EVERYTHING
Blackmagic Design has updated DaVinci Resolve and its commercial counterpart, DaVinci Resolve Studio, with version 21.0. This major release expands the software’s capabilities beyond video production, integrating advanced AI tools and transforming how users approach both motion pictures and still photography.
Integrating Photography into Post-Production
According to Cgchannel, the most prominent change in DaVinci Resolve 21.0 is the introduction of a new Photo page. This feature enables colorists to utilize the software’s existing suite of color correction tools and workflow features on still images, making it a viable competitor to industry standards like Adobe Lightroom. The Photo page supports RAW file formats from major manufacturers including Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, and Sony.
The integration is designed to allow professionals to work in real time at source resolution. While the core functionality focuses on color grading, Resolve FX effects plugins and several new AI features also offer obvious applications for detailed retouching and image editing tasks.
Advanced AI Features for Visual Effects
In the Studio edition, a substantial set of new artificial intelligence tools has been added, many targeting complex visual effects and beauty work. These automated tools aim to streamline processes that historically required extensive manual labor in 3D modeling and compositing software.
- AI Blemish Removal: A conventional but handy tool designed for automatically removing spots, blemishes, and visible pores from human skin, particularly useful in facial close-ups.
- AI Face Age Transformer: This surprising feature tracks faces within video footage and allows users to age or de-age subjects using a simple slider control, offering a potentially game-changing 2D solution for visual effects artists.
- AI Face Reshaper: Aimed at stylized rather than naturalistic work, this tool alters the relative proportions of an actor’s facial features—eyes, brows, nose, and mouth—to push performance or achieve comedic/horror aesthetics.
Enhancing Cinematography with AI Tools
Beyond beauty applications, Resolve 21.0 includes several general-purpose AI tools designed to refine the visual quality of footage. These additions help cinematographers and editors achieve precise results quickly.
Key enhancements include:
- AI CineFocus: This tool allows users to set the focal point of a shot simply by clicking within the video frame, followed by parameter adjustments to control aperture shape and Bokeh effects.
- AI Motion Deblur: A self-descriptive AI utility designed to mitigate motion blur in footage.
- AI UltraSharpen: Resolve’s most advanced sharpening tool, providing high levels of detail enhancement.
Overall, DaVinci Resolve 21.0 represents a significant shift toward consolidating professional creative tools within one ecosystem, blending traditional color science with cutting-edge artificial intelligence.