DaVinci Resolve Adds Massive Updates, Including ProRes Decode for Windows

Good news: we have an update that's pretty significant! BlackMagic's DaVinci Resolve 12.5.1 is loaded with a slew of new features. So many, in fact, that we had to put them in bullet point form (below) so as not to miss any. One of the biggest updates is Apple ProRes decode support on Windows, so Resolve no longer needs QuickTime 7 to process.

If you use the software to edit, you can now make selections based on flag, marker, and clip colors. Edit decision lists (EDLs) now have durational markers with improved editing functions when switching into full screen mode. 

Furthermore, Blackmagic has improved trimming performance within the software; it now uses 64-bit code to read and write .mov files, enhancing H.264 playback performance for both Windows and Linux based users. 

The company says it's also sped up spatial noise reduction, the ability to align keyframe timelines in color grades, and support for box wipe mode when using offline reference clips. DaVinci has updated its node graph with better matte listing and improved its 3D and Qualifier panel in various screen modes.

As Blackmagic puts it, "the improvements in DaVinci Resolve 12.5.1 will help editors and colorists greatly speed up some of the routine tasks they perform every day." It sounding so far like they're right. 

Check out the full list of updates from Blackmagic Design and tell us what updates you'd like to see in the future in the comments below. 

Edit improvements

• Improved 2-up and 4-up, multicam and playback performance when using QuickTime ProRes on Windows
• Added menu items to allow selection of clips based on Flag, Marker and Clip colors on the edit timeline
• Added ability to import and export duration markers using EDL
• Added the ability for clips to snap to their own markers when adjusting In and Out points
• Improved consistency of edit functions when Timeline is in full screen mode
• Added support for box wipe mode for offline reference wipe

Color improvements

• Improved performance for Spatial Noise reduction in Better mode
• Improved listing of attached and timeline mattes in the node graph with support for alphabetical listing
• Added ability to apply grades from a reference wipe using the viewer context menu
• Added ability to align keyframe timelines of color grades using playhead position and wiped still frame
• Next node and previous node operations now loop around the node graph
• The ‘displayed’ node graph now automatically updates when the current still is changed
• Swapping nodes now also swaps the node labels
• Shift Up + Next Still will now append grade from the current still on the advanced control panel (Studio version)
• Added support for left eye and right eye grades for the timeline node graph (Studio version)
• Added ability to convert a mono timeline into stereoscopic 3D (Studio version)
• Added ability to convert a mono clip into stereoscopic 3D (Studio version)
• Added support for sequence and node render caching for stereoscopic clips and timelines (Studio version)
• Added compensation for stereoscopic slip when exporting timecodes in ALE (Studio version)
• Added support copying DolbyVision grades using stills and middle click (Studio version)
• Improved 3D and Qualifier panel layout in dual screen mode
• Improved behavior to stay on the same frame when joining two clips

Resolve FX improvements

• Added ResolveFX Generate Color (GPU accelerated)
• Added ResolveFX Tilt-shift Blur
• Added support for anamorphism in ResolveFX Lens Blur (Studio version)
• GPU acceleration support for ResolveFX Lens Flare (Studio version)
• Ability to adjust Shadows/Midtones/Highlights in ResolveFX Film Grain in all compositing modes (Studio version)
• GPU acceleration support for ResolveFX Emboss, Waviness, Vortex, Ripples, Dent, Mirror
• Improved ResolveFX Scanlines and added various composite modes
• Ability to view the ResolveFX Scanline layer without the background
• Improved border behavior for ResolveFX Gaussian Blur, Directional Blur, Mosaic Blur, Radial Blur and Zoom Blur
• Added support for horizontal/vertical ratio in ResolveFX Glow
• Added support for pan and tilt on ResolveFX Prism Blur
• Improved performance for ResolveFX Light Rays
• Improved performance for ResolveFX JPEG Damage

Media improvements

• Added new Import Media options to File menu and Media Pool context menu
• Added support for stereoscopic 3D clips in Media Management (Studio version)
• Added ability to create stereo clips with mismatched source resolution (Studio version)
• Added support for display drive names in Media Storage on Windows
• Addressed issues with open file location from Media Pool on Linux
• Added Source Name tag support for filename without extension

Codec and format improvements

• Adds direct support for ProRes decode on Windows so that QuickTime 7 is no longer required
• Improved .mov decode and encode performance on Windows
• Support for UHD H.264 renders on Windows
• Improved .mov decode and encode performance on Linux
• Added support for HEVC (H.265) decode on Linux
• Added support for alpha channel on DNxHR 444
• Added support for the Sony X-OCN format
• Added support for various AAC encode parameters on macOS
• Added support for QuickTime AAC audio encoding on Windows
• Added support for V-Gamut in RCM for improved Panasonic camera image handling
• Added ARRI LogC to Linear and Linear to ARRI LogC LUTs in VFX I/O
• Addressed decoding of last frame in some Panasonic AVCHD clips
• Improved handling of AVCHD .MTS clips

General improvements

• Alpha-numerical listing of codecs and format in the Deliver and Media Management pulldowns
• When running DaVinci Resolve in window mode, the macOS dock is now visible
• Improved latency for remote grading (Studio version)
• Improved handling of dissolves and overlapping clips in DolbyVision metadata export (Studio version)
• Improved behaviour when creating render jobs on locations without write permissions
• General performance and stability improvements

You can download the latest version of Resolve here.