I wan't to color grade my project in Resolve.
I notice that the video signal decoding in Vegas for Cineform files is different than Resolve.
It's more expanded in Resolve than in Vegas.
Unfortunately, I dont have access to the original file so can't compare.
Which software give the right decoding?
Resolve
I don't think I can answer your question, but I can confirm through my testing that Vegas' scopes do NOT match Resolve's on the same footage. In Resolve, I graded 4k CinemaDNG S-log2 sequences, then exported to numerous file formats, codecs, and settings. The only way I got Vegas to best preserve the levels in my graded footage as they appeared in Resolve was to export a Quicktime file using the Cineform RGB 16-bit codec. I dragged Vegas' preview window (Best/Full) over Resolve's preview window to visually confirm identity in luma and chroma. The scopes were close, and by far they were closest of any other file formats and codecs I exported. Yes, this is totally anecdotal.
The footage will be shown with the same luminance levels if you get the settings right. It is the old question if the files are decoded within the range 16..235 or 0..255 (figures for 8bit but that is also true for 10bit). What I have seen when I graded ProRes in Resolve and exported it to Cineform for transfering the files to Vegas, if the settings in Resolve was set to 16..235 then I had differences in the luminance too.
Vegas will decoded Cineform as 0..255. So make sure that both your project settings but also your render settings in Resolve are also in line with 0..255. When I did that I ended up with no difference between Vegas and Resolve any more.
Thanks,
By changing the clip attributes to Data Levels 'Full' instead of 'Auto' in Resolve I have the same in both programs
The Cineform decoder remaps luminance, unlike most others, so mapping again will cause cancellation or redundancy, depending on what you are trying to do.