Blackmagic Forum

I would like to ask how to work with color on standard settings in Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Pro? After applying white balance, the image is washed out of colors with a predominance of red (we use warm ceiling lighting, 3200-6500K) and it is cold (blue is the dominant color).

The use of built-in LUTs creates an image that is too colorful, often with too much contrast and others. I realize the question may be stupid as I have worked with Sony cameras so far. The image from BMSC4KPro is fantastic, but the color problem is killing me, because we work to live, not in post-production, where everything can be improved after.

Any advice? Thanks.

If you don't like the look out of the box on your set, use an ATEM to do some shading, or set up Resolve Live and do it there and make a LUT for the cameras.

Jack Fairley wrote:If you don't like the look out of the box on your set, use an ATEM to do some shading, or set up Resolve Live and do it there and make a LUT for the cameras.

Thank you, but I did a LUT for cameras in DaVinci Resolve and I don't like it. But it's a nice idea. For me, it makes no sense to create a LUT depending on the filmed scene and the available lighting. The camera is supposed to reflect reality, not remove anything from it. Correct me if I'm wrong because maybe I don't know how these cameras work

I am just surprised that this camera itself does not present the correct color, or basic image immediately after being turned on. I'm not used to it. Image from Sony cameras was most time OK, and any needs could be corrected during work (I use NewTek Tricaster technology).

How do you balance? I don't like the automatic modes even using a grey card, and end up setting temperature and tint manually.

we use warm ceiling lighting, 3200-6500K

3200 to 6500 is the whole range from warm to cold white, maybe the lighting is too inconsistent?

Unfortunately you can't access a lot of parameters on the camera itself, as Jack Fairley wrote, they're supposed to be shaded from an Atem or using a LUT.

The built in LUTs are mostly meant to be used with Film mode, to convert the Log image to something closer to Rec709.
So they'll have far too much contrast and saturation when used in Video mode.

Take this with a grain of salt, I'm mainly the sound guy.

AreczQ wrote:The camera is supposed to reflect reality, not remove anything from it. Correct me if I'm wrong because maybe I don't know how these cameras work

I am just surprised that this camera itself does not present the correct color, or basic image immediately after being turned on. I'm not used to it. Image from Sony cameras was most time OK, and any needs could be corrected during work (I use NewTek Tricaster technology).

Ahhh - this is a human problem. Cameras generally do represent reality - humans however do not.
Humans attempt to interpret what they see and fit it to their reality. Cameras do nothing unless you tell them - hence the need for white balance / luts / colour correction.

A interesting Washington post article will illustrate the issue
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/02/27/12-fascinating-optical-illusions-show-how-color-can-trick-the-eye/

Andy Coulthurst wrote:

AreczQ wrote:Ahhh - this is a human problem. Cameras generally do represent reality - humans however do not. Humans attempt to interpret what they see and fit it into their reality. Cameras do nothing unless you tell them - hence the need for white balance / luts / color correction.

andisailer wrote:The built-in LUTs are mostly meant to be used with Film mode, to convert the Log image to something closer to Rec709.
So they'll have far too much contrast and saturation when used in Video mode.

Well, let's imagine a situation in which you are filming an event live, for example at a conference. You turn on the camera, set the white balance (using a white sheet trick or something similar), and nowhere set other parameters than use the built-in LUTs.

However, these settings, as you have noticed yourself, are too colorful and only suitable for further post-production (?), not live production. Is the only option to set the desired colors in DaVinci and import the LUT to the camera? It should be simple.

Cool, I also work in sound.

No, you can live shade the cameras with an ATEM. I feel like you have a mistake in your setup, as the BMD stuff tends to have a pretty nice neutral look out of the box.

Which LUT?

There is a lot of directly conflicting information presented here.

AreczQ wrote:...washed out of colors with a predominance of red

AreczQ wrote:...and it is cold (blue is the dominant color).

So is it red or blue? And again.

AreczQ wrote:we use warm ceiling lighting, 3200-6500K

Is the light warm or cool? 3300 Kelvin is a huge swing and nothing above 4000 would be categorized as warm.

Probably best to start with Video dynamic range and do a manual white balance using the histogram . If you can get that looking halfway decent then consider using the Film to Video LUT but only when using Film DR. Maybe post a grab so we can see what's going on.

Good Luck

How does one do a white balance using a histrogram?

Can someone explain this to me?

Im having WB issues with my Ursas.

I have also been struggling with this issue. I have been plugging my camera into the directors Atem and pushing the contrast and saturation to 62 as that seems closest to Sony.

Its a pain to do and if you turn the camera off then you lose your settings.

I briefly thought about purchasing an atem solely for the purpose of adjusting the contrast but that is not a workeable solution.

Can a LUT change just contrast and saturation?