Suppose you are watching a movie but the color contrast is bad and offers a dull feel. Do you still like to enjoy and be connected with the movie? Maybe not! This color is the power of grading—it can make a simple recording visually surprising and emotionally captivating.
When it comes to rating video colors, two techniques separate: 3D LUTs and color improvement. If you are using Wondershare Filmora, both options are available to increase your video. But which one should you choose? Should you use a quick LUT for immediate film appeal, or do you need a fine-tuning color manually for the right look?
This article will break the difference between 3D LUTs and color improvement, show you how to use them in Filmora, and help you decide which method works best for your project. Towards the end, you will have a concrete understanding of how to create your video to appeal professionally and visually.
Part 1: What is 3D LUTs in Filmora?
A 3D LUT (lookup table) is like a professional Instagram filter for your video. It is a pre-designed color characteristic that immediately replaces the shape of your recordings by adjusting colors, opposite, brightness, and saturation.
But what are 3D LUTs in Filmora? Unlike traditional filters, LUTs are more accurate and compound. They do not add just a hue or modest color adjustment; they remodel the colors in your video to match a specific shape.
You can get lots of LUTs options to bring the desired look to your videos.
- Want a Hollywood-style blockbuster effect? Use a cinematic LUT.
- Love the vintage look of old films? Apply a retro LUT.
- Need vibrant, high-contrast visuals? Go for a colorful LUT.
How 3D LUTs Enhance Your Videos Instantly
- One-Click Transformation: No need to manually tweak colors for hours. Just apply a LUT, and your video looks amazing.
- Professional Cinematic Styles: Want your footage to have the same tone as Marvel movies, Batman, or Harry Potter? Filmora offers LUTs that match these iconic styles.
- Consistency Across Clips: If you’re editing multiple clips, LUTs ensure that all of them have the same color grading, creating a uniform look.
- Saves Time for Beginners and Pros: Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, LUTs speed up the editing process without sacrificing quality.
How to Apply 3D LUTs in Filmora (Step-by-Step Guide)
Step 1: First, download Wondershare Filmora for Mac, then click on New Project, and finally Import Your Footage into Filmora.
Step 2: Next, select the color option to gain access to the color grading tools. Many color-grading features are available here. To apply 3D LUTs to your video. Turn on the LUT feature in Filmora.
Step 3: Choose the appropriate LUTs based on your requirements. Filmora also includes an additional color adjustment option to make your video’s color more realistic.
Step 4: After you have made all of the necessary changes to the video, you can export it in the format you prefer. Click on Export and save it to your Mac.
That is, it! Look how simple it is to adjust the color grading in Filmora.
Unlike 3D LUTs, which use preset color characters, color improvement is a manual process that allows you to adjust the specific aspects of the recordings to fix the color imbalance.
It involves tweaking:
- Brightness & Contrast: To control the light and dark areas.
- Saturation & Vibrance: To make colors pop or tone them down.
- White Balance: To fix colors that look too warm (yellowish) or too cool (bluish).
- Shadows & Highlights: To adjust dark and bright areas for better depth.
Why is Color Correction Important?
Imagine you shot a video indoors with bad lights. Without color improvement, your recordings can be very dull or washed. Manually adjusted color ensures that everything works natural, balanced, and professionally before adding creative effects.
Follow the steps to manually do color correction in Filmora:
Step 1: After uploading the video into Filmora, you will see the color option on the right side of the window. It offers you multiple options to adjust the color.
Step 2: Adjust the color grading options according to your video.
That’s how simple it is with Filmora color grading options. However, it is a very time-consuming way for editors to adjust the right color of the video but it offers full control over editors’ choices.
Part 3: 3D LUT vs. Color Correction—Which One Should You Choose?
Now that we understand both methods, let’s compare them side by side:
| 3D LUTs Vs. Color Correction | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | 3D LUT | Color Correction |
| Ease of Use | One-click present | Require manual adjustments |
| Customization | Limited (pre-set styles) | Fully customizable |
| Best for | Quick and professional color grading | Fixing lighting & color issues |
| Time required | Instant | Time-consuming |
| Consistency | Ensures uniform look across clips | Need adjustment for each clip |
When Should You Use 3D LUTs?
- When you want fast and consistent color grading.
- When applying aesthetic or cinematic styles.
- When editing multiple clips and need the same look.
When Should You Use Color Correction?
- When fixing overexposed, underexposed, or poorly lit footage.
- When making precise, manual color adjustments.
- When you need full control over the final look.
Best Practice? Use Both!
Begin with color correction to improve the raw footage, then add a 3D LUT for a cinematic effect.
Conclusion
So, you now understand how important color grading is for videos. It brings magic to videos and in Wondershare Filmora you get both options: 3D LUTs and manual color correction options. If you need a quick and professional color grade, 3D LUTs are your best option for you. But if your footage has lighting or color balance issues, manual color correction is the way to go.
The best approach? Combine both! Correct your footage first, then enhance it with 3D LUTs to create stunning, polished visuals. So, what are you waiting for? Try Wondershare Filmora today and improve your video editing skills!
