DaVinci Resolve 21 adds photo editing and deep AI tools
Blackmagic Design just unveiled DaVinci Resolve 21, introducing a dedicated Photo page that brings node-based color grading to still photography alongside powerful AI tools. Editors now get IntelliSearch for face and content discovery, CineFocus for post-shoot depth-of-field control, and automated facial retouching. It marks a bold step toward taking on dedicated photo suites, and the public beta is live today.
Blackmagic Design just dropped DaVinci Resolve 21 at NAB 2026, and its biggest surprise isn't for filmmakers—it's for still photographers.
The update introduces a dedicated Photo page, bringing Hollywood-grade node-based color grading tools directly to still photography workflows for the first time.
Nodes for photography and a stack of new AI engines
Alongside the Photo page, Blackmagic packed the release with new AI-powered tools.
IntelliSearch can now track down clips by analyzing scene content and facial identity, while CineFocus lets editors adjust depth-of-field after shooting. For talent touch-ups, Resolve added Face Age Transformer, Face Reshaper, and Blemish Removal, joined by AI UltraSharpen for image clarity and Slate ID for pulling metadata straight off clapperboards.
Elsewhere, Fairlight gained folder tracks for cleaner audio sessions, and Fusion picked up over 70 new graphic tools via Krokodove. A public beta is available on Blackmagic's website.
Why it matters
We think launching a dedicated Photo page is a clever flank against Adobe. Photographers have long looked at node-based color grading with envy, and now they can use the exact same color science on raw stills without learning a fractured workflow.
It looks like Blackmagic is steadily turning Resolve from a video editor into an all-in-one media studio, pulling video, audio, VFX, and photography under a single roof.
Sources (1)
- blackmagicdesign.com(opens in a new tab)Originalblackmagicdesign.com