Embodiments of a color video coding and decoding scheme are disclosed. In one embodiment, an efficient color coding scheme for color video using three dimensional (3-D) discrete wavelet transforms (DWT) employing correlation among different color components is described. At least one of the color components is coded, and an adjustment to at least some of the remaining color components relative to the coded color component are then coded. This adjustment comprises a partial error adjustment based at least in part on a ratio of color components intensities. Other embodiments, for instance for decoding, are described and claimed.