Blackmagic GEN5 / REC709

Thomas Kovacik Blackmagic GEN5/REC709 LUT — a client-ready grade for freelance video editors

The gist: If you edit Blackmagic-shot footage for clients, this LUT gets you to a natural, deliverable-ready look faster, which matters when you're billing by the project, not the hour.

• Turnaround-friendly: apply as a one-click starting grade to hit tighter client deadlines, or build a custom look on top of it for higher-tier jobs.
• Corrects a known problem: Filmkit's breakdown of Gen 5 conversion LUTs notes Blackmagic footage is prone to magenta shift and oversaturated reds — this LUT is built specifically to fix that before it reaches a client's screen.
• Professional, natural output: the product's own spec describes accurate color and highlight roll-off rather than a trendy filter look, which suits corporate, interview, and brand-video deliverables better than a stylized preset.
• No physical inventory: a digital download you can re-use across every Blackmagic Gen 5 project without recurring cost.

Filmkit's technical writeup on Gen 5 REC709 LUTs notes they're designed to "preserve natural skintones" while correcting the white-balance and color-shift issues common in unconverted Blackmagic footage — a meaningful time-saver when a client is reviewing skin tones on camera.

Best for: freelance or in-house editors regularly cutting Blackmagic Gen 5 footage for paid client work. Skip it if: your clients shoot on other camera systems — this LUT's calibration is specific to Blackmagic's Gen 5 sensor profile. Runs ~$26 — check the current price before buying.