da Vincis 2K Plus, the leading color enhancement system and the most widely used system in digital intermediate (DI) applications, has recently been upgraded with the release of version 4.0, which includes the introduction of the ColorTrace and Toolbox2 options. Major enhancements in the new release include fingertip access to many powerful Toolbox2 features such as enhanced PowerVectors, enhanced Defocus, and realtime vfx.
Speed and creativity continue to be tremendously important as colorists strive to satisfy the expectations of their clients, said Tony Fox, director of marketing at da Vinci Systems. With that in mind, weve made the 2K Plus easier and faster to use by matching the Toolbox2 interface closely to that of the 2K Plus, giving colorists that instant familiarity and the ability to access all the features in high-pressure situations. In addition, our new ColorTrace option gives colorists the flexibility they need to quickly and easily update their color grades to match editorial changes.
Colorists can now use four independent PowerVectors, which quadruple the available defocus areas. Each PowerVector provides independent matte defocus and color correction, allowing colorists to isolate just the right areas faster than ever. An individual PowerVector can qualify color in three dimensions hue, saturation and luminance and can be combined with Toolbox2s on-board PowerWindows for complete geographical and color isolation. PowerVectors allow overlapping in any color dimension, so virtually any combination of vectors can be used for highly defined areas. Color correction adjustments supported by Toolbox2 include HSL plus YUV Offset controls for maximum flexibility and power.
The 2K Plus defocus capability is now more powerful as Toolbox2 presents a unique effects area that delivers image and matte defocus for both In Window and Out of Window corrections, as well as onboard PowerWindows with key signals or a PowerVector qualifier.
More controls are now easily available within the redesigned Toolbox2 interface, which includes a library of realtime, preset effects that provide immediate results. Those parameters can be used as is, saving several steps, or can be adjusted manually to achieve the desired result. Easily accessible effects filters include motion blur, noise, emboss, textures, fog, watercolor and more. Noise and selectable textures can both be applied inside a window, and noise parameters can be refined to match clean material with noisy material. Textures can also be animated to simulate dirt, flicker and other effects.
With the ColorTrace option, colorists can update color grading lists to match any editorial changes made to the program material, saving hours of manual copying and list manipulation. ColorTrace enables a more efficient workflow, allowing facilities to begin the grading process before the cut is locked, without concern for how the final editing decisions will be incorporated into the color grading list. ColorTrace compares the new conform EDL with a database of source time codes to match original grades to content in the new conform. With ColorTrace, the task of manually updating 2K list changes has been reduced from hours to seconds.
Version 4.0 of the 2K Plus also includes the enhanced ability to track windows per scene and window, so that effects will remain on the desired areas even during panning and scanning, while vignettes can remain undisturbed. 4.0 gives colorists the ability to import images of a desired effect into the 2K Plus for side-by-side comparison, a boon for matching a DPs vision. The new version also includes support for one of the first HSDL noise reducers, the Cintel imageMill and support for the Digital Vision ASC3 and RGB HD noise reducer. Window-tracking capability for the DVS Clipster also is included in the new version.
2K Plus Version 4.0 with Colorist Toolbox2 is available now. The Toolbox2 upgrade is free to all current Colorist Toolbox owners with active service agreements.
da Vinci Systems (www.davsys.com), a JDS Uniphase company, is a leading provider of color enhancement and image restoration products used in post-production facilities worldwide. Incorporating the companys Emmy Award-winning technology, da Vincis products support SDTV, HDTV, data and digital film. The company is headquartered in Coral Springs, Florida, with offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Germany and Singapore.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
