Calibrating LUT for Sensor Performance

[James Jared McNeil]

Hey Guys,

I recently ran into an ASC member who mentioned manufacturing a LUT, calibrated in partnership by a large post-production/color correction studio, specifically designed for the ARRI's sensor to enhance it's performance.

I'm curious if anyone else has heard of using LUTs this way and how someone might reverse engineer a color profile for a sensor... specifically a RED sensor since this is RedUser.

My thought is someone like Phil Holland or Mark Toia may have tried this, and it's on their blog... I haven't found it yet if it exists; if someone would like to point me in the right direction, either by a direct answer or a link to the resource, I'd appreciate it. My preliminary research hasn't yielded much.

Thanks!
-J

 

[Phil Holland]

It is entirely possible and I've done it a bunch over the years. It's a more common practice on shoots that film with multiple cameras systems. It was much harder back during the earlier days of digital cinema cameras and matching to film through the early to mid-2000s, but it's much easier these days considering where the tech is at.

Oddly my last one was a Varicam to Dragon one. Before that Helium to Dragon. Both situations Dragon was the primary camera on both projects.

Side note, some of what I'm doing with philmColor is exactly that, but more directly in relationship to film.

 

[James Jared McNeil]

Hey Phil,

Thanks for replying. How do you go about testing the sensor and creating a LUT that enhances performance? I've been following philmColor and I'm interested in your work... I would like to know how to go about doing this myself, if you're willing to share a bit of the process.

 

[Hrvoje Simic]

Hey Guys,

I recently ran into an ASC member who mentioned manufacturing a LUT, calibrated in partnership by a large post-production/color correction studio, specifically designed for the ARRI's sensor to enhance it's performance.

Already done after in-depth SXT, Amira and Mini analysis and in testing phase for the last six months or so, on TVCs, features and series.


Sensor performance is not being enhanced that way, imagery gets improved.

and how someone might reverse engineer a color profile for a sensor... specifically a RED sensor since this is RedUser.

No need to reverse engineer anything.

As far as the analysis and work, it is already done, with 3rd generation in testing.