Premiere Pro 23.5.0 bug - massive over processing on output

Hi Przone, 

I see you've got several answers to your post but I thought I'd chime in too, as my team at Adobe is responsible for color in Premiere Pro. 

You mentioned WYSIWYG; the problem is that your iPhone is physically capable of capturing high dynamic range (HDR) video that your PC cannot display accurately. 

You can turn off the HDR feature on your iPhone. However, there's a better way. First, you tell Premiere Pro that you want to create a standard dynamic range (SDR) video - regardless of what format your source video is. Second, you tell Premiere Pro to map your HDR video into SDR so that it looks ok. Both steps are done in a single place. To try this out:
1. Create a new Premiere Pro project

2. Import your iPhone video. 

3. Drag the video into the timeline to create a new sequence. 

4. In the Project window, right-mouse button click on the new sequence and choose Sequence Settings. 

5. Set Working Color Space to Rec.709 and make sure the "Auto Tone Map Media" is selected. 

That's it! As with many things, it's simple if you know how but not immediately obvious. We're working on some guides to make this information more accessible. HDR isn't the wild west - we have many, many customers creating HDR content ever day - but it is complex.

Regards,

Fergus

Yea, I understand. But then this HDR stuff came along, and that is TOTALLY the Wild Wild West of video post processing.

And we users now have to do more on color management than before.

Btw, most pro colorists still have not delivered a single paying job in any HDR format.

Most screens do not handle it correctly if at all.

Will try, but I think the problem is that I am too old for this.
I remember the advent of WYSIWYG - and the idea that good software would output what you were looking at.

Again  ... that is an HDR file, and you are using it on an SDR sequence and with SDR export. Hence what you get.

Do the necessary color management steps. Easiest is the Override-to Rec.709 option. Which can be done to whole bins of clips at the same time.

Then you will get a predictable SDR output.

And set the iPhone HDR option off.

No changes to set up at all. Ever. Simple video file in from an iPhone using stand ard settings.
It goee on the timeline fine. Couple of simple edits (as carried out over the past 20 years) and set it to output using one of Adobe's standard settings (1080 high quality).
On screen/in Premiere - as you can see from the left image - all is well.
Output?
Nuclear explosion.
Tried using Media Encoder - just in case Premiere was 'doing something' - same result.
Was working fine - some update(s) later and it's broken.
Well played Adobe.

ONE OTHER THING that I forgot to mention...   As a 'follow on test', I also put the original clip into Handbrake - to re-output it as a simple 1080 file with no 'funny business' - same result when outputting from Premiere. Looks fine on the timeline - output knackered.

"For SDR/Rec.709, a still far more reliable workflow, use the Interpret Footage/Override-To option to set the clip color space to Rec.709, "

Be aware that if you are using this workflow, it is not compatible with Premiere Pro's built-in proxy workflow.

R.

That isn't "over-processing" or an app error. It's basic Color Management 101. A user controlled thing, now. Something you either did ... or didn't ... do.

There are three parts to color management, that MUST match ... clip color space, sequence working color space, and export preset color space.

Match those, you're fine.

Ignore those ... you get this.

Your clip is probably recorded as HLG. If you want to work in HDR, which is not advisable at this time unless you 1) have very capable (and spendy) special hardware and 2) you are willing to spend a lot of time futzing to learn and 3) don't care that most screens won't show your media output correctly if at all ... then ...

Make sure your clips are all HLG color space, then set your sequence color space to HLG, and use ONLY export presets with HLG in the preset name.

For SDR/Rec.709, a still far more reliable workflow, use the Interpret Footage/Override-To option to set the clip color space to Rec.709, use a Rec.709 sequence, and standard Rec.709 export presets that do not have HLG or PQ in the preset name.

Neil

JUST for a laugh... I updated everything - including Media Encoder.
I then opened the file in Media Encoder - and started the process - with no 'Bells and whistles'.
In this screen grab - you can clearly see the SOURCE file on the left - and what Media Encoder is OUTPUTTING on the right.
Nuclear explosion levels of over processing - but all it's been asked to do is 'Open and output'.
Quite laughable the QA on Adobe products...