Products & Announcements

DaVinci Resolve 21: AI-Powered Post-Production and Still Photography Integration

VFX & Post-ProductionCreative SoftwareAI Image EditingMedia Processing
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Article: Very PositiveCommunity: PositiveMixed

DaVinci Resolve 21 introduces a dedicated Photo page that brings professional color grading tools to still photography for the first time. The update features a massive array of AI-driven tools for facial retouching, object searching, and audio-driven animation. Additionally, it optimizes workflows for social media creators and immersive VR content while improving performance on the latest hardware.

Key Points

  • The new Photo page integrates still photography into the DaVinci workflow with node-based grading and tethered camera support.
  • A suite of AI-powered tools enables advanced facial reshaping, de-aging, blemish removal, and intelligent content searching.
  • Enhanced graphics support now includes native Lottie and HTML graphics integration directly in the media pool.
  • Fairlight audio updates introduce track folders for better organization and automated level/EQ matching between clips.
  • Next-generation engineering provides foveated rendering for VR and optimized performance for the latest mobile and desktop processors.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment is favorable toward the article's subject, though not uniformly enthusiastic about the AI framing. HN largely agrees that the release matters because it strengthens Resolve as a serious non-Adobe platform and potentially changes the still-photography market, especially for users frustrated by subscriptions. The main reservations are practical rather than hostile: commenters want proof that the Photo page is polished, Linux support is reliable, and the AI features are useful tools rather than marketing labels.

In Agreement

  • The new Photo page is seen as a major addition because it could bring Lightroom-like organization, editing, and color tools into Resolve, including for Linux users.
  • Blackmagic's licensing model is widely praised as a refreshing alternative to Adobe subscriptions and other creative-tool vendors that push recurring fees.
  • The release is viewed as substantial even without the AI features because it expands photo, motion graphics, compositing, audio, and workflow capabilities.
  • Targeted AI tools such as search, cleanup, sharpening, and face-aware workflows are considered acceptable and useful when they assist editors rather than replace creative judgment.
  • Resolve's free edition and Studio upgrade path make it unusually accessible for hobbyists and professionals who want serious tooling without committing to Adobe's ecosystem.

Opposed

  • Some commenters are weary of AI branding and feel that marketing every helper feature as AI has made the term less meaningful.
  • Linux support remains a concern, especially for users on AMD hardware who report difficult setup, poor compatibility, and rougher usability than expected.
  • Several photographers doubt that Resolve can fully replace Lightroom because photo workflows depend on raw support, HDR features, cataloging habits, and polished ergonomics.
  • There is skepticism that powerful open-source or non-Adobe alternatives already exist but still fail many users because their interfaces are too complex or unintuitive.
  • A smaller set of comments questions the release's newsworthiness, public-beta status, phone-video support, privacy implications of face search, and whether the expanded feature set has a broad audience.