How to apply X’Y’Z’ 3D LUTS in Photoshop to an image so it will match the white point of a DCP

Sometimes you may want to add something to a DCP trailer or feature film.
Example: Trailers often need new graphics in a new language.

In Photoshop and Resolve you can apply 3D LUTS to an image to match the white point of the original DCP.

If the DCP has a warm white you could use a D60 3D LUT and if it has a cooler white you can use a D65 3D LUT.

If you render a video file in Final Cut X or Premiere with graphics with an X’Y’Z’ 3D LUT applied, remember to choose no color transform in Easydcp and similar DCP mastering software.

You can apply Cube 3D LUTs in Resolve

The CUBE LUT can be placed in a folder you call Nuke or DCP inside Resolve´s LUT folder:
On a Mac: /Library/Application Support/Blackmagic Design/Davinci Resolve/LUT
On a PC: C:\ProgramData\Blackmagic Design\DaVinci Resolve\Support\LUT\

In Resolve, you can apply it to the timeline from:
Project settings – Timeline Lookup tables – 3D Output Lookup table
or you can use a corrector node
You can also apply them to clips.

You can render DCPs directly from Resolve. If you choose DCI X´Y´Z´ in the timeline color space no color transform will be applied and you can use the 3D LUTS to DCI X´Y´Z´

How to apply a 3D LUT in Photoshop
Layer – New adjustment Layer – Color lookup

Click on load 3d lut and choose a 3D LUT. You can now use a cube 3D LUT.

Some 3D LUTS TESTS

Here are some P3 and REC709 3D LUTS tests using the Nuke 3D LUT method from this post and the matlab NPMs from this post.

You can get the CUBE 3D LUTS from the tests here for free

P3 D61 2.6 gamma to X’Y’Z’ 7z

White in the 12 bit 3dl file is 3885 3960 3997 It is the correct D61 value in SMPTE EG-432-1-10

P3 D60 2.6 gamma to X’Y’Z’ 7z

White in the 12 bit 3dl file is 3886 3960 3972. It is the correct D60 value in SMPTE EG-432-1-10

P3D65 2.6 gamma to X’Y’Z’ 7z

White in the 12 bit 3dl file is 3883 3960 4092
It is the correct D65 value in SMPTE EG-432-1-10

P3 DCI WHITE 2.6 gamma to X’Y’Z’  

White in the 12 bit 3dl file is 3794 3960 3890
It is the correct DCI WHITE value in SMPTE EG-432-1-10

REC709 D65 2.2 2.4 2.6 gamma to X’Y’Z’ 7z


White in the 12 bit 3dl files is 3883 3960 4092
It is the correct D65 value in SMPTE EG-432-1-10

REC 709 D60 2.2 2.4 2.6 gamma to X’Y’Z’

White in the 12 bit 3dl files is 3886 3960 3972. It is the correct D60 value in SMPTE EG-432-1-10

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