FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Nobe LutBake?

Nobe LutBake is a 3D LUT capture tool for DaVinci Resolve. It lets you turn any color correction into a portable .cube LUT file with a single keyboard shortcut, using a combination of an OFX plugin and a macOS menu bar app.

Does it work with the free version of DaVinci Resolve?

No. Nobe LutBake requires DaVinci Resolve Studio because the free version does not support the automation features that the menu bar app relies on.

Which LUT sizes are supported?

The plugin can generate LUTs in three sizes:

• 17x17x17 — Smallest, fastest to generate.

• 33x33x33 — Standard size, good balance of quality and file size.

• 65x65x65 — Highest quality, recommended for critical grading work.

What HALD levels are available?

Four HALD levels are supported: 4, 8, 12, and 16. Higher levels capture more color detail but require more image resolution. HALD level 8 (512x512 pixels) is the recommended default for most workflows.

What is the .cube file format?

The .cube format is an industry-standard 3D LUT file supported by virtually all color grading and compositing applications, including DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, and many more.

Do I need Python installed?

Yes. The menu bar app uses Python 3 to communicate with DaVinci Resolve. Python 3 can be installed via Homebrew (brew install python3) or from python.org.

Can I capture from Group Pre-Clip or Group Post-Clip nodes?

Yes. The app supports three node graph types: Clip (default), Group Pre-Clip, and Group Post-Clip. Group node graphs require the clip to be assigned to a Color Group in Resolve.

What is DRX export?

DRX is DaVinci Resolve's still image format used in the Gallery. When DRX export is enabled, Nobe LutBake will grab a still after each LUT capture and export it as a .drx file alongside the LUT. This is useful for archiving the visual reference with the LUT.

What types of corrections can be captured as a LUT?

A 3D LUT maps input colors to output colors — it captures any correction that transforms RGB values. This includes:

• Curves, color wheels, lift/gamma/gain, offset

• HSL qualifiers (hue, saturation, luminance targeting)

• Color space transforms (CSTs, IDTs, ODTs)

• Color-based OFX plugins (e.g., color grading plugins that remap colors)

The following cannot be represented in a 3D LUT because they depend on more than just color values:

• Spatial effects — blur, sharpening, resize, keyers/mattes

• Temporal effects — denoise, motion blur, frame blending

• Texture effects — grain, lens flares, vignettes, diffusion

Place these effects outside the two LutBake nodes so they are not included in the capture range.

Why use Nobe LutBake instead of Resolve's built-in LUT export?

Resolve can export a LUT from a single node, but Nobe LutBake offers several advantages:

• Captures multiple nodes at once — Everything between the two LutBake nodes is baked into one LUT, not just a single node.

• Global keyboard shortcut — No menus or export dialogs. Press a hotkey from any application.

• Automated file naming — Auto-incrementing filename templates so you don't manually rename between captures.

• Group node graph support — Capture from Clip, Group Pre-Clip, or Group Post-Clip node graphs.

• DRX still export — Optionally grab a visual reference alongside the LUT.

Does the HALD level need to match on both nodes?

Yes. The HALD Generator and LUT Generator nodes must use the same HALD level for accurate LUT extraction.