Understanding Color Space Transform in DaVinci Resolve 18

Color Space Transform - I get questions about it all the time, so I thought to boil it down into one video. I hope it helps you understand it better and get more familiar with how, when, where and why to use it!
Happy color grading!
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Overview
00:00 - Intro
00:38 - What is the Color Space Transform?
01:07 - What is a Color Space?
02:32 - Why do we need to transform it?
04:09 - Where to put the CST?
04:37 - Where: Method 1
05:52 - Where: Method 2
07:18 - Where: Method 3
08:53 - Why not use a Conversion LUT?
11:17 - A Last Note
12:44 - Outro

[@AlexBjorstorp]

Let me know if you found this helpful! And if there's any other similar topics you'd like me to cover 🙌🏻

[@guyohayon7865]

You can make a video about how you plan and shoot and while thinking about the editing and adjust it so that a good video comes out and not just a lot of content unrelated to the editing

[@guyohayon7865]

You can make a video about how you plan and shoot and while thinking about the editing and adjust it so that it turns out a good video and not just a lot of content unrelated to the editing, a video that explains both how you shoot the content so that it fits the editing and how you edit it

[@AlexBjorstorp]

@@guyohayon7865 thanks for the input! I’ll look into it 🙌🏻

[@guyohayon7865]

thanks! @@AlexBjorstorp

[@cmbates4053]

Great explanation Thanks. One item worth mentioning is the display being used as each work in different gamuts and colour spaces Thanks again for your hard work in providing these videos. Cheers

[@alexabesadubitrusbyanyiko6742]

Oh mine...what a brilliant way to teach this subject of CST! You make it so easy to understand. Thank you

[@mattmjlg5053]

Can you go more in depth into the third step? I feel like we need to understand the science behind this, but other than that holy crap man, this was extremely technical and amazing, and just exactly what someone needs to become a professional. I am going to subscribe.

[@AlexBjorstorp]

I honestly don't know the exact science behind it but in practice taking everything into DaVinci Wide Gamut & Intermediate, allows you to grade everything in the same space, with the same color mapping. This is especailly useful if you're grading clips from multiple different cameras and want to make sure it's the same across all your clips. Besides that, I can personally see that I have a little bit more wiggle room with certain things like exposure and contrast when working in DaVinci Wide Gamut / Intermediate compared to just working in the LOG profile from my camera. However, these small differences will most likely only be really useful to have on small nitty gritty things. So, whether or not one chooses to use the DWG is totally fine in my opinion. I always do it myself but I also often work across camera brands and log profiles between drones and cameras. Some of the more professional colourists here on KZbin like Cullen Kelly and Darryn Mostyn might have some more technical explanations of it, I'm not sure :-)

[@richardstirling5799]

Brilliant! Best explanation of this process, serious

[@souhaillokman6619]

Amazing video, you gathered things that took me months to learn and you put them in 10min video.

[@AlexBjorstorp]

Haha trust me, it took me months to learn and understand it all as well and even more to be able to put it into around 10 minutes 😅 Glad you liked it man!

[@DerekRhoads]

Great job! You made your points fast and not a lot of fluff. Good analogy by using the languages as an example.

[@AlexBjorstorp]

Thanks mate! That was exactly my goal with the video, so I'm happy you found it useful!

[@ringingthebells307]

So much helpful…..Thanks a lot

[@AlexBjorstorp]

You're welcome!

[@gregormarini]

First of all you should explain what color management setting you‘re using in DaVinci. Thanks for the effort.

[@AlexBjorstorp]

Pretty much the default settings as I manage everything in the node tree. That’s why I haven’t been going through it in past videos like this but I’m showing it in many of the newer ones 😊 Appreciate the feedback

[@ndcnm]

Thanks…excellent info…!

[@AlexBjorstorp]

You're welcome!

[@andyadm98]

I think the reason why the DJI conversion LUT in Davinci is so harsh, is because they only provide the D-Log conversion for their big drones like the Mavic 3. DJI provides D-Log, D-Log M and D-Cinelike as flat profiles.

[@AlexBjorstorp]

Could be but even since the Mavic 2 Pro was their flagship commercial drone there hasn't been any good conversion LUTs from them, which is a bit odd even if it's not their flagship drone 😅

[@pachycephalosaure323]

Can’t stress how much that was useful ! Just one question, I’m shooting on a GoPro hero 8 black, I heard that it is already in rec 709 but not sure of that, anyone know what cst there is to apply, if there is one ? Thanks in advance !

[@AlexBjorstorp]

I haven't shot with GoPros myself, so I'm not 100% sure how they are with the color profiles. I know they have a flat profile but I'm not sure it's an actual LOG profile. If it's already Rec.709, then you don't have to apply any conversions though :-)

[@SFLfights]

Hello, how do you use Color space transform when one of your camera is Gopro?

[@74737ali]

Mate it is very kind of you for the short clear explanation the CST , but one thing i need if u can help me which is ( i am using Gopro 11 black and i need to know what inputs should i fill when applying CST to the nood ) sure i am shooting in flat color. Thanks in advance. Ali

[@AlexBjorstorp]

I haven't graded much GoPro footage, so unfortunately I'm not very familiar with what work best sorry - if GoPro doesn't supply a conversion LUT I'd google to see if someone has made one and otherwise test with different combinations to see what starting point you like the most and go from there 😊

[@thomasdouchy2367]

Thanks Alex! If I'm using the Method 3 for my Sony FX6 S-Log3 footages, what about the Color Management in the project settings? Davinci YRGB Color Management is the right way?

[@AlexBjorstorp]

That's what I use but as long as you're converting your footage in the node tree, the Color Management settings are not as important as you're controlling it there, so I just use the standard DaVinci YRGB myself :-)

[@Fabriziomontefiore]

Hi Alex congratulations on your channel,I wanted to ask you for some advice. What settings do you recommend for grading an osmo pocket (D-Cinelike) first series? Because using dji d-gamut and dji d-log the clip becomes unwatchable,ultra contrasty and with completely wrong colors. Thank you,greetings from Italy

[@AlexBjorstorp]

Hey! I haven't tried the Osmo Pocket, so I don't know how the footage performs but for D-Cinelike footage, which is not true LOG, I usually go with DJI D-Gamut for the Input Color Space and Canon Log for the Input Gamma. The same settings I use for D-LOG btw but it gives a much softer starting point in terms of contrast, which the D-LOG conversion (even for D-LOG) does absolutely horrible. So that's usually where I'll start and then grade from there (before the CST). Some will tell you it's wrong since it's not actually LOG but I find it works very well - hope it helps! 🙌🏻

[@Fabriziomontefiore]

Ok then in these days I will try and let you know,meanwhile thank you for your answer @@AlexBjorstorp

[@ok_roman]

Your videos are fantastic! One thing I can’t understand, you always say use Rec.709, but if I have HDR TV and plan to watch on devices with HDR capabilities, isn’t using 709 going to limit the dynamic range? Can I transform to bt2020 instead?

[@AlexBjorstorp]

If you're only exporting to view it yourself, on your HDR devices, sure - you could probably just export it like that. The reason for exporting to Rec.709 is that it's the most compatible color profile across all different monitors. When you watch a movie in HDR on e.g. Netflix, it's been exported both in Rec.709 and in HDR, so that those devices not able to show HDR, are shown the Rec.709 version instead. So, in short - if it's only for personal use and viewing, you can definitely play around with exporting to Rec.2020 but if you plan on publishing it online, I'd go with Rec.709 and you should still be fine with the Dynamic Range as long as you grade it well :-) That's my opinion and advice at least. Hope it helps

[@mkoepf92]

Which Input should I use in CST when I shoot with PP off, I can't find anything for that and would be happy for some help :)

[@AlexBjorstorp]

When you're shooting with PP off, you're shooting in a normal color profile, in this case your footage is already in Rec.709 and you don't need to use the CST :-)

[@kravitz_mark85]

Thanks Alex! Such a short clear explanation about everything. :)) Have a question? I bought dji osmo action 3 camera as well as dji mini 3 drone a few weeks ago, but i still can not figure out while trying to color grading on my iMac which CST should i use? I've already set up on my iMac ; - In DaVinci color menagment - Color Science - DaVInci YRGB (Timline color space - Rec.709 gamma 2.4.) (Outpoot color space - Rec 709-A) Some tips? Thanks a lot and have a nice one! :))) Marko

[@AlexBjorstorp]

Hi Marko! Thanks for your comment! I haven't worked with footage from the OSMO Action 3 - or any other OSMOs, so I'm not sure what profile it shoots in but for the DJI Mini 3, if you're shooting in LOG, I use the following CST: Input Color Space: DJI-Gamut Input Gamma: Canon Log Output Color Space: Rec.709 Output Gamma: Gamma 2.4 (or in your case Rec.709-A is probably fine too, not entirely sure of the differences) This I've found to work great for D-Cinelike as well although it's not actual LOG :-) If the OSMO shoots similarly to the Mini 3 I would try the same settings to see if it works. Hope that helps 🙌🏻

[@kravitz_mark85]

@@AlexBjorstorp Thanks a lot, Alex. Respect!! 😃🙌 It will helps a lot so i gonna try it out for sure. I used to use the go pro equipments but i've changed my mind. Keep doin' your best and stay well! 👊 Best regards, Marko

[@AlexBjorstorp]

Let me know how it goes! Always happy to help 🙌🏻 Cheers Marko, keep up the good work!

[@kravitz_mark85]

@@AlexBjorstorp Will do. 🙏🙌 Thank you so much. Have a great weekend Alex!

[@DavieMorgan]

Still no Color management for Dlog M. What is Blackmagic Design and Davinci thinking

[@AlexBjorstorp]

If you watch my latest two videos you’ll see me work with D-LOG M as I just got the Mini 4 Pro. The regular D-LOG conversion was never really good but using D-Gamut and Canon Log gives a great starting point - also for D-LOG M 😊🙌🏻

[@DavieMorgan]

@@AlexBjorstorp thanks buddy I will give it a go. Hopefully Davinci and DJI fix this issue soon and install the proper inputs for Dlog and Dlog M

[@schnellkannjeder]

What settings did you make in the color menu?

[@AlexBjorstorp]

I'm not sure which you're referring to here, which Color Menu are we talking? 😊

[@dan.e9296]

I have a Sony A6000 and I’m confused which color profile and gamma settings to use. I think it’s SRGB but the gamma is what throws me off

[@AlexBjorstorp]

Depends on what color profile you shoot in on your camera. However, you should always export to Rec.709 Gamma 2.4 as that's the industry standard. Some other creators recommend Rec.709-A which can also be used but Rec.709 Gamma 2.4 is a good safe choice :-)

[@mykhuzaimi]

in method 3, where to put node for LUT built in, is it after cst node number 2.

[@AlexBjorstorp]

Depends on the LUT. If the LUT expects and requires Rec.709, then you should put it after the last conversion but my LUTs, as an example, are even better used in between the two conversion Nodes :-)

[@mykhuzaimi]

How about if have 2 footage log different manufacture

[@AlexBjorstorp]

@@mykhuzaimiThen you simply do the right one on each individual clip and you should be just fine 😊

[@SnehithPamarathi]

I know we need to convert when the footage is shot in log profile but what if the footage is shot in normal profile which is not log, can we grade it and why many people advise that's a bad idea ?

[@AlexBjorstorp]

Footage shot in a normal color profile is already Rec.709, so no need to convert it. You can still grade it but there's just less information to work with, so you'll have to be a more more careful with your adjustments but you can easily grade it make it look good as well. Primary downside will be the difficulty in changing the exposure 😊

[@SnehithPamarathi]

@@AlexBjorstorp Thank you so much for the information.

[@AlexBjorstorp]

You’re welcome!