Custom RAW development

Silverstack can apply custom settings for processing RAW formats. You can find the options in the appropriate tab of the right sidebar. The options are available for the following formats:

  • ARRI ARRIRAW and ARRICORE
  • Blackmagic RAW
  • Canon CRM
  • DJI CinemaDNG
  • Nikon N-RAW, R3D NE
  • ProRes RAW
  • REDCODE RAW
  • Sony X-OCN

1. Formats and manufacturer SDKs#

Silverstack provides an interface for the camera manufacturers’ RAW SDKs, which transform the proprietary RAW data into a processable image. The application of the development parameters in the manufacturers’ RAW SDKs guarantees the best possible image quality and ensures that the settings are in line with the manufacturers’ reference tools.Every RAW format mentioned above allows customizing standard settings like ISO, white balance / color temperature, or tint. Depending on the different SDKs or clips, special parameters like sharpness or noise reduction might also be available.

RAW settings for Sony X-OCN footage

2. Custom settings and clip defaults#

Per default, each clip is processed with the clip’s default parameters. These are extracted from the clip metadata and usually reflect the settings selected in the camera when recording.Activating the “Custom Settings” checkbox allows you to edit the RAW processing parameters of the currently selected clip. It is possible to drag the sliders or click on the parameter value and type in values directly. Changing a parameter immediately updates the playback view and the corresponding clip thumbnail is updated after a short processing time. A click on the arrow symbol on the right side of a control resets the option to default (as shot). The “Reset to Clip Defaults” button on the bottom resets all options to default.

Disabling the “Custom Settings” checkbox disables the options for the custom processing. Toggling the checkbox allows you to compare the custom settings against the clip default.

2.1 Apply settings to other clips#

Custom settings are stored for each clip individually, changing the parameters modifies the active clip only. Because of this, the “Apply to Other Clips” buttons provide you the option to take over custom settings to other clips in the selection. The button for the custom RAW settings additionally reveals a popup menu that allows you to specify which settings should be copied. It is only possible to apply the settings to clips of the same format (a set of ARRIRAW parameters can only be applied to other ARRIRAW clips).

Apply custom raw settings to other clips

2.2 View the information about RAW processing in the library and reports#

Information about the RAW settings is available in in the table view and the general info. The fields “EI/ISO”, “WB”, and “Tint” with suffix “(clip)” refer to the clip default parameters, while the fields with suffix “(current)” show the value that is currently used for processing. If the “Custom Settings” checkbox is enabled, these fields show the custom settings.

Including both set of parameters in your reports makes the changes transparent.

Clip default versus custom RAW development parameters in a clip report

3. Decoding color space#

Some RAW formats allow selecting the decoding color space and transfer function (gamma).This specifies the result of the manufacturers’ SDK RAW development and is the working color space for grading in Silverstack. The decoding color space and transfer function can only be specified when switching to modes “Custom Look”, “Preset”, or “User selected LUT”.

Currently, these options are available (transfer function / gamut):

  • ARRIRAW (Mini LF)
    • LogC3 / AWG3
    • LogC4 / AWG4
  • Sony X-OCN
    • S-Log3 / SGamut3
    • S-Log3 / SGamut3.Cine
  • Canon RAW
    • Log 2 / Cinema Gamut
    • Log 3 / Cinema Gamut
    • Log 2 / Rec. 709
    • Log 3 / Rec. 709
  • DJI CinemaDNG
    • Rec. 709 / Rec. 709
    • sRGB / sRGB
    • DJI D-Log / Rec. 709
    • DJI D-Log / DJI D-Gamut
  • BRAW
    • Blackmagic Film / Blackmagic Design
    • Blackmagic Video / Blackmagic Design
    • Blackmagic Extended Video / Blackmagic Design
  • ProRes RAW
    • HLG / Rec. 2020
    • Canon Log 2 / Cinema Gamut
    • DJI D-Log / DJI D-Gamut
    • Fujifilm F-Log2 / Rec. 2020
    • Nikon N-Log / Rec. 2020
    • Panasonic V-Log / Panasonic V-Gamut
    • Sony S-Log3 / SGamut3
    • Sony S-Log3 / SGamut3.Cine
    • Apple Apple Log / Rec. 2020
    • Apple Apple Log 2 / Rec. 2020
Note: Changing the decoding color space requires you to manually select an appropriate transformation LUT in the grading module. (E.g., changing the decoding color space of an Alexa Mini LF clip from LogC3 to LogC4 requires manually changing the LUT node to “LogC4 → Rec.709”)

Last updated: January 30, 2023