Blackmagic Design’s Davinci Resolve video editing software was originally designed for commercial filmmakers, but with multiple successive editions, it introduced many sophisticated tools to its arsenal. As a result, users of DaVinci Resolve may conduct color correction, audio production, motion graphics, video effects, and more with the help of high-end video production modules. According to our thorough review, DaVinci Resolve is the best video editor on the market.
What’s DaVinci Resolve?
In 2004, DaVinci Resolve was introduced as a color-correcting and non-linear video editing app. Blackmagic Design, an Australian digital cinema firm that provides high-quality solutions for the feature film, post-production, and broadcast sectors, purchased the software. Blackmagic Design made several changes and improvements to make it a viable option for color grading, video editing, special effects, and sound mixing at a reasonable price.
DaVinci Resolve Lite Vs. Studio Version
DaVinci Resolve is available in two versions: a free “DaVinci Lite” version with restricted features and a $300 resolve studio version with further editing features. The studio version assists creative teams by broadening the options available for simultaneous access to studio projects for editors, colorists, audio engineers, and visual effects artists.
While the free version is a fully working software with no constraints on the user, it is unsuitable for most individuals who undertake light video editing or audio touch-up work. The UI is current, but a learning curve may require watching one or two introductory videos. In addition, it offers presets to make it seem like other editing software in layout. Nevertheless, it seems like Blackmagic maintained the platform’s general appearance familiar to editors while introducing enough new features to attract their attention.
Free Best Video Editor Features
DaVinci Resolve features a video-playback engine for editing and rendering clips optimized for CPU and GPU, resulting in a smoother editing experience and faster render times. Playback is remarkably fast when toggling back and forth with the spacebar shortcut keys, which is a huge improvement compared to earlier edits when playback wasn’t nearly as smooth. Compared to Premiere Pro, which is straightforward when trimming clips, I prefer Resolve’s cutting tools.
Resolve’s GPU Acceleration for video stabilization, ResolveFX Match Move, Super Scaling, and other features are responsible for the improved playback. As compared to switching between programs that serve distinct functions, Blackmagic outdid itself with Davinci Resolve, which has four modules contained in one place: editing, color correction, audio effects, and visual effects. DaVinci Resolve is the first software app that merges editing, color, audio, and visual effects. It is now feasible to gather teams of editors, colorists, sound engineers, and VFX artists to work on the same project simultaneously, all inside the same software app!”
Color Correction Capabilities
One of the main advantages of using the Davinci Resolve project is its color correcting and grading skills, which are significantly superior to Adobe Premiere Pro or Apple Final Cut Pro X. The program also offers a “live save” option to avoid losing edits on the project. This feature lets you store a fresh project backup every minute, hourly, or daily.
Users may also overlay modifications to graphics using nodes, turning off particular nodes and orders to alter the image shown on screen. There are also keying and masking tools to adjust the picture as exactly as possible, albeit the color correction curves and bars could be more user-friendly. Colorists get a completely new LUT browser for fast evaluating and applying LUTs and newly shared nodes to expedite individual adjustments across all nodes.
Audio Editing With Fairlight
Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve is comparable to Adobe Audition’s audio editing capabilities. In addition, the software offers a complete professional mixer, many plugin effects, equalization and dynamics, editing, and automation, making it ideal for podcasters.
The integrated audio features of Fairlight were first released by Blackmagic Design in 2017. Dissolves and audio track fades are simple, and the specialized Fairlight audio editor simplifies substantial audio edits.
Fairlight offers a variety of audio effects, such as repair audio plugins, new effects to imitate different environments, access to reverb, hum removal, voice channel, and de-esser, enhancements to stabilization, noise reduction, and up-rezzing, audio normalization, pitch correction, and more. In addition, the Echo and Delay plugins enable you to have replicas of original audio playback at various timeline points. In contrast, the Distortion plugin distorts the sound as if it were played via faulty speakers or outdated recording equipment.
Visual Effects App – Fusion
Davinci Resolve includes Fusion, a strong visual effects app for Hollywood films and a viable alternative to Adobe After Effects. It offers the same tools, such as 3D compositing, particle effects, and 3D text tools. In addition, the Fusion toolbar has over 250 tools, including the following features.
- Vector painting.
- 3D particle systems.
- Rotoscoping and chroma keying.
- Text animations and 3D titling.
- Image stabilization.
Blackmagic Design has also improved Fusion’s performance by supporting Apple Metal, multiple GPUs, and CUDA acceleration.
File Formats / Resolution Support
With the ability to handle 4K and 8K, the list of supported formats and codecs for Resolve’s media composition is as follows.
Import Formats
Video – ArriRaw (ARI / MXF), AVC HD, Cinema RAW Light, Cinema RAW, Cineon, DNG, DPX (DPX / CDX), easyDCP (DCP / MXF), AVC Intra HD, AVCHD, AVI, CINE, CinemaDNG, JPEG, JPEG 2000, MPEG 2 (MTS / M2TS), MP4, MXF OP-Atom, MXF OP1A, Nikon RAW, OpenEXR, Quicktime (MOV / MP4), RED, TIFF, VRV.
Audio – Independent Uncompressed PCM (WAV / AIFF), MP4, OP-1A: Embedded Audio, Independent IEEE Float, Embedded Audio (MOV / MXF / R3D), MPEG 1 and 2 (MP3), OP Atom: Associated Audio, AAC, WAVE.
Export Formats
Video – AVI, Cineon, JPEG 2000, MP4, MXF OP-Atom, MXF OP1A, Open EXR, DPX, easyDCP, Quicktime, TIFF.
Audio – MP4, OP Atom: Associated Audio, AAC, Embedded Audio, WAVE.
Davinci Resolve Studio Version Features
- 4K and above output.
- Support for multiple GPUs.
- Motion blur effects.
- Temporal & spatial noise reduction.
- HDR tools.
- Lens distortion correction.
- Deinterlacing.
- Resolve FX Lens Flare.
- Lens Blur.
- Film Grain.
- 3D stereoscopic tools.
- Collaboration tools.
- Remote rendering.
- External database server.
How Much Is Davinci Resolve?
The commercial version of DaVinci Resolve offers such options if you want to edit videos at greater frame rates than 60fps or in higher resolution than 1080p. Davinci Resolve lite, the free version, is excellent for color editing tools. Compared to other subscription-based services, the premium version’s one-time charge of $295 is an absolute steal. The studio version and premium Davinci video editor include additional features listed below.
DaVinci Resolve Pros
- Free, cross-platform, and without watermarks.
- The user interface is sleek and simple.
- Powerful compositor, sound editor, and color grader.
- Quick exports.
- A wide range of lessons and user guides are available.
- Deep app for color grading, compositing, and sound editing.
DaVinci Resolve Cons
- For higher-end functions, a powerful computer is needed.
- The learning curve, particularly with node-based compositing.
- There is no direct export to society.
- No direct import or camera footage.
- Several features are absent from the Free version.
Free Davinci Resolve Download
Davinci Resolve is unquestionably the best video editing software available if you’re on a tight budget and seeking a powerful editing tool. For Windows, Mac, and Linux, DaVinci Resolve is available.