How to apply a LUT to a whole folder of photos
Short answer: in Contenta Converter, add the folder on the Files step and tick Apply Effects on the Operations step. On Configure, open the Color effects, tick Apply LUT (.cube), choose your LUT file and set the Strength. Click Start Converting. Every photo in the folder gets the same look.
What a .cube LUT is
A LUT (lookup table) is a colour recipe. For every colour that goes in, it says which colour comes out. One small file can carry a whole look: a film stock, a teal-and-orange grade, a faded print.
The .cube format comes from Adobe and DaVinci Resolve, and most editing tools read it. You get LUTs from preset packs, from free packs online, or by exporting your own grade: DaVinci Resolve exports .cube, and so does Photoshop (File, Export, Color Lookup Tables).
Apply a LUT to a folder, step by step
- Open Contenta Converter. On the Files step, click Add Folder or drag the folder onto the window.
- Click Next: Operations and tick Apply Effects. Convert turns on with it.
- Click Next: Configure. In the Convert section, pick the output format: JPEG to share, TIFF or PNG if you will keep editing.
- In the Apply Effects section, open Color and tick Apply LUT (.cube). Under LUT file, choose your .cube file.
- Set the Strength: 100 is the look as it was made, 0 leaves the photo alone. Check the result in the preview.
- Choose the output folder and click Start Converting.
How much strength to use
Strength is a straight mix between your photo and the full look. At 50 you get exactly half of each. Many packs are made strong so they stand out in a thumbnail. On a real shoot, a lower value often looks more natural.
| Strength | What you get |
|---|---|
| 100 | The look exactly as the LUT maker made it. This is the default. |
| 60–80 | Most of the look, with more of the original colour left in skin and sky. |
| 30–50 | A light touch. The photos still look like themselves, just warmer, cooler or softer. |
| 0 | No change. Handy to switch the look off without losing your file choice. |
Tips for a clean result
- Apply it to finished colours. A photo LUT expects a normal, developed picture. LUTs made for log video (S-Log, F-Log, V-Log) expect flat footage and make an ordinary photo look harsh.
- RAW files work too. The RAW is developed first, then the LUT goes on top. Set white balance and exposure in RAW Processing before you judge the look.
- Colour profiles are handled for you. The LUT always works on sRGB colours. A photo tagged Adobe RGB or Display P3 is converted to sRGB before the look goes on, so the whole folder matches. With Keep the original's chosen under Color space, the files are saved in sRGB anyway, and the app says so. With Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB chosen, the look is applied in sRGB and the result is then converted.
- Only 3D .cube files. A 1D LUT, a .3dl file or a broken file is refused with one message before the batch starts. You never end up with half a folder graded.
- No silent misses. If one photo cannot take the look, that file is not saved and the results list says why.
From the command line and MCP
The contenta command line does the same in one line. --lut takes the .cube file and --lut-strength the strength from 0 to 100 (default 100):
contenta batch "D:\Photos\Shoot" -o "D:\Photos\Shoot-graded" -f jpg --lut "D:\LUTs\film.cube" --lut-strength 70
Use contenta convert with the same options for a single file, and add -r to include subfolders. A missing or wrong LUT stops the run with exit code 2 before anything is converted.
AI agents get the same through the MCP server: the convert_image and batch_convert tools take lut_path (the full path to the .cube file) and lut_strength. More about the CLI and the MCP server
Questions
Can I use a LUT on RAW files and keep 16 bits?
Yes. The RAW is developed first, then the LUT is applied. With 16 bits per channel (TIFF) ticked and TIFF as the format, the file stays 16-bit with a LUT on: we checked that with version 9.0.43. Other effects and the RAW boosts still make the file 8-bit.
Can I use my Lightroom presets?
Not directly. A Lightroom preset (.xmp) is a list of slider settings, not a LUT. Many preset packs also ship .cube files. Use those.
Does it change my original photos?
No. Contenta Converter writes new files to the output folder you choose. The originals are not touched.
Can I try it before I buy?
Yes. The free trial has no end date and converts every file. Results carry a small watermark until you click Keep clean on up to 10 of them. A licence removes the watermark from all files.
Related: how to convert RAW files to 16-bit TIFF for editing
Grade your first folder
Download Contenta Converter, add a folder and pick your .cube file. Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit.
Download the free trial