Man staring into a mysteriously  glowing orb of color

Color.io - an alternative to Davinci REsolve?

Davinci Resolve vs Color.io

With Resolve, you need days just to understand the basics. If you want stunning cinematic color for your images or videos you'll have to master nodes and complex tools or you're out of luck. Color.io is a powerful new app for color grading and look creation that does a lot of the heavy lifting for you, making it a perfect extension to the color page in Davinci Resolve.

Simplified Color GRading For Photographers and Filmmakers

A simpler way to stunning color.

Color.io is a look development tool that provides a simplified and intuitive user experience, making it easier than ever to create cinema-grade LUTs and DCTLs that dramatically simplify your color grading workflow.

Film Engine
HDR
RAW Processing
3D LUT
A horizontal strip of film images and movie frames aligned next to each other. Cinematic colors and compositionA horizontal strip of film images and movie frames aligned next to each other. Cinematic colors and composition

Custom DCTL Builder.

Filmic by design.

Davinci Resolve is without a doubt a powerful and feature rich application but the workflow for look creation can be cumbersome and the node based interface can become extremely complex very quickly. Creating show looks with a tool that has been purpose built for look creation is usually a much better experience. Color.io is such a tool and helps cinematographers, filmmakers and photographers to create reusable signature looks with a color engine that has been engineered for exceptional color stability and smoothness. It's a much easier way to create custom LUTs and color managed DCTLs that integrate into on-set and post processing workflows - in Resolve and many other applications.

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3D LUT creator app showcasing film color emulation gamuts in ACES
True Film Color

Color.io is not just another film emulation plugin. It's a standalone app where every control is driven by an engine that models the non-linear light response of film. The result is better looking, painterly color that hardly ever breaks, even when you push the gamut to the extreme.

32-bit Float
Parametric Film Tools
Fully Color Managed

Native ACES © HDR compliant color management enables cutting-edge color that looks and behaves the same everywhere. Any look you create with Color.io automatically works for current and future cameras, monitors and most third party software, including Davinci Resolve 18 and up.

ACES Color Managed
DCTL Generator
Color Grading Software for Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and iPad showcased on various devices with cinematic images.
Film Emulations included

Build looks from scratch or fully customize any aspect of the included film emulations to match your unique taste and vision. Seamlessly share editable presets you create with color.io as a single link or export color managed LUTs into your favorite applications for color managed workflows.

ACES Film LUTs
HDR Compatible

What PEople say about Color.io

"The next best thing to shooting on film!"

Color.io empowers photographers, filmmakers, colorists and artists at all skill levels to craft their unique vision of color - From really small to really big screens. Here's what some of them have said about Color.io:

Cinematographer Philip VivarelliCinematographer Philip Vivarelli

Philip Vivarelli
Cinematographer

"I’m blown away that these tools are missing in Davinci Resolve. Definitely recommending Color.io to my colorist friends!"

Portrait of Filmmaker Aaron P. KesslerPortrait of Filmmaker Aaron P. Kessler

Aaron Kessler
Filmmaker

"After trying it out for a few short hours I knew Color.io was the tool I always wanted - it's the look that I've been trying to get for years."

Cameron RadCameron Rad

Cameron Rad
Photographer

"The tools and visualizations in Color.io are so unique and great to mess with. Definitely some of the best color tools out there!"

Portrait of Chris Beck, Senior Colorist at FoxPostPortrait of Chris Beck, Senior Colorist at FoxPost

Chris T. Beck
‍‍
Senior Colorist

"Just completely re-built my film LUTs for HDR with Color.io, including really complex ones and the color engine captures them perfectly."

Cinematographer and DP Jay Kipling on a film set with a RED Monstro cameraCinematographer and DP Jay Kipling on a film set with a RED Monstro camera

Jay Kipling
Filmmaker / D.O.P.

"Probably the best grain and halation sim I've seen and color is top notch. Def my new secret weapon for show looks and custom finishing LUTs!"

Portrait of Matte Painter and 3D Artist Benedict JamesonPortrait of Matte Painter and 3D Artist Benedict Jameson

Ben Jameson
National Geographic

"As a landscape and wildlife photographer, natural color rendition is paramount. Color.io is the next best thing to shooting on actual film."

Director of Photography Steve Tanaka shooting on a film setDirector of Photography Steve Tanaka shooting on a film set

Steve Tanaka
Director of Photography

"Color.io is actually pretty insane. Saturation just stays super clean even when I push much further than I would with other tools. Wow!"

Designer Jenny Alvarez working at Warner Bros Design StudiosDesigner Jenny Alvarez working at Warner Bros Design Studios

Jenny Alvarez
Designer / Photographer

"Just tried Color.io and well, I love it. There's a depth to the colors that I haven't been able to get out of other tools. Thank you!"

Photographer and Youtuber Daniel Lichten in his studioPhotographer and Youtuber Daniel Lichten in his studio

Daniel Lichten
Content Creator

"I now use 3 instead of 16 nodes in Resolve and the results are honestly so much better. I'm converting all my LUTs to the new engine for HDR work."

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Ready for exceptional color? Start for free!

Use most features and capabilities of Color.io for free, directly in your browser. Upgrade to a Pro Plan when you need more.

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Join over 100.000 filmmakers, photographers, colorists and artists at all skill levels  who craft their cinematic vision of color with the most widely adapted film emulations and highly regarded color grading tools  across various industries.
Frequently Asked Questions
A long strip of film photos with dense and vibrant, filmic colors, grain and film halation. A long strip of film photos with dense and vibrant, filmic colors, grain and film halation.