DaVinci Resolve 21 Unites Photo and Video Workflow at NAB 2026 with a New Photo Page and AI Neural Engine Upgrades
Blackmagic Design has introduced DaVinci Resolve 21 as their new software which will transform professional post production work. The NAB Show at Las Vegas announced its major update on April 13, 2026 which now enables users to perform advanced still image processing tasks directly within the Resolve software. Blackmagic Design CEO Grant Petty explained that they want to create a direct connection between Hollywood color grading tools and photography which will end the existing workflow separation between colorists and photographers.
The update introduces a dedicated Photo page which serves as its main feature. Users can import and control their photographs while using node based grading operations which provide the same capabilities as the Color page for video content. Photographers can now use primary color correction, curves and power windows to create advanced color grades for their pictures while LightBox view shows complete collections in real time. The editing process allows users to make changes without damaging original content because all adjustments maintain complete original file integrity for every possible resolution and aspect ratio selection.
The update adds a major expansion to the capabilities of DaVinci AI Neural Engine. The new intelligent features include CineFocus which lets users set their focal point and create authentic bokeh effects. Portrait retouching now becomes more effective because Face Age Transformer and Face Reshaper provide detailed control over both facial features and skin appearance. AI UltraSharpen and Motion Deblur work as essential tools to fix typical image and video quality issues which enable users to recover footage or photos that seemed unusable because of focus mistakes or motion problems.
The release brings improvements to both workflow management and audio engineering. The addition of folder tracks enables Fairlight audio engineers to clean up their timeline because they can collapse several tracks into one track that shows all available audio routes. Compositors using Fusion gain access to the Krokodove toolset which provides essential productivity and graphics utilities that have turned into standard resources for the VFX community. The software introduces native support for Lottie animations and OGraf HTML graphics which enables users to create motion graphics that overlay videos with greater efficiency.
The update introduces MultiMaster trim manager which serves as a tool for managing large scale projects. Users can create HDR and SDR deliverables from their timeline through this feature which enables them to produce multiple deliverables at the same time while it cuts down on rendering time. Blackmagic Cloud integration enables users to access all backend functions while maintaining full international team collaboration capabilities which Resolve has worldwide through its new Photo page and associated metadata.
The public beta test for DaVinci Resolve 21 gives users access to the new features which will become widely available after this period. The software is available for download directly from the Blackmagic Design website, with the company demonstrating the full capability of the new toolset at booth N2502 throughout the duration of NAB 2026.
