Studio 21.1.1
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COLOR FOUNDATIONS

How to install and apply a LUT

DaVinci Resolve Studio 21.1 · Original practical guide

A LUT expects a particular input and produces a particular output. Using the wrong combination, or applying the same transform twice, can create clipped or strange-looking results.

Before you begin

Open Color, select the intended clip, and confirm the project color pipeline.

ACTUAL RESOLVE INTERFACEView full size ↗
Color page LUT browser with visual LUT previews
Color page LUT browser with visual LUT previews Reference example from the DaVinci Resolve 21.1 manual, page 3481. Software screenshot © Blackmagic Design. The demonstration media and selected settings may differ from your project.

Step by step

  1. Read the LUT’s intended input and output requirements. Determine whether it is a technical conversion or a creative look.
  2. Use Project Settings > Color Management to open the LUT folder, copy the LUT there, then refresh the LUT list.
  3. On Color, add a dedicated node and apply the LUT from the LUT browser or node context menu at the correct point in the pipeline.
  4. Compare with bypass, balance the source where appropriate, and check highlights and saturated colors across multiple shots.

Check your result

The LUT provides the intended conversion or look without an accidental second input-to-display transform.

If it doesn’t work as expected

A log-to-Rec.709 LUT on footage already transformed by color management can double-convert it. Resolve the pipeline first rather than lowering saturation to hide the mistake.

BUILD THE UNDERLYING SKILL

Color: train your eye

Go deeper with the course’s explanations, exercises, and knowledge checks.

Open module 06 →
← PREVIOUS GUIDERead waveform and RGB parade scopesNEXT GUIDE →Set up color management for log footage

Technical reference: DaVinci Resolve 21.1 Reference Manual, Blackmagic Design, September 2026. Screenshot page numbers refer to that manual. Independently written guidance; specific controls may vary by platform and build. Authorship & image credits.