I’ve been messing around and honestly the colors just look nicer without using d log. What do you all think?
D-Log, like any log profile, needs some work after shooting. It lowers color saturation so you get more dynamic range.
If you shot in D-Log but didn’t do any editing after, of course normal Rec 709 or Rec 2020 will look better straight out of camera.
@Rowen
Man I never get what rec709 or rec94874774 stuff means. I get lost when I try to choose what to use for color grading.
Kirby said:
@Rowen
Man I never get what rec709 or rec94874774 stuff means. I get lost when I try to choose what to use for color grading.
Rec 709 is the standard color space for most video, Rec 2020 is for HDR. Usually if you use Rec 709, you don’t need to color grade much, maybe just small tweaks. But definitely don’t try grading Rec 709 unless you really know what you’re doing.
@Rowen
How do I know if I’m using Rec 709? Like if I use GoPro or DJI Mini footage with Rec 709 output, are they the same? When should I use what? I’m kinda lost, dude.
Kirby said:
@Rowen
How do I know if I’m using Rec 709? Like if I use GoPro or DJI Mini footage with Rec 709 output, are they the same? When should I use what? I’m kinda lost, dude.
Anything that’s not log is usually Rec 709, or Rec 2020 if it’s HDR footage. Just keep it simple and use the color profiles that don’t mention log, and you’ll be fine.
@Rowen
Okay, that makes more sense now 
Kirby said:
@Rowen
Okay, that makes more sense now
It’s a confusing world! Then you also get different codecs and containers messing with things. But once you get the basics, editing and color stuff becomes way easier.
Yeah it looks worse out of the camera, but it gives you way more potential for better color if you edit it right.
D-log needs post processing. If you just compare the two straight out of camera, non D-log will look better.
You need software like DaVinci Resolve to apply DJI’s LUTs or use a color space transform.
D-log has the most data saved, non D-log is already compressed and baked in.
@Raine
Non D-log isn’t always less compressed or having more data. Think of it like a highway with 10 cars. Rec 709 uses 5 cars for color and 5 for dynamic range. Log shifts that to 8 cars for dynamic range and 2 for color.
Log lets you save more info in shadows and highlights, then you fix the colors in post. It’s a logarithmic scale that focuses info in midtones, cutting detail in blacks and highlights.
How much data you get depends on the camera specs and codec.
You can shoot H.264 8-bit with log and get the same data amount as H.264 8-bit with a color profile.
Brands like DJI bake the color look into the file so you don’t have to do much editing.
Also, you don’t have to use color space transform tools or fancy LUTs — you can manually fix log footage if you know how, but most prefer tools to save time so they can focus on grading.