Bypass Input Color Management

Starting in 18.6, there's this new ability to "Bypass Input Color Management" for RAW clips in RCM.
I mean the new one, not the traditional Bypass Color Management, of course.
Can anyone elaborate on what does it really mean? I've been trying to fully understand its usage, but the results seem strange and inconsistent.
Found no info about it in the manual.
Thanks.

This option also exists in ACES projects, despite being referred as an RCM feature.
Nevertheless, it has no effect when activated...

Anyone using this feature?
I would very much appreciate any input on this.

I asked ChatGPT & this is what I got the answer.

In DaVinci Resolve, the "Bypass Input Color Management" option for RAW clips relates to how the software handles color management for the input or source footage, specifically for RAW formats.

When you work with RAW clips, these are typically unprocessed sensor data from a camera, and they offer a high degree of flexibility in post-production. RAW files can store a wide range of color and tonal information, and applying color management involves interpreting and transforming this raw sensor data into a standard color space for editing and grading.

The "Bypass Input Color Management" option allows you to disable the default color management applied to RAW clips, which means that DaVinci Resolve will interpret the RAW data without applying any color transformations based on the selected color space, gamma, and other settings in your project.

Here's why you might use or consider bypassing input color management for RAW clips:

Custom Color Processing: If you want more control over the initial color processing of your RAW footage, bypassing input color management allows you to interpret the RAW data without any predefined color transformations. This can be useful if you have a specific vision for the look of your footage and prefer to handle the color processing manually.

Working in a Linear Color Space: Disabling input color management might be beneficial if you prefer to work in a linear color space. Linear color spaces can be advantageous in certain grading scenarios, providing a more straightforward and predictable response when making color adjustments.

Maintaining Native Characteristics: Bypassing input color management allows you to work closer to the native characteristics of the RAW footage, giving you more direct access to the original color and tonal information captured by the camera sensor.

It's important to note that when you bypass input color management, you take on the responsibility of managing the color space and gamma for your RAW clips manually. This includes setting appropriate color space and gamma settings in the Color page to ensure consistent and accurate color grading.

As with any color management decision, the choice to bypass input color management depends on your specific workflow preferences, the desired look for your project, and the technical requirements of your output.

A longwinded answer from GPT but not wrong. TLDR, it enables manual selection of Color Space and Gamma for raw media so the user can decide what to decode to before any other transformations. I don't fully understand why this has been added. It probably results in a bypass of the InputDRT as well which in turn could remain enabled project wide. But RCM is a total mess regardless, this is just adding more mess to the mess.

But RCM is a total mess regardless, this is just adding more mess to the mess.

As we wait for a major refurbishment of RCM (I've read your posts on this subject in other threads...) what would you suggest instead? ACES? Node-based color management?

But RCM is a total mess regardless, this is just adding more mess to the mess.

As we wait for a major refurbishment of RCM (I've read your posts on this subject in other threads...) what would you suggest instead? ACES? Node-based color management?

It doesn't make a lot of sense to use ACES if the DRT you want to use is DaVinci, so in that case node-based is the way to go, but even for ACES I would recommend node-based since that allows for the best user control over the entire pipe.

Any fresh ideas on this subject?
I still can't get it... it's a feature only available, by definition, on color managed projects, but apparently the implementation of the RAW clips workflow takes over, making this function do exactly... nothing.
Am I missing something relevant to the understanding of this feature?