New software update adds stabilization, multi layer timelines, XML round trip with Final Cut Pro™, OpenCL support, digital noise reduction, auto 3D alignment and more!

LAS VEGAS — (BUSINESS WIRE) — April 11, 2011 — Blackmagic Design today announced DaVinci Resolve 8, a major new update to the world’s most advanced color correction tool. DaVinci Resolve 8 includes new extremely powerful features and will be available to all DaVinci Resolve users free of charge!

DaVinci Resolve 8 will be demonstrated on the Blackmagic Design NAB 2011 booth at #SL220.

DaVinci Resolve is the world’s most advanced color correction tool and is used on more Hollywood feature films, commercials and television shows than any other system. This new update adds multiple features that our customers have requested, combined with innovative new image processing technology developed by Blackmagic Design.

New features in DaVinci Resolve 8 include multi layer timeline support with editing, and XML import and export with Apple Final Cut Pro™. The new DaVinci Resolve 8 now includes OpenCL processing to allow use on Apple iMac and MacBook Pro computers. New advanced processing tools have been added for real time noise reduction, curve grading, advanced multi point stabilization as well as automatic stereoscopic 3D image alignment. DaVinci Resolve 8 also supports the Avid™ Artist Color™ control panel and also offers ALE export to relink graded DNxHD files back into Avid editors.

Customers will love the new XML import and export combined with the multi layer timeline in DaVinci Resolve 8, because it lets complex sequences from Final Cut Pro to be imported, color graded and then exported directly back into Final Cut Pro, with all the new graded shots, and the layer structure, intact. If the Final Cut Pro edit is changed, DaVinci Resolve 8 will automatically relink all the clips so the grades are preserved. Editing can also be performed inside DaVinci Resolve 8, and clips adjusted and relocated.

Advanced OpenCL image processing has been incorporated into DaVinci Resolve 8, and this allows a broader range of GPUs to be used for real time processing up to 1080 HD resolutions. OpenCL based processing, while not as powerful as CUDA™ processing also used on DaVinci Resolve, does allow a much wider range of computers that can be used for color grading. Now Apple iMac™ and MacBook Pro™ series computers can be used for real time grading, allowing customers to use the computer hardware they already have. DaVinci Resolve 8 running on a MacBook Pro is a perfect on set color grading tool.

Often digital cameras when shooting in low light conditions will suffer from electrical noise in blacks, and film originated shots often include film grain and electronic noise from the film scanner. DaVinci Resolve 8 includes a new high quality CUDA noise reducer which eliminates noise and helps make images perfectly clean. Unlike any other solution, the DaVinci Resolve 8 noise reduction is incorporated into the color correctors, so it can be used in any corrector node and limited to inside or outside windows or by color qualifiers, so noise reduction can be used creatively by the colorist.

For handling shots that suffer from movement of the camera, DaVinci Resolve 8 includes a new multi point advanced stabilizer, which fixes unstable shots. The stabilizer is intelligent, and uses dozens of stabilization points to totally lock every part of the image. This results in incredibly stable images, even from poor quality sources such as unstable hand held cameras.

For colorists who are new to DaVinci Resolve, there is now a new Curve Grading feature that works exactly the same way as low end editing software grading, which greatly helps new users get up and running quickly with an interface they are familiar with. DaVinci Resolve 8 Curve Grading takes this interface much further because colorists can customize the curves and they get greater control with hue vs hue, hue vs sat, hue vs lum and lum vs sat controls. For fastest grading speed, curves can be adjusted from the mouse as well as the control panel.

For colorists working on stereoscopic 3D work, DaVinci Resolve 8 includes a powerful new automatic image alignment tool that automatically aligns images between cameras to produce an a perfect 3D image. 3D materiel is shot using two cameras combined with optics, and this causes problems with alignment because it’s impossible to perfectly align down to the pixel level two cameras mechanically. Until now, users had to accept some misalignment, however this is very fatiguing for viewers of 3D materiel, and has led to negative reviews of some 3D feature films. When working in higher resolutions such as 4K the problem is worse, because the mechanical tolerances are even tighter.

With the new DaVinci Resolve 8 automatic stereoscopic 3D image alignment, hundreds of individual image points are analyzed and the image is perfectly aligned between eyes. This produces an incredibly sharp and vibrant 3D image. Alignment is fast, only takes seconds per shot and it’s completely automatic so no settings are required by the colorist. This new 3D alignment uses advanced image processing developed by the Blackmagic Design advanced algorithm team, and will revolutionize 3D post production.

“Colorists today face many image enhancement and workflow challenges that are not purely color correction issues. DaVinci Resolve 8 provides the tools colorists need to solve these problems quickly and the advanced grading features to create any visual feeling from the enhanced image”, said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “It’s also important for the workflow between DaVinci Resolve and edit system to be as smooth as possible so colorists can focus on the images they are working with and not waste time.”