What Are the Top 10 Features of DaVinci Resolve?

What started off as a color-grading piece of software, became one of the most powerful tools for video editing. The unique set of features of DaVinci Resolve made it a go-to gear for many — from fledgling YouTubers cutting their first video to seasoned pros sculpting cinematic masterpieces. But what features exactly bring all those people to DaVinci Resolve’s doorstep? 

There may be many reasons, but here are our best shots, feature-wise. 

1. Proxies

If you’re working with high-resolution files — say 6K Blackmagic raw footage, and you don’t yet know about Proxies, well, you should. This feature of DaVinci Resolve is here to help you edit footage that would otherwise have your computer gasping for air. 

How does it work? Proxies are essentially scaled-down versions of your original footage, made for smoother playback and editing. It’s not even all that complicated. 

By right-clicking your footage in DaVinci Resolve and selecting “Generate Proxy Media”, you initiate the creation of these lighter, more manageable files. When it’s time to export, Resolve automatically switches back to the original high-resolution files, so the final product is of the highest possible quality.

2. Object Removal Tool

The Object Removal Tool in DaVinci Resolve does exactly what it sounds like it does — it removes unwanted elements from your shots. It goes without saying that it’s not a magical fix-all tool capable of erasing major subjects or complex backgrounds. Nevertheless, it’s great at removing small imperfections or distractions.

To use this feature, switch to the Color page, and track the movement of the object through your scene. Applying the Object Removal effect requires a bit of trial and error. Then, you’ll want to go with a Scene Analysis — this might require the creation of a Clean Plate if the automatic removal isn’t perfect. Adjusting settings like the search range and blend mode helps blend the removal into the background.

3. Magic Mask

Skilfully used Magic Mask is one of the reasons people are switching to DaVinci Resolve. It’s no surprise as it can save you a significant amount of manual work. This tool for selecting people or objects within your video is powered by DaVinci Resolve’s Neural Engine (Black Magic AI), and when it comes to use cases — the sky’s the limit. 

• Text behind person
• Creating depth in your composition
• Isolating a subject for detailed color correction
• Removing an object from a complex background 

These, and many, and I mean many more processes, can get a hell of a lot easier with just a few clicks. 

Of course, you don’t have to experiment by yourself. Resources such as this one are a goldmine for those who want to learn more about the capabilities of Magic Mask and explore its full potential.

4. Scene Cut Detection

Sometimes life gives you lemons, sometimes it hands you a fully rendered video with the task of adding effects or performing color grading. Going through the whole video, frame by frame, only to identify the cuts in between scenes can really grind one’s gears. But that’s exactly why we have Scene Cut Detection at our disposal. 

It automatically scans through the video, identifying and marking where each cut occurs based on visual change. Then, it presents you with separate files rather than simply referencing the same one. Just like that, resulting cuts are then imported into your project, and are fully ready for editing. 

5. Voice Isolation

Voice Isolation in DaVinci Resolve is a game-changer — it can isolate dialogue from the background noise in the time you need to say “I hate background noise”. The clearer the audio quality, the more professional and engaging your video will be.

In DaVinci Resolve, noise reduction is simple to use and offers flexibility in adjusting the intensity of the effect. Because of this, it can be used in different situations — from mild background chatter to significant ambient noise. This AI-powered tool, accessible through the Fairlight tab, ensures your audience focuses on the message, not the medium, by isolating human voice frequencies and getting rid of unwanted sounds. 

6. Fusion Macros

One of the widely-praised perks of DaVinci Resolve, its customizability, has its reflection in Fusion Macros, among other features of DaVinci Resolve. This feature allows you to create reusable effects, transitions, and titles. Not only does it save time but also helps you ensure consistency across different projects. 

Imagine you’ve created a beautifully stylized color vignette for a project. The process involved a few steps: applying a Color Corrector to your clip, tinting the clip by adjusting the color wheel, and applying Rectangle Mask and making a few adjustments in the Inspector. If this vignette is something you’d like to use again in the future, you can create a Macro and easily apply it to any other clip. 

7. Customizable Shortcuts

Talking of customizability, it would be hard not to mention DaVinci Resolve’s approach to keyboard shortcuts. As you probably realize, a lot of people are switching from different video editing tools to DVR, and this means getting used to different controls. The ability to adjust these keyboard shortcuts to fit one’s editing style or prior experience is a little thing with a big impact on workflow. 

8. Super Scale

Upscaling, or rather Super Scaling, in DaVinci Resolve Studio, employs a high-quality algorithm that intelligently adds new pixels to the image, providing clearer, more detailed outcomes. For example, you could be looking to fill a 4K timeline with 1080p footage or aiming for a modest digital zoom without sacrificing clarity. 

Of course, while it’s tempting to try and transform a 240p video into an 8K masterpiece, such attempts will likely end in disappointment. The process itself is also quite resource-intensive, which means that during the process, your PC can serve as a portable heater. 

9. Face Refinement

Face Refinement in DaVinci Resolve smartly uses face recognition to automatically identify and isolate facial features within any clip. What makes it special is the ability to not just recognize a face as a whole, but to pinpoint specific features such as eyebrows, eyes, nose, lips, and even the chin for targeted adjustments.

The process is surprisingly intuitive. After analyzing the face and letting Resolve track it through the clip, you’re free to play with a plethora of adjustments. From skin texture and color grading to specific retouching options for the eyes, lips, forehead, cheeks, and chin, each parameter can be toyed with.

10. Color Space Transform

Color Space Transform is one of the features of DaVinci Resolve that connects two different color spaces. If you’re working with footage from different cameras or trying to match specific delivery requirements, this is the solution.  

It allows you to convert the color space and gamma of your footage to match or harmonize with your project’s color settings. This includes industry standards such as Rec. 709 or Rec. 2020.

Honorable mention: The Media Management Tool

We were reluctant to put the Media Management Tool on the list of the best features of DaVinci Resolve because it does have its problems, but without a shadow of a doubt, it deserves at least an honorable mention. 

At the cost of occasional struggle, failed copies or bugs, it offers capabilities to copy and transcode footage without compromising the original quality. It enables precise management across entire projects, specific timelines, or selected clips, addressing many workflow requirements. You may need to experiment a bit and watch a few tutorials. But the ability to consolidate edit segments into a single file, preserve folder hierarchies, and relink to new files is worth it.