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Zeiss Lens correction in Resolve

Mark A. Jaeger

Mark A. Jaeger

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I purchased Silverstack XT for extraction of dynamic metadata from my Zeiss CP3 that's embedded in the Red R3D. Second step is exporting the generated ZLCF files. This works fine.

I want to edit in Resolve but I cannot find a way to do the two Zeiss lens corrections there.

Premiere Pro has a plug-in that works OK so I tried to make the jump from PP to DR. So far I have tried: Import the R3D with lens data into Premiere Pro and only apply the two Zeiss corrections to the R3D in the timeline using the Inspector to control/et al. Then export an EDL and open Resolve. Bring the same clips used in Premiere Pro into the Resolve Media Pool. Then Import Timeline and use the exported EDL for the timeline generation. To make the lens corrections easy to see I applied a mask but the corrections don't show in the clips. I tried using AAF and XML instead of EDL but to no avail.

I am fairly certain that I can apply the corrections in Premiere Pro and then export as Pro Res (or other) but then the benefit of editing with the R3D is lost. Plus, more exporting is a PITA. Is there a better way?


If you know how to do Zeiss lens corrections using ZLCF in Resolve, please, please tell me.
 
Rand, As usual you're all over the available information on the web. I had the supplied articles already but sincere thanks for the contribution.

Above, you can read the overview of the procedure I used to move from Premiere Pro to Davinci Resolve 17 Beta 7. I got this method from Youtube. Is there a better way to do it wherein all of the Premiere Pro post-production will carry over into Resolve? I am pretty sure that I am not plowing virgin ground here. There has got to be a method (other than a high grade render/export) that will carry the post work forward.

If there is no procedure that works, what is the collective opinion on the Premiere Pro export format that will lose the least quality moving forward into Resolve?
 
Mark,


You want to export the project or clips in question out of Premiere pro as a Final Cut Pro XML file and then import that XML file into Davinci Resolve. I use to do this when I was using Avid Media Composer with Resolve however it was an .AAf file that I imported into Resolve.

I don't know about an Xml import from Premiere, but with the .AAf files from Avid it gave you the Option to Relink to the Raw files from Avid into Resolve.

Here is a video of the Premiere XML export.


 
Mark,

Here's a quick example I just tried with Premiere and Resolve. It brought the XML import from Premiere in as an .R3D file into Resolve.


Screenshot-699.png


Screenshot-696.png


Screenshot-700.png


Screenshot-697.png


Screenshot-700.png



Timeline
Screenshot-701.png



Color Page
Screenshot-698.png
 
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Rand, I was pleased to see your post as the procedure is different from what I'd been doing.
I loaded one short R3D into Premiere Pro and applied the Zeiss distortion and Zeiss shading corrections. I masked the shading to be able to easily tell if the correction passed to Resolve. It did not. I didn't get that far. The Premiere Pro XML Translation Report said "Settings on clip XXX not translated. Sequence <ZZZ> at video track 1: Effect <Zeiss Lens Distortion Correction on clip XXX not translated." A similar message regarding the distortion correction was also in the translation report.

AAF export has a similar problem - just different reporting.

In searching the web tonight I did find that, at least in 2017, there was a Resolve plugin similar to the current one for Premiere but Zeiss discontinued support for the Windows 10 version. I am a Mac guy so I am hoping it wasn't a blanket discontinuation. There is mention of Resolve in current Zeiss eXtended data literature but I can only find plugins for PP, AE and Nuke.

I have reached out to Zeiss to see if the plugin still exists for Resolve. With some luck, they'll respond tomorrow.

Thanks for your help herein and your many informative posts to the forum.
 
Mark,

I'm sorry that the XML workflow didn't work out. I really hoped that the Extended Data info that you had collected and applied to the Red .R3D in Premiere would have carried over into Resolve inside of the XML file but I see that it didn't

You would have thought that Zeiss would have made the application of the Extended Data info for their lenses more widely available in many more post processing applications. It seems Nuke and After Effects seems to be the only applications they feel they will Officially support, atleast for now.

Maybe they will develop some type of stand alone external application that will allow for the export of a more uniformly acceptable import file into many more post processing applications


And thank you very much for your comments.


rand
 
Rand,
IMO the extended data program within Zeiss is not well-cooked as follows: a) the data is recorded in the R3D which is very nice as you don't need a separate box for the recording but you need to spend $600 for a subscription to Pomfort Silverstack XT to extract the data and prepare the ZLCF (Zeiss Lens Correction File) to apply the change to the R3D; 2) the software that can use the ZLCF seems to only be Premiere Pro, After Effects and Nuke. While Premiere Pro and AE are well known and widely used, not being able to carry the lens correction forward into Resolve is a big miss. Nuke is expensive and, as I'm not doing VFX work, is not a good expenditure.

I think Zeiss should work up an plugin that would allow one to load an R3D, extract the correction metadata and apply the corrections. IMO, the present scheme is a big disincentive to buy the extended data version of the lenses (if you want to color grade in Resolve).
 
Mark,

I couldn't agree more! Why pay extra for lenses with the extended data feature with all of additional costs in extra applications to properly utilize it! I do understand that these costs might be very minimal for high dollar feature projects where heavy amounts of VFX Tracking and image placement are critical but how about everyone else.

It's just frustrating to have to go through so much time and effort and cost to use the feature for maybe just a simple distortion correction in post or whatever.
 
Here's the end of this saga for me;
- There is no plugin for Resolve, at this time, that will do Zeiss Lens Correction.
- Zeiss Lens correction is readily accomplished in Premier Pro, After Effects and, I'm told, Nuke.
- You need Pomfort Silverstack XT to extract the dynamic metadata and generate the .zlcf files.
- There is no way to get the Lens Correction in PP or AE into Resolve except to render/export the files and then import them in Resolve. You lose raw editing and have the pleasure of lots of rendering time.
- Using EDL, AAF or XML export in PP to move editing to DR will NOT carry the Zeiss Lens Correction forward.

After Rand's generous postings about Resolve I watched many of them and adopted Resolve as my preferred editor (over FCPX and PP). I particularly like the HDR color grading. It looks like this has cost me the possibility to do Zeiss Lens Correction. Maybe things will change but that's the present bottom line as I see it.
 
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