How to create a user LUT for the PMW-F5 or F55 in Resolve (or other grading software).

It’s very easy to create your own 3D LUT for the Sony PMW-F5 or PMW-F55 using DaVinci Resolve or just about any grading software with LUT export capability. The LUT should be a 17x17x17 or 33x33x33 .cube LUT (this is what Resolve creates by default).

Simply shoot some test Slog2 or Slog3 clips at the native ISO. You must use the same Slog and color space as you will be using in the camera.

Import and grade the clips in Resolve as you wish the final image to look. Then once your happy with your look, right click on the clip in the timeline and “Export LUT”. Resolve will then create a .cube LUT.

Then place the .cube LUT file created by the grading software on an SD card in the PMWF55_F5 folder. You may need to create the following folder structure on the SD card, so first you have a PRIVATE folder, in that there is a SONY folder and so on.

PRIVATE   :   SONY   :    PRO   :   CAMERA   :    PMWF55_F5

Put the SD card in the camera, then go to the File menu and go to “Monitor 3D LUT” and select “Load SD Card”. The camera will offer you a 1 to 4 destination memory selection, choose 1,2,3 or 4, this is the location where the LUT will be saved. You should then be presented with a list of all the LUT’s on the SD card. Select your chosen LUT to save it from the SD card to the camera.

Once loaded in to the camera when you choose 3D User LUT’s you can select between user LUT memory 1,2,3 or 4. Your LUT will be in the memory you selected when you copied the LUT from the SD card to the camera.

8 thoughts on “How to create a user LUT for the PMW-F5 or F55 in Resolve (or other grading software).”

  1. interesting note – maybe fixed with a future update – or my inability to follow simple instructions – 3D MLUTS can not be viewed over the HDMI signal while in 4KDCI24p – switch to 2K Center Scan and the option is available.

  2. Hi Alister,
    First of all, thanks for all the useful info throughout your website, much appreciated.

    When I load your 3D LUT into my F55, it comes up with two .cube files:

    _Alister_V-Look.cube dated 06/06/2018 12:15 and
    Alister_V-Look.cube dated 25/05/2018 09:50

    Can you explain this to me please?

    There was only one file – Alister_V-Look.cube -that I copied onto my SD card.

    Many thanks,
    Andy

    1. this is a Mac glitch where the mac writes an index file to the card, just ignore the _file.

  3. quick quest(ion), i loaded a SD with 3D LUTs into my F55 and although some are present, i have a ton of .(dot) underscore prefixed versions of the same LUT that appear first in the list and they don’t do anything. how can i get rid of those so i can actually have all useable LUTs?

    1. This is an Apple issue. You Mac is leaving junk on the card, these are mostly Spotlight helper files. They are very annoying but not easy to get rid of, there is an application called “Blue Harvest” that may help.

  4. hi there, a new post in 2023. I have an F55 (v8 firmware). I want to have a 3D-LUT on an SD card in my camera, but it doesn’t work. Does version 8 need a different setting? What am I doing wrong?

      1. Hello Allister,
        thanks for your comment. I went through the steps but the camera does not see the files on the SD card.

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