{"id":1892806,"date":"2026-04-20T16:05:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T13:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1892806"},"modified":"2026-04-20T16:05:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T13:05:20","slug":"davinci-resolve-21-hands-on-a-viable-lightroom-alternative-for-casual-users","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1892806","title":{"rendered":"DaVinci Resolve 21 hands-on: A viable Lightroom alternative for casual users"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/kgUwSmi1OivmwN522T09OA&#8211;\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD03NTU-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/4624a3b0-3ccb-11f1-bfff-1b2eb6ee4d56&#8243;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"article-6c9cfa8b-4349-424b-9711-8fabd89a8a52\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"mx-auto md:px-10 md:max-w-[1220px]\">\n<nav class=\"prestige-breadcrumb relative mx-4 md:mx-0\" aria-label=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<ol class=\"no-scrollbar overflow-scroll whitespace-nowrap text-battleship\">\n<li class=\"inline\">\n<li class=\"inline-block cursor-default last:pr-10 md:last:pr-20 font-bold\">Apps<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<header class=\"mb-4 px-4 md:mb-6 md:px-0\">\n<h1 class=\"layout-h1 my-2 font-bold leading-tight\">DaVinci Resolve 21 hands-on: A viable Lightroom alternative for casual users<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"my-2 text-[18px] font-light leading-5 md:max-w-[660px] md:text-[20px]\/[28px]\">The new photos tools are formidable, but don&#8217;t include the advanced features pros rely on from Adobe.<\/h2>\n<div class=\"flex-col items-start lg:flex lg:flex-row lg:items-center lg:justify-between mt-6\">\n<div class=\"relative md:mr-[10px]\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex mr-2\">\n<div class=\"shrink-0 cursor-pointer inline-block size-[42px] lg:size-[48px]\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt role=\"img\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full rounded-full object-cover object-center shadow-[0_0_0_2px_#ffffff]\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/jTvwq.9dDCrzQ8wsoTeXCQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2024-02\/500d6260-d592-11ee-befa-a7ddcfcafe0d\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"inline-block\">\n<div class=\"w-max text-sm\/5 font-semibold lg:!flex flex items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col\">\n<div class=\"flex w-max items-center\">Steve Dent<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"font-normal sm:before:inline-block\">Reporter<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"lg:hidden\">\n<div class=\"text-xs text-dolphin dark:text-shark md:text-sm\/5 pt-4\">\n<div class=\"inline-block\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-20T16:05:20.000Z\">Mon, April 20, 2026 at 4:05 PM UTC<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ml-0 mt-4 flex items-center lg:ml-3 lg:mt-0\">\n<div class=\"ml-0 mr-2\">\n<div class=\"relative flex\">Add Engadget on Google<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden lg:block\">\n<div class=\"text-xs text-dolphin dark:text-shark md:text-sm\/5 pt-4\">\n<div class=\"inline-block\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-20T16:05:20.000Z\">Mon, April 20, 2026 at 4:05 PM UTC<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-x-8 lg:gap-x-0 mx-auto md:px-10 md:max-w-[1220px] md:grid-cols-[[main-start]_1fr_[main-end_right-start]_min-content_[right-end]] lg:!gap-x-8\">\n<div class=\"md:col-main\" data-i13n-boundary=\"true\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-[[fullbleed-start_body-start]_minmax(auto,750px)_[body-end_fullbleed-end]]\">\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative overflow-hidden fig-image-round left-1\/2 w-screen -translate-x-1\/2 md:left-0 md:w-auto md:translate-x-0\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt class=\"object-cover object-center\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/CONTIcPU0e8iacNRdVKXHA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03ODE-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/4624a3b0-3ccb-11f1-bfff-1b2eb6ee4d56\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span>Steve Dent for Engadget<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px] drop-cap\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Blackmagic Design\u2019s DaVinci Resolve is a highly capable free color grading tool with a history dating way back to the \u201880s, but it has never been thought of as a rival to Adobe\u2019s Lightroom due to its video origins. Now, Blackmagic Design has released a new version in beta that may change people\u2019s minds about that. The new Photo page lets you import RAW images then adjust them using Resolve\u2019s powerful color grading tools. You even get access to advanced VFX and AI features not found in Lightroom.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">When I saw the new feature, I immediately wondered if I could cancel my $20 per month Adobe Photography subscription (with Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC). Apparently, I&#8217;m not alone. After trying it out, I believe that I could do so because photos are secondary to video for me. However, photographers who\u2019ve used Lightroom for a long time would likely find it too painful to switch \u2014 at least, for now.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"the-photo-page-and-albums\">The Photo page and Albums<\/h2>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">I tested the new Photo page functions and many of Resolve\u2019s new filter effects, but beware that the first beta is still buggy. I used it inside the $295 DaVinci Resolve Studio app (which includes free updates for life), because it has a few extra features not found in the free version.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_16d9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_26d9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">With that said, DaVinci Resolve 21 now supports RAW photos from Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony, with other brands to follow. Blackmagic has pledged to support RAW files for new cameras shortly after they\u2019re released like Adobe does with Lightroom. It also supports TIFFs, JPEGs, HEIFs and other photo file formats.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DaVinci Resolve 21 hands-on: A viable Lightroom alternative for casual users\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"562\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/OG0YDFFHteca381Omf5D7w--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU2Mg--\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/1ebca330-3ccc-11f1-9ffb-7130eb92895b\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span>Steve Dent for Engadget<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">To organize files, you can think of Resolve\u2019s Projects as equivalent to Lightroom Catalogs. You import photos into a Project just as you do video, by dragging and dropping photos or folders into the media pool or using the \u201cimport\u201d function. Resolve\u2019s dedicated Media file management page also supports RAW photos. I find Resolve\u2019s import system to be easier and more logical than Lightroom\u2019s, with less steps required. You can import a full or partial Lightroom catalog into Resolve as well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Once your photos are in the media pool, you can select and organize them by file name, rating, colors, favorites and other tags. DaVinci Resolve Studio also offers a new feature called AI IntelliSearch that lets you visually identify photos based on their content using terms like \u201ccats\u201d or \u201cdancing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Photos can then be moved from the media pool into Albums, a new feature that\u2019s similar to Lightroom\u2019s Collections. Albums activate several photo-specific features in the Color and Edit pages. In Edit, Albums appear as simplified, single-track timelines, with each photo shown as a two second clip. That way, you can work with photos in the Color and Fusion pages just as you do with video.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1cd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_2cd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">You can reframe and crop images inside Photo (either by typing in the size or dragging) and make basic RAW-style adjustments for settings like exposure, highlights and shadows. For more advanced grading (like you may do in Lightroom\u2019s Develop), you need to jump into the Color page.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"color-and-fusion\">Color and Fusion<\/h2>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">On the Color page, you get the same functions for photos as video: primary and log color correction, curves, qualifiers, power windows, noise reduction and sharpening. You can also employ Resolve\u2019s class-leading scopes, including parades, waveforms, vectorscopes and histograms.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Once you\u2019ve created an Album, you can select it at the top of the Color page viewer, just as you would a video timeline. You can also label and sort photos as you do in the Photo page.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DaVinci Resolve 21 hands-on: A viable Lightroom alternative for casual users\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"602\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/OFq1hc6Ndrxi7oFeaWLM.Q--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYwMg--\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/ee7c8950-3ccc-11f1-babc-8bcc22d0a123\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span>Steve Dent for Engadget<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Resolve&#8217;s node-based workflow really shines for photo editing. You can add nodes in series or parallel to build complex grades, then save and apply those grades to multiple images or an entire photo album. Resolve\u2019s system for doing this via \u201cstills\u201d that show your grade is more visual and powerful than the one in Lightroom. You also get support for Resolve\u2019s functions used for video like Look-Up Tables (LUTs) and the new Film Look Creator effect.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1jd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_2jd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">All of Resolve\u2019s filter-style effects \u2014 like Vignette, Lens Blur and Film Damage \u2014 are available directly from the Photo page. Those include some of DaVinci Resolve Studio\u2019s new AI effects (not available in the free version) like AI CineFocus, AI Face Age Transformer and AI Ultrafocus. This gives the app a leg up over Lightroom, which only offers comparable features via third-party plugins.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">If you want even more advanced effects, the Fusion page is Resolve\u2019s equivalent to After Effects. There, you\u2019ll find tools like warping, lights and Paint, which lets you do Photoshop-like cloning. Resolve 21 now includes the Krokodove filters with features like warping and text animation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">This raises the question of whether you can do multi-image compositing in the Photo page like you can in Photoshop or After Effects. In short, it\u2019s not possible as Photo only supports one image at a time. However, once you\u2019ve adjusted a RAW image, you can drop it into a video timeline where your color adjustments and other tweaks will carry over. Then, you can stack multiple images and use any of Resolve\u2019s compositing tools from the Edit or Fusion pages. This is pretty clunky compared to using Photoshop, but it\u2019s the only way to combine multiple images for now.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DaVinci Resolve 21 hands-on: A viable Lightroom alternative for casual users\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"608\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/zFE5DLPstvJtR22q58npkQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYwOA--\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/3b696080-3ccd-11f1-bfff-b39170ae9f0e\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">DaVinci&#8217;s Resolve 21&#8217;s updated export page for photos<\/span><span> (Steve Dent for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Once you\u2019ve finished grading and adjusting images, there are two ways to export them. One is by the Quick Export function that provides minimal settings like file type, name and resolution. The better method is via Resolve\u2019s Deliver page, which now has dedicated photo functions when you\u2019re working with an Album. There, you can control size parameters like short and long side, width and height or percentage. You can also change the file type, resolution and quality. This function is severely lacking compared to Lightroom though, which offers advanced settings missing from Resolve, like content credentials, watermarking and post-processing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1pd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_2pd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Finally, another new dedicated feature within the Resolve Photo page is Capture Live View for camera tethering, which only supports Canon and Sony cameras for now. It allows you to connect a camera to your PC via USB-C and control aperture, shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation directly from the app. You can also view your images using Resolve\u2019s scopes and tweak RAW settings like white balance, temperature, shadows, highlights and more.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"wrap-up\">Wrap-up<\/h2>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">DaVinci Resolve\u2019s new Photo page can do most of what Lightroom does in terms of image adjustments, while adding powerful effects tools that its Adobe counterpart lacks. It\u2019s not yet a substitute for Photoshop, though, as it lacks the organizing, exporting, compositing and pixel-level editing tools found in that app.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">For now, the Photo page is ideal for filmmakers who dabble in photo editing, along with hobbyists and power users familiar with Resolve\u2019s formidable grading tools. However, professional photographers may want to stick with Lightroom, because Resolve still lacks certain advanced features, particularly around organization and exporting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">The new DaVinci Resolve Photo page only just launched and is bound to improve greatly over time. If you\u2019re on the fence, download the free version and see if it works for you. A lot of video editors made the same switch from Premiere and have never looked back. Given the current grumbling about Adobe\u2019s subscriptions, I could see many people making the same move from Lightroom to Resolve.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"md:col-main grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px]\">\n<div class=\"no-scrollbar col-body mx-4 mb-8 mt-2.5 overflow-x-scroll whitespace-nowrap md:mx-0 md:max-w-[750px] md:overflow-x-visible md:hidden\">\n<div class=\"mx-auto max-w-screen-sm\">\n<ul class=\"inline-flex text-xs md:text-sm\">\n<li class=\"mr-6\">About our ads<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px] drop-cap\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Blackmagic Design\u2019s DaVinci Resolve is a highly capable free color grading tool with a history dating way back to the \u201880s, but it has never been thought of as a rival to Adobe\u2019s Lightroom due to its video origins. Now, Blackmagic Design has released a new version in beta that may change people\u2019s minds about that. The new Photo page lets you import RAW images then adjust them using Resolve\u2019s powerful color grading tools. You even get access to advanced VFX and AI features not found in Lightroom.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">When I saw the new feature, I immediately wondered if I could cancel my $20 per month Adobe Photography subscription (with Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC). Apparently, I&#8217;m not alone. After trying it out, I believe that I could do so because photos are secondary to video for me. However, photographers who\u2019ve used Lightroom for a long time would likely find it too painful to switch \u2014 at least, for now.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"the-photo-page-and-albums\">The Photo page and Albums<\/h2>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">I tested the new Photo page functions and many of Resolve\u2019s new filter effects, but beware that the first beta is still buggy. I used it inside the $295 DaVinci Resolve Studio app (which includes free updates for life), because it has a few extra features not found in the free version.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_16d9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_26d9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">With that said, DaVinci Resolve 21 now supports RAW photos from Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony, with other brands to follow. Blackmagic has pledged to support RAW files for new cameras shortly after they\u2019re released like Adobe does with Lightroom. It also supports TIFFs, JPEGs, HEIFs and other photo file formats.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DaVinci Resolve 21 hands-on: A viable Lightroom alternative for casual users\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"562\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/OG0YDFFHteca381Omf5D7w--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU2Mg--\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/1ebca330-3ccc-11f1-9ffb-7130eb92895b\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span>Steve Dent for Engadget<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">To organize files, you can think of Resolve\u2019s Projects as equivalent to Lightroom Catalogs. You import photos into a Project just as you do video, by dragging and dropping photos or folders into the media pool or using the \u201cimport\u201d function. Resolve\u2019s dedicated Media file management page also supports RAW photos. I find Resolve\u2019s import system to be easier and more logical than Lightroom\u2019s, with less steps required. You can import a full or partial Lightroom catalog into Resolve as well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Once your photos are in the media pool, you can select and organize them by file name, rating, colors, favorites and other tags. DaVinci Resolve Studio also offers a new feature called AI IntelliSearch that lets you visually identify photos based on their content using terms like \u201ccats\u201d or \u201cdancing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Photos can then be moved from the media pool into Albums, a new feature that\u2019s similar to Lightroom\u2019s Collections. Albums activate several photo-specific features in the Color and Edit pages. In Edit, Albums appear as simplified, single-track timelines, with each photo shown as a two second clip. That way, you can work with photos in the Color and Fusion pages just as you do with video.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1cd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_2cd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">You can reframe and crop images inside Photo (either by typing in the size or dragging) and make basic RAW-style adjustments for settings like exposure, highlights and shadows. For more advanced grading (like you may do in Lightroom\u2019s Develop), you need to jump into the Color page.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"color-and-fusion\">Color and Fusion<\/h2>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">On the Color page, you get the same functions for photos as video: primary and log color correction, curves, qualifiers, power windows, noise reduction and sharpening. You can also employ Resolve\u2019s class-leading scopes, including parades, waveforms, vectorscopes and histograms.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Once you\u2019ve created an Album, you can select it at the top of the Color page viewer, just as you would a video timeline. You can also label and sort photos as you do in the Photo page.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DaVinci Resolve 21 hands-on: A viable Lightroom alternative for casual users\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"602\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/OFq1hc6Ndrxi7oFeaWLM.Q--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYwMg--\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/ee7c8950-3ccc-11f1-babc-8bcc22d0a123\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span>Steve Dent for Engadget<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Resolve&#8217;s node-based workflow really shines for photo editing. You can add nodes in series or parallel to build complex grades, then save and apply those grades to multiple images or an entire photo album. Resolve\u2019s system for doing this via \u201cstills\u201d that show your grade is more visual and powerful than the one in Lightroom. You also get support for Resolve\u2019s functions used for video like Look-Up Tables (LUTs) and the new Film Look Creator effect.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1jd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_2jd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">All of Resolve\u2019s filter-style effects \u2014 like Vignette, Lens Blur and Film Damage \u2014 are available directly from the Photo page. Those include some of DaVinci Resolve Studio\u2019s new AI effects (not available in the free version) like AI CineFocus, AI Face Age Transformer and AI Ultrafocus. This gives the app a leg up over Lightroom, which only offers comparable features via third-party plugins.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">If you want even more advanced effects, the Fusion page is Resolve\u2019s equivalent to After Effects. There, you\u2019ll find tools like warping, lights and Paint, which lets you do Photoshop-like cloning. Resolve 21 now includes the Krokodove filters with features like warping and text animation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">This raises the question of whether you can do multi-image compositing in the Photo page like you can in Photoshop or After Effects. In short, it\u2019s not possible as Photo only supports one image at a time. However, once you\u2019ve adjusted a RAW image, you can drop it into a video timeline where your color adjustments and other tweaks will carry over. Then, you can stack multiple images and use any of Resolve\u2019s compositing tools from the Edit or Fusion pages. This is pretty clunky compared to using Photoshop, but it\u2019s the only way to combine multiple images for now.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DaVinci Resolve 21 hands-on: A viable Lightroom alternative for casual users\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"608\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/zFE5DLPstvJtR22q58npkQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYwOA--\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/3b696080-3ccd-11f1-bfff-b39170ae9f0e\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">DaVinci&#8217;s Resolve 21&#8217;s updated export page for photos<\/span><span> (Steve Dent for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Once you\u2019ve finished grading and adjusting images, there are two ways to export them. One is by the Quick Export function that provides minimal settings like file type, name and resolution. The better method is via Resolve\u2019s Deliver page, which now has dedicated photo functions when you\u2019re working with an Album. There, you can control size parameters like short and long side, width and height or percentage. You can also change the file type, resolution and quality. This function is severely lacking compared to Lightroom though, which offers advanced settings missing from Resolve, like content credentials, watermarking and post-processing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1pd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_2pd9nam95feiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Finally, another new dedicated feature within the Resolve Photo page is Capture Live View for camera tethering, which only supports Canon and Sony cameras for now. It allows you to connect a camera to your PC via USB-C and control aperture, shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation directly from the app. You can also view your images using Resolve\u2019s scopes and tweak RAW settings like white balance, temperature, shadows, highlights and more.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"wrap-up\">Wrap-up<\/h2>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">DaVinci Resolve\u2019s new Photo page can do most of what Lightroom does in terms of image adjustments, while adding powerful effects tools that its Adobe counterpart lacks. It\u2019s not yet a substitute for Photoshop, though, as it lacks the organizing, exporting, compositing and pixel-level editing tools found in that app.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">For now, the Photo page is ideal for filmmakers who dabble in photo editing, along with hobbyists and power users familiar with Resolve\u2019s formidable grading tools. However, professional photographers may want to stick with Lightroom, because Resolve still lacks certain advanced features, particularly around organization and exporting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">The new DaVinci Resolve Photo page only just launched and is bound to improve greatly over time. If you\u2019re on the fence, download the free version and see if it works for you. A lot of video editors made the same switch from Premiere and have never looked back. Given the current grumbling about Adobe\u2019s subscriptions, I could see many people making the same move from Lightroom to Resolve.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/apps\/davinci-resolve-21-hands-on-a-viable-lightroom-alternative-for-casual-users-160520123.html&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/kgUwSmi1OivmwN522T09OA&#8211;\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD03NTU-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-04\/4624a3b0-3ccb-11f1-bfff-1b2eb6ee4d56&#8243;] Apps DaVinci Resolve 21 hands-on: A viable Lightroom alternative for casual users The new photos tools are formidable, but don&#8217;t include the advanced features pros rely on from Adobe. Steve Dent Reporter Mon, April 20, 2026 at 4:05 PM UTC Add Engadget on Google Mon, April 20, 2026 at 4:05 PM UTC [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,63],"class_list":["post-1892806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-engadget-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1892806","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1892806"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1892806\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1892806"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1892806"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1892806"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}