Summary
Apple Log LUTs for Premiere Pro are .cube conversion LUTs that transform iPhone Apple Log footage into Rec.709 inside Lumetri Color. They restore contrast and colour while preserving the dynamic range of the log file. In Premiere Pro the conversion loads into Basic Correction > Input LUT, which sits ahead of the Creative section, so any look LUT is applied after the transform.
What Are Apple Log LUTs?
Apple Log is a flat recording curve. Your iPhone uses it to hold onto highlight and shadow detail that a standard video profile would clip away, which is why the clips look washed out on a Premiere Pro timeline. A conversion LUT is the transform that maps that log data back into Rec.709 so it looks the way it should.
Apple Log LUTs — ProRes Log to Rec709 Conversion is a $14.00 pack that includes:
- 5 Apple Log to Rec.709 conversion LUTs — five transforms to choose from per scene.
- A step-by-step installation manual — setup instructions from download to first render.
- .cube files — the format Lumetri Color loads via Browse.
Supported footage is Apple Log 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. If you want the highest-quality source before you grade, see how to export ProRes 422 from your iPhone.
How Apple Log LUTs Work in Premiere Pro
Premiere Pro handles LUTs through the Lumetri Color panel, and the panel's own layout enforces the correct order for you — as long as you load the conversion in the right slot.
- Unzip the pack — store the .cube files somewhere permanent, ideally alongside your project files so they travel with the edit.
- Import and cut your Apple Log clips — work as normal; the flat look is expected at this stage.
- Open Lumetri Color — Window > Lumetri Color, or switch to the Color workspace from the workspace bar.
- Select the clip — click it in the timeline so Lumetri targets it.
- Open Basic Correction — expand the Basic Correction section at the top of the Lumetri panel.
- Load the Input LUT — click the Input LUT dropdown, choose Browse, navigate to the .cube file and open it. The image snaps into Rec.709 immediately.
- Balance the shot — still in Basic Correction, use Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, White Balance and Saturation to neutralise the image.
- Add the creative look — expand Creative and load a stylistic LUT in the Look dropdown, adjusting the Intensity slider to taste.
- Reuse the setup — save it as a Lumetri preset (right-click the effect in Effect Controls > Save Preset), or copy the clip and use Edit > Paste Attributes (Alt-Ctrl-V / Option-Command-V) onto the rest of the scene.
An alternative for whole-timeline work is an adjustment layer on a track above your footage with Lumetri applied — but only do this if every clip below it is Apple Log, since the conversion will hit everything underneath.
Input LUT vs Creative Look — Getting the Order Right
This is the part people get wrong in Premiere Pro, and it is worth being precise about.
The conversion LUT belongs in Basic Correction > Input LUT, first in the chain, before any creative look LUT. Adobe designed the Lumetri panel so that Basic Correction processes before Creative. Loading the conversion into the Input LUT slot means it runs first by construction — which is exactly what you want, because the transform is calculated for untouched Apple Log data.
Load the conversion into Creative > Look instead and you invert the chain. The creative Input LUT slot sits empty, your look runs against raw log, and then nothing converts it properly. The image ends up either flat and lifeless or contrast-crushed, and no amount of slider work recovers it.
| Slot | Section | What belongs there | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input LUT | Basic Correction | Apple Log to Rec.709 conversion | First |
| Tone / White Balance | Basic Correction | Exposure, contrast, temperature | Second |
| Look | Creative | Stylistic film looks | Third |
| Curves / Wheels | Curves, Color Wheels | Refinement | Fourth |
If you prefer to keep conversion and look on separate effects, apply two Lumetri Color instances in Effect Controls: conversion in the upper one, creative look in the lower one. Effect Controls processes top to bottom, so the order still holds. Creative packs such as CineFilm Cinematic Film LUT Pack are designed to sit on the converted Rec.709 image, not on log.
Tips for Premiere Pro Editors
- Compare all five conversions — reload the Input LUT dropdown with each .cube on a representative shot before committing to one for the scene.
- Watch the Lumetri Scopes — Window > Lumetri Scopes. Check the waveform after conversion: highlights below clipping, shadows off the floor.
- Save a preset per project — a saved Lumetri preset with the conversion loaded makes applying it to new clips a drag-and-drop.
- Do not stack two conversions — if you have a colour-managed sequence or another log transform applied, remove it. One conversion per clip.
- Keep the .cube files with the project — Premiere embeds the LUT in the project, but keeping the source files nearby avoids problems when moving between machines.
Once the footage is converted, the rest of the Lumetri panel behaves the way you expect it to.
Conclusion
Premiere Pro makes the correct LUT order easy if you use the panel as intended: conversion in Basic Correction > Input LUT, correction underneath it, creative look in Creative > Look. Get that sequence right and Apple Log footage from your iPhone converts cleanly with its dynamic range intact. Apple Log LUTs — ProRes Log to Rec709 Conversion includes 5 .cube conversion LUTs and a step-by-step installation manual for $14.00.
FAQ
Q: Where do I load a conversion LUT in Premiere Pro?
A: Lumetri Color > Basic Correction > Input LUT > Browse, then select the .cube file. That slot runs before the Creative section.
Q: Can I put the conversion in Creative > Look instead?
A: No. Creative processes after Basic Correction, so the conversion would run out of order. Keep the conversion in Input LUT and reserve Creative > Look for stylistic LUTs.
Q: How do I apply it to a whole scene?
A: Save a Lumetri preset, or copy a graded clip and use Edit > Paste Attributes on the remaining clips.
Q: What is included and what does it cost?
A: 5 Apple Log to Rec.709 conversion LUTs in .cube format plus a step-by-step installation manual, for $14.00.
Q: Which iPhone footage does it support?
A: 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.
Q: Will the same files work in After Effects?
A: Yes. They are .cube LUTs, so they also work in After Effects, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Avid Media Composer, LumaFusion and CapCut.