Linear Workspace, Rec.709, 8,16,32 bpc

[supernaut_au]

Howdy folk,

I'm tearing my hair out hair trying to work out whether what I am looking at is correct or not.

For the specific project, output needs to be Rec.709 ... so cool, let's set the working space to Rec.709. Easy, done.

Then ... referring to videos and articles on the subject they suggest turning on "Linearize Working Space".

Everything turns dark, and loud screaming can be heard. Ok, well everything literally does turn dark.

Thinking this probably couldn't be right ... I then decided, ok what if I turn off my Display Colour Management, maybe that's making it whacky.

Ooooohweeeee, so now I'm just in a world of confusion about what the right thing to be looking at is.

If I've set the Colour Working Space, should I disable the Display Management or what?

Thanks. thought I understood this to some extent, but things are shifting so dramatically that I am totally lost.

[Mylenium]

Unless your system is actually calibrated and/ or you are working with suitable LUTs and color profiles, there is literally no point in working with linear color spaces at all. This is only useful for 32bpc projects and float-based image formats like EXR and HDR, anyway, at least in the sense of giving predictable results under the conditions I mentioned before. And of course you need to actually enable them by using comp preview and/ or a Color Profile Converter/ LUT adjustment layer.

Mylenium

[supernaut_au]

Thank Myl, while I appreciate (and largely agree) with your sentiment ... it sure creates less headaches form what we know.

Why is Linear workspace such a focus then? From everything I see and read, Linear DOES provide a more 'rational' working space (and mentality once you get there) — but it does seem a jump away from how AE and its users tend to work.

So, in summary ... I hear what you're saying, but why (if the majority of people would never find it applicable) is the "Linear" space such a discussion point?

[Mylenium]

It's simply a misperception. People assume it will give "nicer glows" and all such due to float-based color math, while not considering that internally there's just a ton of uncontrollable back and forth when not working with native 32bpc footage and this myth is unfortunately kept alive by "bad" tutorials. People fail to realize that even something as trivial as using a specific blending mode or certain effects can totally negate the linear color and re-introduce an unwanted Gamma correction. I'm not saying that 32bpc is not useful, but at least to me it's not in any way more rational than working with Gamma. To me it's more a case of people having become lazy and selling stuff they really didn't plan for because they work under uncontrolled conditions as "great". Again, not denying the merits of more headroom and different blending math, but unless you go the full mile there is often not much point to it.

Mylenium