--- title: "Mixed Alexa 35 and Sony FX6/FX3 Color Pipeline: LogC4, S-Log3, and Client Dailies" author: "Cutsio Team" date: "2026-05-08" lastmod: "2026-05-08" category: "Video Workflows" excerpt: "The practical color-managed dailies workflow for mixed Alexa 35 and Sony FX6/FX3 productions — matching LogC4 and S-Log3/S-Cinetone footage in review streams, plus caveats for the final grade." tags: ["ARRI RAW","Alexa 35","Sony FX6","Sony FX3","LogC4","S-Log3","S-Cinetone","Color Pipeline","Cloud Dailies","Mixed Cameras","Post Production"] --- ## How do you color match Alexa 35 LogC4 and Sony FX6/FX3 S-Log3 footage in cloud dailies? To color match Alexa 35 LogC4 and Sony FX6 or FX3 S-Log3/S-Cinetone footage in a cloud dailies pipeline, set each format to its correct input color space — Alexa Wide Gamut / LogC4 for ARRI, S-Gamut3.Cine / S-Log3 for Sony — and apply a consistent Rec.709 viewing transform to both. The review stream will display both formats with approximately matched color, but a final grade is always required for exact matching because the two cameras have fundamentally different color science responses. ARRI-Sony mixed shoots are common in documentary, commercial, and indie feature production. The Alexa 35 runs as A-cam for primary coverage, and the Sony FX6 or FX3 runs as B-cam for gimbal work, crash cams, underwater housing, or second-unit photography where the smaller Sony body is more practical. The two cameras produce fundamentally different images — different log curves, different color gamuts, different sensor responses — but they can be made to match closely enough for client review through proper color management. The final grade will always require scene-specific matching, but the dailies can be made to look unified. Working with raw camera footage? Check out [How to Build a Searchable Library From ARRIRAW, RED R3D, and ProRes Footage](/blog/how-to-build-searchable-library-from-arriraw-red-r3d-prores-footage). Perfect your color grade with [How to use the node editor for color grading in DaVinci Resolve](/blog/davinci-resolve-node-editor-color-grading-workflow). ## What are the key color pipeline differences between Alexa 35 and Sony FX6/FX3? The color differences between these cameras are significant and must be accounted for in the dailies pipeline. | Color Property | Alexa 35 | Sony FX6 / FX3 | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Log format | LogC4 / ARRICORE Sensor Log depending on codec | S-Log3 (10-bit or external RAW workflow depending on setup) | | Color space | Alexa Wide Gamut (AWG) | S-Gamut3.Cine / S-Gamut3 | | Color science | REVEAL | Sony color science (multiple iterations) | | Default gamma | LogC4 | S-Log3 or S-Cinetone | | Dynamic range | 17 stops (ARRIRAW/ARRICORE) | 13-15 stops (FX6), 13 stops (FX3) | | Codec data | ARRIRAW or ARRICORE camera-original data, depending on format | 10-bit internal codecs or external RAW workflow depending on setup | | RAW recording | Full ARRIRAW or ARRICORE | FX6: RAW via external recorder; FX3: no RAW | | Look file support | ALF4 (embedded in MXF) | Sony LUT, user 3D LUT (sidecar) | The most important difference for the dailies pipeline is the log curve response. LogC4 and S-Log3 encode light differently, and applying the same Rec.709 viewing transform to both will produce visibly different contrast and color saturation. The transforms are mathematically distinct, and the cameras' sensor responses to color are fundamentally different. ## How should the DIT manage color in a mixed ARRI-Sony workflow? The DIT should manage color separately per camera system and apply format-specific viewing transforms in the dailies pipeline. Step 1: Set correct input color spaces in the dailies platform. - Alexa 35 LogC4 footage: Alexa Wide Gamut / LogC4 input transform - Sony FX6/FX3 S-Log3 footage: S-Gamut3.Cine / S-Log3 input transform - Sony FX6/FX3 S-Cinetone footage: S-Gamut3.Cine / S-Cinetone input transform - Apply Rec.709 or Rec.2020 output transform for client review Step 2: Apply a creative LUT to the Sony footage for visual matching. Because the camera responses differ, a simple color space transform is not enough for a unified look. The DIT should apply a creative LUT to the Sony footage that approximates the ARRI look. Third-party LUT creators offer Alexa-emulation LUTs for Sony S-Log3 footage that provide a closer visual match. Step 3: Document the LUT and settings for the colorist. The colorist needs to know exactly which transforms and LUTs were applied in the dailies. Provide: - The exact input color space settings used for each camera - The creative LUT file used on the Sony footage - The output color space (Rec.709, Rec.2020, etc.) - Any CDL adjustments made to match specific scenes When uploading to Cutsio through the enterprise raw ingestion add-on, Alexa 35 ARRIRAW or ARRICORE files are processed with their native LogC4 transform. Sony FX6/FX3 files can be uploaded as ProRes or H.264 with the S-Log3 or S-Cinetone transform applied in the review stream. ## How does the final grade differ from the dailies match for mixed ARRI-Sony projects? The dailies pipeline produces approximately matched color for client review. The final grade requires scene-specific matching that the dailies pipeline cannot provide. | Grading Aspect | Dailies Match | Final Grade | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Color matching | Approximate (transform + LUT) | Exact (scene-by-scene grading) | | Skin tone response | Transformed (may not match perfectly) | Matched by eye with secondary grading | | Contrast curve | Format-specific transform | Unified contrast curve across formats | | Highlight roll-off | Camera-specific response | Matched with highlight grading | | Noise characteristics | Visible difference between cameras | Unified with noise reduction and grain | | Dynamic range matching | Not adjusted in dailies | Balanced across cameras | For the colorist, the most challenging aspect is matching the ARRI and Sony highlight roll-off and skin tone response. ARRI's highlight roll-off is considered a signature characteristic of the Alexa line. Sony's response is different — cleaner in the mids but with a different highlight falloff. The colorist will need to spend matching time on scenes where the two cameras are intercut. ## What are the limitations of matching FX3 footage to Alexa 35 footage? The Sony FX3 has more limitations than the FX6, primarily due to its smaller sensor, lower bit depth, and lack of RAW recording. | Limitation | Impact on Match | | :--- | :--- | | 10-bit internal recording | Less color grading headroom; extreme adjustments may show banding | | No internal ND (FX3) | Exposure may differ from Alexa 35; ND filters required | | Smaller full-frame sensor | Different depth of field and field of view at equivalent lenses | | No RAW output | Fixed white balance and ISO in post | | 13 stops dynamic range | Less highlight and shadow recovery compared to Alexa 35's 17 stops | For the colorist, FX3 footage requires gentler grading because the 10-bit recording has less room for extreme adjustments. Overexposing FX3 footage by more than one stop may produce unrecoverable highlights, while the Alexa 35 ARRIRAW can recover several stops of overexposure. ## How does Cutsio handle mixed ARRI-Sony dailies? Cutsio can ingest Alexa 35 raw footage through the enterprise add-on and Sony ProRes or H.264 footage through standard upload into the same library. Visual Intelligence indexes the generated review assets from both camera systems. For mixed ARRI-Sony productions: 1. Upload Alexa 35 ARRIRAW or ARRICORE through the enterprise ingestion add-on 2. Upload Sony FX6/FX3 ProRes or H.264 through standard upload (or enterprise add-on if shooting Sony RAW) 3. Both formats appear in the same library with their respective color transforms applied 4. Search and discovery work across both formats through Visual Intelligence 5. Review streams display both formats with approximately matched color 6. Collections can organize clips by camera type or scene 7. Original files from both cameras are attached for download and conform The director and DP review both cameras' footage in the same session, with the correct color transform applied to each format. The final color match happens in the grade, but the dailies provide a unified review experience. ## FAQ ### Can you make Sony FX6 footage look like Alexa 35 footage in the grade? With careful color management and creative LUTs, Sony FX6 footage can be made to closely approximate the Alexa 35 look. The skin tone response, highlight roll-off, and contrast curve will never be identical, but they can be close enough for intercutting in most productions. The FX6's 10-bit 4:2:2 XAVC-I recording provides enough latitude for matching. ### Should I shoot Sony in S-Log3 or S-Cinetone for easier ARRI matching? S-Log3 provides more grading latitude for color matching. S-Cinetone applies a baked-in look that is harder to match to ARRI LogC4 footage. For productions that plan to color match in post, shoot S-Log3 with S-Gamut3.Cine color space. ### Does Cutsio support Sony RAW from the FX6? Cutsio offers Sony RAW support as part of the enterprise raw ingestion add-on on a case-by-case basis. For standard XAVC-I or XAVC-S footage from the FX6 or FX3, upload through the standard upload pipeline. ### What is the best LUT for matching Sony S-Log3 to Alexa LogC4? Several third-party LUT creators offer Alexa-emulation LUTs for Sony S-Log3 footage. Test a few options with your specific camera and lens combination to find the best match. The LUT should be applied in the dailies pipeline only as a viewing transform — the colorist should start from the original log footage for the final grade. ### How much extra color matching time should I budget for an ARRI-Sony mixed project? Budget approximately 20-30% more grading time for scenes where ARRI and Sony footage is intercut heavily. Scenes that use only one camera type require no extra matching time. The additional time is spent on skin tone matching, highlight roll-off correction, and noise/grain unification.

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