Can "Match Color" only work successfully when there are just subtle differences?

I have never seen Match Color work well, all the times I've tried.

FCP X does a pretty good job fixing white balance when a clip is analyzed and then you click on the Balance check box.

Otherwise, I'd do it manually with color.

IF you like Sony cameras, you might like the balance function. Personally I think it gives everything an overly blue cast.

We're searching a white balance plugin form a third party for FCPX. The lack of a white balance routine or filter is lamely unprofessional.

How Match-Color matches is still a riddle for me!

Using cheap cams simultanousely (some are so cheap, they don't offer any white balancing), I often try MatchColor (the green of the green my boys play on should look same in all angles… ) but most of the times, it fails; contrasts go wild, luminance changes, colors get worse then before.

Using a WhiteBalance plugin from FCPeffects (special price: 20$) helped me a lot, let's try it on your example:

row #1: Initilal situation: rightt shot obviously too much red

row #2: exposure seems to be identcally, you could increase contrasts (lower blacks, rise lights) … cosmetics ...

row #3: FCPX' suggestion to 'balance': scope tells, colors are not balanced (or, how should I interpret that?) And it adds saturation!

row #4: applied the plug-in (I used the door as 'reference')... better! Although, the charming dancer has, imho, still too much green in her skin-tone (??)

Mr Jordan gives here some tipps, how to adjust WB using skin-tones:

https://youtu.be/jX45Yi1spY4?t=24m25s

I added a jump-mark to minute 24, the half hour before is interesting too, but I know, not everybody likes the 'speed' of Larry... 😉

I learned from this video, that caucasian women have a grey-scale value!! … what a pick-up line: "hey, I think, our grey-scale values match!" ... note2myslef: "stop being 'funny' in foreign languages!!"

to summarize:

WB first (best practice: in camera, but optional in FCPX too), and then doctoring colors ...

btw, FCPX lil' brother, iMovie, offers a built-in WhiteBalance-Button since a few versions. Automatisms are not 'pro', I know, but luckily, at Apple, they don't care - hopefully, we see this feature soon in FCPX too (oops, bad news for plug-in makers!!)

… but, by what criteria Match Color matches colors? ... no idea! 😝

Ian R. Brown wrote:

Karsten, you are indeed a GG (German Genius)!

iMovie is truly the editing app to which all others must aspire..

hmm, Alex (4D) Golner once digged in the code of iMovie and discovered some features, which later found its way to FCPX … that cazy version iMovie08 was a publci stunt test for later appearanced FCPX so, perhaps, we should call iMovie the older, although smaller brother of FinalCut …

Thanks for calling me German Genius but this is MY towel on that beach chair, Sir!!!!

😉

concidering to change the industry: this weeks soccer match (rec+edit, my usual routine with 5 cams), 2days rec+edit (not done yet) a theatre play …or whatever that performancet was, editing a last year recorded 'Lord of the flies' (my son's school definitely plays too much theatre!!), 3 cams Multicam, the Xmas act of the school's orchestre corrodes of my bacup-platters, and, right now, a 2h concert (2 cams, me alone) … Sicilian Musician, I couldn't regret that offer ............phpheww!

Next purchase: a bigger/better screen!!! I'm keen on one of those 21:9 beasts ... that is screen estate!!!