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CDL Grade

CDL Grade · screenshot coming soon

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What this node does

CDL Grade applies an ASC Color Decision List grade: the standardized slope / offset / power model used across on-set and post color pipelines. For each RGB channel you set a slope (gain — multiplies the value, like lift on the highlights), an offset (adds a constant — shifts the whole channel), and a power (gamma exponent — bends the midtones), then an overall saturation. The math is the industry-standard (pixel × slope + offset) ^ power. It takes COMFYTV_VIDEO in and out and renders on a torch backend (cdl), so it has a ▶ Run with a live preview on the card. A fully neutral setting (all slopes/powers/sat = 1, all offsets = 0) passes the clip through untouched. To interoperate with native ComfyUI nodes, add a Bridge (see the Bridge guide).

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When to use it

  • Apply a grade in the same numeric language a colorist or on-set DIT uses
  • Match a look defined by CDL values from another stage of the pipeline
  • Do a clean primary balance (slope/offset/power) before creative grading
  • Keep a grade portable — CDL is just ten numbers, not a baked LUT

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Parameters

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slope_r / slope_g / slope_b

Per-channel gain, each default 1.0, range 0.0…4.0. Multiplies the channel; raising slope brightens and adds contrast toward the highlights. 1.0 is neutral.

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offset_r / offset_g / offset_b

Per-channel offset, each default 0.0, range −1.0…1.0. Adds a constant to the whole channel, shifting it up or down (mostly visible in shadows). 0.0 is neutral.

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power_r / power_g / power_b

Per-channel power (gamma), each default 1.0, range 0.1…4.0. Applies an exponent to bend the midtones — below 1.0 brightens mids, above 1.0 darkens them. 1.0 is neutral.

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cdl_sat

Overall saturation applied after slope/offset/power, default 1.0, range 0.0…4.0. 1.0 leaves saturation unchanged; 0.0 is fully desaturated; above 1.0 boosts it.

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Outputs

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Tips

  • If nothing changes on Run, at least one value must be off neutral (slopes/powers/sat ≠ 1 or an offset ≠ 0).
  • Order matters in CDL: slope and offset act first, power last, then saturation — set your balance with slope/offset before shaping mids with power.
  • For hands-on slider grading with wheels and levels, use Video Color; reach for CDL when you specifically want the SOP model.
  • Video Color — slider-based primary grade with three-way wheels
  • Video Curves — freeform tone curves instead of the SOP model
  • Video LUT — bake a finished look as a .cube table