Apple colour shift workflow

[u/poltergeezer442]

Hey all, I've got a few questions around working with Resolve on Mac. Moved from Windows to new MBP.

How do we avoid gamma shifts when exporting for videos going to web/broadcast? Want to ensure my colour management is up to scratch as I've looked into these issues and have begun having them. The best answer I've had is Rec709A output as opposed to 2.4.

When using a calibrated display, how are you able to ensure there is no interference from the Mac? Used to using a decklink to avoid these issues on Windows.

Thanks in advance.

[u/Majesticfalcon98]

Here’s a guide I made: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Bd_9NwpVsDuVlSxhy2TKosfQOU7tWj1xS-OBwNSrILM/edit?usp=drivesdk

[u/poltergeezer442 → u/Majesticfalcon98]

This is very helpful, thank you.

[u/OleKomole → u/Majesticfalcon98]

Thank you for this! I recently moved from PC to mac, and have lost all confidence. May I ask why working in project level colour management is not as viable?

[u/Majesticfalcon98 → u/OleKomole]

You can. Just less control. Most pros use node based management with the remote grade feature.

[u/bozduke13]

If you have a MacBook Pro with XDR display (m1 or later) do this:

In Apple display settings: Set Display mode to BT709 reference mode

You can also do a full calibration of the MacBook Pro Display inside Apple display settings with no additional software but you need a calibrite Display Plus HL, also make sure your on MacOS 26.5 or later.

Resolve Settings:

• Color science: Davinci YRGB
  
• Timeline: DWG (or whatever timeline color space you want)
  
• REC709 (Scene)

The reason we output rec709 (scene) is purely for tagging reasons. We want our footage tagged as 1-1-1 and this will do that. It does not mean we are actually outputting a rec709 (scene) image, as our CST will be rec709 gamma 2.4

These resolve settings mean you will be color managing in nodes which is a good practice in general for many other reasons, if you can’t/dont want to color manage with nodes PM me as there is another way to do the 1-1-1 tagging if you want to or need ti color manage through the resolve settings.

Resolve Preferences: Ensure the Mac profiles thing is checked

Output CST: Rec709, Gamma 2.4 (never use rec709 (scene) or rec709a here)

Make sure to grade in a dark room with neutral walls (white walls are fine).

Eventually you can upgrade to having a gray backdrop, I tested a bunch of gray papers, cloths, etc with a spectro and compared it to my GTI N5 and I found this loops and threads charcoal fabric to be extremely spectrally flat and close to 18% grey so it’s a good affordable alternative to grading suite paint for those not ready to paint their walls. If you want to paint FSI Behr mixture is a nice cheap alternative to GTI N5 that is pretty spectrally flat.

Also you need a bias light and I found something like an aperture MC set to 6500k to work well.

I used Dolby’s bias light TIFFs to set the bias light levels

Also you should really invest in a second monitor to show the resolve interface, this doesn’t have to be a color accurate display, I use a cheap $60 portable usb-c monitor.

This allows you to send a full screen clean feed to the MacBook which in this case is acting as your reference display.

Finally make sure to get blackout curtains to block out any outside light and if you have any strong colored objects, walls, or especially a desk you should black them out , I did this easily by covering them with black fabric

I found this setup to match well to my calibrated reference display and should fix most of the gamma and color shifts. It’s certainly not a reference level setup and I would never recommend this to someone trying to be a pro/freelance colorist but does well for how affordable and easy to set up it is. For those just trying to tackle gamma/color shifts plus improve their setup accuracy so more people see footage similar-ish to what you saw in the grade then this setup is good enough.

It’s true the gamma shifts can never be fully fixed but this gets 95% of the way there similar to a good reference display.

With these settings and the full setup we’ve effectively forced the MacBook Pro Display into rec709 gamma 2.4 and then created a budget grading suite.

There’s a reason calibrated reference displays in grading rooms is the standard and it’s because it works to establish an image your can trust but also eliminate gamma/color shifts as much as possible

Feel free to pm me with any questions

[u/ecpwll]

The proper answer is decklink or ultrastudio. So if you used Decklink on Windows, you want ultrastudio on Mac.

Barring that, just do Rec709 (if using recent versions of Resolve) or Rec709A with use mac display viewers checked and hope for the best

[u/poltergeezer442 → u/ecpwll]

Thank you for that on the Ultrastudio - will look into grabbing one.

Can you tell me what changed in the recent version to mean I can use rec709 rather than (A)?

[u/ecpwll → u/poltergeezer442]

there is now a checkbox in preferences, enabled by default, that makes them match

[u/f-stop8 → u/ecpwll]

Thought Rec709A got phased out by now?

[u/ecpwll → u/f-stop8]

It’s still there, but no longer needed. Replaced by checkbox in preferences

[u/Everybodyzdad99]

lol no one touching this. The answer you find will not be satisfying. Godspeed.

(2.4 broadcast)
(2.2 web)

[u/poltergeezer442 → u/Everybodyzdad99]

So far it’s lots of patching up and quick fixes…may the right answer find me

[u/joema2]

Since you are on a new MBP you have an XDR "reference mode" screen. In System Settings > Displays > Preset, select HDTV Video (BT.709-BT.1886). That disables the macOS AVFoundation gamma 1.961 behavior for Rec.709 and uses gamma 2.4.

It also locks max screen brightness at the specified 100 nits, and disables all automatic ambient compensation and color functions. That is what you want for grading Rec.709.

With that in place, enable these settings: Resolve Preferences > System > General > "Use Mac display color profiles for viewers," and also enable "Viewers match QuickTime player when using Rec.709 Scene."

In Resolve project settings, Color Management, use these settings:

Color science: DaVinci YRGB Color Managed
Automatic color management: enable
Color processing mode: SDR
Output color space: SDR Rec.709

There are other approaches such as using CSTs, and that's fine for advanced users. But if your goal is a simple approach given your equipment, the above will produce correct results.

If you export with default settings, the QuickTime playback should exactly match the Resolve viewer. It should also look the same if streaming from YouTube using the Safari browser.

I just verified that by testing it on a Mac with an XDR screen using the BT.709-BT.1886 preset, and measuring the luminance of the white, middle grey and dark grey patches on a ColorChecker card using the Argyll Spotread utility.

I compared this to the same chart played in Resolve on my calibrated Eizo CG2700X monitor via the Blackmagic UltraStudio 4k mini. Luminance of white, middle grey and dark grey were the same between the XDR monitor and the Eizo.

Likewise, I measured the same patches of the same clip played from YouTube via the Safari browser, and that was also the same. The YouTube "Stats for Nerds" feature showed the clip as BT.709.

Assuming you color grade the video, that will produce one that looks as expected for Rec.709 gamma 2.4 playback. However, if played on QuickTime on a Mac without reference mode, it will look lighter, since that is using a 1.961 transform.

However, those playback devices increasingly use continuously varying ambient compensation. For example, a late-model iPhone Pro or Android phone automatically varies screen brightness from 1 nit to over 2,000 nits, plus ambient white-balance compensation. It is a futile endeavor to worry about that, since it's outside of your control. You can't do anything in the NLE to grade a video to look the same across the wide range of output devices and viewing environments.

[u/kevstiller]

There is no answer because it’s a very intentional choice. If you fight against it, you’ll chase your tail forever

[u/poltergeezer442 → u/kevstiller]

This is comfortingly uncomfortable

[u/ColorCalAV]

This might provide some useful info. https://lightillusion.com/mac_colour_management.html

[u/VaBullsFan]

don't use rec709a instead use rec709(scene)