Blackmagic offers a powerful alternative to Lightroom with DaVinci Resolve 21

Blackmagic Design continues to expand the scope of the software with the DaVinci Resolve 21 beta version announced at the NAB 2026 event. While the most striking innovation in the new version is the “Photo” page focused on photo editing, new artificial intelligence-supported tools are also available on the video side. This development enables Resolve, which previously stood out as an alternative to Adobe Premiere on the video editing side, to now become a stronger competitor to photo editing tools such as Lightroom and Photoshop.

DaVinci Resolve has actually been offering the ability to edit photos on the video timeline for a long time. However, the new Photo page makes this process more accessible and organized. Users can now directly import and organize photos, including RAW format. Editing operations are carried out through Resolve’s powerful Color page. This page offers tools similar to Adobe Lightroom, but provides a more flexible working opportunity thanks to its node-based structure.

What the DaVinci Resolve 21 Photo page offers

Tools such as primary color correction, curves, qualifiers and power window on the Color page can also be actively used in the photo editing process. In addition, there are advanced options such as noise reduction and sharpening. The node-based structure stands out especially in complex arrangements. Users can add different settings in serial or parallel nodes and apply these settings to other images or entire albums.

The LightBox view stands out as another element that facilitates album-based work. In this mode, users can see all the photos at the same time and instantly follow how the edits appear throughout the collection. Filtering options also speed up the workflow. In addition, albums can be viewed as a timeline on other pages of Resolve, making switching between photo and video projects more convenient.

Camera control support offered for professional users is also among the notable innovations. It can be directly connected to Sony and Canon cameras, and settings such as ISO, exposure or white balance can be controlled via the software. This approach helps achieve a consistent look while shooting.

On the other hand, the existing tools of the software also work in harmony with the Photo page. With AI Magic Mask, object or person selection can be made with a single click. Advanced visual effects can be applied via the Fusion page or OpenFX filters can be added directly to photos. Thanks to Blackmagic Cloud support, team collaboration is also possible, but this feature requires a paid subscription.

On the video side, artificial intelligence-supported tools stand out. AI Face Age Transformer can analyze a person’s face to change their age and add details such as wrinkles. Facial lines can be reshaped with AI Face Reshaper. In addition, the AI ​​Blemish Removal tool is also offered, which reduces skin imperfections without damaging the natural texture. AI UltraSharpen improves low-quality images, while AI Motion Deblur reduces motion-induced blur.

In addition to all these, other noteworthy innovations include the ability to edit Fusion effects from the Cut and Edit pages, the integration of the Krokodove tool library, and new tools for VR platforms. While most of the features are available in the free version, some advanced tools are only accessible in the $295 DaVinci Resolve Studio version.