For the past few years, every update Blackmagic Design has delivered for its DaVinci Resolve software has been massive. Version 12.5 made me realize you can edit inside Resolve (I had previously used it for color correction). In version 14, they added Fairlight for audio production, integrating a dedicated workstation for audio. Version 15 brought the ability to create visual effects and motion graphics in one place. And version 16 is yet another game changer. I’ve been using the software since they launched it last April, and while the major new features have already been widely covered, I wanted to share some of the other lesser-known but incredibly useful updates.
1. Hide Page Icons
Extra real estate is always welcomed by video editors, especially for those who work on a laptop. Resolve 16 allows you to hide the page icons to get a few more pixels for your graphical user interface (GUI). To hide the page icons, go to “Workspace” then un-check “Show Page Navigation.”
You can also hide individual pages. Do this by going to Workspace > Show Page, then un-check all the pages you want to hide.
The benefit of having this feature is that you can also limit access to other pages. For example, if you hire a freelance colorist, you can turn on only the color page for them. This ensures that there will be no accidental changes in your final edit. They can still turn on the other pages, but it at least ensures nothing goes wrong unintentionally.
2. Frame.io Integration (Studio Version)
Resolve 16 includes integration with Frame.io, a cloud-based platform where you and your team can upload and share your videos for reviews and approval. (Pond5 also has a Frame.io integration, in case you didn’t know!) You can enable the Frame.io integration in DaVinci Resolve by going to the Internet Accounts panel in the System tab of your DaVinci Resolve Preferences. You can also specify a local cache location for all the media being synced with Frame.io.
Uploading straight to Frame.io is also possible in Resolve 16. On the Deliver page, go to the Render Settings, choose Frame.io, and tweak accordingly. The location field changes to “Upload To” so you can specify which folder you want to upload your project to in Frame.io.
3. Project Notes
If you don’t have a Frame.io account, then Project Notes could be for you. As the name implies, this new feature allows you to add and view important notes for your project. You can paste comments or notes from clients and others and view them inside Resolve. This eliminates the need for the notepad app or going back and forth to your email. Add a note by going to File > Project Notes. It’s also available in the Project Manager, where you can access it by right-clicking on the project icon and choosing “Project Notes.”
4. Adjustment Clip
Adjustment Clips are a new type of clip in Resolve 16. When you edit an Adjustment Clip above one or more clips in the timeline, any effects that are applied on the Adjustment Clip will also be applied the clips underneath it. This works the same way as the Adjustment Layers in Premiere Pro. It’s a fast and convenient way to apply effects to multiple clips. You can find the Adjustment Clip in the Effects Library > Effects.
5. Image Stabilization
Another welcome addition is Image Stabilization in the Inspector panel. Before, you had to go to the Color page in order to stabilize a clip. In Resolve 16, you can now stabilize clips in the Cut or Edit page. Just select your clip and open the Inspector panel, expand the Stabilization segment, and click “Stabilize.” You can tweak the settings as you need to, and you can also click on “Camera Lock” to eliminate any camera movement in your shot.
6. Looping Customizable Ranges on the Color Page
We’ve always had the ability to loop playback within the Color page, but it’s been limited on a per-clip basis. Now you can add an in and out point in the Color page timeline and loop that entire section. This is a big help in shot matching, because you can see the clip you’re grading in context with the other clips.
7. Invert Color
You might not use this feature commonly, but it’s great to know that you have it when you need it. This allows you to invert any color channel and the alpha channel of specific clips, which is especially useful if you want to invert keys.
8. Quick Export
Exporting your projects has always involved going to the Deliver page, but now you can do a quick export from the Cut and Edit page, and there are a variety of presets you can choose from. You can also create your own presets by going to the Render Settings panel options and choosing “Preset” in the Quick Exports submenu.
9. Disable Viewer Updates During Renders
Disabling viewer updates during renders will help to speed up your rendering, especially on slower computers. To disable the viewer updates, go to the Deliver page Viewer options and select “Off” for “Updates During Renders.”
10. Warning When Rendering Bigger Than Timeline
Sometimes you’re tired from working too long, and you make mistakes, like forgetting to correctly set your export resolution. (What, is that just me?) Now Resolve will show a warning window if you’re rendering your timeline to a bigger resolution, so you can choose to Add or Cancel the render, instead of missing the error.
Of course, there are many more new features available in DaVinci Resolve 16, so there’s plenty left to discover for yourself. The software is available now as a public beta, which you can download from the Blackmagic Design website.
Do you have questions about how to use any of these features? Want to share your own favorite updates or new things you’d like to see from DaVinci Resolve? Tell us in the comments below!