If your DJI clips come out looking like someone washed them, you shot in D-Log or D-Log M. That is good news. Log keeps more sky and more shadow than the Normal profile, and it takes about five minutes to turn it into something that looks finished.
Minute 1: know which log you shot
Mini 4 Pro, Air 3 and the Mavic 3 line shoot D-Log M by default when you pick a log profile. Older Mavics and the Mavic 3 in 10-bit shoot plain D-Log. They are not the same curve, and the wrong conversion gives you orange skies. Check the camera settings on the drone or the file name, then download the matching conversion LUT from DJI's site. They are free.
Minute 2: convert
Apply the DJI conversion LUT first. In Resolve, that is node one. In Premiere, it is the Input LUT under Basic Correction. In Final Cut, it is the Camera LUT in the Inspector. In CapCut, Adjust then LUT then Import. The clip should now look like a normal, slightly flat video.
Minute 3: expose
Before any look goes on, fix brightness on the converted clip. Drones tend to overexpose sky and underexpose ground. Pull highlights down and lift shadows a little on the same node or effect as the conversion. Aim for clouds with texture and ground you can read.
Minute 4: add the look
Second node or second LUT slot: pick a look. For drone footage I start with Broad Peak for blue-sky days, Everest for overcast, and Mt Baker Alpine when there is snow. Rundle Peak is the punchy one and works when the light is already strong.
Minute 5: match it to the ground clips
Put a drone clip next to a ground clip on the timeline. Same look on both, then adjust only exposure and white balance on the conversion node until they sit together. Do not re-grade the look. The looks in the pack were tested on Canon, iPhone and DJI frames side by side so this step is usually a small nudge.
Settings that make the next flight easier
- Turn sharpness down to minus 1 or minus 2. DJI sharpens hard and it fights the LUT.
- Use 10-bit if the drone offers it. 8-bit log bands in skies.
- Use the histogram, not the screen, for exposure. Keep the sky off the right edge.
