The primary color wheels are the heart of correction in DaVinci Resolve. Four wheels — Lift, Gamma, Gain and Offset — control different parts of the tonal range. Here is exactly what each one does.
Lift mostly moves your darkest tones. Drag the color ring to tint the shadows; use the wheel below it to raise or lower black level. Watch the bottom of the waveform so you do not crush detail.
Gain mostly affects your brightest tones. Use it to set your white point and tint the highlights. Keep the top of the waveform below clipping unless you deliberately want blown highlights.
Gamma controls the middle of the range — where skin and most detail live. Small gamma moves have a big visual impact, so go gently, especially on faces.
Offset shifts the whole image together. It is perfect for overall white balance: rotate the Offset ring until a neutral object reads neutral on the Parade scope.
Lift, Gamma and Gain influence neighbouring ranges, so adjusting one nudges the others. Expect to bounce between them a couple of times to settle a clean balance. Reset any wheel by clicking the small reset arrow above it.
Lift adjusts the shadows, Gamma adjusts the midtones, and Gain adjusts the highlights. Offset shifts the entire image at once and is ideal for overall white balance.
The primary wheels (Lift/Gamma/Gain) split the image into broad tonal ranges. The Log wheels (Shadow/Midtone/Highlight) have narrower, more separated ranges with less overlap, which is useful on log footage and for precise creative looks.
Use the Offset wheel: put a neutral grey or white part of the frame on the Parade scope and rotate Offset until the red, green and blue traces line up.