<p>You can use <a href="http://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.html#Simple-filtergraphs" rel="nofollow">simple filtergraphs</a> easily with <code>ffplay</code>.</p>

<p>Example using <a href="http://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html#colorlevels" rel="nofollow">colorlevels</a> filter in <code>ffplay</code>:</p>

<pre><code>ffplay -vf colorlevels=rimax=0.902:gimax=0.902:bimax=0.902 input.mp4
</code></pre>

<p>Then you can use the same filter in <code>ffmpeg</code>:</p>

<pre><code>ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf colorlevels=rimax=0.902:gimax=0.902:bimax=0.902 -c:a copy output.mp4
</code></pre>

<p>This example will <a href="http://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.html#Stream-copy" rel="nofollow">stream copy</a> the audio.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-26T23:44:17.330Z
Thanks for the help. "colorlevels" as used above or even raised to 1 made no difference, but did the job: "-vf lutyuv=y=val*1.5"
Gulbahar
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-26T23:46:07.520Z
@Gulbahar The values used in my example were probably too subtle (I was lazy and just copied an example from the documentation); you would have needed to lower the values for a greater effect. However, it's good you found an alternative: there are several filters that can brighten the video.
llogan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-26T23:04:18.337Z
2016-02-26T23:04:18.337Z
llogan
<p>I have a video which is a bit dark that I'd like to re-encode and brighten up with ffmpeg.</p>

<p>As a smarter/faster alternative to running ffmpeg in trial/error mode, is there a way to simply use ffplay to find how much to brighten things up, before running ffmpeg with the same settings?</p>

<p>"ffplay -h" returns so much infos that it's hard for newbies :-/</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

<ffmpeg>
Use ffplay to check how much to brighten video before using ffmpeg?
Gulbahar
# Use ffplay to check how much to brighten video before using ffmpeg?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-02-26)

I have a video which is a bit dark that I'd like to re-encode and brighten up with ffmpeg.

As a smarter/faster alternative to running ffmpeg in trial/error mode, is there a way to simply use ffplay to find how much to brighten things up, before running ffmpeg with the same settings?

"ffplay -h" returns so much infos that it's hard for newbies :-/

Thank you.

**Tags:** ffmpeg


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-02-26. Score: 4

You can use simple filtergraphs easily with ffplay.
Example using colorlevels filter in ffplay:
ffplay -vf colorlevels=rimax=0.902:gimax=0.902:bimax=0.902 input.mp4

Then you can use the same filter in ffmpeg:
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf colorlevels=rimax=0.902:gimax=0.902:bimax=0.902 -c:a copy output.mp4

This example will stream copy the audio.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the help. "colorlevels" as used above or even raised to 1 made no difference, but did the job: "-vf lutyuv=y=val*1.5"  
> **username_1**: @username_0 The values used in my example were probably too subtle (I was lazy and just copied an example from the documentation); you would have needed to lower the values for a greater effect. However, it's good you found an alternative: there are several filters that can brighten the video.  

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