When I import my videos, the color are not the same

[Lisa26928914y2e5]

Hi,

Can you help me, when I import files in premiere pro, the color of the imported files does not match with the original files?

Thank you!

[Ishan Y]

Hey Lisa,

Welcome to the community, and sorry for the issue. Could you share comparison screenshots of the footage? That would help us understand the issue better. Is it only the export file that is affected, or is your preview different? Are you working with HDR media? If so, please refer to these links: 

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/faq-how-to-fix-saturated-over-exposed-hlg-hd...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odwptnEhxJs

Thanks,

Ishan

[R Neil Haugen]

" ... the color of the imported files does not match with the original files?"

First, how are you determining what the image should be correctly? No camera made, not even the $70,000 RED, Arri, and Sony rigs, has an accurate screen. Anyone using even those on-set also has a highly calibrated monitor if they intend to check image values.

And very few computers between the OS and monitors actually show an accurate image view. Which is why most pro colorists require that you only base comments on their grade while viewing on an approved screen, either in their suite or typically one they provide. Colorists never work from standard monitors connected to a GPU.

So yes, how and with what you view the image is crucial to seeing accurately what your image data is. And telling us what you're basing your understanding on gives more information on how to assist seeing it most accurately.

Especially as Premiere is actually far more likely to be showing (internally) a correct image view than about anything else on most computers. It follows the pro standards very tightly. And most users should have the Preferences option for Display Color Management clicked on, as that allows Premiere to very tightly try to show the correct image on whatever monitor you are using.

But in hazarding a starting guess, this could be one of several things. I'll cover the two most common quickly.

Mac OS ColorSync color management issues

Ther first is if you are working on a Mac, and comparing the image to outside of Premiere, say in QuickTime player, on that Mac. Apple chose to have ColorSync ... their OS color management utility app ... use the wrong gamma for displaying SDR/Rec.709 media.

The proper display gamma for Rec.709 is 2.4, with 2.2 permissable in bright-room environments and project designed for web use.

ColorSync applies the camera transform gamma of 1.96, rather than the display gamma of 2.4. Which means that a typical SDR/Rec.709 file played under ColorSync control will appear to have lightened shadows and lowered saturation.

Conversely, if that same file is shown with proper 2.4 gamma, it will (compared to the ColorSync view) have darker shadows and higher saturation.

There is no fix for that very frutrating situation. My many colorist buds, most of them total Mac geeks, are furious with Apple over this.

Color Management Mismatch with HLG clips on a Rec.709 Sequence

This has become common as most iPhones and many DSLRs are defaulting to shooting in HLG, an HDR form. With Premiere's new (to the 2022 version) color system, the user now must apply correct color management choices when dealing with media.

When you drop a clip in the HLG color space onto a Rec.709 timeline, you have a mismatch. Even if you bring the whites down so they look ok, on export Premiere will show that HDR clip with HDR values in the SDR export. Blown out.

SDR/Rec.709 Workflow with HLG Media

• Select one or more clips in the project panel
• Right-click/Modify/Interpret Footage
• At the bottom, in the new color management settings, set the Override-to option to Rec.709
• Make sure your sequence CM is set to Rec.709
• Use a standard Rec.709 export preset ... avoid any with HLG or PQ in the preset name.

Doing so should fix any color mis-manglement issues. I've appended some links that also could be helpful.

Neil

FAQ:PremierePro 2022 Color Management for Log/RAW Media

A User Guide: Color Correction in HDR in Premiere 2022

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

HDR workflow in Premiere Pro User Guide

[Athina302681790ruo]

Dear Ishan & Neil,

I am also having the same issue as Lisa, I tried different things based on your advice above but nothing fixed the issue.

I tried the following:
- Right click onto file / Modify / Interpret Footage / Color Management / Color Space Override / Rec.709
* note: originally it is set in: 'Use Media Color Space from File is Rec.601 (NTSC)', this is the file's color space but even if this is selected the clip has different colours than the ones outside Premiere Pro.

- Sequence Settings: Working Color Space / Rec.709 and checked: Auto Tone Map Media

- I also tried changing my MacBook's Display Color Profile to see if any other ones would work better, only to realise none of the options fix the issue.

My .MOV files were shot on a Fuji XT-4, when I import the footage on Premiere the files already have more contrast and are more blown out.

Please see screenshot attached:
The footage on the left is the changed one imported on Premiere
The footage on the right is the original one previewed on QuickTime, the colours in QuickTime are the same ones as the display's of the XT-4 camera.

Please note that if I AirDrop the files from the MacBook to my iPhone, the colors stay exactly the same as previewed on QuickTime. I also imported the files on iMovie to check and saw that the colors stay the same there as well. Only in Premiere do the colors change.

I also tried using LUTs from Fujifilm for an XT-4 camera but none of them worked. 

Please let me know if there is a way to keep the color of my files exactly as they were before when importing and editing them on Premiere.

Thank you,
Athina

[R Neil Haugen]

First ... NO camera made has a truly accurate screen. Not even the $70K RED/Arri or Sony rigs. If they need accurate monitoring they have calibrated external monitors on set.

Second ... Apple for some unique reason does not display Rec.709 video with gamma 2.4 as is standard and required for say full broadcast specs.

Apple uses the camera transform number essentially as the display gamma. I work for/with/teach pro colorists,  most of them totally MSc based folk, and this annoys them no end.

And none of them trust a Mac Retina monitor connection via the computer GPU.

Yes, it's a royal pain. And no, there isn't a real fix. You simply cannot display a fike at two widely divergent gamma settings and get the same image on screen.

But it isn't a problem with the exported file. Only with the way the file is displayed. As on my broadcast spec PC, fully calibrated and profiled, that same file will display as correct as possible.

Use your scopes. Make sure you don't crush your blacks, clip your Whites, or over or under saturate the image. Best you can do.

Some people grade in Premiere or Resolve, then prior to export apply an Adjustment layer over the whole sequence and use the mids color wheel brightness slider to slightly darken things.

To get a file maybe a bit dark in the shadows at full Rec.709 specs, but not too dark.

And not too light on a Mac monitor.

Btw ... professional media you see on that MAX was graded at gamma 2.4. Just as Premiere is doing with your clips.

[Athina302681790ruo]

Thank you very much for all the feedback.

The color change is not only in the display but when I export the files as well.
The exported file has different colours than the original one although I have not changed anything to it on Premiere. It changes upon import and stays changed when exported too.

[R Neil Haugen]

I would expect t looks different in the file when displayed in Premiere ... and depending on the Mac, DCM may or may not help. I don't understand all the differences between Macs, but clearly there are some.

As to after export ... can you get a test file especially with bars & tone out, viewed on a non-Mac system? Or post a link to a file here for others to test. That would help of course.

Also ... have you looked at the file in several viewers on your Mac? Some allow ColorSync control, like Quictime Player, Chrome, Safari ... and will show an incorrect 1.96 gamma view.

Some like VLC will probably not allow ColorSync to set gamma and may show the file more correctly.

Some Macs also have a setting for 'HDTV' ... and if yours does, that will also use the correct 2.4 gamma.

Neil