Samsung Log Video: How to Shoot, Expose and Grade It

Samsung Log doesn’t bake in contrast and colour like a typical video profile, meaning it retains more dynamic range (shadows and highlights) from the camera sensor.

Samsung Log footage will appear flat and greyish because it’s designed to be colour graded in post.

If you’re not planning on doing any post-production, Samsung Log isn’t for you, as standard footage will appear more visually appealing out of the camera.

Which Galaxy phones shoot Samsung Log

Samsung Log mode is available on the Galaxy S26, S25 and S24 series, Z Fold7, Z Fold6, Z Flip7, Z Flip7 FE and Z Flip6, according to Samsung’s Log video page for developers. Log mode first appeared on Samsung phones with One UI 7.

One UI 8.5 has also introduced the possibility to preview LUTs while shooting in Log mode, as well as Log video editing right in the Gallery app, along with the APV video codec on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Unfortunately, if APV isn’t available on your phone model, there’s no workaround. According to Samsung, APV requires certain hardware support that can’t be added via a software update. Still not sure if your phone supports Samsung Log? Samsung’s list doesn’t include its latest devices, including the Galaxy S26 FE, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8. Check out the Pro Video section on your own phone to see if there’s a Log button. Details on how APV fits in with the rest of the hardware can be found in our S26 Ultra camera review.

How to turn on Samsung Log

1. 1

   Open Pro Video

   Launch the Camera app and tap More > Pro Video. In the current version of the software, Log is integrated within Pro Video and can be enabled by tapping Log in the quick settings menu at the top of the screen.

2. 2

   Enable it first on some earlier versions

   If you don’t see a Log button, tap the four-dot Quick controls button and then the gear icon to open Camera settings. Tap Advanced video options and enable Log. Return to Pro Video mode and the Log button will now be available.

3. 3

   Add Log to normal Video mode

   On the S26 series, Samsung’s steps set Camera settings → Video format → Log to Video and Pro Video modes. Turning it on for Video mode makes Log an option in the quick settings when you’re in Video mode, which is convenient since it’s easier to switch lenses in that mode. On One UI 9 on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, that option only says Pro video mode, meaning Log is only available in Pro Video mode.

4. 4

   On the S26 Ultra, choose HEVC or APV

   In Camera settings → Video format, enable APV under Professional video capture. By default, APV will record in HDR. To record in Log instead, open the APV detailed settings and choose Log, then select either the HQ or LQ profile. Tap the APV icon at the top of the viewfinder.

Log works with all resolutions and lenses on supported devices, Samsung says. Blackmagic Camera is also capable of shooting Samsung Log on select new Galaxy devices. Our Blackmagic Camera guide has the rundown of compatible phones and a setup guide.

Storage and APV file sizes

Standard Samsung Log is recorded using 10-bit HEVC, so file sizes are still manageable. APV is a different story altogether, with 4K 30fps 422 HQ coming in at a whopping 796Mbps (LQ 406Mbps) compared to a mere 35Mbps for HEVC HDR, according to Samsung. HQ at 1080p 30fps is around 1.5GB per minute. LQ is around half the size of HQ.

Both profiles are 422 and either can record HDR or Samsung Log. Samsung says HQ is for those looking for accurate colour and detail, while LQ is around half the file size and aimed at those wanting a lighter workflow. Which one should you choose? That depends.

If you’re recording an interview or an event and it’s going to last a while, then LQ will halve the space required and you’ll still have more data than if you were shooting in HEVC. If you’re recording shorter clips and expect to push them in post, then HQ might be for you. Samsung hasn’t let us know what bitrate Log is recorded at in HEVC mode, so do a minute-long test run and check the file size in My Files to get an idea of how much space a longer clip will take up.

If you’re going to be recording in APV for long periods of time, Samsung suggests connecting an external SSD formatted to exFAT using a USB 3.0 (or above) cable, preferably one rated at 10Gbps, and recording to that SSD with Camera settings → Save to external storage. Your SSD will need to be able to sustain write speeds of at least 200MB/s for 4K recording at 60fps or below, or 400MB/s for 4K at 120fps or 8K. Enable Safe save in case the connection wobbles so you don’t lose the whole clip. If you’re recording APV to the phone’s internal storage, make sure there’s at least 10% free space remaining, according to Samsung.

How to expose Log footage

Since Log footage is flat and greyish in appearance, it's difficult to accurately judge exposure by looking at the image. Enable LUT preview and select Standard to display the footage with standard Rec.709 contrast during recording (files will still be recorded in Log). You can also check out how your clip will look with one of the camera's four Cinematic LUTs (Blockbuster, Coming-of-age, Romance, Thriller).

Enable Zebra and/or false color display (can be toggled on/off before or during recording).

For Zebra, select a brightness level (70-100) and any areas brighter than that level will be displayed with zebra patterning.

With false color, the entire image is colour-coded according to exposure, where red equals too bright, light green equals good exposure, and purple equals too dark.

Protect the highlights first. Dark areas can usually be pulled back (for a price in noise). Once highlights clip, there’s nothing you can do to recover them in post. Turn your zebras on and set them to display near the top of the range. Lower your exposure until they’re no longer visible in the important areas. White shirts and skies will be first to clip.

Use Pro Video mode to lock all of your settings so that your footage will be consistent. Follow our white balance guide's advice and set your WB to a temp in Kelvin and forget about it. Shutter speed should be about double your frame rate (1/50s at 24 or 25fps and 1/60s at 30fps) and your ISO should be as low as conditions allow. Our shutter speed guide covers why that rule keeps motion looking natural. The S26 Ultra also gives you 25, 50 and 100fps options in Pro Video, which come in handy for flicker-free shooting (1/50s) in 50Hz countries.

How to grade Samsung Log

Make sure your footage is properly white balanced and exposed before applying the LUT (the LUT is designed with properly exposed Log in mind). You can perform these steps in your editor of choice. Once you have applied the Log to Rec.709 LUT, you can continue grading your footage as you normally would.

Samsung has made available a Log to Rec.709 3D LUT as well as a Log-to-Linear 1D LUT (for more advanced grading workflows), a white paper and a pack of 12 different Cinematic LUTs (four different looks with three different intensities) on their developer website.

Samsung's LUT or a CST node

Samsung provide a 3D LUT that takes you from Samsung Log to Rec.709, and this is the one to use with Resolve (and other editing software). This will get you the quickest route to an image.

They also provide a 1D LUT that will get you from Log to linear, useful if you want to do the colour space conversion yourself for some reason.

Some of the more popular Resolve tutorials for Samsung Log ignore both of these and use the CST (colour space transform) with Log settings from another camera manufacturer. These settings will be an approximation as Samsung’s Log page doesn’t list Samsung Log settings for that tool. Samsung’s Log settings might be included in the Log white paper, which is currently only accessible if you sign in with a Samsung developer account.

Start with the 3D LUT for most footage. Do your exposure and white balance on a node in front of the LUT and any further creative colour on a node after. You can then save it all off as a preset and apply it to all of your footage from that shoot.

On the phone, in Gallery

Four Cinematic LUTs have been added to Gallery (One UI 8.5 or above). Open a Log clip in Gallery > tap Edit > Apply LUT. You can also adjust tones here as per usual. It’s not the most in-depth colour grading tool, but handy for quickly getting Log clips social-media ready.

On the S26 Ultra, you can also apply LUTs to APV Log clips straight from Gallery. And if you want to send someone an APV clip but they don’t have a compatible device to play it back on, you can use Gallery’s Convert from APV to HEVC function (Menu → Convert from APV to HEVC).

LumaFusion

Samsung’s Rec.709 LUT can be applied directly to footage in Android-native LumaFusion (one of the editors mentioned by Samsung as supporting APV), as the app supports importing LUTs (.cube and .3dl). LumaFusion is a paid app; check the latest pricing on Galaxy Store or Google Play.

CapCut

Samsung says on its APV page that CapCut supports APV HDR, but not APV Log at this time. There are instructions online for importing .cube and .3dl LUT files into the desktop version of CapCut (Adjustment panel > LUT > Import), but third-party guides report that the phone app doesn’t import custom LUTs, so Log footage is best graded on a computer. Our Android video editor roundup shows which apps import custom LUT files.

DaVinci Resolve on a computer

DaVinci Resolve (the free version works just fine) is the editor Samsung names for its PC LUT files. Apply the Samsung Log to Rec.709 LUT after exposure and white balance adjustment (on another node). Note that Resolve 20.2+ is required to play APV files.

If you shot Log and don't want to grade it

Samsung’s Gallery app can help. Open the Log video in Gallery, and according to SamMobile, swipe up to find a Correct color button. If yours doesn’t have that, instead tap Edit and look for Apply LUT. According to Samsung’s developer site, Gallery can apply the same presets you see when previewing Log video while recording it. The one you want is Standard, which gives you a normal Rec.709 look and contrast range.

Make sure to save the adjusted video as a new file so you can share it with friends and family. If you find yourself having to do this too often, consider turning Log off. Samsung’s regular Standard video quality is good enough for most people, and so is its HDR option.

Log and stabilisation

If you’re going to shoot Log, plan your shots and camera moves carefully, as the Russian edition of Samsung’s Super Steady support page (updated April 2026) notes that image stabilisation isn’t available when recording Log footage. For handheld Log videos where you’re walking, use a gimbal or hold the phone tightly against your chest and walk extra slowly for more stable footage. Note that Super Steady video is limited to QHD or FHD resolutions and HDR10+ video isn’t supported in Super Steady mode, according to the English edition of Samsung’s Super Steady support page. However, when stabilisation is more important than dynamic range for handheld shots, it’s worth recording with Super Steady in standard video mode. Our stabilisation guide has more on these recording options.

When Log isn't worth it

If you’re happy with the image your camera gives you straight away, or plan on sharing family videos the same day you shoot them, HDR or standard video is the better choice. For a film look without Log, our cinematic video guide sets frame rate and shutter speed to achieve the look you want. It also shows you how to easily grade your standard videos! Keep in mind that a poorly exposed Log clip is still going to look bad once graded! Our video settings guide dives into frame rates and stabilization for shooting on the go. Log is the video version of shooting photos in RAW: you get extra flexibility in return for having to spend time in post-production. If you don’t mind an extra step in your editing process, Log can be an asset, as it gives you more flexibility when it comes to correcting the look of your footage.