Hue vs. Sat is an HSL correction curve in color grading that adjusts the saturation of a selected hue without affecting other colors.
"Hue vs. Sat" (Hue versus Saturation) is one of the so-called HSL or Custom curves used in color grading for selective color correction. Unlike the classic RGB or Luma curve, it does not affect the entire image but allows you to select a single hue and specifically increase or decrease its saturation, while leaving all other colors untouched.
Therefore, it is not a physical device but a tool for digital image manipulation in post-production. The curve can be found in practically all common grading environments, including DaVinci Resolve, the Lumetri Color panel in Adobe Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro.
The horizontal axis of the curve represents the color spectrum (hue), and the vertical axis controls the saturation change. To edit a range, you select the desired hue by either clicking on the corresponding pixel in the image (eyedropper) or using the color swatches below the curve. Control points are then placed on the curve.
"Hue vs. Sat" belongs to a family of related HSL curves named according to the same principle (selected parameter vs. modified parameter):
| Curve | Selected By | Modifies |
|---|---|---|
| Hue vs. Hue | Hue | Hue (shifts one color to another) |
| Hue vs. Sat | Hue | Saturation |
| Hue vs. Lum | Hue | Brightness/Luminance |
| Lum vs. Sat | Brightness | Saturation |
| Sat vs. Sat | Saturation | Saturation |
"Hue vs. Sat" serves both corrective and creative purposes. Correctively, it is suitable for reducing oversaturated color areas, such as calming overly strong reds in skin tones or legalizing signal levels. Creatively, it can be used to direct the audience's attention: a prominent color in the image can be enhanced, while disturbing or distracting colors are desaturated, creating more color contrast from a flat, monochromatic image.
Since the correction works hue-selectively, it often replaces more complex secondaries with qualifiers or masks, as long as the target area can be cleanly isolated by its hue.
Ich überwache bereits am Set die Farbton-Verteilung über das Vektorskop – Hauttöne müssen zwischen 20° und 50° liegen, damit sie in der Post flexibel bleiben. Bei LOG-Aufzeichnung reduziere ich die Kamera-Sättigung auf 85%, um Clipping im Rec. 709-Farbraum zu vermeiden. Die Beleuchtung plane ich so, dass kontrastierende Farbtöne (120° Abstand im Farbkreis) für maximale Trennschärfe in der Farbkorrektur sorgen.
Ich verwende Farbton-Shifts als narrative Werkzeuge – warme Hauttöne (+10° Orange) für emotionale Nähe, kältere Shifts (-15° Magenta) für Entfremdung. Die Sättigung orchestriere ich über den Spannungsbogen: 60% in ruhigen Szenen, 120% in Klimax-Momenten. Für Flashbacks nutze ich gezielt entsättigte Bilder (40%) mit Sepia-Hue-Shift (+45°), um die zeitliche Distanz visuell zu unterstützen.
Komplexe Hue-vs-Hue-Korrekturen verlängern die Color-Grading-Phase um 15-20%, plane ich mit zusätzlichen 2-3 Stunden pro Filmminute. On-Set-LUTs mit vordefinierten Sättigungsreduktionen sparen nachgelagerte Korrekturzeit und reduzieren die Postproduktionskosten um etwa 8%. HDR-Deliverables erfordern separate Sättigungs-Durchgänge, kalkuliere ich mit 40% Mehraufwand gegenüber reinen SDR-Workflows.
1. Zu welchem Department gehört „Farbton vs. Sättigung"?
2. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?
The Lexikon is part of the Filmfarm ecosystem — alongside budgeting (FilmBalance), an industry magazine (FilmCircus) and crew networking (FilmCall, CrewMesh). One shared vocabulary for the whole production.