Controls / Pickers
Samples the image to define the color or range used by the keyer.
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Keying & MatteAdvanced
DKeyer
High-control keying and matte analysis
Offers detailed chroma/luma key controls, diagnostic views, despill and matte adjustments for demanding extraction work.
DKeyer
DaVinci Resolve · Fusion
DKeyer is a precision keying tool intended for shots that need more analysis and control than a simple color-range key.
Overview
What DKeyer does
DKeyer combines color-space behavior, sampling tools, chroma tolerance/softness, luma controls, despill and diagnostic views. That makes it useful when the key needs deliberate technical tuning.
The diagnostic modes are an important part of the workflow. Show Key Map and automatic black/white highlight views let you see contamination and semi-transparent problem areas that are easy to miss in the final composite.
Because the node exposes many interacting controls, adjust one stage at a time: sample, separate chroma, inspect luma, refine matte density, then clean edge color.
Mental model
Think of DKeyer as a keying laboratory: you can inspect and tune the chroma/luma decision process rather than relying on one global tolerance slider.
Common uses
Complex green-screen extraction
Fine chroma/luma separation
Diagnostic matte analysis
Keying difficult edge colors
Controlled despill and edge cleanup
Flow anatomy
Inputs & outputs
The port structure shows how this node fits into a Fusion graph.
Input
Source image for the operation.
Garbage Matte / Mask
Optional mask that excludes irrelevant areas from the key.
DKeyer
Fusion node
Output
Keyed image or diagnostic/key-map result depending on view settings.
Inspector
Important parameters
Start with these controls before reaching for more complicated workarounds.
Controls / Invert
Inverts the current map, mask or selection.
Controls / Stroke
Chooses the active DKeyer sample stroke used for key analysis.
Behaviour Options / Color Space
Sets the color Space.
Behaviour Options / Soft, Flat, Tight, Luma
Sets the softness of Soft, Flat, Tight, Luma.
Behaviour Options / Despill
Sets the amount of color-spill suppression applied to the key.
Usage Options / Show Paths
Shows Paths in the Viewer for setup or diagnostics.
Viewer guides do not normally change the rendered image unless the control explicitly says otherwise.
Usage Options / Auto B/W Highlight
Automatically displays useful black/white key-highlight feedback while sampling.
Usage Options / Show Key Map
Shows Key Map in the Viewer for setup or diagnostics.
Viewer guides do not normally change the rendered image unless the control explicitly says otherwise.
Key Adjustments / Chroma Tolerance
Sets how far chroma may deviate from the sampled key color and still remain in the matte.
Key Adjustments / Chroma Softness
Softens the chroma boundary around the accepted key range.
Key Adjustments / Adaptive Chroma Softness
Sets the softness of Adaptive Chroma Softness.
Key Adjustments / Chroma Tilt, Shift, Rotate
Sets Chroma Tilt, Shift, Rotate.
Key Adjustments / Luma Low and Luma High
Sets one boundary of the active range.
Key Adjustments / Low Softness and High Softness
Softens the lower or upper edge of the keyed range.
Matte Finesse / Modes 1 and 2
Switches between the two Matte Finesse control pages used to refine the key.
Matte Finesse / Pre Filter
Filters the key matte before the Matte Finesse level adjustments are applied.
Matte Finesse / Clean Black and Clean White
Cleans small gray contamination from the black or white side of the matte.
Use it sparingly so fine hair, motion blur and transparent detail are not crushed away.
Matte Finesse / Black Clip and White Clip
Sets the clipping point used to make the matte more decisively black or white.
Matte Finesse / Blur Radius
Sets the amount of blur.
Matte Finesse / In/Out Ratio
Biases edge processing inward or outward relative to the keyed subject.
Garbage Matte / Matte Shape
Sets the simple garbage-matte shape used to restrict DKeyer.
Output / Output
Selects the output used by DKeyer.
Settings
Standard Fusion node settings for processing, masks, blending and animation.
Practical setup
A reliable workflow
- 1
Mask out irrelevant set regions first.
- 2
Sample representative screen colors.
- 3
Choose the working behavior/color-space mode.
- 4
Tune Chroma Tolerance and Softness while viewing the key map.
- 5
Refine luma/matte controls as needed.
- 6
Apply despill after the alpha is stable.
- 7
Finish with MatteControl only for remaining silhouette cleanup.
Typical node chain
MediaIn→
DKeyer→
MatteControl→
Despill→
Merge
Examples
Where this node fits in real work
Precision green screen
DKeyer is tuned in diagnostic mode before final matte finishing.
MediaInDKeyerMatteControlDespillMerge
Color isolation matte
The key map becomes a technical mask for a local effect.
MediaInDKeyerColorCorrector
Troubleshooting
Common mistakes
Changing many DKeyer controls at once and losing track of what improved the matte.
Tuning only in composite view instead of using diagnostic maps.
Using despill before the key boundary is actually correct.
Production notes
Practical tips
Work in stages and save versions of difficult keys.
Use the garbage matte to simplify the problem before touching global tolerance.
Compare key-map and final composite views frequently.
Related nodes