How to Use LUTs in DaVinci Resolve: The Complete Color Grading Guide

Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve is widely recognized as the gold standard for digital color grading in Hollywood feature films, streaming series, and commercial videography. In this comprehensive guide, you will learn how to properly import, organize, apply, and control 3D .CUBE LUTs in DaVinci Resolve (both Studio and the free version) to achieve cinematic color harmony without breaking your footage.

What is a 3D LUT in DaVinci Resolve?

A 3D Color Lookup Table (LUT) is a mathematical coordinate grid that remaps input RGB colors (hue, saturation, and luminance) into specific target aesthetic values. In DaVinci Resolve, 3D LUTs are used in two primary ways:

1. Technical Conversion LUTs: Transforming flat camera profiles (like Sony S-Log3, Canon C-Log3, or Panasonic V-Log) into standard Rec.709 color space.
2. Creative Look LUTs: Applying an artistic film print emulation, warm cinematic wash, or teal-and-orange contrast curve to finished Rec.709 footage.

Step 1: How to Import LUTs into DaVinci Resolve

To make your downloaded LUT packs permanently accessible across all DaVinci Resolve projects, follow these steps:

1. Extract Your LUT Pack: Download your pack from our Cinematic LUTs collection and unzip the folder on your computer to locate the .CUBE files.
2. Open DaVinci Resolve: Launch DaVinci Resolve and open any existing or new project.
3. Open Project Settings: Click the gear icon (&gear;) in the bottom-right corner of the interface (or press Shift + 9).
4. Navigate to Color Management: On the left sidebar of the Project Settings window, select Color Management.
5. Open the LUT Folder: Scroll down to the Lookup Tables section and click the Open LUT Folder button. This opens Resolve's native LUT directory in Finder (macOS) or File Explorer (Windows).
6. Copy Your LUTs: Drag and drop your entire LUT folder (e.g. "LUTs Presets - Cinematic Film") into this directory. Keeping them inside named subfolders organizes them neatly into category dropdowns in Resolve.
7. Update Lists: Return to DaVinci Resolve's Color Management settings and click the Update Lists button. Close Project Settings.

Step 2: How to Apply a LUT to a Serial Node

Never apply a LUT directly to an entire timeline or clip master without node isolation. The professional method is using dedicated serial nodes on the Color Page:

1. Navigate to the Color Page (press Shift + 6).
2. Select the clip you want to grade in your timeline.
3. In the Node Editor, you will see your initial node (Node 1). Press Alt + S (Windows) or Option + S (Mac) to create a new Serial Node (Node 2).
4. Open the LUTs panel in the top-left corner of the Color workspace.
5. Locate your imported folder, hover over any .CUBE LUT to see a real-time live preview in your viewer, and double-click to apply it to Node 2.

Step 3: The Secret Colorist Trick: Adjusting LUT Opacity / Intensity

Many creators abandon LUTs because they look "too intense" right out of the box. Professional colorists rarely use a creative LUT at 100% strength. Here is how to adjust LUT opacity in DaVinci Resolve:

1. Click on the node that contains your LUT (e.g., Node 2).
2. In the lower toolbar panel, click on the Key icon (looks like a keyhole).
3. Under the Key Output section on the right, locate the Gain slider (default is 1.000, which represents 100%).
4. Lower the Gain value to 0.500 (50%), 0.700 (70%), or anywhere that blends the creative aesthetic naturally with your original footage.

The Ideal Node Tree Hierarchy for Color Grading

To avoid clipping highlights or introducing digital noise, colorists structure their node trees in a logical processing order:

• Node 1 (Primary Exposure & Contrast): Balance lift, gamma, gain, and highlight rolloff.
• Node 2 (White Balance): Correct tint and temperature so whites and neutral greys are truly neutral.
• Node 3 (Creative Look LUT): Apply your 3D .CUBE LUT at 60%–80% opacity.
• Node 4 (Secondary Refinements): Qualifier skin tone adjustments, vignettes, or subtle film grain.