FS7: LUTCalc v2.0 - Now with Mac App Store and Google Chrome Web Store versions

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cameramanben

Well-known member
Hi All,

I've just had v2.0 of LUTCalc accepted by the Mac App Store, plus a packaged version for Chrome on the Chrome Web Store. Links to the stores are on the LUTCalc home page, which has also had an overhaul with a bit more info:

LUTCalc home page

I have tweaked and updated a fair bit since I last posted a version here; the colour science behind the white balancing is much better and I've added the option to take white balances from test frames.

There is now an option to save and load all the current settings, so you don't have to start from scratch each time you start LUTCalc (there you go alohype!). You can also lock the values for the black level and highlight level, so they don't reset when you change other settings.

On the preview side I've included xy an uv chromacity charts to the preview images, with the colour space triangles overlaid and adjusted with tweaks (these are the charts you see when manufacturers show how large their colour spaces are). It's also easier to jump between previews.


With the Chrome version, being on the Web Store means I have a bit more freedom in file saving - you can choose where to save files, rather than just in the download directory. The one advantage that the Mac App version has is that it can load 16-bit tiffs and pngs as test images for previewing.


There are other smaller fixes and updates, not least in bringing the instructions up to date.


There is a small charge for these versions ($2.99, which seems to come out as two differently in pounds on the two stores!). I hope this doesn't put anyone off too much - the source code remains open on GitHub and the Home page has the online version which will remain free and is a good way to try it out. The apps are better though!



It's such a niche area I don't anticipate making my fortune (wouldn't say no though ;-) ), but I'd love to stand a fighting chance of eventually getting the cost of my developer subscriptions and domain hosting back. If it does go well, I might consider replacing the model in the default preview image. ;-)



I have to say I'm a bit nervous that I've done everything correctly with the app stores - it seems to all work on my computer - but I feel quite chuffed to see it there. Be nice if it got downloaded a few times!


Anyway, as ever let me know if you do give it a go.



Ben
 
Excellent stuff Ben, thanks V. much for this. After having used this A LOT over the past few months, I just bought it on the App Store.

Great work!

jason
 
Ben - I think all of us who have tried LUTCalc should pony up the $2.99 - even if we don't download it. It's been a great free tool - pretty certain it will only continue to get better.
 
markfpv said:
Ben - I think all of us who have tried LUTCalc should pony up the $2.99 - even if we don't download it. It's been a great free tool - pretty certain it will only continue to get better.
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Sure, absolutely, and given that he's added several useful new features to version 2.0, I would say that we'd be silly not to!

Already appreciating the save/load preset function, not to mention the WB correction feature for Cine EI and it's fixed WBs.

YES.

jason
 
Full disclousre-- I would have paid more than $2.99

Thank you for your hard work and wonderful contribution to the craft!

Ned Soltz
 
Ben , Don't sell yourself too cheap. Its an incredible tool and its a tool that only professionals will be interested in. I think you should sell it for far more. I wouldn't hesitate to spend $20 easy and I suspect that's true for anyone who knows what it is. Its worth way more than $20 actually.

Lenny Levy
 
Lenilenapi said:
Ben , Don't sell yourself too cheap. Its an incredible tool and its a tool that only professionals will be interested in. I think you should sell it for far more. I wouldn't hesitate to spend $20 easy and I suspect that's true for anyone who knows what it is. Its worth way more than $20 actually.

Lenny Levy
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I TOTALLY agree!! And I'm sure that if you were doing such a wonderful work for free with that extra money that tool may become industry standard!! (I'm not exaggerating here). More money means more time for development!!
(If I were you, I would do upgrade path for the next revision. So whoever paid $2.99 will be discounted to get new version. Newcomers will pay full $20)

I'm so grateful for including my idea Ben! :D I'm actually surprised that this update comes so fast!

Many, MANY thanks! Fantastic work Ben!!
 
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I will purchase for $2.99 but send an additional $17 paypal to you Ben if you'll provide a Paypal address. I encourage other people here to do the same.
BTW - I'm not surprised that your updates come so fast anymore , but that you have time to do anything else.
$20 is still a steal for this program. Sony should buy it, include it with all their Slog cameras and make it easier to identify and use LUT's in their cameras.

Lenny Levy
 
Hi, I've just purchased it too, thank you. I should have checked first, but I see the FS700 is not in the list of cameras. I generally shoot with the FS700 S-Log2 Raw output to the Odyssey 7Q+ recording in ProRes. Would you be able to develop a profile for that, or is there a suggested profile I could use? I'm not too familiar with your app yet, having only just looked at it today for the first time, so any help appreciated. Thank you.
 
Hi All,

thank you so much for all the responses! I've just uploaded a couple of introductory 'How-To' videos to the lutcalc.net site for anyone new to LUTCalc. The first one is a basic introduction to generating LUTs and the second one covers the customisation options. As an added bonus, my wife tells me they should make a wonderful sleep aid. :)

pythonman - gamma-wise S-Log2 is S-Log2 regardless of which camera it is on. You can make 1D tone curve LUTs with LUTCalc just setting input gamma to S-Log2, and if you want to do exposure compensation just set the camera to any of the Sony options and then use stop corrections rather than CineEI ISO.

For 3D LUTs, I'm not familiar with the gamut setup in an FS700 with the v3 firmware. If you can fill me in, I can add it as an option for the next update. For now, if you can set to an 'untweaked' gamut (eg S-Gamut) and find it in the the input gamut options, it should be fine to use.

Hope that helps,

Ben
 
One other thing. As a result of all my LUT stuff I recently got asked to write an article giving a background to log recording for the Guild Of Television Cameramen's magazine, Zerb. It has been published now and they have kindly let me post a pdf of it.

The article covers log in general, but with a lot of reference to S-Log2 and S-Log3.

If it's of interest it's on the LUTCalc site in the 'FAQ' section, or this is a direct link:

'A Bit More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About Shooting Log'

Thanks,

Ben
 
cameramanben said:
One other thing. As a result of all my LUT stuff I recently got asked to write an article giving a background to log recording for the Guild Of Television Cameramen's magazine, Zerb. It has been published now and they have kindly let me post a pdf of it.

The article covers log in general, but with a lot of reference to S-Log2 and S-Log3.

If it's of interest it's on the LUTCalc site in the 'FAQ' section, or this is a direct link:

'A Bit More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About Shooting Log'

Thanks,

Ben
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Ben,

Thanks for posting the article, much appreciated.

RE: Does it need to be Log?. I've been moving towards the position of burning LUTs and getting as much data in 10 bits as possible as I tend to use no more than 2 LUTs in post anyway. I'm also finding more macro blocking in SLog3 footage, particularly in large areas of sky which is very brittle, yet a full range baked LUT footage grades impeccably well.

I think having a couple of LUTs for relevant dynamic ranges and Looks is the way forward.
 
I have a question! :)
Some of the Impulz LUT in slog3 has known issues (ie. banding). So I wanted to do is to use Alexa ones instead. I did a slog3 to LogC transformation LUT and then applied Alexa Impulz LUT. Colors looks same (as expected) however, whole image is at least one stop darker. What am I missing? Why it is so? Shouldn't images turn out to be almost identical? (if not identical)
 
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