How to Apply 3D LUTs to Camera in OBS Studio

Using a mirrorless camera for live streaming or video recording in OBS Studio provides excellent image quality, but capturing in a flat or “log” profile requires color grading to look its best. This guide provides a direct, step-by-step walkthrough on how to apply a 3D Lookup Table (LUT) directly to your mirrorless camera source in OBS Studio, allowing you to achieve a professional, cinematic color grade in real-time.

Step 1: Prepare Your Camera and LUT File

Before configuring OBS Studio, ensure your camera and assets are ready: * Set your camera profile: Set your mirrorless camera to its log profile (like Sony’s S-Log, Canon’s C-Log, or Fujifilm’s F-Log) or a neutral/flat picture profile. * Acquire a 3D LUT: Download a .cube format LUT file. This can be a technical conversion LUT provided by your camera manufacturer (e.g., S-Log3 to Rec.709) or a creative, stylized LUT designed for cinematic grading. Save this file in a permanent folder on your computer.

Step 2: Add Your Camera to OBS Studio

  1. Open OBS Studio.
  2. In the Sources dock, click the + (Add) icon.
  3. Select Video Capture Device, name it (e.g., “Mirrorless Camera”), and click OK.
  4. Select your capture card or camera from the Device dropdown menu, configure your resolution and frame rate, and click OK.

Step 3: Access the Filters Menu

  1. In the Sources dock, right-click on your mirrorless camera source.
  2. Select Filters from the context menu. This will open the filters window for your camera.

Step 4: Add the Apply LUT Filter

  1. In the Effect Filters section (the bottom half of the filters window), click the + (Add) icon.
  2. Select Apply LUT from the list.
  3. Give the filter a name (or leave it as default) and click OK.

Step 5: Load and Adjust the 3D LUT

  1. In the properties section of the Apply LUT filter, click the Browse button next to the “Path” field.
  2. Navigate to the folder where you saved your .cube file, select it, and click Open.
  3. Use the Amount slider to adjust the intensity of the LUT. A value of 1.00 applies the LUT at 100% strength. If the colors look too harsh, drag the slider to the left (e.g., 0.70 to 0.85) to blend the graded look with the original camera feed.
  4. Click Close when you are satisfied with the look.