Kodak 250D LUT + Kodak 2383 Workflow in Resolve

Kodak Vision3 250D and Kodak 2383 are often mentioned together, but they represent two different stages of a film workflow.

Kodak 250D is a camera-negative film stock. Kodak 2383 is a print-film stock used later in the process. A complete digital film-emulation pipeline can therefore combine both:

Camera log → Kodak 250D negative emulation → Cineon Film Log → Kodak 2383 print emulation → Rec.709

Understanding this order prevents incorrect LUT inputs, excessive contrast and double output transforms.

What is Kodak Vision3 250D?

Kodak Vision3 250D is a medium-speed, daylight-balanced colour-negative motion-picture film with an exposure index of 250 in daylight.

It is valued for:

• Natural skin-tone reproduction

• Controlled daylight colour

• Clear separation between foliage, skies and warmer tones

• Detailed shadows

• Extended highlight latitude

A Kodak 250D LUT should reproduce the response of the camera negative. It does not necessarily create a finished Rec.709 image.

What is Kodak 2383?

Kodak 2383 is a colour print-film stock. In a traditional film pipeline, the photographed negative is balanced and printed onto this positive stock for projection.

DaVinci Resolve includes several Kodak 2383 film-look LUTs. These LUTs expect Cineon Film Log as their input and produce a display-ready Rec.709 image.

This means the Resolve 2383 LUT is not a complete Kodak 250D emulation. It represents the print stage, not the camera-negative stock.

Kodak 250D versus Kodak 2383

Using only the Kodak 2383 LUT can add a print-film response, but it does not recreate how Kodak 250D would have captured and separated the original colours.

Combining a dedicated 250D negative emulation with a compatible 2383 print LUT creates a more complete negative-to-print workflow.

The correct Kodak 250D and 2383 node order

For a manually managed DaVinci YRGB project, use the following structure:

Node 1 — Exposure and white balance

Correct essential exposure and white-balance differences before the film emulation.

The LUT cannot identify incorrect exposure or remove an unwanted colour cast. Starting with a properly balanced image gives the negative emulation more consistent input.

Node 2 — Kodak 250D negative emulation

Apply the Kodak 250D LUT that matches the log profile of your camera.

The Offwhitecolor Kodak Vision3 250D Cineon Emulation LUT maps supported camera-log footage into a 250D-derived Cineon representation.

Choose the version that exactly matches your source footage:

• Sony S-Log3

• Blackmagic Design Generation 5

• ARRI LogC3

• DJI D-Log M

• RED IPP2

After this node, the image remains log-like. This is intentional. The negative emulation is a grading stage, not a finished Rec.709 look.

Node 3 — Creative balance

Use this node for the main creative balance before the print LUT.

You can adjust:

• Overall exposure

• Contrast placement

• Colour balance

• Saturation

• Skin-tone relationships

• Individual colour separation

Working before the print emulation gives the image room to respond naturally when it enters the final print stage.

Node 4 — Kodak 2383 print LUT

Apply one of DaVinci Resolve’s Kodak 2383 film-look LUTs.

Resolve includes different white-point versions, including D55, D60 and D65. These variations affect the final colour balance rather than changing the underlying negative stock.

Because the 250D emulation already outputs the required Cineon representation, it can feed the 2383 LUT directly.

Node 5 — Final trims

Use the final node only for small display-level corrections, legal-range adjustments or delivery trims.

Avoid rebuilding the entire grade after the print LUT. Large corrections are generally easier and more controlled before the print stage.

Do you need another Rec.709 transform?

No. The Kodak 2383 film-look LUTs included with DaVinci Resolve already transform their Cineon Film Log input into a Rec.709 output.

Adding another Cineon-to-Rec.709 transform after the 2383 LUT will create a double transform, usually resulting in excessive contrast, saturation and clipped highlights.

The correct pipeline is:

Camera log → 250D Cineon emulation → creative balance → 2383 Rec.709 LUT

Not:

Camera log → 250D emulation → Rec.709 transform → 2383 LUT → another Rec.709 transform

Using this workflow in a colour-managed project

The workflow above is easiest to understand in a manually managed DaVinci YRGB project.

In a DaVinci Wide Gamut or Resolve Color Managed project, Resolve may already be applying an output transform. If the 2383 LUT also produces Rec.709, allowing both transformations to operate can create an incorrect result.

Before using the LUTs in a colour-managed project, confirm:

• What colour space enters the 250D emulation

• That the 2383 LUT receives Cineon Film Log

• Whether Resolve is applying an additional output transform

• Where the image becomes display-referred Rec.709

The names of the nodes matter less than the signal entering and leaving each stage.

Common Kodak 250D LUT mistakes

Applying the 2383 LUT directly to camera log

S-Log3, LogC3, Blackmagic Film and other camera-log profiles are not Cineon Film Log. Similar-looking flat images are not technically interchangeable.

The 2383 LUT needs the correct Cineon input.

Treating 250D and 2383 as competing looks

They are not alternative versions of the same film. Kodak 250D represents the negative stage, while Kodak 2383 represents the print stage. They can be used together.

Choosing the wrong camera profile

A Kodak 250D LUT made for S-Log3 should not be applied to DJI D-Log M or Blackmagic Generation 5 footage. The input profile is part of the transform.

Expecting the negative emulation to look finished

A Cineon negative image should still appear flat before the print-film or display transform. Adding contrast simply because the intermediate image looks unfinished can make the final 2383 result too heavy.

Applying two output transforms

If the 2383 LUT already creates Rec.709, do not add another Rec.709 transform after it.

Can you use the Kodak 250D LUT without 2383?

Yes. A 250D Cineon emulation can feed another compatible Cineon-to-display transform instead.

This allows the negative response to remain consistent while changing the print stock or final display treatment. The print stage becomes a creative choice rather than something permanently baked into the negative emulation.

Use 250D with 2383 when you want a recognisable negative-to-print film pipeline. Use a different Cineon output transform when you want to retain the 250D-derived colour response with another finishing character.

A practical Kodak 250D emulation workflow

The Offwhitecolor 250D emulation was developed from scanned Kodak Vision3 250D negative data. It reproduces the underlying negative response and maps supported camera-log footage into a Cineon-based output.

It is intentionally not a one-click finished filter. Exposure, print choice and creative grading remain separate, giving you control over the final result.

Explore the Kodak Vision3 250D Cineon Emulation LUT →

Frequently asked questions

Is Kodak 250D the same as Kodak 2383?

No. Kodak 250D is a daylight-balanced camera-negative stock. Kodak 2383 is a print-film stock used later in the finishing process.

Does DaVinci Resolve include a Kodak 250D LUT?

Resolve includes Kodak 2383 print-film LUTs, but these do not reproduce the complete Kodak 250D negative response.

What input does the Resolve Kodak 2383 LUT expect?

The Kodak 2383 film-look LUTs included with Resolve expect Cineon Film Log as their input.

Should the Kodak 250D LUT come before 2383?

Yes. The 250D negative emulation should create the Cineon representation that feeds the 2383 print-film LUT.

Can I apply Kodak 2383 directly to S-Log3?

Not correctly. S-Log3 and Cineon Film Log are different encodings. The footage must first be transformed into the input expected by the 2383 LUT.

Which Kodak 2383 version should I use?

Resolve provides different white-point versions, including D55, D60 and D65. Choose the version whose final balance best suits your project.

Final workflow

For a controlled Kodak film-emulation pipeline in DaVinci Resolve, keep the negative and print stages separate:

Balance the camera log → apply the Kodak 250D negative emulation → grade in the Cineon stage → apply Kodak 2383 → make final trims

Kodak 250D creates the negative response. Kodak 2383 creates the print response. Using both in the correct order gives each LUT the input it was designed to receive.