I did a good deed.

If we look at the second shot in each group, it is totally clear that you've got redundant (double) levels filtering going on somewhere. Like I said, your stills can't give anyone a clue as to where.

Fix it, and you're back in business. Use the link I gave above as your guide. Good Luck!

Thanks for sharing info about using Videoscopes, Musicvid.

Don't forget in VP18, you have 2 'color-modes' for color scope:

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/vp18-notes-on-the-8-bit-full-level-option--122749/

And it depends on your workflow.

If you are VP 18 8 bit full levels mode, don't use that filter preset anymore and don't do anything to normalize the ouput to 16 to 235 as it is done for you. You can use the histogram or waveform to see where the levels are.

For brightening a dark image, try using color curves (Fx or in the grading panel.) Make a point a little below the center of the line and then drag it up to brighten.

Don't forget in VP18, you have 2 'color-modes' for color scope:

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/vp18-notes-on-the-8-bit-full-level-option--122749/

And it depends on your workflow.

I am doing my very best to forget! Feel free to mention this, just another place I don't have to go.

@RogerS

Only true if the output fits the preset assumption. Which is rarely the case. It's as useless as t*ts on a boar hog in my workflow. Notice how the OP doubled his error by not trusting the scopes first?

I agree- you gotta check your scopes (and understand what they are saying.) The scopes in VP 18 full range mode aren't always WYSWYG, as if it's not full range to begin with, they show you the data after it is normalized to full range. I agree it's helpful to know the nature of the files you are dealing with, and for that the histogram in 8-bit limited levels is a very good friend! (i.e. is it 16-235, 16-255, etc.)

From the perspective of a Vegas 18 user, we color correct filling the full histogram. For rendering, the default is limited levels unless you affirmatively change it or use an output format that is inherently full range.

This user screwed up by applying old workflow methods to a changed program. If you (or he) prefer working that way, setting a project to 8-bit video range lets you continue doing that.

@Musicvid I removed that filter and set saturation by default, so the output video becomes the same as the original source. Basically it's the first image of each group of my 1st message. I guess I need to fix my streaming software settings, if I want different results in levels.

I checked 1st pictures on histogram/levels and it seems to me okay? Levels are not going up, so the image is not losing the information and there are no space between white and darker areas in levels as well, as it was for each 2nd picture in a group. Anyway I'm a total newbie in levels/histogram thing, do you think the 1st images are okay?

At the moment it's very hard to understand the scopes for me, need more practice.

We don't know if you posted screen shots or frame grabs, so they contain no information. Just be sure your Dynamic Contrast (or whatever it's called) graphics filter on your monitor is not turned on!

Dynamic Contrast is off and the pictures was made through Vegas save image button.

I'm helping with an archival book project, so I don't have time to analyze your pictures for you. Keep learning and making mistakes until you get it, because that's the only way you will ever become an informed editor.

With the new idiot switch turned off, the Vegas Preview peak levels are different (16-235) than a player (0-255). That's why I asked! Those numbers are clearly indexed in the histogram, so please do not be a reluctant learner.

As far as trying to "explain" the VP18 "feature" to you, I'm not going there because I don't have it and I wouldn't use it if I did. I learned and prefer to drive a stick shift. My article is full of truth and you can learn from it if you will accept that stable position.

As I have said many times, every time we add another switch in an already-overcluttered chain, the chance of making a mistake goes up geometrically, by ^2. Let's see, the simple odds are now 63:1 of getting it wrong?? That's what sixth grade math tells me.

This user screwed up by applying old workflow methods to a changed program. If you (or he) prefer working that way, setting a project to 8-bit video range lets you continue doing that.

@RogerS

True.

@4sol-n

Good Luck. Start trusting your eyes and brain, make lots of mistakes, and you will get there, correctly. Others have. But choose one method or the other to learn by; it will be a very long time before you understand both ways.

Here are some older resources, going back to 2011, that may help you better understand the theory behind RGB and YUV (Y'cBcR) levels in Vegas and in the wild.

Starting at 9:05 ->

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/vegas-pro-levels-last-and-final-1--120319/

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/tutorials/new-video-levels-tool-for-movie-studio-platinum-and-vegas-pro--121046/

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/vp18-notes-on-the-8-bit-full-level-option--122749/

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/pc-to-tv-levels-a-comedy-of-errors--107325/

http://web.archive.org/web/20190501094000/http://www.jazzythedog.com/testing/dnxhd/Hd-guide.aspx

A (bit) shorter link for that last one: http://web.archive.org/web/20190501094000/http://www.jazzythedog.com/testing/dnxhd/Hd-guide.aspx