Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Motion & Video => Topic started by: Chris L on June 03, 2016, 04:02:42 pm

Title: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: Chris L on June 03, 2016, 04:02:42 pm
Hello, I am using FCPx to grade Pro Res footage from my Ursa Mini 4.6k camera. I am looking for advice for a plug-in that works like Capture One, Lightroom, the software us still photographers are used to. It seems the video world prefers color wheels to sliders, I do not. I am also looking for simple tools like 'adjust contrast', color balance sliders, etc. I have already tried Color Finale and Hycolour Pro. I am not looking for software that gives me 'Looks' or 'Styles' that I load into the clip, I want to start from scratch and give my own look. Any ideas?
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: eronald on June 03, 2016, 08:13:18 pm
Maybe Photoshop?

Hello, I am using FCPx to grade Pro Res footage from my Ursa Mini 4.6k camera. I am looking for advice for a plug-in that works like Capture One, Lightroom, the software us still photographers are used to. It seems the video world prefers color wheels to sliders, I do not. I am also looking for simple tools like 'adjust contrast', color balance sliders, etc. I have already tried Color Finale and Hycolour Pro. I am not looking for software that gives me 'Looks' or 'Styles' that I load into the clip, I want to start from scratch and give my own look. Any ideas?
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on June 03, 2016, 11:07:23 pm
There really is only one decent colour correction application: Resolve. Nothing else comes close. Plug-ins are OK but none works like Resolve. The workflow of a final edit in FCP X to Resolve & back is quite simple.
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: smthopr on June 04, 2016, 02:02:09 pm
A few thoughts:

The color sliders in resolve are crude used with a mouse. You will need a $3000 tangent element panel with knobs to get around this.

Also, for real time playback, you will need the most expensive Mac computer I would think considering 4K material.

If you subscribe to Adobe CC, there is speed grade which has the choice of wheels, sliders, or number entry for each color.  But speed grade performance is not the best these days, so download a free trial if you don't already pay for it.  Moving from premiere pro to SG is simple, not sure about from fcpX..

Either SG or Resolve will require a lot of study and practice. If you're not up to that, it will be easier to adjust to color wheels :)
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: Chris L on June 06, 2016, 12:58:30 pm
A few thoughts:

The color sliders in resolve are crude used with a mouse. You will need a $3000 tangent element panel with knobs to get around this.

Also, for real time playback, you will need the most expensive Mac computer I would think considering 4K material.

If you subscribe to Adobe CC, there is speed grade which has the choice of wheels, sliders, or number entry for each color.  But speed grade performance is not the best these days, so download a free trial if you don't already pay for it.  Moving from premiere pro to SG is simple, not sure about from fcpX..

Either SG or Resolve will require a lot of study and practice. If you're not up to that, it will be easier to adjust to color wheels :)

Yes you are correct, I have a tough time with Resolve sliders with mouse.

thanks for all the replies but I am only looking for a plug in for FCPx, not a new software entirely.
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on June 06, 2016, 02:00:08 pm
Well the latest iteration of Color Finale is pretty good and if your experience with it is prior to this release, I would try it again.
I constantly use it for quick and accurate color correction but as a grading tool for looks perhaps there are better tools.
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: John Brawley on June 07, 2016, 10:52:23 am
There actually are some less expensive control surface options for Resolve. You don't have to spend 4K.

This one looks interesting.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1184425-REG/tangent_the_ripple_color_correction.html

Resolve also has sliders and simple controls (it's the third swipe option after wheels and log wheels)

The thing is, you don't really get something for nothing. Maybe what you really want to do is buy a LUT package or pre-mixed grades ?

Or just use the FCP colour corrector ? Ives used hat on ProRes and it works fine.

Or simply shoot in "video" mode on the camera which gives you a more "cooked" look. It seems a waste to be shooting with such a high DR camera but wanting to short cut the grade ?
JB.



Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: Chris L on June 07, 2016, 03:02:13 pm


The thing is, you don't really get something for nothing. Maybe what you really want to do is buy a LUT package or pre-mixed grades ?

Or just use the FCP colour corrector ? Ives used hat on ProRes and it works fine.

Or simply shoot in "video" mode on the camera which gives you a more "cooked" look. It seems a waste to be shooting with such a high DR camera but wanting to short cut the grade ?
JB.
[/quote]

Thanks John. I am currently using Color Finale as a trial and am finding that the other tools besides the color wheels are kinda working well for me. But I am interested LUTs, are there any made for this camera yet? I could only find some for the Ursa 4k, but it sounded like your buddy Hook might have something soon for the 4.6k. And no, I do not like to shoot in Video mode, I feel the same way as you do.
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: myotis on June 07, 2016, 03:27:01 pm
Have a look at Motion, works stand alone or as a FCPx plugin.

If you work past all the fancy stuff that it does, it seems to have a range of simple colour correction, sharpening, contrast tools etc that you would expect in C1, LR, PS etc.

I think I am about to buy a copy for similar reasons to the ones  you have stated, but you check it out for yourself, as its really difficult to find out anything about these less exotic tools that it offers.

Here is a video on colour correction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMm8ZNI--Ds

It also seems that you can run Neat Image as a Motion plugin so it seems to offer all the basic stills tools, but for video.

Cheers,

Graham

Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: Chris L on June 07, 2016, 03:52:04 pm
Have a look at Motion, works stand alone or as a FCPx plugin.

If you work past all the fancy stuff that it does, it seems to have a range of simple colour correction, sharpening, contrast tools etc that you would expect in C1, LR, PS etc.

I think I am about to buy a copy for similar reasons to the ones  you have stated, but you check it out for yourself, as its really difficult to find out anything about these less exotic tools that it offers.

Here is a video on colour correction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMm8ZNI--Ds

It also seems that you can run Neat Image as a Motion plugin so it seems to offer all the basic stills tools, but for video.

Cheers,

Graham

hey thanks. I just watched that video and when they showed the 'color balance' tools there was agreed dropper tool in the window, do you know if you can click on a grey card to neutrally balance your color with that tool?
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: myotis on June 07, 2016, 04:12:59 pm
hey thanks. I just watched that video and when they showed the 'color balance' tools there was agreed dropper tool in the window, do you know if you can click on a grey card to neutrally balance your color with that tool?

I'm afraid I don't know, I am still trying to sort out what it does.  If I find anything relevant I will add it to this thread.

Sorry,

Graham
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: Chris L on June 09, 2016, 07:22:14 pm
I use resolve for coloring small projects but the hole round-tripping thing is a pain for MY workflow. On another note, can anyone explain why if I color a clip in Resolve and I import into FCPx to edit it, the color looks different. Any ideas why or how to fix it? I know the video world is different with not having a consistent color management, but is there anything I can do?
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: smthopr on June 09, 2016, 10:00:31 pm
I use resolve for coloring small projects but the hole round-tripping thing is a pain for MY workflow. On another note, can anyone explain why if I color a clip in Resolve and I import into FCPx to edit it, the color looks different. Any ideas why or how to fix it? I know the video world is different with not having a consistent color management, but is there anything I can do?

How are you monitoring in Resolve?  Are you using a decklink device and calibrated REC709 display?

If you are using your computer display, in Resolve, try unchecking, in settings, the "Use mac color management" (or whatever it's called).  That may help you see the same image in FCPx.  Do remove doubt, a decklink device (such as the Thunderbolt "mini monitor" box) connected to a calibrated broadcast display will help a lot!
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: fredjeang2 on June 13, 2016, 07:31:36 am
A few thoughts:

The color sliders in resolve are crude used with a mouse. You will need a $3000 tangent element panel with knobs to get around this

Same story with Scratch
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: fredjeang2 on June 13, 2016, 07:41:02 am
Despite the roundtrippin with Resolve (in my case) absolutly straightforward and hassle free,
I don't end to like this app.
The reason is that they sort of rebuilt it as a false all-in-one
Over complex. It is a great color-finish tool and a really really bad editor.
I would have much prefered not having those editing
Capabilities added in a hurry and strictly focussed on being what it shines for: color!
The interface sucks big time compared to apps like Baselight or Scratch.
It happens to me with Resolvethe same as Coot with FCPx...I try, I try...but no.
Title: Re: Color Grade Plug In for FCPX
Post by: Chris L on June 20, 2016, 01:10:39 pm
How are you monitoring in Resolve?  Are you using a decklink device and calibrated REC709 display?

If you are using your computer display, in Resolve, try unchecking, in settings, the "Use mac color management" (or whatever it's called).  That may help you see the same image in FCPx.  Do remove doubt, a decklink device (such as the Thunderbolt "mini monitor" box) connected to a calibrated broadcast display will help a lot!

Sorry for the delay, I got busy. I am not using a deckling device, but I unchecked 'use mac color management' and that did the trick, thanks a lot. I also found this thread on another forum that said same thing:

https://forum.blackmagicdesign.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=49182

Back on topic, I bought Color Finale and and getting used to it, just not using the color wheels. I like the curves tool. but now I have a bug and the clips will not render out in FCPX. I emailed Color Finale a week ago and have yet to hear back so I might get a refund if I cant actually use it : )