Examining the Gray Balance Tools


The Gray Balance tools are your main weapons against white balance problems. When you're making adjustments, it's probably best to start with the 1-Point Gray Balance tool and progress to the 2-Point and then the 3-Point tools if you aren't getting the results you're looking for. Remember to return the clip to its original state before you move from tool to tool by clicking the Restore to Default button ; otherwise you'll make alterations on top of alterations.

The 1-Point Gray Balance tool

Using this tool is the simplest and quickest way to alter a clip, but the results may not always be perfect on the first click. You should try clicking several times before you give up and move on to the next tool.

To use the 1-Point Gray Balance tool

1.

With the ColorCorrection Editor open and your target clip in the right window, click once on the 1-Point Gray Balance tool which is located on the far right of the ColorCorrection interface in the one-click tools.

2.

Move the cursor over to the target area.

A crosshair with a sun and a grayscale under it appears.

3.

Find an area that's as near to gray as you can and click it (Figure 11.25).

Figure 11.25. Using the 1-Point Gray Balance tool. (See color insert.)


1-Point Color Balance

This is a basic color correction tool that simply matches one color in the reference shot to a frame displayed in the right-hand window. Its effectiveness is limited and for corrections of this nature you would be best to use either the 1-Point Gray Balance tool or the 3-Point Color Balance tool, as both tend to give better results.


The target adjusts using the information it finds under the cursor.

Tip

  • This method is quick and dirty. If you don't like the results, click somewhere else.


The 2-Point Gray Balance tool

Using this tool is a slightly more complex process than using the 1-Point Gray Balance tool. It gives you two points with which to correct the target. For it to work correctly, you need a target clip that has both an area of light gray and an area of dark gray.

To use the 2-Point Gray Balance tool

1.

With the ColorCorrection Editor open and your target clip in the right window, click once on the 2-Point Gray Balance tool .

2.

Move the cursor over to the target area.

A "2pt" appears under the crosshair where the sun was in the 1-Point tool.

3.

Find an area that's as near to light gray as you can, then click and drag the mouse to an area of dark gray (Figure 11.26).

Figure 11.26. Using the 2-Point Gray Balance tool. (See color insert.)


4.

Release the mouse and the color balance is applied using information it finds under both cursor positions.

Tip

  • This method is a little more refined, but you may still need to select some more sample areas before the clip looks right.


The 3-Point Gray Balance tool

The 3-Point Gray Balance tool requires the same reference points that the 3-Point Color Balance tool required, but it doesn't need a reference clip. Instead it uses the target clip as its own reference in an attempt to adjust the levels of white, gray, and black.

To use the 3-Point Gray Balance tool

1.

With the target clip in the right window, click the 3-Point Gray Balance button.

Three points linked by two lines appear on both screens. These are colored white, gray, and black.

2.

Adjust the squares in the reference clip so that the black one is in the darkest area of the screen, the white one is in the lightest area, and the gray one is somewhere in between.

3.

Once you're happy, right-click the mouse inside the right window to apply the effect.

If you forget to do this, the effect isn't applied.

Tip

  • Use the Zoom tool in the middle of the two windows to get a pixel-sized view of where to place your color balance squares.




Pinnacle Liquid Edition 6 for Windows
Pinnacle Liquid Edition 6 for Windows
ISBN: 0321269160
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 245
Authors: Paul Ekert

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