DaVinci Resolve 21 Adds Photo Editing and AI Search Tools

[MacRumors]

Blackmagic Design has announced a major update to its professional video editing and color correction software, DaVinci Resolve, including a new Photo page that aims to streamline image reframing and cropping.

DaVinci Resolve 21 extends the application's color grading toolset to still photography for the first time, meaning photographers can now apply primary color correction, curves, qualifiers, power windows, and node-based edits to stills, with changes held at the original source resolution. An additional LightBox view displays whole albums with grades applied, and Sony or Canon cameras can be tethered for direct capture into albums.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, much of this update centers on AI. A tool called IntelliSearch indexes media so editors can search for objects, spoken keywords, or specific faces. Meanwhile, CineFocus lets users shift a shot's focal point after recording and add bokeh, while a set of facial tools can age or de-age subjects, reshape features, and remove blemishes.

Two further additions, UltraSharpen and Motion Deblur, are aimed at salvaging soft or blurry footage.

Elsewhere in the app, keyframing gains four-point Bezier easing and the ability to adjust multiple clips at once, and Fusion effects can now be tweaked directly from the Cut and Edit pages. Text handling also picks up multi-language spell check, a font browser, emoji support, and character-level styling. The Cut page now has smart bins, while a new MultiMaster trim manager lets colorists generate multiple HDR and SDR deliverables from a single timeline.

Resolve 21 also introduces native support for OGraf HTML graphics and Lottie animations, so users can now drag .json and .lottie files directly into the media pool, where they will be treated like fully rendered animation clips. There's also a Picture in Picture effect, and expanded IntelliScript support for Final Draft and plain text screenplays. See the press release for further details on all the improvements and changes.

DaVinci Resolve 21 public beta is available now to download for free from the Blackmagic Design website, but we're still waiting for a general release date to be confirmed.

Article Link: DaVinci Resolve 21 Adds Photo Editing and AI Search Tools

 

[cjsuk]

Hoping this might be my way out of Adobe's death grip.

 

[nostaws]

Still bummed that apple let aperture die. This could be a good thing for still image photographers. The key will be in the photo/file managment as much as the creative tools.

 

[Lee_Mac]

After cancelling my Adobe Lightroom and PS subscription this is excellent news. Better go get the update 🙂

 

[DHagan4755]

DaVinci Resolve 21 is quite the impressive update.

 

[cateye]

here, let me save us all some time and summarize this thread:

Professionals: "This is great, however I would need to evaluate the features and capabilities of this software carefully against my existing workflow. I would never upend my technology stack without cause. Cost for professional software is negligible compared to revenue generated, so price is not a real concern."

Everyone else: "I need to die on the hill of how much I am paying and whether or not it's a subscription. Also, subscriptions, grr. grr. grr. Aperture, in the old days, I take photos of my cat, etc. Man, subscriptions."

😉

 

[ChrisA]

This is pretty much the end of Final Cut Pro. DaVinci is free, FCP is $$$. And guess which is better. But I think FCP might have a shorter learning curve. People who need Adobe, need Adobe

This is bad for Apple because in the past, people have bought Macs just for FCP, but DaVinci runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac.

 

[ChrisA]

Still bummed that apple let aperture die. This could be a good thing for still image photographers. The key will be in the photo/file managment as much as the creative tools.

It was a turning point for me. I used to fully depend on and trust Apple. But that after I saw them dump a product may pros used and which Apple heavily promoted, I learned to keep an eye on the exit door. With Apple stuff you always need a way to jump ship on quick notice

Also, I have always wanted a still photo editor with a "waveform" display and I assume this is in DaVinci now.

 

[beermode]

here, let me save us all some time and summarize this thread:

Professionals: "This is great, however I would need to evaluate the features and capabilities of this software carefully against my existing workflow. I would never upend my technology stack without cause. Cost for professional software is negligible compared to revenue generated, so price is not a real concern."

Everyone else: "I need to die on the hill of how much I am paying and whether or not it's a subscription. Also, subscriptions, grr. grr. grr. Aperture, in the old days, I take photos of my cat, etc. Man, subscriptions."

😉

Yep. Adobe subs aren't even a thought to me. If there was really a true replacement, there wouldn't be; "I hope this adds this feature", or "I've learned to live without...".

 

[Populus]

The AI tools here included run locally? Or it relies on the cloud?

 

[JoeSilver]

here, let me save us all some time and summarize this thread:

Professionals: "This is great, however I would need to evaluate the features and capabilities of this software carefully against my existing workflow. I would never upend my technology stack without cause. Cost for professional software is negligible compared to revenue generated, so price is not a real concern."

Everyone else: "I need to die on the hill of how much I am paying and whether or not it's a subscription. Also, subscriptions, grr. grr. grr. Aperture, in the old days, I take photos of my cat, etc. Man, subscriptions."

😉

So, let me see if I get this right: non-professionals who want to do some photo editing should tie themselves to an ecosystem which costs them more money for less, in order not to be mocked by a random user on MR. That's a really rational decision, yes.

 

[cateye]

So, let me see if I get this right: non-professionals who want to do some photo editing should tie themselves to an ecosystem which costs them more money for less, in order not to be mocked by a random user on MR. That's a really rational decision, yes.

Nope, not at all. If you missed my point or my satire, then perhaps that's my fault and I apologize, but I'm actually on your side here. The reality being, as professionals, we evaluate the tools we use against a host of factors, including capabilities, flexibility, development pathway, and even the inertia of workflow and knowledge. "Pricing models" comes somewhere after "what color is the icon."

Yet the more time you spend here, the more targeted the software may be at professionals, the more likely the chief complaint will be "it's too complex" or "I don't like the pricing model."

Put another way, in a world where Apple Numbers and Google Sheets exists, people will insist on buying Excel to use at home, and then rush to MacRumors to complain about how complex or expensive it is.

The problem isn't the software.

 

[th0masp]

While I really like Davinci as a video editor I have to say it's been feeling somewhat bloated for a while now. Just how many more full-size toolsets are they planning to integrate? Not quite so sure adding photo editing capabilities is going improve on that front.

The AI stuff - which I normally despise - sounds actually useful here for once. 😎 Will give that a test run for sure once there's a final release.

 

[e1me5]

Great tools, but messy implementation and confusing workflow. It will take some time to replace the standalone solutions.

 

[hovscorpion12]

This is pretty much the end of Final Cut Pro. DaVinci is free, FCP is $$$. And guess which is better. But I think FCP might have a shorter learning curve. People who need Adobe, need Adobe

This is bad for Apple because in the past, people have bought Macs just for FCP, but DaVinci runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac.

I guarantee you, 90% of these new features are locked to Davinci Studio which cost money.

 

[Michael Scrip]

While I really like Davinci as a video editor I have to say it's been feeling somewhat bloated for a while now. Just how many more full-size toolsets are they planning to integrate? Not quite so sure adding photo editing capabilities is going improve on that front.

But remember... DaVinci Resolve started out as only color-correction software. It wasn't an editor.

You would edit in Final Cut, Premiere, or Avid... then send your stuff to Resolve to color... and send it back to your editor.

Then about a decade ago they added NLE capabilities. And it has since become a full-featured program where you can do all your work without roundtripping to multiple programs.

So where's the line between "full-featured" and "bloated" ?

If the photo-editing capabilities don't harm its video-editing capabilities then I don't think there will be a problem.

Though maybe if Blackmagic was serious about making a Lightroom competitor, they'd have been better off making standalone software, "Davinci Photo" or something.

While video editing, audio, and VFX are closely linked... photo editing is another thing altogether.

I'm not sure many photographers will install Davinci Resolve just to edit photos. But they might.

It'll be interesting to see where this goes.

😎

 

[CocktailHour]

Love it! Will dump Lightroom when this is mature. Absolutely hate paying monthly.

 

[CocktailHour]

I guarantee you, 90% of these new features are locked to Davinci Studio which cost money.

Yes, but that cost is one-time $300, no monthly charges. And, while they say they'll eventually start charging for upgrades, I bought Resolve Studio 16, and have been charged $0 for every upgrade after that. We're at version 21 now. I can't wait to dump Adobe Lightroom as soon as this matures.

 

[hovscorpion12]

Yes, but that cost is one-time $300, no monthly charges. And, while they say they'll eventually start charging for upgrades, I bought Resolve Studio 16, and have been charged $0 for every upgrade after that. We're at version 21 now. I can't wait to dump Adobe Lightroom as soon as this matures.

So is FCP. Apple does offer the monthly sub now, but FCF retains it one-time payment structure.

Also, yeah. I left Adobe back in 2020. never looked back. Been on the FCP/Resolve train ever since.

 

[sos47]

I guarantee you, 90% of these new features are locked to Davinci Studio which cost money.

Sure. But no subscription. I paid for the studio edition 4 years ago (200€ i think) and i get updates on ipad and mac. So thats 4€ per month until now. I can’t complain.

 

[th0masp]

So where's the line between "full-featured" and "bloated" ?

That's of course reached exactly at that point where they integrate something you don't foresee ever needing. 🤪

 

[Padre_Pio]

It is mercilessly shoved down our throats, AI.

 

[ronno]

The AI tools here included run locally? Or it relies on the cloud?

Local, and looks very useful. Watch the YT reviews.

 

[CouldBeWorse]

If they allow me to import my Lightroom presets, I’m going to kiss Adobe goodbye.

 

[Lee_Mac]

here, let me save us all some time and summarize this thread:

Professionals: "This is great, however I would need to evaluate the features and capabilities of this software carefully against my existing workflow. I would never upend my technology stack without cause. Cost for professional software is negligible compared to revenue generated, so price is not a real concern."

Everyone else: "I need to die on the hill of how much I am paying and whether or not it's a subscription. Also, subscriptions, grr. grr. grr. Aperture, in the old days, I take photos of my cat, etc. Man, subscriptions."

😉

Unless as a freelancer videographer and editor, you already own DaVinci Studio and have been using the software for the previous 13 years 🤪😂