Quick reference
8 working tables covering RGB spaces, transfer functions, HDR reference points, Y′CbCr matrices, video levels, bit depth/chroma sampling, pipeline checks and CST/RCM/ACES choices.
These are not presets but a reference layer: a table helps verify a specific parameter, while the actual decision still comes from source → working → output context.
Quick reference
Spaces, transfer, HDR, Y′CbCr, levels, precision, pipeline and Resolve architecture.
Plus bit depth and chroma sampling.
Reference white, mastering classes and the PQ ceiling have different meanings.
Final parameters are defined by the delivery specification.
Use these tables to verify assumptions, not as presets. Every row separates independent signal properties instead of collapsing everything into one colour-space label.
Keep gamut geometry, white point and transfer separate; the table lists them independently.
| System | Primaries / gamut | White | Transfer / encoding | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec.709 | Rec.709 | D65 | Video OETF + display convention/BT.1886 context | HD/SDR video |
| sRGB | = Rec.709 primaries | D65 | sRGB piecewise transfer | Web / desktop graphics |
| Display P3 | P3 primaries | D65 | sRGB-like transfer | Wide-gamut consumer displays |
| DCI-P3 | P3 primaries | DCI white ≈ x .314, y .351 | Gamma 2.6 cinema convention | Digital cinema projection |
| Rec.2020 | Very wide Rec.2020 primaries | D65 | Depends on system; BT.2100 uses PQ/HLG | UHD / HDR signalling base |
| DaVinci Wide Gamut | Very wide Blackmagic working primaries | D65 | DaVinci Intermediate (typical pair) | Resolve scene-referred working space |
| ACEScg | AP1 | ACES white ≈ D60 | Linear | VFX / CG compositing |
| ACEScct | AP1 | ACES white ≈ D60 | Log-like with toe | ACES colour grading |
The best defence against Gamma/Log/PQ/HLG confusion is knowing which side of the chain the function describes.
| Name | Class | Absolute? | Primary purpose | Do not confuse with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamma 2.4 / BT.1886-style | Display response convention | No | SDR reference viewing | Camera Log |
| sRGB | Piecewise encoding/display pair | No | Desktop/web RGB | Rec.709 mastering convention |
| Camera Log | Scene-oriented encoding | No | Store wide camera exposure range | Final display gamma |
| DaVinci Intermediate | Scene-referred working encoding | No | Wide-range Resolve working state | Display output |
| PQ / ST 2084 | EOTF | Yes | Signal → absolute display luminance | Mastering display peak = 10,000 nit |
| HLG | Relative signal + system OOTF | No | Broadcast-oriented HDR | PQ-style absolute code meaning |
These are reference anchors for understanding the system, not universal creative targets for every shot.
| Parameter | SDR | PQ HDR | HLG HDR | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signal model | Rec.709 / BT.1886-style display | ST 2084 absolute EOTF | STD-B67 / BT.2100 relative | PQ and HLG are not interchangeable tags |
| Reference white | Project/display target-dependent | Nominal HDR white ≈203 cd/m² | 75% HLG ≈ reference white | Reference white ≠ peak highlight |
| Peak meaning | Target display/master context | Master may be 600/1000/4000… nit | Nominal display peak enters system gamma | 10,000 nit = PQ mathematical ceiling |
| Colour primaries | Typically Rec.709 | Typically Rec.2020 container/BT.2100 | Rec.2020 / BT.2100 | Actual display gamut can be smaller |
Matrix coefficients are part of signal interpretation. The wrong matrix produces hue/saturation shifts.
| Standard | Kr | Kg | Kb | Y′ formula | Typical context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BT.601 | 0.2990 | 0.5870 | 0.1140 | .299 R′ + .587 G′ + .114 B′ | Legacy SD digital video |
| BT.709 | 0.2126 | 0.7152 | 0.0722 | .2126 R′ + .7152 G′ + .0722 B′ | HD / Rec.709 |
| BT.2020 NCL | 0.2627 | 0.6780 | 0.0593 | .2627 R′ + .6780 G′ + .0593 B′ | UHD / BT.2020 non-constant luminance |
Two independent quality axes: tonal/code precision and spatial chroma detail.
| Parameter | What it changes | Strengths | Risk/limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8-bit | 256 code levels/component | Delivery, light processing | Banding after heavy transforms |
| 10-bit | 1024 levels/component | Log, HDR, grading | Does not restore clipped/compressed source |
| 12-bit | 4096 levels/component | High-end capture/intermediate precision | More bandwidth/storage |
| 4:4:4 | Full chroma grid | Keying, graphics, compositing | Says nothing about bit depth/compression |
| 4:2:2 | ½ horizontal chroma | Production/broadcast compromise | Less fine chroma detail than 4:4:4 |
| 4:2:0 | ≈½ H × ½ V chroma | Efficient delivery | Fine coloured edges / keys |
Nominal narrow-range anchors. Always consider the format/codec specification and the application's interpretation.
| Representation | Black / min | White / max | Chroma neutral | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8-bit luma narrow | 16 | 235 | — | Head/footroom outside nominal black/white |
| 8-bit chroma narrow | 16 | 240 | 128 | Cb/Cr centred on neutral |
| 10-bit luma narrow | 64 | 940 | — | 4× 8-bit nominal code values |
| 10-bit chroma narrow | 64 | 960 | 512 | Nominal chroma range |
The same diagnostic sequence works for most colour problems.
| Step | Question | Example | If wrong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Source | What is actually encoded? | S-Log3/S-Gamut3.Cine, BRAW, Rec.709 | Wrong input interpretation |
| 2 · Decode | How is RAW/codec decoded? | WB, ISO, debayer, data levels | Source state already differs |
| 3 · Working | Where do nodes operate? | DWG/Intermediate, ACEScct | Tools behave unexpectedly |
| 4 · Rendering | How does scene become display? | RCM output, ACES Output Transform, CST | Double/missing transform |
| 5 · Signal | Which tags/range/matrix? | Rec.709 + Gamma 2.4, video range | Player interprets bytes incorrectly |
| 6 · Display | Where are we viewing? | Calibrated reference path | Correct signal looks wrong |
Not a better/worse ranking, but a guide by project type.
| Approach | When useful | Strength | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual CST | Explicit node-level control needed | Every transform is visible | Easy to omit/double a stage |
| RCM | Resolve-centric project, mixed cameras | Project-wide source/working/output management | Wrong clip tagging / hidden assumptions |
| ACES | Cross-app/VFX/interchange pipeline | Standardised architecture | Requires strict understanding of input/working/output choices |
A row saying 'Rec.709 · D65' does not decide which gamma/display target your deliverable needs, and '10-bit' does not identify the encoded gamut. The tables deliberately separate parameters to avoid creating another set of magic presets. Every value must be interpreted in source, operation and target context.
A minimum digital-video tuple is: primaries + transfer characteristics + matrix coefficients + range + bit depth + chroma sampling. For camera sources add camera gamut/log or RAW decode; for HDR add rendering/mastering context; for colour-managed projects add the working state and output transform.
DWG/Intermediate or ACEScct can serve as convenient wide scene-referred working representations, while Rec.709, P3 or BT.2100/PQ are target display/output systems. A wide working gamut need not match the final master, and a delivery space is not automatically the best place for every creative operation.
203 cd/m² helps describe nominal diffuse/reference white, 10,000 cd/m² is the mathematical PQ ceiling, and 1000/4000 nits often describe real mastering classes. These values are not mechanical rules such as 'faces = X nits' or 'all highlights = peak'. Rendering remains a creative and technical decision within the standard.
RAW decode/clip attributes → Input Colour Space/Gamma → Timeline/working space → node transforms/LUTs → Output Colour Space/Gamma → Data Levels/export codec/tags → physical monitoring. This order exposes missing/double transforms quickly and prevents correcting a downstream symptom of an upstream error.
Standards evolve, platforms add constraints and broadcast/cinema/streaming deliveries can require specific codec profiles, legal ranges, metadata, mastering peaks or QC. Use quick reference for understanding and first-pass checks, but always verify final parameters against the current client/platform delivery specification.
If a table helps choose a value but you cannot explain the input state and target state, the decision is not yet verified. Return to the full chapter for that parameter.
Technical definitions are anchored to standards bodies and primary specifications wherever that distinction matters.
Rec.709 primaries, transfer and HDTV signal representation.
UHD primaries and Y′CbCr coefficients.
PQ/HLG HDR television system.
Code points for primaries, transfer, matrix, range and chroma sample location.
sRGB, Display P3, white points and linear/nonlinear RGB definitions for web/display context.
ACES AP0/AP1, scene-referred interchange and output architecture.
Practical CST/RCM and output configuration in Resolve.
