A Hands-On Introduction To DaVinci Resolve On iPad Beta for Post Pros

Placing DaVinci Resolve iPad Into Context For Editors, Colorists, and Finishers

While many people were surprised that Blackmagic Design announced a Resolve iPad version – I was predicting this since Apple transitioned to its new ARM-based architecture.

This new architecture is not only exceptionally good for its video editing and color grading – it is also now standard across all of Apple’s hardware products. This means software for ARM Macs will port to iPad easily – and as we’ve seen, Resolve is incredibly well optimized on these new Macs!

Testing DaVinci Resolve for iPad Beta

I’m fortunate to beta test this new iPad release on my M1, 12.9-inch iPad pro. I’ve been putting it through its paces both on the Cut page for editing and the Color page for grading – and I’m very impressed.

I think Resolve on iPad will become the most serious mobile post production option for professionals, thanks to its deep integration and compatibility with desktop Resolve.

Performance on the M1 iPad has been impressive, the feature set is deep, and color management on the iPad’s excellent display works great in both SDR and HDR.

Key takeaways from this Insight

By the end of this Insight, you should know:

• What Resolve iPad is, what it isn’t, and what features are available to iPad users
• Resolve iPad can connect to existing Resolve databases and the Blackmagic Cloud
• Significant user interface changes for touch and pen usage
• How to set your caching settings for optimal performance
• How to get media in and out of Resolve on the iPad, including from cloud services and local files on the iPad
• How to use the Cut page on the iPad
• How to set up Reference Mode in iPadOS 16 to enable very accurate color-managed viewing
• How to use the Color page on the iPad, including color management for SDR and HDR, and using output color space to color manage the viewer
• If you can use the Blackmagic Speed Editor with the iPad (and why it’s fantastic)

External Links

• Blackmagic Design’s Official Press Release

Related Mixing Light Insights & Courses

• DaVinci Resolve 17.4.5 – Custom YRGB Output Color Spaces – This Insight is mentioned in this video, where I explain why the new Output color space setting in DaVinci YRGB projects is an excellent tool for node-based color management.
• The DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor On The Color, Edit, & Cut Pages -The new DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor is a fantastic controller. Learn how to use it for color grading, online editing, and Multicam workflows,
• The Resolve Collaborative Workflow Series – Introduced with Resolve 14, learn how to use Resolve’s innovative Collaborative workflow. It allows editors, colorists, VFX artists, and sound mixers to work on the same project simultaneously. In 2022, Blackmagic completely revised this workflow for Resolve 18 (and later).
• Custom ACES Part 1: Building An ACES Workflow In A Resolve Node Tree – If you’re intrigued by the node tree that Joey shows in this Resolve iPad Insight, then this is the start of his Custom ACES series explaining how the node tree works and how to execute a valid ACES workflow in a DaVinci YRGB project.
• Training Course: Learning To Edit On Resolve’s Cut Page & Speed Editor – This Course teaches the fundamentals of non-linear editing on the Cut Page – plus how to ‘up your game’ with the Blackmagic Speed Editor. When completed, you will worry less about the software and focus on bringing your stories to life.

Questions or Comments? Leave a comment!

Is this Insight helpful to you? Let us know! Mixing Light is all about community discussions, and we’re curious if you found this helpful, if you have something to add, or if you have more questions that you need answered?

– Joey

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