Waveform monitor
The waveform monitor shows the brightness of your image from dark at the bottom to light at the top, spread across the width of your frame. So you can see at a glance whether your shadows crush or your highlights blow out. It's your most important scope for exposure.
Read the waveform like this: anything below zero crushes to black, anything above 100 (or the white limit) blows out. Keep your signal neatly between them, unless you're going for a deliberate look. In DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro the waveform sits with your scopes by default. Tip: when matching shots, place the waveforms side by side so you instantly see if exposure lines up.
Related terms
Prefer a look in one click?
The presets on this site set these adjustments up for you as a starting point, which you then fine-tune to taste.