What timeline colour space for editing 16mm film in DaVinci Resolve

Stephen Perera · November 25

What timeline colour space should I choose for my 16mm film footage (ProRes 4444 / 4K / Scanity). I thought I should stick in the one that had the word 'film' in haha. All the information around is to get film looks and so on but I have film on my timeline....help please!

Screenshot2024-11-25at10_40_43.png.eebf99e79a25a00d1f2adcf2b1142846.png

Brian Drysdale · November 25

Which log format did the facility use?

Stephen Perera · November 25

@Brian Drysdale Its in Cineon Log they tell me.

Tyler Purcell · November 25

What you have setup will probably work. I honestly re-time every shot anyway, there is no magic with film scanners. Just because it's in a Cineon log file, doesn't mean the manipulation abilities of Resolve changes dramatically if you work in that color space. I have worked with Cineon in standard Rec709 or Rec 2020 space and it's never been a problem. It only really bakes in the color on export anyway. So internally inside Resolve it should be fine. The reason they have Cineon workflows, is for finish grading consistency across multiple shows. If you're just doing one show and one edit, doesn't matter.

Ludwig Hagelstein · November 26

it wildly depends on where it was scanned and which pipeline they used. Log Scans from the Scanity dont have a color space per se - there are different logarithmisation options with Scanity, one is called CPD-K, the other is called CPD. When you work with the CPD-K curve in a 10 Bit setting, you get a Cineon Log approximation, but alas, the resulting .dpx dont have a color space - you have to assign it in postpro. If your posthouse did a clean transcode of the .dpxs to ProRes without doing a color transform, then you should be able to assign any working space you want - also, dont mess around with cineon log luts.

Stephen Perera · November 26

12 hours ago, Tyler Purcell said:

What you have setup will probably work. I honestly re-time every shot anyway, there is no magic with film scanners. Just because it's in a Cineon log file, doesn't mean the manipulation abilities of Resolve changes dramatically if you work in that color space. I have worked with Cineon in standard Rec709 or Rec 2020 space and it's never been a problem. It only really bakes in the color on export anyway. So internally inside Resolve it should be fine. The reason they have Cineon workflows, is for finish grading consistency across multiple shows. If you're just doing one show and one edit, doesn't matter.

Agree totally with what you say as it's what I see on my screen....and it's just one project so no biggie. I did it all in camera anyway so all I'm doing is levels and stuff for the 'log' look. That plus the filming was very basic.

Stephen Perera · November 26

2 minutes ago, Ludwig Hagelstein said:

it wildly depends on where it was scanned and which pipeline they used. Log Scans from the Scanity dont have a color space per se - there are different logarithmisation options with Scanity, one is called CPD-K, the other is called CPD. When you work with the CPD-K curve in a 10 Bit setting, you get a Cineon Log approximation, but alas, the resulting .dpx dont have a color space - you have to assign it in postpro. If your posthouse did a clean transcode of the .dpxs to ProRes without doing a color transform, then you should be able to assign any working space you want - also, dont mess around with cineon log luts.

Thanks Ludwig.....as Tyler said it's much simpler than I am thinking of making it. I have tested out exporting and watching it back on YouTUbe and I am getting what I wanted/expected

Stephen Perera · November 26

I like to post questions like this not only to inform myself BUT also to help others and to have it on record for anyone that comes to this issue themselves...the whole point of the forum!

Dirk DeJonghe · November 27

Here are the settings I recommend to my customers and use myself for scanned film projects.

It is in ACEScct because that is easy to exchange with VFX people and others not on Resolve.

With this setting, all sequences you import in Media page are automatically available with the right settings for Cineon Log (ADX10) import and viewing on Rec709 output.

If you import other color spaces, you need to right click the sequence in Media Page and change to whatever is needed.

Once you have set all these parameters, you can click on the three dot menu top right of settings and store as preset for later use.

Please read the attached cheat sheet as well, it takes you step by step.

CineonLog_DaVinci_2024_12.pdf

Edited December 3 by Dirk DeJonghe
new cheat sheet

Stephen Perera · November 27

Thanks for this @Dirk DeJonghe.....in my case though it's just me on DaVinci Resolve Studio and nothing goes out to anyone.....it's just a ProRes 444 clip in and edited and out to YouTube etc...nothing special at all.

That being said I will put your settings in and ee what I think.....at the end of the day the output file is what speaks....

Uli Meyer · November 27

2 hours ago, Dirk DeJonghe said:

Here are the settings I recommend to my customers and use myself for scanned film projects.

It is in ACEScct because that is easy to exchange with VFX people and others not on Resolve.

With this setting, all sequences you import in Media page are automatically available with the right settings for Cineon Log (ADX10) import and viewing on Rec709 output.

If you import other color spaces, you need to right click the sequence in Media Page and change to whatever is needed.

Once you have set all these parameters, you can click on the three dot menu top right of settings and store as preset for later use.

I just tried this and LOVE it! Thank you so much Dirk!