DrDre

All I can say is: freaking awesome!

With regards to the -1 corrections there are a couple of things to consider:

1) It's not the process, but mostly the reference and the source that determine the outcome. If blacks are crushed in the reference or the source, they end up crushed in the correction.

2) The dark areas in the -1 preview don't have much detail, due to compression, so by definition any increase in contrast will lead to crushed blacks. 

3) The colors in this source are in pretty poor shape.

4) The correction is meant to demonstrate the potential of the method. This correction was done, based on a single Tantive IV frame, assuming the Mike Verta frame is a good reference. So, it is not going to be perfect for the entire film. The fact that it works this well is surprising to say the least, but this is not meant to be a final color correction for the -1 sample. 

I've improved my method, by including the rotations archimedes is using, with the difference that it can also predict other frames.

Here's the bluray calibrated to the unaltered Legacy frame:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139276

Here's the other three bluray frames from the Tantive IV scene, adjusted with this color adjustment model:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139278

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139279

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139280

Here's an updated video sample for the -1 Tatooine scenes, using the white balanced Tantive IV Legacy frame.

The original sample:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8_LYKyZDiajcUxOV01lc2hZTjg/view?usp=sharing

The color corrected sample:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8_LYKyZDiajNFBzYktRU201M1U/view?usp=sharing

Here's an updated Tantive IV video sample for the -1 color correction, based on the single reference frame.

The original sample:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8_LYKyZDiajcUpGOE1Ha3Z6dkU/view?usp=sharing

The color corrected sample: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8_LYKyZDiajaUxBZTZ1VEhUcW8/view?usp=sharing

Using the same white balanced Legacy frame, I recalibrated the color adjustment model for the -1 video sample:

Legacy white balanced versus -1

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139207

-1 before versus -1 after

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139208

and the other frames previously posted:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139210

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139211

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139212

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139213

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139214

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139215

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139216

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139217

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139218

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139225

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139227

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139228

The corrections are fully automated, so the only way to adjust the brightness/contrast is by adjusting the reference frame. For the moment I will keep the reference frame the way it is, but if you think you've got a better color grading for the reference frame, I will be happy to show how it will work out for the other frames. 

Here's the bluray calibrated to the white balanced Legacy frame:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139203

Here's the other three bluray frames from the Tantive IV scene, adjusted with this color adjustment model:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139204

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139205

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139206

Here's the white balanced Legacy frame, that will be used as a reference from this point on:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139173

I guess you're right. I will update the links for the -1 videos when I've redone the corrections, and leave it at that. 

It looks like -1 is on vacation.

Thanks, I think your right, the reference is still slightly pink shifted. I've now used an algorithm to white balance the reference, because Mike's frame is pretty green shifted. I will use this reference to update the samples.

As g-force pointed out, there is still a slight pink shift in the reference I'm using. That probably explains the lobsterman effect. I've now used an algorithm to white balance the reference, so I will redo the color adjustment based on this reference. The results will be put on the color matching thread I started.

The question of course is, whether the detail was actually visible in the 1977 prints. You can of course bring out more detail by altering the color palette, but that's essentially doing another SE. 

I think both Harmy and I have the intention to try to match the colors of the original negative, working from reference prints or in my case a reference frame provided by Mike Verta. The results can be quite different, as is evident from the following comparison:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139124

Which is closer to the colors of the actual negatives? I leave that to your expert opinions/tastes, although I'm aware Harmy's been at it a lot longer than I have...

So is DrDre's Print Palace!

But that's great news!

Here's a video sample for the Tatooine scenes. The reference is still the single Tantive IV frame. The color correction works surprisingly well, and was done in 90 minutes for this scene, which includes the frame by frame correction using the model, and the rendering and conversion of the video:

The original sample:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8_LYKyZDiajcUxOV01lc2hZTjg/view?usp=sharing

The color corrected sample (video has been updated):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8_LYKyZDiajNFBzYktRU201M1U/view?usp=sharing

Here's a video sample for the Tatooine scenes. The reference is still the single Tantive IV frame. The color correction works surprisingly well, and was done in 90 minutes for this scene, which includes the frame by frame correction using the model, and the rendering and conversion of the video:

The original sample:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8_LYKyZDiajcUxOV01lc2hZTjg/view?usp=sharing

The color corrected sample (video has been updated):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8_LYKyZDiajNFBzYktRU201M1U/view?usp=sharing

Here's a first video sample for the color correction. This is all based on the single Tantive IV reference frame.

The original sample:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8_LYKyZDiajcUpGOE1Ha3Z6dkU/view?usp=sharing

The color corrected sample (video has been updated): 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8_LYKyZDiajaUxBZTZ1VEhUcW8/view?usp=sharing

I will put up a video sample for the Tatooine scenes later.

Here's a first video sample for the color correction. This is all based on the single Tantive IV reference frame.

The original sample:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8_LYKyZDiajcUpGOE1Ha3Z6dkU/view?usp=sharing

The color corrected sample (video has been updated): 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8_LYKyZDiajX2JPSnhseFE2UW8/view?usp=sharing

I will put up a video sample for the Tatooine scenes later.

In principle you can use as many reference frames as you like, until you reach the data limit of MATLAB. However, I specifically developed the method for the case where few reference frames are available. At the very least you will get a very good starting point for some further tuning.

Using a slightly adjusted Star Wars Legacy frame, I calibrated a color adjustment model I developed for the -1 video sample:

Legacy white balanced versus -1

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139207

-1 before versus -1 after

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139208

As it turns out you can automatically color correct almost the entire first reel with just this frame as a reference:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139210

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139211

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139212

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139213

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139214

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139215

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139216

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139217

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139218

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139225

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139227

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/139228

Using the same adjusted Legacy frame, I calibrated the color adjustment model for the -1 video sample:

Legacy adjusted versus -1

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138981

-1 before versus -1 after

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138982

As it turns out you can automatically color correct almost the entire first reel with just this frame as a reference:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138983

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138984

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138985

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138986

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138987

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138988

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138989

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138990

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138991

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138992

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138993

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138994

Here's what I believe to be the more correct adjustment to Mike's frame:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138976

Here's the bluray calibrated to this frame:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138977

Here's the other three bluray frames from the Tantive IV scene, adjusted with this color adjustment model:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138978

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138979

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/138980

I'm just happy that with each release of the SE the amazon.com ratings keep dropping, and people are getting more angry in their reviews. 

Yeah, there definitely is a reddish, pink tone in some of the screenshots. I will redo them tomorrow with only a slight adjustment.

Some of the bluray colors are really odd, in the early part of the Tantive IV scenes there is a green tone, then later there is a blue tone. The colors are really all over the place.  

With regards to adjusting Mike Verta's preliminary color grading (it says so on his website), I let myself be guided by the stormtrooper's hands and weapon, which are really green in Mike's screenshot, and should be gray, but I may have overdone it a bit with the reds.

Let's not forget all the color adjusments are based on that single low-res frame, that doesn't have much color in the first place.