ColorCorrect

The ColorCorrect node is used to make quick adjustments to contrast, gamma, gain, and offset. You can apply these to a clip’s master (entire tonal range), shadows, midtones, or highlights.

You can control the range of the image that is considered to be in the shadows, midtones, and highlights using the lookup curves on the Ranges tab. However, do not adjust the midtone curve - midtones are always equal to 1 minus the other two curves.

You can also create this node by pressing C on the Node Graph.

See also Grade and Multiply.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Type

Connection Name

Function

Input

unnamed

The image sequence to receive the color correction.

mask

An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the color correction is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled or set to none.

Control (UI)

Knob (Scripting)

Default Value

Function

ColorCorrect Tab

channels

channels

rgb

The color correction is only applied to these channels.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select individual channels.

master

saturation

saturation

1

Adjusts the saturation in the entire image.

contrast

contrast

1

Adjusts the contrast in the entire image.

gamma

gamma

1

Adjusts the gamma in the entire image.

gain

gain

1

Adjusts the gain in the entire image.

offset

offset

0

Adjusts the offset in the entire image.

shadows

saturation

shadows.saturation

1

Adjusts the saturation in the darkest parts of the image.

contrast

shadows.contrast

1

Adjusts the contrast in the darkest parts of the image.

gamma

shadows.gamma

1

Adjusts the gamma in the darkest parts of the image.

gain

shadows.gain

1

Adjusts the gain in the darkest parts of the image.

offset

shadows.offset

0

Adjusts the offset in the darkest parts of the image.

midtones

saturation

midtones.saturation

1

Adjusts the saturation in the middle range of the image.

contrast

midtones.contrast

1

Adjusts the contrast in the middle range of the image.

gamma

midtones.gamma

1

Adjusts the gamma in the middle range of the image.

gain

midtones.gain

1

Adjusts the gain in the middle range of the image.

offset

midtones.offset

0

Adjusts the offset in the middle range of the image.

highlights

saturation

highlights.saturation

1

Adjusts the saturation in the highlights of the image.

contrast

highlights.contrast

1

Adjusts the contrast in the highlights of the image.

gamma

highlights.gamma

1

Adjusts the gamma in the highlights of the image.

gain

highlights.gain

1

Adjusts the gain in the highlights of the image.

offset

highlights.offset

0

Adjusts the offset in the highlights of the image.

Ranges Tab

test

test

disabled

Lets you overlay the output with black, gray, or white to show what is considered to be in the shadows, midtones, or highlights. Green and magenta indicate a mixture of ranges.

curve editor

lookup

N/A

You can use the shadow and highlight lookup curves to edit the range of the image that is considered to be in the shadows or highlights. You can also look up color information for the current pixel in the Viewer.

Warning:  DO NOT adjust the midtone curve. Midtones are always equal to 1 minus the other two curves.

reset

N/A

N/A

Returns the selected curve(s) to the default values.

mask

N/A

disabled

Enables the associated mask channel to the right. Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to none.

maskChannelInput

none

The channel to use as a mask. By default, the color correction is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject

inject

disabled

Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the same mask further downstream.

invert

invert_mask

disabled

Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the color correction is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe

fringe

disabled

When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire mask.

(un)premult by

N/A

disabled

Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to none.

unpremult

none

The image is divided by this channel before being processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha here. This will simulate doing the color correction before the premultiplication was done. It is the same as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you should leave this set to none.

invert

invert_unpremult

disabled

Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix luminance

N/A

enabled

Enables the mix luminance slider. Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting mix luminance to 0.

mix_luminance

0

Controls how much of the original luminance is preserved after the color correction. A value of 0 means the altered luminance is used in the output image. A value of 1 produces a luminance value close to that of the original input image.

mix

mix

1

Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full color correction at 1.

Step-by-Step Guides

Using ColorCorrect Sliders