What DJI gives you
DJI Fly and DJI Mimo include quick editors: templates, music, an export sized for social. They work, they are free, and they are built for the clip you want to post from the car park.
LightCut and DJI's desktop tools go a little further, with automatic edits and some colour presets.
What none of them does well is the specific thing a D-Log shoot needs: apply one conversion to every file on the card, consistently, before anyone decides which clips matter.
The conversion comes first
Footage shot in D-Log or D-Log M arrives flat and grey on purpose, to hold range. Before editing, before choosing, before showing it to anyone, it needs mapping back to Rec.709 — the full detail is in D-Log to Rec.709.
Two things that bite everyone once:
- D-Log and D-Log M are different. The Mini and Action cameras record D-Log M, and the D-Log conversion applied to it crushes the shadows.
- Some DJI `.cube` files are malformed — a tab character where the format wants a space — and ffmpeg rejects them outright. The download is not corrupt.
The editors, and what each asks for
| Tool | Cost | For a card of D-Log |
|---|---|---|
| DJI Fly / Mimo | Free | One clip, fast; no real batch |
| CapCut | Free tier | LUTs supported, 8-bit pipeline |
| Final Cut Pro | One payment | Per-clip Mix slider, still a timeline |
| Premiere Pro | Subscription | Interpret Footage per bin |
| DaVinci Resolve | Free | Clip Attributes for the card, then a render |
All of them can do it. All of them want a project first, and all of them give every clip the same amount of conversion — which is the problem, because the shot into the sun at golden hour does not want the same amount as the one ten minutes earlier in flat light.
The step before the edit
For most drone work the useful order is: convert the card, look at what you have, then edit the four clips that survive. Converting after choosing sounds more efficient and is not, because choosing from grey footage is guesswork.
BatchTone is built for that step on macOS. The folder goes
in, the conversion applies to every clip, a frame from each is previewed with
the LUT on it, and anything that needs less takes the slider down. Audio is
copied untouched, the Mac's hardware encoder does the work, originals are never
modified, and the malformed .cube files are repaired quietly.
Then the edit happens in whatever you like, on material that already looks right. Seven-day trial, everything unlocked.
Photos too
Most drone shoots produce both. If the JPEGs need the same treatment as the clips, doing them in one pass is the difference between one job and two — which is the case batch LUTs on photos covers.
Common questions
Do I have to shoot D-Log?
No, and for a quick social clip the normal profile is often the better choice: it comes off the card looking finished. D-Log earns its place when the footage will be graded or matched with another camera.
Is D-Log M worse than D-Log?
Lighter, not worse. It is the 8-bit version for the smaller cameras, and it has less room to push before it breaks. Use the conversion built for it.
Can I convert on my phone?
Some apps will apply a LUT on a phone, and none of them will batch a card sensibly. For a folder of clips this is desktop work.
What about the official DJI LUTs being too dark?
A common complaint, and the reason third-party conversions exist. Either is fine; the important part is using the same one across the whole shoot, and having a strength control for the clips it does not suit.