Video level/color correction

LiveTVTD

Newbie Joined: Jan 17, 2017 16:14 Messages: 31 Offline

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Feb 04, 2017 17:38

This started in another thread so I'll summarize. I was suggesting new features largely aimed at having better color correction available in the fix/enhance area. The shortcoming is that there isn't gamma control or a way to affect black levels and mid-tone painting in the fix/enhance feature.

There are options available in Color Director but I find two problems with this approach: First, it is expensive. Very powerful, but still way more than I want to pay for the simple functionality I need. Second, I'd like something that is not part of an external system which even though it is "plugged in" is the long route.

The FX room has options including offerings from New Blue but I've got a problem there too. It seems that these effects operate on the output of the track that the effect is attached to. This appears to be a problem when dissolving from a non-corrected clip to a clip that needs gamma correction (for example). The gamma correction effect kicks in right where it starts, whether that is at the begoinning, middle or end of the effect. What I want is gamma correction that operates on the clip level and applies to the clip, not the video track. That way, a dissolve would be seamless. It is way too much hassle to dedicate a track to the corrected video clips, apply correction to that track, then combine with other video on a different track.

A third option is to externally correct a clip, producing a new one that is brought back in to Power Director. I have a cheaper video editor which lacks in a lot of ways BUT has decent 3 channel gamma correction. However, this is simply a bad way to solve the problem. It's so much extra work to rough in the camera painting that way, especially when you are not always sure what cameras you will be matching it to.

Is there a way to develop plugins that operate on the fix/enhance level so that they are associated and processed directly with the clips? Open architecture is very powerful but I think some functions have to happen on levels within the editor itself.

What to do? Am I missing something?

JL_JL

Senior Contributor Location: Arizona, USA Joined: Oct 01, 2006 20:01 Messages: 6091 Offline

Feb 04, 2017 17:52

All Fx can work on clip level if desired, regardless of video track the clip is in. Just drag the Fx to the clip. You can have up to 7 Fx applied to a single clip if desired.

To keep the cost down, often buying the appropriate PD version up front which includes CD vs a separate purchase helps.

Jeff

BarryTheCrab

Senior Contributor Location: USA Joined: Nov 06, 2008 22:18 Messages: 6240 Offline

Feb 04, 2017 17:54

I just wish to add that you can apply a single Effect in any point of the FX timeline, but you can drag and stack multiple Effects directly onto individual media clips in any timeline.

Cross post with JL_JL

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Feb 04. 2017 18:00

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LiveTVTD

Newbie Joined: Jan 17, 2017 16:14 Messages: 31 Offline

Feb 04, 2017 19:56

Thanks, guys! That is helpful. Now the next step would be to figure out how to develop plug-ins for the FX room like New Blue does. Any ideas on that? That could get me most of what I need.

JL_JL

Senior Contributor Location: Arizona, USA Joined: Oct 01, 2006 20:01 Messages: 6091 Offline

Feb 04, 2017 21:19

I've never seen any interface API documents for Fx, my guess is you'd need to become a real "Partner", like plug-in partners Pixelan, proDAD, NewBlue to gain insight into development interface architecture required which all probably falls into a NDA with CL. That's probably not going to happen so one needs to work with what's available.

Jeff

BarryTheCrab

Senior Contributor Location: USA Joined: Nov 06, 2008 22:18 Messages: 6240 Offline

Feb 04, 2017 22:30

Did you look at the Plug-ins page to see if there are any available that you do not have included?

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LiveTVTD

Newbie Joined: Jan 17, 2017 16:14 Messages: 31 Offline

Feb 09, 2017 03:11

I'm inclined to agree with Jeff about a getting one's hands on an API.

Quote Did you look at the Plug-ins page to see if there are any available that you do not have included?
Partner Plugins

I'll give that a look and see how far I can get. I did manage to analyze the way some of the FX plugins work and although it's cumbersome, I can get some fairly good color matches. For anyone wanting to go this route, my best piece of advice is to be careful NOT to adjust much in the Fix/Enhance world. Those manipulations are made before the plug-ins take over and you can accumulate detail loss that way. Most notably are changes to exposure. Over-brightening when trying to compensate for a dark picture could cause clipping and detail loss in something processed by a plugin even though the whites don't look that bright.

Thanks for the feedback!