Blackmagic Design has unveiled DaVinci Resolve 21, and the update is a big one. Announced during NAB 2026, the new version introduces a brand new Photo page, a pile of AI powered tools, workflow improvements, and a long list of creative features aimed at editors, colorists, and photographers alike. It is important to note, however, that this release is currently a public beta, so folks should expect some rough edges while the company continues refining the software.
For longtime Resolve users, the headline feature is the Photo page. This new workspace brings the same Hollywood level color grading tools used for film and television into the world of still photography. Instead of relying on the typical layer based editing systems most photo apps use, Resolve sticks with its signature node based workflow. In other words, photographers can now apply nodes in series or parallel, isolate adjustments to different parts of an image, and build complex grades just like a professional colorist would on a movie.
That workflow could be a big deal for creative pros who already live inside Resolve. The Photo page lets users import and manage images, apply color corrections, and maintain the original source resolution while reframing or cropping shots. Every adjustment remains non destructive, meaning photographers can keep tweaking their composition without degrading the original file.
The interface also introduces LightBox view, which provides a visual overview of an entire photo album with grades applied. Editors can tweak a single image and watch the adjustments ripple across the entire collection in real time. Albums can be organized by shoot day, camera model, or any other criteria, helping users manage large photo libraries more efficiently.
Blackmagic is also bringing camera tethering into Resolve. Photographers can connect supported Sony or Canon cameras directly to the software, monitor live view, adjust settings such as ISO and white balance, and capture images straight into an album. For studio work, that kind of workflow could save a lot of time.
Of course, Resolve would not be Resolve without a healthy dose of AI tools, and version 21 adds quite a few. AI IntelliSearch allows editors to search through footage using objects, people, keywords, or dialog. AI CineFocus lets users redefine the focal point of a shot and simulate depth of field effects like bokeh even after footage has already been captured.
There are also several AI tools aimed at facial adjustments. AI Face Age Transformer can add or remove years from a subject’s appearance. AI Face Reshaper allows subtle adjustments to facial features, while AI Blemish Removal reduces skin imperfections while attempting to keep the texture looking natural.
Blackmagic has also added AI Speech Generator, which can create voiceovers from written text using built in voice models or a short voice sample. Meanwhile, AI Slate ID can detect details from a clapperboard and automatically populate metadata, something that could save editors a lot of tedious manual work.
Video quality improvements are also part of the package. AI UltraSharpen aims to improve soft or slightly out of focus footage, while AI Motion Deblur helps clean up motion blur artifacts that sometimes appear in fast moving scenes.
Beyond AI features, Resolve 21 introduces improvements to editing and motion graphics. Keyframing has been expanded with new easing modes and enhanced curve controls. Fusion gets a major boost thanks to the addition of the Krokodove toolset, which adds more than seventy compositing and graphics tools to the visual effects environment.
On the audio side, Fairlight folder tracks now allow editors to group multiple audio tracks together and collapse them into a single view. This should help keep complex timelines a bit more manageable. Fusion also gains the ability to drive animations directly from Fairlight audio levels, allowing motion graphics to react dynamically to sound.
Resolve 21 continues expanding into immersive workflows as well. The update adds better support for VR180 and VR360 formats, along with tools for spherical Panomap rotation and immersive rendering workflows. Apple immersive projects now benefit from foveated rendering, which prioritizes high resolution processing where viewers are actually looking.
Despite the long list of new features, the biggest takeaway may simply be how broad Resolve’s scope has become. With the addition of a Photo page, the software is moving further beyond traditional video editing and into a more complete creative environment.
Another important point for creators is that DaVinci Resolve 21 beta remains fully cross platform, supporting Windows, macOS, and Linux. That flexibility has always been a major draw for the software, especially among Linux users who have fewer professional creative tools available compared to other platforms.
The DaVinci Resolve 21 public beta is available here now, and as always, the base version of Resolve can be downloaded free of charge. Those who want the expanded feature set can still opt for the paid Resolve Studio edition.
If this beta is any indication of where things are heading, Blackmagic is clearly pushing Resolve to become an even more central tool for filmmakers, editors, photographers, and creators who want one piece of software that can do a little bit of everything.
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