Holy timesaver, Batman! This explains so much as to why I spend so much time fixing stuff I thought was already fixed. Thank you for the education and the DCTL!
Saving the pivot point in your node graph is great until you reset the node out of muscle memory while jamming 🙂 I strongly recommend creating a Stream Deck macro that sets pivot to .336 so it's just a single button press!
As a previous blackmagic voice, have you talk to them about having an easier way in the curves to automatically do this? It would be such a game changer
Just viewed for the first time: Dutch time 22:08. Check again tomorrow (and the day after tomorrow and several moments afterwards). Want to use you and Kasia (for the apparently smaller work) as my color masters. Thanks again, Cullen.
When I have used your DCTL , I just throw it on the actual contrast node - place the dot on the curve - then turn the OFX ( DCTL) off. Then If I need it again because I did something that moved the lock on the curve, I can just turn. it back on. I know that you don't like the HDR tool, but it is color space aware and in DWG - it pretty much locks the mid grey on and you can add contrast without doing all this to get there. It also doesn't actually push the saturation around as much either. Mid grey and the pivot point has to consider that the exposure needs to be set first. This is where the confusion comes in for people. If grade school is the same time this week - I can only come for the first half. I think that a good question would be to ask - how to deal with the pivot point if the DOP exposes higher than mid grey.?
I have loved the results of the contrast l/pivot in the HDR wheels. The depth of contrast fits my liking much more than in the primaries. I always ended up hating the orange-ish tint to everything with the contrast in primaries.
@@TheVDAP Just tested it both ways and the spike on the node is identical - not sure why you think it needs to be on the next node? The DCTL is just showing it on the source monitor and then I click with the mouse on the spike and it marks the spot. Bit confused as to why it would need to be on another node?
I can confirm there is no difference- Jim’s method makes it easy to switch DCTL on or off when required. To clarify, this is using Custom curves and pinning middle grey. What IS still strange is that when constraining a new point in the custom curve it actually moves the whole curve ever so slightly which can be confirmed in the scopes. P.S Jim, clicking with the qualifier in the viewer window on the grey isn’t working for me - just places random points on the curve every time I click - can’t remember if this a 18.5b issue. (I’m still on b3)
@@StandOnAMountain "just places random points on the curve every time I click": this was the purpose of my message. You can put the DCTL in a node and in another node after the DCTL you can click with the qualifier in the viewer window to pick up the correct point
Great tips as always; thanks, Cullen! I'm wondering though, why is the spike in the histogram after looking at DWG middle grey, not sitting at 33.6 and instead at what looks like 38.4 on the 0-100 scale?
Thank you very much Cullen for your very well explained and easy to follow lessons ! just that DCTL has no list when i try to use it in in davinci from effect control . anyone has the same problems ?
Hy, it's a great video and technique. The problem I have is that it gives me an error when looking for DCTL in effects panel. It says it expired and unable to enscrypt. And in Gallery panel I can see other LUTS of the utilities folder but not the middle gray one. Any suggestion? Thanks a lot
I'm curious. In the chart it says for DWG normalized 0-1: .336, 10 bit: .344, 12 bit: 1376. How Do I know which to choose? Or is working in DWG already 0-1 anyway? And when he used the eyedropper with the DCTL in the histogram the anchor point was almost at 40%. Isn't significant higher that 0.336?
Hi and thanks for that good stuff! unfortunately on my Curves it does not show the right point when grabbing the grey... does anyone have a solution for that? thanks
Hard to say for sure without seeing your project setup. Be sure there are no operations upstream of your exposure chart that might be affecting your image!
I still don’t get why is it important to preserve middle gray. My impression is that this presupposes a correctly exposed clip, and more fundamentally, a correctly exposed skin of talent. But what if the shot is not correctly exposed? What if the skin is underexposed, or over, with a pronounced contrast ratio on the shadow side of the face? What relevance does middle gray have in this instance?
@@robinwebster3690 It’s still unclear to me. Also, following Cullen’s regular node tree flow, the first thing he does is actually adjust the overall exposure, which is the first node on the tree. So, effectively he moves everything even before getting to contrast (in case it’s necessary). I apologize if this is a dumb question, but I struggle understanding this concept. For example, while exposing the shot in production, I understand aiming middle gray to be aligned with the skin of talent, ensures what probably constitutes a “good exposure”. I’m just not understanding what relevance does it have in grading, specially footage that might not be well exposed, as in documentary in spontaneous conditions.
It is preserving exposure as a standard that comes from the set to Resolve. All color meters work using mid grey as an exposure tool. I do think that Cullen should show people how to set mid grey when the DP exposes a stop higher. Because the mid grey is then a stop higher and so would be the pivot point.
@@JimRobinson-colors Ok, but let’s suppose you get footage for a documentary that wasn’t properly exposed, and the subjects are underexposed, let’s say. Is it important to preserve middle gray then? Is it even relevant to think about that concept then?
@@RneeErneNree Things can be underexposed and are. But a pivot point is just for locking the exposure. Cullen has the exposure on the first node and in most cases sets it to as close to normal for the shot. Documentary is kind of different because the camera ops intent is to get it as good as they can get. Then everyone after that - tries to push it in that direction. Not sure if I would just leave a shot underexposed. If it is intentionally a dark image - the exposure could still be middle grey.
@@RneeErneNree I guess in some cases where the shot has been really badly exposed (say three stops or more) you might have issues but my understanding for using the exposure node first is that you move the waveform into the correct position to allow the contrast Nob to effect the shot more evenly across the dynamic range…. Obviously the natural latitude of the shot might hinder this but you are essentially adjusting the point at which the contrast pivots in a slightly more organised manner…..
Question: my footage is arri logc4, node1 is primaries, node 2 is a logc4 to rec709 conversion LUT, color science is dvinici YRGB and timeline is rec 709 g2.4. Think i should be using the arri logc4 tone curve? the davinci intermediate seems visually bright. Just curious and want to use the tool properly.
@@CullenKelly not so much a change I want to make but wanting to have an accurate representation of middle grey. All of the tone maps choices in the dctl give different results …so with set up I described, which is the correct tone map to apply in the dctl grey once it’s set up to only show middle grey (18%)?
Hey Ravikant! You would need to drop that DCTL into your Resolve LUT folder within your computer's directory. To find that folder, go to your projects settings in Resolve, select the Color Management tab, and scroll to the bottom to find the option to open your LUT folder! Hope this helps!
Hey Ryan! If you know the mid gray value of the color space you're working in, you could try and use the solid color generator, along with your waveform, to create a mid gray patch!
The combination of knowledge and purveyor of knowledge is so rare that when someone like yourself comes along I simply find myself in awe. Good-on-ya.
Holy timesaver, Batman! This explains so much as to why I spend so much time fixing stuff I thought was already fixed. Thank you for the education and the DCTL!
Thank you for all that you do Cullen! It has become routine for me to watch the new video with a cup of coffee. You have a talent for teaching.
Saving the pivot point in your node graph is great until you reset the node out of muscle memory while jamming 🙂 I strongly recommend creating a Stream Deck macro that sets pivot to .336 so it's just a single button press!
Me too. A button called Pivot .336
That's a hell of an idea. I am victim of resetting out of muscle memory.
genius, thanks man, creating now
Is It a key command in Steam deck combined with a custom key in resolve or how would you do that?
As a previous blackmagic voice, have you talk to them about having an easier way in the curves to automatically do this? It would be such a game changer
Just viewed for the first time: Dutch time 22:08. Check again tomorrow (and the day after tomorrow and several moments afterwards).
Want to use you and Kasia (for the apparently smaller work) as my color masters. Thanks again, Cullen.
Thank you! I'm familiar with middle gray I just didn't know how to use it in resolve.
You make that wazi dude look like a clown! Love your vids
Good stuff, as always, Cullen!
great lesson here! Absolutely adding this middle gray reference to my workflow 🏋♂
When I have used your DCTL , I just throw it on the actual contrast node - place the dot on the curve - then turn the OFX ( DCTL) off. Then If I need it again because I did something that moved the lock on the curve, I can just turn. it back on.
I know that you don't like the HDR tool, but it is color space aware and in DWG - it pretty much locks the mid grey on and you can add contrast without doing all this to get there. It also doesn't actually push the saturation around as much either.
Mid grey and the pivot point has to consider that the exposure needs to be set first. This is where the confusion comes in for people.
If grade school is the same time this week - I can only come for the first half. I think that a good question would be to ask - how to deal with the pivot point if the DOP exposes higher than mid grey.?
I have loved the results of the contrast l/pivot in the HDR wheels. The depth of contrast fits my liking much more than in the primaries. I always ended up hating the orange-ish tint to everything with the contrast in primaries.
@JimRobinson-colors if you pick-up the grey point in the same node is incorrect. The correct solution is always after the node with DCTL
@@TheVDAP Just tested it both ways and the spike on the node is identical - not sure why you think it needs to be on the next node? The DCTL is just showing it on the source monitor and then I click with the mouse on the spike and it marks the spot. Bit confused as to why it would need to be on another node?
I can confirm there is no difference- Jim’s method makes it easy to switch DCTL on or off when required. To clarify, this is using Custom curves and pinning middle grey.
What IS still strange is that when constraining a new point in the custom curve it actually moves the whole curve ever so slightly which can be confirmed in the scopes.
P.S Jim, clicking with the qualifier in the viewer window on the grey isn’t working for me - just places random points on the curve every time I click - can’t remember if this a 18.5b issue. (I’m still on b3)
@@StandOnAMountain "just places random points on the curve every time I click": this was the purpose of my message. You can put the DCTL in a node and in another node after the DCTL you can click with the qualifier in the viewer window to pick up the correct point
Absolutely great! Thank you!!
Thank you so much Cullen 😊
This is EPIC! Thank You!!!
Great tips as always; thanks, Cullen! I'm wondering though, why is the spike in the histogram after looking at DWG middle grey, not sitting at 33.6 and instead at what looks like 38.4 on the 0-100 scale?
Great question, Zak! I've selected this one to be answered live in Grade School this week! Hope you can make it!
Hey did you ever get an answer to this?
Thank you very much Cullen for your very well explained and easy to follow lessons ! just that DCTL has no list when i try to use it in in davinci from effect control . anyone has the same problems ?
Hy, it's a great video and technique. The problem I have is that it gives me an error when looking for DCTL in effects panel. It says it expired and unable to enscrypt. And in Gallery panel I can see other LUTS of the utilities folder but not the middle gray one. Any suggestion? Thanks a lot
Super-useful. Thanks CK.
Hi Cullen. Using your Davinci color management and im grading DJI Dlog footage do I use the Dlog or Davinci Intermediate mid grey point buddy?
Hi Buddy i just download and trying to using however showing incorrect bars showing incorrect
How do I know whether to chose normalised, 10 bit or 12 bit?
Shooting Lumix S5 onto Video Assist BRAW. Thanks!
Is there a Windows version of the dctl? Thanks.
I'm curious. In the chart it says for DWG normalized 0-1: .336, 10 bit: .344, 12 bit: 1376. How Do I know which to choose? Or is working in DWG already 0-1 anyway? And when he used the eyedropper with the DCTL in the histogram the anchor point was almost at 40%. Isn't significant higher that 0.336?
I have the same question here. Also do we keep the DCTL middle grey slider at default value (.180) or .336?
Hi and thanks for that good stuff! unfortunately on my Curves it does not show the right point when grabbing the grey... does anyone have a solution for that? thanks
Hard to say for sure without seeing your project setup. Be sure there are no operations upstream of your exposure chart that might be affecting your image!
Do Cullen have a davinci course for purchase?
What is middle gray for Sony HLG3?
I still don’t get why is it important to preserve middle gray. My impression is that this presupposes a correctly exposed clip, and more fundamentally, a correctly exposed skin of talent. But what if the shot is not correctly exposed? What if the skin is underexposed, or over, with a pronounced contrast ratio on the shadow side of the face? What relevance does middle gray have in this instance?
@@robinwebster3690 It’s still unclear to me. Also, following Cullen’s regular node tree flow, the first thing he does is actually adjust the overall exposure, which is the first node on the tree. So, effectively he moves everything even before getting to contrast (in case it’s necessary).
I apologize if this is a dumb question, but I struggle understanding this concept. For example, while exposing the shot in production, I understand aiming middle gray to be aligned with the skin of talent, ensures what probably constitutes a “good exposure”. I’m just not understanding what relevance does it have in grading, specially footage that might not be well exposed, as in documentary in spontaneous conditions.
It is preserving exposure as a standard that comes from the set to Resolve. All color meters work using mid grey as an exposure tool. I do think that Cullen should show people how to set mid grey when the DP exposes a stop higher. Because the mid grey is then a stop higher and so would be the pivot point.
@@JimRobinson-colors Ok, but let’s suppose you get footage for a documentary that wasn’t properly exposed, and the subjects are underexposed, let’s say. Is it important to preserve middle gray then? Is it even relevant to think about that concept then?
@@RneeErneNree Things can be underexposed and are. But a pivot point is just for locking the exposure. Cullen has the exposure on the first node and in most cases sets it to as close to normal for the shot. Documentary is kind of different because the camera ops intent is to get it as good as they can get. Then everyone after that - tries to push it in that direction.
Not sure if I would just leave a shot underexposed. If it is intentionally a dark image - the exposure could still be middle grey.
@@RneeErneNree I guess in some cases where the shot has been really badly exposed (say three stops or more) you might have issues but my understanding for using the exposure node first is that you move the waveform into the correct position to allow the contrast Nob to effect the shot more evenly across the dynamic range…. Obviously the natural latitude of the shot might hinder this but you are essentially adjusting the point at which the contrast pivots in a slightly more organised manner…..
Thank you!!!!
Question: my footage is arri logc4, node1 is primaries, node 2 is a logc4 to rec709 conversion LUT, color science is dvinici YRGB and timeline is rec 709 g2.4. Think i should be using the arri logc4 tone curve? the davinci intermediate seems visually bright. Just curious and want to use the tool properly.
Not sure I follow your question? The setup you described make sense, but I'm not clear on what change you're considering making....
@@CullenKelly not so much a change I want to make but wanting to have an accurate representation of middle grey. All of the tone maps choices in the dctl give different results …so with set up I described, which is the correct tone map to apply in the dctl grey once it’s set up to only show middle grey (18%)?
@@RDUBTutorial Ah I see. Yes, you should indeed be setting your Tone Curve to LogC4.
@@CullenKelly cool thx
Mind blown.
This'll change my life once I find out what middle grey for N-log is
Hey Brandon! It's .364. We'll get it added to the cheat sheet!
@@CullenKelly Beauty, thanks so much!
When I put the DCTL option from open FX on to my node, it shows no options to me, that list only has "NONE" and is empty below that.
Have you dragged the DCTL into you LUT folder, and then restarted Resolve?
@@teedoab Sorry I did not, how do I do that? You mean drag that FCTL openFX into the "LUT" folder on the left hand side on color page?
Hey Ravikant! You would need to drop that DCTL into your Resolve LUT folder within your computer's directory. To find that folder, go to your projects settings in Resolve, select the Color Management tab, and scroll to the bottom to find the option to open your LUT folder! Hope this helps!
@@CullenKelly Alright, I am gonna try that again, thank you Cullen.
Any way we can do this without the dctl?
Hey Ryan! If you know the mid gray value of the color space you're working in, you could try and use the solid color generator, along with your waveform, to create a mid gray patch!
u r very smart
The title of this video reads a little differently if you're from the UK 🤣🤣
great
❤ interesting 🤔❤
UK fans giggling like mad from the first 20 seconds.
Soon AI will perform CC and CG in 1 click. This is really depressing...
For DCTL, what tone curve would I need to select when I'm working in davinci wide gamut color managed workspace?