How to PROPERLY EXPOSE F-Log Footage | Skin Tones & Other Tips!
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Shooting in log can give you beautiful, flexible footage — but only if it’s exposed correctly. A common rule of thumb when shooting log is to slightly overexpose (sometimes called “expose to the right”) by one or two stops. This gives you more data to work with later when colour grading.
The problem? If you only rely on your camera’s meter, you’re getting an average reading of the whole frame. On a bright day, with clouds or a bright background, your subject can easily end up underexposed or blown out — even if the overall scene looks balanced. Since your subject is usually the most important part of the shot, you need to expose for them, not just the background.
Tools That Help
If you have an external monitor with false color, that’s the most accurate way to expose log footage. But if you’re just using your camera, here are two tools that help a lot:
1. Histogram
Most cameras that shoot log will display a histogram. A good practice is to keep your tones generally in the middle — avoiding clipping on either end. This shows you if the overall frame is exposed properly, but it doesn’t always guarantee your subject is right.
2. Zebras
This is where zebras come in. For people, setting zebras to around 70% works well, since skin tones typically fall between 50–70 IRE. Once you see a light touch of zebra patterns on your subject’s skin, you know they’re properly exposed. No zebras usually means underexposed, and too many means overexposed.
Extra Help: Display Assist
Shooting in log can make your screen look flat and gray. Many cameras include a log display assist feature that applies a temporary LUT to preview your footage in a more natural Rec.709 look while shooting. This doesn’t affect the recorded file, but it makes judging exposure much easier.
Final Thoughts
The key is to not rely on just one tool. Use your histogram for the overall scene, zebras for your subject, and display assist to help visualize what you’re really capturing. With practice, you’ll find the sweet spot that gives you well-exposed log footage every time.
