What is Color Correction?
Color correction is a crucial process in film post-production. Software is used to alter the colors and contrast within a film to make it appear natural and unprocessed. Cameras often don't accurately capture the real-world tones and colors during filming, so video editors need to manually adjust these elements.
Color Correction vs Color Grading: What's the Difference
Color correction and color grading are two very similar concepts, and we run the risk of confusing them. So, before we start this article, let's see the difference between them. Color correction helps maintain cohesion across multiple clips, especially when filming occurs over several days or weeks. Tools can balance the colors to make it seem as if everything was filmed on the same day with the same cameras and lighting. The ultimate goal of color correction is to ensure footage looks exactly as the human eye sees things.
Color grading involves adjusting the colors in a film to create a specific mood or tone. Colorists use editing software to stylize the footage after completing color correction. Color grading can be used for both technical and creative changes. For artistic purposes, it ensures the film's carefully curated color palette conveys a specific atmosphere, style, or emotion.
Why Correct Color?
Color is pivotal in video footage, as it conveys mood, atmosphere, and symbolism to viewers. While you can control on-set colors, their appearance on film can vary, which is where color grading and correction are essential. Even with consistent camera and lighting setups, post-production may reveal significant variations in hue, saturation, and brightness across different shots. After editing, it's crucial to normalize these values to align the video colors with natural perception.
The best software for color correction simplifies color adjustments, even for novices. To assist you in finding the most suitable program, we've put together a list of the best video color correction software.
Direct answer
Color correction balances exposure, white balance, contrast, and color so footage looks natural and consistent across shots.
Color correction workflow
- Calibrate and profile your monitor in a neutral viewing environment.
- Set project color management (e.g., Rec.709 2.4 or ACES) and input transforms.
- Normalize log/RAW or mixed sources to your working color space.
- Balance exposure and white balance; fix tint casts.
- Set contrast and overall saturation; protect skin tones.
- Apply secondary adjustments (keys, masks) to refine regions and hues.
- Match shots and scenes so cuts intercut seamlessly.
- Quality check with scopes and a calibrated display; export with correct gamma.
Color correction vs color grading — quick definitions
Color correction makes footage look natural and consistent across shots. Color grading stylizes color to create a specific mood or look.
5 Best Color Grading Tools Comparision
| Program | OS | Best for | Price |
| UniFab | Win | Quick color correcting or AI video enhancing | $119.99 (Lifetime) |
| DaVinci Resolve | Win, Mac, Linux | Professional editing and color grading | $295 |
| Adobe Premiere Pro | Win | Color grading while editing video with advanced features | $20.99 to $79.99 |
| Clideo | Online | Advanced and basic video editing | $9/month (pro) |
| Kapwing | Online | Beginners and creators looking for an easy-to-use, online solution | $24/month (pro) |
Expanded comparison: key color grading features
| Program | OS | Free | Primary tools | LUT | HDR/Color space | ACES/OCIO | Learning curve | Price |
| UniFab | Win | Trial | AI enhance, auto adjust | Limited | Limited | No | Easy | $119.99 lifetime |
| DaVinci Resolve | Win, Mac, Linux | Yes | Node-based, wheels | Yes | Yes | Yes | Hard | Free / $295 |
| Adobe Premiere Pro | Win | Trial | Lumetri panel | Yes | Yes | Limited | Medium | $20.99–$79.99 |
| Clideo | Online | Free (limits) | Filters, sliders | No | No | No | Easy | $9/mo (pro) |
| Kapwing | Online | Free (limits) | Filters, sliders | No | No | No | Easy | $24/mo (pro) |
Buyer’s matrix: workflow, learning curve, and color management
| Factor | UniFab | DaVinci Resolve | Adobe Premiere Pro | Clideo | Kapwing |
| Workflow type | AI/auto | Node-based | Panel-based | Web sliders | Web sliders |
| Learning curve | Easy | Hard | Medium | Easy | Easy |
| Color management/ACES | No | Full ACES/OCIO | Limited | No | No |
| LUT support | Limited | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Free tier | Trial | Yes | Trial | Free (limits) | Free (limits) |
Best video color correction software
UniFab HDR Upconverter
UniFab HDR Upconverter is the first AI-powered solution for SDR to HDR conversion. It utilizes a vast library of cinematic pictures for training to automatically correct your video color to achieve a natural effect. It intelligently fine-tunes color and luminance to enrich detail, contrast, and dimensionality, rendering videos with heightened realism. For a full comparison of dedicated HDR tools, see our guide to the best HDR video software.
Supported OS: Win
Price: $119.99 (Lifetime)
Best For: beginners or semi-professionals
Advantages of Unifab
- Edit your videos by adjusting brightness, adding effects or changing colors.
- Supports both DCI-P3 and Rec.2020 color spaces for exceptional color accuracy.
- Supports both HDR10 and Dolby Vision for true Native HDR quality.
- Accept all formats of videos like 3gp, avi, flv, m2ts, mp4, mov, mkv, ogm, ts, etc.
- Offers Fast Mode and High-Quality Mode to match user preference for speed or precision.
- Supports a comprehensive editor module and batch video editing.
- 30-day free trial with full feature access
UniFab HDR Upconverter AI
Dynamically adjusts colors and brightness to enhance detail, contrast, and depth.
30-day free trial with full feature access – download and start now!
UniFab HDR Upconverter AI
UniFab HDR Upconverter AI
Dynamically adjusts colors and brightness to enhance detail, contrast, and depth.
30-day free trial with full feature access – download and start now!
HDR Upconverter AI for Mac
The Performance of Color Correction | |
Before | After |
How to Use UniFab HDR Upconverter to Correct Color
Step 1: Launch UniFab and Select HDR Upconverter
Install and launch the UniFab on your device first. Choose the "HDR Upconverter" module to enhance your videos.
Step 2: Upload, Customize, and Preview Your Video
Import your video file into UniFab. Adjust the settings to your liking. Finally, preview the processed result to ensure it meets your expectations.
Step 3: Start to Process the Video
Click the start button to upgrade the color of your videos
DaVinci Resolve
Supported OS: Windows, Mac
Price:
DaVinci Resolve: free
DaVinci Resolve Studio: $295
Key Features
- Advanced color-correction effect with primary color wheels and color warping tool
- Standout face-tracking features for targeted color adjustments
- Supports various plugins to enrich your color-correction experience
- You can store and re-use your saved color grades in a Color Grade Gallery
DaVinci Resolve is a comprehensive editing software that offers color correction, visual effects, and audio post-production tools. It provides advanced features for color adjustment, including primary color wheels for tweaking highlights, shadows, and mid-tones, ensuring precise control over your film's color scheme. The software also supports secondary color grading, enabling selective color changes for specific objects or individuals within a scene.
DaVinci Resolve processes images in 32-bit, ensuring professional results. The software helps maintain color consistency across different video sources, even if shot on separate days, and features a Color Grade Gallery for saving and reusing color settings.
However, its complex interface might be overwhelming for users seeking only color correction and grading. The software uses a node-based approach for color grading, which improves organization and facilitates adjustments to specific layers.
Advanced color-correction effects
Helps maintain color consistency across different video sources
A vast collection of FX plugins
A higher learning curve
Adobe Premiere Pro
Supported OS: Windows, Mac
Price:
Adobe Premiere Pro has 4 pricing editions, from $20.99 to $79.99
Key Features
- Video editing and color correction on one software
- Offers Built-in stock library
- Auto reframe for different aspect ratios
- Integrate seamlessly with all Adobe platforms
Adobe Premiere Pro is a comprehensive video editing software that includes advanced audio, video, text, and color editing capabilities. Its Lumetri Color panel is a standout feature for color grading, offering detailed adjustments like white balance and skin tone correction, as well as one-click fixes for quick edits. Users can apply and save color presets across their footage for a consistent look.
While Premiere Pro is feature-rich, it is also one of the more costly options available. If a user's primary need is for color corrections, this software may be too broad for your needs.
High-quality color correction tools such as curves and color wheel options
Many organization and collaboration tools
Responsive speed and fast rendering
Some techniques require additional applications, such as After Effects or Media Encoder
Intimidating interface for nonprofessionals
Occasionally pumping up saturation too much
The tracking abilities is not very accurate
One of the most expensive programs on the market
Video Color Correction Online
Clideo
Clideo is an online video editing tool that simplifies color correction by enabling adjustments to brightness, contrast, and saturation. With its easy-to-use interface, Clideo enhances video visual appeal quickly, providing a professional finish to projects without extensive technical knowledge.
Key features
- Basic color correction tools: Adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, and white balance
- Instant feedback: Utilize the preview feature to monitor the effects of your color edits as they happen with its live video preview feature.
- Custom color filters: Clideo provides a range of pre-set color filters to swiftly alter your video's aesthetic.
User-friendly Design
Fully functional online without the need for account registration.
Pre-set color filters that instantly modify your video's appearance.
Compatible with all devices, including smartphones, laptops, and tablets.
Free processing is limited to files under 500MB.
Lacks the ability to focus color correction on specific video areas.
Edited videos with the free plan with a watermark.
Kapwing
Kapwing is an accessible online video editor ideal for content creators. It excels not only in color grading but also in color correction and enhancing video quality. Kapwing's Video Color Corrector strikes a balance between simplicity and creative control, catering to both novices and those seeking advanced customization. It serves as a versatile bridge between basic and sophisticated online color grading tools.
Key features
- Customizable Advanced Controls: Kapwing provides extra options for adjusting exposure, shadows, and highlights for more nuanced edits.
- Learning Resources: The platform includes tutorials and articles to guide users through Kapwing's features.
- Browser-Based Convenience: Kapwing is accessible in any browser, eliminating the need for costly or bulky software.
- Versatile Export Formats: Videos can be exported in various formats, facilitating sharing across social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Collaborative Editing: Kapwing supports simultaneous editing and viewing of projects, which is ideal for teams working on video files together.
Device Compatibility: The tool is usable across a range of devices including tablets, laptops, and smartphones.
Processing Speed: The tool may slow down when handling high-resolution videos.
Watermark in Free Version: The free version of Kapwing includes a watermark on videos, which can be removed with a paid subscription.
Conclusion
Capturing your audience's interest hinges on video quality, so grasping color correction is crucial for transforming even the most basic videos into impressive ones.
UniFab utilizes advanced AI technology to simplify the process of adjusting video brightness and color to achieve the desired mood and theme. Those with limited editing experience can easily edit, colorize, and improve their videos' visual quality with just one click. To make your content stand out, try UniFab and discover how easy it is to revitalize videos.
Quick pick
TL;DR: Beginners—UniFab; Pros—DaVinci Resolve; Adobe users—Premiere Pro; Quick online—Clideo or Kapwing.
FAQs
What’s the difference between color correction and color grading?
Color correction aims to make images appear as realistic as possible, whereas color grading is used to create a specific visual mood. For example, enhancing the brightness of a tree is color correction, whereas changing a green tree to red is an act of color grading.
What is LUT?
LUTs, or Lookup Tables, are pre-defined color-grading templates. They enable you to apply a set color scheme to your footage, making the editing process more efficient.
What will be corrected when using the UniFab?
UniFab automatically ajust the color, contrast, white balance, saturation, and exposure in your media.
What’s the difference between 8-bit and 10-bit color?
10-bit stores 1024 levels per channel vs 256 in 8-bit, reducing banding and giving smoother gradients.
What are waveform and vectorscope?
Waveform shows luminance across the frame; vectorscope plots chroma, aiding accurate exposure and color.
How do LUTs differ from ICC profiles?
Align white balance and exposure first, use a chart or reference, then apply corrective grading or a match LUT.
Can I grade on a laptop screen?
Balance white balance, watch the vectorscope skin line, protect midtones, and avoid clipping saturation.
How do I keep skin tones natural?
Balance white balance, watch the vectorscope skin line, protect midtones, and avoid clipping saturation.
How can I match shots from different cameras?
Align white balance and exposure first, use a chart or reference, then apply corrective grading or a match LUT.
What is gamma, and why does it matter?
Gamma defines midtone contrast; use the target (e.g., 2.2/2.4) to match delivery and avoid shifts.