The Short Answer
LogC and Apple Log are both log formats. They look flat and gray straight out of the camera so that you can keep more shadow and highlight detail for grading. That is where the similarity ends. Each has its own tone curve and its own color gamut, which means the same LUT will not work on both.
What Is a Log Format For?
A normal video file, such as Rec.709, bakes a contrast curve into the picture so it looks finished on a screen. A log file does the opposite. It stretches the range of brightness into a flatter curve so highlights and shadows do not clip. You then turn that flat picture into a finished one with a grade.
The tradeoff is simple: log gives you flexibility, and it also gives you work to do.
How They Differ
| ARRI LogC | Apple Log | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | ARRI | Apple |
| Used on | ARRI cinema cameras | iPhone Pro models that support it |
| Gamut | ARRI Wide Gamut (version depends on camera) | Rec.2020 primaries |
| Versions | LogC3 and LogC4 | One Apple Log curve |
The practical point is the one in the table: these are different recipes. If you put an ARRI LogC conversion on Apple Log footage, the contrast and color will be off, because the LUT expects numbers that the file does not contain.
Why You Cannot Swap LUTs
A LUT is a lookup table. For every input color it says what output color to produce. It assumes a specific starting point. A LUT made for LogC footage assumes the LogC curve and gamut. Feed it Apple Log and the shadows may go muddy, the highlights may clip and the colors may shift.
So there are two jobs, and they are easy to mix up:
- A technical conversion moves one format into another, for example log into Rec.709.
- A creative look adds taste, such as warmer highlights or a gentle contrast curve.
Some LUTs do both in one file. Before you use one, check what input it expects. A good product page or setup guide will say so.
Grading Each One Well
Apple Log (iPhone)
- Expose carefully. Log is forgiving but not magic, and noise shows up in the shadows if you underexpose.
- Set the right input in your editor so the software knows the footage is Apple Log.
- Apply your look after exposure and white balance corrections.
ARRI LogC
- Know which version you have, LogC3 or LogC4, and use the matching conversion.
- Use ARRI's own look files and conversions when you want the reference starting point.
Getting the ARRI Feel From an iPhone
If you shoot on an iPhone and want a color feel close to ARRI footage, you do not need to convert Apple Log into LogC. You need a look made for the iPhone's footage. The ARRiPhone LUT is built for that: it comes in a version for Apple Log and a separate Rec.709 version, and you import into your editor.
Read how to get the ARRI look on iPhone footage in DaVinci Resolve for the steps, and what ARRI color science actually is for the background. For the full pipeline, our guide to color pipeline basics covers Rec.709, HDR and ACES.
Questions people ask
Is Apple Log the same as LogC?
No. Both are log formats, but each has its own tone curve and gamut. A LUT built for LogC will not give correct results on Apple Log footage.
Can I use an ARRI LogC LUT on iPhone footage?
Only if the footage is first converted to the input the LUT expects. Otherwise the contrast and color will look wrong. Use a LUT made for iPhone footage instead.
Why does log footage look flat?
Log formats compress the brightness range into a flat curve to preserve shadow and highlight detail. The grade adds contrast and color back.
Written by the team at Clouds Agency, a Los Angeles creative and production consulting agency.