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This LUT Fixes the Slog Problem on Sony a7S, Sony

a7S II, a7R II, a6300 External Recordings
by Sebastian Wber | 4th July 2016

External recordings on Sony a7 series cameras are awesome for several reasons, but unfortunately
the image is crushed and there can be a loss in dynamic range when recording externally via HDMI.
The famous Slog problem cuts off blacks and highlights and gives you a wrong Slog 2 or Slog 3
image. But weve developed an extremely easy fix.
This LUT can be applied either during external recordings or even in post and give you back the full
dynamic range of a true Slog image.

The Slog Problem Explained

Back in March, I wrote a scientific article on the crushed blacks phenomenon concerning the Sony a7S,
Sony a7S II, Sony a7R II and Sony a6300 cameras. Basically, the contrast information is saved incorrectly
on external recordings via HDMI, thus defeating the whole purpose of a standardized Slog Gamma.
This phenomenon has been the main reason why some people have avoided using external recorders with
these cameras. There is a fix that involves either DaVinci Resolve or level filters in Premiere that I
described here, but these can impact your rendering time considerably.
[Important UPDATE:] You do not need this on the Convergent Design Odyssey Recorder as their latest
firmware provides a fix in the form of a Legalize HDMI function you will find in the INPUTS menu.
[UPDATE:] The Slog Fix LUT also fixes external recordings in F Log from the Fujifilm X-T2. There is a
recovery of about 1 stop of dynamic range in the highlights.

The C5D Slog Fix

Here is better way to fix the Slog Problem at any stage of your workflow, and its the fastest we have found
in the form of our very first official C5D LUT. Essentially, it recovers any Slog 2 or Slog 3 files recorded

externally, and gives you back a true Slog image with the cameras full dynamic range.
On top of that, this LUT gives you the unique possibility to burn the correct Gamma right into your
external recordings. By loading this LUT onto an external recorder like the Atomos Shogun, you can fix the
Slog problem during recording, work with a correct file from the start, and save the additional rendering
time otherwise needed in post production.
This Slog Issue is especially problematic in Slog 2 Gamma, as it kills some of the highlights and thus
reduces the dynamic range of the image where it matters (highlight rolloff in critical shots):

100% crop of 4K image (Slog 2 Gamma)

This is how the Slog affects the dark areas of the image and how the Slog Fix recovers the correct Gamma:

100% crop of 4K image (Slog 2 Gamma)

In our tests, an external recording with the C5D Slog Fix LUT on an Atomos Shogun was virtually
identical to a file otherwise transcoded in DaVinci Resolve by changing the Video Levels manually (See
more sample images below)
Note: We cannot be held responsible for wrong use of the LUT. Please test this yourself before
implementing into your own workflow.
We decided not to give away the C5D Slog Fix LUT for free, but if you buy us a cup of coffee its yours to
use in your projects. Well also be happy for a higher contribution if you feel this fix helped you in your
work.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
[UPDATE:] As cinema5D reader Corey Robson pointed out, there is an alternative method on the Atomos
Shogun, that gets you half way to the goal: The Shogun offers a 5D MkIII Color Corrector option in the
Source window. While I do not know the science of it, the tests showed that it recovers some of the
highlights, but not the true Slog Gamma. If youre working semi professionally it should be good
enough, as the highlights are most important. For those who want to use a second LUT as a preview on
the Shogun, I would recommend this method instead of the C5D LUT, or alternatively the C5D LUT can be
used in post for a 100% accurate result.

Sample Images
Sony a7S Slog 2 Internal H.264

Sony a7S Slog 2 External unfixed

Sony a7S Slog 2 External Fixed with Slog FIX LUT in post

Sony a7S Slog 2 External Fixed with Slog FIX LUT burned in, on the recorder

FAQ
Do I need this if I dont use Slog 2 or Slog 3 Gamma?
No. The Slog Problem is only present in external recordings with Slog 2 and 3 Gammas via HDMI.
What about external recordings via SDI?
External recordings via SDI are not affected. Please dont use the Slog Fix on those.
Will this work even on files that have already been recorded?
Yes. You can use this on files you have recorded with an external recorder in the past. The files were
only saved with the wrong metadata and the information can be pulled back with the help of our LUT or
the workarounds described here.
Who is it for?
For people who want to retain the original Slog 2 or Slog 3 Gamma in order to grade accurately, match
cameras or use pre defined LUTs. If you apply LUTs meant for Slog 2 or 3, you will not get the correct
results without fixing your files first.
Do I need this on the Sony FS7 or FS5?
If youre using an external HDMI recording you will also need this on a Sony FS7 and Sony FS5. If youre
using SDI as an output interface you will not require the fix.
Will I lose color information or quality when I use the LUT on a recorder (burned in)?
No. According to our tests the results are the same as if you would apply the fix in post. Note that in
general there is a slight variance between externally recorded colors in comparison to internally recorded
H.264 files on Sony cameras. We think the external recordings with our LUT look more color accurate.
Download the sample images above to compare them and see the nuances. Make sure you use this
workflow properly before burning the LUT into your recorded files.
How do I use this on an Atomos Shogun?
1. To use the C5D SlogFix for monitoring purposes:

Copy the C5D-SlogFix.cube file to the root folder of your Atomos Shogun Media (An SSD or
harddisk)
Tap the yellow icon at the bottom right hand side of the screen
Tap on one of the 8 LUT slots (preferably an empty one)
Tap on the folder icon
In the new window that opens tap the C5D-SlogFix.cube file twice. This will load the LUT onto
your Atomos Shogun recorder
To monitor tap the LUT slot now associated with the C5D-SlogFix and tap the monitoring icon on
the top right hand side to switch monitoring on or off
The C5D-SlogFix.cube file can be deleted from the media
2. To burn C5D SlogFix into your file (RECOMMENDED for a faster grading workflow):
Follow the monitoring setup of 1
After your camera is connected, tap the hdmi icon in the top left hand corner
In the window that opens, under the section RECORD 4KUHDp tap on 3D LUT: Off, so that
it shows 3D LUT: On
There should be a red, flashing icon in the top right hand corner that says MON LUT
Make sure the C5D-SlogFix LUT is selected in the yellow menu

Download
Click the image below to get the C5D LUT Slog Fix:

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Author of this post:

Sebastian Wber

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Sebastian Wber is a director and DP, studied at Filmacademy Vienna and is passionate about harnessing
the potential of filmmaking tech to create powerful cinematic work with limited resources. He is co-owner
of cinema5D.

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Reply
Wild Giles July 4, 2016

About to shoot a feature film A7rii+Shogun, this is awesome.

Reply
Dan Boey July 4, 2016

article says its free but it actually has a minimum of $4 to buy it from the link provided. Did you guys
change your mind?

Reply
Sebastian Wber July 4, 2016

Hi Dan,
Maybe the sentence was not so clear, but it says we decided NOT to give away the LUT for free. Sorry for
the confusion.

Reply
Dan Boey July 4, 2016

oh sorry my bad. $4 is a good price anyhow. Thanks!

Reply
Jake Braitman July 4, 2016

If you shoot +1-2 exposure should you correct that first before applying the LUT? Also is this LUT meant
to be used with sgamut2 or is it ok to use sgamut3.cine? Thank you

Reply
Sebastian Wber July 4, 2016

Hi Jake,
The LUT does not influence Sgamut. You can use any that you prefer.
Regarding exposure the LUT only affects the output range. When exporting to a disk recorder via HDMI
the range is capped at 16 and 235. The LUT only gives you back the full video range. So exposure should
not be affected. You will eventually get the image you are supposed to get on your camera.

Reply
Corey Robson July 4, 2016

Atomos recorders will scale full/extended range levels into legal levels if you select the 5DMIII setting
found in the source and correct color menu options. I use this always with my A7SII to keep things
simple for post.

Reply

Corey Robson July 4, 2016

I will try your LUT though for my Pix-E5. Thanks!

Reply
Arvds Barnovs July 5, 2016

Can someone confirm that under the hood this technique does the same as the C5D LUT? I would like to
use a different LUT for monitoring on Shogun and end up with a legal file at the same time. Using this
LUT would prevent that since Shogun does not allow to burn in a different LUT.

Reply
Sebastian Wber July 5, 2016

Hi Cory and Arvids,

It is correct that the Shogun offers this 5D MkIII Color Corrector and to be honest I was not aware of this
function. I just tested it and it is true that it solves half of this problem. While I dont know the science of it,
I noticed in my tests that it recovers some of the highlights, but it is not recovering the true Slog Gamma. I
would say it is about half way there. For most people, working semi professionally it should be good
enough. Especially if you need the empty LUT slot as you described Arvids I would recommend using
this method, OR avoiding it alltogether and using the C5D LUT in post instead for a 100% accurate result.
I will update my article now. Thanks for pointing this out.

Reply
Arvds Barnovs July 5, 2016

Thank you for testing this out. That solution wont work for me though, since a burned-in non-true Slog
Gamma is worse than a broken one that can be fixed in post. Will be using your LUT in post until Atomos
(hopefully) introduce a slog fix switch like they did for 5D.

Reply
Sebastian Wber July 5, 2016

Sure. I suppose our articles and peoples interaction on them will make Atomos more interested in
providing the same solution.

Reply

Peter Szijarto November 14, 2016

Is this still an issue? Im using the Atomos Ninja Assassin on the latest firmware.
Also what LUTs do you recommend when outputting to a client monitor when shooting SLOG3?
Lastly, will cinema5d do a guide on how to use AtomHDR mode? There is no really documentation for it
and I cant wrap my head around it in regards to a workflow. I end up shooting just looking at SLOG3,
which is fine because I like to shoot via the waveforms, but DPs who work with me hate not seeing a
realistic image on the monitor.

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