TECHNIQUE: How to grade the log mode video on Insta360 ONE or Insta360 Pro

Here’s an easy tutorial for grading the log mode video from the Insta360 ONE or Insta360 Pro.

Log mode video is a way of recording the video to maximize the dynamic range and latitude for color grading (i.e., adjusting the colors to achieve a particular visual effect).  Sometimes it’s called flat mode, although in some cameras, flat mode and log mode are separate modes.

Log mode is a feature usually found in professional or prosumer cameras, and it’s one of the features of the Insta360 Pro (reviewed here) and Insta360 ONE for iPhone and Android (reviewed here).  Here is a comparison between the standard video mode and log mode of Insta360 ONE, showing a wider highlight range ( the shadow range looks similar):

Log mode looks very flat because this minimizes the possibility of clipping highlights or shadows that were captured.  This makes it pretty much unusable until it is edited.  The problem is that it can be quite challenging to adjust the colors and contrast (i.e., to grade it), in a manner that produces a satisfactory result.

The easiest way to get a good starting point for grading is to use a LUT (Lookup Table) which maps input values to output values.  Here’s a tutorial, and don’t worry — it’s very easy, even if you don’t normally edit videos:

Insta360 posted a LUT for Insta360 Pro that also works with Insta360 ONE.  You can download the LUT here (it’s one of the downloads with Insta360 Stitcher).  BTW, in the video tutorial, I used Adobe Premiere Pro but there are several other video editors that use .CUBE LUTs, such as LumaFusion.  The download file also includes a .LOOK file, which you can also use as a preset for your video.

Insta360 ONE is available from Amazon and Gearbest (usually less than Amazon).  To get a discount on Insta360 Pro, please contact me.

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