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Did you record in D-Log M and the video looks grey, with little contrast? Before increasing saturation, confirm the recorded profile and the colour conversion used in the editor. For an SDR project in Rec.709, a compatible official LUT can be a starting point, provided the same conversion is not applied twice.
The aim of this guide is to prepare a first test with a short clip. You do not need to process the entire trip only to discover that you chose the LUT for another model.
Confirm the exact profile and model
DJI maintains a list of equipment, D-Log profiles and LUT files. Consult the line corresponding to your drone. D-Log, D-Log M and HLG should not be treated as interchangeable names: choose the file indicated for the profile and camera used in the recording.
For example, the Mini 4 Pro download page provides a D-Log M to Rec.709 conversion. This identification is more useful than a folder of LUTs with names like ‘cinema’ or ‘professional drone’, which does not explain what input signal is expected.
If you do not know which profile you recorded in, look for this information in the settings used, the available metadata or the session notes. The appearance of the video, on its own, is not a reliable way to identify the profile.
Technical conversion and aesthetic choice
A conversion LUT describes a transformation between colour representations. A creative treatment seeks an appearance, such as cooler shadows or less saturated colours. It is important to know which of these functions you are applying at each stage, even if a commercial file combines both.
The Premiere colour management documentation distinguishes the source image space, the working space and the output space. The program can perform colour conversions within this path. Therefore, adding a LUT without checking the clip’s interpretation can transform an image that has already been converted.
Choose a documented path: a colour management that correctly recognises the source, or a configuration that uses the appropriate LUT for the necessary conversion. Menu names vary with the editor and version. In Premiere, consult the clip colour settings before adding effects.
Run this test before editing everything
- Copy an original to a working folder and keep an intact copy.
- Choose a shot with bright areas, shadows and some recognisable colour element.
- Create a test project with SDR Rec.709 output, if that is the intended destination.
- Confirm how the editor is interpreting the clip and apply the compatible conversion only at the point intended by your workflow.
- Compare the result with creative adjustments turned off. Only then correct the image and look for the final appearance.
- Export a few seconds and view the exported file before repeating the process on the remaining clips.
Save a note with the model, the profile, the LUT name, the editor version and the output configuration. If the result changes after an update or when opening the project on another computer, you have a reference to compare.
If the image becomes too contrasty
Start with a reversible test: turn off creative treatment and review the active conversions on the clip, in the sequence and in the export. Do not immediately compensate with multiple curves. If the problem is a repeated transformation, these adjustments hide the cause and make it more difficult to repeat the result on other shots.
Also check that you have selected the correct version of the LUT. A similar name does not guarantee compatibility. If you have clips in different profiles, identify them before applying the same grading to all of them.
When the standard profile is a practical choice
If you want to record, edit and share quickly, also run a test with the standard profile of your equipment. Compare the setup time, the resulting look and the need for corrections. D-Log M involves additional decisions that are only worthwhile if they serve your work.
For the next session, prepare the exposure using the guide to ND filter selection and organise the original files before starting the editing. If the computer does not play the files back properly, address that issue separately from the colour grading.
Sources consulted in 2 of October 2026. Editorial testing procedure; it does not constitute a comparative test of profiles or cameras.
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