Hey folks!
We have released update 3.1.1 for the Professional Package. Please login into your account and go to Downloads page to get the latest package.
The focus of update 3.1.1 was introducing RED IPP2 workflow tailored color grading and monitoring LUTs. Update 3.1.1 allows you to apply LUTs directly on REDWideGamutRGB Log3G10 footage before making any conversion into Rec709 or P3.
A quick recap
While we have introduced support for IPP2 workflow long time ago, and we even offer free REDWideGamutRGB Log3G10 log conversion LUTs, update 3.1.1 introduces LUTs designed to be used DIRECTLY on REDWideGamutRGB Log3G10 footage BEFORE any log conversion into Rec709 or P3.
Advantages of using IPP2 tailored LUTs
By utilizing custom IPP2 LUTs in your workflow, all your color grading decisions, including LUTs, take place in a wide standardized color space (namely REDWideGamutRGB) eliminating out-of-gamut edits.
Moreover, as all your color edits take place in a wide standardized color space, should you later on (after your grade is finished) decide to go from Rec709 to P3 you would simply change the conversion LUT at the very end of your pipeline and all your color grading decisions would carry through!
There’s no more need to re-grade your footage for different outputs.
Additionally, by being able to apply LUTs directly on REDWideGamut Log3G10 footage, you can take advantage of the newest debayering and highlight algorithm improvements in the latest beta versions of REDCine-X software.
A quick example
Traditionally, you would first convert your log footage into a workable space such as Rec709 or P3. As this narrows the color gamut you’re working with, theoretically your edits could cause out-of-gamut colors which in turn cannot be displayed in your color space of choice.
While this is rare, and most color controls in various color grading software won’t go beyond gamut (and our LUTs make sure you don’t go out of gamut as well) it’s possible to loose information in your image if you’re not careful.
But what’s worse, as you’re applying the log conversion at the beginning of your pipeline, once you’re finished with the grade, it’s impossible to go from Rec709 to P3 and vice versa without regrading the footage.
IPP2 tailored LUTs change this.
As IPP2 LUTs are designed to work with REDWideGamutRGB Log3G10 footage, you apply them directly to your wide gamut standardized color space making sure no out of gamut edits can occur. More importantly, when working with IPP2 LUTs we leave the log conversion for the very end making the transition from Rec709 to P3 and vice versa seamless as all your color edits happen in REDWideGamutRGB before it’s narrowed down to Rec709 or P3.
With IPP2 LUTs simply change the log conversion LUT at the very end of your pipeline to go from Rec709 to P3 for example and you’re good to go.
Here’s a sample REDWideGamutRGB Log3G10 grab courtesy of Abandon Visuals. This wonderful grab is from a short named ‘The Underdog‘ directed by Jonny Mass and lensed by Jared Fadel.
Here is the same image after being normalized into Rec709.
And here is the same image with Matar teal and orange LUT from the Professional Package applied to it. This workflow showcases the traditional way of grading a log footage.
Now let’s have a look at the new workflow using IPP2 LUTs. Let’s begin once again with log image.
This time, we’ll apply to it directly IPP2 tailored Matar teal and orange LUT from the Professional Package.
Initially it looks very different, but we still need to add to it log conversion from REDWideGamutRGB Log3G10 into Rec709. This time however, it’s done as the very last step. Here is our final image.
The result is identical to our previous grade but approaching it IPP2-way allows us to have far greater control over the final image.
Can anyone use the new IPP2 tailored LUTs?
No. IPP2 LUTs are tailored specifically for RED DSMC2 cameras utilizing the new IPP2 workflow, namely your footage must be of REDWideGamutRGB Log3G10 type.
As always, should you have any questions please contact us.
