Apple Final Cut Pro 5 - Manual (Page 1240)

Chapter 20 Color Correcting Clips 453
II
Color Corrector 3-Way Filter Controls
The Color Corrector 3-way filter gives you more subtle control over the color of your
clips than the Color Corrector filter. The controls are deceptively easy considering the
amount of power they give you over the look of your clips. The main controls are at the
top of the visual interface tab—three Color Balance controls and Level and Saturation
controls—and are described below. For information about the controls in the Limit
Effects area, see “
Limit Effect Controls in the Color Corrector and Color Corrector 3-Way
Filters ” on page 476.
Color Balance Controls in the Color Corrector 3-Way Filter
 Blacks Balance control: Drag in the Blacks Balance control to move the balance control
indicator and change the mix of red, green, and blue in the blacks of your clip.
 Blacks Select Auto-balance Color button (the eyedropper): Clicking the Blacks auto-
balance button turns the pointer into an eyedropper when it’s moved into the Video
tab of the Viewer or the Canvas. Click the tip of the eyedropper in what is supposed
to be the blackest area of your image, such as the innermost shadow in a dark area
of the picture. The color value of the pixel you selected is analyzed, and the Blacks
Balance control is automatically adjusted to turn that pixel into true black.
Note: When color correcting a clip, this control is usually the second step you take,
after first using the Auto Contrast controls and the Blacks, Mids, and Whites sliders
(described in the next section) to maximize the contrast of your image.
 Blacks Reset button: Click this button to reset the Blacks Balance control to its default
settings and restore your clip to the original color mix. Holding down the Shift key
while clicking this button resets the Blacks, Mids, Whites, and Saturation controls to
their default settings.
Blacks Reset button
Blacks Select
Auto-balance Color
button
Color Balance controls