LUTs - Look-up Tables for Lightroom Classic

Thiophilos · Nov 6, 2024

I noticed references to LUTs in other posts and got curious. Downloaded some free LUTs and tried to install them in Lightroom Classic. After some false starts (always happens), it appears they are installed. (Followed the steps in LrC and no error messages.) However, now they don't show up, so can't be applied. LrC looks the same as before the LUT addition. It's also possible that I don't know how to use them.

The LUTs were .xmp files downloaded from Photo Editing Software | Discover Photography & Picture Editing Software - ON1 . LrC put them at C:\Users\[name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CameraRaw\ImportedSettings

With LrC up in Develop, I go to the four little squares (Profile Browser) and look for the newly-installed LUTs. I don't see them there.

I tried reinstalling them and LrC reported that they were already installed.

They were all present as bare .xmp files. Lightroom won't import a folder containing .xmp files, only the files.

There are dozens of websites that talk about this and none of them are making sense at the moment. Many sites talk about outdated versions of Lightroom. Another one instructs to open Adobe Camera Raw. Such a simple instruction yet something that I don't know how to do. Reminds me of the line in automobile repair manuals: Remove bumper.

Simple instruction, not so easy to follow. Anyway, I think the ACR instruction is a red herring.

If someone knows how I can get my LUTs to work, that would be appreciated.

smoke665 · Nov 6, 2024

Supposedly they can be installed in LR, but I've never done it. They have to be converted to an XMP file. In LR I use profiles, downloaded, purchased and custom. Google "Lr Profiles" the advantage of profiles is they don't affect sliders.

Something new in LR is the addition of a hybrid, similar to a preset, but when you click on it, a mask is created with preset sliders, your underlying sliders in the develop panel are not affected.

i use LUTs in PS, as an adjustment layer.

Thiophilos · Nov 6, 2024

OK, thanks for the response.

The ON1 folks have pre-convered .xmp files available for download, so the conversion from original .cube files is not necessary.

I think it's working now. Miracle.

Next step is to see what they can accomplish.

Thiophilos · Nov 6, 2024

Doing some testing. The first image is my edit in LrC without any benefit of LUTs.

The next two are the same image after applying two different "ON1 Wildlife and Nature" LUTs.

I think I could have changed those colors without LUTs. More experiments needed to see what their benefits are.

These LUTs work on raw files but not on JPGs or TIFs.

Thiophilos · Nov 6, 2024

So for anyone who is wondering, LUT files can be installed into Lightroom Classic if they are .xmp files. The ON1 site provides them in that form. If they are not .xmp files, they can be converted in Adobe Camera Raw, but I have not done that.

To install them in LrC in Windows:

Open LrC > Develop.
Under the Basic tab, click on the four-squares icon - "Click to show Profile Browser".
This opens the Profile Browser.
Click on the + sign > Import profiles.
Navigate to where the .xmp files are. Select them and click Import.
The files will be copied to C:\Users\<name>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CameraRaw\ImportedSettings
Click Close.