Advanced Topics

LUT import, CineEI workflows, and guardrail commands for advanced camera setups

LUTs in CineEI vs Picture Profiles

LUTs serve different purposes depending on your shooting mode.

CineEI / Log Shooting (Select LUT)

In CineEI, CineEI Quick, or Flexible ISO mode, the camera always records S-Log3. The selected LUT (base-look-value) controls monitoring output only.

embed-lut-file writes the LUT as metadata into the recorded file. It does not bake the LUT into the image.

Properties used:

Property	Purpose
base-look-value	Select active monitoring LUT
embed-lut-file	Embed LUT metadata in the recording

Picture Profile with PPLUT (Non-Log)

Without CineEI or Log Shooting, LUTs are used through PPLUT slots in Picture Profiles. Standard PP1-PP11 presets do not use LUTs. To apply an actual .cube LUT in non-log mode, use PPLUT1-PPLUT4 (Custom slots 0x41-0x44).

Properties used:

Property	Purpose
picture-profile	Select PP1-PP11 or Custom 1-4
pp-lut-base-look	Select which PPLUT slot to use as base look

Key difference:

	CineEI (Select LUT)	PPLUT (Picture Profile)
Recording	Always S-Log3	LUT baked into recording
LUT purpose	Monitoring only	Applied to recorded video
Post flexibility	Full	Limited

Import LUT file

POST /api/cameras/{cameraId}/lut/import uploads a .cube LUT file to the camera. The import is asynchronous — the endpoint returns 202 Accepted and the result is delivered through the lutImportResult SSE event.

Body: filePath (absolute path on the server filesystem), slot (1-16).

curl

curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/cameras/D10F60149B0C/lut/import \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"filePath": "/path/to/MyLUT.cube", "slot": 1}'

SSE result

Success

{
  "slot": 1,
  "status": "success"
}

Error

{
  "slot": 1,
  "status": "error",
  "error": "invalid_file"
}

Error codes:

Code	Description
general_failure	Unspecified import failure
invalid_filename	File name not accepted by camera
device_busy	Camera is busy
storage_full	Camera storage is full
invalid_parameter	Invalid slot number or parameter
invalid_file	File is not a valid .cube LUT
invalid	Generic validation failure

CineEI overview

CineEI is Sony’s cinema-style log shooting system. The camera records S-Log3 footage at a fixed Base ISO, and Exposure Index (EI) shifts the monitoring LUT without changing the recorded signal.

Mode	Hex	ISO Control	Use Case
Off	0x1	Normal ISO	Standard video
CineEI	0x0301	Exposure Index	Locked base ISO workflow
CineEI Quick	0x0302	Exposure Index	Simplified CineEI
Flexible ISO	0x0501	Normal ISO range	Log recording with variable ISO

Switching modes

# Enable CineEI
curl -X PUT .../properties/movie-shooting-mode \
  -d '{"value": "0x0301"}'

# Enable CineEI Quick
curl -X PUT .../properties/movie-shooting-mode \
  -d '{"value": "0x0302"}'

# Enable Flexible ISO
curl -X PUT .../properties/movie-shooting-mode \
  -d '{"value": "0x0501"}'

The camera must be in a movie exposure mode before switching movie-shooting-mode. Set exposure-program-mode first.

Exposure Index vs ISO

	Normal ISO	Exposure Index (EI)
What it controls	Sensor gain	Monitoring LUT brightness only
Affects recording	Yes	No
Noise impact	Direct	None
Purpose	Expose the image	Preview post exposure

Full CineEI workflow

1. Switch to movie mode

   Set exposure-program-mode to a movie mode such as Movie Manual.

2. Enable CineEI

   Set movie-shooting-mode to 0x0301.

3. Set color gamut

   Set movie-shooting-mode-color-gamut to 0x1 (S-Gamut3.Cine).

4. Choose Base ISO

   Set base-iso to High or Low.

5. Set Exposure Index

   Set exposure-index to the desired EI value.

6. Select monitoring LUT

   Set base-look-value to the desired LUT.

7. Enable LUT embedding (optional)

   Set embed-lut-file to 0x2.

CineEI LUT workflow

Use LUT import together with CineEI when you want monitoring looks without baking them into the recording.

1. Enable CineEI

   Set movie-shooting-mode to 0x0301.

2. Import LUT

   Call POST /api/cameras/{id}/lut/import with the .cube file path and target slot.

3. Select the monitoring LUT

   Set base-look-value to the imported LUT slot.

4. Enable LUT embedding (optional)

   Set embed-lut-file to 0x2 to include LUT metadata in the recorded file.

PPLUT workflow

For non-log shooting, apply an imported LUT through a Custom Picture Profile. In this path the LUT is baked into the recording.

1. Import the LUT

   Call POST /api/cameras/{id}/lut/import with a .cube file and slot number.

2. Set a Custom Picture Profile

   Set picture-profile to 0x41-0x44 (Custom 1-4).

3. Select the PPLUT slot

   Set pp-lut-base-look to the desired slot.

Guardrail commands

Guardrail commands prevent unwanted camera operations in tethered and mixed-use environments.

Shutter lock (shooting-enable)

The shooting-enable property disables or enables the shutter via the SDK.

This property requires a Volume Photography Commands license from Sony. Without the license, the property will not appear.

Read the current state

curl http://localhost:8080/api/cameras/{id}/properties/shooting-enable

Disable the shutter

curl -X PUT .../properties/shooting-enable \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"value": "0x2"}'

Re-enable the shutter

curl -X PUT .../properties/shooting-enable \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"value": "0x1"}'

Guardrail workflows

ISO limit enforcement

Lock the shutter if ISO exceeds a studio threshold, then unlock it once the operator brings ISO back into range.

Scan and Tag subject tracking

In volume photography workflows, write image-id-string for the current subject and lock the shutter when no valid subject ID is present or the shot limit is reached.

Compatibility

shooting-enable requires:

1. A camera that supports CrDeviceProperty_ShootingEnableSettingLicense
2. An active Volume Photography Commands license installed on the camera

Without the license, the property returns empty or not writable.

For typed workflows around LUTs, live view, and guardrail-related automation, use the SDK pages and examples section.