Hi PixBoomers,
We’ve noticed that some users working with PixBoom RAW footage may not yet be getting the most out of what the format has to offer. These files preserve a great deal of color information and image detail, but fully unlocking that potential depends on how the footage is interpreted, color-managed, and graded in post.
That’s why we’d love to work with the PixBoomer community to build a practical color-grading workflow for PixBoom sample footage in DaVinci Resolve. Our goal is to create a clear and approachable guide that helps everyone make better use of the original color information, dynamic range, and overall image quality captured by PixBoom cameras.
What follows is the first draft of this workflow, compiled with insights and experience shared by members of our community. It’s meant to serve as a practical starting point rather than a rigid set of rules—because, as every colorist knows, there’s rarely only one “correct” way to shape an image.
We’d love for fellow PixBoomers to contribute their own experience. If you’ve found a better setting, workflow, or grading approach, please share it in the comments. Your feedback will help us refine the guide and make it more useful for the entire community.
Once the guide is finalized, we’ll officially publish the complete version on the PixBoom website.
Thank you for helping us build it—and happy grading, PixBoomers!
Introduction
When a camera records video as RGB data after processed by ISP (Image Signal Processor), directly mapping it to a limited-bit-depth Rec.709/Gamma video signal results in inefficient code value allocation, reducing flexibility in post-production. Log encoding addresses this by using a nonlinear transfer function to redistribute the available code values across different luminance levels, allowing each exposure stop—especially in the shadows, highlights, and midtones—to be represented more efficiently. Combined with codecs after ISP such as H.265, Log recording preserves as much dynamic range and grading latitude as possible.
In comparison, the CinemaDNG output converted from Spark is closer to the sensor’s original image data. It currently preserves the sensor-captured image information as native 10-bit linear sensor data, while color-related parameters such as white balance and the color matrix are primarily stored as metadata. This minimizes irreversible information loss introduced by ISP image processing and video encoding, providing greater flexibility for post-production.
This document provides a basic workflow for processing Spark CinemaDNG footage in DaVinci Resolve. It is designed to help users quickly establish a complete workflow covering CinemaDNG media import, color management, primary image adjustments, and Rec.709 output. Users can use this workflow as a starting point and further leverage DaVinci Resolve’s grading tools and features to achieve richer and more customized creative looks.
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Note 1: This document is based on DaVinci Resolve 20. Users of other versions can refer to this workflow accordingly, although the interface and specific options may vary between versions.
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Note 2: The footage used for demonstration is from Slow-mo Video Archive | PIXBOOM Spark Official Creators
Import footage
After shooting, import the CinemaDNG sequence into DaVinci Resolve. Navigate to the directory containing the original CinemaDNG files, the consecutively numbered CinemaDNG image sequence will be automatically recognized and displayed as a single clip, which can then be dragged into the project.
User can then add the CinemaDNG clip to an existing timeline or create a new timeline directly from the clip.
Camera RAW setting
In the Color page, open the Camera RAW tab. Set “Decode Using” to “Clip” to allow the parameters to be adjusted individually for the selected clip. Then, set “Color Space” to “Blackmagic Design” and “Gamma to Blackmagic Design Film”, respectively, as the decoding color space and gamma for the CinemaDNG files. According to Davinci Resolve manual, Blackmagic Design’s logarithmically encoded Blackmagic Design Film gamma setting, which produces flat-contrast, wide-gamut image data that preserves image detail with awide latitude for adjustment, is a modified version of the standard Cineon curve.
“Highlight Recovery” is a checkbox that attempts to recover highlight details when one or more color channels are clipped while others remain below clipping. The additional highlight information is reconstructed by analyzing the unclipped channels, which may help recover detail in partially clipped highlights. However, this process can introduce color shifts or other image artifacts. Test and use this option according to the specific footage and desired result.
On the right, several RAW processing options are available, allowing parameters such as white balance and exposure to be adjusted non-destructively.
Next, add a Color Space Transform (CST) node to convert the footage from the color space configured above to Rec.709 or another desired color space. Alternatively, the footage can be converted to the color space of another camera to facilitate color matching between different camera sources. In this example, ARRI Wide Gamut 3 and LogC3 are used as the target color space and gamma. Other options can be kept as default or adjusted in case of need. Users can then perform further color adjustments and grading within this color space.
Finally, apply a LogC-to-709 LUT in this node to convert the footage to the Rec.709 color space for delivery and distribution. Alternatively, users can select and apply the appropriate output transform for their desired delivery color space.
