HDR Video Workflow using F-Log for Fujifilm cameras

[@ThomasHaynes]

Totally nitpicking here, and sorry for being "that guy." But I think that the free version of Davinci Resolve does allow you to edit and export in 4K(UHD) but not 4K(DCI) and higher. I just tested it on my copy of version 17 to be certain. So, if someone is looking for a 4K workflow and isn't concerned about it being UHD, the free version of Davinci Resolve should still cover that. Aside from that one nitpick, thank you for the interesting and detailed video. Your content never disappoints.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Nit pick away - always glad to have my comments corrected. And thanks for your kind words.

You are simply my best 👏👏👏

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thank you so much 😀 I appreciate your kind comments.

[@staiain]

As I understand it, the LUTs fujifilm provides throws away wide colour gamut information and you're left with just rec.709 information even when your project is set to HDR, is there any unofficial or official LUTs that can convert f-log to HDR HLG or PQ with rec.2020 information intact

[@MaartenHeilbron]

The role of the LUT is to do exactly that - to convert the recorded wide gamut footage to a range that standard (REC 709) displays can handle. If you are producing HDR output, I recommend that you manage the footage manually using an HDR display. Or just record directly in HLG.

[@staiain]

Thanks for the input!@@MaartenHeilbron

[@automat8]

Thank you Maarten. Do you see/have any issue grading the 8 bit flog material? I am under the impression that can be tricky?

[@MaartenHeilbron]

You are right, particularly if the exposure wasn't quite right. Before you commit to recording a significant project with F-log, do a few test recordings and colour grade them (with or without the LUT).

[@luanrosa3022]

Thanks for this video! Very useful

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting, I appreciate the kind words.

[@jeffreybaker2442]

The XT4 only allows rec709 for its flog 10 bit color gamut so I often have trouble grading it in hdr10 wide gamut projects. I could choose HLG but that doesn’t seem better than log for grading. The ninja V Will would let me output flog rec 709 to fgamma but I haven’t tested that.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Good notes, thanks for sharing.

[@TravelwithLei]

I got confused about the Log format. At 6:22 into your video, the info of the input video clip at the top right hand corner shows "Rec.709" instead of "Rec.2020". Does it mean the video clip captured as Rec.709 can be actually converted into real HDR Rec. 2020 colour space? Then I tried it, even though the rendered video shows Rec.2020 and my display recognised it as HDR video but the colour and the contrast just look like SDR video. Can't compare to HLG format. Did I miss something there?

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Good question! Most cameras save F-Log footage into a file that's recorded as Rec 709. By creating an HDR project, the footage can be used to create a wider dynamic range project and output as REC 2020, if desired. The footage recorded using a log setting needs significant adjustment to create the wider dynamic range and won't compare to a real HDR or HLG recording. As I've said in other videos, log recording is not a silver bullet that magically improves your video quality, particularly using lower data rates, limited bit depth (like 8 bit) and inferior colour sub-sampling.

[@TravelwithLei]

@@MaartenHeilbron thanks so much for replying my question. Finally I got some good answer for it. My next question is: I know how to do HLG recording and output a HLG video but can you tell me how to make a real HDR10 recording? All the mixed information from the internet really confuses me.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@TravelwithLei Again, good question. HDR10 is a display technology rather than a recording technology. I'm not sure which NLE you're using, but in Final Cut, there are options to output HEVC 10 bit HLG with Dolby Vision (HDR10's competitor). Honestly, I'm not sure that it's required as a display that's HDR10 compatible will likely also interpret and display any video content with REC 2020 appropriately. That said, it's not anything I have tested, or have the equipment to test.

[@lonewalkerproductions]

I'm early! Love your videos mate!

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Glad you like them! Thanks for commenting, nice to read your kind words.

[@Flobulo95]

HI! I have an X-S10 that can records F-log in 8bit in camera, so It can records HDR video in camera? Or I need to external recorder to rec HDR? Thanks for your time and your videos!

[@MaartenHeilbron]

If you use HLG, you can record HDR in camera. Thanks for your kind words.

[@Flobulo95]

@@MaartenHeilbron unfortunately X-S10 can't records in HLG, it's strange to say because it has some of the same powerful hardware of x-t4 but it can't 🤷 maybe in the future, it's my wish! Thanks, I'm from Italy so... grazie! 🇮🇹

[@DennisBloodnokPhotographyVideo]

Another interesting video. I am currently developing my own process for editing/processing my own videos (using iMovie and Adobe Premier Pro). You have given me plenty of information and "Food for thought" in this video. Many thanks for posting.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks, always nice to know my videos are useful. If you have more thoughts as you complete your process, please share them. I feel I'm very much at the beginning of the wide gamut HDR production process.

[@krishnansrinivasan830]

Awesome & Thanks :)

[@MaartenHeilbron]

I appreciate your kind words, thanks!!

[@ytr8989]

Great information. I always wondered about f-log and why some people have it. Why do they call it f-log?

[@MaartenHeilbron]

F (in this case) stands for Fujifilm. Other manufacturers have their own versions like Nikon's N-Log or Sony's S-Log. Log is short for logarithmic which describes the response curve created to enable the output of the sensor to be mapped to a wider dynamic range. Hope this helps, thanks for your kind words.

[@lelejkj]

I have a question. By applying a LUT in Rec. 709 such as the one provided by Fujifilm, do I actually get any benefit by setting the project at the Wide Gamut HDR which uses Rec. 2020?

[@MaartenHeilbron]

If you are outputting to wide gamut (REC 2020), you will get a benefit from using F-Log (with or without the LUT).

[@lelejkj]

@@MaartenHeilbron Okay, thanks. Particularly, you mean the one without the HDR naming on Final Cut, right? Just to mention, I've now understood even better the usage of f-log by having watched your 4k vid settings. I am grateful.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@lelejkj Yes. Thanks for your kind words.

[@lelejkj]

@@MaartenHeilbronSince I'm a beginner, I've realised only now that my x-s10 registers (internally) at 4:2:0 8 bit, so it doesn't really make sense to set rec. 2020 which is 10bit or higher in a editing project, right?

[@avarmadillo]

Very nice, Maarten---very clear and concise, as always! I've not been a big fan of HLG---opting to shoot in F-Log. Exposure is still a mystery to me for HLG. Do you have any tips? Glad to see this on Fuji. I've shot so many cameras!!! Whew! But I keep coming back to Fuji---presently the X-T4. But I anxiously await the X-H2. If they only slightly improve the AF, especially regarding stability and the elimination of hunting, and a minor improvement in IBIS all the other makers will have their hands full with the X-H2...even without those IMO the X-T4 is top grade for video when one considers value for money. Few if any have peaking that's even close to as good---the F-log is a dream to grade and edit. Thanks again.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks, glad this topic is of interest. HLG is next - early next week.

[@LiveTheNoise]

We need the same for Sony, please

[@MaartenHeilbron]

I'll add that to my to-do list

[@AlmightyUniden]

Perhaps something didn't export properly but the video is really underexposed!

[@AlmightyUniden]

After examining the tutorial in the video, it seems the white point is set very low. Your highlights are in your midtones (I noticed the same thing in the previous video)

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Are you watching on an HDR display?

[@Glenners]

It just looks like it needs more contrast or saturation because it was shot in log right?

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@AlmightyUniden Admittedly, the lighting is s*** as I was forced indoors by the rain and didn't bring my lighting kit with me. What is the appropriate "white" point (say for the post between the windows) on a logarithmic luminance graph in FCP? So, I have watched this on my iMac (P3 display setting) and on my TV (which supports all current home HDR variants) and it looks the way I graded it. I find it a little overly contrasty, which didn't seem fixable with the original footage I had and the colour rendition is slightly lower than I'd like - but adding more in post looked worse. I attributed those defects to lighting. Happy to have more thoughts on this topic

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@Glenners I hesitated to add more contrast (the background scene looks fine, my face tones are overly contrasty to my taste) and saturation (more colour looked very artificial to me). As above, the issue was that I recorded indoors without suitable lighting, as a result (and combined with f-log) there was a lack of contrast in the face tones on the original, and trying to recover/create those in post was not possible.