dRecolor

dRecolor is for applying a flat 2D beauty/color result to an existing Deep sample structure. It is not a stand-alone artistic grade, a Z generator, or a substitute for a regular ColorCorrector on conventional 2D footage.

Deep Image data may contain multiple depth samples at a single pixel. A single RGB image plus a Z channel is not equivalent. dRecolor keeps the supplied Depth sample structure available for subsequent dMerge and dHoldout operations.

The orange Depth connector requires a Deep Image from a Deep EXR, compatible render or Deep node. The Depth source defines the underlying Z samples. An ordinary 2D source must first pass through Image to Deep if used for a synthetic teaching example; that operation does not reconstruct missing occluded surfaces.

The green Color connector expects a normal RGB/RGBA image. Typical choices include a high-quality flat beauty render, a compositing color pass, or a frame corrected using a normal 2D ColorCorrector.

A real-world reason to use dRecolor is to keep a Deep geometry/transparency representation yet drive the sample colors from a better flat beauty render. This can preserve depth-aware intersections while using an already approved 2D color image.

Center X/Y moves the 2D Color input over the Deep image. The genuine Controls screenshot shows X=0.5 and Y=0.5. Center does not move the Z samples, and it should not be treated as Deep object translation or camera tracking.

Blackmagic defines Target Input Alpha as enabling the Color input alpha channel so it can influence the transparency of Deep samples. When it is disabled, the recoloring uses RGB from Color rather than its alpha as a target.

Drop Input Zero Alpha ignores pixels in the incoming RGBA Color source where alpha equals zero. This is not a general command to delete zero-alpha Deep samples from the orange Depth stream.

The bundled original capture shows Controls with Center X/Y=0.5, Target Input Alpha off, and Drop Input Zero Alpha on. It verifies the displayed control labels and initial states, not a live render or Settings tab contents.

The Deep Image common Settings include Hide Incoming Connections, Comments and Scripting. These are workflow/organization features, not new controls for distributing 2D color. No dedicated dRecolor Settings capture is present in the archive.

Because dRecolor.Output is still Deep, it can feed dMerge/dHoldout. Connect to DeepToImage before sending data to ordinary Merge or MediaOut. Flattening to 2D is a deliberate boundary, not a harmless relay.

For a diagnostic A/B, branch a fixed Deep source directly into DeepToImage for the baseline and into dRecolor plus DeepToImage for the recolored version. Compare RGB and Alpha at the same frame, especially on soft edges.

A simple Background → Image to Deep source is good for demonstrating typed connections. It does not prove correctness of multiple overlapping samples or actual Deep occlusion in a production EXR.

Accurate recoloring requires alignment of frame timing, resolution, pixel aspect ratio and color interpretation between Depth and Color. A valid graph can still map wrong colors onto valid Z samples if registration is off.

Tune in this order: validate Deep data; inspect 2D Color; establish Center alignment; compare Target Input Alpha; test Color zero-alpha pixels; only then continue to other Deep compositing operations.

Blackmagic documents the Deep Image toolset for Resolve Studio. The source capture and static practice validation are separate from target-build live testing with actual Deep EXRs and final rendering.