Davinci Resolve

[zalbnrum]

I opened this topic since I really like what latest Davinci Resolve(s) have to offer, it is free and works really well with cDNGs lossless created from MLVs and I will probably post in the future other futures that I find usefull. Please share your own findings or usefull features.

If you want to learn how to use the software in detail, I found it is possible to do it for free through studying their user manual accessible here (for DR 15):https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/manuals/DaVinciResolve/DaVinci_Resolve_15_Reference_Manual.pdf

First I want to share my test regarding Resolve's Super Scale engine, partly inspired by that topic: https://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=22869.0

Super Scale is useful if you have a 4K (UHD) deliver and have some slowmotion shots in 2K (HD). Superscale is available only in 2/3/4x and has its own sharpness and noise reduction settings.

Superscaled to 3520x1320, JPEG:


Superscaled to 3520x1320, TIFF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11okxjlsp1Dneru_B4CcOj8HsK12wYEby/view?usp=sharing

Shot in 3520x1320, JPEG:


Shot in 3520x1320, TIFF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gDmwtLMFX4wLK9439-uLUee8ch5szMNB/view?usp=sharing

Here are the details of settings used:

3.5K crop mode from magiclantern-crop_rec_4k.2018Jul22.5D3113

14 bit lossless > MlvApp 1.1.: cDNG lossless (no raw corrections)

ISO 400 1/46

Samyang/Rokinon 35mm cine at T5.6 ~70 and ~40cm focus distance

23,976 fps

3520x1320 2,76:1 1.63x cropped ff sensor

1760x660 2,76:1 3.27x cropped ff sensor

Davinci Resolve 15.1: Media Pool > Clip Attributes > Video > Superscale 2x / Sharpness = High / Noise reduction = Medium

Color science: RCM, I/T/O color spce: CanonLog, only exposure=1, other untouched

Deliver Resolve: TIFF RGB 16bit / JPEG Web Optimised from TIFFs for preview on forum

Validation: it depends from shot to shot. Resolve does a nice job with only "sharpen", but they say it is visually sharp up to 10% of upscale and that is kinda true.

*I know that there is a small change in lighting due to distance change to compensate crop difference. And if you want (sort of) AI, you can buy them fancy RTX Nvidia graphic cards

[extremelypoorfilmaker]

Thanks for your comparison! Unfortnately i am still on win7 therefore i can not test the superscale function myself. but it does seem promising

[Walter Schulz]

Open secret: MS hasn't stopped allowing migration to W10 without costs.

[zalbnrum]

@extremelypoorfilmaker not a problem, glad to hear you found it usefull.

Here is another detail I found interesting: "Sharpness: A debayer-specific sharpness filter applied to provide the appearance of enhanced image detail. 20 is unity. The range is 0 to 100." (DR 15 Manual, page 136/2632) Soo, used to believe the "internet" that "0" is unity, and default sharpness "10" is 10+, while in fact it is 10-.  So if you want sharpness as it comes from the camera, use "20".

[Kharak]

Here is another detail I found interesting: "Sharpness: A debayer-specific sharpness filter applied to provide the appearance of enhanced image detail. 20 is unity. The range is 0 to 100." (DR 15 Manual, page 136/2632) Soo, used to believe the "internet" that "0" is unity, and default sharpness "10" is 10+, while in fact it is 10-.  So if you want sharpness as it comes from the camera, use "20".

Thank you!

Nice find! I did not know that. I've basically been processing my footage at -20 sharpness then..

[extremelypoorfilmaker]

Open secret: MS hasn't stopped allowing migration to W10 without costs.

really? i gotta find out how can i do that

[Walter Schulz]

Upgraded this machine from 8.1 to 10 on October, 16th.
Most likely you will find tutorials referring to Microsoft's "assistive support page" (https://microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade). This method was disabled recently. You have to find another but reliable source for Microsoft's update executable.

[extremelypoorfilmaker]

i stumbled across this:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

And the installer i downloaded seems that it would upgrade my windows 7 to win10 as soon as i will have a good free afternoon i will back everything up and try it out

Thanks for the tip walter!

[allemyr]

Yes it's very good to upgrade the licens since Windows 10 is pretty expensive (bought one licens for 240 euros for my desktop). I upgraded my laptop 2 years ago that assistive way. It works same as regular, maybe with some changes in the settings towards assistive things, that my regular Windows 10 Pro on my desktop doesn't have. But works 99% the same as if I had updated without assistive way before the end date for regular upgrade. But hey, Windows 10 didn't by then have those features as it head when I upgraded

I really like Windows 10 more then 8.1 and Windows 7 aswell.

[togg]

Thank you!

Nice find! I did not know that. I've basically been processing my footage at -20 sharpness then..

damn, was it 20 by default? I'm asking myself.

[zalbnrum]

BMD updated their Resolve training videos for Davinci Resolve 15. There are videos that I think are very good entry-mid level informative and are well done and of course trust worthy. Here is a link to first in worklow "Davinci Resolve 15 - Managing media" https://youtu.be/d0J_vr2xOJM