Do you need DaVinci Resolve to export a .cube LUT file?

No. You can export a .cube LUT using browser-based tools like Luttie without installing DaVinci Resolve. Grade your image, then export the grade as a .cube file ready to use in any NLE.

How do I export a LUT without DaVinci Resolve?

Open luttie.app, upload a photo, apply your colour grade using the curves, colour wheels, or HSL tools, then click Export LUT. You'll get a standard .cube file that works in Resolve, Premiere Pro, and Final Cut.

Is DaVinci Resolve free for LUT export?

DaVinci Resolve has a free tier, but the LUT export workflow requires navigating a professional NLE interface which has a steep learning curve. Luttie is purpose-built for LUT creation and is faster for that specific task.

What format is a LUT file?

The most common and widely supported LUT format is .cube (also called CUBE LUT). It works in DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, and most professional colour grading tools.

May 20, 2026·dom @ luttie

Do You Need DaVinci Resolve to Export a LUT?

No. DaVinci Resolve is one way to export a .cube LUT, but it's not the only way. Here's a faster option for creators who don't need the full Resolve workflow.

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The short answer is no — DaVinci Resolve is one way to export a .cube LUT, but it's not the only option. And for many creators, it's overkill.

Here's what you actually need and the fastest way to get there.

Why People Think Resolve is Required

DaVinci Resolve is the most commonly mentioned tool for LUT creation, which makes sense — it's powerful, free, and professional-grade. The standard workflow is to grade your footage in Resolve and then use Generate LUT to export your grade as a .cube file.

But Resolve is a 3GB install that takes time to learn, requires a decent GPU, and is designed for full post-production workflows. If you just want a LUT, that's a lot of overhead.

What You Actually Need to Export a LUT

To export a .cube LUT you need:

A colour grade — your adjustments applied to an image
A tool that can sample that grade at standardised colour values and write them to a .cube file

That's it. No specific software required.

Luttie — LUT Export in the Browser

Luttie exports .cube LUTs directly from the browser. You grade an image using curves, colour wheels, HSL, and a LUT library, then click Export LUT (.cube) and the file downloads to your computer.

The exported LUT is a 33-point .cube — the industry standard format that works in DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and CapCut.

No install. No project setup. No node graph. You upload an image, grade it, export the LUT.

The workflow:

Go to luttie.app/editor
Upload a representative frame from your footage (JPEG or PNG)
If your footage is in a log format (D-Log M, S-Log3, C-Log3), load the technical correction LUT first from the Creative section
Build your creative grade using curves, colour wheels, and HSL
Click Export LUT (.cube) — the file downloads instantly

Using the LUT in Your NLE

DaVinci Resolve: Right-click the LUT browser → Import LUT → apply in Color page

Premiere Pro: Lumetri Color → Creative → Look → Browse → select the .cube

Final Cut Pro: Effects → Custom LUT → assign the .cube file

CapCut: Adjust → LUT → import

When Resolve IS the Better Choice

Resolve makes sense for LUT export when:

You're grading a full video timeline and want to derive the LUT from actual footage (not a still frame)
You need to use Resolve's node-based workflow for complex grades that don't translate well to a single LUT
You're already in Resolve for the edit and export is one click away

For everything else — quick LUT creation, log correction LUTs, look development on still frames — Luttie is faster.

What's the Difference in Quality?

A 33-point .cube from Luttie and a 33-point .cube from Resolve are functionally identical. The format is standardised and the interpolation behaviour in your NLE is the same regardless of which tool generated it.

The quality of the LUT depends on the quality of the grade, not the tool used to export it.

The Bottom Line

You don't need DaVinci Resolve to export a LUT. If you have a colour grade you want to export as a .cube:

For quick grades and log footage workflows: use Luttie — it's faster and requires no install
For complex node-based grades tied to a full Resolve project: export directly from Resolve

The Luttie free trial gives you 3 LUT exports to verify the workflow before paying anything.