Exporting color-correction settings

You can use the Tools button at the bottom of the Catalyst Prepare window to export color-correction settings to cameras for on-set monitoring or to a nonlinear editor (NLE) for color grading.

Saving a color preset

Color presets include the source settings (exposure, temperature, and tint), look profile, tone curve, and ASC-CDL settings. For more information, see "Editing Color Adjustments controls."

  1. Click the Organize button at the top of the Catalyst Prepare window to view the Media Browser.

  2. Double-click a clip in the Media Browser to load the clip you want to edit. When you load a clip, the color-correction settings saved with the clip are loaded.

    Color correction is available only in Edit mode.

  3. Click the Adjust Color button at the bottom of the Catalyst Prepare window.

  4. Click the Inspector button in the toolbar to display the Inspector pane if it isn't already visible.

  5. Click the Tools button at the bottom of the Catalyst Prepare window and choose Save preset from the menu.

  6. In the Save Preset dialog, type a file name to identify your Catalyst color (.ccolor) file.

    Presets are saved in the following folders by default:

    Windows: C:\Users\<user>\Documents\Sony\Catalyst\Color\

    macOS: /Users/<user>/Documents/Sony/Catalyst/Color

  7. Click OK.

Exporting an ASC-CDL file

  1. Click the Organize button at the top of the Catalyst Prepare window to view the Media Browser.

  2. Double-click a clip in the Media Browser to load the clip you want to edit. When you load a clip, the color-correction settings saved with the clip are loaded.

    Color correction is available only in Edit mode.

  3. Click the Adjust Color button at the bottom of the Catalyst Prepare window. In this mode, Catalyst Prepare displays a waveform/histogram/vectorscope monitor, a video preview, and color controls that you can use to adjust the appearance of your video.

  4. Click the Inspector button in the toolbar to display the Inspector pane if it isn't already visible and adjust your color settings as needed. For more information, see "Editing Color Adjustments controls."

    Saturation and color wheel/slider settings are saved with ASC-CDL files. Tone curve settings are not saved.

    Brightness and contrast are not saved explicitly with ASC-CDL files. When exporting an ASC-CDL file, the Brightness and Contrast settings are incorporated with the other color-correction values. When you reload an exported ASC-CDL file, the Brightness and Contrast settings will be set to 0.

    When exchanging color settings with Catalyst Browse and Catalyst Prepare, click the Tools button at the bottom of the Catalyst Prepare window and choose Save preset from the menu to preserve Brightness and Contrast settings.

    For more information, see "Exporting color-correction settings" and "Applying color-correction settings."

  5. Click the Tools button at the bottom of the Catalyst Prepare window and choose Export color settings from the menu.

  6. Use the Export As dialog box to specify the folder, file name, and settings you want to export:

    1. Use the browser to select the folder where you want to save your file.

    2. In the File name box, type the path and file name you want to save your color-correction settings.

    3. Choose ASC-CDL from the Format drop-down list.

  7. Click Export.

Exporting a 3D LUT

When the Working color space in Options is set to Rec.2020/S-Log3 (HDR), you can export a 3D LUT (look-up table) to capture your color settings — including the application of SR Live metadata — that can be applied in nonlinear editing software or a hardware LUT box.

  1. Click the Organize button at the top of the Catalyst Prepare window to view the Media Browser.

  2. Double-click a clip in the Media Browser to load the clip you want to edit. When you load a clip, the color-correction settings saved with the clip are loaded.

    Color correction is available only in Edit mode.

  3. Click the Adjust Color button at the bottom of the Catalyst Prepare window. In this mode, Catalyst Prepare displays a waveform/histogram/vectorscope monitor, a video preview, and color controls that you can use to adjust the appearance of your video.

  4. Click the Inspector button in the toolbar to display the Inspector pane if it isn't already visible and adjust your color settings as needed. For more information, see "Editing Color Adjustments controls."

  5. Click the Tools button at the bottom of the Catalyst Prepare window and choose Export color settings from the menu.

  6. Use the Export As dialog box to specify the folder, file name, and settings you want to export:

    1. Use the browser to select the folder where you want to save your file.

    2. In the File name box, type the file name you want to use to save your 3D LUT.

      When SR Live metadata source is set to External file in Options, the base name of the selected SRM file is provided by default. For more information, see "SR Live for HDR settings."

    3. Choose a setting from the Format drop-down list to choose the type of 3D LUT you want to create:

    4. If the input color space is S-Log2 or S-Log3 and the Format is set to 3D LUT (NLE .cube), you can select the Extended S-Log input range check box and choose a setting from the Type drop-down list to specify an extended input range.

      • Choose IRIDAS/Adobe to create a 3D LUT you can use with Adobe Premiere Pro.

      • Choose DaVinci Resolve to create a 3D LUT you can use with DaVinci Resolve.

      The Extended S-Log input range check box is used to correct for cases where an NLE treats files that use full range (such as S-Log3) as legal range. If the NLE has an input range setting, such as newer versions of Resolve, you do not need to select the Extended S-Log input range check box.

    5. Choose a setting from the Input color space drop-down list to specify the color space that will be used as the input of the LUT.

    6. Choose a setting from the Output color space drop-down list to specify the color space that will be used as the output of the LUT.

      Output color space is available only when the Working color space is set to Rec.2020/S-Log3 (HDR). For more information, see "High Dynamic Range (HDR) color grading."

    7. Choose a setting from the Precision drop-down list box to choose a standard (33x33x33) or high-precision (65x65x65) LUT.

    8. Select the Source settings check box if you want to include exposure, temperature, and tint settings with your LUT.

    9. Select the Convert to setting check box if you want to export your LUT using the Hypergamma setting selected in the Convert to drop-down list in the Inspector.

      The Convert to setting check box is available only when the Working color space in Options is set to Rec.709 and the Convert to drop-down in the Inspector pane is set to a Hypergamma conversion choice, such as 709(800) or HG8009G33.

    10. Select the Look profile check box if you want to include the selected look profile from the Inspector in your LUT.

      The Look profile check box is displayed below the Convert to drop-down list when the Working color space in Options is set to Rec.709 and the Convert to drop-down in the Inspector pane is not set to a Hypergamma conversion choice.

      The Look profile check box is displayed below the Color correction check box when the Working color space in Options is set to Log.

    11. Select the Tone curve check box if you want to include the tone curve from the Inspector in your LUT.

    12. Select the Color correction check box if you want to include the color correction adjustments from the Inspector in your LUT.

  7. Click Export. The LUT file will be saved in the folder you selected in step 6a.

Applying a 3D LUT in Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve

  1. Follow the instructions in "Exporting a 3D LUT" to save your 3D LUT file in 3D LUT (NLE .cube) format.

  2. Save the 3D LUT file in the following folder:

    • Windows: C:\ProgramData\Blackmagic Design\DaVinci Resolve\Support\LUT\Sony

    • macOS: /macOS/Library/Application Support/Blackmagic Design/DaVinci Resolve/LUT/Sony

      • Tips:

      • To locate the LUT folder, choose File > Project Settings in Resolve, and then click the Open LUT Folder button on the Color Management tab.

      • Use the 3D Lookup Table Interpolation drop-down list to set 3D LUT interpolation to be Trilinear or Tetrahedral.

  3. Ensure your project is set to use the intended output color space (typically Rec.709) on the timeline:

    1. In Resolve, choose File > Project Settings.

    2. Click the Color Management tab.

    3. From the Color science drop-down list, choose DaVinci YRGB.

    4. From the Timeline color space drop-down list, choose a Rec.709 color space, such as Rec.709 (Scene).

    5. Click Save.

  4. To apply the LUT to a clip, right-click the media thumbnail, choose LUT from the shortcut menu, choose Sony, and then choose the 3D LUT you want to use:

    If the source media color space uses Legal range (such as HLG XAVC), no further actions are required.

    If the source media color space uses Full range (such as S-Log3, for example), you must tell Resolve not to stretch the media range: right-click the media thumbnail, choose Clip Attributes, and then change Data Levels to Full.

Applying a 3D LUT in Adobe Premiere Pro

  1. Follow the instructions in "Exporting a 3D LUT" to save your 3D LUT file in 3D LUT (NLE .cube) format.

  2. Ensure your sequence is set to use the intended output color space (typically Rec.709) as its working color space.

    1. In Premiere Pro, choose Sequence > Sequence Settings.

    2. From the Working Color Space drop-down list, choose Rec.709.

    3. Click OK.

  3. Right-click the media in the Premiere Pro media window, choose Modify from the shortcut menu, and then choose Interpret Footage.

    When working with S-Log3 and/or HLG files containing SR Live metadata in Premiere Pro 2022, you can skip steps 3-6 if you want to convert from S-Log3/HLG to Rec.709. If you want to use a specific 3D LUT in Premiere Pro 2022, please perform steps 3-6 and refer to the Premiere Pro documentation for specific usage information.

  4. In the Color Management section, open the Input LUT selector.

  5. Select the 3D LUT file you want to use:

    • To use an existing 3D LUT, choose it from the selector.

    • To add a new 3D LUT, choose Add LUTs and browse to the folder where you've saved the 3D LUT you want to use.

  6. Set the Color Space Override selector to match the output color space of the LUT (typically Rec.709).