did my tests, but the result is never even close to what I achieve with BUTTERY LUTs, which is an Alexa inspired conversion LUT, not just a technical LUT.
A CST can absolutely be part of a more complex workflow. But adding one automatically doesn’t necessarily make the grade better.
Understanding your color pipeline is more important than simply adding more nodes.
Natural Rec709 or Creative LUTs?
The right choice depends on what you want the LUT to do.
Natural Rec709 is designed to give you a clean, neutral starting point. It’s ideal when you want natural skin tones, accurate color, controlled highlights and an image that you can continue shaping yourself.
Creative LUTs are designed to establish more of the final look immediately. They can be useful for commercial work, travel films, fashion, music videos, narrative projects and any situation where you want a stronger aesthetic direction.
With either approach, I still recommend balancing exposure and white balance before judging the final look.
A LUT cannot fix badly exposed or incorrectly balanced footage automatically.
One LUT Instead of LUT Stacking
It’s common to see workflows online that look something like this:
Log footage → CST → Rec709 transform → Creative LUT → film emulation → additional corrections
That can absolutely work, but every additional transform introduces another variable.
BUTTERY LUTs are designed around a simpler philosophy: one LUT, day or night, interior or exterior, you will always need only one LUT, that’s it.
For many projects, the workflow can simply be:
Basic corrections (first node) → BUTTERY LUT (second node)
That makes the grade faster, but it also makes it easier to maintain consistency across dozens or hundreds of shots.
When every clip follows essentially the same structure, matching a project becomes much more straightforward.
DaVinci Resolve LUTs for Different Cameras
One of the most important things to understand about LUTs is that different Log profiles are not interchangeable.
Sony S-Log3, Blackmagic Film, Canon C-Log, Panasonic V-Log and DJI D-Log all encode color and tonal information differently.
That’s why BUTTERY LUTs are developed in dedicated versions for supported cameras and color profiles rather than using one generic conversion across every manufacturer.
Our collections include LUTs for cameras and profiles from Sony, Blackmagic Design, Canon, Panasonic, DJI, Leica and other supported systems.
Using the correct version means the LUT receives the color information it was actually designed around.
Can You Use LUTs in DaVinci Resolve Free?
Yes.
Standard .cube LUT files can be used directly in DaVinci Resolve, including the free version.
BUTTERY LUTs are supplied as standard .cube files, so they can also be used in Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro and other editing or color grading software that supports LUTs.
If you need help installing them, you can also read our guide:
How to Install BUTTERY LUTs in DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro
Better Color Grading Doesn’t Have to Mean More Complexity
DaVinci Resolve is one of the most powerful color grading applications available. That power is incredibly useful when you need it, but complexity by itself doesn’t create a better image.
For most everyday grading, I prefer starting with the simplest workflow that produces the result I want: of course shoot LOG, get the perfect exposure and white balance in production. Apply the LUT designed for that camera. Fine-tune the image. That’s it.
The goal of color grading isn’t to build the most impressive node tree. It’s to make the image look right.
Explore BUTTERY LUTs
BUTTERY LUTs are developed for filmmakers and creators who want a fast, predictable color grading workflow without sacrificing image quality.
Choose your camera and Log profile to find Natural Rec709 conversion LUTs, Creative LUTs and complete LUT collections for Sony, Blackmagic Design, Canon, Panasonic, DJI, Leica and more.