COLOR / TOOL GUIDE 06 / 13
RGB.
Three channels. Nine relationships.
RGB Mixer changes each input channel’s contribution to each output. Understand the matrix, Preserve Luminance and controlled monochrome conversion.
3 output × 3 input = 9 coefficients
diagonal 1.0, all others 0.0
luminance compensation; not hue protection
Verified captures from the site library. Choose a panel and open a larger view. Layout and available controls may vary with your Resolve version and configuration.
BEFORE MOVING A CONTROL
Understand what you are changing.
Output is a result channel, not an object-color selector
In the identity matrix, each output receives only its matching input. Adding green into Red Output affects every pixel containing a green component. It does not select “green things” and is not a qualifier.
Think one matrix row at a time: which output is changing and which input is being mixed into it? Changing all nine coefficients at once obscures the cause. Neutral surfaces and RGB Parade are useful checks.
Luminance preservation does not guarantee color preservation
Preserve Luminance compensates brightness changes during mixing. Similar overall brightness does not prevent shifts in neutrals, skin or saturated highlights. Treat it as a task-dependent option rather than universal error protection.
With compensation off, direct coefficient-to-output relationships are easier to study, but extreme levels are easier to create. Compare both modes on the same operation and return to the identity matrix before the next test.
Monochrome controls tonal separation
RGB Mixer monochrome conversion changes objects’ relative brightness according to their original channel contributions. Red clothing and green foliage can separate differently even though color output is disabled.
Aim for readable composition rather than unusual coefficients. Inspect noise in weaker channels, highlight clipping and skin texture. Emphasizing a channel emphasizes its defects too; monochrome output does not automatically remove artifacts.
FROM PURPOSE TO CONTROL
Choose deliberately, not by trial and error.
The interface images are collected in the viewer above. Here, focus on what each control changes and when to use it; values in the captures are not universal presets.
Three outputs. Nine coefficients.
Red Output
The three sliders define how much of the input Red, Green and Blue channels contribute to the red output channel. By default, red output receives only red input.
R out = 1.00R + 0.00G + 0.00BGreen Output
Green Output is built from the same three input channels, but by default it uses only green. Adding R or B means you are deliberately mixing channels.
G out = 0.00R + 1.00G + 0.00BBlue Output
Blue Output follows the same pattern. That is why RGB Mixer is easier to understand as a channel-mixing matrix rather than just another set of color sliders.
B out = 0.00R + 0.00G + 1.00BWhen channel mixing helps
Mix or redistribute channels
RGB Mixer lets you feed information from one input channel into another output channel. This can be useful for specialized technical work and deliberate channel shaping.
Build a monochrome image manually
In Monochrome mode you can decide how Red, Green and Blue contribute to the brightness of the black-and-white image. This is much more flexible than simply setting Saturation to zero.
Create an unusual color look
Strong cross-channel mixing can create unusual palettes very quickly. This is a creative treatment, so it is usually cleaner to keep it on a separate node from the primary correction.
Control brightness with Preserve Luminance
Preserve Luminance helps keep overall brightness more stable while channel contributions change. It does not make the result automatically correct — the Viewer and scopes still need to be checked.
TECHNICAL REFERENCE
RGB Mixer is easiest to understand as a 3×3 matrix: three inputs build three outputs
In its neutral state RGB Mixer is an identity matrix: Red Output receives 1R+0G+0B, Green receives 0R+1G+0B, and Blue receives 0R+0G+1B. Changing any coefficient means an input channel starts contributing to another output channel. That makes the tool powerful for channel repair, stylisation and monochrome work, but it can also destroy neutrals and luminance quickly when nine coefficients are moved without a mathematical goal.
Reading RGB Mixer as a matrix
| Output | Neutral formula | If another channel is added | What to measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Output | R′ = 1R + 0G + 0B | G/B begin contributing to red output | Red Parade, neutrals, skin hue |
| Green Output | G′ = 0R + 1G + 0B | R/B alter green response | Green Parade, foliage, neutral balance |
| Blue Output | B′ = 0R + 0G + 1B | R/G alter blue response | Blue Parade, sky/noise, highlights |
| Preserve Luminance | automatic compensation | other channels move in response to the chosen adjustment | Waveform + RGB Parade, not Viewer alone |
| Monochrome | Ymix = wR·R + wG·G + wB·B | subject colour becomes controllable B&W brightness | skin/sky/foliage separation and clipping |
FROM KNOWLEDGE TO A REPEATABLE RESULT
One exercise. A result you can check.
Use a shot containing a neutral surface and red, green and blue objects. Create a dedicated node. Compare with Preserve Luminance off and on without changing other settings to understand the matrix.
- 01
Start on a separate node
Do not bury RGB Mixer inside the same node as the primary balance. A separate node makes the effect easier to compare, disable and understand.
- 02
Check the default 1 / 0 / 0 matrix
In the default state, each output channel receives 100% of its matching input channel and 0% of the other two. This is the neutral starting point.
- 03
Change one output at a time
First decide what you actually want to change: Red Output, Green Output or Blue Output. Moving all nine values at once makes the result much harder to read.
- 04
Compare the image and RGB Parade
RGB Mixer directly changes channel relationships, so RGB Parade is especially useful. It immediately shows which channel was strengthened, reduced or mixed with another.
Self-check in Resolve; the site does not evaluate your work. Progress is not saved after reloading.
An editorial exercise for your own footage, not an automated check of a Resolve project. Work on a copy or separate version and evaluate the complete shot.
WHEN THE RESULT IS NOT WHAT YOU EXPECT
Find the cause, not a compensating slider.
01Neutral greys become coloured+
Possible cause. matrix rows no longer produce equal response for a neutral R=G=B input
What to check. all three output coefficients and RGB Parade on a neutral patch
02A small channel mix changes exposure strongly+
Possible cause. Preserve Luminance is off or coefficients collectively amplify/reduce the signal
What to check. Waveform, coefficient sums and Preserve Luminance
03Monochrome looks flat+
Possible cause. R/G/B weights map important colours to similar brightness
What to check. adjust weights for scene subjects and compare channel separation in Viewer/Waveform
A SITUATION TO THINK THROUGHIncreasing G in Red Output changed more than the green background. Why?Compare your reasoning ↓
G is a numerical component of every pixel, not a green-hue mask. Skin, greys and other colors contain it too. Constrain an object-level correction with a mask, or consider curves or a qualifier for a hue range.
FAQ
What else should you know?
What does RGB Mixer do in DaVinci Resolve?
RGB Mixer defines how much information from the input Red, Green and Blue channels contributes to each output channel. By default Red feeds Red, Green feeds Green and Blue feeds Blue; changing the coefficients mixes the channels.
Does RGB Mixer replace Color Wheels?
No. Color Wheels are better for routine luminance and color balancing through Lift, Gamma, Gain and Offset. RGB Mixer is for tasks that specifically require channel redistribution or a special look.
What does Preserve Luminance do?
Preserve Luminance helps compensate for overall brightness changes while channels are mixed, so channel work does not turn into an accidental exposure shift. The result still needs visual and scope checks.
What is Monochrome in RGB Mixer for?
Monochrome produces a black-and-white result while letting you control how much the red, green and blue channels contribute to final brightness. This provides more tonal control than simply setting Saturation to zero.
Should Preserve Luminance always be enabled?
There is no universal rule. It often helps keep brightness predictable, but in creative channel mixing an intentional luminance change can be part of the effect.
Sources and version notes
Checked against Blackmagic Design’s Color documentation and the relevant new-feature guides. Screenshots are from the site’s own supplied library; controls and layout can differ between versions. Examples are instructional, not universal production settings.
Back to the interface reference ↑