Summary
Apple Log LUTs for DaVinci Resolve are .cube conversion LUTs that transform iPhone Apple Log footage into Rec.709 on the Color page. They restore contrast and colour while preserving the dynamic range of the log file. In Resolve the conversion belongs on the first node of your node tree, ahead of correction nodes and any creative look LUT, so the rest of the grade behaves predictably.
What Are Apple Log LUTs?
Apple Log records a flat, low-contrast curve so your iPhone keeps detail in highlights and shadows that a standard profile would throw away. That flat image is not meant to be viewed directly — it is meant to be transformed. A conversion LUT performs that transform, mapping Apple Log into Rec.709.
Apple Log LUTs — ProRes Log to Rec709 Conversion is a $14.00 pack containing:
- 5 Apple Log to Rec.709 conversion LUTs — five options so you can choose the transform that suits each scene.
- A step-by-step installation manual — instructions for loading and applying them.
- .cube files — the format Resolve reads from its LUT folder.
They are built for 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. Both the free version of DaVinci Resolve and Resolve Studio load .cube LUTs the same way. Background reading: how to convert iPhone Apple Log footage to Rec.709.
How Apple Log LUTs Work in DaVinci Resolve
Resolve keeps LUTs in a managed folder and exposes them through the LUTs panel and the node right-click menu. Install once, use forever:
- Open the LUT folder — go to Project Settings (the cog, bottom right) > Color Management, then click Open LUT Folder. Resolve opens the LUT directory in Finder or Explorer.
- Create a subfolder — make a folder called something like Apple Log Conversion and copy the 5 .cube files into it. The subfolder becomes a category in the LUTs panel, which keeps things tidy.
- Update the list — back in Project Settings > Color Management, click Update Lists, then Save. Resolve rescans the folder.
- Go to the Color page — select an Apple Log clip in the timeline.
- Apply the conversion to the first node — in the Node Editor, right-click node 01, choose LUT, then your subfolder, then the conversion you want. Alternatively open the LUTs panel at the top left and drag the LUT thumbnail onto node 01.
- Add correction nodes downstream — press Alt-S (Option-S on macOS) to add serial nodes after node 01 for exposure, white balance and contrast.
- Add the creative look last — a final node carries your stylistic LUT or look.
- Copy the grade across shots — select the graded clip and middle-click other clips, or use Ctrl-C / Ctrl-V on the thumbnail timeline, to carry the node tree to the rest of the scene.
If a LUT does not appear after Update Lists, confirm the files are .cube and sitting in the folder Resolve actually opened, then restart the application.
Why the Conversion LUT Goes on the First Node
Resolve's node tree is an explicit, visible processing chain. Image data flows left to right, and each node receives the output of the node before it. That makes the correct order easy to see and easy to get right.
The conversion LUT belongs on node 01, before every correction node and before any creative look LUT. The transform is calculated for Apple Log input. If a creative look or a heavy contrast adjustment runs first, the conversion receives data it was not designed for and the result is crushed shadows, clipped highlights and colour that resists correction.
A sane node tree for iPhone Apple Log looks like this:
- Node 01 — Conversion: the Apple Log to Rec.709 .cube. Nothing else on this node.
- Node 02 — Primary balance: lift/gamma/gain, temperature and tint. Get it neutral.
- Node 03 — Secondaries: qualifiers, power windows, skin-tone work.
- Node 04 — Creative look: the stylistic LUT, for example from CineFilm Cinematic Film LUT Pack.
- Node 05 — Trim: final contrast, saturation and vignette.
Keeping the conversion isolated on its own node also means you can disable it with Ctrl-D to check the original log data at any time, without unpicking the rest of the grade.
Colour Management Notes
- Pick one conversion method — if you are using a conversion LUT, keep the project on DaVinci YRGB rather than adding a colour space transform that does the same job. Two conversions stacked on one clip will overcook the image.
- Use the LUT panel preview — hovering LUT thumbnails in the LUTs panel previews the result on your selected clip, which makes comparing the five conversions quick.
- Check the scopes — open the parade and waveform after node 01. Highlights should sit under clipping, blacks just off zero.
- Node-level key output — if you want a softer conversion, lower the node's Key Output Gain slightly rather than fighting it with curves.
- Save a still — grab a still in the Gallery once you like a setup, then apply it to new shots to keep a scene consistent.
Beyond the transform itself, the usual grading discipline applies: balance first, style second.
Conclusion
DaVinci Resolve gives you the clearest view of the grading chain of any editor, which makes it the easiest place to get LUT order right. Install the .cube files through Project Settings > Color Management > Open LUT Folder, apply the conversion on node 01, and build everything else downstream. Apple Log LUTs — ProRes Log to Rec709 Conversion includes 5 conversion LUTs plus a step-by-step installation manual for $14.00.
FAQ
Q: Where do I install .cube LUTs in DaVinci Resolve?
A: Project Settings > Color Management > Open LUT Folder. Copy the .cube files in, then click Update Lists and Save.
Q: Which node should the conversion LUT go on?
A: Node 01, the first node in the tree. Every correction node and the creative look LUT come after it.
Q: Does this work in the free version of Resolve?
A: Yes. Both DaVinci Resolve and Resolve Studio load .cube LUTs through the same LUT folder and LUTs panel.
Q: My LUT is not showing up in the list. What do I do?
A: Confirm the .cube files are in the folder Resolve opened, click Update Lists in Project Settings > Color Management again, then restart Resolve.
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 does it support?
A: Apple Log footage 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.