It’s been just over two weeks since Blackmagic Design released the first Beta version of DaVinci Resolve 21. The company has already pushed out Beta 2. The update brings improvements and bug fixes across photo workflows, editing and AI tools.
Photo page
The new Photo page caught users by surprise. Anyone who shoots stills alongside video has welcomed it. It lets you import and manage your photographs. Tools also let you reframe or crop images at the original source resolution and aspect ratio. You can tap Resolve’s Color page for node-based color grading, including features like AI Magic Mask. A LightBox view shows your entire album with grades applied.
Fully integrated
Blackmagic Design says that with Beta 2, photo image editing is now fully integrated in DaVinci Resolve 21. Working with still images is more intuitive. Crop, flip and rotate behaviors are consistent across the app. Improved crop resolution metadata handling means images display as intended.
You can now export photos with their original file names. That addresses a concern users had raised. Beta 2 expands RAW support to include Fujifilm RAF and Nikon 12-bit NEF images.
Other improvements
Blackmagic Design says Beta 2 of DaVinci Resolve Studio adds faster, more accurate IntelliSearch. The feature now offers better face detection. Analysis results are more reliable, and performance has improved to help you find shots more quickly.
Beta 2 also adds foveated rendering support on Apple Vision Pro, making immersive workflows more efficient. VR360 text rendering has been fixed for more accurate results. Blackmagic Design has published the full list of features and updates on its support pages.
What we think
The new Photo page in DaVinci Resolve Studio 21 is ideal for anyone who works with still images alongside video. Color grading in Resolve can be simpler yet more powerful than working in a dedicated still image editor like Photoshop.
Whether Blackmagic Design can attract photographers who don’t shoot any video remains to be seen. Still, a lifetime license for a few hundred dollars looks attractive next to Adobe’s subscription model. New users can also try the fully functional free version of DaVinci Resolve without giving up many features. Hopefully Blackmagic Design can release the non-beta versions soon.
Pricing and availability
Public Beta 2 of both DaVinci Resolve Studio 21 and DaVinci Resolve 21 is available to download from the Blackmagic Design website. As always with beta versions, there may be bugs and other issues. Think carefully before using them on major projects.
