Summary
Apple Log LUTs for After Effects are .cube conversion LUTs that transform iPhone Apple Log footage into Rec.709, applied with Effect > Utility > Apply Color LUT or through Lumetri Color. They restore contrast and colour while preserving the dynamic range of the log file. In After Effects the conversion must be the first effect in the layer's effect stack, above every other effect including any creative look LUT.
What Are Apple Log LUTs?
Apple Log is the flat capture curve your iPhone uses to preserve highlight and shadow detail. It is designed to be transformed, not viewed. A conversion LUT does that transform, translating Apple Log into Rec.709 so the image reads correctly on a normal display.
Apple Log LUTs — ProRes Log to Rec709 Conversion is a $14.00 pack containing:
- 5 Apple Log to Rec.709 conversion LUTs — five different transforms so you can pick per shot.
- A step-by-step installation manual — written instructions for loading and applying them.
- .cube files — the format After Effects reads through Apply Color LUT and Lumetri Color.
They work with Apple Log from iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models, shot in the native Camera app or the Blackmagic Camera app. If the format itself is unfamiliar, read what is a .cube LUT and how to import one.
How Apple Log LUTs Work in After Effects
After Effects is a compositing application, so the conversion is not just about how the shot looks — it determines what every effect downstream is operating on. Keys, blurs, glows and blend modes all behave differently on log data than on Rec.709.
- Unzip the pack — keep the .cube files somewhere permanent. After Effects references the file path when you load it.
- Import your Apple Log footage — File > Import > File, then drop the clip into a composition.
- Select the footage layer — click it in the timeline.
- Apply the conversion — go to Effect > Utility > Apply Color LUT. A file browser opens; select the .cube file and click Open. The layer converts to Rec.709 immediately.
- Or use Lumetri Color — Effect > Color Correction > Lumetri Color, then in Effect Controls open Basic Correction and load the .cube in the Input LUT dropdown via Browse.
- Check the effect order — in the Effect Controls panel, the conversion must be at the top of the list. After Effects renders effects top to bottom, so anything above it is processing raw log.
- Add correction and looks below it — Curves, Levels, additional Lumetri instances and creative LUTs all go underneath the conversion in the stack.
- Composite after converting — do your keying, tracking, glows and blend-mode work on the converted image, not the log image.
- Reuse the setup — select the effect in Effect Controls and use Animation > Save Animation Preset to create a reusable .ffx, or copy and paste the effect onto other layers.
For multiple layers, an adjustment layer above the footage with Apply Color LUT on it will convert everything below — useful, but only when every layer underneath is Apple Log.
Why the Conversion Must Be the First Effect
In After Effects the conversion LUT belongs at the top of the effect stack, before any creative look LUT and before any other colour or compositing effect. The Effect Controls panel is the render order: the first effect listed receives the source pixels, and each effect below receives the output of the one above.
The conversion is calculated to expect Apple Log values. Put a creative look, a curves adjustment or a glow above it and the conversion receives data it was never built for. You get crushed blacks, clipped highlights, and a picture that fights every correction you throw at it.
A correct After Effects stack, top to bottom:
- Apply Color LUT (or Lumetri) — Apple Log to Rec.709 conversion: the translation.
- Primary correction: Curves, Levels or a second Lumetri for exposure and white balance.
- Compositing effects: keys, mattes, glows, blurs, lens effects.
- Creative look LUT: your stylistic pass, for example a look from CineFilm Cinematic Film LUT Pack.
- Finishing: grain, vignette, sharpening.
You can drag effects up and down in Effect Controls to reorder them. If the image suddenly looks brittle or oddly saturated, check that nothing has been dragged above the conversion.
Project Setup Tips
- Work in a higher bit depth — set the project to 16 bpc or 32 bpc in File > Project Settings > Color. Log footage carries a lot of tonal information and 8 bpc will band on the conversion.
- Use an adjustment layer for whole comps — one conversion at the top of the stack rather than one per layer, when every layer below is Apple Log.
- Save an animation preset — a saved .ffx with the conversion loaded turns setup into a double-click on future projects.
- Do not double-convert — if you have interpreted the footage with a colour profile or applied a transform elsewhere, remove one of them. One conversion per layer.
- Compare all five — re-open Apply Color LUT with each .cube and judge on a real shot with skin tones and a bright window in frame.
With the image neutral, every downstream composite and grade decision becomes predictable.
Conclusion
After Effects gives you a visible, reorderable effect stack, and that is all you need to get Apple Log conversion right: put the conversion at the top, composite and grade underneath it, and finish with your creative look. Apple Log LUTs — ProRes Log to Rec709 Conversion gives you 5 .cube conversion LUTs and a step-by-step installation manual for $14.00, and the same files work across Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Avid Media Composer, LumaFusion and CapCut.
FAQ
Q: How do I apply a .cube LUT in After Effects?
A: Select the layer and go to Effect > Utility > Apply Color LUT, then choose the .cube file. You can also load it in Lumetri Color under Basic Correction > Input LUT.
Q: Where in the effect stack should the conversion go?
A: At the very top of Effect Controls. After Effects renders effects top to bottom, so the conversion must run before corrections, compositing effects and any creative look LUT.
Q: Can I convert several layers at once?
A: Yes. Put an adjustment layer above them with Apply Color LUT on it, as long as every layer below is Apple Log.
Q: Should I change the project bit depth?
A: 16 bpc or 32 bpc in File > Project Settings > Color gives smoother results with log footage than 8 bpc.
Q: What is included and how much is it?
A: 5 Apple Log to Rec.709 conversion LUTs in .cube format plus a step-by-step installation manual, for $14.00.
Q: Which iPhones are supported?
A: Apple Log footage from iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models, recorded in the native Camera app or the Blackmagic Camera app.