Author Topic: Video looks darker after upload compared to original on computer (Read 8443 times)

Nico · « **on:** March 30, 2019, 06:53 »

Hi all,
I've recently noticed that my videos look darker on microstock websites (at least on Shutterstock and Adobe) than on my computer.

I mean, if I put side by side on my screen, the video on the microstock website, and my local file preview on the computer, I can notice a slight difference in brightness between the two.

It's an issue, because I expose the video correctly on my computer, and then it looks underexposed on the microstock websites.

I have no clue what is causing that. I would not be surprised if it's a color space thing (like uploading a photo in Adobe RGB on microstock makes it look different because of the conversion to sRGB).

Here's my technical environment:

- Video from Canon DSLR or DJI drone (in .MOV or .MP4 - I've noticed the problem with both file formats)
Canon DSLR video settings:
- Picture style: standard
- Full HD 29.97 fps ALL-I

- Post-treatment in Premiere Pro (always up to date version)
- Computer: MacBook Pro with Display Profile: Colour LCD (default setting)
- Export settings (I don't know which ones are relevant in this case, they are basically default settings):

Format: H.264
File extension: .MP4
Basic video settings:
- Field Order: Progressive
- TV standard: NTSC
- Render at Maximum Depth: Unchecked
Encoding settings:
- Performance: Software Encoding
- Profile: Main
- Level: 4.1
- Rec. 2020 Color Primaries: Unchecked
- High Dynamic Range: Unchecked
Bitrate settings:
- Bitrate Encoding: VBR, 1 pass
- Target Bitrate: 50 Mbps (HD video)
- Maximum Bitrate: 50 Mbps
..... cannot find any color space setting. From what I read on Internet, Premiere Pro maintains the color space of the original file.

Have you experienced something similar? What can cause this?

georgep7 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2019, 08:35 »

I don't know if this help, but, for slight light differences
I have noticed that working half day everyday in dark Pr or other NLE envirnments
when I open the white browser window or some agencies hospital white pages,
everything seems too bright to my eyes. I mean background perhaps make
identical clips seem slightly different?

Just curious, why do you uncheck render in maximum depth option?

uvox4 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 01, 2019, 17:50 »

Is your monitor calibrated? If not that could be the difference.

Ozone · « **Reply #3 on:** April 01, 2019, 18:29 »

Video look differs between browsers, stock sites, media players etc. Different video levels (0-255, 16-235), different gammas (2.2, 2.35, 2.4), different decoding algorythms. Each and every one generates previews in an unique way. A particular browser may be ICC enabled, others may not. Stock sites may convert lets say the rec709 @2.4 gamma video you've just uploaded to srgb @ 2.2. Sadly we can't do anything about it. Just be sure to grade the footage on a calibrated system which should be a good middleground between all of that nastyness buyers have to deal with on stock sites.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #4 on:** April 02, 2019, 13:53 »

Quote from: Ozone on April 01, 2019, 18:29

Video look differs between browsers, stock sites, media players etc. Different video levels (0-255, 16-235), different gammas (2.2, 2.35, 2.4), different decoding algorythms. Each and every one generates previews in an unique way. A particular browser may be ICC enabled, others may not. Stock sites may convert lets say the rec709 @2.4 gamma video you've just uploaded to srgb @ 2.2. Sadly we can't do anything about it. Just be sure to grade the footage on a calibrated system which should be a good middleground between all of that nastyness buyers have to deal with on stock sites.

Right, and someone pointed this out before, when a similar discussion came up. The buyer will see everything the same, on their system as they see everyone else's video or images. If we upload something good, it's going to look just as good on a buyers computer, relative to anyone else's uploads.

Or another way of looking at it. This is beyond our control. See Above:

Nico · « **Reply #5 on:** April 03, 2019, 04:17 »

Quote from: Ozone on April 01, 2019, 18:29

Video look differs between browsers, stock sites, media players etc. Different video levels (0-255, 16-235), different gammas (2.2, 2.35, 2.4), different decoding algorythms. Each and every one generates previews in an unique way. A particular browser may be ICC enabled, others may not. Stock sites may convert lets say the rec709 @2.4 gamma video you've just uploaded to srgb @ 2.2. Sadly we can't do anything about it. Just be sure to grade the footage on a calibrated system which should be a good middleground between all of that nastyness buyers have to deal with on stock sites.

I didn't know that different players may use different settings/encoding algorithms to display videos. Thank you for pointing this out, I've learned something today, and it might pretty well explain the reason of my issue.

Not Today · « **Reply #6 on:** April 03, 2019, 05:41 »

Format: H.264
File extension: .MP4
- Target Bitrate: 50 Mbps (HD video)
- Maximum Bitrate: 50 Mbps

You're creating a big file in a tight container. Why not simply leave it as quicktime .mov?

Stu49 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 06, 2019, 04:01 »

turn down the brightness of your screen !! It's probably way too high, causing you to lower brightness of images !

quietfall · « **Reply #8 on:** April 12, 2019, 07:30 »

On my pc i have the same issue but i just compensate in post knowing already. Resolve and Premiere are a bit brighter, VLC is even brighter and windows media player is spot on with agencies

Ozone · « **Reply #9 on:** April 12, 2019, 15:34 »

Quote from: quietfall on April 12, 2019, 07:30

On my pc i have the same issue but i just compensate in post knowing already. Resolve and Premiere are a bit brighter, VLC is even brighter and windows media player is spot on with agencies

It's a problem with levels. VLC assumes 16-235.

For "reference" viewing I'm using MPC-HC with color management enabled. In MPC-HC It's possible to choose between 0-255 / 16-235, and different gamma levels varying on viewing enviroment (2.2 for lit rooms, 2.35/2.4 for fairly dark rooms).