Guide

How to convert Apple Log to Rec.709 on iPhone (and grade it)

Apple Log keeps more highlight and shadow information, but it looks flat until you transform it. Here is a phone-only workflow, from a working colorist.

Why Apple Log looks flat

Apple Log is a logarithmic encoding available on iPhone 15 Pro and later Pro models. It is designed to be transformed to a display standard such as Rec.709 before you judge contrast and color. Skipping that step and pushing saturation by eye is the most common reason Log footage ends up looking muddy.

Apple Log 2 on iPhone 17 Pro uses a wider gamut than the original Apple Log. A conversion built for Apple Log with Rec.2020 primaries is not an exact match for Apple Log 2, so use a conversion made for the exact profile you shot.

Step by step in BlackRAW Studio

Open the clips. Select them from Photos, or from Files or an external SSD. Add several clips to the same timeline if they belong to the same scene.
Apply the conversion first. In the LUT browser choose the built-in Apple Log / Rec.2020 → Rec.709 technical conversion (an ACES 2.0 based SDR transform), or import the .cube conversion you already trust, such as the one for Apple Log 2.
Balance. Set exposure, temperature, tint and contrast so skin tones and neutrals look right.
Build the look. Use Lift, Gamma, Gain and Offset, curves, HSL and ColorSlice. Grade one clip or apply a shared grade to the whole timeline, and copy and paste grades between clips.
Export. Deliver single clips or the full sequence as H.264, HEVC or ProRes, depending on your device and source. Rendered exports are SDR Rec.709.
Keep the look. Export your color adjustments as a .cube LUT to reuse the look in other software, and send the cut as FCPXML or EDL.

Other Log formats

The same workflow works for footage from cinema and mirrorless cameras. BlackRAW Studio includes technical conversions for ARRI LogC3 and LogC4, Canon Log, Log 2 and Log 3, DJI D-Log, Fujifilm F-Log and F-Log2, Panasonic V-Log, Nikon N-Log, RED Log3G10 and Sony S-Log, S-Log2 and S-Log3. Each one names the exact transfer and gamut it expects.

FAQ

Can I convert Apple Log to Rec.709 without a computer?

Yes. Apply a Log to Rec.709 conversion LUT on the iPhone, adjust the balance and export the result as SDR Rec.709 video.

Is the built-in Apple Log conversion correct for Apple Log 2?

Not exactly. It is built for Apple Log with Rec.2020 primaries. Apple Log 2 uses a wider gamut, so import a conversion made for Apple Log 2.

Does the export stay in HDR?

No. Rendered exports from BlackRAW Studio are SDR Rec.709.

Can I take the grade into DaVinci Resolve or Final Cut Pro?

You can export static color adjustments as a .cube LUT and the edit as FCPXML or EDL. A LUT cannot carry trims or RAW decoding settings.

BlackRAW Studio is a color and delivery app for iPhone and iPad with Blackmagic RAW and Apple ProRes RAW support. Free to download with a 7-day Pro trial.
Get it on the App Store