One more problem:

I apply a LUT and edit a clip in CD.
Return to PD.
Select another clip and do a Color Match with the clip from CD as the Reference.
The Target become black and white.

I hope I am doing something wrong and this is not really how Color Match works with a clip that was edited in CD.

I've done some testing and agree that there seem to be some serious issues, but some of what you've described is intended behavior.

For example, round-tripping from PD's timeline can only handle a single clip at a time, so to work with multiple clips you'd be better off grading them all in CD first and producing them there, then import the graded clips into PD and do the rest of your editing.

If you need to cut the clips first, then round tripping one clip at a time and producing just that clip (or section of the timeline) in PD using the Range Selection and Produce Range tools would be the way to go.

If you don't produce the graded clips before using the Color Match tool, you'll run into some real issues. Remember that PD's timeline is "live" and it has to apply all the edits in real time when previewing the timeline, and that often leads to poor responsiveness.

In the case of trying to do more color editing on color-graded clips from CD, the previewing system is clearly broken and unable to work reliably.

Take a look at the problems I encountered on a 9:16 (vertical) clip:



As you can see, it's pointless to even try to color match a color-graded clip from CD, so the only option is to produce it first using one of the approaches listed above.

You might have slightly better results setting Timeline preview output color option (from the Preferences | Display menu) to RGB (rather than YUV) and restarting PD. On my system that made the aspect ratio issue shown in the screen recording less likely.

I've just reported the issue to CL tech support on ticket CS002472298 and will post back when they respond.

I used the packed project in this folder for my testing and I'd be interested to see if anyone else sees the AR corruption along with the other issues.

Thanks for the response.

My workflow is to create my timeline in PD first. Then I apply color grading. The only way this will work (without work arounds) is for ColorDirector functionality to be integrated into PowerDirector.

BTW, CyberLink does not add their new features into CD. Things like AI Masking and Sky Replacement are only in PD. Does not help me because I use CD for color grading.

You can let CL know that you'd like to see increased integration from File | Rate Us & Provide Suggestions in either CD or PD.

Another couple of workflow options for you would be to do the color grading as:

1) the first step after laying out the desired clips on the timeline, then produce the entire project and make all the other edits to the single produced clip

2) the final step after you've gotten all the other project edits finished

The result of using PD365 and CD7 for the packed project is that the result is incorrect AR return from CD7 like in your YT video on the first time. Repeated the test several times and the AR return from CD7 is correct but the LUT is missing. Toggling the effect check mark makes no difference in the clip color.

Tried the same 9:16 clip in PD17 and CD7. The return from CD7 is correct AR with the LUT. Placing the same clip from the Library to the right of the one on the timeline causes a spinning circle. Unable to continue to color match. PD17 is frozen and have to end the task with the Task manager each time.

It may be that CD7 doesn’t work with any clip that is not 16:9 AR. Those are the only clips AR I used in the past.

Thanks tomasc!

I see the same problem you've described with PD17 and CD10/365, but not with PD14 (which wants to set the vertical clip as a 4:3 AR). There's no Color Match tool in PD14, but the CLUT clip and the new copy on the timeline seem to behave normally.

So far it seems like the issue is with newer versions of CD and PD, and I'll do more version testing when I have some free time.

Good news! CL tech support has confirmed the issue.

With reference to your query, we would like to say thank you for providing the information. After pilot checking, we are able to reproduce the condition on the testing platform in our lab. We have escalated the condition to our engineering for further checking. We really appreciate your feedback.