When exporting a video from DaVinci Resolve and noticing that the whites aren’t pure white, the issue is likely related to video levels settings, particularly how the software is handling the range between full black and full white in the video signal. Here’s how you can address this:
- Ensure your project is set up with the correct color space and gamma settings. For standard projects, sRGB or Rec.709 is commonly used. You can find this under File > Project Settings > Color Management.
- In DaVinci Resolve, there’s a distinction between ‘video’ and ‘data’ levels. Video levels typically range from 16 to 235 in 8-bit video, whereas data levels range from 0 to 255. To ensure whites are pure white, you need to adjust these levels:
- Go to the Deliver page where you set up your export.
- Look for an option called Data Levels in the export settings. You might see it under the “Advanced Settings” or directly in the video settings depending on your version of Resolve.
- Choose Full instead of Video. This setting will use the full 0-255 range, making sure that your whites can reach the pure white level of 255.
- Check if your source footage or any effects and adjustments added in the timeline might be limiting the brightness levels. Use the scopes (Waveform Monitor) to check if your white levels are reaching 255 or are being clamped at a lower value. You can adjust this using the Color Wheels or Curves in the Color tab.
- If your export settings include a conversion to a different color space, it might affect the levels. Ensure that the output color space matches your project settings or is appropriate for where the video will be displayed.
- After making these adjustments, export a small clip as a test to check if the white levels are correct. This can save time instead of exporting the entire project only to find the issue still exists.
- Lastly, ensure that the issue isn’t related to how your monitor displays whites. Sometimes, a monitor might not be calibrated correctly, affecting how colors and brightness levels appear.
Adjusting these settings should help you get pure white in your exported MP4 file from DaVinci Resolve. If the problem persists, it might be useful to check for any updates or patches for DaVinci Resolve or consider reaching out to their support community for more tailored help.