How to Read Scopes in DaVinci Resolve: A Complete Guide
Understanding how to read scopes is essential for accurate color grading in DaVinci Resolve. Scopes help you make precise adjustments to exposure, color balance, and saturation. In this article, we'll explore the different types of scopes, where to find them, and how to use them effectively to improve your grading workflow.
For a detailed walkthrough on how to read scopes in DaVinci Resolve, check out the YouTube video below, where I explain each tool and show how to use them effectively.
Let's dive in!
Where to Find Scopes
Scopes are typically located in the bottom right corner of the screen on a single-monitor setup. If you don’t see them, click the Scopes icon (it looks like a graph). On dual-monitor setups, scopes appear on the second screen. You can also open them as a separate window via Workspace > Video Scopes > On and position them as needed. Keep them as large as possible for accurate readings.
Histogram
The Histogram is one of the most basic yet essential tools for assessing exposure in your footage. It displays pixel luminosity, with 0 on the left representing pure black and 100 on the right representing pure white. The height of the graph indicates how many pixels fall within a specific brightness level. For instance, if you see a peak on the left side, it means there are many dark pixels; if there’s a peak on the right, there are many bright pixels.
While the Histogram provides a general sense of exposure, it doesn't offer much detailed information about specific parts of the image. However, it’s helpful for quickly identifying if your image is overexposed (with pixels bunched up at the 100 mark) or underexposed (with pixels gathered at the 0 mark). If you notice clipping on either end, it indicates lost detail in the highlights or shadows, which might be irreversible.
The Histogram is a quick way to check overall exposure, but to get more precise information, you should use other scopes like the Waveform. It’s a good starting point for beginners to understand where their image falls on the exposure spectrum, but don’t rely on it alone for complex color grading.
Waveform
The Waveform scope is a more detailed tool that not only measures brightness levels like the Histogram but also shows where specific brightness levels occur across the image. It maps pixel luminance from 0 at the bottom (pure black) to 100 at the top (pure white), and it arranges them horizontally from left to right, corresponding directly to your image. This way, you can see how brightness varies across the frame.
For example, in a frame from a Maserati video I directed, you can observe two specular lights on the top left and right of the frame. These lights are represented as two spikes on the left and right sides of the Waveform. Similarly, a window in the middle of the frame appears as a spike in the center of the Waveform. This ability to match parts of your image to the Waveform makes it a powerful tool for balancing exposures.
Let’s consider another example—a low-key shot from a project on artificial intelligence. The image is predominantly dark, but the android in the middle is bright. The Waveform clearly shows this contrast, with a significant cluster of dark pixels near the bottom and a few bright spikes representing the android. You can also see smaller peaks from light sources on the table edges.
A useful feature in DaVinci Resolve is the Display Qualifier Focus. By enabling this in the Scopes Menu and selecting the Qualifier Tool, you can hover over the image, and DaVinci will highlight where those pixels are in the Waveform. This helps you pinpoint which parts of your image correspond to which areas on the scope.
Finally, when analyzing brighter scenes (high-key lighting), you’ll see most of the Waveform data distributed above the 40–50% mark, indicating more overall brightness. Understanding where each element should fall on the Waveform is crucial for consistent exposure, and tools like the Ansel Adams Zone System can help guide you. Waveforms are by far the scope I use the most, as they provide a comprehensive view of both brightness and distribution across the image.
Parade
The Parade is a more advanced version of the Waveform scope that separates the image’s red, green, and blue channels. Like the Waveform, it arranges pixel brightness from 0 to 100 and displays them horizontally from left to right. However, it shows each color channel separately, making it a powerful tool for white balancing and color correction.
For instance, in a clip from a Maserati project, the Parade reveals a strong bluish tint in the image, which is intentional. If you need to correct such a tint—say, to ensure a logo appears neutral white—you can use the Parade to guide your adjustments. By aligning the peaks of the red, green, and blue channels, you can neutralize any unwanted color cast. This can be done using the RGB Mixer. First, disable Preserve Luminance, then adjust the red and blue outputs until the channels are balanced, and the waves in the Parade align.
The Parade scope is slightly less intuitive for element placement than the Waveform because it compresses the image proportions. However, it's excellent for comparing colors between multiple clips and ensuring consistency across shots. By balancing each channel separately, you can eliminate color tints and achieve a more neutral, professional look.
For more detailed tutorials on balancing color channels using the Parade, check out Darren Mostyn’s video, which offers an in-depth guide on this technique.
Vectorscope
The Vectorscope is a vital tool for assessing color and saturation in your footage. It displays colors arranged around a circular graph, with the center representing zero saturation. The further a point is from the center, the more saturated the color. The layout follows the order of the color wheel, starting from red at the top and moving clockwise through magenta, blue, cyan, green, and yellow. This makes it easy to see the dominant colors in your image.
For instance, let’s look at a detail from a Maserati video featuring their new engine, Nettuno. The scene is monochromatic, with colors ranging from desaturated tones to a peak at the letter "C" (cyan) on the Vectorscope. By adjusting the Hue, you can see the colors rotate around the scope. This example is quite saturated, which you’ll notice as the colors extend to the edge of the REC 709 color space. When this happens, it indicates that the image is pushing against the limits of what can be represented within that space. You can visualize this in the CIE Chromaticity Window.
The Vectorscope is not only useful for overall color and saturation but also for skin tones. By going into the Vectorscope menu and enabling the Show Skin Tone Indicator, a line will appear. This line represents where natural skin tones should fall on the color wheel, regardless of ethnicity. For example, let’s examine a clip from a corporate video I made. The scene has a distinct yellow tint, and you can see on the Vectorscope that the skin tone does not align correctly, as it falls to the left of the line. To correct this, use the Offset wheel to adjust the hue, bringing the skin color back to the correct spot on the line.
Once corrected, the clip naturally falls back into the popular orange and teal color palette, as it was shot using a mix of tungsten and daylight lighting. The Vectorscope ensures that your colors remain balanced, and it’s an essential tool for creating a consistent, professional look across your footage.
For more detailed information about color spaces and their impact on your footage, check out my video on DaVinci Wide Gamut and REC 709.
Conclusion
Scopes are essential tools in DaVinci Resolve for precise color grading. By understanding how to read and use each scope, you can improve the accuracy of your edits and achieve better results. Master these tools, and your grading process will be much smoother.
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