MILPITAS, CA — Blackmagic Design has released DaVinci Resolve 8.1, a new software update that can be downloaded by customers free of charge via the company’s Website (www.blackmagic-design.com). The 8.1 release offers support for Apple Final Cut Pro X XML round trip, new layer node composite effects, ACES color space support, compatibility with Avid AAF for round trip with Media Composer, Final Cut Pro 7 clip size and position support, new copy commands for grades, upgraded EDL features, support for UltraStudio 3D for Thunderbolt and compatibility with the 2011 MacBook Pro 15-inch laptop.
Resolve can now import and export Final Cut Pro X timelines using the new Final Cut Pro rich XML file format. When working in Final Cut Pro X, customers will get full timeline round trip, where projects can be moved between Final Cut Pro X and DaVinci Resolve, retaining the multi-track timeline with frame accurate cuts, dissolves and speed changes.
Resolve also uses rich XML from Final Cut Pro X to link to original camera footage. And because DaVinci Resolve supports grading of high resolution and bit depth files, edits can be exported out of Final Cut Pro for finishing in high quality. An alternative workflow is to use DaVinci Resolve 8.1 to manage raw image formats such as Red, Arri, CinemaDNG and DNxHD, and then to grade and render to ProRes or uncompressed media for Final Cut Pro X.
Resolve 8.1 includes new layer node composite effects which offer colorists creative grading capabilities with add, subtract, difference, multiply, screen, overlay, darker and lighten effects. And for those working on film projects, Version 8.1 now includes ACES colorspace support. ACES and IIF is a new colorspace and file format promoted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences technology committee to provide a universal and open image interchange and processing format. Resolve 8.1 allows colorists to work in this format, and the free of charge DaVinci Resolve Lite includes ACES colorspace. For those working in Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve 8.1 now includes improved support for Avid AAF import/export for roundtrip editing. The AAF support includes effects such as dip to color; edge and center wipe with border; clock and venetian blind wipe; cross, oval and diamond iris wipe; and overlay composite. Additional support is included for Final Cut Pro 7 roundtrip with clip by clip selectable import of image sizing data now possible. New cut, copy and paste operations for editing and node metadata have been added to DaVinci Resolve 8.1, allowing easier and faster editing of clips in the timeline and copying grades between nodes. The release also includes new conform features.
Improved hardware support includes full compatibility with Apple’s early 2011 MacBook Pro 15-inch model with the 1680x1050 display, as well as for new UltraStudio 3D for Thunderbolt technology based computers.