RESOLVE FX · MOVE THE REFERENCE WHITE
Chromatic Adaptation.
Name the white you have.
Name the white you need.
Chromatic Adaptation is a node-level color-science transform between source and target illuminants. Resolve accounts for the current Color Space and Gamma, moves through XYZ/LMS, and applies the selected CAT model. The practical skill is not “finding a pleasing tint”; it is describing the signal correctly and giving the white-point move one clear owner.
Source → Target
Method
Color Space + Gamma
Use the lab as a contract map, not a color preview. Set D65 → D50, then toggle an upstream adaptation: the model will flag the ownership risk. Switch to Method Logic to see why neutrals alone cannot compare CAT choices.
Read the current contract+
Source D65 → CAT02 → Target D50
Use timeline · Use timeline
One explicit source→target adaptation is defined in this teaching model. Verify the real project before assuming ownership is unique.
This lab is deliberately conceptual. It does not reproduce Resolve CAT matrices, XYZ/LMS conversion math, nonlinear CAT02 behavior, color-management transforms, or pixel output. The plotted xy values are teaching references for selected standard whites; production decisions belong in Resolve with the actual signal, scopes, calibrated monitoring, and pipeline documentation.
Actual Resolve captures + a conceptual white-point/ownership lab; no fake CAT pixel rendering.
7 visible controls · 7 captures · 4 exercises01THE ADAPTATION MODEL
The effect moves color between reference-white assumptions; it does not simply warm or cool RGB.
Blackmagic describes a color-space-aware path through XYZ and an LMS representation of cone response. That makes source white, target white, CAT Method and current signal context one connected technical contract.
This is a reference-white transform, not an ordinary Temp/Tint adjustment
Chromatic Adaptation describes a move from one observer-adaptation state to another: Source Illuminant defines the starting white and Target Illuminant defines the destination. Blackmagic describes the effect as a precise way to transform an image lit or processed for one color temperature to another. The job therefore starts with facts about source and target, not with picking a pleasing tint.
Resolve accounts for Color Space and Gamma before the CAT operation
Blackmagic documents a path where the signal is first transformed from the current color space to XYZ and then into an LMS representation of cone response, where chromatic adaptation is performed before conversion back. That is why Current Color Space and Gamma are part of the effect math. A misdescribed signal state can create odd hue or saturation shifts even when the D65/D50 choice is correct.
CAT methods agree on neutrals and diverge on saturated colors
Blackmagic explicitly notes that every listed method matches neutral colors; the differences lie in how ranges of saturated color are transformed. CAT02 is the default and includes a nonlinear component intended to counter the familiar saturated-blue-to-purple failure. Comparing Method only on a gray scale is therefore insufficient; inspect saturated blues, cyan, skin, product colors, and real practical lights.
Primary documentation: Blackmagic Design · Resolve 21.1 Reference Manual ↗ · Blackmagic Design · CAT details ↗
02THE ACTUAL INSPECTOR
Seven controls are visible in the captured Standard Illuminant state; Kelvin and xy expose conditional fields.
The seven screenshots are real Resolve captures. The article names the conditional Color Temperature and CIE 1931 xy branches from Blackmagic documentation instead of fabricating interface states that were not captured.
Adaptation model
Method selects the CAT matrix/model, not a creative preset.
- Method
Selects one of eight methods: Bradford, Bradford (Linear), CAT02, CMCCAT2000, CMCCAT97, Sharp, von Kries, or XYZ Scaling. Blackmagic documents CAT02 as the default. Method differences show primarily in saturated colors; all choices align neutrals.
CheckStart with CAT02 unless the pipeline requires compatibility with another transform. Compare methods on difficult saturated colors rather than on a gray card.
Source state
Source Illuminant should describe the state the signal actually comes from.
- Source Illuminant · Illuminant Type
Switches the source-white description among Standard Illuminant, Color Temperature, and CIE 1931 xy Chromaticity. The manual explicitly documents all three branches.
CheckChoose the type from known data: a standard white point, Kelvin, or xy. Do not turn the selector into a search for the most pleasing image.
- Source Illuminant · Std. Illuminant
When Standard Illuminant is selected, this chooses the reference white. The current capture shows A, ACES, B, C, D50, D55, D60, D65, D75, and DCI. The field is conditional: Color Temperature or CIE 1931 xy exposes the corresponding input instead.
CheckSource is not the desired display white. It should describe the incoming assumption at the point where the node sits.
- Source · Color Temperature / CIE 1931 xy Chromaticity
When Illuminant Type changes, Resolve lets you define the source white with a color-temperature slider or CIE 1931 xy coordinates. Blackmagic documents these conditional fields, but this page archive does not contain a separate capture of those states.
CheckDo not treat Kelvin and xy as two independent corrections; they are alternative ways to describe one source white point.
Target state
Target Illuminant answers “which white point should the image adapt to?”
- Target Illuminant · Illuminant Type
Offers the same three branches — Standard Illuminant, Color Temperature, and CIE 1931 xy Chromaticity — but describes the destination white rather than the source.
CheckTarget should match the downstream display or pipeline assumption. If a later transform already performs the same white-point adaptation, a separate FX can duplicate the operation.
- Target Illuminant · Std. Illuminant
Chooses the target reference white when Standard Illuminant is selected. Source and Target intentionally use the same reference choices because the effect models a transition between two states.
CheckIf Source equals Target, there should be no strong color change. Do not use a difference between identical white points as a “quality” indicator.
- Target · Color Temperature / CIE 1931 xy Chromaticity
Alternatively, the destination white can be described with Kelvin or CIE xy. This is useful when the downstream white does not match a preset or when the pipeline requires explicit coordinates.
CheckDocument the target together with the deliverable or display purpose; a number without context quickly loses meaning.
Signal context
Color Space and Gamma tell Resolve what the current RGB values actually mean.
- Current Color Space and Gamma · Color Space
Defines the signal’s current color space. Use timeline inherits the timeline context; explicit choices matter when a local branch or node state differs. The captured list includes ACES AP0/AP1, Adobe RGB, Apple Log 2, ARRI Wide Gamut 3/4, and Blackmagic variants.
CheckBefore choosing Use timeline, ask whether the signal at this exact point really is in the timeline color space. If a CST or transform sits upstream, the answer may be no.
- Current Color Space and Gamma · Gamma
Defines the current transfer function. The captured list shows Use timeline, ACEScc/cct, Adobe RGB, Apple Log, HLG, ARRI LogC3/4, and more. This describes signal encoding; it is not a creative gamma correction.
CheckVerify Color Space + Gamma as a pair. A wrong pair changes the input assumptions before XYZ/LMS and can distort saturated colors across the scene.
03CAT METHOD IS NOT A LOOK PRESET
All methods align neutrals; saturated colors are where Method earns its place in the pipeline.
Blackmagic gives detailed guidance for CAT02, Bradford Linear and von Kries, while the actual dropdown also exposes Bradford, CMCCAT2000, CMCCAT97, Sharp and XYZ Scaling. Do not invent aesthetic personalities for undocumented differences.
CAT02
DEFAULT · nonlinear blue protectionBlackmagic identifies CAT02 as the default and notes a nonlinear component that compensates for extremely saturated blues tending to turn purple. The manual says it generally performs well across a wide range of measured data and works well for emissive sources in dim viewing.
Bradford (Linear)
CLASSIC · compatibility / reflective useThe manual describes Bradford Linear as a widely used choice that can push extremely saturated blues toward purple. It works for emissive sources in dim environments and reflective sources such as theater screens in dark environments.
von Kries
LEGACY · compatibilityOne of the oldest methods in common use. Blackmagic also notes saturated-blue-to-purple behavior; keeping it available is useful when matching work done in another image-processing application.
Bradford · CMCCAT2000 · CMCCAT97 · Sharp · XYZ Scaling
ALTERNATIVES · compare on saturated colorsAll of these choices are present in the actual dropdown. Do not invent a “look character” for them without evidence; use them for pipeline compatibility or deliberate comparison on real material. Neutrals alone will not reveal the CAT differences.
A gray chart is useful for confirming neutral alignment, not for ranking CAT methods. Keep Source, Target, Color Space and Gamma fixed, then inspect saturated blues/cyan, skin, product colors and practical lights.
04WHITE-POINT INPUT MODES
Standard Illuminant, Color Temperature, and CIE 1931 xy are three descriptions of a white point, not three corrections to stack.
The captured preset list gives familiar names. Kelvin and xy are the conditional branches for cases where the source or target is better described numerically.
A
xy 0.4476 / 0.4075A warm standard illuminant; the lab uses it only as a reference point on the xy map.
D50
xy 0.3457 / 0.3585A common reference white in print/ICC contexts. It is a useful teaching example for a move from D65 to a warmer reference white.
D60 / ACES
xy ≈0.3217 / 0.3377An approximately D60 reference is associated with ACES context; the actual Resolve dropdown contains separate ACES and D60 entries, so production work should follow the selected preset rather than only the approximate coordinates in this teaching map.
D65
xy 0.3127 / 0.3290A common display/reference white; the current full-panel capture shows D65 for both Source and Target.
DCI
xy ≈0.314 / 0.351A cinema reference white in DCI contexts. For DCI→D65 adaptation, inspect neutrals and saturated colors together.
The xy numbers above are teaching references for orientation, not a replacement for Resolve presets or a measurement workflow. The captured UI contains separate ACES and D60 entries; do not assume two labels are numerically identical just because both are associated with a D60-class reference.
05TRACE WHITE-POINT OWNERSHIP
A good node graph makes one stage responsible for the white-point move.
The common failure is not choosing the “wrong-looking” CAT; it is applying a correct adaptation twice or describing the signal incorrectly where the FX sits.
Define one source-white → target-white move
Choose Method, Source Illuminant and Target Illuminant from the technical contract. CAT02 is the documented default; compare alternatives on saturated colors only when compatibility or a defined pipeline requires it.
Green lines show image flow. The red bracket is a teaching warning about ownership, not an extra Resolve node. Chromatic Adaptation can sit inside a larger managed pipeline, but the current Color Space/Gamma and source→target white assumptions must describe the signal at that exact point.
Related color-management references: Color Management ↗ · Color Space Transform ↗ · ACES Transform ↗
06BUILD IT IN RESOLVE
Four exercises cover named whites, conditional input modes, compatibility, and double-adaptation diagnosis.
These are teaching workflows rather than universal presets. Use known signal metadata, calibrated monitoring, scopes and a documented node tree.
D65 → D50 as a clean white-point test
Separate source/target adaptation from creative grading and observe that the neutral axis moves together with the full color set.
PrepareUse a chart or shot containing neutrals, skin, and saturated patches; confirm the current Color Space/Gamma first.
- 01
Add Chromatic Adaptation on a dedicated node and leave Method at CAT02.
- 02
Set Source Illuminant to D65 and Target Illuminant to D50.
- 03
Compare bypass/on: neutrals should move coherently, while saturated colors should not be judged from RGB Parade alone.
- 04
Return Source = Target = D65: a strong residual shift means signal context or neighboring transforms should be rechecked.
You see a controlled reference-white change and confirm that identical Source/Target settings do not create an unexpected look.
DCI → D65 for reference or legacy material
Correct material that was already adapted for DCI white when it must be reviewed in a D65 context.
PrepareUse material with a confirmed DCI-white assumption and a correct D65 monitoring path.
- 01
Verify that the project or CST is not already performing DCI→D65 automatically.
- 02
Set Source = DCI, Target = D65, and use CAT02 as the starting point.
- 03
Inspect neutral grays/whites together with saturated blue/cyan and skin.
- 04
If an older pipeline must be matched, compare Method choices and record why a specific one was selected.
D65 monitoring receives material with a coherent white point without manually tinting primaries.
Verify conditional modes: Kelvin and CIE xy
Learn to use Illuminant Type as three descriptions of a known white point rather than three independent corrections.
PrepareUse a clip or test for which the source color temperature or exact xy coordinates are known.
- 01
Switch Source Illuminant Type from Standard Illuminant to Color Temperature and note which field appears.
- 02
Then switch to CIE 1931 xy Chromaticity and inspect the coordinate input.
- 03
Do not try to “stack” a preset, Kelvin, and xy; only the selected description mode is active at a time.
- 04
Return to the actual source/target data and record the chosen description method in pipeline notes.
You understand the conditional UI and can explain exactly where the source/target white value came from.
Find a double white-point adaptation
Check whether CST, RCM, ACES, or a neighboring node already performs the same adaptation added by Chromatic Adaptation FX.
PrepareUse a managed project or node tree with known input/output transforms.
- 01
Write down the signal state before the FX: Color Space, Gamma, and expected white point.
- 02
Bypass Chromatic Adaptation. If the image becomes correct, look for an upstream or downstream adaptation owner.
- 03
Inspect CST Use White Point Adaptation, the RCM/ACES path, and neighboring technical nodes.
- 04
Leave exactly one intentional owner for the source-white → target-white transition.
White-point conversion is performed once, and bypassing the FX does not reveal a second hidden layer of the same operation.
07CHOOSE THE RIGHT TRANSFORM
Chromatic Adaptation solves one precise layer of color management; CST, ACES and project management own broader boundaries.
| Tool | What it owns | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Chromatic Adaptation | Source/Target illuminant plus a CAT Method inside a defined color context. | Precise white-point adaptation between known states. |
| Color Space Transform ↗ | Full Input/Output Color Space + Gamma transform with tone/gamut mapping and optional White Point Adaptation. | When the task is broader than one white point and the full signal encoding must be converted. |
| ACES Transform ↗ | ACES Input/Output transforms through the Academy-defined pipeline. | When the project or dedicated node truly belongs to an ACES workflow. |
| Project Color Management ↗ | Project-level ownership of input/timeline/output states for the whole pipeline. | When transforms should be systematic across the project rather than local to one node. |
08DIAGNOSE THE CONTRACT
Most failures point to signal context, ownership, or a Method comparison performed on the wrong colors.
01Neutrals look correct, but saturated blue turns purple+
Do not diagnose Source/Target from this symptom alone. The manual explicitly says CAT methods differ on saturated colors. Compare CAT02 with Bradford or the required alternative while holding every other setting constant.
02The whole frame picks up an odd hue or saturation shift+
First confirm Current Color Space + Gamma at the FX position. If an upstream node already changed the encoding, Use timeline may be the wrong assumption.
03Source equals Target, but the image still changes noticeably+
Check the conditional mode, actual source/target values, Current Color Space/Gamma, and neighboring transforms. Identical white points should not be used as a creative effect.
04After adding the FX, the image looks “corrected twice”+
Trace the pipeline: CST with Use White Point Adaptation, RCM, ACES, or another technical node may already own the white-point conversion. Remove the duplicate owner.
05Comparing CAT methods on a gray chart shows no difference+
That is expected: Blackmagic says the methods align neutrals. Add saturated patches or real practical lights and compare there.
06Kelvin, preset, and xy create confusing logic+
Remember that Illuminant Type selects an alternative way to describe the white point. Do not stack them as sequential corrections; document the one active description mode.
Check neutrals and saturated colors together
Neutrals confirm the white-point goal, while saturated colors reveal CAT differences. Either group alone gives an incomplete review.
Use timeline is an assumption, not a safety button
It is correct only when the signal state at the FX really matches timeline settings. After an upstream CST or local branch, explicit Color Space/Gamma may be required.
Record source → target and Method in technical notes
White-point transforms are hard to reconstruct from memory. Record source, target, description mode (preset/Kelvin/xy), CAT Method, and ownership of neighboring color transforms.
09BEFORE YOU DELIVER
Verify source, target, signal context and transform ownership before judging the image by taste.
The checklist is a reminder, not automated color-science certification. The real project and monitoring chain remain authoritative.
10QUESTIONS THAT MATTER
Keep white balance, white-point adaptation, color-space conversion, and project-level management distinct.
What does Chromatic Adaptation do in DaVinci Resolve?
It precisely adapts an image from one illuminant/white-point state to another. The effect uses Method, Source Illuminant, Target Illuminant, and current Color Space/Gamma to perform a color-science transform rather than simply adding a temperature/tint offset.
Is CAT02 always the best Method?
Blackmagic makes CAT02 the default and describes it as generally strong across a wide range of measured data, especially for emissive sources in dim viewing. Other methods remain useful for compatibility and specific workflows. When comparing them, inspect saturated colors because neutrals should align across all methods.
How is Chromatic Adaptation different from ordinary White Balance?
White Balance is usually used to correct capture or scene balance, especially in RAW or primary grading. Chromatic Adaptation explicitly models a transition between source and target reference whites inside a defined color context. The results may overlap visually, but the pipeline intent differs.
What should I choose for Illuminant Type?
Use Standard Illuminant when a named reference white such as D50/D65/DCI is known; Color Temperature when the white is specified in Kelvin; and CIE 1931 xy Chromaticity when explicit chromaticity coordinates are available. They are three descriptions of a state, not three correction stages.
Why do Current Color Space and Gamma matter?
Resolve must interpret the current RGB values correctly before the XYZ/LMS path. A wrong Color Space or Gamma creates wrong mathematical assumptions and can damage saturated colors even when source/target whites are correct.
When is Use timeline safe?
When the signal at the FX position really is in the timeline color space and gamma. That is often true in a managed pipeline, but after a local CST or other transform you must verify the actual node state rather than trust the label.
Can I create a double adaptation?
Yes. CST with Use White Point Adaptation, RCM/ACES, or another technical transform may already perform the required white-point conversion. Adding Chromatic Adaptation on top can duplicate it, so tracing ownership is essential.
Sources and the scope of this guide
Visible labels and dropdown entries were checked against the seven actual DaVinci Resolve captures on this page. Behavior and signal semantics were cross-checked against Blackmagic Design documentation. The white-point lab is an independent teaching visualization: it does not reproduce Resolve CAT matrices, XYZ/LMS conversion math or pixel output.
The four exercises were not certified by a live Resolve render during this web-editing pass. Production acceptance still requires the installed Resolve build, real media, calibrated monitoring and target renders.