The latest release is a huge time-saver for video editors.
(Image credit: Blackmagic)
Blackmagic's Resolve 18 is now out of beta, and the latest version of the pro-standard video-editing software offers a host of new and updated features. What are we so excited about? Well, there's new support for cloud-based working and some major AI-powered features including updates to its colour tools.
Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve is used by top Hollywood studios – if you’ve been to the cinema a few times in recent years, you’ve almost certainly watched a movie that was cut together using it. Also, if you didn’t know, you can download a version of it absolutely free. We heaped praise on the software in our DaVinci Resolve review, which we keep updated whenever Blackmagic adds new features, and the latest version of this complex but powerful editing program is better than ever.
So what’s new in DaVinci Resolve 18? One of the key improvements Blackmagic is pushing is the addition of support for Blackmagic Cloud, which is going to make collaborative editing a heck of a lot easier. You can now host your projects on the DaVinci Resolve Project Server, meaning you can collaborate with other editors, as well as specialists like colourists and VFX artists, no matter where they are in the world.
Many new features are powered by Blackmagic's Neural Engine (Image credit: Blackmagic)
When users are collaborating on a remotely hosted project, updates will be reflected immediately, and you can also live-stream your DaVinci Resolve Studio viewer to a remote monitor or reference grading monitor using DeckLink. This makes remote editing or colour grading much more practical.
Also, as part of a general performance update, the app now supports Apple’s M1 Ultra processing chips. This means those who are using one of the best MacBooks for video editing will be able to take full advantage of their computer’s expensive hardware.
Blackmagic has also updated the colour tools with some interesting new AI-powered features. A new object mask can recognise and track individual objects in a frame such as people, animals, vehicles or food, aiming to speed up tasks like visual effects or secondary grading.
The software is optimised for powerful computers. (Image credit: Blackmagic)
Other AI-powered tools include Person Mask, which is specifically optimised to track people in a shot. There’s SuperScale, which allows you to effectively increase the resolution of an image, and Smart Reframe, which can optimise a video for sharing on specific social media platforms. It’s all powered by the DaVinci Neural Engine.
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There’s lots more to go into, so for a full list, head over to Blackmagic where you can download DaVinci Resolve 18 right now. Be aware that the free version won’t come with all the top-line features – for that you need DaVinci Resolve 18 Studio. If you’re not sure yet which video-editing software is right for you, check out our piece on DaVinci Resolve vs Adobe Premiere Pro vs Adobe Premiere Elements where we pit the top programs against each other.
Jon is a freelance writer and journalist who covers photography, art, technology, and the intersection of all three. When he's not scouting out news on the latest gadgets, he likes to play around with film cameras that were manufactured before he was born. To that end, he never goes anywhere without his Olympus XA2, loaded with a fresh roll of Kodak (Gold 200 is the best, since you asked). Jon is a regular contributor to Creative Bloq, and has also written for in Digital Camera World, Black + White Photography Magazine, Photomonitor, Outdoor Photography, Shortlist and probably a few others he's forgetting.
