User Manual

Table Of Contents
The Contrast parameters let you quickly narrow or widen image contrast about a user-definable
pivot point. Regardless of which mode you’re in, these parameters are identical. Contrast and
pivot can also be adjusted using the DaVinci control surface via the CONTRAST and PIVOT
knobs on the Center panel’s default page, regardless of whether you’re in Lift/Gamma/Gain or
Log mode.
Contrast: This one parameter lets you increase or reduce the distance between the
darkest and lightest values of an image, raising or lowering image contrast. The effect
is similar to using the Lift and Gain master controls to make simultaneous opposing
adjustments. Bright and dark parts of the image are pushed apart or brought together
about a center point defined by the Pivot parameter. The “Use S-curve for contrast
setting in the General Options panel of the Project Settings (on by default) sets
the contrast control to apply an “S-curve” to the image, such that the shadows and
highlights of a signal will not be clipped when you increase the value. If you would
prefer for these contrast adjustments to be made linearly, and for the signal to be
allowed to clip when you reach the upper and lower boundaries of the video signal, you
can turn this checkbox off.
Pivot: Changes the center of tonality about which dark and bright parts of the image
are stretched or narrowed during a contrast adjustment. Darker images may require
a lower Pivot value to avoid crushing the shadows too much when stretching image
contrast, while lighter images may benefit from a higher Pivot value to increase shadow
density adequately.
The Saturation, Hue, and Lum Mix parameters mirror the three knobs found at the right of the
Center panel of the DaVinci control surface.
Saturation: A uniform saturation operation that raises (above 50) or lowers (below 50)
the color intensity of every color value within the image. 50 is unity, showing unaltered
saturation. The range is 0 (completely desaturated) through +100 (saturation is doubled).
Hue: Rotates all hues of the image around the full perimeter of the color wheel. The
default setting of 50 shows the original distribution of hues. Raising or lowering this
value rotates all hues forward or backward along the hue distribution as seen on a
color wheel.
Lum Mix: Lets you control the balance between YRGB contrast adjustments you’ve
made using the Master Wheels or ganged Custom curves, and Y-only adjustments to
contrast made using the Y channel Lift/Gamma/Gain controls of the Primaries palette
or the unganged Luma curve. At the default of 100, YRGB and Y-only adjustments to
contrast contribute equally. Reducing this value diminishes the effect of Y-only contrast
adjustments until, at 0, Y-only contrast adjustments are turned off.
Additionally, you’ll notice that at the default Lum Mix setting of 100, individual
adjustments to R, G, or B using the RGB sliders or unganged Custom curves result in
automatic adjustments being made to the other two color channels in order to maintain
constant Luma levels. At a Lum Mix setting of 0, individual color channel adjustments
have no effect on the other color channels.
Like most parameters in DaVinci Resolve, clicking and dragging a parameter’s name or value to
the left or right lowers and raises that parameter with a virtual slider, while double-clicking that
parameter’s number lets you edit it numerically, and double-clicking that parameter’s name
resets the parameter to its default position.
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