DaVinci Resolve to Premiere (using LUT) color shift

[Globule1672]

Hi there,

For various reasons, I have opted for a simple and flexible workflow where I do my grading in Resolve (using only nodes that can be exported as LUT), export my LUTs per clip and apply them in Premiere using the Luminetri Color effect. For 12 months, I was doing my grading on a mac and editing on PC and I never noticed any color or contrast change (I had two 27 inches monitor side by side). I was actually so suprised and impressed by that fact that I got immediatly sold on this workflow, even if it limits greatly the tools that can be used in Resolve. For the last 6 months however, I have been doing both the Resolve grading and Premiere editing on the same machine (Mac) and I frequently encounter red-ish color shifts which, depending on the grading, go from acceptable to really bad (Skin turning red).

This shift is visible both in the editor view of Resolve vs Premiere and on the exported footage (MP4)

I have tried all sort of things in the Color Management tab of Resolve but never managed to make them diplay or export the same thing. So far, the only hacky fixes I have identified are:

A/ Compensating before LUT export in Resolve by desaturating a bit (-5) and pushing the Temperature toward yellow between +200 and +500 (results vary and it is never fully satisfying)

B/ Exporting a still from Resolve and using Color Match (on top of the LUT) in the Luminetri Effect of Premiere (this seems to offer good results but it's so tedious that I have not gathered much experience with that route)

I know this has been discussed before and I have read everyhting I could find on Google but none of what I have read and tried has been able to fix that.

At least (A) and (B) will be my modest contribution if anyone encounters the same issue but really, I'd prefer a proper way!

PS: I am using the latest version of Premiere Pro (13.1.5) and have had exactly the same issue with Resolve 15 and 16 (which I installed yesterday)

Enclosed a side-by-side view (after export, snapshots from VLC)

(this one is not too bad: what I would qualify as "acceptable")

Resolve on the left / Premiere Pro on Mac on the right

Below after MP4 export and VLC snapshot

Top is Resolve / middle is Premiere on PC / bottom is Premiere on Mac

Clearly there is much more of a shift on Mac

[R Neil Haugen]

What monitors are you using?

Neil

[Globule1672]

Hi Neil,

Thank you for your swift answer (and sorry I missed it!)

I am using these monitors: LG 27UK850-W 27"

Thanks a lot!

Guillaume

[R Neil Haugen]

Next, what ICC profile are you using on those monitors in the OS, and have you calibrated them to video sRGB/Rec.709 and gamma 2.4 with any puck/software system like the Xrite i1 Display Pro?

That type of thing creates a specific ICC profile for that monitor using those specs ... and would be better for both Resolve and Premiere actually. Premiere is designed to be viewed using a standard broadcast setup. Resolve has settings for you to tell it what your gear or media are and it matches things ... IF you know how to set it correctly. Which can be complicated.

In Resolve, I use the DaVinci color managed mode. My monitors are all set for video sRGB/Rec.709/gamma 2.4/100 nits, and on my transmit out monitor I also ran the Lightspace coupled with Resolve process to create a profile to check the calibration of my BenQ PD2720U 'reference' monitor. The profile showed it's very tight to the standards, especially for a non-broadcast quality monitor. Yea, I'd love a Flanders DM rig ... but I can't justify the cost.

But with my setup, both the scopes and the Mark I Eyeball see the same thing in both apps.

Another thing to be aware of is the one setting in Premiere that can help adjust what it shows in its internal monitors to the physical monitors ... the Edit/Preferences/Display Color Management option. That looks at the monitor's ICC profile in the OS, and tries to mod the image within Premiere so that you will see a correct Rec.709 image in the program.

On my setup that is unnecessary. On many, it's very useful.

Neil

[Globule1672]

Hi Neil,

The Picture Mode of the monitors in Rec709, I use their standard display profile ("LG HRD 4K") and did not do any custom calibration. I might have to do that in the future. By the way, I can see the exact same issue on my macbook pro laptop screen so although I don't question the calibration factor, I think the problem here is too accentuated to be only a calibration one.

I simply don't fully understand why Premiere Pro interprets a LUT differently when on a PC or on a Mac (I am not only speaking of what you see in the program but of what you export as well).

As for the Display Color Management option, it seems to mostly affect the contrast but my issue is really a color shift.

Maybe the most sensible option for now is to remove Premiere from the equation and switch to DaVinci Resolve for editing as well (it seems to be pretty good at that as well).

Thanks a lot for you help!

Guillaume