Mastering Perfect Skin Tones with our DCTL in DaVinci Resolve
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- Опубликовано: 10 июл 2024
- LINK: mononodes.com/utility-dctl/
These tools are designed to simplify balancing tasks and provide multiple ways to analyze images, making the grading process easier and more precise.
Utility DCTL Package Includes:
Balance DCTL: Analyzes skin tones in footage and shows color deviations.
Clipping DCTL: Identifies and handles clipping in light or dark areas and saturation.
Isolator DCTL: Isolates color in bright and dark regions, emphasizing ‘pure’ colors.
Chapters:
00:00 - INTRO
00:24 - BALANCE
07:35 - NEUTRALS TO GREEN
09:01 - EXPOSURE HEATMAP
12:20 - CLIPPING
15:17 - COLOR ISOLATOR
19:31 - FREE DEMO
#davinciresolve
#dctl
#blackmagic
#colorgrading
I just bought your utility a few minutes ago! Thank you very much for this fantastic and extremely easy to use DCTL tool & LUTS!
I've folded the Balance DCTL into my workflow and it's made matching shots so much easier and faster! When I saw you do it in the video, I tempered my excitement because things often work differently when you get it home. Not the case here! It has worked brilliantly on my footage, especially when I'm matching footage from different cameras. If I can share a cherry to sit atop this pie, I recommend using printer lights to precisely dial in the matching.
I didn't mean for this to be a testimonial. 😄 Just wanted to say thank you for this very original and helpful tool.
Invaluable tools. Golden for quick balancing and monitoring. More reliable than your eyes on a Flanders after 5 hours sessions....
I've already used the skin DCTL on a challenging sequence with mixed daylight and tungsten sources. It really helped me determine what was happening to skintones at different locations in a large windowed room with tungsten chandeliers. It was a real timesaver to have this tool. Thank you Stefan!
Wonderful toolset. Thank you for your craft! Purchased yesterday and I can already see these as a part of my day-to-day workflow.
This is absolutely incredible & allows for significantly enhanced efficiency. Unreal. Thank you for your time and effort into this
That is just... WOW... crazy work here, cannot wait to try it on my next project! Thank you!
Another great tool to add to my arsenal. Thanks once again Stefan🙏🤗👍
This is pretty brilliant. Getting perfect skin tones is time consuming and I can see this speeding things up greatly.
Just purchased the full version & love the results I am getting. Thanks Stefan once again. Money well spent!
Thanks Nash!
Magnificent!! I wasn't even done watching the video and I ordered. I immediately opened an unevenly lit scene that I KNOW took me ages to tweak and mess around with to get skin tones I was happy with and this got me there in minutes, rather than hours! Not only that, when I A/B'ed the old clip to the new one it looks significantly better. This is a 10/10 must have!
So glad it's saving you time and improving your work! Appreciate the support!
I'm freaking out a about how awesome this tool is. Thanks for the nerd moment 😂. Very much looking forward to seeing how this can solve so many of my grading headaches 🙏.
Very nice. I use your utility LUTS a lot and find them extremely helpful. But of course this is a much higher level and more extensive.
This is so amazing.
This is amazing
Stefan hi, thank you so much for showing your product, ready to buy
Thank you for this clear explanation of these tools. As someone who is not an advanced colorist, it wasn't obvious to me how these would be used and how useful they are. To me, the price looks like an excellent value given the usefulness.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm happy to hear that the explanation was clear and that you find these tools to be useful.
As a color blind person who especially has to rely on tools like this to help me nail colors, I think it would be nice if you could have a mode that shows a different color instead of green, since the yellow-green looks almost the same to me. Or even better where I can customize the indicator colors.
I've already updated the version with darker green tones, enhancing the separation from the yellow tones. You can view the previews of this updated version on my website, where a free demo is also available for download.
Really great tool again Stefan. So much visual information to help us see beyond the overall image. I will purchase this soon I think. Seems like it is something that I would use for everyday use - which makes it a better buy than some plug-ins that just get thrown to the end of a long list, that you hardly ever use.
I am wondering if this tool would help in getting a really good key - then dragging the key line to where you would apply it? Just a thought great job as usual, Stefan.
Thank you for your feedback! It's definitely a tool designed for everyday work. And yes, it is definitely possible to create a qualifier DCTL that behaves differently or might be more user-friendly than the native one. Although I rarely use qualifiers in my work, it's always fun to experiment with what's possible when coding with DCTL.
All your tools are amazing, some incredible work. Keep it up, will be looking into buying this. I just saw your false color (exposure heatmap) looks great! Just a question about the heatmap, does it show what color represents what exposure in the tool? or do we just go off the website?
Thank you for your interest! You'll have to orient the colors according to the website.
I was thinking about loading the lut with the exposure heat after the lut to the monitor and then you know how to expose for that specific lut or working process
Looks like really great tools, Stefan! Have you considered making a DCTL which is dedicated to isolating and adjusting skintones? :) I would buy that, if it's possible to make of course. There are for example some films that are shot on analogue where the darker parts of the skintones have more red in them. Now that's a very niche example, but a tool that gives you creative control over the skintones would be really nice to have. :) Keep up the great work!
Thank you for your kind words and the interesting suggestion! I am indeed experimenting with skin tone adjustments, but I'm not satisfied with the results yet. Typically, I prefer to balance my images with skin tone in mind. I rarely feel the need to isolate skin specifically, and I never use qualifiers for skin, for example. About the issue of more reds in the shadows - I am currently handling this by using my Color Shift DCTL with the Deep function. Simply adjusting the red and yellow Density sliders (plus Deep slider) has proven to be pretty straightforward and effective for me.
@@StefanRingelschwandtner I second the isolating and adjusting skintones plugin. I just bought the colorshift 2.1 and I would definitely purchase skintones. Great work Stefan!
Hi Stefan! Any black Friday offer for your dtcl?😂
Stefan. This is amazing. Why we can not use it in davinci wide gamut?
You can use the tool with any working color space you like. However, it's just important to understand that these tools, often work best in a display color space like Rec. 709. Here's the reason: Tools like qualifiers are optimized to detect specific colors and often rely on having a clear distinction between the target colors and the surrounding colors. Rec. 709, being a more limited color gamut, is often closer to the final look of the content that audiences will see. This might make it easier to isolate specific colors like skin tones. I want to add that you can use any color space you like. In the end, your footage will mostly be converted to Rec. 709, and those "analyzing DCTLs" just work best in display color space. Feel free to experiment to find what works best for your particular project!
I can understand why these tools would be designed to work on the delivery color space (Rec709.) As someone who is not a professional colorist, these look like very useful tools, but I am unsure how they would be used in a conventional DaVinci color managed workflow. My (possibly incorrect) understanding is that in a color managed workflow, DaVinci essentially adds a CST into the working color space (eg from camera to DWG) before the clip and timeline nodes, then a final conversion (eg DWG to Rec709) after all the user's nodes. Do you need to add CST nodes before and after the node with the analysis DCTL typically in that scenario? If that's the case, have you considered adding a check box and pulldown inside the DCTL to do the same thing for convenience and clarity?
@@tomdchi12 I don't work in a color managed workflow myself. Because of this, I suggest downloading the free demo version of the tool and conducting your own tests. It's always best to test it yourself and see if you're satisfied with how the tools work in your specific scenario.
@@tomdchi12 It would be great if Resolve went outside the box and had a way for use to turn off the output in a color managed workflow - so you could then just add a CST to pull out near the end of a workflow. Unconventional, but being able to mix the two methods would solve a lot of problems.
Surely if colour managing in nodes you could add the DCTL after the final CST conversion to 709.
You should develop the Arri colors with DCTLS to emulate with accuracy the color science of other cameras
This is an extraordinary set of tools for image analysis.
My only wish is that for QC purpose, some of the utilities won’t go outside of the vector scope range.
Second, that the parameters of the DCTLs could be implemented in the BMD big and Mini panels, as Dolby Vision pallets have been implemented recently in DR 18.
Thank you for your feedback! Regarding the DCTLs, they should indeed be compatible with the BMD big and Mini panels. As for the vectorscope concern, the vectorscope analyzes the video signal directly. If my tool is converting colors into false colors, it's inevitable that this will be reflected in the vectorscope readings.
@@StefanRingelschwandtner Thank you for the helpful response. I’m getting a set of your DCTLs as soon as I upgrade to DR 17/18. The security of the current jobs depend on staying in DR16 until they are finished.
It would be awesome if you deveolop a dctl that measures the saturation of different colors, specifically for skin tones
Good Idea. I will put this on my to-do list.
👍👍👍👍👍
I bought this and I love it. What is the best way to go about only effecting the skin tones and the whole image? Magic mask??
My approach is to first balance the overall image using printer lights, focusing on achieving the right skin tone. Then, for specific adjustments like altering background or non-skin tones, I apply additional DCTLs. However, if you're looking to specifically isolate skin tones, a soft mask with tracking can be quite effective when needed.
Stefan, can you make EL zone exposure metering DCTL with ability to generate LUT and upload it into the camera as a real time LUT for Panasonic S5IIx for example
?
Thanks for the request. However, since the EL Zone System is patented, I won't be developing an EL Zone exposure metering DCTL tool.
Is the Offset wheel your first choice for adjusting skin tones? Or would you use your Hue Shift DCTLs?
Yes, the Offset wheel is my first choice when it comes to adjusting skin tones. While I do use my Color Shift DCTLs, I mostly reserve them for creative adjustments, such as look development.
Hi Stefan, great tool. I was just wondering if it can be used with project-level RCM - the install notes mention that ideally it should come after the transform to display (from scene) which is not available in RCM. Thoughts? Thanks again.
I typically don't use RCM in my workflow, so I'm unable to provide a definitive answer to your specific inquiry. The behavior of the tools may differ from what you would expect in a manual color space transformation. We offer a free demo version of the tools, which should allow you to test them in an RCM environment. I would encourage you to give it a try and see if it meets your requirements.
@@StefanRingelschwandtner Thanks for getting back to me, Stefan. I use both RCM and manual CST conversions (not at the same time) so I will give it a shot and see if there is an obvious difference. You being the expert are probably in a better position to experiment with RCM, though. If I discover anything of interest, I'll report back here. Thanks again.
Add - OK - I gave it a test under RCM - didn't work correctly (as I'm sure you suspected). The solution in an RCM project would be to make a display CST sandwich as CST->display to DCTL to CST
Hey Stefan, to get clarification... these DCTLs will only work properly when color managing at the node level? So, if I was using project color management and working in DWG, it wouldn't be analyzing the image correctly since it would be analyzing the image before it's output to rec709?
I only work in CST node-based workflow. It can also work in a color management environment; it depends. The results are just different. The best way to find out is to download the free DEMO from my website and test it yourself.
I am interested in the heat map. Is there a way to know how many stops lighter or darker an image is? I want to import a screenshot from a movie and analyze how many stops is the right side of the face compared to the left from the screenshot to try and achieve similar levels on my end if I like that particular look.
For the heatmap tool operating in Rec.709, given that the source material originates from a different color space, the tool can approximate exposure differences, providing a "near one stop" estimation. However, without measuring the original log footage directly, the estimation won't precisely match the exact stop values due to the differences in color space representation.
Analyzing an image in Rec.709 space after converting from log footage won't accurately reflect true stops of light due to the non-linear gamma curve applied during the CST process.
Great tool. Does the clipping tool recognize the LOG profile I shot in? Slog3 for example clips at around 94 IRE. zlog2 might be different. Also then lowering my ISO the clipping level shrinks too. How can I handle that?
The clipping tool will not recognize Log signals directly. While I recommend using the tool in Rec. 709. You're welcome to experiment with placing the clipping tool in Log mode to see how it performs with Log footage. To explore the tool's capabilities firsthand and determine if it suits your needs, a demo version is available for free download. Lowering your ISO can cause the clipping level to change. By using the Threshold sliders, you can fine-tune the clipping threshold to compensate for these changes and achieve the desired outcome.
@@StefanRingelschwandtner thanks a lot that your quick reply.
@Stefan - Is it at all possible for me to edit the DCTL to make a display change for myself? I am red/green color blind and am having a bit of difficulty discerning between the yellow/green in the "Balance" DCTL. If I could change the yellow to cyan it would make a world of difference for me. I just wanted to get your input as to whether this is possible or not. Thank you again!
It is possible. Drop me an email and I can design a custom-made DCTL for you. It is easy to change the color to any color you like.
@@StefanRingelschwandtner You are amazing! Thank you so much. You have a customer for life. :)
Hi, mindblowing, will this work on a color management environment?
Thank you. I only work in CST node-based workflow. It can also work in a color management environment; it depends. The best way to find out is to download the free DEMO from my website and test it yourself.
Thanks for answering! i will try it@@StefanRingelschwandtner
Stefan, can I use the balance on shots that are not close ups?
Yes. The DCTL is analyzing and transforming pixel values, regardless of how close or far away the subject is. If you're curious to see how it performs on different types of shots, we offer a free demo version that you can try out.
I have an idea. I would add pixel count or something like that to naturals to green. It would show how many pixels are truly neutral and it would speed things.
Funny idea, but it's not possible.
This pack is designed for Rec 709. I grade in DWG, will it still work?
Yes, you can definitely use the Utility DCTL pack in any color space, including DWG. It's designed with Rec. 709 in mind, but that doesn't limit its functionality with other color spaces. In your color grading workflow, you're likely to use a Color Space Transform (CST) to convert to Rec.709 or another display color space, typically positioned towards the end of your node tree. It's at this stage in the workflow where the Utility DCTL should be applied, as it performs optimally in a display color space.
However, this doesn't prevent you from grading and adjusting your footage in DWG or any other large color space. The Utility DCTL's optimization for display color spaces like Rec.709 is because these tools are tailored to distinguish specific colors more effectively post-conversion. Therefore, you can proceed with your initial grading and adjustments in DWG, ensuring to place the Utility DCTL after the CST to a display color space for the best outcome.
Where would you typically put the dctl node when grading? On the timeline node? I’m a little confused about how the threshold works. If my low is 3 and high 92, how is it gonna be on a threshold slider? Thanks in advance!
The placement of the DCTL node doesn’t have to be on the timeline level. The key is ensuring your footage is in a display color space like Rec.709 after a Log to Rec.709 conversion. This is crucial because our utility tools are designed to work best in such a color space. Whether you use a Color Space Transform (CST) node at the clip or timeline level doesn't impact the utility tool’s performance. Setting the threshold slider to 0 means only the absolute brightest areas-pure white-are flagged as clipped, while adjusting it to 3 expands the sensitivity to include very bright areas close to 100% white. I recommend trying the free demo version of the tool for a hands-on experience. It's fully functional and will help you see how it fits into your workflow.
@@StefanRingelschwandtner Thank you very much for answering! I appreciate it but my question wasn’t answered even after I experimented with the demo version. The measurements on the waveform are two types, namely from 0-100 & 0-1093(or so). On the dctl, the measurements are from 0.000-1.000. How can I know where precisely I’m dealing with on my waveform? I’m confused. Or your threshold measurements are based on visibility of clippings? Please clarify. I’m positive that your tools will be extremely handy. I just need further clarification. Thank you!
@@jbe1official The measurements on a waveform (0-100 IRE or 0-1093 digital code values) and the DCTL's 0.000-1.000 range operate on different scales. The DCTL's scale is a normalized representation, meaning 1.000 corresponds to the maximum possible value within your image's lightness range in the HSL model, optimized for Rec.709. To relate DCTL settings to waveform readings, consider the DCTL's 0.000-1.000 as a percentage of your waveform's scale. For instance, a DCTL value of 0.01 (1%) would approximate to 1 IRE on the 0-100 scale or about 10.93 (1% of 1093) on the 0-1093 scale. The threshold measurements in the DCTL are indeed based on the visibility of clippings.
@@StefanRingelschwandtner Priceless!
Thank you, Stefan!
Can I install it to two computers? Then log out log in? Or can only be installed and purchased for individual computers? Thanks
One license per user. Feel free to install it on multiple computers.
how do i use without changing color on whole image ?, can i only change offset for skin only to get yellow/ green color im using demo version now to check ?
This tool is primarily an indicator and does not directly isolate skin tones or assist in the grading process. While there are multiple ways to adjust skin tones in DaVinci Resolve, using the offset wheel is often the best approach. However, it's important to note that this will affect the entire image, which is a normal part of the process. You can also explore other tools within DaVinci Resolve, like the Color Warper or Hue vs. Hue, depending on your preference. Remember, my tool serves just as an indicator to guide your adjustments.
Is there a way to make this work in a Rec 2020 PQ, or HDR workflow?
Absolutely, our tool is fully compatible with HDR workflows, including Rec. 2020 PQ. It relies on having a clear distinction between the target colors and the surrounding colors. Given that Rec.709 has a more limited color gamut, it excels within that 'limited space'. However, it also performs excellently in broader color gamuts and dynamic ranges characteristic of HDR. To see how it adapts to your HDR projects, we encourage you to take advantage of the free demo.
@@StefanRingelschwandtner thank you so much, this is great!
I bought the tool and it's a great idea, but it didn't seem to work well for me. 1) sometimes depending on the grade you don't actually want skintones on the skintone line (can we have an option to rotate the line to suit the grade?) 2) (edited) sometimes the face can be on the skintone line but be oversaturated (but I now understand that I need to deal with this as a separate concern)
1. Currently, I don't have plans to add a feature for rotating the Skin Tone Indicator line. However, I value your suggestion and will consider it for future updates to possibly enhance the tool's flexibility and usefulness in varied grading scenarios.
2. The tool is specifically designed to identify and display natural skin hues only. It does not show green or blue as skin tones, regardless of the background or ambient lighting conditions. To help you see this in action, I encourage you to download the RGB test charts available for free on my website. Applying the DCTL to these charts will demonstrate exactly what the Balance.dctl tool detects and how it represents the range of skin tones.
3. I'm here to support you in making the most out of the tool. If you're encountering any issues or unusual results, please don't hesitate to send me images via email. I'll do my best to provide specific guidance and help you achieve the desired results.
Why not map the colours being used to show magenta / green shift inside different colour spaces (or at least the obvious ones) so it can be used in DWG Intermediate, Rec709 etc...? this way it can be used in non color managed / cst's or color managed workflows.
Thanks for your suggestion about supporting various color spaces like DWG Intermediate, etc. Just like the Qualifier tool in DaVinci, our DCTLs and color model are designed to work across all color spaces. However, tools like qualifiers work best when they can clearly distinguish target colors from surrounding colors, and Rec.709 provides this level of accuracy. I also want to note that I've received positive feedback about these tools working well in color-managed setups. That said, color management can be complex and can vary significantly depending on individual workflows. A single DCTL can't account for all the variables that might come into play in a color-managed environment. This is why these tools were primarily designed to function optimally within a CST node tree.
Only works in rec 709 color space ? I can use it in 709A?
Yes. You're welcome to use the tool with any working color space. For more details, you can visit my website, where a free demo is also available for you to test it yourself.
Dose the plugin also works for premiere pro?
No, DCTLs only work in DaVinci Resolve. However, you could attempt to export the DCTLs as a LUT and then import them into Premiere. I haven't tested this myself, though.
What's wrong with using the built in false color?
It's just different. Unlike the general exposure assessment provided by false color, the 'Balance DCTL' is adept at accurately analyzing skin tones. It does this by representing skin tones as yellow, magenta, or green, depending on their alignment or deviation from the ideal skin-tone line.
How do the DCTLs Behave differently than the Utility LUTs versions?
DCTLs are generally a bit more precise than LUTs. This can result in a more accurate representation of colors, as seen in how false colors overlay on the skin, which differs from the LUT version. Additionally, DCTLs provide a range of advanced features that are not typically available with LUTs. These include a 'Clipping with Darken' feature, an 'Exposure Heat Map' that visually represents exposure levels, a 'Saturation Highlighter' that indicates areas of high saturation, and a 'Color Isolator'.
@@StefanRingelschwandtner Awesome Thank you so much for the response. I have your utility luts and color shift, love them. I'll grab the DCTLs. Any codes available?
@@cameraworksbybenjamin9523 I have an “upgrade code” for Utility LUT customers. I sent you a message on Instagram.
Question for Stefan and others on the practice of skin tones with your plugin. Should the colorist try to make the majority of skin tone yellow (according to your indicator)? What do you do with the parts of the skin that are showing up purple and green, if all three colors are still showing up on skin? Should you adjust the mids/highlights on those areas to try to make them yellow'? And by yellow, Im referring to the yellow in your indicator, not the color yellow for skin.
The tool is meant to be a guide, not a definitive standard. It's essential to recognize that skin tones can vary greatly, and sometimes a project's specific look may not align with the indicator's 'standard.' Sensitivity to individual skin tones is crucial for authenticity. For more insight, please watch the part of the video where I analyze film stills. There, you'll see examples showing that skin tone doesn't have to line up perfectly with the indicator.
@@StefanRingelschwandtner Stefan, one other question. When grading log footage, I'll place the color space transform on node three, and do all of my coloring/look in the nodes prior to 3. But since your software says that it works best on R709, should I use the utility after node 3? So after the conversion has taken place?
@@NONE2NONE You can have as many nodes as you like. The DCTL works better in a 'Display Color' space like Rec709. So, if you're working with CST, you should place the DCTL in a node after a 'CST Node' where you convert Log to Rec709. Additionally, there is a free demo available, so you can test the DCTL for yourself and place it wherever you want.
Funktioniert Clipping in Davinci Wide Gamut und HDR? Thanks
The Utility DCTL is optimized for use in Rec709. However, you have the flexibility to grade in any color space you prefer, including DWG, ACES, or Log. You can experiment with the DCTLs in various color spaces to see which works best for your needs. There is a free demo version available, allowing you to test the DCTLs in different color spaces and find the best fit for your project.
As a make up artist and photographer with 30 years of professional experience, I can only say have fun trying to correct Asian skin tones and European skin tones with a "universal" setting.
Tried to buy like three times, but my card wasn’t accepted. From USA if that matters. Any thoughts?
Shop system should work fine. Sometimes "stripe security system" is not accepting payment for whatever reason. Maybe you have the option to use PayPal. If you still have issues email me please and I will look into it.
what's up with every creator coming up with there own dctl tool 😵💫
Heatmap looks like Ed Lachman Zones, maybe good idea named this tool with his name?
For $15-20 many people will buy it instantly, and for $59 a lot will concider to buy or not (and mostly not). I totally understand and respect work, but in general you might sell much more at lower price, IMHO
Thank you for your feedback. It's important to note that lower prices do not always lead to higher sales. You can find various studies and articles online that explain why this isn't a one-size-fits-all rule. While cheaper options can attract more customers, this doesn't necessarily mean increased overall revenue or profitability. It's essential to balance price with the value provided and the expectations of our target market. Discussions about pricing should consider the substantial effort and resources that go into development. As a small business owner, I set prices based on a thorough understanding of the market and the unique value of our tools. Engaging in frequent pricing debates can detract from focusing on development and support, which are more beneficial to our users. While I appreciate constructive criticism on our software’s functionality and performance, debates over pricing often don’t lead to practical enhancements.
So, thanks for your opinion. But please, let’s keep the discussion focused on the tool itself and not on how much it costs.
@@StefanRingelschwandtner just feedback in my example, for 20 I would buy instantly and for 60 will skip it. But not arguing. In general BlackMagic should give you couple bags of money and include it is a default tool.... Regarding tool itself is it a plugin in c++ with SDK? Or fusion packet packed somehow?
@@rendermanpro Thanks again for your feedback. However, as I've previously mentioned, pricing is not open for negotiation here. I appreciate your understanding that we need to focus our discussions on more productive topics.
Regarding the tool itself, it is a DCTL, which stands for DaVinci Color Transform Language.
@@StefanRingelschwandtner regarding video course is it platform agnostic and not require compiler etc, right? Just could be done in a simple text editor as I understand
@@rendermanpro I don’t offer any DCTL video course; it has been discontinued as stated on the website. And yes, DCTL coding can indeed be done with a simple text editor.