Still Getting WASHED OUT Images? Use These Export Settings To Fix It!

[@JimRobinson-colors]

The origin of the problem, if anyone is interested is that under NCLC tagging which is the definition standards for which the display function relates to the numbers that are shown in this video. That the 1-2-1 tag which has been recognized as referring to rec709 2.4, actually according to the NCLC - the 2 is "undefined" and there actually isn't any transfer function defined in the list for gamma 2.4. So Apple Sync that applies the profile is actually showing on a color managed player - rec709 without a display gamma function- which will work out to about gamma 1.96. So grading a 2.4 gamma and then seeing it being played back at around 1.96 = washed out colors and less contrast ). The Resolve fix to change the meta tags to force Applesync to show their default profile actually doesn't fix the problem - but it gets it closer because 1-1-1 defined by NCLC is reads as : Color Primaries - 1. ITU=R BT.709 - and Transfer Function - 1. ITU=R BT.709 * transfer function for display And Color Matrix - 1 - BT709 Dunna - your example above - not sure where rec709 2.4 is indicated anywhere. My guess is that you are actually seeing and grading to your Mac profile - which on most Macs is gamma 2.2 - which is just fine - especially if you grade in a room that has ambient lighting. For me I grade in 2.4 - so I have a CST at the end of my timeline that only has the gamma tag set to rec709-a - then of course I also set it in the advanced section on the delivery render. But I use a breakout box to a calibrated display that is rec709 2.4. I find that any stills ( frame grabs ) have the problem of not using the render tags - so the rec709-a has to be on the setting output for that to work. It is a big mess for sure. I only commented to explain the reason there is a problem, for some people knowing what causes the problem helps to understand the problem better. It is also confusing for people that look at non-color managed players like VLC and think that they are correct and Quicktime isn't - but they have independant color management in the player - so you could see a beautiful image in that player and it could look like crap on everybody else's devices. So as a reference - it's not good to use.

[@ssergiomarques]

So Dunna's fix for the problem is more of a workaround? Still a good way to workaround on this problem that, apparently doesn't have a proper fix yet?

[@JimRobinson-colors]

@@ssergiomarques All the fixes are workarounds. There is no actual transfer function for gamma 2.4 - although Windows accepts that.

[@ssergiomarques]

@@JimRobinson-colors ohh, that’s quite interesting! Does it mean we don’t need workarounds in windows so we can use Rec709 and Gamma 2.4 without problems?

[@dunnadidit]

@Jim Robinson Great info dude! Thanks for sharing! To answer your questions, I'm mostly grading on external monitors calibrated to 2.4. I use my macbook monitor as well but never for the heavy color lifting, just for edits and such when I'm on the go (though this set of settings helped a lot with that too just by getting it closer)

[@sable6599]

Hi Jim, your comment cleared a lot of misinformation that’s been in my brain . Thank you ! Do you have a website or blog or anything I can follow ?

[@NatureSleepSerenity]

I can't tell you how appreciative I am that you Uploaded this video. It seems like ever KZbinr says something different about this but you included things both in the beginning and the end of the video that I have not heard elsewhere. I love the color work flow in resolve but that color shift upon export was absolutely driving me nuts! Many thanks, you are gifted as an educator.

[@dunnadidit]

Glad I could help! Thank you foe the comment! Don't forget to subscribe and check out my other videos!

[@jalithic]

Ok, This is the one that worked. Others didn't cover the extra steps needed to solve the dull video rendered color. Thank You, 👍🏻

[@marcus00077]

The only video to solve this problem totally for me. After too many videos.. Thanks my man. Subscribed.

[@paulg3388]

I’m still benefiting from the original video you posted about Rec709-A and since then all my videos look like they did in Resolve. Crisp, informative and to the point !! As per usual. Thanks once again! Interesting you can change it by timeline I wasn’t aware of that.

[@dunnadidit]

Thanks for the kind words Paul! That timeline color space thing is brand spankin new!

[@JaromJ209]

Saved my butt man. Will definitely be coming back to your channel.

[@minnesotasoundguy]

As a windows user, I do have a spot under preferences that says "Use Windows display color management and HDR for viewers". I tried clicking that box but it made my entire video very dark. Fortunately, the rest of the settings helped fixed the issue! Thanks for the videos. As a new DaVinci Resolve user, your videos have helped a lot!

[@its.seangordon]

u r insane man... just wanted to look up this topic because all those different color spaces are a bit complicated for me sometimes... and then I see ur video *uploaded 5 hours ago*... comes so perfect ;)

[@dunnadidit]

Haha that’s too perfect! Did I manage to answer all your questions on the topic?

[@its.seangordon]

@@dunnadidit u definitely did! but I have a question u can maybe answer quick... why is my image sometimes noisy in the darker parts even in base iso?

[@LebaneseAngler]

@@its.seangordon most probably under exposure and you are raising the shadows in resolve, you should be overexposing by a stop or two if your camera has a high dynamic range and then lowering the exposure in resolve.

[@litakur]

omg this saved my life!!! I kept changing project settings and export settings to a bunch of different things and they never worked!!!! The problem was that my timeline settings were already set to rec709 scene, so no matter what i did anywhere, this would fck up everything all the time. Now that i changed it from my timeline settings it worked! finally it worked after weeks and weeks of searching and testing

[@dunnadidit]

Nice! Glad to hear it helped!

[@antoineleguen5845]

Finally a video on the subject that is accurate info and not some voodoo BS or plainly false ! Thank you a lot for your time and effort for helping filmmakers. Those settings should be turned on by default on Resolve OSX version though… I understand the philosophie in DVR is to make it your own and being able to do everything but some simplicity, here and there, like turning on features that 90% of the users would want by default, wouldn’t hurt for the new comers.

[@matthewmk8dx]

holy moly, thank you SO SO MUCH!!! this was probably the most helpful video i've seen about video editing in my lifetime

[@KristenSmith]

Perfect timing. I was bummed my stuff looked so great in Resolve, but the rendered video looked pretty craptacular. Now it looks more like what I shot and edited. Just subscribed. Thanks man.

[@steaminghotfilms]

Dunna... did it again. An absolute legend, thank you so much man.

[@dunnadidit]

Glad to hear it helped! Cheers!

[@raengraphy]

Just tried this out and got a closer rep on my footage. Thanks Dunna!

[@dunnadidit]

Amazing!

[@LukeAntunes]

Literally every Mac/Resolve user cheering for this video 🥳🥳🥳👏🏻👏🏻 thanks as always Dunna!!!

[@jolyoncox]

Dunna, I love you. Big hugs. Thank you!

[@HealthyTips-4U]

Hey, man, thanks for this video! Whenever reinstalling my Mac or Davinci, I open your video and do as you recommende, that your recommendare effectave amazing effect. It two big difference between with this settings and without it. I'm a new in this, so my videos not looks like yours, but in any case I see big difference. So thanks again and wish you good luck!

[@MoveWithMurph]

Hey man, i'm just here to say you're an awesome creator, thanks for your hard work, keep it up.

[@dunnadidit]

I appreciate that! Glad I could help!

[@charleswaiting]

Man you just save my life ! Thanks, I watched I don't know how many videos but noting was changing but thanks to you I have the result I want in my export now !

[@CKfotoRomania]

You are the best! I did not know about the individual timeline color profiles and had an old windows project, so washout colors at export....until now. THANK YOU!!!

[@elFormatohd]

Thanks man!!!! finally got it right with such a simple explanation, you´re the best!!!!

[@thefoodieflex]

For a while I’ve been trying to figure this out with my iPhone footage and I FINALLY DID with your settings!!! Ahhhh thank you!!!!

[@MyAudioAcademy]

This made my year... Thanks dude!

[@dunnadidit]

Wow! And it's only February!

[@IkennaVisuals]

Best video I have seen so far on this, thank you so much!

[@dunnadidit]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Coffee_BrewTones]

Just THANK YOU !!! 🤩 This tutorial has been sooo useful !! 🙏🏻 Thank you so much Dunna ! I really admire and appreciate your hard work I'm looking forward for your next video

[@pascaldiefenbach7703]

You are my man! 🙏🏻 Thanks so much after hours of research it finally worked!

[@ryebruhd]

I was going crazy trying to troubleshoot this. Thank you!!

[@Gulyci91]

Thank you for sharing this information, it works perfectly well 🙂

[@Hashtband]

Thank you so much, I finally got my answer.

[@matrixate]

Actually, for web, it is NOT gamma 2.4. That is for broadcast on a gamma 2.4 color space calibrated monitor. About 99.9% of all computer monitors are calibrated to gamma 2.2 right out of the box (except Mac which is gamma 1.96 so, this is why the recommendation for that is gamma 2.2). That is what people are grading with that don't have an extra $300 for a professional calibration tool. Everyone watching this video is watching on a monitor using a gamma 2.2 color space. Don't believe me? Look....straight out of a simple Google Search for web content color space: "a gamma value of 2.2 is a color space called the sRGB color space. The sRGB color space is the standard for the internet and digital content..." So much misinformation. Please do MORE research before posting an edited workflow hack from multiple workflows from different people for different industries. This is why no one can get this right. It's so simple. Just use one gamma while grading and export to taste. Also...NEVER use a Timeline Color Space of Rec709-anything. You have just cut your ability to make any color grading changes. You should have said the opposite. If you have no idea what you're doing, use DaVinci WG. Darren, Cullen, and everyone else says this. Heck...I say this...and I started learning this when their channels didn't exist. Again. do your research before posting.

[@lisale_brows]

Good info on 2.2 vs 2.4...so much conflicting and vague opinions out there. I work on PC, mostly streaming deliverables. I output rec709 2.2, should I be tagging rec709-A in the advanced delivery settings so those viewing on Mac wont have a shift?

[@matrixate]

@@lisale_brows On PC, under Preferences>Color Mngmt - Output is Rec709/Gamma 2.2, not Rec709A or gamma 2.4. On the Delivery Tab, under Advanced, THAT is where you select your Color Space Tag to Rec709 and your Gamma Tag to Rec709A.

[@sebastianarangogonzalez7552]

if I use a Mac Mini with a LG diplay, do I have to check the "use mac display...." setting?

[@JaredKauffman]

You just saved me so much time and effort. Thank you!!

[@AlvaroDevLabs]

Thanks, your video helped me understand a lot of stuff. What's your recommendation for screen recordings (like tutorials) I found that 709-A looks washed in comparison to sRGB, also sRGB looks crispy and similar to the screen. Not sure what to do

[@PhilipBlank]

I've hit up enough of your videos and found some incredible tips now to hit that subscribe button, keep up the great work!

[@connorsmith5255]

What if I want to airdrop the video to my iphone? Do I still export as an MP4 or Quicktime?

[@TheCameraProject]

Thanks man. I appreciate this, I'm just not sure if it's this simple. I wish it was, and maybe it is, this problem has been bothering me for years as an editor and VFX artist. So, take your exports from your rec709a project into Premiere. Note it all gets darker. Now, we could chalk this up to a Premiere problem... but I'm not ready to do that yet either. Let's say I'm grading in resolve to take it back into Premiere, are all my clips going to be wrong? Do I need an h.264 type setting with rec709a baked in and keep my pores masters at regular rec709? How will the rec709a stuff look on a PC? I don't have one to test. But all these questions are bothering me. Any followup would be greatly appreciated. Maybe we can get some adobe and Blackmagic engineers to way in.

[@TheCameraProject]

I should mention that Premiere's ultimate look depends on if you have Display color management on or off. With it off, P and R are similar if using rec709a, but not the same. With it on, rec709(not A) files look right in Premiere, the same as resolve.

[@Tokyo_Arcade]

Thank you for this! Helped tremendously!

[@DavWoe]

Thanks a lot! Had everything right in the project settings but the old profile was still on the timelines.

[@JohnMoran]

Thank you! A fast, no BS tutorial (made by a human, to boot).

[@tonymariucci759]

Perfect timing of this video.

[@dunnadidit]

Thats so great to hear! Let me know if you have any questions!

[@hatguyjoe]

Thanks!

[@dunnadidit]

Thanks so much!

[@donnanorth7324]

More on export settings, please! Exp to DVD, BluRay and animated GIF would be appreciated.

[@NewGottland]

Thank you. This was THE solution for me.

[@InTheKnow855]

This is something knew, can't wait to try it out. Thanks for this video😎

[@Joverowa]

For windows it is "use windows display color management and HDR for viewers". You can find ik on the same spot as for the MAC in this video

[@stayslickwithkit]

Absolu8te legend for this

[@AllThingsFilm1]

Fantastic video. This is just what I've been looking for. Thanks!

[@dunnadidit]

Glad it was helpful!

[@acpirola]

Killed it!

[@natalielines1599]

thankyou SO much for this, really helped loads!

[@ACOMMONGOODFILM]

Great video and super helpful

[@heynow2880]

Thank you. You saved me. Dunna Did it again!! Subscribing

[@manintheglass]

This video saved me. Many thanks!

[@DoggyMcDoggerson]

Thank you so much for this!!

[@dunnadidit]

my pleasure!

[@SlugfestWizard]

What are your thoughts on the game tag being set to sRGB? I find that looks good too.

[@johnycook8191]

This is super helpful! I had awful washed out grades once exporting. But now with these settings when I export, my video is really contrasty and much more yellow than my edit in DaVinci.....I can't seem to win either way for some reason. Any ideas?

[@TavaresProject]

Ok... So how about settings when using your phone camera for recording video and then exporting that?

[@FenzirL]

As always, super helpful! Thanks a ton 👍🏻👍🏻

[@dunnadidit]

Happy to help!

[@gabrielepampanelli]

Why didi you use rec 709 in color space tag during the export? And why not rec 709 A?

[@jmzfilm]

If you are delivering a video to a client, would you use the same export settings as you did for youtube?

[@miguelherrera9269]

Hi Dunna, Thanks for your video. It is great. I work in my Mac for little things, but for other projects I use and LG Oled C3 in Filmaking Mode. We have a Mac Studio and I am not yet sure of what I am doing it terms of calibrating the TV to be accurate or close to accurate. I am just an enthusiastic teacher who is trying to learn more for a Filming Club I have created for my students. I think the Tv isactually set for HDR at the moment and whatever we are doing, seems to be translating the colour well enough for KZbin Deliverable. We get the washed out issue when uploading though. Would this settings be relevant for working with this Tv as our main monitor or is this only be applicable for Mac Monitors? Thank you in advance

[@handrinkssolowineclub]

Thanks so much for this. I'm having a slightly different problem: when I watch my exports in Quicktime, they seem to have the correct look (and they show the correct 1-1-1 ratio in the info section) BUT when I upload to KZbin, I get washed out colours again. Do you know why this might be?

[@dir-gk]

DUDE ya saving my life mane thank you so much. is there a way to make it permanent so i dont have to set these settings individually at the start of every project? they always reset then i have to recolor everything i already colored before i change each project to rec 709-A from (what it was before:) rec 709-scene.

[@aleclatulippe]

Very helpful video. Is there a way to set this as default?? Instead of having to do it for every individual project?

[@martinsnelaudioenhancement]

When I switch my mac profile, the image in Davinci is really dark. But when I export it with all these steps, the exported video still has less contrast.

[@desiHostellerr]

The videos for my reels are still looking like a clipart video inside a black frame. I am not sure if I can share my video here, but the video look is bad. The quality is superb, but the frame and video orientation sucks. Help me out please.

[@_thelostvision]

Perfect!

[@Louie_Vision]

So what am I doing wrong if it looks the same after I export it on my Mac but once it's on my android or on Instagram it looks different?

[@radoisilviu]

Is there a way you can save the project settings so you don't have to go and change them everytime?

[@Mandsefar]

Great video! I followed all your steps, but I still have a problem when using specific hex code colors that my clients send - the colors are WAY off inside Davinci (not only on export). What am I doing wrong?!

[@extraordinary_ordinary]

I'm following these steps exactly but my video upload is still ending up washed out. Any other ideas I can try?

[@MonaliciaFilms-tq3qm]

I followed your setup up but my results are very different. With both 4k prores HQ and H264 Gamma 2.4 outputs compared to a screen grab of my monitor, Rec 709-A is always brighter. I am on a mac with dual Dell 4k P2715Q monitors (calibrated with SpyderXpro). Any ideas?

[@samf5258]

Nice! Thank you.

[@myhome-d7d]

You portray yourself more than explaining the content

[@whousefilms]

Thank you for this.

[@FOES-YT]

But I get washed out video clips when I put them in resolve and before rendering it, how can you fix that?

[@EmpathAwaken]

YES HELP! haha

[@pierbover]

so what about macOS color profile? do you leave P3?

[@clickredeye]

Hi Paul. Great video. I used CSTs to transform my footage; initially to DaVinci Wide Gamut and I also use DaVinci Intermediate as my first CST's Output Gamma. I then use serial and parallel nodes; and finally another CST to covert from DaVinci Wide Gamut and DaVinci Intermediate to Rec709. Should my Output Gamma (on the second CST) also be to set to Rec.709-A, or is this only a vital choice in the render settings? Thank you.

[@dunnadidit]

First off... not sure who Paul is lol. As for your output CST, I would set that to match whatever you're going to do with your render. So in the case of my instructions, Rec.709-A for both the second CST AND in the render settings. That way you are seeing what your output will be outputting!

[@JustinJung]

Super helpful! Running into this issue though when round-tripping back into premiere to finish off the project (and then premiere export with the new QuickTime setting) it looks flat 🤔.. I'd assume we bring into premiere as 2.4 Gamma, and regular rec 709 right?

[@whousefilms]

Great video. This video that you uploaded is it 4K or HD?

[@gorcast]

Can we get a vid about why you use the Davinci WG color space? So curious

[@KLP1262]

Really helpful, thank you!! Do you know anything about whether to edit with True Tone on or off on Macs?

[@dunnadidit]

I definitely recommend turning true tone off. It changes the colors of your monitor based on the ambient light in the room, which seems helpful... but can actually really throw you off if it's not 100% accurate, and I wouldn't trust it to be 100% accurate.

[@romtieche]

thank you VERY MUCH !

[@MJSVisionsVI]

Thanks for this video! Do these settings apply to say something like a wedding video , or something a client may view on a large screen tv?

[@tatsutakamaro]

Hi, man! Is Rec.709-A good to choose for Windows user either?

[@devagujjala3550]

When i take vidoes on iphone it shows washed out when i select use mac display colour profile in davinci resolve but whn i play normally outside davinci they look good can u help me with this . ( also my gopro footage looks the same anywhere)

[@ifound14u]

Excellent video my friend.

[@dunnadidit]

Thank you very much!

[@its.seangordon]

I have a question! :) Could you tell me what my Color Space Transform Settings should be if I apply everything else like in this video? I film on a Sony a7iv in Slog3

[@thearabicdp]

Is there a way to solve this in Premier?

[@JrnMnd08]

THANK YOU. I WAS PULLING MY HAIR OUT.

[@brucewilliamsstudio4932]

On a Windows PC it is best to calibrate your monitors before grading your footage.

[@jbbantz5432]

How do you fix problem on windows

[@JabariHunt]

Thank you!

[@JuliusConway]

I use a calibrated benQ monitor does this apply for us who use calibrated monitors instead of mac monitors?

[@dunnadidit]

Heck yeah! I use two calibrated Viewsonic monitors and thats what I use these settings on.

[@epedja]

Windows user. Followed everything as suggested except that Mac checkbox. No change. Black is still washed out.

[@user-wv2ih9pe2u]

If Mac Displays are P3-D65. Why not first turn off the "Use Mac Display color profile for viewer" then set timeline to DaVinci resolve WG intermediate then set your output to P3-D65 gamma 2.2 and then tag it rec 709 gamma 2.2 in the deliver page.

[@BidoTech]

The First step won't work for me, because I don't have a MAC.

[@chxviilsx]

My file exported nicely, then the upload to YT cranked the contrast?

[@rbmads5619]

is this info for macs only?

[@arenuarrr]

Does it works after doing color grade?

[@LaszloParkanyi]

The 'Use MAc color profile...' option is not shown (version 18.5). Is it available only in the Studio version?

[@sisyphos-or2lx]

Anybody know how to set up this correctly in PREMIERE PRO? Been struggling with the same issues :( thanks a lot in advance!