p.1 #1 · Anyone try color grading tools of MindTheColor PS plugin?
I've just learned about this color grading Photoshop plugin. Look at the 4-minute video
below. That's all I know about it, but it looks dazzling: https://www.mindthecolor.com
p.1 #2 · Anyone try color grading tools of MindTheColor PS plugin?
Mitch Alland wrote:
I've just learned about this color grading Photoshop plugin. Look at the 4-minute video
below. That's all I know about it, but it looks dazzling: https://www.mindthecolor.com
Thanks for sharing this, Mitch. I took a look at the videos, and you're right, it looks dazzling at first glance. The fact that it brings proper vector scopes and waveforms to Photoshop is a huge plus—something we've needed for ages.
That said, I have a few reservations that are keeping me from pulling the trigger just yet:
Trust & Trial: The lack of a trial version, or easy refunds, combined with very few user reviews, makes it a bit of a blind investment.
UI/UX Concerns: The adjustment dialogs don't appear to be resizable, and the heavy reliance on dragging curves without direct numerical input is a drawback for precise, repeatable work.
Workflow Overlap: There seems to be significant overlap with native features like ACR's "Point Color". I'm always hesitant to add a third-party plugin if Photoshop can do 80% of the job; in addition, some of the features are present in other plug-ins and apps, reducing the white space where this plug-in adds unique value.
The Pro-Grade Gap: Ultimately, it makes me wish we had the real thing. It doesn't seem to have the depth of a dedicated application like DaVinci Resolve. If only we could get Resolve's color grading power inside Photoshop!
It has some great ideas, but for now, it feels like it's in a tough spot between native PS tools and dedicated grading software. I'll be watching to see how it develops.
p.1 #3 · Anyone try color grading tools of MindTheColor PS plugin?
mzbe wrote:
...It has some great ideas, but for now, it feels like it's in a tough spot between native PS tools and dedicated grading software. I'll be watching to see how it develops
Good points: you may be right. The developer is Italian and I suppose that one of the developers of the Cobalt-Image profiles, @Ulysseita@, who is also Italian and who has been active on FM, may know him or at least have some familiarity with the MindTheColor plugin. @Ulysseita@ was very helpful when I had some questions on Cobalt-Image, and may be worthwhile contacting on this.
By way of background, there were several threads here on Cobalt-Image which, as I recall, started off well but, then, were hijacked by one or more particularly vicious and ignorant trolls — @Ulysseita@ faced up gracefully to that nonsense, and is a good guy.
p.1 #4 · Anyone try color grading tools of MindTheColor PS plugin?
@Mitch Alland - To return the favor from our earlier discussion, I wanted to share the tool that I've found to be the most powerful assistant for color work: Nobe OmniScope.
The key difference in its approach is that it isn't another grading plugin; it's a dedicated, standalone scope application that works system-wide. It's built on the philosophy that while apps like Photoshop are great for making adjustments, you need a separate, professional-grade tool for analyzing them accurately.
What makes it so powerful is:
- Universal Compatibility: It works alongside Photoshop, Capture One, Lightroom, etc., on both Mac and PC.
- Professional Grade: These are the same scopes used in high-end video post-production, with no compromises.
- Focused Purpose: It does one thing and does it perfectly: visual analysis in real-time as you edit in your preferred app.
The "Photo Edition" is very reasonably priced at around $85, depending on available discounts.
If you want to see how this approach works in practice, this video gives an excellent overview of its integration into a photo workflow: " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">
(The video mentions that the scopes read the full screen; it is possible within a scope window to sub-select an elliptical sample are by dragging the mouse - holding down Shift while doing so will keep it fixed).
An Important Caveat: Because there isn't direct plugin integration, OmniScope reads color data directly from your screen. This means it might not be 100% bit-accurate for the most critical color workflows. However, I've been very happy with it for my purposes.
It’s a different concept from an all-in-one plugin, but one I've found to be incredibly robust. My personal setup is using Duet Display to run OmniScope full-screen on my iPad, which I have placed just below my main monitor. It feels like a true studio cockpit, and I couldn't be happier with the workflow.
