Color Correction Basics (S-LOG Footage)

S-Log is a gamma curve optimized for digital cameras to maximize the image sensor's performance. Although these videos may look flat and washed out, they contain lots of color information. Even better, video creators can use color correction to edit the S-Log videos and make them look as natural as possible. That's what this article is all about.

How to Color-Correct an S-Log Footage

This tutorial assumes that you already have an S-Log footage. If not, you can record S-Log footage using most Canon, Sony, and Panasonic cameras.

Let's get to the steps!

Step1 Adjust the color settings.

Start by adding your video to the timeline on Wondershare Filmora and then double-click the video track. Then, click on the Color tab before tapping Advanced.

Step2 Read and study the histogram.

Now you'll see the Advanced Color Correction pop-up window. Here, you'll see a histogram with the brightest point on the right and the darkest point on the left. From our example, you can see that the video has more dark pixels than bright ones. Horizontally, the histogram shows you how many pixels are in a certain range of brightness.

Step3 Adjust the image colors.

Once you've understood the histogram, look for pure black and white parts on the video clip. For example, in this video, you can see that the roofs are pure black and the boat at the bottom-right corner is pure white.

After finding the white and black parts in the video, go to the Light section, then adjust the Highlights to see if you can get a pure white on the boat. If the boat or any other image of your choice doesn't look pure white, increase the Whites slide to make it whiter.

Now adjust the Shadows settings to reduce the effect and make the roofs look closer to pure black. If you want the roofs to look darker, drag the Blacks slider to the left.

Pro tip: Ensure that the darkest and brightest points don't cross the broken lines on the edge, or the video will start losing details.

Step4 Adjust the color saturation.

Does your video still look a little flat? Probably yes! In that case, click the Color section and adjust the Saturation slider to the right to make the video less flat. Saturation simply means how colorful a video clip is to the viewer. Apart from the color saturation, you can also adjust the Vibrance to make your video objects look more colorful.

Step5 Preview and compare the video.

Now it's time to check and compare the results. To make it easier, click the Eye icon at the top-right corner to switch between the original S-Log video and the color-corrected clip. You can also tap the AB icon and choose Split View-Left/Right to view the clips in the side-by-side mode.

Summary

I guess that was easy, right? Up to this juncture, you should be able to perform basic color correction on your video using Wondershare Filmora. Remember, this video editor packs many other editing tools to bring out your creativity. Give it a try!