It may seem like DaVinci Resolve 17 has been out for quite awhile now but Blackmagic has put version 17 through its extensive public beta program. Resolve has left beta and the full release version of DaVinci Resolve 17 is available for download. This includes both the free versions of Resolve as well as the $300 Resolve Studio.

You may have heard about the $295 Resolve Speed Editor which we have reviewed extensively here on PVC: Part One on usage and Part Two on mulitcam editing. As of this release the $295 Speed Editor includes a license of Resolve Studio so you can get the Studio version of Resolve and get a hardware controller as well. You can check with Filmtools and see what they have in stock as the Speed Editor has been slow to roll out due to some parts shortages.

Blackmagic has been on a product release spree lately with with a new ATEM and Web Presenter HD as well as the new Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro. And if you work in the standalone Fusion there is also the version 17 release of Fusion Studio. Both versions of Resolve and Fusion Studio can be found on the Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve and Fusion Software support page.

If you want to just take a look at only what’s new in Resolve 17 then head over to this PDF link for the 350 page, February 2021 New Features Guide for DaVinci Resolve. No one does manual like Blackmagic and this extensive New Features Guide will tell you, in detail, about what all is new.

DaVinci Resolve 17 now shipping! Get over 300 new features and improvements including HDR grading tools, AI based magic mask, improved Fairlight usability with 2,000 audio tracks, improved editing, metadata based bin sorting and more! Download from https://t.co/T7wyTHXZiN pic.twitter.com/zBdysRgstt

— Blackmagic Design (@Blackmagic_News) February 25, 2021

The What’s new in DaVinci Resolve 17.0? list is extensive so we’ve saved that bullet point list until the end.

Color

• DaVinci Resolve Advanced Panel keycaps kit and new optimized menus.
• RCM2 with improved color tagging and smooth tone and gamut mapping.
• HDR perceptually accurate primary grading tools with tonal range control.
• Color warper to qualify and change hue vs saturation and luma vs chroma.
• Magic mask using the DaVinci neural engine generates tracking masks.
• Redesigned primary interface to show all controls concurrently.
• Grading tools are colorspace aware in color managed timelines.
• Support for user selectable colorspace and gamma for HDR grading tools.
• Support for timeline clips to bypass color management.
• Support for sat vs lum mode in the curve tool.
• Support for generating a 17-point cube 3D LUT.
• Support for LUTs designed for video range.
• Support for saving smart filters to be shown in all projects.
• Support for smart filters for marker keywords added to timeline clips.
• Support for diagonal, venetian blinds and checkerboard reference wipes.
• Support to set input colorspace, gamma and IDT on preconform timelines.
• Support for a pop-out floating window for the curves panel.
• Support for fast review from the playback menu on the color page.
• Support for a 3×3 grid view and multiple GPU scopes of the same type.
• Support for a floating video scopes window in dual screen layouts.
• Improved scaling and style options for waveforms and vectorscopes.
• Support for processing the timeline node graph in nested timelines.
• Improved handling of alpha channel scaling in ACES and RCM workflows.
• Support for loading IDTs and ODTs as a DCTL file or ACES RRT.
• Support for non-parametric DCTL IDT and ODT formats.
• Support for defining LUTs inside a DCTL file.
• Support for multiple simultaneous client connections in remote grading.
• Support for advanced and mini panels networking for remote grading.
• Support for a split screen playhead viewing mode.
• Support for improved split screen layouts.
• Support for converting in-out ranges to duration markers.
• Improved behavior when drawing bezier power windows using a mouse.
• Option for a more serial node numbering for the node graph.
• Support for dragging stills to the viewer or node graph to apply grade.
• Copying grades and nodes in the Color page is now focus-based.
• Option to use a Rec.2020 matrix for 4:2:2 video monitoring.

Resolve FX

• Resolve FX Smear frame blending for motion blur and other effects.
• Resolve FX Motion Trails temporal motion blur, object trails, disco effects.
• Resolve FX Transform clip moving, stretching and rotation with motion blur.
• Resolve FX False Color overlays replicating camera HUDs and other looks.
• Resolve FX Texture Pop for fine image detail and contrast control.
• Resolve FX Detail Recovery for detail and grain recovery.
• Resolve FX Noise Reduction native noise reduction tools as Resolve FX.
• Resolve FX Video Collage to quickly position a stack of clips into a grid.
• Resolve FX Luma, HSL and 3D native keying tools as Resolve FX.
• Improved Resolve FX Film Grain with new optimized mode.
• Improved Resolve FX Dead Pixel Fixer with freehand fill, softness etc.
• Improved Resolve FX Dust Buster with shape drawing, clone fixes etc.
• Improved Resolve FX Object Removal for scene mode, adaptive blending.
• Improved Resolve FX Blur defaults for directional, radial and zoom blurs.
• Improved Resolve FX Tilt Shift with alpha channel support for depth masks.

Audio

• Support for the Fairlight Mini Console.
• Fairlight Audio Core to natively CPU process up to 2000 audio tracks.
• FlexBus routing system to permit bus to bus routing and mixing.
• ADM import, playback and export of Dolby Atmos IMF IAB masters.
• Fairlight FX Surround Analyzer meters.
• Full implementation of the 9.1.6 and 22.2 surround sound bus formats.
• Native support for 44.1 KHz sample rate audio clips and instruments.
• Analyzing and navigating to audio transients in a track.
• Offline clip-based audio loudness analyzer.
• Selection of absolute or relative scales and loudness meter dialog gating.
• Support for Netflix loudness standards in the Fairlight loudness analyzer.
• Pro Tools keyboard customization preset.
• Full range of video controls in the new unified and tabbed inspector.
• Updated editing, range and selection behavior in edit selection mode.
• Support for importing AES31 audio timelines.
• Support for pre-viewing video when sliding clips, markers and ranges.
• Support for reversing audio clips.
• Support for flattening audio track layers.
• Support to have automation following clip edit changes.
• Support for saving, recalling, creating timelines via configuration presets.
• Support for editing linked clips.
• Support for marquee selection of multiple mixer tracks.
• Support for changing the track type of multiple selected tracks.
• Support to directly edit in the mixer track and VCA group names.
• Support for deleting multiple empty tracks from the track header.
• Support for deleting marked extents on selected tracks.
• Support for per-timeline views, selections, range and playhead location.
• Support for changing clip gain using shortcuts.
• Improved clip gain with change tooltips and fine control using shift.
• Support for bouncing linked groups to a multi channel file.
• Support for quick export from the Fairlight page.
• Support for track record, mute, solo, arm control in the application menu.
• Support for viewer to be off, floating, docked or full screen.
• Support for toggling interface between normal and cinema viewer mode.
• Support for monitoring volume dB level tooltip.
• Support for selecting multiple monitor sources from Fairlight audio editors.
• Support for pre & post roll control from the Fairlight audio editors.
• Support for selection of Fairlight Audio Interface phantom power, gain etc.
• Improved waveform display when zooming into a clip waveform.
• Improved metering displays for timelines with lots of audio tracks.
• Improved keyboard mappings for edit selection mode.
• Improved MPEG-H workflow and export support.

Cut

• Support for the DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor.
• Full featured unified inspector with tabs and keyframe control.
• File tab in the inspector with camera raw settings and clip metadata.
• Media pool clip properties can now be viewed and edited in the inspector.
• Media pool slate and sort view with grouping based on clip metadata.
• Audio trim on the viewer and timeline.
• Live scrubbing previews for effects library transitions, titles and effects.
• Support for a new relink icon and dialog in the cut page.
• Support quickly switching source tape bins from the media pool.
• Support for showing the media pool in a flattened view.
• Playhead indicators for distance to adjacent edits when using sync bins.
• Support for a change duration dialog with presets in the cut page.
• Support for entering the clip duration in the viewer duration field.
• Support for navigating edit points and markers in the cut page.
• Support for a thumbnail view in the effects library.
• Support for a full screen preview icon on the viewer.
• Support for selecting safe area guides and aspect ratios on the cut page.
• Support for a cinema viewer with sync bin multi-views.
• Support for switching timelines in the viewer.
• Support for importing frame sequences as individual still images.
• Improved markers entry using the DaVinci Resolve Editor keyboard.

Edit

• Full featured unified inspector with tabs and keyframe control.
• File tab in the inspector with camera raw settings and clip metadata.
• Media pool clip properties can now be viewed and edited in the inspector.
• Significantly improved DaVinci neural engine deinterlacing quality option.
• Significantly improved processing of interlaced timelines and deliveries.
• Real time removal of 3:2 pull down.
• Scene cut detection directly on the timeline using DaVinci neural engine.
• Automatically framing shots based on content using DaVinci neural engine.
• Quick and clean chroma keying with Resolve FX Luma, HSL and 3D Keyer.
• Resolve FX Video Collage for multiple source picture in picture grid.
• Burn away transition with options to control burning, melting and shriveling.
• Sync of multiple audio clips to a single video clip.
• Aligning edits on the timeline using waveform or timecode matching.
• Importing BorisFX Continuum plugins, transitions etc. from AAFs.
• Live scrubbing previews for effects library transitions, titles and effects.
• Media pool slate and sort view with grouping based on clip metadata.
• Deleting gaps based on clip selection, ranges or the whole timeline.
• Support for rendering sections of the timeline in place with effects baked in.
• Support for motion blur controls for motion based video transitions.
• Support for dragging effects directly into the inspector.
• Support for conversion of basic transitions into Fusion transitions.
• Support for timeline compositing using Resolve FX & OpenFX alpha.
• Support to retain image position in the crop section of the inspector.
• Support to navigate the timeline with arrow keys without affecting selection.
• Support to change clip selection using arrow keys and command modifier.
• Support for a thumbnail view in the effects library.
• Support for sorting timelines alphabetically, creation date or recent use.
• Support for disabling timelines within the media pool.
• Improved timecode entry with multiple modes and dedicated action.
• Support for copy paste of timecode or frame in viewers based on mode.
• Support for compositing using track mattes or external alpha.
• Support for Fusion effect templates in the edit page.
• Support for viewer overlays for Fusion templates and titles.
• Support to save and show smart bins in all projects.
• Support for creating multiple multicam clips by splitting at gaps.
• Support for compound clip or timeline conversion into multicam clips.
• Support to optionally zoom timeline at the cursor or the playhead.
• Support for a fast play review from the playback menu.
• Support for hovering on title font names to preview on viewer.
• Support for monitoring HDR and SDR outputs for Dolby Vision projects.
• Support for monitoring stereoscopic 3D timelines.
• Support for creating DCTL based transitions.
• Support for importing EDL, XML etc. without media to empty media pool.
• Support for floating video scopes in media view in a dual monitor mode.
• Support for closing take selector or retime using escape.
• Support for creating a new timeline using an IMF composition playlist.
• Improved behavior when switching between clip and edit point selections.
• Improved waveform syncing when creating multicams or aligning clips.
• Improved track compositing when the media doesn’t cover the full canvas.
• Support for independent track height and view mode options.

Fusion

• Audio playback along with waveform display in the keyframes panel.
• Viewing and editing clip and timeline markers in the keyframes panel.
• Resolve FX Dead Pixel Fixer, DCTL and Patch Replacer.
• Support for bookmarks to switch between different views in the node editor.
• Anim curves modifier for convenient easing and shaping of animations.
• Support for user customization of the Fusion toolbar above the node editor.
• Support for auto creating a composition when adding tools or media.
• Support for additional dual screen layouts.
• Support for full featured unified inspector with tabs and keyframe control.
• Initial support for a GPU accelerated 2D shapes toolkit for motion graphics.
• Improved optical flow behavior.
• Improved handling of SVG images in Fusion.

Workflow Integrations

• Open toolkit to create DaVinci Resolve Studio workflow integration plugins.

Codecs

• Directly uploading to Twitter from within DaVinci Resolve.
• Per frame metadata from Blackmagic RAW clips.
• Per frame metadata from ARRI, RED, Canon and Sony cameras.
• Decoding and rendering per-frame EXR metadata.
• Updated metadata support for Sony MXF clips.
• Open plugin SDK toolkit for encoder developers.
• Growing file support in the media pool.
• Decoding QuickTime PNG clips.
• Decoding uncompressed RGB 8-bit and YUV 10-bit AVI clips.
• Decoding spanned Panasonic 8K SHV clips.
• Decoding and encoding GoPro CineForm clips with non multiple of 16 res.
• Decoding and encoding mp3 audio in Linux.
• Decoding and encoding high-throughput JPEG 2000 (HTJ2K).
• Bypass re-encodes for supported JPEG 2000 profiles on renders.
• Encoding IMF MCA audio metadata.
• Encoding IMF and DCP as reels based on duration or edits.
• Exporting non-HDR DCP metadata option.
• Exporting HDR tags in DCP workflows.
• Support for reading RAW clips and audio clips from Frame.io.
• Support for decoding 32 bit PSD format images.
• Support for additional NVIDIA encoder parameters for H.264 and H.265.
• Improved decoding and encoding for H.265 on Mac OS with alpha support.
• Support for rendering alpha channel in single clip render mode.
• Support for rendering 10-bit HDR IMF clips.
• Support for a 16 bit SDR IMF preset.
• Support for Photon 4.8.0 for IMF validation.

General

• Proxy media workflow supporting internal and externally generated media.
• Optimized media is now automatically available across projects.
• Generation of optimized media can now be limited to edit extents.
• In and out ranges are now synchronized between pages.
• Significantly improved performance with large collaboration projects.
• Stability improvements with new GPU detection and initialization.
• Better interactivity and playback performance on multi-GPU systems.
• Consistent pan, zoom and scroll behavior with mouse and trackpads.
• Support for importing and exporting individual timelines using .drt files.
• Support for importing and exporting individual bins using .drb files.
• Support for exporting .drt files for media managed timelines.
• Support for auto linking .drt files to source camera clips.
• Support for auto linking .drt files generated using media management.
• Improved error handling for media management jobs.
• Support for a warning about media offline when creating render jobs.
• Support for smart bins and smart filters to check if media is offline.
• Support to scan all connected databases for remote rendering jobs.
• Support for new resize filter options in project settings and edit inspector.
• Support for render caching adjustment clips.
• Support to adjust numeric field entries using arrow keys based on cursor.
• Support to ignore unsupported OpenFX plugin packages in preferences.
• Support for independently configuring capture and playback devices.
• Support for displaying source frame number in data burn-in.
• Support for source and record timecode tags for custom data burn-in text.
• Support for adjusting text opacity for data burn-in.
• Support for configuring multiple custom LUT paths.
• Support for Thai & Vietnamese UI localizations.
• Support for a render codec tag for render path and file name.
• Support for ITU-R BT.2111-1 HDR test bar patterns.
• Support for showing fast forward & rewind speed.
• Support for NVLink high speed interconnect with supported NVIDIA GPUs.
• Support for xGMI high speed interconnect with supported AMD GPUs.
• Support for an integrated title bar in the application window on Mac OS.
• Support for previous and next navigation across Frame.io markers.
• Support for triggering a script at the start or end of a render.
• Collaboration workflows are now available in DaVinci Resolve.
• DaVinci Resolve can now connect to remote PostgreSQL databases.
• Multiple scripting API improvements.
• Multiple performance and stability improvements.

Minimum system requirements for macOS

• macOS 10.15 Catalina
• 8 GB of system memory. 16 GB when using Fusion
• Blackmagic Design Desktop Video version 10.4.1 or later
• Integrated GPU or discrete GPU with at least 2GB of VRAM.
• GPU which supports Metal or OpenCL 1.2.

Minimum system requirements for Windows

• Windows 10 Creators Update.
• 16 GB of system memory. 32 GB when using Fusion
• Blackmagic Design Desktop Video 10.4.1 or later
• Integrated GPU or discrete GPU with at least 2GB of VRAM
• GPU which supports OpenCL 1.2 or CUDA 11
• NVIDIA/AMD/Intel GPU Driver version – As required by your GPU
• A minimum NVIDIA driver version of 451.82 is recommended.

Minimum system requirements for Linux

• CentOS 7.3
• 32 GB of system memory
• Blackmagic Design Desktop Video 10.4.1 or later
• Discrete GPU with at least 2GB of VRAM
• GPU which supports OpenCL 1.2 or CUDA 11
• NVIDIA/AMD Driver version – As required by your GPU
• A minimum NVIDIA driver version of 450.51.06 is recommended.