iPhone 13 HD import over exposure issue

[Rebecca23202869i0ad]

I recently upgraded to the iPhone 13 Max Pro and film in HD (which I did on my 11 Pro Max, too). Suddenly, now when I upload the videos into PremierePro, the videos are over exposed. I am aware I can put the SDR effect over them, however, if I then try to stabilize the clip, the SDR effect is overwritten - I can't have both effects.  

I have never had this issue before - I'm a longtime user and I haven't changed any settings. 

I'm not looking for 'bandaid' fixes (like the SDR effect), I would just like to go back to the way it used to be. Appreciate any help!

[R Neil Haugen]

"SDR effect" ... not sure what you mean there. Are you talking about overriding color space to Rec.709? If so, that's a CM transform process technically.

Do you mean to work in actual HDR? If so, you need to make sure the sequence is also set to HLG.

And if not, set the iPhone to SDR/Rec.709 to begin with. There's not much use of actual HDR yet professionally.

Pr2022 has a completely new underlying color system and default behaviors. Along with some things that are currently broken and they're working on a fix. Check out the forum FAQs on HLG/HDR things. I'm on my phone or I'd give links.

Neil

[Rebecca23202869i0ad]

Hi Neil, 

When I view the video on my computer, it looks like the first image. when I import it into the timeline in premiere it looks like the second image. I haven't changed sequence settings, etc. I just want it to import it so the colours are the same. 

[R Neil Haugen]

But you didn't check the file's color space ... and that's the crucial data here. It's either HLG, a form of HDR, or it's a log-encoded clip that Premiere is assuming should be seen HLG.

Neil

[Rebecca23202869i0ad]

Hi Neil, 

Thanks - the video's colour profile is BT.2020 HLG (9-18-9). 

Are you able to tell me how to solve this in a step-by-step manner? (and also explain why this is only happening now, and not having happened the past 7+ years)

Thanks

[Rebecca23202869i0ad]

I have solved this issues - if I film in 4K it imports fine. I just can't film in HD anymore

[R Neil Haugen]

Why this is happening now is simple. Up through Pr2021, Premiere was an app totally built around color as given in the Rec.709 standards. sRGB primaries, white point D65, gamma 2.4, and expected to be critically viewed on a monitor of 100 nits brightness in a semi-darkened room.

A version back, they added "... the ability to work with HLG and PQ HDR dynamic range and color space values as over-range Rec.709 ... " which was a cadged-together way to get some sort of semi-HDR workflow possible.

But Pr 2022 has a completely rebuilt underying color system and new color management controls. It's now totally agnostice to color space, able to work with either SDR/Rec.709 or full Rec.2020/2100/HDR color spaces for HLG/PQ. With new (and nearly hidden in my view) user controls for color management (CM) and changed default behaviors of all sorts.

Yea, it's a completely different system now. That's why the change you're seeing.

Your HLG clip would have been auto-transformed to Rec.709 by Pr2021, and that's a transform, not a LUT. Transforms are by mathematical conversion, LUTs are very simple matrix things ... X goes to Y. Pr2022 is showing that HLG clip as an HDR clip. Period.

HOW TO FIX ...

In Premiere, for clips shot in HLG in the phone:

• Go to the clips in the bin, selecting one or more.
• Right-click, Modify/Interpret Footage.
• Go to the bottom of the CM controls section, select Override  and set to Rec.709.
• Make sure you sequence CM is also set to Rec.709 in the Sequence Settings menu.

One comment I'll add ... very little actual HDR is in use yet, and most screens still can't show it. So you might save some hassle by simply setting the phone default back to SDR/Rec.709 for capture. Skip the whole HLG problem.

I've written a couple FAQs for the forum on what changed in Pr2022's color management and color system, how to work within the new system, and what's broken in one, the other covers how to monitor in HDR if you want to, which is also completely changed.

Neil

FAQ:PremierePro 2022 Color Management for Log/RAW Media

How to Set Monitors for HDR work in Premiere Pro 2022?

[Ann Bens]

FAQ : Making your iPhone 12 and 13 footage look normal