Scopes
Scopes are measuring tools that show how your image really stands technically, regardless of what your screen suggests. They display brightness and color as graphs, so you can grade objectively. The best known are the waveform, vectorscope and RGB parade.
When grading, never trust your eyes alone, because your monitor and the ambient light deceive you. With scopes you see whether your shadows aren't crushed, your highlights aren't blown and your white balance is truly neutral. In DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro they're all built in. Tip: at the very least learn to read the waveform, your main anchor for exposure.
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The presets on this site set these adjustments up for you as a starting point, which you then fine-tune to taste.