Color and output settings for .mov files?

Question

My GH3 shoots either AVCHD, Mp4, or its own variant of the .mov files, up to 60fps and 'all-intra'. Fine and dandy. The .mov files are the easiest to use as they are always just one file, no 'related' files to copy over etc. I'm trying to figure out how to do my grading in Sg, then render for final output so that I can then take that file and port for various possible uses such as dvd, standard computer use, web use ... typical modern stuff.
I've tried setting the timeline to various settings including gamma 1.8 and essentially "none", tried various setting in the render-output panels, using PhotoJpeg or H.264 as the "base" and then trying either no calibration or various choices there ... and still having troubles finding how to match the Sg monitor to the final output.
Any general or preferably specific ideas? I've searched a number of places, and ... this is something that is just mentioned in walk-throughs everywhere I've looked, if it even gets that much. Neither the Adobe movies nor Lynda-dot-com cover this ... and I've spent a couple days doing nothing but this. So ... ideas?
Neil

Answer 1

Same here, I find it unbelievable this occurs and there doesn't seem te be a solution. Is it something developpers know about but can't solve so ignore all the discussions about it?
It seems so simple to me: whether the monitor is calibrated or not, whatever monitor it is, when I place the exported movie window in Quicktime, and one in VLC, next to the Speedgrade window, all on the same monitor, it all should look the same right?! Ok, so I hear Quicktime does its own calibration while playing.
I'm working on a project now which are product films, the end result is a room where everything is white (not overexposed, all details are in there), the product black and blue, plus a model (brown skin).
I'm including a few screenshots of the same shot in different players. Speedgrade, VLC, Quicktime, MPEG Streamclip. MPEG Streamclip comes closest to the Speedgrade monitor. How can I possibly sell this to my client? This is shown on laptops at presentations, beamers via laptops (probably all Windows), big screens with a built-in mediaplayer etc, and most important: online! on youtube/ vimeo.. Not operated by experts, no control over which player is used.
The films will probably almost always be shown by someone doubleclicking on the file, so it opens in the systems standard movieplayer, Quicktime or Windows Media Player. It just has to look good in this! How do I do this?
When I place the exported clip on top of my Speedgrade timeline, it does change (the whole histogram range shifts brighter).
edit: I now exported with Automatic Color Calibration ON, the results has better contrast/ resembles contrast I see in Speedgrade. Placing this clip on top of my Speedgrade timeline shows almost exactly the same. Export to ProRes4444 AutCC: Histogram expands tiny tiny bit, can't see a change in the monitor it's so small.
Export to ProRes422 AutCC: Histogram expands a bit, you can see a slight change in the monitor (whites bit brighter, black bit darker). But acceptable.
No change in the color differences though! Skin colour varies huge in different viewers, highlights have more green/ more magenta.
speedgrade
quicktime
vlc
mpeg streamclip
These screenshots look exactly the same as how the colors are in the viewer the screenshots comes from, even when I place this browser window next to it on the same (calibrated) monitor.
Thanks for any tips..
Peter
edit 2: The frustration gets worse. Playing the clip (prores 422 with Automatic Color calibration) in Preview (Mac, by hitting spacebar when on the file in Finder) shows EXACTLY what I see in Speedgrade monitor! It feels like the solution is out there somewhere but I can't reach it (cause no one will actually play the video in Preview).
Message was edited by: pvd81