Panasonic V-Log vs. Sony S-Log: Mastering the Match in Your Editing Workflow

Matching Panasonic V-Log and Sony S-Log in the Same Timeline: A Clean Workflow

If you’re mixing Panasonic V-Log (or V-Log L) and Sony S-Log (S-Log2/S-Log3) in one edit, the “why does this look like two different movies?” moment is totally normal. Matching Panasonic V-Log and Sony S-Log is mostly about one thing: getting both cameras into the same baseline (Rec.709 or a managed working space) before you add any creative LUTs. Once you do that, exposure, white balance, and skin tones become predictable instead of painful.

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The matching rule that fixes 80% of problems: Normalize each camera correctly (V-Log → working space, S-Log → working space), then match exposure and white balance with scopes, then refine skin tones, then apply your creative look.

Why V-Log and S-Log Don’t Match “Out of the Box”

Both profiles are designed to capture more dynamic range by recording a flatter image, but they don’t flatten the image the same way. V-Log and S-Log have different gamma curves and color gamuts, and that changes how midtones sit, how highlights roll off, and how skin and foliage land in the color wheel.

V-Log / V-Log L: Often feels flexible in shadows, but can lean into a slightly different neutral balance depending on the camera and white balance accuracy.
S-Log2 / S-Log3: S-Log3 is generally easier to shape for cinematic roll-off, but can look “thin” or noisy if exposure is off and you push it hard in post.

So if you slap one LUT on both cameras, you’re not “matching”—you’re forcing two different languages into the same sentence.

Before You Grade: Set Yourself Up for Easier Matching

Matching starts on set. You don’t need a perfect studio setup, just a few habits that reduce the gap between cameras.

1) Lock white balance (don’t chase Auto WB)

Auto WB is the fastest way to get “Panasonic feels warm” and “Sony feels cool/green” in the same scene. Use a fixed Kelvin value and stick to it across both cameras whenever possible.

2) Protect highlights, but don’t starve the image

Log footage that’s underexposed and then lifted in post will show noise and strange color shifts faster. Aim for a healthy exposure where faces sit cleanly in the midrange and nothing important is clipping.

3) Shoot a quick reference clip

If you can, record 5 seconds of something neutral (a gray card, white wall, or even a neutral shirt) under the same light. That tiny reference saves you a lot of guessing later.

The Core Workflow: Normalize → Balance → Match → Look

This is the order I rely on when I’m mixing cameras and the deadline is tight. I tested this exact approach on a mixed-camera wedding setup (Panasonic V-Log L + Sony S-Log3), and the timeline finally stopped “jumping” between clips—skin tones stayed consistent even when lighting changed fast.

Normalize each camera to a common baseline (Rec.709 or a managed wide-gamut workspace).
Balance each shot (exposure + white balance) before creative work.
Match shots using scopes (waveform/parade/vectorscope), not just your eyes.
Look comes last (creative LUT, film tone, stylized contrast).

Step-by-Step in DaVinci Resolve: The Cleanest Way to Match V-Log and S-Log

Resolve makes this easier because you can build a repeatable node structure and keep conversions separate from creative decisions.

Option A: Node-based approach (simple and reliable)

Node 1: Technical transform — Convert Panasonic V-Log/V-Gamut and Sony S-Log/S-Gamut to the same working space (or directly to Rec.709 if you want a straightforward SDR pipeline).
Node 2: Primary balance — Use Lift/Gamma/Gain (or Primaries) to align exposure and neutral balance.
Node 3: Match node — Fine-tune saturation and hue biases (this is where you fix the “Sony looks greener” or “Panasonic looks warmer” vibe).
Node 4: Creative look — Apply your cinematic LUT softly, then trim contrast/saturation to taste.
Node 5: Output control — Final safe contrast, legal range check, and gentle highlight roll-off.

Practical matching targets (what to look for on scopes)

Waveform: Match overall brightness first. If one clip’s midtones sit higher, it will always feel “different,” even if color is close.
RGB Parade: Fix neutrals. If a “gray” area shows green higher than red/blue, you’ll feel a green tint.
Vectorscope: Watch skin tones and saturation. Don’t let one camera push skin too far toward magenta or yellow.

A quick “real timeline” example

Let’s say your Panasonic clip looks a bit warm and your Sony clip looks a bit green in the same room. Do this in order:

Normalize both clips properly (camera-accurate transform first).
Match exposure so faces sit similarly on the waveform.
Pick a neutral reference in the scene (white shirt, gray wall) and align the RGB Parade.
Only then adjust skin tones with subtle hue shifts (tiny changes beat big corrections).

When I used to apply a teal/orange LUT before balancing, skin tones broke instantly—after I moved the LUT to the end of the chain, the look stayed cinematic without turning people “plastic.”

For deeper Resolve color workflow fundamentals, Blackmagic’s official overview of the color page is worth bookmarking: Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve color grading overview.

Step-by-Step in Premiere Pro: A Fast Match Workflow That Actually Works

Premiere can absolutely handle V-Log + S-Log matching—you just need to stay disciplined about the order of operations.

1) Normalize each camera first

Apply the correct technical LUT for each camera/profile (V-Log → Rec.709, S-Log3 → Rec.709, etc.).
Keep intensity controlled. If the conversion looks too contrasty, reduce strength or adjust after conversion rather than swapping random LUTs.

2) Balance exposure and white balance clip-by-clip

Fix exposure before saturation tweaks.
Fix white balance before “style.” A wrong WB makes every LUT look wrong.

3) Match with scopes, not the Program Monitor

Use waveform and parade to align brightness and neutrals, then use vectorscope to keep saturation consistent and skin believable. If you want a deeper Premiere LOG workflow, this guide pairs perfectly with the process here: Grading LOG footage in Premiere Pro (S-Log, C-Log, V-Log) in 2025.

Comparison: LUTs vs Color Space Transform vs Manual Matching

These aren’t enemies—think of them as layers of control.

LUTs (fastest): Great for consistent conversion and quick looks, but only if they’re profile-accurate and used at the right stage.
Color-space transforms (cleanest baseline): Best when you want different cameras to behave like one pipeline before creative grading.
Manual matching (most precise): Where perfection lives—especially for skin tones, mixed lighting, and brand/client consistency.

DaVinci Resolve vs Premiere Pro for matching

Resolve: Easier to build a repeatable node tree and keep technical transforms separate from creative work.
Premiere: Faster for edit-first workflows, great for quick fixes, but you need to stay organized (adjustment layers and consistent LUT placement help a lot).

Pro Tips That Fix Common V-Log + S-Log Problems

Fix the “one camera looks more saturated” issue

After normalization, match saturation with vectorscope. If you try to match saturation before exposure/WB, you’ll chase your tail.

Fix the “Panasonic feels warm / Sony feels green” issue

Don’t fight it globally with a big temperature change. First align neutrals on the RGB Parade, then do a small targeted shift (tiny moves are the secret).

Fix noisy shadows after matching

Lift shadows gently and consider mild noise reduction on the noisiest camera only. Over-cleaning one camera can make the other look “crispy” and mismatched.

Create a reusable base for future projects

Once you get a clean match for your specific Panasonic + Sony combo, save it as a preset/powergrade (or adjustment layer stack). Next project starts 70% done.

Official Resources Worth Bookmarking

Closing thoughts: make it feel like one camera

When V-Log and S-Log are both normalized correctly, the rest becomes a clean craft: align exposure, lock white balance, refine skin, then add style. The goal isn’t “identical pixels”—it’s consistent emotion from shot to shot, so the viewer never notices you switched cameras.

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FAQ

Do I need to convert both V-Log and S-Log to Rec.709 first?

You need a common baseline, and Rec.709 is the simplest for SDR delivery. A wide-gamut managed workflow can be even cleaner, but the rule stays the same: normalize both cameras before creative grading.

Why does my Panasonic clip look warmer than my Sony clip?

Even with similar Kelvin settings, sensors and color science render neutrals differently. Normalize correctly, then align neutrals with the RGB Parade before doing any creative look.

Should I use one LUT for both cameras to “match” them?

Usually no. Use profile-accurate technical LUTs (or transforms) per camera first, then apply the same creative LUT after both clips are balanced and matched.

What’s the fastest way to match skin tones across cameras?

Match exposure first, then white balance, then adjust skin hue gently while watching the vectorscope. Big skin-tone moves usually mean the clip wasn’t normalized or balanced correctly yet.

What if one camera gets noisy after matching?

Reduce how much you’re lifting shadows on that clip and apply light noise reduction only where needed. Over-smoothing one camera can create a “different camera” feel again.

Written by Asanka — creator of AAAPresets (10,000+ customers).