Uploading to youtube/vimeo

[Blake Gibson]

Sorry about the late reply guys. Thanks for all the replies, you’ve all helped me easily solve something that I couldn’t find a straight answer to anywhere else! Basically youtube and vimeo will darken a video no matter what? Thats silly…

I did a whole bunch of testing at home with different export settings and uploads which is all kind of redundant now. One thing I did notice was that the same darkening happens when taking screenshots in VLC (shift+s), so instead of having to upload to youtube to test out a clip you can just take a screenshot in VLC and compare it.

I also noticed that downloading the clip from youtube/vimeo after it had been uploaded, and the video is back to how it was originally (not darkened) so it appears that youtube and vimeo don’t convert the video, they just display it darker.

I also downloaded a couple of my favourite clips from vimeo onto my pc and yep, they are also lighter/brighter…

Just incase you’re wondering about said clips, well worth checking out, they are:

Sleepwalking in the rift, filmed on 5D/7D, beautiful (8 vignettes):
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/55403443
Vignettes: https://sleepwalkingintherift.com/cary

Kendy Ty’s stuff, mostly filmed on t3i/550D w/sigma 30mm 1.4:
https://vimeo.com/kendyty

Stephen Crye:
Thanks for the clips, I’ll watch them tonight.

Let us know how you go with the tests, I’d be interested to here about them.

John Rofrano:
Thanks again for the info about youtube and studio/computer RGB. I should have just asked here and not wasted my whole Sunday 😀

Is there a setting or something that you’re away of that will allow me to export everything as studio RGB? I would like to export using other templates every now and then.

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[Blake Gibson]

Not sure how to quote, but Stephen Crye:

Vimeo does make the videos darker, so I’m assuming it’s the same thing.

Also, when you say 0-16 and 235-255 would you suggest changing the levels so instead of stretching them to 0 – 235 initially, I should stretch them 16-235 instead? (sorry COMPLETE newbie to grading/post here)

[John Rofrano]

[Stephen Crye] “I’m still struggling to “calibrate” my new Dell Ultrasharp, so right now I have no idea what I am seeing 😉 “

What are you using to calibrate it? I’ve had good success with my Spyder 3 Elite. (I think it’s now the Spyder 4 Elite). It’s kind of set and forget and it reminds you of when to re-calibrate.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[John Rofrano]

[Blake Gibson] “I also noticed that downloading the clip from youtube/vimeo after it had been uploaded, and the video is back to how it was originally (not darkened) so it appears that youtube and vimeo don’t convert the video, they just display it darker.”

Ahh… so it’s the YouTube player that is actually stretching the levels. That’s interesting. Now that you mention it, I think I remember having this conversation before.

[Blake Gibson] “Thanks again for the info about youtube and studio/computer RGB. I should have just asked here and not wasted my whole Sunday :D”

You’re welcome. I’ll have to remember that it’s the play that is causing it for the next time someone asks. 😉

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Angelo Mike]

How did I not know this about YouTube? In all the tutorials of rendering video for YouTube I’ve never seen anything mention Studio RGB levels.

[Stephen Crye]

Hi John;

https://www.amazon.com/Datacolor-Spyder4Elite-S4EL100-Colorimeter-Calibration/dp/B006TF36TM

$210.00 !

heh – guess that was one of your “expensed” items … too steep for me.

What do I use?

Various test patterns in a dark room while I fiddle with brightness, contrast, color and gamma. Then after I finish, and the photos and videos look like crap, I re-adjust until things look like the way I remember they looked to my eye – and leave it like that for a while until I am bugged by some kind of a post on Studio RGB vs Computer RGB, then the entire cycle repeats.

Pathetic, I know…

Steve

Win7 Pro X64 on Dell T7500, MultiTB SATA, 8GB RAM, nVidia Quadro 2000, Vegas 12, 11, 10, 9 DVDA 6.0 & 5.2(build 135) Sony HDR-CX550V, Panasonic GH3 with LUMIX G X VARIO 12-35mm / F2.8 ASPH, LUMIX G X VARIO 35-100mm / F2.8

[Stephen Crye]

Hi Blake;

One thing to keep in mind – the YT/Vimeo player does not just darken the vids, it also will raise the whites up to super-white and blow them out. Use your scopes to see that.

Thanks for the VLC clip and the research.

But thanks most of all for “Sleepwalking in the Rift” – reminds me of why we all do this stuff! I really, really liked it. The transitions, the way each shot and the pans guided my eyes to the next, the pacing, the music, everything … I showed it to my 19 year old daughter who just announced her engagement. She was transfixed.

Steve

Win7 Pro X64 on Dell T7500, MultiTB SATA, 8GB RAM, nVidia Quadro 2000, Vegas 12, 11, 10, 9 DVDA 6.0 & 5.2(build 135) Sony HDR-CX550V, Panasonic GH3 with LUMIX G X VARIO 12-35mm / F2.8 ASPH, LUMIX G X VARIO 35-100mm / F2.8

[John Rofrano]

[Stephen Crye] “$210.00 ! heh – guess that was one of your “expensed” items … too steep for me.”

Yes, but this is my business. I don’t mind investing to get a better quality product to my clients. I’ve been using this device for several years now so it’s worth it to me. You don’t need to get the Elite. You could just get the Pro or Express versions.

Spyder 3 Pro for $149
Spyder 3 Express for $79

The Elite and Pro will constantly monitor the light in your room and adjust your display if it changes from the ambient light that was present when you calibrated. The Express doesn’t do this. Also the Express might only support a single monitor while the Pro and Elite support dual/multiple monitors.

The point is your eyes are not sensitive enough to judge color. They will adapt to off white colors and tell your brain that they are white when actually they are very blue or orange when compared to real white. If you want accurate colors, you need to use a hardware calibrator. You can’t trust your eyes.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[John Rofrano]

Here is a comparison video on the Spyder 4 Elite, Pro, and Express. If you need to calibrate dual monitors, you need to get the Pro at minimum because the Express only works for a single monitor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW1UmA0NL8c

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

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[Stephen Crye]

Thanks John!

I might try the express, get my main Ultrasharp calibrated, and then just eyeball the second crappy monitor – which is old and dying and looks yelowish anyway. I don’t use it for anything other than general preview on 2nd monitor stuff, not for color or levels.

Steve

Win7 Pro X64 on Dell T7500, MultiTB SATA, 8GB RAM, nVidia Quadro 2000, Vegas 12, 11, 10, 9 DVDA 6.0 & 5.2(build 135) Sony HDR-CX550V, Panasonic GH3 with LUMIX G X VARIO 12-35mm / F2.8 ASPH, LUMIX G X VARIO 35-100mm / F2.8