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As you can see, when used with a log-encoded image the color interactions between each adjustment overlap very softly, while still allowing more specific adjustments than those made by the Lift/Gamma/ Gain controls.
Furthermore, the boundaries of the Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights Log controls can be customized using the Low and High Range parameters. This gives you added flexibility to apply more specific contrast and color adjustments.
TIP: Internal to each node’s image processing order of operations, the Lift/Gamma/Gain adjustments of the Wheels mode are applied prior to the Shadow/Midtone/Highlight/Offset adjustments of the Log mode, so if you want to apply Log mode controls before Wheels mode controls, then you need to use Wheels controls in a subsequently added node. For more information, see Chapter 141, “Image Processing Order of Operations.”
TIP: Internal to each node’s image processing order of operations, the Lift/Gamma/Gain adjustments of the Wheels mode are applied prior to the Shadow/Midtone/Highlight/Offset adjustments of the Log mode, so if you want to apply Log mode controls before Wheels mode controls, then you need to use Wheels controls in a subsequently added node. For more information, see Chapter 141, “Image Processing Order of Operations.”
TIP: Internal to each node’s image processing order of operations, the Lift/Gamma/Gain adjustments of the Wheels mode are applied prior to the Shadow/Midtone/Highlight/Offset adjustments of the Log mode, so if you want to apply Log mode controls before Wheels mode controls, then you need to use Wheels controls in a subsequently added node. For more information, see Chapter 141, “Image Processing Order of Operations.”
Once you’ve made an adjustment using Log mode controls along with a normalizing LUT or curve adjustment, you can always apply additional nodes and use the Wheels mode of the Primaries palette to make further alterations to the now normalized image, working as you normally would with any of the other tools in DaVinci Resolve.
Using the Log Mode Controls to Stylize Normalized Media
You can also use the Log mode controls on already normalized images. Although the results you get will be somewhat different, this can be a fast way to create interesting stylizations. Whereas the broadly overlapping tonal ranges of the Lift, Gamma, and Gain color balance controls allow subtle adjustments to be made very easily, the Log palette’s color balance controls affect much more restrictive tonal zones that overlap much less when used on normalized images.
The following illustration shows an approximation of how the Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights, by default, divide the tonal range of the image into non-overlapping thirds. As you saw in the previous section, these divisions were originally intended to map to log-encoded media. However, with normalized media these divisions provide a different, and potentially useful, set of ranges from the Primaries mode controls.
Shadows Midtones Highlights
Low Range High Range
This graphic shows an approximation of the tonal range of each of the Log controls with the additional low and high range to expand or contract the range.
With normalized media, the Shadows really do only affect the darkest shadows, falling off at approximately the bottom third of image tonality. The Midtones affect only the middle third of grays, and the Highlights affect the brightest top third of image values. However, these default ranges of image tonality can be adjusted using the Low Range and High Range controls, which are described in more detail later.
The following image shows the default interaction of extreme corrections made to a grayscale image using the Log mode controls. The Shadows have been pushed toward green, the Midtones have been pushed toward blue, and the Highlights have been pushed toward red.
Extreme adjustments showing the overlap of the Shadow, Midtone, and Highlight color balance controls
TIP: The Highlights adjustment of the Log controls can also be extremely useful for boosting or otherwise controlling the highlights of HDR grades. However, the multiple highlight zones of the HDR palette afford a much higher degree of control over this kind of adjustment, using similar control panel-friendly controls.
TIP: The Highlights adjustment of the Log controls can also be extremely useful for boosting or otherwise controlling the highlights of HDR grades. However, the multiple highlight zones of the HDR palette afford a much higher degree of control over this kind of adjustment, using similar control panel-friendly controls.
TIP: The Highlights adjustment of the Log controls can also be extremely useful for boosting or otherwise controlling the highlights of HDR grades. However, the multiple highlight zones of the HDR palette afford a much higher degree of control over this kind of adjustment, using similar control panel-friendly controls.
As you can see, with normalized media the color interaction between each adjustment is very subtle. The darkest shadows end up bright green, the midtone values are vivid blue, and the highlights are almost pure red. This restrictiveness is useful when you want to limit a correction to a specific tonal range within the image without needing to use a Luma qualifier. It’s also quite useful for making bold, stylistic color adjustments when creating a non-naturalistic look.