DJI drones (Mini 4 Pro, Air 3, Mavic 3 series and the Osmo Pocket line) can record in D-Log or D-Log M. Like Apple Log, it looks flat on purpose. The grading order is the same as any log footage: convert first, then add the look.
Step 1: convert D-Log to Rec.709
DJI publishes free conversion LUTs for each profile on its website. Download the one for your drone (D-Log or D-Log M, they are different) and apply it before anything else. If your drone was set to the Normal colour profile, skip this step: the footage is already Rec.709.
Step 2: add a look
Drop one of the cinematic LUTs on a second node or effect, after the conversion. For drone footage I reach for the cooler, lower-saturation looks first: Broad Peak, Everest and Mount Robson keep skies believable. Rundle Peak is the punchy teal-and-orange one and works when the light is already strong.
Why drone footage breaks when you grade it
- 8-bit and heavy compression. Most drones record 8-bit H.264 or H.265 unless you switch to 10-bit. Banding in skies shows up fast if you push saturation or contrast. Use 10-bit when your drone has it.
- Sharpening. DJI sharpens in-camera by default. Turn sharpness down to -1 or -2 in the camera settings so the LUT is not adding contrast on top of halos.
- Exposure. Use the histogram or zebras. Clipped sky is gone for good and no LUT brings it back.
Where the LUT goes in each app
- DaVinci Resolve: Project Settings → Color Management → Open LUT Folder, drop the files in, Update Lists. Node 1 = DJI conversion, node 2 = look.
- Premiere Pro: Lumetri → Basic Correction → Input LUT = DJI conversion. Creative → Look = the cinematic LUT.
- Final Cut Pro: Inspector → Camera LUT = DJI conversion. Custom LUT effect = the look.
- CapCut: Adjust → LUT → Import, twice: conversion first, look second.
Matching drone clips to your ground footage
The most common mistake is grading drone and ground clips separately and ending up with two different films. Use the same look on both, then match exposure and white balance on the conversion node so the look lands the same way. The looks in the pack were built on Canon, iPhone and DJI frames side by side for exactly this reason.
