ProRes Log is a video recording mode that combines Apple’s ProRes codec with a “log” (logarithmic) gamma curve to capture flatter-looking footage that holds much more color and brightness information for advanced editing later.

Plain-English definition

  • ProRes is a high-quality video codec created by Apple that records with relatively light compression so you keep more detail and are less likely to see ugly artifacts when you edit.
  • Log is a special way of encoding brightness and color so the image looks flat, low-contrast, and a bit gray, but it preserves extra detail in shadows and highlights that standard video would usually throw away.
  • ProRes Log puts those together: big, edit‑friendly files plus a flat “digital negative” style image you can color grade into almost any look you want.

Why it looks so flat

When you first record in ProRes Log on an iPhone, the picture usually looks washed out and low contrast.

That’s because the log curve spreads the dynamic range across the signal to keep from clipping bright areas and crushing dark ones, effectively “squeezing” more scene information into the file for later grading.

Example: a sunset with a bright sky and dark foreground.

  • Normal video: sky may blow out to white, shadows go nearly black, but it looks “nice” right away.
  • ProRes Log: sky and foreground both look dull but still contain detail, which you can revive in editing with contrast and saturation adjustments or a LUT.

What it’s good for

People reach for ProRes Log when they:

  • Want a cinematic or stylized look and plan to color grade in apps like Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or Premiere Pro.
  • Are shooting high‑contrast scenes (backlit subjects, stage lighting, harsh daylight) where keeping highlight and shadow detail matters.
  • Need their iPhone footage to cut more easily with mirrorless or cinema cameras that also shoot log, since the workflow and grading concepts are similar.

In those situations, the extra dynamic range and grading flexibility make a noticeable difference to the final image.

Downsides and trade‑offs

ProRes Log is not ideal for quick throwaway clips:

  • File sizes are much larger than standard HEVC/normal iPhone video because ProRes is less compressed.
  • Clips require processing : at minimum, you’ll apply a Rec.709 LUT or boost contrast and saturation to make them look normal.
  • It can demand more storage and computing power when you edit, especially at higher resolutions and frame rates.

So if you just want a fast video for social media or a family clip, standard non‑log recording is usually simpler and more than good enough.

Basic workflow in practice (conceptual)

The typical ProRes Log workflow looks like this:

  1. Enable ProRes and Log in your camera settings (on compatible iPhones, you choose Apple ProRes, then select Log as the encoding profile).
  2. Expose carefully , often slightly protecting highlights because they’re valuable in log footage.
  3. Import into an editor that supports ProRes and log color management.
  4. Normalize the image by applying a Rec.709 LUT or using built‑in log-to-Rec.709 transforms so it no longer looks flat.
  1. Color grade creatively : adjust contrast, saturation, white balance, then add your preferred “look.”

Quick mental model

Think of regular iPhone video as a ready-to-eat meal: looks good immediately but you can’t change it much.
ProRes Log is more like raw ingredients: not appetizing by itself, but if you’re willing to cook (grade), you can get something much more customized and high-end.

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Learn what ProRes Log is, why your iPhone footage looks flat in this mode, and how it unlocks extra dynamic range and cinematic color grading flexibility for serious video creators.

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