Preferred tools for CC, Luma, etc..? in PPCS3 at DVinfo.net

Nick Stone · September 25th, 2008, 01:58 AM

Looking at the tools available in CS3 for color correction, luma control, white balance and saturation adjust. What’s the best one’s to use? It seems a bit like Vegas where they all do the same thing in a way but some are easier than others. WHICH ONES.

I’m really trying to work with CS3 but it’s so hard coming from Vegas where I’m so used to the thing.

Nick

Bart Walczak · September 25th, 2008, 03:22 AM

Fast color correction and RGB curves will have 90% of what you need. You can fine-tune with three-way color correction (including secondaries) and add/remove contrast with luma curve. That should cover over 99% of typical primary and secondary color correction.

Tripp Woelfel · September 25th, 2008, 06:07 PM

Nick... I read a book about color correction (can't remember the name right now) and to paraphrase, the author said if you use just one tool for CC, you're doing it wrong. The reason for this position is that each control approaches the task from a different perspective. One tool may be better for resolving a color issue than another. In my limited experience I've found this to be true.

As Bart said, FCC and curves will handle the majority of what you need. FCC is my own personal crutch at the moment because it's really good at matching up the footage from three different cameras I use when shooting races. The controls are intuitive for an old pensioner like me and it won't send me off into a place I can't get back from. Curves are a different story. For me, it seems like a Rube Goldberg device that doesn't always do what I want it to do. There's no doubt, it's pilot error. That said, in very specific cases it works better for me than FCC.

In sum, start with FCC and play with curves to see what they can do for you. Once you've mastered those you might want to play around with the other CC tools because someday you might end up with a corner case that FCC and curves won't fix for you.

Nick Stone · September 26th, 2008, 01:13 AM

Thanks Guys,
I was looking at the FCC and it seems the best for all round CC levels.
Nick

September 25th, 2008, 01:58 AM	#1
Nick Stone Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 133	Preferred tools for CC, Luma, etc..? in PPCS3 Looking at the tools available in CS3 for color correction, luma control, white balance and saturation adjust. What’s the best one’s to use? It seems a bit like Vegas where they all do the same thing in a way but some are easier than others. WHICH ONES. I’m really trying to work with CS3 but it’s so hard coming from Vegas where I’m so used to the thing. Nick

September 25th, 2008, 03:22 AM	#2
Bart Walczak Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Warsaw/Poland Posts: 716	Fast color correction and RGB curves will have 90% of what you need. You can fine-tune with three-way color correction (including secondaries) and add/remove contrast with luma curve. That should cover over 99% of typical primary and secondary color correction. Last edited by Bart Walczak; September 25th, 2008 at 08:15 AM.

September 25th, 2008, 06:07 PM	#3
Tripp Woelfel Trustee Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: North Conway, NH Posts: 1,745	Nick... I read a book about color correction (can't remember the name right now) and to paraphrase, the author said if you use just one tool for CC, you're doing it wrong. The reason for this position is that each control approaches the task from a different perspective. One tool may be better for resolving a color issue than another. In my limited experience I've found this to be true. As Bart said, FCC and curves will handle the majority of what you need. FCC is my own personal crutch at the moment because it's really good at matching up the footage from three different cameras I use when shooting races. The controls are intuitive for an old pensioner like me and it won't send me off into a place I can't get back from. Curves are a different story. For me, it seems like a Rube Goldberg device that doesn't always do what I want it to do. There's no doubt, it's pilot error. That said, in very specific cases it works better for me than FCC. In sum, start with FCC and play with curves to see what they can do for you. Once you've mastered those you might want to play around with the other CC tools because someday you might end up with a corner case that FCC and curves won't fix for you.

September 26th, 2008, 01:13 AM	#4
Nick Stone Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 133	Thanks Guys, I was looking at the FCC and it seems the best for all round CC levels. Nick