DaVinci Resolve 21

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

AI Branding & User Sentiment

  • Many dislike that almost every new feature is labeled “AI”; seen as marketing noise akin to ’90s “cyber.”
  • Some argue the label is redundant (titles are descriptive without it); others say “AI” signals that older, bad versions (e.g., background removal, face aging) now actually work.
  • Strong divide on sentiment: some claim “creators love AI,” others say many artists resent AI for devaluing skills and exploiting existing work.
  • Broad agreement that task‑specific, local tools (search, tagging, masking, noise reduction) are far more acceptable than generic chatbots or full generative “slop.”

Impact on Filmmaking & Media

  • Comparisons to CGI: expectation that generative AI will become invisible infrastructure when used well, but garish when overused.
  • Disagreement over “most video will be AI soon”: some foresee AI-dominated production; others compare this to past “everything will be CGI/photography/digital” predictions, arguing old forms persist.
  • Concerns: flood of low‑quality content, pressure to cheap out on shoots (“fix it with AI”), and economic harm to creative workers.
  • Optimists see unprecedented tools for indie filmmakers (AI VFX, mocap, gaussian splats) and community theatre–level productions with “A24 + Marvel powers.”

New Features Beyond AI

  • Photo page positioned as a Lightroom competitor, especially attractive on Linux; some call it potentially the best Linux photo editor, others say it’s still far behind Lightroom.
  • Strong praise for Resolve’s color tools and node‑based workflows, seen as far more powerful than Lightroom/Photoshop and a key reason Hollywood grades in Resolve.
  • Motion graphics/Fusion upgrades may replace many basic After Effects use cases, though some note Fusion instability and a controversial paywall around previously open Reactor content.
  • RAW support gaps (e.g., DJI, Olympus/Lumix at first) are a blocker for some; claims that support is improving but still incomplete.

Licensing, Platforms & Workflow

  • Free version is widely praised as extremely capable; Studio’s one‑time fee with lifetime major upgrades is considered unusually generous vs Adobe’s subscriptions.
  • Linux support is valued but described as fragile: best on specific distros with Nvidia; AMD and ARM Linux support are weak or missing.
  • Resolve is seen as pro‑grade, powerful, and stable compared to some rivals, but with a very steep learning curve, dense manuals, and a UI some find awkward or buggy.
  • Users report effective Python scripting and see potential for agentic automation, but the scripting API is limited and under‑documented.