[FFmpeg-user] FFMPEG introduces color shift to DNxHD MOVs

[Mike Scheutzow]

Nathan Rusch wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> In trying to troubleshoot another issue, I’ve run across a subtle,
> consistent color shift being introduced by FFMPEG to DNxHD-encoded
> MOVs. Thus, they fail to match both DNxHD MOVs generated with the
> Avid codec, as well as both MOVs’ common source material (an 8-bit
> RGB TIFF sequence).


ffmpeg always assumes the BT.601 colorspace when converting from 
RGB->YUV and from YUV->RGB. A patch to fix this is welcome, but no one 
has ever cared enough to provide it.

So if you do:

ffmpeg:     RGB -> [BT.601 matrix] -> YUV

other tool: YUV -> [BT.709 matrix] -> RGB

then you get a color shift like you describe.

Workaround: feed ffmpeg with a file containing YUV that's been properly 
converted.


Mike Scheutzow